LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِSeptember 03/2010

Bible Of the Day
Luke17/22-35: "He said to the disciples, “The days will come, when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 17:23 They will tell you, ‘Look, here!’ or ‘Look, there!’ Don’t go away, nor follow after them, 17:24 for as the lightning, when it flashes out of the one part under the sky, shines to the other part under the sky; so will the Son of Man be in his day. 17:25 But first, he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 17:26 As it happened in the days of Noah, even so will it be also in the days of the Son of Man. 17:27 They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 17:28 Likewise, even as it happened in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 17:29 but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from the sky, and destroyed them all. 17:30 It will be the same way in the day that the Son of Man is revealed. 17:31 In that day, he who will be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away. Let him who is in the field likewise not turn back. 17:32 Remember Lot’s wife! 17:33 Whoever seeks to save his life loses it, but whoever loses his life preserves it. 17:34 I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed. The one will be taken, and the other will be left. 17:35 There will be two grinding grain together. One will be taken, and the other will be left.” They, answering, asked him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there will the vultures also be gathered together.”

Free Opinions, Releases, letters, Interviews & Special Reports
Canada Condemns Killing of Four Israelis/September 02/10
CNN: Interview with Dr. Samir Geagea/September 02/10
Syria's allies take their allotted places/By Michael Young/September 02/10
Hariri's call for disarmament in Beirut seen as provocation/By Michael Bluhm /September 02/10
Lebanon still faces long journey to reach 2015 UN Development Goals/By Simona Sikimic/September 02/10
The Gulf job door may be closing/By Jamil K. Mroue/September 02/10

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for September 02/10
Israel and Palestinians set for face-to-face talks/Reuters
US seeks Israeli talks with Syria, Lebanon/AFP
Bellemare: STL indictment has not been drafted yet/Daily Star
Syria Arrests Lebanese Sheikh Suspected of Spying for Israel/Naharnet
Two Lebanese and Two Palestinians Charged with Collaborating with Israel/Naharnet
Maronite Bishops call for for tighter control over spread of arms/Daily Star
Damascus, Syria: Middle East luxury special/Telegraph.co.uk
Lebanon seeks Interpol help to arrest ex-general 'spy'/AFP
Lebanon backtracks on calls for 'arms-free' Beirut/loubnan.info
Baghdad to Damascus, a road with no way back/National
Mideast peace talks: Key players and issues/msnbc.com
Stop the War Talk/New York Times
50 people caught on camera in Hezbollah-al Ahbash clash/Ya Libnan
Lebanon Makes "Outburst of Love" for Mother Teresa/Catholic.net
UN agency fails to stage nuke-free Mideast talks/AP
UNIFIL, Lebanese Army conduct joint live-fire exercises in south/Daily Star
Egyptian rights group protests against detention of Shiites under emergency law/AFP

Jumblat: Borj Abi Haidar More Dangerous than Any External War/Naharnet
Shehayyeb: Our Demand of Disarmament Cannot be Solved Except through Politics
/Naharnet
MEA Plane Carries Aid to Pakistan Flood Victims
/Naharnet
What Future Awaits Beirut as Parties Bicker Over 'Arms-free' Slogan?
/Naharnet
Assad: Let No One Dare Touch the Resistance
/Naharnet
Lebanon Files Complaint to U.N. Over Spy Networks
/Naharnet
Minister: Israel Lost 2006 War Due to Distance from God
/Naharnet
Hof Visits Damascus, Discusses Syrian and Lebanese Peace Tracks
/Naharnet
Cabinet: 50 People to Be Interrogated in Beirut Clashes after Cameras Caught Pictures of Them
/Naharnet


Canada Condemns Killing of Four Israelis
http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2010/280.aspx
(No. 280 - September 1, 2010 - 2:40 p.m. ET) The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement on the August 31 killing of four Israelis near Hebron in the West Bank: “Canada strongly condemns last night’s killing of four Israeli civilians. We extend our deepest sympathies to the victims’ families. Such brutal, cowardly acts by those who resist peace efforts must not be allowed to undermine the important step that will be taken toward a comprehensive, negotiated settlement tomorrow in Washington, D.C.
“Canada encourages both parties to remain committed to the resumption of negotiations. Violence and unilateral actions will only jeopardize the peace talks.”
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs/Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office

The Lebanese Canadian Coordinating Council (LCCC) strongly condemns the killing of four civilian Israelis
Press Release/September 01/2010
There are no words that could actually describe the brutal killing of four Israeli civilians on August 31 near Hebron in the West Bank. What is disgusting and extremely unpardonable by all means is the kind of bizarre celebrations that were carried out by the Hamas Militants in the Gaza trip. The massacre was celebrated on the Gaza streets by distributing sweets as a sign of joy as if the crime was a great and honorable military victory. This kind of cruel conduct is totally inhuman and has no relation at all to civilization, peace, freedom, tolerance and human rights. Definitely such a barbaric ritual belongs to the stone age era and to the jungle law.
We, in the Lebanese Canadian Coordinating Council (LCCC), fully adopt the statement issued today by the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs that said: "“Canada strongly condemns last night’s killing of four Israeli civilians. We extend our deepest sympathies to the victims’ families. Such brutal, cowardly acts by those who resist peace efforts must not be allowed to undermine the important step that will be taken toward a comprehensive, negotiated settlement tomorrow in Washington, D.C.
“Canada encourages both parties to remain committed to the resumption of negotiations. Violence and unilateral actions will only jeopardize the peace talks.”
We express our condolences to the victims' families and call for the terrorists behind this horrific act to be brought to justice.
In conclusion there will be no peace in the whole Middle East before the Syrian and Iranian regimes that are fully accountable for breeding, training, fostering, financing and exporting terrorism and fundamental organizations are either toppled like was the situation in both Iraq and Afghanistan or forced by all means to completely stop their terrorism schemes.
For the LCCC
Elias Bejjani

Israel and Palestinians set for face-to-face talks
By Andrew Quinn and Jeffrey Heller
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With a diplomatic push from President Barack Obama, Israeli and the Palestinian leaders will start direct peace talks on Thursday shadowed by skepticism on all sides and fresh violence in the volatile West Bank.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet at the State Department, relaunching talks after a 20-month hiatus and seeking a deal within one year that will set up an independent Palestinian state side-by-side with a secure Israel.
Obama, who has staked considerable political capital on the Washington talks during a pivotal U.S. congressional election year, urged both sides to grasp the chance for peace after separate meetings at the White House on Wednesday.
"This moment of opportunity may not soon come again. They cannot afford to let it slip away," Obama said after a day of personal diplomacy on a problem that has confounded generations of U.S. leaders.
But the issue of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank looms over the talks, with the Palestinians saying they will drop out of the negotiations unless Israel extends its self-imposed moratorium on new settlement construction when it expires on September 26.
Thursday will see both sides get down to business after the pomp of their White House reception.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will host the State Department talks, with opening statements expected around 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT).
U.S. Mideast peace envoy George Mitchell, who has been shuttling between the two camps for months to lay down the parameters for the negotiations, will give a public briefing after talks conclude to explain what -- if anything -- has been accomplished.
AMBITIOUS TIMELINE
Violence flared anew as the leaders arrived in Washington, underscoring the challenges ahead.
Four Israeli settlers were killed by the Islamist Palestinian group Hamas in a shooting attack in the West Bank on Tuesday and another two people were injured in a similar attack by suspected Palestinian gunmen on Wednesday.
Both Netanyahu and Abbas condemned Tuesday's attack, which Obama described as "senseless slaughter."
But they put new emphasis on Israel's security concerns and Netanyahu, who heads a coalition dominated by pro-settler parties, has resisted any formal extension of the partial construction freeze, leaving a question mark over the prospects for the talks.
Obama's personal foray into Middle East peacemaking, and his ambitious one-year timeline for a deal, comes as his fellow Democrats face potentially big losses in November's congressional elections, with U.S. voters already frustrated over the slow pace of economic recovery.
The talks are also seen as a test of Obama's faltering drive to improve ties with the Muslim world as he pushes for a united front against Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Both Netanyahu and Abbas were conciliatory after their meetings with Obama on Wednesday but both also stressed their own political imperatives: security for Israel in Netanyahu's case, and a halt to settlement activity for Abbas.
Abbas in particular is in a delicate position. His Fatah party holds sway over only the West Bank after Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007, and analysts say it would be politically perilous for him to accept any resumption of settlement construction on land captured in the 1967 war while talks are under way.
Obama's White House meetings on Wednesday also included Jordan's King Abdullah and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, drawing in two key moderate Arab leaders whose countries already have peace deals with Israel.
Mubarak spokesman Soliman Awaad said all sides should be ready for long, tough negotiations -- provided the talks are not quickly derailed by the settlement issue.
"It will take more than handshakes, smiles and photo ops to make this long-awaited peace in the Middle East. What is really needed is for the United States to step in, remain committed, remain engaged," he told reporters.
(Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick, Ross Colvin, Steve Holland, Jeff Mason and Alister Bull; editing by Eric Beech)


US seeks Israeli talks with Syria, Lebanon

By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Thursday, September 02, 2010
WASHINGTON: The United States is pushing for peace talks between Israel, Syria and Lebanon as the Israelis prepare to resume direct negotiations with the Palestinians this week.
Wider peace talks between Israel and its northern Arab neighbors, which have been in perpetual conflict with Israel since its creation in 1948, are seen as vital to any lasting peace in the region. “Our efforts continue to try to engage Israel and Syria in discussions and negotiations that would lead to peace there and also Israel and Lebanon,” said George Mitchell, President Barack Obama’s Middle East envoy. Mitchell recalled that when Obama appointed him to the post two days after his inauguration, he spoke of a “comprehensive peace” where Israel would have “normal relations” with all its Arab neighbors. “That remains our objective,” the veteran peacemaker added on Tuesday.
The US envoy was briefing journalists ahead of Thursday’s planned resumption of direct peace talks between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. Top level talks in search of an elusive Middle East peace deal broke off in December 2008 when Israel launched an attack on the Gaza Strip.
The Obama administration has sought to engage Syria and asked the Senate to approve the first US ambassador to Damascus in five years. Republican senators have so far successfully blocked the move. The appointment has proven controversial in Washington, especially after Israeli President Shimon Peres said this year that Syria was supplying Hizbullah with Scud missiles that could cause major damage to Israeli cities. But Syria has denied this, and the US has not publicly confirmed the allegations. The US still regards Syria as an essential player in bringing peace and stability to the region. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abul Gheit said Syria was ready for talks with Israel and would not seek to derail Middle East peace efforts.
“I don’t think the brothers in Syria are impeding anything,” he told the independent Egyptian daily Al-Masri Al-Yom. “The brothers in Syria are hosting a group of organizations and leaderships that reject this program [of direct talks] but I know Syria is prepared to hold negotiations with Israel.” Syria has demanded the complete return of the Golan Heights, which Israel has occupied since the 1967 Middle East War in a move not recognized by the international community, as a condition for peace with Israel. Hizbullah and Israel fought a 34-day war in 2006. There have been renewed tensions between Israel and Lebanon since an August 3 clash in which two Lebanese troops, a journalist and an Israeli officer were killed. The US State Department said it was sending one of Mitchell’s aide, Frederic Hof, to Lebanon and Israel on a mission to check on progress since last month’s clash. – AFP

CNN: Interview with Dr. Samir Geagea
September 2, 2010
Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea described the proposition of the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) in South Lebanon as comprehensive and indivisible, despite the fact that it is transitional. He expressed his optimism regarding other parties’ thinking about the seriousness of the proposal and said that their refusal keeps Lebanon’s defenses weak and makes the country an open target for regional turmoil.
Geagea, in an interview with CNN Arabic, confirmed that the indictment expected to be issued by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) cannot be anticipated, saying, “Just like all other parties, we will give our opinion [on the issue] should the indictment make no sense. The political conflict caused today by the indictment is unjustified, and all that is being said today is no more than mere leaks.”
Geagea explained his strategic proposal and said, “The LAF deployment in the South today is official and stands for a confirmation of the government’s presence in the South. It should evolve into a practical deployment, meaning that the essential parts of its power should be strong yet invisible.”
About this presence, Geagea made it clear that it should not be of a typical, classical character, nor should it have the same character as Hezbollah’s presence until this day, which led to good results. “Unfortunately, some things were kept obscure about the LAF’s [military] capacity and the Special Forces i.e. the Commandos, the Airborne, the SWAT, the marine guerillas and others, which in fact have more members, more arms and are more efficient than Hezbollah, a thing many people do not know,” said the LF leader.
He also confirmed that he does not doubt the LAF’s ability to carry out its tasks efficiently, indicating that the biggest proof to that is the Nahr al-Bared experience that happened quickly and without preparations, and which was a success considering the difficulty and the complications of such a battlefield that is the size of a city. Had the US army intervened in Nahr al-Bared, it would have done the same as the LAF.
Geagea explained the military facet of his proposal, saying, “The Special Forces deploy in the southern villages in complete secrecy guaranteeing the presence of the military force that will defend our land, and Israel cannot target it, because it does not know its position. This does not need a large budget, and Lebanon can afford it.”
Asked about the Hezbollah members present on the field, he said, “There should not be an armed presence for Hezbollah south of the Litani River, as Hezbollah has admitted and agreed to respecting UN Resolution 1701, and the party has confirmed its commitment [to this resolution.] The proposal is about the regions north of the Litani River, and it is known that Hezbollah has arms and fighters that are being reported to the LAF, and that the latter includes in its battle accounts without revealing their positions.”
Geagea noted that it is impossible for two authorities to be in charge of Lebanon’s defense, whereas upon the enforcement of this plan, the LAF will take control of Lebanon’s defense. “By this, I mean the orders to open fire or not, to retaliate or not, and that no Hezbollah member will make any military move without the LAF’s order,” he added.
In Geagea’s opinion, this plan will, on the practical level, add a double power—or more, which is the power of the LAF – saying that the LAF takes orders from the Council of Ministers, where Hezbollah, the Amal Movement, the Lebanese Forces and all other political parties participate in the decision making process. And so all the Lebanese people are represented in the cabinet and are behind this defense strategy through their representatives in the Council of Ministers, who are helping elaborate [the strategy]; in comparison to the unacceptable current situation where Hezbollah asks the Lebanese people to act without thinking, because it does the thinking on their behalf.
Geagea also stressed the fact that the decision to defend Lebanon cannot be only taken by Hezbollah at a time when the latter does not have the legitimate authority to do so, and when there is no consensus over it being assigned with this task. Whereas agreeing to the strategy that Geagea proposed provides a legitimate, international and Arab cover.
Asked about the negative reactions toward the proposal that he made during the National Dialogue session, he said, “Speaker Nabih Berri is the only official who [looked into] my proposal, because he is open to all suggestions and possibilities at all time,” revealing that no communication has been made with Berri following the dialogue session. Geagea wished that “Speaker Berri would play the role we are all used to, i.e. drawing Hezbollah’s attention to the seriousness of the proposal, its components and its importance.” He wondered, “What is the alternative in case this proposal was rejected?”
When asked about President Michel Sleiman’s reaction, he said, “Unfortunately, I did not feel that he took the proposal with the required seriousness.”
In response to a question whether he expected the president to refer the proposal to a committee that will study it, Geagea answered, “No, I expected the president to deal with it in a more serious manner, because this is the first time that progress has been made through a proposal that converges all points of view and that is free of futile talks on both sides. [Also, the proposal] is did not discuss the issue of Hezbollah’s arms or talked about the party’s immediate disarmament without presenting a practical plan to do so.”
“The disagreement over this proposal means that [Hezbollah] is clinging to the current situation, which means that the decision to defend Lebanon is not actually in Lebanon, or in the hands of the legislative authority, or even in the hands of the Lebanese parties, nor is it in the hands of Hezbollah and its regional allies,” he said. “If Hezbollah considers that its arms are to protect Lebanon, let it tell us why it refuses [my] proposal. Does Hezbollah have the right to push Lebanon and the Lebanese into the ongoing regional conflict against their will?” Geagea asked.
CNN asked Geagea about what is being said with regard to a governmental change that is meant to keep some people out of the cabinet. He answered, “I do not see any possibility for any amendment or any governmental change. Why do they want to keep the Lebanese Forces away from the government? Are we the ones who are armed and opening fire in Bourj Abi Haidar, or is it because we are the ones who are constantly demanding a real Lebanese government? Is this why they want to get rid of the Lebanese Forces? They cannot get rid of a political party that has this amount of popular support and political alliances.”
Geagea does not see any political messages behind the security incident that recently took place in Beirut. He is convinced that it all started with a personal conflict, but he sees that the problem lies in what the incident has revealed, which he called “a complete combating composition present in the capital.”
He asked, “Who is this combating militia composition aimed against in Beirut?” He further said, “Unfortunately, Hezbollah’s image has been tarnished because of these incidents, for it turned out that the party has an unjustified combating composition in the capital as if it was [ready] to take over the local scene, which is unacceptable, because he who wants to take over the internal [arena] must do so through political effort and not through military work.”
Furthermore, Geagea stressed the need to make Beirut free of the illegitimate arms “that we have lately seen on the field i.e. with Al-Ahbash’s, Hezbollah’s and others’,” revealing that the government has started implementing this decision and that it is in nobody’s interest to hinder its implementation aimed at making Beirut an arms-free zone.
Regarding future ties with Syria, Geagea said that the evolution of this relationship “depends on the Syrians, because the Lebanese have never done any harm to Syria, have not once interfered in Syrian politics, and there is not one pending issue that Syria [wants to see handled by] Lebanon.” Geagea expressed regret for “the lack of progress in any of the major issues on the table,” clarifying that the issue of Palestinian arms present outside of camps is practically a political decision pertaining to Syria. Similarly is the issue of demarcating the borders between Lebanon and Syria and the issue of the detainees in Syrian jails. He pointed out that there are some attempts to make progress.
“Unfortunately, the Syrians’ sole concern is the loopholes in Lebanese local politics and not the relationship between the two states, for they always try to bring some people to power and block others,” he said. He confirmed that this kind of behavior is a failed attempt, “because local Lebanese politics is in the hands of the Lebanese people, and it is a shame that they still try.”
Asked about the role of Arab states in improving Lebanese-Syrian relationship, Geagea said, “If it weren’t for the role played by Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, we would not have reached the recent stability or pacification in Lebanon.”

Syria Arrests Lebanese Sheikh Suspected of Spying for Israel

Naharnet/Syrian authorities arrested a Lebanese sheikh last month while he was on his way to Saudi Arabia to perform the omra, al-Akhbar daily reported Thursday. The newspaper said that Sheikh Hassan M., who is close to the March 14 forces and is a Hizbullah critic, was arrested on July 7. Al-Akhbar quoted several Damascus visitors as saying that the arrest came upon suspicion that the sheikh was collaborating with Israel. A high-ranking Lebanese security official confirmed to Agence France Presse the arrest of the Sheikh whom he identified as Hassan Msheymish.  "Msheymish was arrested in July in Syria based on data Lebanese police intelligence had sent to Syrian authorities indicating that he was implicated in collaborating with Israel," the official told AFP. A Lebanese security source also told the newspaper that the man's arrest was linked to a "highly sensitive" security file. Al-Akhbar quoted Lebanese security sources as saying that the suspect admitted to investigators in Syria that he was collaborating with a foreign security apparatus. Beirut, 02 Sep 10, 09:06

Two Lebanese and Two Palestinians Charged with Collaborating with Israel

Naharnet/Military Prosecutor Magistrate Saqr Saqr charged on Thursday two Lebanese and two Palestinians with collaborating with Israel. If convicted the Palestinians, Wael Abdullah who is currently in custody and Hasan Naufal who still at large, will be sentenced to a life of hard labor. The two Lebanese, Tony Butros who is in custody and Joseph Qassis who is still at large, face the same fate if convicted. Beirut, 02 Sep 10, 14:54

Geagea Regrets Turning Politics into Clashes over Illegal Arms

Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea expressed regret at turning politics in Lebanon into clashes over illegal arms in Beirut, a statement issued by his press office said Thursday.
Geagea "regrets turning politics in Lebanon into continued political confrontations over illegal arms in Beirut streets or other areas rather than getting occupied with the people's social, economic and living problems," the statement said. The LF leader made his comment to a delegation from the Popular University in Baabda District. Geagea invited his guests to a mass that will be held on September 25 at Fouad Shehab Stadium in Jounieh in honor of LF martyrs. Beirut, 02 Sep 10, 14:37

Hariri: Can We Afford All this Amount of Weapons?

Naharnet/Prime Minister Saad Hariri said the state should confront the spread of arms throughout Lebanese territories wondering whether the country could afford the presence of a big quantity of weapons in the hands of armed groups and individuals. "Can we afford all this amount of weapons in Lebanon? Addressing this issue would be by recognizing the presence of weapons spread all over Lebanon, confronting this fundamental problem, dealing with it and finding pragmatic solutions," Hariri said during an Iftar he hosted in Qoreitem in honor of Beirut families. Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji was also invited. While admitting "there was a gap" in the authorities' reaction to the Borj Abi Haidar clashes last week, Hariri said: "The army reinforced its forces by around 1500 soldiers in Beirut, and the Internal Security Forces also enhanced its forces with six additional divisions." "Stability in the capital is a sign to the whole world that our country is strong and coherent, and our national unity is solid and durable," the premier said. "The only way to face all kinds of external threats and intimidations is through internal strength," he added. Before the Iftar, Hariri discussed the security situation in the country with Qahwaji. Beirut, 02 Sep 10, 07:46

Jumblat: Borj Abi Haidar More Dangerous than Any External War
Naharnet/Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said the slogan of arms-free Beirut was meaningless and warned that the Borj Abi Haidar clashes were more dangerous than any external war. In remarks to As Safir newspaper on Thursday, Jumblat said the deadly street battles between Hizbullah and al-Ahbash gunmen last week came in reaction to the tripartite summit held at Baabda between President Michel Suleiman, Saudi King Abdullah and Syrian leader Bashar Assad. "As if there is someone who wants to tell the leaders: You are not the ones who come up with solutions," the Druze leader said. Warning that Lebanon was threatened by chaos, he said the Americans want to fight Iran on Lebanese territories. "There are other countries who want to fight Syria in Lebanon." While admitting that Damascus and Riyadh could play a positive role in creating stability in Lebanon, Jumblat said that Premier Saad Hariri, Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Speaker Nabih Berri "can (also) do a lot." About the slogan launched by pro-March 14 politicians to make the capital arms free, the PSP leader said he found it meaningless and unenforceable. Beirut, 02 Sep 10, 08:22

What Future Awaits Beirut as Parties Bicker Over 'Arms-free' Slogan?

Naharnet/A chorus of calls for an "arms-free" Beirut in the wake of a deadly battle outside a mosque last week is fast fading as Hizbullah warns against attempts to disarm the Shiite party.
After an August 24 gunfight between supporters of Hizbullah and al-Ahbash, Prime Minister Saad Hariri launched a campaign calling for Beirut to be stripped of its omnipresent weapons.
But Hizbullah has cautioned the Hariri camp against making mention of its military prowess.
"As usual, the situation is very, very precarious on all levels," said Sahar Atrache, Middle East and North Africa analyst with the International Crisis Group. "Having these weapons spread everywhere is alarming, especially as security and stability in Lebanon are clearly not under control," Atrache told Agence France Presse in Beirut. "And again, what we do in Lebanon is try to handle the immediate consequences of the situation, and not the overall situation." The four-hour street battle began as a row over a parking space in the west Beirut district of Borj Abi Haidar last week and saw automatic machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades surface in the streets. A slew of ministers and security officials held meetings this week to forge an agreement on arms control in the capital, but failed to announce what measures, if any, the state would take.
The latest clash also sparked a harsh exchange of words between Hariri's bloc and Hizbullah. "It is unacceptable that anyone go too far in their initiatives, which have no point but to complicate internal politics and increase mistrust among the Lebanese," said Hizbullah MP Ali Fayyad. The prime minister's camp for its part has backpedaled on its insistence on Beirut as an arms-free zone. "The resistance is aimed at Israel. Arms in back alleys cannot be part of the arms of the resistance," MP Ammar Houri of Hariri's bloc told AFP on Wednesday.
"But it is not us who will translate this notion into action. It is up to the army command to decide how to act from here on." And while experts doubt that Beirut will ever be a city with effective state arms control, rapprochement between regional powerhouses Syria and Saudi Arabia, which back Lebanon's two main coalitions, can at least help contain the situation. "Beirut, like Lebanon, will not be arms-free but... the Borj Abi Haidar incident might be a way to pressure Hizbullah to reduce its presence in Beirut, especially in Sunni neighborhoods... and give the army support to play a moderately stronger role," said Paul Salem, who heads the Carnegie Middle East Center. "This effort is probably enjoying backing from Syria and Saudi Arabia," which have recently rekindled ties, Salem added. "I think this is significant not because it's going to remove all arms from Beirut but because it might shift the way the city is handled a bit, between its politics and its weapons."(AFP) Beirut, 02 Sep 10, 11:17

Jumblatt: Lebanon’s security is threatened

September 2, 2010 /During an interview with As-Safir newspaper published on Thursday, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt said that Lebanon’s security is threatened, adding that Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Saad Hariri can do a lot to defuse tension and maintain stability.
Jumblatt said that there is a plan to destabilize the region, benefitting Israel and the US. Civil wars are dangerous and much worse than any foreign wars, the PSP leader said. The Bourj Abi Haidar clashes constitute the prime example, he added. A deadly street battle shook the Bourj Abi Haidar district in the Lebanese capital on August 24, pitting supporters of Hezbollah against those of Sunni outfit Al-Ahbash – also known as Association of Islamic Charitable Projects – two parties with warm ties to Damascus.
A “weapons-free Beirut” is a concept that cannot be achieved, Jumblatt said, in reference to March 14 figures’ calls following the Beirut clashes, adding that neighborhood committees should be formed to help reduce tension. Jumblatt said he feared powerful countries, wishing to settle their accounts with Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, will try to use the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) to issue an indictment against Hezbollah. “Even if [certain] members of the [party] are accused, this could present a danger as it would mean the Shia killed the Sunnis’ leader,” he added. During a July speech, Nasrallah said that an indictment by the STL is an “Israeli project” designed to target Hezbollah by stirring up sectarian strife in Lebanon.
-NOW Lebanon


UNIFIL, Lebanese Army conduct joint live-fire exercises in south
By Mohammed Zaatari /Thursday, September 02, 2010
NAQOURA: The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) conducted on Wednesday a joint live-fire exercise in southern Lebanon.
The Field Artillery Group, part of UNIFIL’s Quick Reaction Force, and the Lebanese Army’s Artillery took part in the exercise named “Neptune Thunder” in an area about 1 kilometer south of UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura. UNIFIL Chief of Staff Brigadier General Xavier de Woillemont stressed the importance of cooperation and coordination between UNIFIL and the LAF, saying the exercise falls in the context of enhancing these combined efforts. “This joint exercise is a good opportunity for both UNIFIL and LAF to further strengthen their cooperation and mutual knowledge,” de Woillemont added. “To maintain their efficiency, it is important for military units to constantly hone their skills and expertise through regular training.”
Limiting any potential disturbance to the local population was a priority during the planning for this exercise, as was the case with previous exercises. To this end, the targets were located at sea in order to limit noise to any inhabited area. The safety at sea was provided by Lebanese Navy vessels supported by the UNIFIL Maritime Task Force. – Mohammed Zaatari

Prosecutor asks Interpol to help arrest Ghassan al-Jidd

Thursday, September 02, 2010
BEIRUT: State Prosecutor Saeed Mirza sent on Wednesday an arrest warrant against a suspected spy for Israel to international police agency Interpol, after reports the suspect, who fled the country last year, may be in France. Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah first spoke of Ghassan al-Jidd during a news conference last month in which he was presenting testimony that he said linked Israel to the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Nasrallah said Jidd had been an “Israeli collaborator” since the early 1990s and that he had been present at the St. Georges yacht club, near the scene of Hariri’s killing on the Beirut seafront, a day before the attack took place on February 14, 2005. After Nasrallah’s news conference, Lebanese authorities initiated proceedings against Jid, a retired army colonel, and issued an arrest warrant. Nasrallah said Jidd had also been involved in the assassination of Hizbullah commander Ghalib Awali in 2004. Dozens of Lebanese have been arrested since last year as part of an espionage investigation in which many have been formally charged with spying for Israel. The high-profile detentions, including a high-ranking army officer, a Christian party member and telecommunications employees, have shocked Lebanon, showing how deeply Israel has managed to infiltrate and compromise its security. The charges brought against the telecom employees at state-owned firms Alfa and Ogero have prompted Hizbullah to suggest Israel could have used telecom agents to manipulate phone records to implicate the group in Hariri’s killing. Hizbullah, which fought Israel in a 2006 war, has criticized the UN tribunal investigating the assassination after reports emerged that members of group may be indicted, raising tensions in the country. Lebanese President Michel Suleiman has called for severe punishment for spies. – Reuters

Bellemare: STL indictment has not been drafted yet

By Patrick Galey /Daily Star staff
Thursday, September 02, 2010
BEIRUT: The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) will not be rushed into filing premature indictments in the probe investigating the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the court’s prosecutor said in comments published Wednesday. In a rare interview with Lebanese media, STL Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare indicated that media reports of imminent arrests were misleading. He also confirmed that the United Nations’ inquiry is undertaking a “serious analysis” of Hizbullah’s claims that Israel was culpable in Hariri’s death.
“I have read articles saying that some people had already seen the indictment. Let me state clearly that the indictment has not been drafted yet,” Bellemare told news website NOW Lebanon. “I will only file the indictment when I am satisfied that there is enough evidence.
The UN probe has been under pressure since commencing proceedings in 2009 to exact swift justice on the perpetrators of the crime which killed billionaire and five-time Premier Hariri and 22 others as his motorcade sped through Downtown Beirut on February 14, 2005. Bellemare, however, said an indictment would not materialize until “convincing evidence” to implement individuals had emerged. “Currently I am working in what I would call the evidentiary process; I have to make sure that the evidence I will produce is admissible in court,” the Canadian said. “I want to make sure there is as much convincing evidence as possible. All I can tell you is that I am very optimistic. We are moving as fast as we can. Let’s say as soon as possible, but not sooner than possible.” Blame for the massive car bomb was laid at Syria’s door by many and the explosion prompted the eventual withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon after three decades of tutelage. Damascus has repeatedly denied involvement in the killing and the STL continues to battle allegations of politicization. Most notable was Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who called the court an “Israeli project” earlier this year.
Bellemare, who ended his retirement to take the reins at the head the STL’s prosecution team, strenuously denied that the probe had become a political.
“The day I am faced with political interference I cannot deal with, I will resign. To those who say I am influenced by this or that person, I will tell them, ‘Sorry, but I am not,’” he said. “The fact of the matter is that we are not politicized. We operate in a political context, no question about that. But the decision that will be made is not a political decision. [The decision] is made independently; nobody will tell me what to do.” The 58 year-old also hit out at intense media speculation surrounding the case, labeling some press claims “truly outrageous.”
“All these things [reported] are more confusing than anything else. They are purely speculations, and frankly, while reading these papers I learn myself as much [as] everybody else,” Bellemare said. Bellemare voiced his willingness to examine video footage unveiled last month by Nasrallah, purportedly showing undated Israeli surveillance drone footage of the route Hariri’s convoy took before his assassination.
“If somebody comes to me with credible evidence that shows me that I may not be on the right path, whatever path I am on, then of course I will look at that material,” he said. “This is exactly what we are doing. Nasrallah says I have the material and we are looking at it. But in order to make an assessment you need to work with a complete record. That is why we asked for the rest [of Hizbullah’s data].” The prosecutor refused to confirm or deny if Israeli individuals or officials had been contacted by investigators. “At this point this is part of the ongoing investigation. What I said before is that I will go where the evidence leads me,” Bellemare said.
He also declined to comment on claims made by erstwhile suspects Mohammad Zuheir Siddiq and Hussam Hussam – the former claiming that Hizbullah was sponsoring “false witnesses” in order to cover its own potential implication in the crime. “Basically, he is not somebody we will produce in court as a witness,” Bellemare said about Siddiq.
The potential explosiveness of an indictment accusing a Lebanese group or individual of killing Hariri has been outlined by Nasrallah and Premier Saad Hariri in recent weeks. The unrest simmering over STL gossip was dampened last month by an extraordinary meeting of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah and Syrian President Bashar Assad in Beirut for palliative talks.
Bellemare showed his awareness of the volatile after effects any prosecution might bring, but insisted justice must be allowed to take its course. “Frankly, I would like to reach a result tomorrow,” he said. “But I want to reach a result that is credible and solid. At the end of the day, we will talk through our indictment. That would be our response to everything.”

Hariri's call for disarmament in Beirut seen as provocation
prospects for armed strife remain low because of regional peace talks

By Michael Bluhm /Daily Star/Daily Star staff
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Analysis
PRAGUE/BEIRUT: Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s call to make Beirut a weapons-free city, while not having any chance for success, aimed to score political points against Hizbullah and so underscored the seething enmity between the two, a number of analysts told The Daily Star on Wednesday.
Despite the visceral hostility between Hariri’s mostly Sunni partisans from the Future Movement and Hizbullah’s mostly Shiite adherents, the prospects for armed strife remain dim because of the momentary regional truce to give US diplomacy in the Middle East a chance, the analysts added.
Hariri made the Beirut disarmament proposal after the August 24 clash in Burj Abi Haidar between members of Hizbullah and the Association of Islamic Charitable Projects, better known as Al-Ahbash. Knowing that Hizbullah would rebuff his call, the prime minister wanted to make the Shiite groups look bad by showing them as the side unwilling to abandon its weapons and the use of violence, said retired General Elias Hanna, who teaches political science at various universities.
The latest contretemps also served as a reminder that while senior Future and Hizbullah officials might be ministers in the same government, Hariri’s Cabinet is far from unified, said former Ambassador Abdallah Bou Habib, a political consultant and executive director of the Issam Fares Institute, a non-partisan think tank.
“It’s not a unity government. It’s a consensus government, which means there are people who don’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of issues,” he added.
Despite the relative peace brought by the May 2007 Doha Accord – which followed gun battles between Future and Hizbullah fighters, among other clashes – the antagonism between the Hariri-led March 14 coalition and the Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance is “stronger than ever,” Bou Habib said.
Hizbullah might also try to use the aftermath of the Burj Abi Haidar incident to undercut Hariri – in reaching a quick concord between the Hizbullah and Al-Ahbash leaderships, the two groups could be angling to create an alternative Sunni-Shiite power dynamic to draw disaffected Sunnis, Hanna said.
Al-Ahbash and the Future Movement have long had an adversarial relationship, while Future’s inability to stave off Hizbullah gunmen from seizing large swaths of western Beirut in May 2007 soured many Sunnis on Hariri, Hanna added.
“Ahbash could attract Sunnis not satisfied with Saad Hariri,” Hanna said.
Hizbullah and Al-Ahbash were helped in quickly finding common ground by Syria, which has traditionally supported both groups, said Shafik Masri, who teaches constitutional law.
In the end, however, Hariri’s suggestion of an arms-free capital could wind up only spawning more instability, said Bou Habib. In their unrestrained maneuvering to exploit every event for political gain by painting the other side as the villain, both camps in Lebanon are keeping their partisans in a perpetual state of mobilization, he added.
Under these conditions, Hariri challenging Hizbullah to lay down its weapons in Beirut “raises tensions,” Bou Habib said. “Both sides are instigating their people, and they’re ready to fight. They should lower their tone and stop instigating things that make the gap between people larger.”
All sides are also on edge over the expected indictment from the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Hanna said. Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has said he expected the court to indict Hizbullah members, although he said the tribunal was an Israeli plot and offered evidence that Israel might have been involved in the 2005 killing of Saad Hariri’s father Rafik, a five-time former prime minister.
The heightened tensions – along with the images of last week’s Burj Abi Haidar violence – also pose a threat to the Lebanese economy, Hanna added. The recent spasms of violence in Lebanon might give investors and potential tourists pause, he said. On the other hand, Bou Habib said, the economic fallout of the recent instability should not be overstated, because those who invest in and travel to Lebanon – largely Lebanese expatriates and other Arabs – know that this country will usually suffer from regular flare-ups of violence and so will not be deterred by the latest incidents. “Money flew to Lebanon in a very, very strong way, despite the fact that we don’t have full stability,” he said. “It’s not like in 1975, when it’s going to start and not end for 15 years.” Indeed, in spite of the uptick in violence and Hariri’s abortive call to disarm Beirut, the regional dynamic of maintaining calm should suffice to keep the simmering resentments from turning into a sustained conflict, Masri said. “There are presently safety nets to avoid any possibility of war breaking out,” he said.
Most obviously, the US is sponsoring renewed direct peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis, which begin on Thursday in Washington, but Russia has also been helping significantly to advance diplomacy in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran, Masri added. In Iran, Hizbullah’s main patron, Russia has been pushing to quiet any Middle East turmoil because of the Russian investment in the Bushehr nuclear power plant, he said. As for Lebanon, Arab powers have also reached a consensus to prevent the occasional turbulence here from spiraling into civil strife, Masri said. In Lebanon, “there is another safety net, which been composed of the Syrians, the Saudis and the Qataris,” he said. “In Lebanon there will be no explosion, in this sense. If it occurs for any reason, the firefighting team is ready to calm it down.”


Bishops call for for tighter control over spread of arms

By Elias Sakr /Daily Star staff
Thursday, September 02, 2010
BEIRUT: In the wake of recent clashes in the Beirut neighborhood of Burj Abi Haidar, the Maronite Bishops Council urged officials to tighten control over the spread of weapons to prevent their use in any clashes. The council made its remarks after its monthly meeting headed by Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir after deadly clashes last week between Hizbullah supporters and the Association of Islamic Charitable Projects, known as Al-Ahbash. “We regret the painful events in some neighborhoods of the capital … and call upon officials to work on all levels to put an end to chaos due to the spread of weapons and their use in order to prevent the reoccurrence of these condemned incidents,” a council statement said.
Despite the Higher Defense Council’s decision to tighten security measures throughout Lebanese territories on Tuesday, domestic parties continued to debate the repercussions of the incident and argued over masked intentions behind it.
In criticism of demands by March 14 officials to rid the capital of weapons, Hizbullah’s Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc said Wednesday “unrealistic slogans regarding Beirut raise tensions and lead to provocative rhetoric.” The official statement that followed the bloc’s meeting was referring to the slogan: “Beirut, a weapons-free city,” raised by civil-society representatives, businessmen and MPs, mainly Future Movement lawmakers. “Unrealistic slogans recently raised by some concerning Beirut do not reflect the spirit of understanding that the national unity Cabinet committed itself to in its policy statement, but [instead] promotes chaos and provocative discourse among Lebanese,” the statement said.
It also condemned March 14 parties’ criticism of the Lebanese Army after it failed to intervene immediately to end the clashes, instead mediating a ceasefire between the fighting parties.
“The army acted firmly, with national responsibility which enabled it to achieve its mission, contain the incident, and control its repercussions to later conduct probes and [identify those responsible],” it said. Hizbullah’s second-in-command Sheikh Naim Qassem went further to stress that “some were exploiting the incident to challenge the resistance,” while “the resistance is being targeted by the US and Israel.” “Whoever makes statements similar to Israeli ones, whether intentionally or not, serves the Israeli project,” Qassem added.
But the March 14 Secretariat General slammed Hizbullah, reiterating Wednesday its demand to rid Beirut of weapons “as a step aimed to pave the way for freeing all of Lebanon from illegitimate weapons.” “This is a demand expressed by a wide [section of the] public and civil society representatives and should encourage all parties to revert to the state [authority].”
It also criticized “threats and campaigns of intimidation aimed to discredit the work of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)” after Hizbullah condemned the UN-backed court as an “Israeli project.” Hizbullah has refused to cooperate with the UN probe into the 2005 murder of former Premier Rafik Hariri, saying the court was politicized after Western reports claimed an impending indictment would accuse Hizbullah members in the case. “STL Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare’s announcement proved the failure of all threats and campaigns that some are exercising on the STL’s work,” it said in reference to remarks made by Bellemare Tuesday. “Let me state clearly that the indictment has not been drafted yet,” Bellemare said in an interview published by the website NOW Lebanon on Tuesday. “I will only file the indictment when I am satisfied there is enough evidence,” he added.

Lebanon still faces long journey to reach 2015 UN Development Goals
Improvements in education, healthcare undermined by environmental neglect

By Simona Sikimic /Daily Star staff
Thursday, September 02, 2010
BEIRUT: Lebanon has exceeded expectation in some development areas but has seriously fallen behind in others, a mere five years before it is expected to reach its Millennium Development Goals (MDG), the United Nations said on Tuesday. While the country has seen vast improvements in the education and healthcare provisions set as part of the UN development criteria, it has depleted its natural water reserves and endangered its environmental heritage, a deterioration which threatens to undo much of the overall progress. September has been earmarked as the UN-backed MDG month and will be honored across the world by governments keen to advertize their successes or improve upon their failures, all the while fighting to attract a larger share of dwindling donor funding. Success in raising education levels, and in particular improving the percentage of women in education, has been mirrored by an improvement in maternal health and child mortality rates which often reflect the mother’s general knowledge.
Continuing this fast pace of improvement in areas where Lebanon already had a comparatively high starting base, however, will be hard, and will require further reform and government assistance, said UN Development Fund (UNDP) project manager, Kawthar Dara, responsible for the MDG framework in Lebanon.
“This year’s global theme for the MDG is uneven progress across goals and countries,” said Dara. “Some drastic improvements have taken place but there have also been some sharp declines, largely because of internal conflict. “This could be the last official review of the MDGs before 2015 so it is imperative we make sure governments pay attention to the whole MDG agenda.” In Lebanon, the 2006 summer war with Israel, in which some 1,200 Lebanese, mainly civilians, and 162 Israelis, mostly military personnel, were killed, has been blamed for much of the stagnation in reaching some of the MDG objectives. The 34-day incursion caused widespread biodiversity loss, damaged vital infrastructure and increased poverty in some of the most disadvantages areas, Dara said.
It also further exasperated the age-old problem of inaccurate statistics which continues to plague Lebanon and hinder the formulation of a coherent development strategy.
“In some areas the large influx of cash which flooded into the country post the 2006 war could have helped to alleviate poverty levels but in others the war has certainly had a devastating toll,” said Dara. “Without proper statistics, however, we just don’t know what the on-the-ground consequences of the war were because there are just no accurate figures.
“We also can’t measure how hard the global economic downturn hit Lebanese people because we don’t know what it was like prior to the crisis.” Although overall poverty is thought to be decreasing slightly, out-of-date statistics, taken prior to 2004, have hindered attempts to combat it affectively. “The problem is the high concentration of poverty in areas like the Akkar, where between 50 and 60 percent of people are considered ‘poor,’” said Dara. “The government knows that the indicators are not improving here but so far they have done little to address the regional grievances.” A big push to reduce poverty levels – which Lebanon committed to halving by 2015 compared to 1990 levels – is expected to take place once the ministry of social affairs finalizes its social strategy which will define a poverty reduction strategy and direct assistance to impoverished areas.
This plan will be complimented by the formulation of a national energy “action plan,” currently under consideration by the environment ministry and UNDP, which is intended to prioritize this MDG in the government’s agenda. Factual inadequacies in these two fields have prevented the UN from publishing a full progress report on the MDGs in Lebanon, but a report is now expected by mid-2011. “The government’s response to the massive environmental challenges [such as raw sewage and provision of clean drinking water] has been poor,” said Dara. “In the last five years the government has been burdened with other priorities, such as security concerns, but we have allowed unbridled urbanization to take place, we have not controlled deforestation and we have actually reduced the amount of energy we get from renewable sources – this is simply not sustainable,” he added. “There is only one goal and that goal is survival, we cannot afford luxury anymore – it simply is not an option,” said executive director of the environmental Lebanese NGO Indyact, Wael Hmaidan. “We all face a very dark environmental future together and while the MDGs are hugely aspirational they are not legally binding and have not been taken seriously by many. We can’t afford to wait any longer.”

Egyptian rights group protests against detention of Shiites under emergency law

By Agence France Presse (AFP) /Thursday, September 02, 2010
CAIRO: An Egyptian rights group on Tuesday scoffed at a government pledge to limit use of its emergency law as an “illusion,” after the interior ministry ignored a court’s request to release seven Shiite Muslims. The Shiites, in detention since mid-2009, have been charged with “forming a group trying to spread Shiite ideology that harms the Islamic religion.”
“Continuing the ‘revolving door’ policy with detainees proves the amendments to the emergency law are an illusion,” the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights said in a statement.
Parliament extended the law in May but pledged to restrict it to terrorism and narcotic cases. The law allows for indefinite detentions and trials by emergency courts, which human rights groups say the law is unfair and harsh. Police arrested 12 Shiites in April and May 2009, five of whom have since been freed. The remaining seven are being held despite five court rulings ordering their release. “The Interior Ministry continues to dismiss court rulings and thinks that it is above the law,” said Adel Ramadan, a lawyer representing the detained Shiites.
Shiism, the predominant branch of Islam in both Iran and Iraq, has theological differences with Sunni Islam, including that its followers believe Prophet Mohammad should have been succeeded by his cousin Ali rather than his companion Abu Bakr. Sunni-ruled Bahrain is mostly Shiite, as are the majority of Lebanese Muslims.
Egypt’s government has already been accused of failing to keep its vow to limit use of the controversial law after it referred five men to an emergency court earlier this month over a street brawl in which guns were fired. One of the accused men, Emad al-Kebir, had three years earlier won a court case against two policemen who sodomized him with a stick while filming the attack. The government defended the referral to the emergency court, saying the use of live gunfire in a street brawl terrorized passers-by. The emergency law, which gives police wide powers of arrest, suspends constitutional rights and curbs non-governmental political activity, was first imposed after Islamists assassinated president Anwar Sadat in 1981 and has been in place ever since. – AFP

The Gulf job door may be closing

By Jamil K. Mroue /Publisher and editor in chief
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Lebanese politicians, are experts at reading the regional signs. Mention Saudi Arabia and one might receive a detailed account of the latest meetings and developments in the ranks of Saudi royals and officials, such as who is happy with whom, and who is angry with whom. Our politicians might claim to have intimate knowledge of the “way things work” in Saudi Arabia. On one level, their information might be fairly accurate. On another level, they might suffer from a dangerous blind spot. Last week, a demonstration was held in the kingdom. True, it wasn’t a case of thousands of people taking part; it was a figure between 100 and 200. It wasn’t the kind of “sexy” demonstration, over a religious or geopolitical issue, that would gain considerable media coverage and commentary. It was about jobs. As in, Saudi Arabians who don’t have jobs. As in, Saudi Arabians who want to work; specifically in the field of education.
Who has been famous for holding such jobs in the past? Lebanese, among others. A young man named Rafik Hariri was one of them – his first job in the kingdom was as a schoolteacher, before he went on to bigger things. But this doesn’t mean that we should cast ourselves as the victims of such developments. It simply means that our politicians, busy with reading the regional signs, should take serious note of this latest demonstration, in Riyadh. Our political class might act as if nothing serious is wrong with our economy; the summer tourism season’s vitality and revenues might even blind them to underdevelopment in other areas. Our leading politicians – the president, speaker and prime minister, and even Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah – should look seriously at this seemingly minor event in the Gulf. The world has changed, and is changing. The post-militia organizations that run Lebanon today are creatures from a different era. It used to be acceptable to say that Lebanese forced out of their country by instability or the lack of opportunity could always vent their anger by using their passport. But instead of having a ready safety valve in the form of the West, today people are finding it more difficult to procure a visa. Instead of having an outlet in the Gulf, today people might be facing a shortfall in opportunities there, due to simple demographic and economic factors. If Lebanese politicians want to be on the cutting edge, they need to read the signs, realize the world is changing, and start taking real steps to create jobs. Plan B isn’t what is used to be.
**Jamil K. Mroue, Editor-in-Chief of THE DAILY STAR, can be reached at jamil.mroue@dailystar.com.lb

Syria's allies take their allotted places

By Michael Young /Daily Star
Thursday, September 02, 2010
If there were doubts that the rivalry between Syria and Hizbullah has reached new levels of complication, then consider the recent statements by the Parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, and the Druze leader, Walid Jumblatt, on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
Berri and Jumblatt seemed to be reading from the same songbook when they declared recently (Jumblatt in his weekly Al-Anbaa editorial) that one had to distinguish between the work of the tribunal and any indictment it might issue. This was subtle, but not so subtle that the public failed to miss that both men were effectively rejecting the view expressed by Hizbullah’s secretary general, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, that the institution itself was an “Israeli project.”
In his speech on Tuesday commemorating the 32nd anniversary of Imam Musa al-Sadr’s disappearance, Berri avoided criticizing the tribunal, and took a number of political stances marking his distance from Hizbullah. He insisted that the “project of the state” was a Shiite interest, implicitly censuring Hizbullah’s efforts to undermine state authority; he affirmed that Lebanon “respected its engagements with regard to implementation of Resolution 1701” and emphasized the “close human relations between the inhabitants [of the south] and UNIFIL forces.” And he defended Taif as “our constitution,” repeating that its clauses on deconfessionalization awaited implementation.
It is ironic that Berri’s stalwart defense of the Lebanese state and its sovereignty should only serve to strengthen the hand of Syria in the struggle over Lebanon’s future, the same Syria that ravaged both the state and its sovereignty during its 29-year military presence.
In that light, it appears increasingly clear that the Burj Abi Haidar incident last week was less a Hizbullah signal directed at Damascus that it would not bend in the face of Syrian pressures, than a message from Syria to Hizbullah. As the fighting began, there was military mobilization in Sunni neighborhoods around Burj Abi Haidar, with Syria’s allies there bringing out their weapons. Hizbullah was reportedly bewildered by the sudden proliferation of armed groups lining up against the party, even as its units were being bussed into the area where the clashes were occurring. Hizbullah not only had to swallow the killing of two officials, it was unable, or not allowed, to enter the perimeter around the Ahbash mosque in Burj Abi Haidar.
Syria’s President Bashar Assad tends to work from the same template as his father when it comes to Lebanon. In 1985-86, Hafez Assad engineered a return of Syrian soldiers to western Beirut, from where they had been compelled to withdraw by the Israelis in 1982. Assad managed this by allowing pro-Syrian militias in that part of the city, principally Jumblatt’s Progressive Socialist Party and Berri’s Amal movement, to go at each other with vicious abandon. Western Beirut effectively reverted to a state of nature, until the Sunni elite asked Assad for help. He was glad to oblige, and in 1985 he deployed intelligence agents in the capital, and a year later his army returned.
It was lost on no one what Wi’am Wahhab announced after the Burj Abi Haidar incident. Wahhab’s sole reason for existing, evidently, is to issue statements clarifying the Syrian mindset, or at least that of the intelligence agencies, and he warned that Syria would intervene using all possible means to prevent a Sunni-Shiite conflict in Lebanon. Not surprisingly, Berri and Jumblatt simultaneously played up the sectarian nature of the Burj Abi Haidar incident, at a moment when Hizbullah was busily trying to portray it as a personal quarrel.
It would be too simplistic to suggest that the Syrians provoked the Hizbullah-Ahbash confrontation in order to bring their army back to Lebanon. Bashar Assad would like to do so, because only a military presence allows him to truly control the country and regain the Lebanese card regionally. However, such a process requires time, careful preparation regionally and internationally, and patience. For now the Syrians are focusing on gaining leverage against Hizbullah, which holds the political and military initiative in the country.
It appears that Saad Hariri, who hoped to use the outrage over Burj Abi Haidar to demilitarize the capital, was forced to backtrack by Syria. In a meeting with Assad earlier this week, the prime minister apparently heard from the Syrian president that it was important to maintain calm in Lebanon, but also to preserve the resistance. Consequently, the demilitarization proposal was placed on the backburner at a meeting on Tuesday of the Higher Defense Council. Instead, the council discussed reinforcing the Lebanese Army, whose performance last week was disparaged by neighborhood residents.
It is interesting that Hariri should have raised the issue of demilitarizing the capital. The prime minister is still awaiting a decision from the prosecutor of the special tribunal, in the hope that this will allow him to extract concessions from Hizbullah. So too are the Syrians. But it’s by no means certain that Hariri and Assad see eye to eye on what to demand. Demilitarization of the capital is Hariri’s indirect way of indicating that he will support Hizbullah as a resistance force in south Lebanon, but not the party’s takeover of the rest of the country. The Syrians probably agree with this, because ultimately their objective is to use Hizbullah in the south, too, while they themselves take over the rest of the country. However, by making Hariri play down his demilitarization demand, Assad was plainly suggesting that Syria alone is entitled to raise that matter.
The maneuvering continues between Syria and Hizbullah, with Iran watching from the wings. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is supposed to visit Beirut in the foreseeable future. Will that trip go ahead as planned? The answer will tell us a great deal about the depth of the dissonance between Damascus and Tehran over Lebanon.
**Michael Young is opinion editor of THE DAILY STAR and author of “The Ghosts of Martyrs Square: An Eyewitness Account of Lebanon’s Life Struggle” (Simon & Schuster).