LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِOctober
07/2010
Bible Of The
Day
Peter's First Letter 3/10-12: " For He who would love life, and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. 3:11 Let
him turn away from evil, and do good. Let him seek peace, and pursue it. 3:12
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears open to their
prayer; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Free
Opinions, Releases, letters, Interviews & Special Reports
Israel releases 1973 war papers to
warn Syria, Hizballah: Hands off Beirut! DEBKAfile Exclusive Report/October 6/10
Dr. Samir Geagea's statement
addressing the Syrian 33 Arrest Warrants/NNA/October 6/10
Jamil As-Sayyed faces another
setback in his years-long quest for access to witness statements and evidence
against him/By: Matt Nash/06 October/10
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for
October 06/10
UN: STL moving ahead
regardless of funding/Daily Star
U.N.
Under-Secretary-General Asks Cassese Not to Grant Sayyed Access to Investigation
Documents/Naharnet
European Sources: Hof to Reassure
Syria, Lebanon Their Role in Peace Process 'Definitely Coming'/Naharnet
France again Postpones Hariri
Murder Reenactment/Naharnet
Zahra Warns of Plan to Assassinate
Hariri and Geagea: Syria is Still in Position of the Accused/Naharnet
Compromise Looming for Hariri
Tribunal Crisis/Naharnet
March 14: Lebanese Fed up with
Hizbullah Threats, Militia-Style Practices/Naharnet
Muallem Says STL 'a Lebanese
Affair', Describes Arrest Warrants as 'Purely Procedural'/Naharnet
U.N.
Under-Secretary-General Asks Cassese Not to Grant Sayyed Access to Investigation
Documents/Naharnet
Western, Arab States Fear Hariri will be Assassinated, US Sources/Naharnet
Aoun
Says Christian Areas Would Be Spared Civil Strife if Geagea Avoided Resorting to
Arms/Naharnet
Geagea
to Aoun: I Didn't Predict a Disgraceful End for You Such as the one We are
Witnessing Today/Naharnet
Syria celebrates 37 years
to Yom Kippur War/Ynetnews
Shin Bet arrests two
Israeli Arabs for plotting terror/J.POST
Iran can now export
weapons to over 50 countries'/J.POST
Ahmadinejad Accompanied by 50
Businessmen, Hizbullah Massing Thousands to Welcome Him/Naharnet
U.S. Tells Beirut of
Concern about Ahmadinejad's Visit/Naharnet
US expresses concern to Lebanon over Ahmadinejad visit/Jerusalem Post
Hezbollah, Syria seek to discredit
Hariri tribunal/AP
FP Passport: Lebanon heats up, and Mehlis hits back/FP
SYRIA: Damascus tightens screws on Lebanon with arrest warrants in Hariri
inquiry/Los Angeles Times
US Cautions Lebanon on Ahmadinejad Visit/VOA
Canada and Israel to cooperate on
birding, environment/J.Post
US: Ahmadinejad
trip to Lebanon is not a good
idea/AP
European Sources: Hof to Reassure Syria, Lebanon Their Role in Peace Process
'Definitely Coming'/Naharnet
US Wants Turkey to
Cooperate against Hizbullah, Hamas, Qaida/Naharnet
Zahra Warns of Plan to
Assassinate Hariri and Geagea: Syria is Still in Position of the Accused/Naharnet
Calm Sought in Lebanon:
Suleiman Optimistic, Hariri Not Worried, Berri has Solution/Naharnet
Saudi Arabia Stresses
Solution for Lebanon Lies on Internal Scene: No Comment on Syrian Arrest
Warrants/Naharnet
France again Postpones
Hariri Murder Reenactment/Naharnet
Rifaat Assad Fabricated
Zuheir Siddiq/Naharnet
Compromise Looming for
Hariri Tribunal Crisis/Naharnet
Najjar to Ease Tension
with Syria 'His Way'/Naharnet
Berri: Sluggish Dealing
with False Witnesses Led to Syrian Arrest Warrants/Naharnet
Two Hurt by Inerga Grenade
in Tripoli, Tensions High in Borj al-Barajneh after Man Shot Dead/Naharnet
Syria Summons '4 Generals'
for Hearing in False Witnesses Case, Sayyed Denies Receiving Hearing Orders/Naharnet
Sayyed Warns of
'Political, Security Unrest' if Hizbullah was Indicted/Naharnet
Israel releases 1973 war papers
to warn Syria, Hizballah: Hands off Beirut! /Naharnet
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report October 6, 2010,
http://www.debka.com/article/9064/10:42 AM (GMT+02:00) Tags: Israel Lebanon
Syria Bashar Assad lays ground for Hizballah coup in BeirutIsrael's Prime
Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak decided to release
the minutes of the deliberations on an air blitz against Damascus - held in
Jerusalem before and during the Yom Kippur War 37 years ago - as a strong
warning to Syrian President Bashar Assad, debkafile's military and intelligence
sources reveal. Then, a decision to take out Damascus to halt the Syrian
offensive was overruled. This time could be different: Bashar Assad regime's own
centers of power could be at risk if Syria and Hizballah go through with their
plan to overpower Beirut and topple Saad Hariri's sovereign government.
That is the message relayed by the October 1973 war papers released this week,
which go beyond uncovering secret operational and intelligence decision-making
and are unusually wide-ranging.
In the hours leading up to the fateful moment on Oct. 6 1973, when the combined
forces of Egypt and Syria caught Israel napping by a joint offensive (designed
by their Russian sponsor), Israel's chief of staff, the late Lt. Gen. David
Elazar, said to Prime Minister Golda Meir: In operational terms, we can wipe out
the entire Syrian air force by 12:00 noon today. We need another 30 hours to
destroy its missiles. Then, if they go on the offensive at 5 pm., our air force
will be free to strike the Syrian army. To me, this is operational option is
attractive.
Three days later, on Oct. 9, catastrophe stared Israel in the face: The IDF was
in a bad way and taking casualties in the realm of hundreds dead and thousands
injured; their defense lines in Sinai and the Golan had fallen and there was
nothing in the way of the Syrian army going all the way to the Sea of Galilee
and Tiberias.
In a closed meeting with Golda Meir, the iconic defense minister Moshe Dayan
asked for permission to bomb Damascus. "Inside the city?" she asked. "Inside the
city and its environs," he replied. "We have to break the Syrians," Dayan
explained that he proposed to strike the Syrian General Command and
infrastructure in Damascus. "We've done enough going around the fields (a
reference to targets outside the Syrian capital). There are no more key targets
left. Damascus is the only one. We can't promise the population won't be hurt."
Golda's permission was withheld.
debkafile's sources report that the decision to release these documents and the
section relating to Syria was taken in Jerusalem after the Obama administration
failed to prevent the two-day state visit to Lebanon by Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad taking place on Oct. 13.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton may not have been tough enough on this
issue when she met Syrian foreign minister Walid Muallem in New York Monday,
Sept. 27. Damascus also inferred from the tenor of that converstion that
Washington would not interfere with a Syrian-Iranian-backed Hizballah attack on
Lebanon's centers of power.
The 1973 war papers released in Jerusalem, revealing that Israel then was just
hours away from an air blitz against Damascus, was a message to Assad that
Jerusalem was not aligned with the Americans in this.
The suspense ahead of the Ahmadinejad visit and its fallout continued to rise
this week.
Tuesday, Oct. 5, U.S. sources told Kuwait's Al-Rai newspaper: There are
international and Arab concerns over a potential assassination attempt against
PM Saad Hariri.
That night, Damascus pressed ahead with its campaign to prepare Beirut for a
Hizballah takeover by chipping away at Lebanese sovereignty and the authority of
the Hariri government. Syria's chief military prosecutor issued summonses for
four former Lebanese security officials to present themselves in Damascus and
testify against three former officers, two Syrian and one Lebanese, who bore
witness against Syria and Hizballah as complicit in the assassination of former
Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005.
This step followed the publication on Monday of a list of 33 Lebanese and
international figures accused of conspiring in a plot to inculpate Syria for the
murder.
UN: STL moving ahead regardless of funding
Cabinet delays talks on budget for Tribunal
By Elias Sakr
Daily Star staff
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
BEIRUT: The UN Secretary General’s spokesman Martin Nesirky reiterated Tuesday
the UN’s support for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) amid ongoing debate
among rival Lebanese parties over the court’s credibility.
“Well, I think we would simply reaffirm our belief in the importance of the work
of the STL. That’s the most important point,” he said.
Hizbullah and its allies have sought to block Lebanon’s funding of the STL by
threatening to vote in the Cabinet against the 2011 draft budget article
relating to the issue. The controversy drove President Michel Sleiman to push
for the postponement of deliberations on the matter.
Mesirky stressed that the UN Security Council would strive to guarantee that the
STL could continue its work through alternative funding sources.
“The tribunal operates under a mandate from the Security Council, and we would
strive to ensure that it can go about its work. And also, I’d note the role of
the Tribunal’s management committee in that process,” he said.
Well-informed ministerial sources told The Daily Star Tuesday that the issue of
funding for the STL would not be discussed during Wednesday’s government session
in line with an agreement struck on Monday between Sleiman and Premier Saad
Hariri to allow the president time to reach a compromise over disputed issues.
The source said the postponement of deliberations aimed to allow time for
regional and internal contacts to reach a breakthrough in the stalemate and
avoid further escalation.
Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Assiri held talks with Sleiman, Hariri and
Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday while Transportation and Works Minister Ghazi al-Aridi,
delegated by Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt, headed to
Damascus to bridge the gap between Hariri and Syria. It remains unclear how a
vote in the Cabinet over the article relating to the STL funding would play out
since ministers loyal to Hizbullah and its allies number 10 out of 30, leaving
them one vote short of the power to veto the article. One of two ministers loyal
to Jumblatt, who has moved closer to Syria and its ally Hizbullah, or one of the
five ministers loyal to Sleiman could vote alongside opposition forces to block
the STL funding.
Separately, conflicting reports emerged Tuesday over the re-enactment of the
explosion that killed former Premier Rafik Hariri in 2005 in Beirut in a
military location near the French town of Bordeaux that was scheduled by the
STL’s prosecutor to take place on October 5 and 6. While some reports indicated
that the re-enactment of the murder took place away from the media, others said
the test was postponed since the French authorities decided to simulate the
crime at a later time away from media outlets.
Earlier this month, As-Safir reported that France had cancelled a planned
re-enactment of the blast that killed Hariri, amid concern over the country’s
relationship with Hizbullah.
Hizbullah has condemned the STL as an Israeli project, casting doubt on the
credibility of its investigations and accusing it of fabricating an impending
indictment to implicate Hizbullah members in the murder as part of a plot aimed
against the resistance.
“France is moving toward cancelling the re-enactment of [Hariri’s]
assassination,” the paper quoted an unidentified French security source as
saying. It added that a French engineering firm had already finished
constructing a stage designed to recreate the St. George area of Downtown Beirut
through which Hariri’s motorcade passed in the seconds before a car bomb
detonated on February 14, 2005. When asked whether the re-enactment took place,
the STL’s office spokesperson told The Daily Star that it was not within the
prosecutor’s office prerogatives to confirm or deny the issue.
The spokesperson of the STL’s prosecutor office was not available to comment on
the issue.
A legal matter
Appeal ordered in Sayyed’s case before the STL
Matt Nash, October 6, 2010
Now Lebanon/Jamil As-Sayyed faces another setback in his years-long quest for
access to witness statements and evidence against him. The former head of
General Security, detained along with three other Lebanese security officials
from 2005 until 2009 on suspicions of involvement in the assassination of former
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, will soon travel to the Netherlands for an appeal
hearing on whether or not he has the right to ask the court for the documents he
seeks.
Late last week, tribunal President Judge Antonio Cassese ordered the appeal
hearing after Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare contested a September 17 ruling by
pre-trial Judge Daniel Fransen which determined “that the Tribunal has
jurisdiction to rule on the substance of [Sayyed’s] application [and] that [Sayyed]
has standing to request access to the documents concerning him in the criminal
file related to the Hariri case.”
Bellemare, in filing his request for an appeal after Fransen’s ruling, argued
that the pre-trial judge “erred in law in applying the wrong test” both to
determine inherent jurisdiction of the tribunal to hear Sayyed’s request and to
determine whether Sayyed has the legal right to bring his request before the
court.
Bellemare argued that Fransen also incorrectly interpreted the tribunal’s rules
of procedure, the process for evidence disclosure, and that he improperly
directed the prosecutor to translate a court document into French. Cassese
approved the appeal request on October 1, but the date of the hearing has not
yet been set. This appeal will again only deal with the issues of whether or not
Sayyed has a right to come before the court. The question of his gaining access
to court documents would only come if he wins the appeal.
Since he was first detained in Lebanon on August 30, 2005, Sayyed has been
doggedly pursuing access to the evidence against him. He is particularly
interested in any false statements that led to his detention. In 2005, Lebanese
courts issued an arrest warrant for Sayyed and three others, based on the United
Nations International Independent Investigation Commission, a precursor to the
tribunal. While in detention, he sent 111 requests for access to evidence to the
UNIIIC, as well as 60 similar requests to Lebanese judicial authorities and four
requests to the United Nations Security Council.
In a document he filed with the tribunal on September 30, Sayyed, through his
lawyer, said his request has “only one purpose,” to produce the file he requests
“before a competent national court as evidence of the offence committed against
him.”
Attempts to reach Sayyed’s lawyer were unsuccessful, but, because of his ongoing
lawsuit in Syria related to his detention, it seems that would be the first
venue to which he brings any documents he receives.
That is, of course, if he receives them. Even if Sayyed wins the appeal, he and
the prosecutor will likely have to argue before a judge which documents Sayyed
is allowed access to (for example, documents that would hinder an ongoing
investigation cannot be released), based on Fransen’s September 17 ruling. A
tribunal spokesperson refused to speculate on the “possible outcome of the
judge’s decision” in the appeal.
If Sayyed wins the appeal, he will also have to convince the UN of his right to
any document he requests. Cassese, in approving the appeal, asked the UN to file
a “friend of the court” brief – a standard document submitted by anyone who
might be impacted by a legal case even if they are not specifically party to it.
The UN’s Under-Secretary General for Legal Affairs Patricia O’Brien, in a brief
filed October 1, argued that all tribunal documents are UN property. She asked
the court to “refrain from disclosing, giving access to and tendering in
evidence any UN documents without prior authorization of the United Nations.”
Should he prove victorious, and receive the documents he so desperately seeks,
they will likely be headed for a courtroom in Damascus, adding a new twist to
the case he filed there in October 2009. If this happens, Sayyed’s next legal
challenges will likely be fought closer to home.
show all
Samir Geagea addresses the Syrian 33 Arrest Warrants
October 6, 2010 il
On October 5, the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) carried the following
report:
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea told reporters that the “focus of the
ministerial statement yesterday and the insistence of the Lebanese government on
the continuation of exceptional relations with Syria at a time when 33 arrest
warrants were issued by the Syrian judiciary against Lebanese, Arab and foreign
figures” was very surprising, assuring that these warrants “were like arrest
warrants against the state. It is as though they were issued by one state to
arrest another, since they seemed directed against the team surrounding the
prime minister and consequently the premiership, the Lebanese judiciary, the
internal security forces, the deputies and ministers.
As a compensation for the harm caused by the Syrian brothers against Lebanon as
a whole, and in case they have any intention of establishing normal relations
between Lebanon and Syria, these warrants should be withdrawn because they are
more of ‘a masquerade’ than a serious step. This is due to the fact that those
concerned by the issue and those who are not concerned by it do not care and
have no fears since the warrants have no legal or judicial value, neither in
Lebanon nor around the world.
The people against whom these warrants were issued do not go to Syria and I do
not think they would ever want to.
After looking at the names affected by the Syrian arrest warrants under the
pretext that they were behind the issue of the false witnesses, what seized my
attention was the fact that they were issued on the eve of the Lebanese Cabinet
session to receive the false witnesses file, especially in light of a study
which was delivered by Minister of Justice Ibrahim Najjar to allow the ministers
to take a look at it.
Does the Syrian step truly stem from a wish to handle the issue of the false
witnesses, or from an intention to use this issue to undermine the international
tribunal without it having any right to do so?
In form, the main headline of these warrants is the issue of false witnesses.
However, if we were to check the names – in case it is true that some of them
were involved in the file of the false witnesses – we would see that some of
them had nothing to do with this file such as journalist Omar Harqous who was
the object of a major attack two years ago, Brigadier General Achraf Rifi,
former Minister Charles Rizk – who was part of the share of President Emile
Lahoud [in the cabinet] but who acted professionally and conscientiously at the
time… - and former deputies Bassem al-Sabah and Elias Atallah.
These warrants were apparently issued against those who have never succumbed and
will never succumb to the Syrian wishes in Lebanon. The list should have been
much longer but they were only setting an example for all those who do not abide
[by the Syrian wishes], saying that arrest warrants will be issued against them.
So we would like to congratulate all those who were mentioned in these arrest
warrants.” Asked about the fact that these warrants were described as being
solely judicial and whether or not they took the Lebanese-Syrian relations
backward, Geagea asked, “Is the judiciary in Syria an independent institution?
This relation was taken back to square one despite all the positive steps
carried out by President Sleiman and Prime Minister Hariri.” Regarding former
head of Lebanon’s General Security Jamil as-Sayyed’s accusation against the
Lebanese judiciary of not moving forward, Geagea asked, “Does the clock of the
Lebanese judiciary have to tick in accordance with Jamil al-Sayyed’s clock in
order for it not to be accused of being an agent, an imperialist and a Zionist
institution? This is a complicated issue which started with the fact-finding
commission, then moved to the investigation commission and the international
tribunal, in addition to the Lebanese judiciary. We finally reached the study
conducted by the Justice Ministry in regard to the false witnesses, under the
supervision of all the legal committees inside the Ministry and with
consultations requested from important legal references abroad.
Asked about the escalation which started affecting the Syrian tone toward the
international tribunal following the meeting between Minister Walid Al-Mouallem
and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as the meeting between
Presidents Bashar al-Assad and Ahmadinejad, and whether or not the Syrians were
involved in the assassination, he said, “I do not know. I have my own ideas
which I will keep to myself. However, I believe that [the escalation] falls in
the context of the strategic alliance between Syria and Iran, but also in the
context of the developments seen in the region on more than one level.”
Regarding his reading into the visit of the Iranian president to Lebanon, Geagea
welcomed President Ahmadinejad “who is the head of a state. We hope however that
he will act on that basis and not as the leader of a faction in Lebanon, and
that he will uphold the customs and mutual respect between the states. If this
is seen, there will be no problem… President Ahmadinejad is not entitled to
address any message to the West from the Lebanese territory. He can do that from
his country Iran. He is coming on an official visit and must respect the
Lebanese state, its inclinations, policies, foreign relations, security,
stability and all its popular groups [end of statements].”
LDP: STL is a tool to implement UNSCR 1559
October 6, 2010 /Following its weekly meeting on Wednesday, the Lebanese
Democratic Party issued a statement that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)
is a tool to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1559.Resolution 1559,
which was issued in 2004, calls for the disbanding and disarmament of all
militias in Lebanon and for the state to assert its sovereignty over all its
territory. The Lebanese Democratic Party considers Syria’s Sunday decision to
issue arrest in the lawsuit of former head of General Security Jamil as-Sayyed
to be a judicial move, the statement added. Syria issued 33 arrest warrants
against judges, officers, politicians and journalists of Lebanese, Arab and
other nationalities.Sayyed was arrested in 2005 on suspicion of involvement in
former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s assassination and was released in 2009 due
to lack of evidence. In October 2009, he filed a lawsuit in Damascus against
various defendants whom he alleges were involved in a conspiracy of false
testimonies against him.-NOW Lebanon
'Iran can now export weapons to over 50 countries'
By JPOST.COM STAFF /10/06/2010 10:23
Teheran's military chief reportedly claims Iranian defense is "at the height of
its power" and totally self-sufficient in producing "defense products." Iran's
top military official said the country can supply weapons to over 50 countries,
Iranian news source PressTV reported on Wednesday. "At the moment the Islamic
Republic is at the height of power and is able to export defense products,"
Brigadier-General Ahmad Vahidi was quoted as saying. Vahidi said Teheran had
manufactured defense products and that the country is self sufficient in
military industries, producing military equipment and weapons, as well as
electronic, radar and optical projects. Iran has completed a number of defense
projects despite UN Security Council sanctions against Iranian military and
finances, due to its nuclear program. Earlier this week, Iran blamed the West
for a computer worm called "Stuxnet" found on the computers of emloyees of the
country's nuclear power plant. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin
Mehmanparast said the worm won't make Iran "give up or stop" its nuclear
activities.
AP contributed to this report.
U.N. Under-Secretary-General Asks Cassese Not to Grant Sayyed Access to
Investigation Documents
Naharnet/U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Patricia O'Brien filed a
request with Judge Antonio Cassese, President of the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon, asking him to refrain from granting Maj. Gen. Jamil Sayyed access to
investigation documents. O'Brien based her request on "the inviolability of the
archives and documents of the United Nations."
"Any documents or material of the United Nations International Independent
Investigation Commission and any other United Nations documents and material on
the criminal file are inviolable under the terms of article 11 of the Convention
on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations," said O'Brien in her
"brief on the inviolability of United Nations documents" addressed to Cassese.
"Inviolability entails that the documents cannot be disclosed to a third party,
copied or used, including non-judicial proceedings, without the consent of the
United Nations. The inviolability applies to United Nations documents, but also
extends to documents 'held' by it, which may include third party documents given
to the United Nations on a confidential basis."O'Brien noted that the U.N. has a
policy of "maximum cooperation with international criminal tribunals and has
developed a practice of disclosing documents on its own volition in certain
circumstances in order to facilitate the work of these tribunals.""The United
Nations respectfully requests that in considering Sayyed's application for
access to his criminal file, and in any other proceedings, the Tribunal,
Prosecutors and Defense Counsel appearing before it refrain from disclosing,
giving access to and tendering any United Nations documents without prior
authorization of the United Nations," O'Brien said. Beirut, 05 Oct 10
US Wants Turkey to Cooperate against Hizbullah, Hamas, Qaida
Naharnet/Washington has asked Turkey to cooperate against Hizbullah, Hamas and
al-Qaida, the Turkish newspaper Taraf reported Wednesday.
It said CIA officials, during a meeting with Turkey's intelligence chief in
Washington last month, asked for more cooperation "against terrorist
organizations, namely al-Qaida."While the Turkish intelligence chief urged the
CIA for more cooperation in combating PKK separates activity and close down its
military camps in north Iraq, the CIA official called on Turkey to undertake a
more active role in the fight against the spread of Hizbullah, Hamas and
al-Qaida in Iraq. Beirut, 06 Oct 10, 10:26
Aoun Says Christian Areas Would Be Spared Civil Strife if Geagea Avoided
Resorting to Arms
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Tuesday noted that
"Christian areas would be spared" the violence of a potential civil strife in
the country if Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea avoided resorting to weapons.
After the weekly meeting of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc, Aoun said
that Maj. Gen. Jamil Sayyed, former head of General Security Department, filed
his lawsuit with the Syrian judiciary "as a result of the judicial vacuum in
Lebanon."
"If Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar had submitted his report on the false
witnesses issue to the cabinet and declared that the Lebanese judiciary has
exclusive jurisdiction to tackle the case, the Syrian judiciary would have taken
no action," Aoun added. "With which court should Sayyed and his companions file
a complaint if the Lebanese and the international judiciaries have washed their
hands of the complaints over the investigation?" Aoun wondered. On the other
hand, the FPM leader noted that "the bloc's ministers didn't receive Justice
Minister Ibrahim Najjar's report on the false witnesses issue during yesterday's
(Monday's) cabinet session.""There are criminals in power, and the blame falls
on the silent majority that is encouraging crime, as well as on the civil
society and the media," Aoun decried.Asked about the uproar about Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's upcoming visit to Lebanon, Aoun said: "Insolence
itself is when domestic objections are voiced over Ahmadinejad's visit, while
the foreign objections are not surprising."
Aoun rejected the accusations that the opposition was perpetrating a "coup",
noting that "the State has been turned upside down since 2005, and the
opposition is now seeking to rebuild it according to laws and
regulations.""Their State has been acting contrary to the norms since a while:
it doesn't respect the other (opinion); it is ridiculing our security and even
working to incite civil strife through its apparatuses," Aoun added. On a
separate note, the FPM leader revealed that he was preparing lawsuits against MP
Elie Marouni over remarks that FPM members have been stockpiling weapons, as
well as against ex-MP Antoine Andraous "who talked about Iranian weapons in the
possession of a number of FPM partisans" in the Mount Lebanon town of al-Kahaleh.
Beirut, 05 Oct 10,
Geagea to Aoun: I Didn't Predict a Disgraceful End for You Such as the one We
are Witnessing Today
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea criticized on Wednesday Free Patriotic
Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, saying: "I did not expect you to reach such a
low level and for you to call on your allies to militarily attack your Christian
opponents.""I did not expect you to make up so many lies … Tell me General, do
the LF or your allies posses weapons? Are the LF or you calling on the people to
civil disobedience against the legitimate legal and security authorities?" he
said. "Yesterday you justified Syria's arrest warrants by saying that the
Lebanese judiciary was too slow in implementing its duties, does this mean that
every Lebanese citizen who believes that the judiciary is being lax should
resort to a foreign judiciary to faster meet his demands?" he asked. "Is this
the sovereignty that you, for decades, have claimed to be striving for?" Geagea
continued. "Is this the sovereignty that hundreds of youth have shed blood for
and endured oppression, persecution, and time in prison?" "My dear friend
General Aoun, lying can only get you so far and I had predicted an unsuccessful
political end for you, but nothing like the disgraceful end such as the one we
are witnessing today," he concluded. Beirut, 06 Oct 10,
March 14: Lebanese Fed up with Hizbullah Threats, Militia-Style Practices
Naharnet/The majority March 14 coalition stressed on Wednesday that the Lebanese
were fed up with "daily Hizbullah threats and militia-style practices."It said
after the weekly meeting of its general-secretariat that the practices "will not
intimidate the Lebanese or dissuade them from committing to the accomplishments
of the independence intifada and its gains."
March 14 General Secretariat called for joining ranks, adding that Hizbullah
"should know that the Lebanese are attached to civil peace and they do not fear
intimidation and threats."
Addressing the Syrian arrest warrants against a number of Lebanese figures, it
said that they are a "Syrian call to eliminate the Special Tribunal for Lebanon
and they are a blatant defiance of Lebanese demands for justice and
stability.""It is as if the Syrian leadership wants to restore ties between the
two countries to the phase of extreme tensions, throwing out the window all
efforts undertaken by the Lebanese state, and especially the prime minister, to
normalize ties in a way that would benefit the Lebanese and Syrian people," the
statement continued.
The arrest warrants "which should not be taken innocently as some have called
for" will push the other team towards increasing its defiance, it added.The
March 14 forces lauded Prime Minister Saad Hariri and President Michel Suleiman
for their positions towards the warrants and urged the Lebanese to exercise
diligence to avoid falling victim to regional interests.
In addition, the general-secretariat condemned the Free Patriotic Movement's
"provocation" against the Lebanese Forces.
European Sources: Hof to Reassure Syria, Lebanon Their Role in Peace Process
'Definitely Coming'
Naharnet/Frederic Hof, an aide to U.S. Special Middle East Peace Envoy George
Mitchell, is due to arrive in Damascus Wednesday evening on the first leg of a
Middle Eastern tour that aims to explore the prospects of reviving the peace
process in the Middle East. Hof is scheduled to meet Thursday with a number of
Syrian officials, topped by Foreign Minister Walid Muallem and Vice President
Farouq al-Sharaa. European diplomatic sources have told the Italian news agency
AKI that Hof's visit, in addition to the recent visit by Mitchell to Damascus
and Muallem's meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in New York,
are "anticipatory, early hints that carry reassurances for Damascus and Beirut
that their role in the peace process is definitely coming," as soon as
Washington manages to put the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks on the right
track. "Maybe it was also an attempt to push Syria and Lebanon toward backing
the efforts (of reviving) the (current) round of Palestinian-Israeli direct
negotiations, as long as its success will allow Washington to achieve further
progress" on the Syrian-Israeli and Lebanese-Israeli peace tracks, the sources
added. Beirut, 06 Oct 10,
Muallem Says STL 'a Lebanese Affair', Describes Arrest Warrants as 'Purely
Procedural'
Naharnet/Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has described as "purely
procedural" controversial arrest warrants Damascus has issued against 33 people,
among them Lebanese officials.
"It's purely procedural," he told a news conference during a visit by his
Romanian counterpart Teodor Baconschi. When asked about the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon, Muallem insisted that it is "purely a Lebanese affair." He stressed
that "the Syrian-Saudi efforts are still ongoing regarding Lebanon because the
objective is the stability of this country."
"This stability is not to be created by foreign powers, but rather by the
Lebanese themselves. Syria and Saudi Arabia are encouraging the Lebanese and
advising them to do so."(Naharnet-AFP) Beirut, 06 Oct 10,
Zahra Warns of Plan to Assassinate Hariri and Geagea: Syria is Still in Position
of the Accused
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces MP Antoine Zahra warned on Wednesday of a possible plan
to assassinate Prime Minister Saad Hariri, former PM Fouad Saniora, and LF
leader Samir Geagea, He told LBC: "The current information available indicates
that those planning an assassination will not hesitate to execute their plan
when the circumstances are appropriate."
The MP noted that the situation in Lebanon is similar to the one that pervaded
the country prior to former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's 2005 assassination.
Furthermore, Zahra said that Syria is still in the position of the accused in
Hariri's assassination and it has not been exonerated. The four generals
themselves have also not been exonerated, he added, but they were released
because of a lack of evidence. Beirut, 06 Oct 10,
Calm Sought in Lebanon: Suleiman Optimistic, Hariri Not Worried, Berri has
Solution
Naharnet/An uneasy calm seems to prevail in Lebanon as President Michel Suleiman
voiced optimism and after Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he believed tension
would ease after Syria issued arrest warrants against 33 Lebanese, Arab and
other officials over ex-PM Rafik Hariri's probe. An-Nahar newspaper on Wednesday
quoted President Michel Suleiman as telling visitors that he was comfortable
with the response of the various political forces to his calls for calm and
consensus suggestions. Suleiman stressed that he would continue to carry out
contacts with these forces in an effort to find similar solutions "in order to
preserve internal harmony and avoid any clash now or in the future." Hariri, in
turn, assured that Cabinet would not discuss in Wednesday's meeting "issues of
dispute." Mustaqbal television said Hariri stressed that the Government would
not address any of these issues "not until the souls calm down." It said Hariri
urged the Lebanese not to worry about the situation, stressing that "things are
moving toward calm." Meanwhile, Speaker Nabih Berri said he has the solution to
the crisis over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon which is expected to indict
Hizbullah in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. "The
solution to the current crisis depends mainly on Lebanon," Berri said in remarks
published Wednesday. "Lebanese must work on that, with help of our brethren and
friends, if necessary," he added.
Berri said he was comfortable with the relationship between Riyadh and Damascus.
Only if contacts between Saudi Arabia and Syria were halted that Berri would
start to worry, he said. "But this is not the case." If outcome of contacts
between Damascus and Riyadh was positive, it is likely that Hariri will dispatch
an envoy to Syria within 48 hours to curtail repercussions of the arrest
warrants, As-Safir newspaper reported. It quoted sources following up on these
contacts as saying, however, that reaching an exit could be "difficult" unless
these considerations were taken into account -- trying false witnesses, stopping
STL funding, withdrawal of Lebanese judges from the STL and elimination of
political accusations against Hizbullah.
"I have an idea for a solution … Do you think I'm just sitting here watching?"
Berri noted. But he believed implementation of the solution on the ground needs
a "calm climate and clear hearts." He criticized the declining political
rhetoric which could "devastate" Lebanon. Beirut, 06 Oct 10,
A legal matter
Appeal ordered in Sayyed’s case before the STL
Matt Nash, October 6, 2010
Now Lebanon/Jamil As-Sayyed faces another setback in his years-long quest for
access to witness statements and evidence against him. The former head of
General Security, detained along with three other Lebanese security officials
from 2005 until 2009 on suspicions of involvement in the assassination of former
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, will soon travel to the Netherlands for an appeal
hearing on whether or not he has the right to ask the court for the documents he
seeks.
Late last week, tribunal President Judge Antonio Cassese ordered the appeal
hearing after Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare contested a September 17 ruling by
pre-trial Judge Daniel Fransen which determined “that the Tribunal has
jurisdiction to rule on the substance of [Sayyed’s] application [and] that [Sayyed]
has standing to request access to the documents concerning him in the criminal
file related to the Hariri case.”
Bellemare, in filing his request for an appeal after Fransen’s ruling, argued
that the pre-trial judge “erred in law in applying the wrong test” both to
determine inherent jurisdiction of the tribunal to hear Sayyed’s request and to
determine whether Sayyed has the legal right to bring his request before the
court.
Bellemare argued that Fransen also incorrectly interpreted the tribunal’s rules
of procedure, the process for evidence disclosure, and that he improperly
directed the prosecutor to translate a court document into French. Cassese
approved the appeal request on October 1, but the date of the hearing has not
yet been set. This appeal will again only deal with the issues of whether or not
Sayyed has a right to come before the court. The question of his gaining access
to court documents would only come if he wins the appeal.
Since he was first detained in Lebanon on August 30, 2005, Sayyed has been
doggedly pursuing access to the evidence against him. He is particularly
interested in any false statements that led to his detention. In 2005, Lebanese
courts issued an arrest warrant for Sayyed and three others, based on the United
Nations International Independent Investigation Commission, a precursor to the
tribunal. While in detention, he sent 111 requests for access to evidence to the
UNIIIC, as well as 60 similar requests to Lebanese judicial authorities and four
requests to the United Nations Security Council. In a document he filed with the
tribunal on September 30, Sayyed, through his lawyer, said his request has “only
one purpose,” to produce the file he requests “before a competent national court
as evidence of the offence committed against him.”
Attempts to reach Sayyed’s lawyer were unsuccessful, but, because of his ongoing
lawsuit in Syria related to his detention, it seems that would be the first
venue to which he brings any documents he receives. That is, of course, if he
receives them. Even if Sayyed wins the appeal, he and the prosecutor will likely
have to argue before a judge which documents Sayyed is allowed access to (for
example, documents that would hinder an ongoing investigation cannot be
released), based on Fransen’s September 17 ruling. A tribunal spokesperson
refused to speculate on the “possible outcome of the judge’s decision” in the
appeal. If Sayyed wins the appeal, he will also have to convince the UN of his
right to any document he requests. Cassese, in approving the appeal, asked the
UN to file a “friend of the court” brief – a standard document submitted by
anyone who might be impacted by a legal case even if they are not specifically
party to it. The UN’s Under-Secretary General for Legal Affairs Patricia
O’Brien, in a brief filed October 1, argued that all tribunal documents are UN
property. She asked the court to “refrain from disclosing, giving access to and
tendering in evidence any UN documents without prior authorization of the United
Nations.”
Should he prove victorious, and receive the documents he so desperately seeks,
they will likely be headed for a courtroom in Damascus, adding a new twist to
the case he filed there in October 2009. If this happens, Sayyed’s next legal
challenges will likely be fought closer to home.
Shin Bet arrests two Israeli Arabs for plotting terror
By JPOST.COM STAFF /10/06/2010
Arrested Nazareth sheikh known for inflammatory remarks against Israel and US,
previously told pope he is not welcome in northern city. Two Israeli Arabs have
been arrested by Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) for illegally supporting
terror and planning crimes, according to information released Wednesday. Sheik
Nazem Abu Salim, the Imam of a mosque in Nazereth, was arrested along with
Muhammed Zudani-Naarani, another resident of the northern city. The court has
forbidden the release of any other details.
Abu Salim is reportedly known for speaking out against Israel and the US from
his mosque. Before Pope Benedict XVI visited Nazareth last year, Abu Salim
posted a sign saying that the pope was not welcome in the town because of his
words against Islam and Muhammad. Last Tuesday, two Israeli Arabs from Shfaram
and Um el-Fahm were arrested for holding weapons for Hamas, and trying to
recruit Israeli Arabs for the terror organization.
Syria celebrates 37 years to Yom Kippur War
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3965231,00.html
Bashar Assad places flowers on Unknown Soldier's tomb during ceremony marking
war's anniversary. Syrian general says 1973 campaign broke 'the invincible
Israeli army myth'
Ynet Published: 10.06.10, 14:22 / Israel News While Israelis slowly come to
grips with the panic and chaos that weighed down the first days of the Yom
Kippur War, Syrians are celebrating 37 years to the campaign "that broke the
invincible Israeli army myth." Syrian President Bashar Assad laid flowers on the
Unknown Soldier's grave on the war's anniversary Wednesday. A ceremony marking
the anniversary was attended by Assad, the Syrian defense minister and military
chief of staff and a PLO representative. Twenty-one shots were fired. The
president read out Koran verses in memory of the fallen Syrian soldiers.General
Naif al-Akel (res.) told the Syrian news agency that the 1973 battles should be
viewed from an historical standpoint. "The Arabs were the initiating party and
they broke the Israeli army myth," he said.Al-Akel said he was a member of the
force that climbed Mount Hermon and waved the Syrian flag. "The liberation of
the Hermon had a huge effect on the combating forces since the Israeli
occupation army previously tried to re-conquer the site unsuccessfully," he
said, neglecting the fact that the IDF did eventually manage to seize the Hermon
before the war ended. The general further noted that the Yom Kippur War had been
the first in which Arabs showed a united front, omitting the fact that Jordan
did not take part in the campaign.
Canada and Israel to cooperate on birding, environment
By EHUD ZION WALDOKS
10/06/2010 06:29/J.Post
Memorandum of understanding with Canadian province of Manitoba to remain in
effect for 5 years; share common interest in preserving habitats. The Society
for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) and the Canadian Province of
Manitoba will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) next Wednesday to further
cooperation regarding birding, tourism and the environment.
Manitoba, which is 30 times larger than Israel, has been eager to forge research
partnerships with Israeli organizations, especially on water and environmental
issues.
Israel and Manitoba share a common interest in preserving habitats – especially
concerning bird migrations. Both countries are on major migratory routes,
according to the MOU. In addition to fostering cooperation on bird migration,
the MOU will encourage partnerships on environmental conservation and
eco-tourism.
The initial foci of cooperation will be “partnership development – based on the
sharing and development of knowledge, research, study, and education, with a
particular emphasis on youth,” according to a copy of the agreement provided to
The Jerusalem Post.
“Areas of specific focus will be nature conservation and study, environmental
education, biodiversity and sustainable development,” it goes on. “The initial
focus will be on ornithology, with particular emphasis on partnerships between
the birding needs, agricultural (preservation of crops) and aeronautical safety
needs (flight paths).”
It also mentions “the need to recognize and expand eco-tourism in each
jurisdiction, [and] to mutually support and promote eco-tourism in each
jurisdiction beginning with ornithological tours, nature guiding, [and]
orienteering (with the aim to expand the focus in future years).”In a statement
ahead of the signing, SPNI Director-General Avinoam Ben-Yitzhak said, “We are
pleased to promote this important initiative.SPNI, as a public organization, has
a special ability to bring people together from around the world to preserve
nature and the environment, which is of global interest for all earth
inhabitants.”Dr. Yossi Leshem – founder and director of the International Center
for the Study of Bird Migration, which is part of SPNI and Tel Aviv University –
added, “This cooperation is a fine example of actualizing the concept that SPNI
has long promoted – migrating birds know no boundaries.This agreement is proof
that topics such as birds, environment and nature can bring government, people
and diverse interests together. On the issues of preserving wildlife, there
really are no boundaries.”The eventual goal is to expand the agreement to
include joint projects with Jordan and the Palestinians, SPNI said. The signing
ceremony will take place next Wednesday at SPNI’s Jerusalem Bird Observatory,
adjacent to the Knesset. Dignitaries and officials expected to attend include
visiting Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger, Tourism Minister Stas Meseznikov,
Manitoba Minister of Water Stewardship Christian Melnick; its Minister of
Innovation, Energy and Mines Dave Chomiak; and Canadian Ambassador to Israel
Paul Hunt; as well as Ben-Yitzhak, Leshem, and Dan Alon, director of the Israel
Ornithological Center (part of SPNI’s birding division). Once signed, the MOU
will remain in effect for five years, with an option of renewing it for another
five. Manitoba has also signed water research agreements with JNF/KKL. Each has
hosted delegations of experts and held a conference in their respective
countries.
US Cautions Lebanon on Ahmadinejad Visit
David Gollust | State Department 05 October 2010 VOA
The United States said Tuesday it has raised concerns with Lebanese authorities
about reported plans by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to visit southern
Lebanon during his three-day visit to that country next week. U.S. officials are
concerned about possible incidents along the volatile Lebanon-Israel border. The
State Department acknowledges it is Lebanon's sovereign right to invite whatever
foreign leader it chooses to visit the country. Nonetheless, the United States
is questioning the wisdom of reported plans by Lebanese authorities to allow the
Iranian leader to visit the tense border area. The Iranian-backed Shi'ite
movement Hezbollah has said Mr. Ahmadinejad will visit its southern Lebanon
stronghold, including a border point where pro-Hezbollah visitors throw stones
toward the Israeli side.
At a news briefing, State Department Spokesman P.J. Crowley said the United
States hopes Iran will play a constructive role in the region and that
stone-throwing - either figurative or literal - is not constructive behavior.
Crowley said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton raised the issue late last month
in New York with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman. Crowley said Clinton
expressed concern about it, given that Iran - through its association with
groups like Hezbollah - is "actively undermining Lebanon's sovereignty." "We
respect the fact that countries can chose to have diplomatic relations with
other countries. That is a sovereign choice for Lebanon and for Iran," said
Crowley. "It's not for us to tell them who they should or should not talk to. We
did say to Lebanese officials that this is a country that is actively
undermining your government. And we believe that whatever you decide to do,
should be in light of making sure that the Lebanese government continues to
demand that Iran or any other country respect its sovereignty."
Although part of Lebanon's coalition government, Hezbollah has refused to yield
its largely-Iranian supplied weaponry to the regular Lebanese armed forces.
Hezbollah is listed by the United States as a terrorist organization. Israel,
which fought a border war with Hezbollah in 2006, also reportedly has urged
Lebanese officials to cancel the border visit by Mr. Ahmadinejad, which it has
described as a provocation. In Lebanon, members of the March 14 Alliance - the
political bloc headed by Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Harri - have criticized
the planned Iranian visit as a bid to underline Iran's potential to disrupt
Middle East peace efforts. The visit has been defended by Hezbollah spokesmen
and by Iranian Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki, who said his country supports
Lebanon's government and stability.
Lebanon heats up, and Mehlis hits back
Posted By David Kenner Tuesday, October 5, 2010 -
http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/10/05/lebanon_heats_up_and_mehlis_hits_back
All eyes in the Middle East are on Iran, but it may be Lebanon that is closer to
war. On Sunday, the former head of Lebanese General Security, Gen. Jamil al-Sayyed,
announced that he had been informed by his lawyer that a Damascus court had
issued arrest warrants for 33 figures for misleading the international tribunal
charged with bringing the killers of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri
to justice. One of those individuals was a former chief investigator of the
U.N.-led investigation itself, Detlev Mehlis. But in comments to Foreign Policy,
Mehlis poured cold water over the truth of Sayyed's claims, and suggested that
he has no intention of backing down from his work in Lebanon.
Sayyed has a particular axe to grind in this case: He was imprisoned for over
four years on suspicion of being involved in Hariri's killing. And the man
partially responsible for putting him behind bars was none other than Mehlis,
who asked Lebanese authorities to arrest him along with three other pro-Syrian
generals.
"I should mention that I am not aware of any investigation against myself and
members of my previous UNIIIC-team anywhere in the world," Mehlis said. "I
realize that Mr. Sayyed has brought up the story of an arrest warrant, just as
he brought up the story of a French arrest warrant a year ago, and I do not
believe a word of what he is saying. "
The Syrian government has so far yet to confirm whether an arrest warrant has
been issued. But even if one has, Mehlis left little doubt about the opinion of
such a document. "If indeed there is a Syrian arrest warrant, it would be
baseless, illegal, and politically motivated, without any practical
implications," he said.
As the showdown over the tribunal heats up, Mehlis's work has been fiercely
attacked by the court's critics in an attempt to discredit the entire
enterprise. As Syria and Hezbollah attempt to use their increased leverage
within Lebanon to scuttle the court entirely, there is no doubt that such
condemnations will continue. The only real question is whether anyone will speak
out against them
US expresses concern to Beirut over Ahmadinejad visit
By JPOST.COM STAFF AND HERB KEINON
10/05/2010 22:38
Last month, Clinton met Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, telling him that
Iran, through Hizbullah, was threatening Lebanon's sovereignty.
The US has expressed concern to the Lebanese government over Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's scheduled upcoming visit to Lebanon, US State Department
Spokesman P.J. Crowley said, AFP reported Tuesday.
Crowley said that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke with Lebanese
President Michel Suleiman last month, telling him that Iran, through Hizbullah,
threatens Lebanon's sovereignty.
On Monday, diplomatic officials in Jerusalem said that Lebanon, not Israel,
would be the party to suffer most from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s
scheduled visit next week to southern Lebanon.
“Lebanon is the primary victim, and if it wants to stop slipping into the jaws
of the Iranian crocodile, it – and the moderate Arab world – should raise a
strong voice and say this provocateur is not welcome,” Foreign Ministry
spokesman Yossi Levy said.
Ahmadinejad is expected to visit battlegrounds of the Second Lebanon War in
southern Lebanon, including Bint Jbail and Maroun a-Ras next Wednesday and
Thursday, and reportedly wants to go to the border with Israel and throw rocks
at IDF soldiers.
Ahmadinejad to throw rocks at Israeli border
By JPOST.COM STAFF
09/28/2010 12:45
Iranian president plans to speak at Second Lebanon War battle sites, makes time
in Lebanon visit for stone-throwing.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad plans to throw a rock at Israel to
demonstrate his hatred on his planned trip to Lebanon, London-based paper Al-Quds
al Arabi reported on Tuesday.Ahmadinejad plans to meet with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, as well as
other Lebanese officials, on October 13. During the two-day visit, the Iranian
president will participate in events near the Israeli border.One event is the inauguration of a garden in southern Lebanon, during which
Ahmadinejad plans to throw the rock, Al-Quds reported.
Another event is the establishment of an Iranian center in the village of Maron
A-Ras, where there IDF soldiers fought in the Second Lebanon War.Ahmadinejad is expected to discuss Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in a speech
in Bint-Jbil, another battle site.Hizbullah operatives are reportedly providing security for the Iranian president
on his trip to Lebanon.
Ahmadinejad to visit 'Iran's border with Israel'
By JPOST.COM STAFF /10/02/2010 19:23
Iranian President lays claim to Lebanon's southern border which he will visit
during official tour; Lebanese official calls visit "a provocation."
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad plans to visit what he has reportedly
called "Iran's border with Israel" during a trip to Lebanon later this month,
referring to the Lebanese southern border.Ahmadinejad is due to spend two days holding meetings and traveling the country
over the course of an official tour beginning October 13th.Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor told AFP on Friday that Ahmadinejad's
trip was "very worrying for anyone who is concerned about the stability of
Lebanon and of the Middle East.”The Iranian president is set to meet with top Lebanese officials as well as
Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah over the course of his two days in the
country.
According to AFP's report, some Lebanese parliamentary members have been angered
by Ahmadinejad's impending visit.
“His visit to the south would be a provocation, he doesn’t need to go there,”
Fares Souaid, coordinator of the “March 14” alliance, said. He added that the
Iranian president would be implying that Lebanon was under Iranian influence.
Last week, London-based paper Al-Quds al Arabi reported that Ahmadinejad plans
to throw a rock at Israel to demonstrate his hatred on his planned trip to
Lebanon.
One event the Iranian president is currently slated to attend is the
inauguration of a garden in southern Lebanon, during which Ahmadinejad plans to
throw the rock, according to Al-Quds.
Hizbullah operatives are reportedly providing security for the Iranian president
on his trip to Lebanon.
Well,Lebanon is under Iranian influance, Directly through Hizbullah and Syria.
Surely that is self-evident? The opposition leaders in Lebanon really haven't
been able to thwart that influance,But lots of luck. You're sure going to need
it.wonder what the US would do if Chavez threw projectiles from Mexico into Texas?
They would probably blow his brains out. Israel does not have this kind of
Courage
Tehran, Damascus tell Hizballah to grab of Beirut right after Ahmadinejad's
visit
DEBKAfile Special Report October 4, 2010,
The presidents of Iran and Syria agreed in Tehran Saturday, Oct. 2, to support a
Hizballah military takeover of Lebanon's power centers, including the capital
Beirut, right after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ends his controversial two-day visit to
the country on October 13-14.
Ahmadinejad and Assad also decided to continue to harass Lebanese Prime Minister
Saad Hariri by de-legitimization of his government, intimidation and humiliation
to force him to dissolve the Special Tribunal for Lebanon-STL which has brought
charges against Hizballlah officials for the murder of former Lebanese Prime
Minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005.
If this campaign disables the Hariri government, so much they better, because
then Hizballah will be able to walk in and set up a transitional administration
together with it allies, the Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and the Christian
ex-general Michel Aoun. This administration will rule the regions dominated by
Hizballah gunmen and proclaim its legality as a viable alternative to the failed
Hariri government.
As part of this Iranian-Syrian-Hizballah master plan, President Assad Sunday,
Oct. 3 released a list - referred to the former Lebanese head of internal
security Maj. Gen. Jamil Sayyed - of 33 international and Lebanese individuals
against whom the Syrian prosecutor general had issued arrest warrants on charges
of false testimony and perjury in the UN probe of the Hariri murder.debkafile
reports that this defiance of an internationally recognized UN court is
unprecedented and tantamount to a declaration of war on Lebanon.
Sources in Damascus said the list would be handed to Interpol for the execution
of international warrants.
Lebanese police chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi said the next day that Interpol
would not execute the 33 warrants, because they were politically motivated.
On that list are the first UN investigating prosecutor of the Hariri probe,
Detlev Mehlis and his deputy, Gerhard Lehmann. Both turned up evidence of the
complicity of high-ranking Syrian government and military officials' in the
crime. Syria also wants the two Lebanese judges on the special tribunal
arrested, together with most members of the Lebanese judiciary, the heads of
Lebanese security and intelligence services, leaders of the anti-Assad
opposition parties in Syria, especially the exiled former vice president Abdul
Halim Khaddam, and a string of Lebanese and Kuwaiti public figures and
journalists who are opponents of the Syrian and Iranian regimes.
This document was published in Damascus to scare Persian Gulf and Saudi rulers
from coming to the aid of the Lebanese prime minister or interfering with its
plans for bringing Hizballah to power in Beirut.
To ward off the threat Hariri travelled to Riyadh and asked Saudi rulers for
help - firstly, to block off the Iranian-Syrian conspiracy against his
government and secondly, for money to buy arms for Lebanese Sunni and Christian
militias to defend their fiefdoms against takeover by the Hizballah.
Hariri is planning an emergency government session to discuss the crisis. At the
same time, his energy minister Gebran Bassil, while visiting Tehran was told by
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki: Stability and unity in Lebanon
would foil the plots of enemies."The Lebanese minister understood this to mean
that his government would enjoy stability if it united behind the master plan
designed for Lebanon by Ahmadinejad and Assad. It was therefore taken as a
threat rather than reassurance. "If the Zionist Regime [of Israel] attacks
Lebanon and Syria, all regional countries including Iran will stand behind
Beirut and Damascus," Mottaki said on Monday.
Israel has good reason to be deeply apprehensive of the civil war and violent
carving up of Lebanon most likely to result from the Iranian-Syrian plan with
serious upsets on the Lebanese-Israeli border, especially if the belligerent
Hizballah decides to go for Iran's "enemies" too - namely, Israel. So far there
is no sign of Israel taking any steps to prevent this happening.