LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِAugust
04/2011
Bible Quotation for today
Romans Chapter 2/1-16: "1 Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you
are who judge. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For
you who judge practice the same things. We know that the judgment of God is
according to truth against those who practice such things. Do you think
this, O man who judges those who practice such things, and do the same, that you
will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of his
goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads
you to repentance? But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart
you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath, revelation, and of
the righteous judgment of God; who “will pay back to everyone according to
their works:”( Psalm 62:12; Proverbs 24:12) to those who by patience in
well-doing seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility, eternal life; but
to those who are self-seeking, and don’t obey the truth, but obey
unrighteousness, will be wrath and indignation, oppression and anguish, on every
soul of man who works evil, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. But
glory, honor, and peace go to every man who works good, to the Jew first, and
also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God. For as many
as have sinned without law will also perish without the law. As many as have
sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it isn’t the hearers
of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be
justified (for when Gentiles who don’t have the law do by nature the
things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves, in
that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience
testifying with them, and their thoughts among themselves accusing or else
excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men,
according to my Good News, by Jesus Christ."
Latest
analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases
from
miscellaneous
sources
Senior Israeli Navy commander:
Hamas/By
Amos Harel/Haaretz/August
03/11
What to do about Syria?/By
Jennifer Rubin/August
03/11
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for August 03/11
Maronite Bishops Council: State
Must Protect Private Properties, Prevent Attacks against them/Naharnet
Death Toll Mounts in Syria as UN
Debates Resolution/VOA
Lebanon's Arabic press digest -
Aug. 3 , 2011/The Daily Star
Mubarak, Sons Plead Not Guilty to
Murder and Corruption/Naharnet
Mubarak trial opens Wednesday.
Corruption charges will involve Israel/DEBKAfile
Irish peacekeepers back in
south Lebanon/The Daily Star
Trial day arrives, but
will President Mubarak appear?/The Daily
Star
U.S. Senate Approves Bill to
Avert Debt Default/Naharnet
International pressure mounts as
Syria pursues deadly offensive/The Daily
Star
Fears of war on southern border
with Israel/The Daily Star
Israel Describes Tammuz Missile
as 'Strategic Surprise in Any New War'/Naharnet
Security Council Meets Again on
Syria, Ban Says Assad 'Lost All Humanity'/Naharnet
Italy Says Situation in Syria
Poses Danger on Lebanon/Naharnet
EU to Keep Envoy in Syria, Paris
Says No Plans for Military Intervention/Naharnet
Five Dead in Hama as Army Storms
Damascus Suburb/Naharnet
Aoun: Arms Present under State
Control Not Enough to Put Lebanese at Ease/Naharnet
Beirut:
One Hurt as Pro, Anti-Assad
Demonstrators Clash in Hamra/Naharnet
Mustaqbal: Nasrallah Stances
Harm Lebanon, May Serve Israel Interest/Naharnet
Mansour, Lebanon's FM: Lebanon
to File U.N. Complaint against Israel over Wazzani Incursion/Naharnet
Lebanese
Cabinet names director for Energy
Ministry/The Daily Star
Lebanon: Calls for dialogue will
likely trump efforts to stir spite/The Daily Star
Iran offers Lebanon expertise in
gas exploration endeavors/The Daily Star
Public pressure led to my
release: Lebanon artist/The Daily Star
Lebanon files complaint against
Israel over border incident/The Daily Star
Maronite Bishops Council: State Must
Protect Private Properties, Prevent Attacks against them
Naharnet /The Maronite Bishops Council condemned on Wednesday the attacks on
private properties, urging the Lebanese to preserve their land “because they are
the basis of their identity and history.”It said in a statement after its
monthly meeting, headed by Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi: “We demand the state to
protect these properties according to the constitution and take the necessary
security measures to prevent future attacks.”It also condemned the “disgusting”
July 26 attack against French soldiers in the United Nations Interim Force in
Lebanon, thanking the countries that are participating in the peacekeeping
force.On the government’s duties, the Maronite bishops hoped that it would be
successful in its state appointments that should be based on competency.
Israel Describes Tammuz Missile as 'Strategic Surprise in
Any New War'
Naharnet /The Israeli Army Artillery Corps has said it introduced major
improvements to the advanced Tammuz missile, describing the new version as “a
strategic surprise and deterrence force against the enemy in any coming war.”The
artillery corps described the improved missile, whose older type was used in the
July 2006 war against Hizbullah, as the “most advanced and accurate in the
world.”The Tammuz missile can be fired by fighter jets as well as unmanned
surveillance aircraft.
Fears of war on southern border
August 03, 2011
By Hussein Dakroub The Daily Star
BEIRUT: U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams warned Tuesday
that a war could erupt between Lebanon and Israel as a result of this week’s
minor exchange of gunfire on the tense border. In the meantime, Prime Minister
Najib Mikati said Lebanon was determined to defend its rights and protect its
sovereignty by all legitimate means against Israeli threats.
Despite the tension created by a brief exchange of gunfire between the Lebanese
Army and Israeli soldiers who crossed the U.N.-drawn Blue Line into the Lebanese
village of Wazzani, the situation was generally quiet in south Lebanon Tuesday,
U.N. officials said.
In response to the Wazzani incident, Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour said:
“Lebanon will file a complaint against Israel through its mission at the United
Nations tomorrow for its violation of [U.N.] Resolution 1701 and the
infiltration of its soldiers into Lebanese territory in the Wazzani area
yesterday.”
Mansour also said in a statement that Italy’s decision to downsize its
contingent in the U.N. peacekeeping force, UNIFIL, by 700 soldiers was not
politically motivated, but due to economic and financial austerity reasons.
The Italian decision came after five French U.N. peacekeepers were wounded on
July 26, in a roadside bomb that targeted their convoy on the coastal highway in
the southern city of Sidon, in the second such attack targeting the U.N. force
in two months. Six Italian U.N. peacekeepers were wounded in a similar roadside
bombing on the Sidon highway on May 27.
Williams, after holding talks with Mikati, described the exchange of gunfire in
Wazzani as “disturbing,” saying it could have quickly develop into a war between
Lebanon and Israel.
“This was a very disturbing incident. The good thing is that nobody was injured
it seems on either side. The bad news is that we cannot afford any incidents
like this. You can go from an incident like this to war within a few hours. That
is the reality,” Williams told reporters.
The Lebanese Army engaged in a brief confrontation with Israeli soldiers shortly
after dawn Monday when an Israeli army convoy crossed the Blue Line in Wazzani
into Lebanon. The fight did not result in any casualties. According to a
Lebanese Army statement, 15 Israeli soldiers walked 70 meters into Lebanese
territories prompting Lebanese troops to confront the soldiers. An exchange of
fire followed, until the Israeli soldiers withdrew.
During his meeting with Williams, Mikati voiced his concern over continuing
Israeli violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty, saying that the United Nations
should work to halt these violations and to fully implement U.N. Security
Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Israeli war on Lebanon.
“Lebanon is determined to defend its rights and safeguard its sovereignty by all
legitimate means,” Mikati said in a statement after meeting Williams. “The
international community should deter Israel from violating Lebanese sovereignty
and infringing on Lebanon’s legitimate rights.”
Williams said he also discussed Mikati, the July 26 bomb attack on UNIFIL,
pointing out “the very considerable concern that this generated in France and in
all troop contributing countries.” He urged the government to arrest the
culprits of the two attacks on UNIFIL.
“I believe it is imperative that the Lebanese government take concrete and firm
action on this. In the first place, the culprits for this attack and the
previous attack on the Italians on May 27 must be found and detained and tried,”
Williams said. “I also expressed my concern to the prime minister that the
movement of UNIFIL convoys needs to be closely coordinated with the LAF
(Lebanese Armed Forces) and with the ISF (Internal Security Forces) to prevent
any further attacks of this nature.”
During Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, Mikati praised the Lebanese Army for
confronting an Israeli attempt to violate Lebanese sovereignty in the Wazzani
area which he visited during his recent tour of the south. “I join his
Excellency the President in affirming that the army is fully performing its duty
in defending sovereignty, independence and national dignity,” Mikati said,
according to a statement read to reporters by Information Minister Walid Daouk.
Meanwhile, a UNIFIL official denied reports that Israeli forces violated
Lebanese sovereignty near the Lebanese border village of Mais al-Jabal Tuesday.
“Israeli troops were carrying out routine maintenance work on the Israeli
technical fence near the village of Mais al Jabal. There was no violation of the
Blue Line. A UNIFIL patrol was sent to the area. The situation is quiet,” UNIFIL
spokesperson Neeraj Singh told The Daily Star.
Singh said the UNIFIL investigation into the Wazzani gunfire was still ongoing.
“A UNIFIL investigation team went yesterday to the location of the Lebanese side
and today the investigation team went to the location of the Israeli side. The
investigation is still ongoing,” he said. Singh added that when the incident
happened in Wazzani Monday, UNIFIL’s immediate priority was to contain the
situation and prevent any escalation. Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Saad
Hariri’s parliamentary Future bloc praised the Lebanese Army for defending
Lebanese sovereignty against “Israeli aggressive acts” in the Wazzani area. “The
provocation exercised by Israeli occupation forces on the southern Lebanese
border yesterday … prompted the Lebanese Army to bravely confront them and send
a clear message to the enemy that the border is protected and safeguarded and it
is not permissible to tamper with [Lebanese] sovereignty,” said a statement
issued after the bloc’s weekly meeting.
Mansour: Lebanon to File U.N. Complaint against Israel over Wazzani Incursion
Naharnet /The Lebanese mission to the U.N. will file Wednesday a complaint with
the Security Council over Israel’s violation of Resolution 1701 and Monday’s
incursion by Israeli troops into the Lebanese area of Wazzani, Foreign Minister
Adnan Mansour said Tuesday. The Lebanese army command said the incident occurred
at dawn Monday when a 15-member Israeli patrol crossed the technical fence and
went beyond it about 70 meters into the Wazzani area. “Forces stationed in the
area confronted it and an exchange of fire occurred,” the army command added.
Asked about Italy’s recent decision to withdraw around 700 troops serving with
the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Mansour said “the Italian
decision is not related to any political position on Lebanon, but rather to
economic and financial reasons.” The Italian Senate agreed on Wednesday to
withdraw 700 soldiers from UNIFIL, reported AKI Italian news agency. This
decision was part of a plan to lower the number of Italian troops serving with
international peacemaking missions from 9,250 to 2,028 in 2012.
The decision also encompasses reducing the number of Italian troops in Libya and
the Balkans, with 884 troops returning from the former and 271 from the latter.
Mustaqbal: Nasrallah Stances Harm Lebanon, May Serve Israel
Interest
Naharnet /The Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc condemned Tuesday “the provocation
practiced by the Israeli occupation forces on Lebanon’s southern border
yesterday and the incursion attempt that prompted the Lebanese army to confront
it bravely and send a clear message to the enemy that the border is protected,
safeguarded and monitored.”
The bloc also called on the Lebanese army to “remain vigilant in order to deter
and confront any aggression.”A statement issued after its weekly meeting under
former premier Fouad Saniora said the bloc observed a minute of silence “in
tribute to the martyrs of the Syrian revolution.” The conferees stressed that
“meeting the demands of the Syrian people … is the best and least costly way,”
calling for “quick, serious and profound steps towards reform, the withdrawal of
the army and security forces from the streets, and holding accountable those
responsible for the killing of protesters.”Criticizing Hizbullah chief Sayyed
Hassan Nasrallah’s latest remarks on the issue of Lebanon’s natural resources,
the bloc accused Nasrallah of usurping the role of the Lebanese State. “Sayyed
Nasrallah’s stances harm Lebanon and its investment reputation,” the bloc said,
adding that “these stances might serve Israel’s interest, not Lebanon’s.”“While
the government and the parliament were working on essential steps in this
regard, Sayyed Nasrallah’s stances came to marginalize the government and its
decisions and to prove once again that the ‘party of weapons’ has the upper
hand, not anyone else,” the bloc added.
Syrian Dissidents Ask Obama to Demand Assad Step Down
Naharnet /Syrian dissidents on Tuesday urged U.S. President Barack Obama to call
on Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad to quit power and to press for U.N. sanctions
over his regime's deadly crackdown on protests. The demands -- presented in a
first meeting between U.S. Secretary Clinton and members of Syria's disparate
opposition -- added to U.S. domestic pressure on the Obama administration to
take a tougher line against Assad's regime. Radwan Ziadeh told reporters he and
other U.S.-based dissidents told Clinton in more than one hour of talks that
they need "President Obama to address the Syrian people and ask President Bashar
al-Assad to step down immediately." Mohammed al-Abdallah, another
Washington-based Syrian opposition activist, added that a high-profile U.S. call
for Assad to quit power would bring more protesters to Syria's streets. Clinton
said last month that Assad had "lost legitimacy" after loyalists attacked the
U.S. and French embassies for alleged meddling in internal affairs, but
administration officials have stopped short of calling on him to step down.
When asked why Washington was reluctant to call on the Syrian leader to quit
power, Ziadeh said administration officials feared the Assad regime would try to
fan sectarian flames and spark a civil war. But "we addressed this concern" and
showed that groups of different backgrounds, including Christians, were involved
in the protest movement, he said.
"This is actually the great example about the unity of the Syrian people against
the sectarian investment that the regime is investing in Syria," Ziadeh told
reporters.
Listing other demands, Ziadeh said "we need actually the U.S. to lead at the
Security Council to get more sanctions at the U.N. level," on top of U.S. and
European Union sanctions imposed on Assad and other members of his regime. The
15-nation council remains divided over how to react to the Syria bloodshed, with
Western nations demanding tough action and both China and Russia threatening to
veto any formal resolution. Clinton issued Monday a veiled appeal to Russia and
China to condemn Syria at the Security Council.
Ziadeh also called for U.S. pressure "to refer the crimes against humanity
committed in Syria to the International Criminal Court," which has issued a
warrant for the arrest of Moammar Gadhafi for his bloody crackdown on the Libyan
opposition. Meanwhile, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat who
is close to Clinton, and Mark Kirk, a Republican, and Joseph Lieberman, an
independent, pressed for tougher U.S. action against Syria. They said in a
statement they will introduce "new bipartisan legislation that would establish
tougher U.S. sanctions against Syria and hold President Bashar al-Assad’s regime
accountable for its human rights abuses." They added: "Under this bill, the
president would be called on to block access to the U.S. financial system,
markets, and federal contracts for companies that invest in Syria’s energy
sector, purchase the country’s oil, and sell gasoline to Syria. Such sanctions
would bite because about one-third of Syria's export revenues comes from oil,
they added. The State Department said Monday it is weighing the possibility of
further sanctions against Syria, including in the oil and gas sector.
**Source Agence France Presse
Security Council Meets Again on Syria, Ban Says Assad 'Lost
All Humanity'
Naharnet /The U.N. Security Council began a second day of talks on Syria Tuesday
after President Bashar al-Assad's tanks shelled the protest hub of Hama on the
opening day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. At least 24 civilians were
reported killed across the country on Monday, among them 10 during protests
after special evening prayers, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights chief Rami
Abdul Rahman said. Syrian tanks shelled the outskirts of Hama, he said.
The fresh violence came as the Security Council held a first session of
emergency talks on the deadly crackdown, with Western powers again demanding a
condemnation of the violence, but the closed session ended with no agreement. A
top U.N. official told the meeting 140 people were reported killed in an army
assault on Sunday, mostly in Hama, while 3,000 people have gone missing and
12,000 taken prisoner since anti-regime protests erupted in mid-March.
Britain, France, Germany and Portugal hope to revive a formal resolution
condemning Assad's crackdown. Russia and China -- two of the five permanent
Security Council members with veto power -- threatened to block past attempts to
pass a resolution on Syria.
Brazil, India and South Africa have also spoken out against a resolution or
statement.
As fresh talks got underway Tuesday, European nations distributed the text of a
new draft resolution, but Russian and Indian envoys said it was barely different
from a version they had already rejected.
"It is not new," said Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin.
Indian envoy Hardeen Singh Puri, president of the council for August, said
"there has been no change to the text which was on the table; there has been
some technical update."
Later on Tuesday U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
has "lost all humanity.”
The U.N. secretary general vented his growing anger at Assad's refusal to
acknowledge international criticism.
"Since the beginning of this situation, I have issued many statements, I have
spoken to President Assad several times, and I have expressed my sincere wish
and genuine wish that he should genuinely, genuinely address these issues in a
peaceful manner," Ban told a small group of reporters.
Highlighting weekend violence in which about 140 people were killed in a
military offensive on Hama and other towns, Ban added: "This is a totally
unacceptable situation.
"He (Assad) must be aware that under international humanitarian law, this is
accountable. I believe that he lost all sense of humanity," Ban said.
"He must address this issue, listening to the calls of the international
community and more importantly, listening to the aspirations and genuine wishes
of his people."
The 15-nation council is under mounting international pressure to take a stand
on violence in Syria but some diplomats say it is more likely it will now try to
agree on a less formal statement, with no warning of U.N. action.
The international community's stand on the Syria crisis does not include any
plans for a Libya-style military intervention to halt the bloodshed, France said
on Tuesday.
"The situations in Libya and Syria are not similar" and "no option of a military
nature is planned," French foreign ministry spokeswoman Christine Fages said in
Paris.
The U.N. meeting came after Assad showered praise on his troops to mark Syria's
Army Day on Monday, saying in a speech that the military had "proved its loyalty
to its people, country and creed."
"Its efforts and sacrifices will be admired. These sacrifices succeeded in
foiling the enemies of the country and ending sedition, preserving Syria," the
president said.
State news agency SANA reported that "saboteurs" stormed the main courthouse in
Hama and set fire to offices on Monday.
Meanwhile, U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay warned the Syrian regime that the
"world is watching" its deadly crackdown against protesters and that attempts at
impose a news blackout were not working. Pillay also reiterated that the
government must halt the violence immediately and that an international and
independent probe must be launched to investigate the deadly crackdown.
Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Muqdad, on a three-day visit to India,
called on New Delhi to use its influence on the Security Council to thwart the
West.
"I am here to brief the Indian leadership against the prefabricated
misinformation and on the unrealistic propaganda machinery against Syria,"
Muqdad said in a television interview.
Diplomats in New York said all countries expressed concern about the
intensifying crackdown and there was now wider acceptance that the Security
Council must act.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asked the holdouts to reconsider. "And
we call on the international community to come together behind the people of
Syria in this critical time," she said. The European Union on Tuesday added
Syrian Defense Minister Ali Habib Mahmoud and four others, including Assad's
uncle Mohammed Makhlouf, to its blacklist of individuals and businesses
associated with the repression. "The message is clear and unambiguous: those
responsible for the repression will be singled out and held accountable," said
British Foreign Secretary William Hague. The latest measures bring to 38 the
number of people and businesses targeted by the 27-nation bloc, including
members of Assad's family and three commanders of Iran's Revolutionary Guard
accused of aiding the crackdown. Italy recalled its ambassador in Damascus for
consultation given the "horrible repression against the civilian population,"
the foreign ministry said in Rome on Tuesday. More than 1,600 civilians and 369
members of the army and security forces have been killed since March 15 in
Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory.
*Source Agence France Presse
EU to Keep Envoy in Syria, Paris Says No Plans for Military Intervention
Naharnet /The European Union ambassador to Syria is to remain in Damascus
despite an Italian proposal Tuesday to recall all ambassadors from the 27 EU
nations.
"Our ambassador will remain in Damascus to observe what's happening on the
ground," said Michael Mann, spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine
Ashton.
The EU delegation in Syria is headed by Greek-born Ambassador Vassilis
Bontosoglou, a longtime EU official specialized in trade and Asian affairs who
was accredited to the Damascus office in 2007. Italy earlier Tuesday announced
the recall of its ambassador for consultation due to the "horrible repression"
and proposed that "all ambassadors from countries within the European Union be
recalled", the foreign ministry said in Rome. Ashton's spokesman said however
"that we have not heard of this being taken any wider".
Meanwhile, France said Tuesday that the international community's position on
Syria's deadly crackdown on anti-regime protesters did not include any plans for
a Libya-style military intervention to halt the bloodshed. "The situations in
Libya and Syria are not similar" and "no option of a military nature is
planned," foreign ministry spokeswoman Christine Fages told reporters, without
elaborating on how the situations differed. She was responding to a question
about whether the situation in Libya, where NATO is conducting air strikes
against Moammar Gadhafi's forces as part of a United Nations mandate to protect
civilians, might be repeated in Syria.
Britain, France, Germany and Portugal were hoping to revive their push for a
formal resolution from the U.N. Security Council when it meets Tuesday for a
second day of talks on Syria.
They want the council to condemn Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown.
But diplomats said that it was more likely the council would instead agree on a
simple statement, with no warning of U.N. action. Russia and China have
threatened to veto any formal resolution against Assad. A top U.N. official said
Monday that on top of 140 people reported killed in a military offensive on
Sunday, 3,000 people have gone missing and 12,000 been taken prisoner since the
anti-regime protests erupted in mid-March.
More than 1,600 civilians and 369 members of the army and security forces have
been killed since March 15 in Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights.
*Source Agence France Presse
Five Dead in Hama as Army Storms Damascus Suburb
Naharnet /At least five people were killed on Tuesday as the Syrian army pressed
on with its crackdown on the flashpoint protest city of Hama and troops stormed
a Damascus suburb.
At least 24 civilians were reported killed across Syria on Monday, among them 10
during protests after special evening prayers, Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights chief Rami Abdul Rahman said. "Ten martyrs fell and several people were
wounded by gunfire from security forces during protests in several Syrian towns
after the 'tarawih' evening prayers," Abdul Rahman said. Syrian tanks shelled
the outskirts of the flashpoint protest city of Hama late on Monday, he said.
The death toll on the first day of the Ramadan fasting month was 24, while more
than 150 people were detained. On Tuesday troops tightened their siege on Hama
by taking up positions near homes and sending residents fleeing for their lives.
Hama-based activist Omar Hamawi told The Associated Press that parts of Hama
were hit Tuesday morning with heavy machine gun fire after sporadic shelling
overnight.
He said a shell hit a compound known as the Palace of Justice in the city
center, causing a huge fire that burned much of the building, which is home to
several courts.
"A group of armed saboteurs stormed the Palace of Justice in Hama yesterday
(Monday) afternoon and set fire to some offices before ransacking them,"
state-run news agency SANA said, quoting the head of the lawyers' union in Hama.
"Plumes of black smoke were seen yesterday afternoon rising from the complex
where several departments were on fire," SANA quoted Mohammed Abbas as saying.
The agency also quoted unnamed sources as saying that "hundreds of masked men
riding motorbikes" attacked the main courthouse and set fire to offices.
Opposition-affiliated Sham News Network reported that security forces on Tuesday
shot dead two people in the Hama neighborhood of al-Mizrab.Two other people were
also killed in Hama Tuesday when security forces shelled a poultry truck near
the city’s central prison, SNN added, identifying the two as Khaled and Fateh
Katil.
And snipers shot dead a fifth person near Hama’s fire department, Abdul Rahman
said. Meanwhile, the Hama neighborhood of al-Qsour was heavily bombarded on
Tuesday and security forces were shooting at anything that moves, SNN said.
Elsewhere, security forces stormed the Damascus suburb of Arbin during a funeral
for Monday’s victims, SNN added, reporting “indiscriminate” shooting in the
suburb.
Protests erupted Monday evening across the country, with hundreds turning out in
cities including Homs, Latakia, the Damascus suburbs and the eastern city of
Deir Ezzor.
There were scattered protests in Hama, but shelling kept most people inside.
Hama has been the target of the recent operation because it has emerged as an
opposition stronghold.
Hamawi said that troops advanced about 700 meters from the western entrance of
the city overnight, taking up positions near homes and buildings in an area
known as Kazo Square. He said the force consisted of eight tanks and several
armored personnel carriers.
The activist, who spoke to the AP by telephone, said troops were also reinforced
on the eastern side of the city around the Hama Central Prison, an overcrowded
jail.
He said residents there saw smoke billowing from the prison overnight and heard
sporadic gunfire from inside, leading some to believe the inmates were rioting.
He added that it was impossible to know what was exactly going on in the prison
or whether there were casualties inside the tightly controlled facility.
Hama has a history of defiance to the Assad family 40-year dynasty in Syria. In
1982, Assad's father, Hafez Assad, ordered the military to quell a rebellion by
Syrian members of the conservative Muslim Brotherhood movement. The city was
sealed off and bombs dropped from above smashed swaths of the city and killed
between 10,000 and 25,000 people, rights groups say. *Source Agence France
PresseAssociated Press
Italy Says Situation in Syria Poses Danger on Lebanon
Naharnet /Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini stated that the situation in
Syria may have dangerous repercussions on Lebanon, stressing that Lebanon needs
stability now more than ever in order to meet its people’s needs.He hoped in an
interview to Sada al-Balad newspaper to be published on Wednesday that the
Special Tribunal for Lebanon would be able to continue its work effectively and
with the cooperation of all concerned sides. He voiced his country’s complete
support for the tribunal, adding that the confidence vote that the Lebanese
government received is a fundamental development that would allow Lebanon to
confront the economic and political challenges. On the Italian Senate’s decision
to withdraw 700 Italian troops from UNIFIL, Frattini said that Italy is still
committed to protecting Lebanon’s security and stability in light of its
participation in the international force. He explained that its decision took
place in cooperation with the U.N. and it will be gradually implemented. He
noted that the Italian unit in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon is
among the largest in the international force.
Last week, the Italian Senate decided to withdraw 700 Italian troops from UNIFIL
as part of a mission to reduce the number of its troops in peacekeeping forces
in several countries.
Sources said that the decision stemmed from economic reasons and not security
ones considering the decision was made shortly after French UNIFIL troops were
injured in a roadside bomb that was targeting their patrol near the southern
city of Sidon on July 26.
U.S. Senate Approves Bill to Avert Debt Default
Naharnet /The U.S. Senate on Tuesday approved legislation to avert a disastrous
debt default and cut trillions in government spending, sending the contentious
bill to President Barack Obama to sign into law.Lawmakers voted 74-26 to pass
the measure -- which cleared the House of Representatives by an overwhelming
269-161 margin a day earlier -- with just hours to spare before a midnight (0400
Wednesday) deadline. Twenty-eight of Obama's Republican foes joined forty-five
Democrats and one independent who usually sides with them in favor of the
legislation, while 19 Republicans, six Democrats, and the chamber's other
independent voted no.Obama was expected to sign the measure quickly and turn his
focus to tackling historically high U.S. unemployment of 9.2 percent and
boosting the sagging U.S. economy, likely the dominant factor in his November
2012 reelection bid. "We have to get this out of the way to get to the issue of
growing the economy," Vice President Joe Biden declared Monday, vowing that once
the bill is law "we will be talking about nothing come then but about jobs."The
legislation lifts cash-strapped Washington's $14.3 trillion debt limit by up to
$2.4 trillion while cutting at least $2.1 trillion in government spending over
10 years. Republicans have promised the spending cuts will create jobs, but top
Wall Street economists have warned the austerity measures will actually be a
drag on already sluggish U.S. growth even as government stimulus measures run
out. The overall shift from priming the U.S. economy to government
belt-tightening is expected to reduce U.S. growth next year by about 1.5
percentage points, according to JPMorgan Chase economists.Democrats, especially
on the party's left flank, have expressed outrage that the bargain Obama struck
with his Republican foes omitted any increase in tax revenues from the richest
Americans or wealthy corporations.
Israel Erects Earth Mounds in Wazzani Area Amid Warning
Against ‘Calculated Incursion’
Naharnet /Israeli troops deployed 10 tanks and bulldozers before midnight Monday
and began erecting earth mounds at the technical fence in the Wazzani area where
they clashed with Lebanese troops the same day. Media reports said Tuesday that
the move led to a state of alert among Lebanese and UNIFIL troops on Army Day.
The 10 Israeli vehicles included three Merkava tanks, they said, adding that the
patrols pointed their floodlights at parks on the banks of the Wazzani river. On
Monday morning, the Lebanese and Israeli armies exchanged fire after a Jewish
state patrol crossed the U.N.-drawn Blue Line, the Lebanese military said. Both
sides reported no casualties but each blamed the other for the clash. The
Lebanese army command said the incident occurred at around 5:50 am when a
15-member Israeli patrol in the Wazzani area crossed the technical fence and
went beyond it about 70 meters.“Forces stationed in the area confronted it and
an exchange of fire occurred,” the communiqué said. The Israeli patrol withdrew
from the area at around 7:25 am, it added. However, an Israeli military
spokeswoman told Agence France Presse that an Israeli military force “carrying
out a routine patrol within Israeli territory near the Israel-Lebanon border was
fired upon from the direction of Lebanon." Two Lebanese soldiers, a Lebanese
journalist and a senior Israeli officer were killed in a rare cross-border clash
in Adaisseh in August last year, the worst such violence since the 2006 war
between Israel and Hizbullah. Involved Lebanese sources told An Nahar daily on
Tuesday that the “army confronted the Israeli incursion yesterday as it did in
the Adaisseh confrontation to stress Lebanon’s right in having reservations in
the area of the violation.” They said the “calculated incursion” was a message
against Lebanon’s attempts to claim its rights over the natural resources in its
Exclusive Economic Zone and demarcate its maritime borders. The sources warned
that Lebanon should be ready for a “difficult battle” with the Jewish state.
Aoun: Arms Present under State Control Not Enough to Put
Lebanese at Ease
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun noted on Tuesday that Lebanon
enjoys a deterrent power, embodied in the equation of the army, people, and
Resistance, capable of defending the country against an Israeli attack. He said
after the weekly Change and Reform bloc meeting: “This equation won’t end until
the Arab-Israeli conflict is resolved, which is very difficult under the current
Israeli and American policies.” “Israel does not want peace … if we abandon
resistance and surrender, the country will be permanently destroyed,” he
remarked.
On Monday’s Wazzani clashes between the Lebanese and Israeli armies, the MP
said: “We congratulate the army on the occasion of Army Day and we wish it
constant success, especially since we have an enemy that continuously reminds us
that the army is the guarantee for Lebanon’s stability and independence.”
Aoun pointed out however: “The arms present under the state’s control are not
enough to put the Lebanese at ease.” He clarified however that this is not a
response to Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi’s statements on Monday who said
that the Lebanese people are uneasy with the spread of arms outside the state’s
authority. “The army alone is not capable of defending Lebanon and neither is
Hizbullah,” he remarked. “We refuse to rely on international resolution,” he
stressed. On the national dialogue, the FPM leader voiced his support for the
talks, hoping that the agenda be determined in advance to tackle the defense
strategy. The last time dialogue was held, the defense strategy was about to be
addressed, but the talks veered off course to tackle Hizbullah’s arms, he noted.
Addressing the developments in Syria, Aoun said: “Security forces have the right
to defend themselves when they are fired at.”
“The constitution allows for freedom of demonstration, not the freedom to riot.
The Syrian security forces are suppressing riots, not protests,” he added. He
also voiced his support for reform in Syria. In addition, he stated that
international interests are at play in Syria because it is the key to several
issues in the region.
One Hurt as Pro, Anti-Assad Demonstrators Clash in Hamra
Naharnet /Dozens of supporters of Bashar al-Assad attacked a small rally against
the Syrian president and his regime in Beirut on Tuesday, landing at least one
protester in hospital, activists told Agence France Presse. A security official
told AFP there had been a clash outside the Syrian embassy in Beirut’s Hamra
neighborhood between pro- and anti-Assad demonstrators on Tuesday evening but
could not give further details. Two activists who had attended the rally said
around 30 members of local civil society groups gathered outside the embassy to
protest against the Syrian regime and were immediately attacked by some 40
belt-wielding Assad supporters. At least one injured activist was taken to
Beirut's Makassed hospital, they said.
Iran offers Lebanon expertise in gas exploration endeavors
August 03, 2011/The Daily Star /BEIRUT: Iran is ready to provide Lebanon with
its expertise in terms of petrol extraction, the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon
said during a meeting with Energy and Water Minister Gibran Bassil Tuesday, the
National News Agency reported. Referring to Lebanon as a “brother state,”
Ghadanfar Rukn Abadi said Iran wanted to allow Lebanon to benefit from its
expertise. Answering a question about the dispute between Lebanon and Israel
over the delimitation of maritime borders, the ambassador said the issue “needed
to be examined by experts and [concerned] stakeholders.” “We, as the Islamic
Republic of Iran, have … experts in the field of petrol extraction … and we’re
ready to cooperate with Lebanon on this field,” Abadi added. The dispute over
maritime borders erupted last month after Israel proposed maritime borders which
Lebanese officials argue infringe on the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Part
of the disputed area, which is approximately 854 square kilometers, is believed
to hold significant oil and gas reserves.
“We’re ready to cooperate and to reinforce our cooperation in different areas,
especially given that the Islamic Republic of Iran has reached self-sufficiency
in most fields,” the ambassador said. Asked if there would be political
implications to such an agreement, Abadi said that Iran had made clear before
that it “only wants the good of Lebanon and of all Lebanese.”
“We want the good of Lebanon and of all countries,” he insisted. During the
meeting, Abadi also handed Basil a letter on behalf of his Iranian counterpart,
congratulating him for keeping his post at the ministry in the new Cabinet. “It
was the occasion to discuss the areas on which the two ministries cooperate and
the implementation of previous agreements on the sectors of energy, electricity,
dams, water and petrol in a near future,” Abadi said. An initial draft of a
proposed law delineating Lebanon’s maritime areas was approved by Parliament’s
Public Works, Transport, Energy and Water Committee and the draft law is
scheduled to be discussed during a legislative session expected to convene
Wednesday and Thursday.
In line with the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, which Lebanon signed in
1994, the country is obliged to draft a law specifying maritime areas under its
sovereignty.
Irish peacekeepers back in south Lebanon
August 03, 2011 /By Patrick Galey The Daily Star
TIBNIN, Lebanon: For Sergeant John Keenan, a three-decade long military career
has produced just a sole, lingering regret.Thirty years ago, Keenan was a lowly
private in the 48th Battalion of the Irish Defense Forces, one of hundreds of
soldiers serving with the first incarnation of the United Nations peacekeeping
force in south Lebanon.
As daylight faded on Apr. 27, 1981, Keenan was part of a tight-knit patrol
tasked with finding out what had happened to the two men in observation post
6-22D, close to with tiny village of Dayr Ntar. It was getting late, and
privates at 6-22D hadn’t reported to company command. They never would.
“We were close to going home at the time but we were sent in to get the
observation post,” Keenan says. “We found one man dead and the other we never
found. This has always bothered me.” That day, the Irish lost Private Hugh
Doherty, shot dead, and Private Kevin Joyce, whose body was never recovered. The
men were just two of 47 Irish casualties, the highest sustained by any troop
contributing country in the history of the United Nations Interim Force in
Lebanon.
Last month, after a four-year absence, 440 troops from across western Ireland
arrived in south Lebanon, renovated a discarded Belgian storage facility in the
hills above Tibnin – later christened Camp Shamrock – and continued their
country’s long Lebanese peacekeeping tradition.
Full control of UNIFIL Sector West Area 6 was handed to Ireland on July 21.
Officially, the contingent is mandated with maintaining the cessation of
hostilities along the U.N.-implemented Blue Line, one of the most fractious
border regions in the world. They must, under U.N. Security Council Resolution
1701, coordinate with the Lebanese Army in order to prevent a fresh outbreak of
hostilities in an area that was devastated by the 2006 war between Hezbollah and
Israel.
But, as Captain Gary Collins explains, the continuation of 22 years of Irish
peacekeeping in Lebanon harks back to something more enduring than statutes
drawn up in New York.
“It’s my first time here but back home in Ireland, among the older soldiers, you
hear so much about Lebanon. You come out here and you hear that an awful lot of
blood was spilled, Lebanese and Irish, throughout the years. We were in the
middle of it,” he says.
“Twenty-two years does count for a lot. We are perceived well and it’s important
to get out word that we are back. The Irish are, for the most part, friendly and
neutral people. That’s the way we go about our business.”
The popularity of Ireland among locals is well-known. Over the years, there have
been several marriages between peacekeepers and southern residents, and the joke
that Tibnin contains some suspiciously Irish-looking children may not be
completely without foundation.
The Irish inherited patrolling duties in Tibnin and 11 other southern villages
from UNIFIL’s French contingent, a collection of soldiers widely disliked among
southerners. The perception among many, that French troops had been too invasive
and belligerent in their approach to peacekeeping – as evidenced by several
minor attacks on the force in recent years – needs changing, according to
Collins.
“This was a French area and people still don’t realize that we are here. They
see white cars and UNIFIL flags and they think we are French,” he says. “It has
to help us and UNIFIL in general, the experience that we bring here.”
Two recent roadside bomb attacks against UNIFIL have highlighted the fact that
not everyone on the ground appreciates the presence of international
peacekeepers. Six Italian troops were hit in an attack in May, and last week
five French soldiers were wounded in a similar incident.
“We’ve a lot of training done before we come over, but [the attacks] put it into
perspective. Everyone knows now that this is a serious place we are in and it
can implode. The threat level is medium and it is calm but unpredictable at the
moment,” Collins says. “We know that this is a dangerous place and that’s why we
are here. In every soldier’s mind, he knows that we have to do things right, or
else who knows who could be next?”
The two bombings have had a profound effect on the movement of the 12,000 strong
UNIFIL force. Most armored vehicles belonging to the organization are fitted
with cell phone signal blocking equipment, limiting the ability for would be
bombers to strike remotely. Even so, there are hundreds of civilian vehicle
patrols conducted by UNIFIL each week, and additional security measures have
been taken. For the Irish, this means that solo patrol movement – in which a
single vehicle leaves base – is gone; all future patrols will be conducted in
convoy. Briefings and route reconnaissance work are up.
From Camp Shamrock, it is an 8 kilometer drive to 6-52, a concrete
bleacher-lined outpost in the shadow of the village of Maroun al-Ras and a few
hundred meters from the Blue Line. For the last couple of kilometers two Irish
UNIFIL Landcruisers trundle along a white dirt path flanked either side by
minefields. In the distance, the Nakba Day memorial for those who lost their
lives on May 15 can be made out close to an Israeli observation tower.
In 6-52’s watchtower, clutching a sub-machine gun, is Private Billy Fahey, a
veteran of three UNIFIL tours to Lebanon. He was last in the south in April
2000, before Israel’s withdrawal from most Lebanese territory.
“Back then there were kids here that this time are grown up,” he says. “Some of
them are serving with the Army, so we are patrolling with some of the people who
were children the last time around. They kind of respect us, because we were
nice to them years ago and now they are willing to listen.”
Fahey says he jumped at the chance to return to Lebanon. Recruitment for foreign
service with the Irish Defense Forces is voluntary, and the private is among
almost 300 Irishmen that signed up as soon as Dublin announced it would again
provide troops to UNIFIL.
“[I wanted to come back to Lebanon] mainly to see the change in the place. It
has progressed 10-fold. You see people who were using the land for fighting and
cover are now using it for crops and harvesting. They’ve turned fighting
positions into making a living. It’s great to see,” Fahey says.
As he finishes, word reaches 6-52 that there are men with guns in the vicinity
approaching the Blue Line. Within minutes, several troops are in a pair of APCs,
blue helmets donned and heading out into the field.
“If we see anyone within the vicinity of the Blue Line, we move,” says Captain
Tom Mulderrig, who commands the 28 troops currently stationed at 6-52.
“We are going to send out our patrol, but the Lebanese Army should already be on
it; it’s their responsibility.”
The rest of the afternoon passes without incident, a typical day along the Blue
Line in 2011. The five years since 2006 have been among the calmest south
Lebanon has seen. But as veterans of previous UNIFIL missions attest, this
wasn’t always the case.
In Thursday’s issue of The Daily Star, the author examines differences between
old and new peacekeeper generations.
Calls for dialogue will likely trump efforts to stir spite
August 03, 2011
By Antoine Ghattas Saab The Daily Star
Attention seems focused now on south Lebanon, where skirmishes are taking place
from time to time between the Israeli and Lebanese armies, and there are
suspicious attempts to encroach on the security of U.N. peacekeepers, who have
been performing their duties under Resolution 1701 since August 2006.Meanwhile,
the Israeli breach of the border in Wazzani Monday, when a patrol entered 70
meters into Lebanese territory, prompting an exchange of fire, demonstrated that
there is serious project to bring chaos to south Lebanon in order to establish a
link between the conflict in south Lebanon and the violent events in Hama, Deir
al-Zour and other places in Syria that are witnessing an escalation of the
popular uprising. However, speculation based on military information and
intelligence excludes the possibility that fighting will flare up again between
Lebanon and Israel, at least until a clearer picture emerges on U.S.-Syrian
relations and Iran’s response to the uprisings.
A summary of a report written by a European ambassador before leaving his
country over the summer on diplomatic missions, stressed that the fate of United
Nations Interim Force in Lebanon is still in the danger with the growing
activity of extremist Palestinian movements around the Litani River. The
expansion of these movements poses more than one question in light of
Hezbollah’s control over the area. Is Hezbollah providing cover for these
movements, or is the party turning a blind eye to the activities of the
movements in response to a war it’s facing in regard to the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon, which accused four of its members of participating in the assassination
of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri?
French Ambassador to Lebanon Dennis Pietton, in a special meeting with a number
of Lebanese politicians, was quoted as saying that he was afraid of a repetition
of the attack targeting the French contingent of UNIFIL, given the role his
country is playing in the internal Lebanese affairs. These developments could be
on the agenda of the session to renew UNIFIL’s mandate on Aug. 31, during which
there’s a real possibility that French ambassador to the U.N. Gérard Araud will
suggest the idea of amending UNIFIL’s rules of engagement. He might suggest more
freedom of movement and more leeway for the peacekeepers to carry out their
duties to confiscate illegal weapons and catch in the act schemes prepared in
the hallways of some regional capitals that are looking for an outlet for their
internal developments in Lebanon by targeting economic and military interests of
Western powers.
The same European ambassador mentioned that some European states have decided
not to go along with the March 14’s statement that the current government is the
government of Syria and Hezbollah, and have decided to give the Cabinet a chance
to prove itself by fulfilling commitments to U.N. resolutions. Mikati is
considered to be the best Sunni leader now, and the partnership he has with
President Michel Sleiman creates a kind of balance in the face of the radicalism
in the opposing March 14 and 8 groups. The strategic decision by the European
states will facilitate the prime minister in carrying out his duties on both the
political and social levels, especially after he promised to resolve the
problems of electricity, water and the high cost of living.
It is expected that March 14 forces will begin a substantial media campaign to
dissuade Sleiman and Mikati from exercising their politics of neutrality on the
one hand and to weaken their sectarian and regional support on the other.
Political observers, however, are ruling out the success of the campaign as long
as the leaders of March14 are distracted by spite and political bickering, which
is igniting the street and marginalizing institutions. The current and former
majority are even when it comes to bypassing institutions to directly address
the emotional calls from their supporters. The West is convinced that tightening
the rope around the neck of March 8 forces and its Cabinet, and its reactionary
moves that echo Western acts against it will increase the belief in the logic of
mediation of both the president and the prime minister. It’s possible that calls
for National Dialogue will soon intensify to resolve conflict in a proactive
way, as Sleiman urged Monday on the occasion of Army Day.
Mubarak trial opens Wednesday. Corruption charges will
involve Israel
DEBKAfile Special Report /August 2, 2011/The Egyptian people will have their
first glimpse of their former president Hosni Mubarak since his overthrow on
Feb. 11 and retirement to Sharm el-Sheikh when he goes on trial Wednesday, Aug.
3 before television cameras with his two sons, Alaa and Gamal. With him wil be
the former Interior Minister Habib al-Adli and six other senior officers.
The charges against the ex-president of killing demonstrators during the
uprising that ousted him and abuse of power to amass wealth carry sentences
ranging from five years in jail to the death penalty. His sons face lesser
charges and prison.
After spending seven months at the Sinai resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, the public
will see their former president and his sons in a special cage built for the
trial. Judge Ahmed Refaat decided the proceedings should be aired live by state
television, because, he said, "I believe in the right of the people" to see
justice done.
Prominent businessman Hussein Salem will be tried in absentia. He was arrested
on an international warrant and is currently hospitalized in Spain. Former
Interior Minister Habib al-Adli is one of Egypt's most hated figures for the
brutal methods his police force used to crush opposition, notably in the early
days of the uprising on Jan. 25.
The 83-year old ailing former Egyptian president, accompanied by a full team of
doctors and paramedics equipped with life support gear, is to be flown around
dawn on Wednesday morning from the Red Sea resort to the Police Academy in New
Cairo ahead of his trial. Hundreds of officers are securing Mubarak’s transfer.
Despite his failing health, the military rulers of Egypt are determined to stage
the trial in order to appease the al-Tahrir Square protesters who still don't
believe Mubarak's old comrades will go through with the promised reforms or
bring the ex-president, a former air force chief, to justice.
One of the three main charges against Mubarak, his sons and Salem is that they
exported gas to Israel for prices below the market rateand shared out the
difference between them. The trial may be expected to occasion anti-Israel
outbursts and further sour relations between Jerusalem and Cairo. It is not by
chance that the Sinai pipeline carrying Egyptian gas to Israel was sabotaged
five times since the revolution, the last time just before the Mubarak trial.
Up until the last minute, it was not clear whether the former president would be
permitted to make a dignified appearance in court – he routinely touched up his
hair and used makeup before appearing in public – or be humbled by being forced
to appear as an ageing, sick, unshaven wreck.
Mubarak was treated for cancer before his ouster and has since suffered several
heart attacks. A bed was installed in the cage surrounding the dock in case of
his collapse.
According to some Arab sources, the military junta will not keep Mubarak present
at all the court sessions but place him there from time to time. After the trial
opens, he will be said to have collapsed and allowed to reappear when it suits
the military rulers in consultation with his medical attendants.
The 25 generals of the military junta will decide how best to show the former
president in public in accordance with their interests – whether the hale and
hearty former war hero or a sorry spectacle.
They are using the trial to serve two objectives:
1. Distract popular attention from the breakdown of law and order and an economy
going to wrack and ruin since they took charge of government in Cairo.
2. Give the public a show trial to keep them unaware of how slowly and
selectively they are allowing the political reforms they promised to go forward.
Our sources report that the trappings of democracy such as parliamentary
elections and freedom of the press will eventually be instituted – with one
important caveat: The generals will stay in power. The new constitution in
preparation will guarantee the military rulers the last word in all important
state matters, with the power to veto new laws.
The two Arab rulers who will watch the TV broadcasts from Cairo most intently
are Muammar Qaddafi of Libya and Bashar Assad of Syria. The sight of Hosni
Mubarak in a cage will strengthen their resolve never to let themselves be
forced out of power.
Saudi King Abdullah will be another interested spectator. He blames US President
Barack Obama as chiefly responsible for the wretched downfall of his good friend
and ally Hosni Mubarak and will not forgive him in a hurry.
Lebanon
files complaint against Israel over border incident
August 03, 2011 /The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Lebanon filed Wednesday a complaint at the United Nations against Israel
over a recent border incident in south Lebanon, the National News Agency
reported Wednesday.
The agency said Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry, through it representative in New
York, submitted a complaint to the U.N. over the entry of an Israeli patrol on
July 1, 2011, into Lebanese territory by a distance of 15 meters after it
crossed the Wazzani River. The Lebanese Army engaged in a brief confrontation
with Israeli soldiers shortly after dawn Monday when an Israeli Army convoy
crossed the Blue Line at Wazzani into Lebanon. The fight did not lead to any
casualties. The Foreign Ministry said the incident represented a violation and
abuse of Lebanon’s sovereignty and to United Nations Security Council Resolution
1701, international law and the U.N. charter, and poses a threat the peace of
the two countries. UNSCR 1701 ended the 2006 July-August war between Lebanon and
Israel and extended the mandate of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon,
which monitors a cease-fire between the two countries. U.N. Special Coordinator
for Lebanon Michael Williams warned Tuesday incidents such as Monday’s exchange
of fire on the Lebanon-Israel border could quickly turn into a war, as Prime
Minister Najib Mikati affirmed Lebanon’s commitment to defend its sovereignty by
all legitimate means.
What to do about Syria?
By Jennifer Rubin
Washington Post/08/02/2011
As I wrote earlier today, there is no dearth of ideas about how the Obama
administration might assist the people of Syria, usher the downfall of President
Bashar al-Assad and prevent civil war.In fact today, Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand
(D–N.Y.), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), and Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) announced “new
bipartisan legislation that would establish tougher U.S. sanctions against Syria
and hold President Bashar al-Assad’s regime accountable for its human rights
abuses. Under this bill, the President would be called on to block access to the
U.S. financial system, markets, and federal contracts for companies that invest
in Syria’s energy sector, purchase the country’s oil, and sell gasoline to
Syria.” The joint statement goes on to explain:
With approximately one-third of Syria’s export revenues coming from oil, the
Gillibrand-Kirk-Lieberman legislation targets the oil and gas sector of the
economy. Under the Syria Sanctions Act of 2011, President Obama would be
required to impose tougher sanctions on Syria, similar to those imposed on Iran,
until Syria transitions into a democracy for the people, ends support for
terrorists, and ceases its nuclear program and missile technology and WMD trade.
Sanctions on individuals or entities include prohibition on certain export
licenses, blocking access to U.S. financial institutions and markets and federal
contracts to violators, and imposing a three-year ban on government contracts
against companies who falsely claim they do not conduct business with Syria.
Currently, the U.S. bans most export and import trade with Syria, but sanctions
do not extend to foreign companies.
That is the type of action that pro-democracy Syrians would undoubtedly welcome.
I received an e-mail from M. Zuhdi Jasser, founder of Save Syria Now! He voiced
frustration with the administration’s inactivity. He told me, “President Obama’s
latest statements while quite welcome demonstrate a pathologically late epiphany
about ‘the true character of the Syrian regime.’ ” He continued, “Now the
president is realizing the ‘true character’ of evil? Can the Obama
administration not see the damage to our credibility as leaders of the ‘free
world’ when it takes this much open barbarism and a possibly impending genocide
for the White House to even begin to use language and endorse actions that put
the evil of Bashar Al-Assad and his fellow thugs in their place?” He then listed
a number of steps that would assist the Syrian people:
1-President Obama must clearly state that Assad must go! We had a policy of
regime change in Iraq for years under the Clinton administration. Now in light
of Assad’s open disregard for international opinion and the sanctity of the life
of his own people that is the least we can do.
2-Full economic sanctions against all trade with Syria except for food and
humanitarian relief with the end of all business transactions and private
company involvement in Syria and the end of all energy sector involvement.
3-Full and extensive freezing of U.S. and European assets beyond that already
done of anyone directly connected to the Assad regime including for example
Assad’s wife’s (Asma) assets in London.
4-Removal yesterday of our Ambassador and the immediate dismissal of any and all
Syrian diplomats on our soil. If Assad is truly “no longer legitimate” then his
diplomats are also no longer legitimate and our diplomats can no longer
legitimize him. Otherwise his words are empty. If a few nations like the U.S.
begin this process it will have a significant impact on empowering other nations
to isolate Syria from normal international travel, relations, and respect.
5-Demand the opening of Syrian society to media, NGO’s and international
observers for accountability instead of Assad’s lies.
6-A perceptible policy that we are beginning to help the opposition in and
outside of Syria (with the caveat that Islamists and others for example that do
not believe in the ideas of liberty and freedom are “on their own.” These and
proposals by the senators (as well as outside observers such as Elliott Abrams)
remind us that the administration is not lacking in tools to affect the outcome
in Syria. What is lacking is the will to deploy them.
*By Jennifer Rubin | 05:02 PM ET, 08/02/2011
Lebanon's Arabic press digest - Aug. 3 , 2011 The Daily
Star
Following are summaries of some of the main stories in a selection of Lebanese
newspapers Wednesday. The Daily Star cannot vouch for the accuracy of these
reports.
Al-Liwaa: Byzantine argument over electricity … [Energy] minister looking for
employment cover
Opposition MPs open fire on south, southern suburbs incident
Future Movement observes one minute of silence in solidarity with Syrian
revolution martyrs
Cabinet sank Tuesday in the process of wasting time, beyond what has been agreed
upon - that sessions must not exceed three hours. The government met for six
hours Tuesday without coming out with rich decisions, though one prominent
Cabinet minister described as “rich” issues on the agenda.
As to why the Cabinet meeting turned into a “marathon” in terms of time, a
ministerial source put it down to the rich items on the agenda, particularly
those relating to the ministries of public works and health, where LL31 billion
was allotted for each of the two ministries to complete implementation of the
projects that had been put on hold for a long time.
The source denied that Energy Minister Jibran Bassil had requested additional
funds for his ministry, adding that filling vacant positions at Lebanon’s
electricity company EDL was Bassil’s primary request.
More importantly, according to another ministerial source, is that Cabinet
agreed to adopt a proposal made by Parliament on the delineation of Lebanon’s
maritime borders. Parliament will approve the proposal in a session to be held
Wednesday after which Lebanon will embark on a tough diplomatic battle, whether
with Cyprus or Israel.
Amid preparations for the legislative session, sources in the National Struggle
Front and the Free Patriotic Movement declined to confirm whether MPs Walid
Jumblatt and Michel Aoun would attend Wednesday’s session, which requires strong
representation in order to finalize a number of draft laws relating to critical
sovereign and financial issues.
However, the opposition [March 14] agreed to attend the meeting and participate
effectively on various hot issues, including the Estonians’ [kidnapping] and the
circumstances [surrounding their release], the Rweiss blast, the Adaysseh mishap
between Hezbollah and Amal Movement, the attack on UNIFIL and the perpetrators,
the recent speech by Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, who acted as if he
was the state, and finally oil and maritime borders.
A lawmaker from the March 14 coalition said the opposition would use its right
to fully hold the government accountable within a legal and constitutional
framework.
Meanwhile, diplomatic circles - who showed interest in remarks made by Future
Movement leader Saad Hariri regaring the unrest in Syria where he condemned the
“massacre” Hama was being subjected to – wondered whether the new stance adopted
by the Future Movement would stop there or escalate through demonstrations and
strikes organized by the Future Movement or Future MPs under the slogan “in
support of the uprising of the Syrian people”?
Future Movement MP Ammar Houri told Al-Liwaa that the party’s new stance on
Syria was “the least” one could do, pointing out that further steps are to be
taken later on.
He said March 14 would issue a statement Wednesday following its weekly meeting
adopting the Future Movement position.
Al-Mustaqbal: Aoun justifies his actions to Syrian regime
Future Movement: Nasrallah’s stance on oil serves Israel
MP Michel Aoun – relying on his military history -- took it upon himself to put
Lebanon in direct confrontation with the Syrian people, explaining the needs for
"the intervention of the [Syrian] Army against the people.”
Getting back in his military uniform, out came Aoun Tuesday, to tell Lebanese
that “any shooting at police leads to an army crackdown. They should not teach
us their democracy. The Constitution preserves the right to demonstrate but does
not preserve the right to riot."
The Future parliamentary bloc observed during its weekly meeting Tuesday a
minute of silence "in tribute to the martyrs of the revolution as a result of
Syrian repression taking place in cities, villages and towns of sister Syria.”
Ad-Diyar: Lassa main issue on bishops’ Wednesday’s agenda
Maronite Patriarch discontent, to inspect Jbeil highlands mid-August
March 14: Sleiman speaking unclearly, Rai will discover his mistake
The expanded meeting chaired by Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai with lawmakers
and officials from Jbeil, in addition to Hezbollah representative Ghaleb Abu
Zeinab, did not end in an agreement on the issue of disputed territories in the
village of Lassa. The meeting, however, ended with a decision to give everyone a
60-day deadline to look into ways to solve this crisis.
Committees to study the geographical reality had emerged from that meeting. Rai,
however, was reportedly going to legalize territories on which families have
built on, even if the move was illegal, especially when the surveyors confirm
that these territories are owned by Maronite Religious Endowments.
But what happened was that some residents continued construction work in a race
against the 0-day deadline, a measure that made Rai feel discontented and pledge
to end this issue after violations continued and represented a setback for the
patriarch.
Well-informed sources said Rai felt he had been "cheated" at the meeting held in
Bkirki, in which a party official was present, as no one waited for territory
demarcation, but continued building, with some launching new construction
projects, prompting the Maronite patriarch to set mid-August as a date for
visiting the area.
This issue will be at the top of the agenda during a meeting of the Council of
Maronite Bishops to be held in Diman Wednesday.
On the other hand, according to a March 14 source, the Maronite Church is not to
take the blame for the Lassa issue but the Lebanese state, which has full
responsibility to carry out its task.
March 14 forces also launched a campaign against President Michel Sleiman,
saying he was speaking unclearly in light of changes in the country and the
region as he seems concerned in issues such as an electoral system based on
proportional representation and public appointments in light of two events – the
Special Tribunal for Lebanon and the arrest warrants issued by the court and the
unrest in Syria.
Public pressure led to my release: Lebanon artist
August 02, 2011
By Emma Gatten The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Last week’s arrest of musician Zeid Hamdan for defamation over a song
he’d written in 2008 about the president, in which he urged him to “Go home,”
caused shock waves both nationally and internationally.
Hamdan was arrested at the behest of State Prosecutor Saeed Mirza Wednesday,
after General Security intercepted a DVD containing the song headed to an ad
agency.
While the arrest drew rightful censure from human rights activists concerned
over authoritarianism, they might take heart from the public reaction.
Minutes after the news went online, the Internet was alive with condemnation. A
Twitter hashtag was put into widespread use, with users expressing their disgust
at the move. A Facebook page “Free Zeid Hamdan” attracted hundreds, and
newspapers began reporting on the incident.
When Hamdan was released seven hours after his arrest, the judge who told him he
was free to go said “some people had requested it,” according to Hamdan, who
believes public pressure led to his release.
“It was the people that pulled me out of jail,” he said. “It was mass protest
over the Internet and media which made the government look authoritarian.”
The law under which Hamdan was arrested, which makes it illegal to insult the
president, is not actually all that unusual, even in non-authoritarian
countries, although the two-year sentence it carries is relatively harsh.
In France, breaking the law against insulting the president carries a 45,000
euro fine. It is rarely used, although last year a youth was arrested under the
law in an incident in a Paris suburb. Spain and the Netherlands have similar
laws, also rarely implemented.
Hamdan himself doesn’t believe the law is the problem. “Personally I think it
should be forbidden to insult anyone,” he said.
His lawyer, Nizar Saghiyeh said Tuesday that while the law was unlikely to
change, the public reaction should send a message about its usage.
“Maybe the law will not change … it’s very difficult to change laws like this.
But it should be understood that you cannot implement it for just any reason,”
he said.
The president himself seemed to want to gain distance from the move in its
aftermath. “The Zeid Hamdan incident was a procedure by the concerned
authorities. The Pres. had no involvement nor any prior knowledge of the
arrest,” his office tweeted Thursday. When contacted by The Daily Star, his
office merely said that the issue was now “over” and would not comment on the
arrest, or the law itself.
The State Prosecutor’s office Tuesday refused to comment on the reason for
Hamdan’s arrest, but the musician said he believed it may have been something of
an overzealous reaction on behalf of the prosecutors.
“Maybe they’re just doing their work too much, giving it too much effort,” he
said.
“The interrogators were, I think, kind of amused,” Hamdan said. “They were doing
it really seriously but I could really see that it was not a big deal.”
Whether or not the law is truly a threat to artists, there is a legitimate
concern that its existence could encourage self-censorship, whether in the arts
or the media, and last week’s episode is likely to do little to allay such
fears.
“[On Friday], some friends of mine were doing a concert,” Hamdan said, “and they
were quite concerned about my cause and they wanted to sing the song … the
producers [of the concert] wouldn’t let them … they say they don’t want any
problems.
“I tell you [self-censorship is] is the worst disease for us.”
Saghiyeh said that incidents such as Hamdan’s arrest are aimed at frightening
off opposition, and thereby encouraging such self-censorship.
“What they want is really to intimidate them [rather than charge them],” he
said. “Once they feel that this message is got … they can release them.”
“It’s very healthy that people reacted this way. It’s a very healthy sign of
society. It’s a very clear reaction to the judge, and to the people behind the
judge, that we will not be silent when you restrain freedom,” he added.
Despite his arrest, Hamdan still believes his home country is relatively free.
“Lebanon is an island of freedom,” he said. “If I had been in Iran, in Syria, in
Egypt, in anywhere where there is not democracy I would have disappeared. You
see, I am in Lebanon, and voices spoke out and I was freed.”
On the other hand, he says, complacency also poses a threat.
“It is important that we do not accept such things, because we fought to have
our freedom,” he said. We’ve been through wars, because we want our freedom.”
Senior
Israeli Navy commander: Hamas,
Published 02.08.11
By Amos Harel/Haaretz
Hezbollah threaten our ports and oil rigs
Brig. Gen. Yaron Navy warns naval weapons smuggling on the rise; warns next war
will see terrorist organizations use missiles that can hit ships, ports and
sensitive infrastructure.
A senior officer in the Israeli Navy said Tuesday that terrorists groups close
to Israel are in possession of missiles capable of hitting all Israeli ports and
offshore infrastructure such as oil rigs.
Brigadier General Yaron Levi, the Navy's intelligence chief, spoke about the
matter on Tuesday at a conference in Tel Aviv University that focused on the
naval theater.
Levi reminded the audience that Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah recently said
that if Israel imposes a naval siege on Lebanon as part of another war between
the countries, Hezbollah will respond with missiles aimed at Israeli targets at
sea.
"You don't need to be genius to know where our oil rigs are," he said. "I'm sure
you can find their location on the internet." Levi pointed to the fact that a
large part of Israel's strategic infrastructure is concentrated in a narrow
strip along the coast, and said that "any damage to them would be critical."
Israel, he said, knows Hezbollah has Iranian-made surface-to-sea missiles, and
may also obtain from Russian-made rockets that Syria has. These missiles, he
said, have a range that "covers all of Israel's ports, our economic waters and a
large part of the shipping lines to Israel."
According to Levi, Hezbollah's model "is being copied today to the Gaza Strip.
In the future, we will have to deal with missiles, torpedoes, mines,
above-surface weapons and underwater ones, both in Gaza and Lebanon." He added
that Iran is a major player in the smuggling of naval weapons, and that "we
assume that everything that Iran has can be brought to theaters closer to us."
After intercepting the ship Victoria a few months ago, Levi added, and seizing
surface-to-sea missiles of a different type – Iranian-made C-704 missiles
intended for Gaza, "everyone realized that the Strip is going in that direction
– and that it is our duty to stop it." He said that in the last decade there has
been a gradual increase in naval weapons smuggling to the area, as well as in
their level of sophistication.