LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِJuly 07/2011

Bible Quotation for today
Isaiah 5/20-24/Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks, who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent. Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the LORD Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.

Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
Full text of the Lebanese Cabinet's ministerial statement/The Daily Star/July 06/11
Syria’s message: Lebanon, despite all, is still ours/By Joseph: Bahout/July 06/11
Canada isConcerned Over Latest Use of Force by Syrian Regime/July 06/11
Is Assad losing Syria? As concerns grow, US urges halt to 'intimidation/By: By Howard LaFranchi/July 06/11
The Syrian regime’s dungeons/By: Ana Maria Luca and Nadine Elali/July 06/11
After Hama…No reform in Syria/By Tariq Alhomayed/ July 06/11

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for July 06/11
Rights Group: Syrian Troops Killed 22 in Hama Crackdown/Naharnet
Amnesty accuses Syria of crimes against humanity/BBC
Syrian deserter: 'It was like a war against your own people/CNN
11 Dead, At Least 35 Hurt as Hama Vows to Defy Syrian Army
Analysis: Syria's Assad faces dilemma in Hama/Reuters
Syrian activist offers account of abduction, beatings/CNN
Syria's message: Lebanon, despite all, is still ours/Daily Star
Excerpts of speeches by MPs during the vote of confidence parliamentary session/ The Daily Star
Ammar to March 14: You are Not Our Enemies, But the Americans and Israelis are /Naharnet
Makari to March 8 Camp: Act Responsibly as the Lebanese, Entire World Will Judge You  /Naharnet
Mustaqbal MPs: Cabinet Pointed its Sword at International Community
Justice, stability are not mutually exclusive: Hezbollah leader/The Daily Star
Saudi FM: STL Critics Had Voted in Favor of Its Creation /Naharnet
Nasrallah Says Accusing Hizbullah Members of Murdering Hariri a 'Futile Psychological War /Naharnet
Hizbullah: Bellemare's Silence on Many Issues Shows Extent of STL's Credibility Corrosion /Naharnet
Lebanon's Arabic press digest - July 6, 2011/Daily Star
US-French plan Israeli-Palestinian Paris peace summit Sept. 2, ending Libya war/DEBKAfile
Heavy Gunfire on Home of Witness in 1999 Killing of 4 Judges/Naharnet
Maronite Bishops Council: We Hope Cabinet Would Abide by International Resolutions/Naharnet
MP Khaled Daher to Mikati: Either submit to March 8 or save Lebanon/Now Lebanon
MP Elie Marouni vows to oppose parties wanting to monopolize Lebanon/Now Lebanon
Hezbollah’s MP Hassan Fadlallah says government is “pure Lebanese”/Now Lebanon
MP Jean Ogassapian warns against renouncing UN resolutions/Now Lebanon
MP Mohammad Hajjar says government’s only mission is to confront STL/Now Lebanon
Lebanese deputies kick off parliamentary sessions on ministerial statement/Now Lebanon
Dogfight’ or MPs Fight? Qanso, al-Daher Clash in Parliament/Naharnet
March 8 and 14 Criticize Jumblat’s Position on STL/Naharnet
March 8 and 14 Criticize Jumblat’s Position on STL/Naharnet

Maronite Bishops Council: We Hope Cabinet Would Abide by International Resolutions
Naharnet /The Maronite Bishops Council hoped on Wednesday that the new cabinet would be granted confidence by parliament in order for it to tackle the people’s concerns.
It said after its monthly meeting headed by Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi: “We hope it will assume its responsibilities during this dangerous period in Lebanon and the region.”
“On the internal scene, it should work on bridging the gap between the rival political camps and unite them in order to address social, economic, and humanitarian issues,” it stressed in a statement. “On the external scene, it should respect agreements and abide by international resolutions,” it added. Furthermore, it noted that the release of the indictment in the Special Tribunal for Lebanon while parliament was preparing to discuss the government policy statement served to deepen the divide between the Lebanese. The statement urged all politicians to maintain “civilized democratic rhetoric, unify their ranks, uncover the truth, and achieve justice, which would help put an end to political assassinations and strife in Lebanon.”
The Maronite bishops also voiced their concern over the unrest in some regional countries, calling on the Lebanese to be wary of the spread of strife to Lebanon

Rights Group: Syrian Troops Killed 22 in Hama Crackdown
Naharnet /Syrian troops killed at least 22 people in a crackdown they launched in the flashpoint central city of Hama on Tuesday, a human rights group said."At least 22 people were killed in Hama and more than 80 wounded some of them seriously," Ammar Qurabi of the National Organization for Human Rights said on Wednesday.
"The wounded are being treated in two hospitals in Hama," he said in a statement, adding that troops had entered the al-Hurani hospital."A large number of Hama residents have fled either to the nearby town of al-Salamiya or towards Damascus," Qurabi said.The U.S. State Department on Tuesday urged the Syrian regime to withdraw its forces from Hama, a city of 800,000 people that saw a massive anti-government demonstration by as many as half a million people last Friday."We urge the government of Syria to immediately halt its intimidation and arrest campaign, to pull its security forces back from Hama and other cities, and to allow Syrians to express their opinions freely so that a genuine transition to democracy can take place," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said.Source Agence France Presse

Lebanese deputies kick off parliamentary sessions on ministerial statement
July 6, 2011 /Lebanese deputies kicked off on Tuesday a three-day parliamentary session to address the political program of the newly-formed government.
Twenty-three MPs spoke during the first session, which was chaired by Speaker Nabih Berri.
The majority of the deputies who spoke were from the March 14 coalition, including MP Marwan Hamadeh, Future bloc MPs Samir al-Jisr, Ammar Houri, Atef Majdalani, Nabil De Freige and Deputy Speaker MP Farid Makari.They all slammed Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s cabinet, which is dominated by the Hezbollah-led March 8 coalition, and rejected the Ministerial Statement’s clause, which said that the cabinet will “in principle” be committed to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) probing former PM Rafik Hariri’s 2005 assassination.
March 8 speakers, on the other hand, such as Syrian Social Nationalist Party MP Marwan Fares, slammed the STL and accused the UN-backed court of being politicized. He also called on the government to withdraw the Lebanese judges working with the tribunal.
Hezbollah MP Ali Ammar also said in parliament that the tribunal’s goal “is to distort the image” of his party, adding that “the US-Israeli enemy has sentenced the Resistance to death since its establishment.”
Meanwhile, Hezbollah responded to STL Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare, who on Monday reiterated that the investigation of Hariri’s murder is based on credible evidence.
Bellemare’s response did not address any of the evidence Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah presented, said the statement, adding that the STL prosecutor could not deny the “facts” Nasrallah presented.
“Bellemare has failed to clarify the STL’s stance regarding the false witnesses issue,” Hezbollah also said, adding that Bellemare has refused to investigate the possibility of Israel’s involvement in the Hariri murder.
The STL prosecutor also did not deny that computers were transferred through Israel, the statement said, adding “this raises big questions.”
The STL on Thursday handed Lebanon's Attorney General Said Mirza arrest warrants for four members of the Iranian-and Syrian-backed Hezbollah in connection to the Hariri murder.
However, Nasrallah on Saturday said he would never hand over the four, adding the Netherlands-based court was heading for a trial in absentia.
Nasrallah also said that after Bellemare was appointed, 97 computers that belonged to the international commission investigating the probe were transported through the Naqoura border crossing, taken through Israel and then to the Hague.
In regional news, security forces killed at least 11 people in Hama Tuesday while residents mobilized to keep Syria's army out, activists said as the United States urged the regime to withdraw from the flashpoint city.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, quoting medical sources, said the casualty toll had risen to 11 dead and more than 35 wounded in Hama, the hub of an anti-regime revolt which has been surrounded by the military.
"Heavy gunfire has been heard in several districts" of the city, it said.
The group said the body of one of those killed was dumped in the Orontes river of Hama, which is famous for its ancient watermills.
The activists, contacted by telephone from Nicosia, said a child was among three people shot dead by security forces on Monday on the outskirts of the city, north of Damascus, that is home to 800,000 people.
"Tanks are now posted at access routes to the city except for the northern entrance," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the London-based Syrian Observatory.
"Residents have mobilized. They're prepared to die to defend the city if need be rather than allow the army to enter," he told AFP.
"Residents have been sleeping on the streets and put up sand barriers and tires to block any assault."
Another activist insisted that Hama, where as many as 500,000 people took to the streets for a demonstration on Friday against President Bashar al-Assad's regime, was putting up a "100 percent peaceful" resistance.The US State Department urged the Syrian regime to withdraw its forces from Hama and other cities.
"We urge the government of Syria to immediately halt its intimidation and arrest campaign, to pull its security forces back from Hama and other cities, and to allow Syrians to express their opinions freely so that a genuine transition to democracy can take place," spokesperson Victoria Nuland said.
She added Washington was "very concerned about the ongoing attacks against peaceful demonstrators in Syria."
"The government of Syria claims that it's interested in dialogue at the same time that it is attacking and massing forces in Hama, where demonstrations have been nothing but peaceful."
Assad, faced with a revolt since mid-March, sacked the governor of Hama province on Saturday, a day after the massive rally during which security forces kept out of sight.
Since security forces gunned down 48 protesters in the city on June 3, Hama has escaped the clutches of the regime, activists say. The next day, more than 100,000 mourners were reported to have taken part in their funerals. Rights groups say that more than 1,300 civilians have been killed and 10,000 people arrested by security forces since mid-March.
-NOW Lebanon/AFP

MP Khaled Daher to Mikati: Either submit to March 8 or save Lebanon
July 6, 2011 /Future bloc MP Khaled Daher said that Prime Minister Najib Mikati has to choose between severing his government’s relations with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) and “rescuing the country” from attempts to obstruct justice. “Mikati is dealing with two conditions: to either submit to the conditions [of the March 8 coalition] or save his country from [its] scenario to obstruct justice,” the MP said during Wednesday’s parliamentary session on the new cabinet’s ministerial statement. He also said that he commends the Syrian people who are revolting against their regime and calling for “freedom and democracy.”  The STL on Thursday handed Lebanon's Attorney General Said Mirza arrest warrants for four members of the Iranian-and Syrian-backed Hezbollah in connection to the 2005 assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri. However, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Saturday said he would never hand over the four, adding the Netherlands-based court was heading for a trial in absentia.-NOW Lebanon

MP Elie Marouni vows to oppose parties wanting to monopolize Lebanon
July 6, 2011 /Kataeb bloc MP Elie Marouni said that his allies in the March 14 coalition will oppose any party that wants to monopolize the country. “We will oppose all those who want to monopolize the country or bring back the era of [Syrian] tutelage,” Marouni said during Wednesday’s parliamentary session on the new cabinet’s ministerial statement. “Isn’t it the time to put an end to statelets… and is it a crime if we call for doing so?” the MP asked. He also said that his party is not backing the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) in order to avenge any group for the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. “We did not accuse anyone of committing the murder, but there are some who accused themselves and defended themselves,” he added in a reference to the Syrian- Iranian-backed Hezbollah group. The UN-backed STL on Thursday handed Lebanon's Attorney General Said Mirza arrest warrants for four members of Hezbollah in connection to the Rafik Hariri murder.However, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Saturday said he would never hand over the four, adding the Netherlands-based court was heading for a trial in absentia.-NOW Lebanon

Hezbollah’s MP Hassan Fadlallah says government is “pure Lebanese”
July 6, 2011 /Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Hassan Fadlallah said on Wednesday that “the Americans will not find a partner to help them in this government because this cabinet is a 100 percent Lebanese.” During the parliament’s second session to discuss the ministerial statement of Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s cabinet, Fadlallah said that this is “one of the rare times in which a government is formed by Lebanese only.” “Some people thought that power belongs to them and will never be given to another person,” he said, adding that the March 14 alliance is turning Arab and Western governments against Lebanon. “[The March14 coalition] has replaced the national decision with an American decision.”
“We are proud to belong to the Resistance and to carry resistant arms,” said the Hezbollah MP. “Had it not been for the Resistance, [Israeli former Prime Minister Ariel] Sharon would have been staying in Baabda Palace and the Lebanese budget would have been discussed in Israeli currency.” Fadlallah said that leaks have become a part of the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s system, adding that the international court’s indictment was a US decision and not finalized through a judicial process.
Mikati last week unveiled his government's program, which includes a vague clause saying Lebanon would respect international resolutions as long as they did not threaten civil peace or stability in Lebanon. March 14 leaders, MPs and figures met on Sunday night at Le Bristol Hotel and issued a statement launching the national opposition that aims to bring down Mikati’s cabinet unless the latter voices his adherence to UN Security Council Resolution 1757, upon which the international tribunal was founded.
The STL on Thursday handed Lebanon's Attorney General Said Mirza arrest warrants for four members of the Iranian-and Syrian-backed Hezbollah in connection to the 2005 assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri. However, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Saturday said he would never hand over the four adding the Netherlands-based court was heading for a trial in absentia.-NOW Lebanon

MP Jean Ogassapian warns against renouncing UN resolutions
July 6, 2011 /Future bloc MP Jean Ogassapian on Wednesday warned that if Lebanon does not comply with UN Security Council resolutions, it will have “disastrous” consequences on the country. “Who will bear the repercussions of [possible] international sanctions against [Lebanon]?” the MP asked during Wednesday’s parliamentary session on the new cabinet’s ministerial statement. “The [ministers] of this cabinet should resign after they failed to clearly commit to the [UN-backed] Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL),” he added.
The MP said that “some countries, such as Germany, have declined to renew the term of their UNIFIL contingent because Lebanon is not fully complying with UN Security Council Resolution 1701.” However, Speaker Nabih Berri interrupted Ogassapian and told him that “Lebanon has not violated Resolution 1701, whereas Israel has.”
Prime Minister Najib Mikati last week unveiled his government's program, which includes a vague clause saying Lebanon would respect international resolutions as long as they did not threaten civil peace or stability in Lebanon. March 14 leaders, MPs and figures met on Sunday night at Le Bristol Hotel and issued a statement launching the national opposition that aims to bring down Mikati’s cabinet unless the latter voices his adherence to UN Security Council Resolution 1757, upon which the international tribunal was founded.
The STL on Thursday handed Lebanon's Attorney General Said Mirza arrest warrants for four members of the Iranian-and Syrian-backed Hezbollah in connection to the 2005 assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri. However, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Saturday said he would never hand over the four adding the Netherlands-based court was heading for a trial in absentia.-NOW Lebanon

MP Mohammad Hajjar says government’s only mission is to confront STL
July 6, 2011 /Future bloc MP Mohammad Hajjar said on Wednesday that the mission of the newly-formed government is to confront a UN-backed court investigating the 2005 murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, adding that he will not grant it his vote of confidence. “We call on this government to [resign], and we will not grant it our vote of confidence,” he said during Wednesday’s parliamentary session to discuss the political program of Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s cabinet. Hajjar said that the government’s only mission is to confront the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, adding that the March 8 coalition’s “coup undermined the people’s voted and resorted to [the use of] weapons that are still controlling the country.”
Ministers of the March 8 alliance forced the collapse of Saad Hariri's government in January after he refused to stop cooperating with the tribunal.
“How can we trust a government that has a prime minister who pretends to be impartial at a time when impartiality no longer exists, and when impartiality has yielded to weapons and become a spearhead to evade justice?” he asked. Mikati last week unveiled his government's program, which includes a vague clause saying Lebanon would respect international resolutions as long as they did not threaten civil peace or stability in Lebanon. March 14 leaders, MPs and figures met on Sunday night at Le Bristol Hotel and issued a statement launching the national opposition that aims to bring down Mikati’s cabinet unless the latter voices his adherence to UN Security Council Resolution 1757, upon which the international tribunal was founded.
The STL on Thursday handed Lebanon's Attorney General Said Mirza arrest warrants for four members of the Iranian-and Syrian-backed Hezbollah in connection to the 2005 assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri. However, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Saturday said he would never hand over the four adding the Netherlands-based court was heading for a trial in absentia.-NOW Lebanon

Dogfight’ or MPs Fight? Qanso, al-Daher Clash in Parliament
Naharnet /MPs Assem Qanso and Khaled al-Daher engaged in verbal attacks at parliament on Wednesday after the latter criticized the support provided by some Lebanese politicians to the Assad regime in its crackdown on protestors in Syria. The two lawmakers would have engaged in a fistfight hadn’t other MPs prevented them from attacking each other. The incident began when March 14 member al-Daher was addressing the parliament and speaking about the situation in Syria. “We call for the respect of the Syrian people’s choices,” al-Daher said, adding that supporters of the Syrian regime in Lebanon that are seeking to harm the people of the neighboring country should be silenced. Pro-Syrian Qanso was enraged upon hearing those words, and sought to interfere and express his point of view but Speaker Nabih Berri prevented him from speaking. When al-Daher ended his statement and returned to his place, he said he didn’t hear what Qanso said about him. This time, both lawmakers exchanged insults and called each other “dogs.” They calmed down only after Berri brought order to the session.

March 8 and 14 Criticize Jumblat’s Position on STL
Naharnet /Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat has ordered his MPs and members of his party not to issue statements on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and simply abide by his recent comments on the matter during his press conference on Friday, reported the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa newspaper on Wednesday. March 8 camp sources said that the MP’s warning against falling for the trap of international agendas is inapplicable for the current government as it is a cohesive cabinet, adding: “There is no room for dialogue with a new minority that decided to lead Lebanon against the Resistance’s arms.” March 14 camp sources meanwhile announced their reservations on Jumblat’s cautious tone regarding the STL, noting that he was the leading figure responsible for the formation of the international tribunal even visiting his father’s grave upon the tribunal’s establishment. They criticized the MP’s statements that it was suspicious that the indictment in the STL was released soon after the formation of the cabinet. “These suspicions are a major favor to the March 8 camp similar to his turning against his former allies, the March 14 forces,” they said. Jumblat had stated during the press conference that the decision to release the indictment was political. “Justice requires us to avoid falling into the trap of international agendas, similar to what happened in the past,” he warned. As much as justice is the only retribution for all martyrs and victims, civil peace is more important than all other matters, the MP declared. “Civil peace is more important than all other matters and dialogue is the only way to avert strife and tensions,” Jumblat remarked.
“I believe that the government policy statement called for dialogue and there can be no escaping it,” the MP concluded.

Excerpts of speeches by MPs during the vote of confidence parliamentary session
July 05, 2011/ The Daily Star
BEIRUT: The following are excerpts of speeches given by members of parliament during the vote of confidence parliamentary session Tuesday. Thirty-five MPs are expected to address the Parliament today.
Ali Bazzi
"Lebanon’s strength comes from its Resistance and unity," Development and Liberation bloc MP Ali Bazzi said Tuesday. Bazzi drew similarities between the first President of the U.S. George Washington and Hezbollah Chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, describing both of them as “freedom fighters.” “Just like George Washington is described as a freedom fighter … so is Nasrallah,” Bazzi said. "The fact that the Cabinet wants to follow the progress of international resolutions, does not mean that Lebanon has abandoned its international legitimacy," Bazzi said.
“It our right to follow up on the development of such resolutions especially the one that resolution 1757,” he added. “In Lebanon’s history, there was never a resolution that divided the Lebanese similar to what resolution 1757 had done,” Bazzi said.
Samir Jisr
“You said, quoting Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, that no one in bigger than their country.” “If you believed in respecting [U.N. Security Council] Resolution 1757 and cooperating with the STL, so on the basis of this, what inhibited you to include these in the ministerial statement and resort to excuses?” Jisr asked. “Do you [Mikati] believe that if Prime Minister Saad Hariri accepted … internal and external pressures and had bartered on the blood of martyrs as you allege, that you would be at the head of the government seeking a [vote of] confidence?”
Imad Hout
"To succeed, this Cabinet must meet two conditions; first, it should not deepen the Lebanese divide and it must meet the need of the people," MP Imad Hout said.
"I would like to inform you that the Lebanese people are highly disappointed with this Cabinet."He also said that Hezbollah is not the only resistance in Lebanon and that the goup has lost national consensus as it is the only group in the country that yields power supported by weapons.
He praised certain clauses in the policy statement such as lowering the voting age and relying on qualified individuals for high-ranking posts. But he also urged the government to provide better prison conditions for inmates and speed up the legal procedures for of detained Islamists.
Robet Ghanem
"Choosing to confront the international community by rejecting the international tribunal places Lebanon outside of the realm of international legitimacy … especially that the tribunal was established by consensus in the United Nations Security Council and under Chapter seven," MP Robert Ghanem said.
"Lebanon is facing Israeli challenges [coupled with unrest in the region] … Lebanon’s immunity rests upon its national unity and its legitimacy," he said, warning of economic and political consequences if the Cabinet disavows the tribunal. He also said that the wording of the policy statement "threatens civil peace in the country … and as such, I will abstain from provding the Cabinet from my vote of confidence."
Farid Makari
"Mikati should not have accepted to head this government not even for three seconds," Farid Makari, former Deputy Speaker told members of parliament Tuesday. "This government belongs to Syria and we refuse the term 'in principle' in the STL clause in its policy statement.""This cabinet suffers from schizophrenia because it rejects the tribunal yet it seeks good ties with the the opposition and the international community," he added. He criticized the March 8 alliance’s description of the STL that it's politicized and a tool for vengeance, saying: “These terms are used only by those harmed by the STL.”He also warned the new Cabinet that if it does not commit to the STL, it would be assassinating Rafik Hariri and the other martys again.
“Act responsibly or abandon such a responsibility,” he added. “The policy statement promotes the culture of dialogue, but erases what has been agreed upon through the national dialogue and as such it is not part of this culture.”He also said that the new Cabinet would not stay away from political tensions in the Arab region like it promised in the ministerial statement, referring to Hezbollah’s criticism of the Bahraini government’s crackdown on protests which severed ties between the Bahrain and Lebanon. "We are not worried about you being in this post (prime minister) rather we are concerned about the post that you are occupying," Makari said ddressing Prime Minister Najib Mikati."The text of the policy statement allows the possession of illegitimate arms to continue in Lebanon," he added.
Ali Ammar
Hezbollah MP Ali Ammar asked mockingly whether Prime Minister Najib Mikati has joined Hezbollah without his knowledge. "While listening to all these speeches, I began to wonder, has Miqati, the son of Tripoli, become a member of Hezbollah without my knowledge?“ Ammar said. Addressing the March 14 coalition, Ammar said: "You are not our enemies. The Americans and Israelis are our only enemies."
Bilal Farhat
"The Cabinet was formed following months of deliberations despite attempts by foreign powers to obstruct it," Loyalty to the Resistance MP Bilal Farhat said. "Despite all these attempts the government was formed by a Lebanese effort and it represents national interests through its different factions," he added."I will give the Cabinet the vote of confidence and … a chance to translate its talk into action."
Marwan Fares
MP Marwan Fares, a member of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, called on behalf of his bloc for the withdrawal of Lebanese judges from the STL and to end all funding for the tribunal.
Ammad Houri
"The Taef stipulates that the state should have authority on all of its land and that militias should surrender their weapons," Future bloc MP Ammar Houri said during his speech at parliament.
"This is what we will demand from the government that the state, through its legitimate security institutions, becomes the sole authority in the country."“By any standards this government is not legitimate nor it is based on democratic principles and one-sided,” Houri added.Houri also criticized the Cabinet’s stance toward the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and said "the Cabinet allowed itself to violate some of this country’s principles for justice and security."He said that the policy statement placed justice in confrontation with stability when it affirmed that stability alone is this government’s first priority.He also said that the formula of the “people, army, the resistance,” has lost its meaning.
Mohammad Qabbani
“Is it reasonable for the use of force to be the dominant tool in the country?” MP Mohammad Qabbani said. “Who would believe that this government’s purpose is to preserve civil peace?” Qabbani said, adding that a coup had been followed by “a government of one party.”"Is this Lebanon, the country whose national consensus system is the basis of its existence and a guarantee of its stability?”Qabbani also spoke of contradictions between President Michel Sleiman’s speech prior to forming a committee to draft the ministerial statement and the statement itself. “The president’s speech said the government would commit to international resolutions … yet the policy statement merely respects them,” Qabbani said
Atef Majdalani
"We will be on the lookout and practice democratic means to stand against you. We will be your shadow tracking your work ... and forcing you to tell the truth until you are forced out of the government," MP Atef Majdalani told members of Parliament. "Is this a policy statement or an obituary for the national unity?" he asked."The policy statement threatens and advocates against the cooperation with the tribunal." Majdalani also criticized Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah for acting independently and pursuing an investigation without recognizing the existence of the state. “We and the state know about [new developments] through [Nasrallah’s] television appearance,” Majdalani said.
Hadi Hobeish
"We are here today not to give confidence to the possession of arms that has already lost people's trust and we will not give legitimacy to a Cabinet that was formed illegitimately," Future MP Hadi Hobeish said. "The problem is that they [March 8 coalition] are against the democratic logic and seek to recreate a country dominated by one party with the aim of changing the country's system of governance," he added. "The equation of the army, people and resistance was never a national solution to the possession of arms outside of the state’s authority… it was merely a temporary and a failed plan." Hobeish also said that the policy statement, which did not mention Hezbollah’s arms, had given legitimacy to regular citizens to carry arms.
"The role of the state and its army is to preserve civil peace," he said, adding: "If the legitimate forces are incapable of protecting the people and the country, how is it expected to preserve civil peace?"Hobeish urged Mikati to return to the authority of the state. "We stand today to say to this Cabinet … no vote of confidence, no vote confidence, no vote of confidence."
Marwan Hamadeh
March 14 member MP Marwan Hamadeh urged Prime Minister Najib Mikati Tuesday to change his stance regarding the U.N.-backed court probing the 2005 assassination of statesman Rafik Hariri. "We urge Mikati to amend his position on the policy statement article dealing with STL and instead use the text from the Doha Agreement."
"Is there no room for justice for those who shed their blood for their country?," Hamadeh asked. "Your friend [Rafik Hariri] was not simply killed but he was assassinated by tons of explosives," Hamadeh said addressing Prime Minister Najib Mikati. "Those behind the ugliest crime are about to be uncovered, so why is the STL being so fiercely attacked?"
Referring to MP Walid Jumblatt, Hamadeh said: “The tribunal may not have protected your father [Kamal Jumblatt] but it protected you, Walid, when your name was at the top of a hit list."
Hamadeh’s speech came following an address by Mikati, who read his Cabinet’s policy statement.
Of the assembly's 128 lawmakers, 106 have so far shown up at the session. More than half an hour after the session commenced at 10.35 a.m., Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun and Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh could not be seen in the chamber.
**Click the URL below to read the full text of policy statement:
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2011/Jul-01/Lebanons-Cabinet-ministerial-statement---political-clause.ashx

Full text of the Lebanese Cabinet's ministerial statement
July 02, 2011 / The Daily Star
1. The government emphasizes its adherence to the principle of the state's unity and its authority in all matters concerning the country's public policy so as to preserve Lebanon and its national sovereignty. These pillars, along with the constitution, are the guidelines that will inspire our government to consolidate civil peace and prevent any form of manipulation of civil peace and security. This mission of preventing any form of manipulation of civil peace and security is the responsibility of legitimate national army and Internal Security Forces alone, and no other weapons will share this responsibility with the legitimate (national army and internal security) arms. Therefore, the Cabinet commits to maintaining its support for the national army and security forces as well as to providing them with equipment to be able to fulfill their tasks in protecting the Lebanese from threats and to fighting chaos, terrorism, and crimes while respecting constitutional liberties.

2. The government is committed to working on ending Israeli occupation in remaining Lebanese occupied territories, in addition to ending Israeli aggressive practices and spying operations that violate Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. The government adheres to the right of Lebanon through its people, army and resistance to liberate and recover the Shebaa Farms, Kfar Shouba Hills and the Lebanese portion of the village of Ghajar, as well as to defend Lebanon in confronting any aggression through all legitimate and accessible means and to retain its right to use its water and oil resources and to consolidate its maritime borders.
3. The government also confirms its commitment to U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 in all its articles and appeals to the United Nations to halt permanent Israeli violations and threats to Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty in order to fulfill the implementation of the resolution and move from stopping aggressive actions to reaching a permanent cease-fire.
4. This government will adhere to Arab unity and assures its determination to bolster ties with its Arab brethren and work on joint Arab projects through the Arab League, especially given the developments witnessed by sisterly Arab countries where the will of the people has been prominent in calling for change, renewal, and reform. The government is also conscious of the importance of fraternal Arab support and its positive impact and looks forward to a continuation of such support at the political, economic, development levels through the continuation of financing projects from sisterly countries and other Arab funds.
5. The government notes the development that has been achieved in Syrian-Lebanese ties through reciprocal diplomatic missions and stressed its adherence to implementing the Taif Accord, which stated the establishment of special relations between Lebanon and Syria, and the government will work so that relations between the two reach the level that reflects the depth of historical ties and the mutual interests between the two peoples in a framework of trust, equality and mutual respect. The government will work to complete bilateral agreements as well as look into mutual subjects that have as yet not been resolved despite the will of both countries to overcome obstacles.
6. The government will follow up on the issue of both missing and detained Lebanese at the political and legal levels with the Syrian government to discover their fate and arrive at a solution to bring this humanitarian issue to a close.
7. The government will facilitate the return of Lebanese living in Israel based on the laws in force.
8. Lebanon will work on joining the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which has been approved by the United Nations. It will follow up on such individuals inside and outside Lebanon to continue the search for them in order to enhance national reconciliation and out of respect to their relatives. The government will create a national committee to follow up the issue of victims of enforced disappearance.
9. The government will follow up on the judicial measures taken in the case of Imam Sayyed Musa Sadr and his companion Sheikh Hasan Yacoub and the journalist Abbas Badreddine. The government will encourage the Judicial Council to speed up the process of investigation and the Cabinet will double its efforts to release them, secure their return, and hold the kidnappers and others involved responsible.
10. The government will seek to strengthen Lebanon's ties with friendly countries and international organizations. It highlights in this context the importance it attaches to deepening its relations with the European Union, international institutions and organizations in the context of cooperation, mutual respect and openness.
11. The government is committed to respecting international resolutions. This government is determined to stimulate Lebanon’s presence in the U.N. and the Security Council (in accordance with the non-permanent membership this year). This will enable Lebanon to defend its rights and just issues, especially the issue of Palestine, in confronting Israeli aggressions, including the occupation of Lebanese and Syrian territories and Israel’s violation of international laws.
12. The government reiterates the demands for implementation of international resolutions that protect Palestinians’ rights, including the right to return and to build an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. The government affirms the right of return and fully rejects the permanent settlement of Palestinians. The government will provide Palestinians in Lebanon their humanitarian and social rights, and implement laws in this regard and care for refugee camps especially Nahr al-Bared, to rebuild it and provide them with the necessary funding from regional and international contributions. The government will seek a strengthening of the budget within UNRWA to help the organization play its humanitarian role regarding the Palestinians.
13. The government considers national dialogue to be important in resolving political disputes and developing dialogue among Lebanese. The government is concerned with the implementation of national dialogue, which demilitarizes Palestinian refugee camps and areas outside them, emphasizing the importance of protecting the camps and securing them as a national responsibility.
14. Our government respects international resolutions, thus it is keen to reveal and expose the truth regarding the crime of the assassination of martyr Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and his companions. The government will follow the progress of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon which was initially established to achieve righteousness and justice, without politicization or revenge, and without any negative impact on Lebanon’s stability, unity and civil peace.
15. It will be one of the priorities of this government to launch a national workshop to prepare a new parliamentary election law that is appropriate and that meets the aspirations of Lebanese to achieve true and fair political representation. The reform programs that were put forward in the past and which covered a variety of options and reforms as well as proportional representation shall undergo thorough study and the government will work to speed up the necessary steps … in order for the law to be implemented within a timeframe of no more than one year prior to the date of the 2013 parliamentary polls.
16. The government shall work to revive diplomatic efforts abroad in order to connect with expatriates and work to organize expatriate committees and unify them. The government shall monitor the implementation of laws and decisions by the Shura Council which deal with issues related to nationality and the government encourages Lebanese to reclaim their nationality. The government will take steps and offer the necessary assistance to encourage Lebanese around the world to register themselves at Lebanese embassies and consulates.
17 – The government is committed to putting in place a draft law for expanded administrative decentralization that can develop regions in Lebanon economically and socially. The government will work to rectify the situation of the independent municipal fund and search for appropriate solutions to revenue problems for municipalities.
18 – Our government considers an independent judiciary as the [institution] that protects all citizens. Therefore, the Cabinet is keen to revive trust in this legal body, as well as the trust of the people in it. The government will coordinate with Parliament in order to boost the financial situation of judges. The government will also prevent interference in judicial work and allow judges to carry out their duties in order to apprehend corrupt individuals. The Cabinet will increase the number of judges and speed up legal procedures and decrease periods of detention without charge. It will implement the five-point plan to transfer authority over prisons to the Justice Ministry.

19. – The government will place great importance on social welfare projects based on social rights, especially for low-income families, as soon as possible. The government will also place importance on those with special needs and ensure their rights through implementing of law 220/2000 and ratify international agreements related to people with special needs.
20 – The government will pursue a health reform plan, including the introduction of medical cards, the improvement of public hospitals and strengthening the role of health institutions in all regions.
21. – Our government will revive the work of the Economic, Social and Public Council so that the body can successfully carry out its duties in full.
22 – Knowing very well the needs of the administration, this government will continue with the employment mechanism that was used previously in the Parliament, especially for grade A jobs based on competency and qualifications. The government will work to eliminate corruption and strengthen regulatory bodies especially in the Auditing Department and Central Inspection Department. This government will do this in order to enable them to carry out its mission in terms of accountability, inquiry and monitoring.
23. – Given the government’s keenness in matters dealing with education, as this relates to future generations that seek to assist in building the future of their nation through the acquisition of knowledge and specialization – which we do not wish to see as means for them to go abroad – this government will work toward significant progress in education development in order to meet the increasing advancements in different educational fields and the growing needs of the job market. The public schools and the national university will be of great concern academically, administratively, and financially. The government will help ensure the development of the Lebanese University and maintain its independence. Forming the University Council will be one of our main priorities.
24. – As for the cultural field, the government will work to complete the project to promote the National Library, continue building public libraries and cultural institutions that encourage talents and protect their rights, and protect cultural properties from theft and illegal trade.
25. – We have great hope in our young people since they are the main players in development. The government will work on implementing a national youth policy to meet their needs and ambitions and provide them with the necessary services. The government will also encourage anti-drug projects and punish drug promoters and traffickers.
26. – The government will meet athletic needs through maintaining sports institutions and strengthening the role of special needs athletes in sports.
27. – As for the issue of the displaced, our government hopes to finalize this issue by securing the funds necessary to complete pending files, conclude reconciliation, consolidate the return held develop affected areas [of the country], and provide job opportunities. The government will continue paying compensation for those harmed by the July 2006 war.
28. – Given the deteriorating growth rates in Lebanon following regional and international economic developments, it is our priority to strengthen growth and limit the budget deficit.
The government will reduce expenses, improve the country's revenues, and balance its debt to ensure economic and socio-economic equality. We affirm that a sound financial system is key to strong, long-term economic development. The government will resort to various procedural and legislative means to stimulate economic activity, particularly in the private sector, to ensure the basic components of the country's growth.
The priorities of the Finance Ministry are to:
Finalize the 2012 budget based on financial principles
Cut down on expenses and carry out audits of the government's accounts
Reduce the national debt and adjust the government’s services based on national revenue, given the importance of revenue as an indicator of the public debt
Take advantage of the country's oil and water resources and public and maritime properties.
Introduce structural reforms in the tax system
Build the ministry's capacity and improve its performance, especially within the Directorate of Public Debt and the Finance Ministry
29. – Our government will set the electricity sector as a priority and will work to implement the 2010 reform plan in a bid to improve the sector, stabilize electricity supply, and balance the finances of Electricite du Liban after estimating its cost and manpower requirements, and achieve this in a way that is not too costly for the country’s economy and citizens.
30. – The government will set and execute the national strategic plan for the water sector, based on efficient administration by the Energy and Water Ministry, including the improvement of sanitation, water dams and the launch of a number of these dams in 2011, and prepare the ministry with the human and financial resources to implement this long-term strategy.
31. – In the oil sector, the government will follow an oil policy to transform Lebanon from a consumer of fuel to a producer of a diversity of resources. We will begin by distributing exploration and drilling licenses in Lebanese territories at the end of 2011 following the issue of necessary decrees. This requires the completion of oil exploration procedures and the demarcation of Lebanon’s maritime borders. The government will also implement a plan to store and refine oil and link Lebanon to oil and gas grids of the region through building a natural gas pipeline and a liquefied gas station in 2011. They will also implement the policy of alternative energy, especially gas, in the fields of transportation, industry, electricity, and domestic use to decrease costs.
32. – In the field of agriculture, the government will improve the sector, considering it a key economic sector to generate jobs in rural areas and to provide food safety and security and ecological balance. The government will also continue to develop the sector and its infrastructure and strengthen oversight and checks. The government will take the necessary measures to promote agricultural exports and strengthen agricultural institutions and preserve natural resources, especially water.
33. – Based on Article 431, the government will implement regulations that will revive the economic side of the telecommunications sector by attracting investment and bringing in new technologies. The ministry will resolve any pending disputes and clarify related decrees and develop them. The government will also increase manpower and qualifications in the ministry and OGERO and it will set clear guidelines to better organize the workflow between the ministry and OGERO to handle investment, new technologies, protect Lebanese networks and national security. It will continue to work on the telecommunications infrastructure and better equip it through providing it with the necessary funding and manpower.
34. – Industry sector: the government is committed to developing laws and institutions able to assist the sector. It will also create a committee to administer industrial centers and look for industrial zones. It will work to secure alternative energy and provide the sector with low-priced goods and services. The government will encourage exhibitions to promote Lebanese products and supply the sector with needed academic and professional capabilities.
35. – The government will place great importance on the transportation sector through several steps in the land transport sector, most importantly: finalizing the discussion over policy in the sector and endorsing this policy; completing the project to rehabilitate roads and execute new road projects in different regions. It will work to secure public transportation for passengers that is continuous, and serves various parts of the country, with the participation of the public and private sectors. It will revive the role of the railway network after its rehabilitation. The government pledges to conduct an in-depth review of all the studies and plans related to reducing traffic congestion, in order to put in place a comprehensive infrastructure plan taking into consideration recommendations from the comprehensive land re-arrangement plan .
In terms of maritime transportation, the government will work on improving and developing the infrastructure for commercial ports by securing the best port services and achieving the needs of the private sector to use Lebanese ports for their logistical services so that they become a point of departure to Arab countries and Europe. It will improve the port of Tripoli so that it will be able to receive more shipments and revive maritime tourism on the Lebanese coast. As for air transport, the government will work on reopening the airport of Rene Moawad in Kleyaat and to develop the work at the Rafik Hariri International Airport.
36. – The government will improve the quality of services in health and social institutions and work on a new measure for nationwide healthcare coverage and social security. It will also take measures to control costs and end waste. The government will improve the work of the National Social Security Fund and intends on passing the law related to retirement and social security after the necessary amendments.
37. – The government will be committed to reviving the role of the Environment Ministry and reevaluating its powers to implement regulations that protect the environment. It will also spread environmental awareness, which will preserve Lebanon’s natural resources. The government will work on cooperation with NGOs and regional institutions related to environmental development. It will strengthen the relationship between international companies to improve investment in the sector. It will execute policies and plans related to waste and quarries and to increase Lebanon’s forestation through a national strategy to manage its response to forest fires and protect national reservations.
38. – Since the tourism sector is one of the most important sectors for economic development, the government will do its best to develop the sector and improve it in all regions. It will encourage the creation of more conferences and exhibitions, attract new tourists, provide competitively-priced services and develop the port of Jounieh to receive tourist ships. The government will revive the National Council for Tourism Development and the Higher Committee for Tourism.
39. – The government will reevaluate regulations that govern the print and audiovisual media through introducing necessary, up-to-date amendments. It is also necessary to implement a plan to revive the public media and revive the work of the National Audiovisual Media Council for media after restructuring.
40. – Our government is committed to strengthening the role of women in public life in cooperation with concerned women’s organizations based on international agreements, including eliminating all kinds of discrimination against women through necessary decrees. It will also strengthen the role of women in administrative and official institutions, especially in leadership positions.
41. – The government will cooperate with NGOs to strengthen their role in national dialogue on political, economic and social issues in Lebanon.
42. – The government will also work with unions and the General Labor Confederation to resolve socio-economic problems in a framework of cooperation that the government would like to see as a model, to arrive at a secure society, which we believe runs in parallel with political and security stability.
43. – In working for all of the above, the government looks forward to establishing a better relationship with the legislative branch; the ministry of state for parliamentary affairs will play its role in following up this policy in a framework of separation and balance of powers, as stipulated by the Constitution and the National Pact.

Justice, stability are not mutually exclusive: Hezbollah leader
July 05, 2011/ The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah said Tuesday that justice and stability are not mutually exclusive, echoing the words of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, but he added that stability without justice is no security. "Hezbollah rejects the idea that justice and stability are not mutually exclusive," Nasrallah was quoted as saying on Al-Manar, adding that the indictment against four Hezbollah members is a great injustice. Nasrallah made his remarks on a huge screen during a ceremony of "the wounded resistance day" in a rally held in Beirut suburb's Tuesday. “We should achieve justice as it is a primary condition for stability; however, stability without justice is false security,” Nasrallah said.
Earlier last week, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said those who oppose the Special Tribunal seek to create a false choice between justice and stability.
"Lebanon, like any country, needs and deserves both,” Clinton said in a statement published by the U.S. State Department Friday.
Nasrallah also accused the March 14 coalition of promoting injustice in the country and especially in their failure to consider Israel as a suspect in the assassination of statesman Rafik Hariri.
Last week Nasrallah rejected a U.N.-backed court’s indictment implicating four party members in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, vowing never to turn over the four suspects – a move that is likely to embarrass the new government which has promised to respect international obligations.
"The greatest injustice against former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was to say that Israel would never assassinate Hariri."
“But we are strong because we are right, we have logic, evidence, justification and credibility. We are not strong because we bear arms, as [they] are a means to liberate our land and defend the country,” Nasrallah said.  He lamented that no matter how much and what type of evidence Hezbollah could provide to discredit the tribunal, March 14 would still call for justice through the U.N.-backed court.Nasrallah questioned the credibility of STL’s Prosecutor General Daniel Bellemare, accusing some investigators, legal experts and key advisers to Bellemare of having links to the CIA and the Israeli intelligence agency, backing up the accusations with footage.

Lebanon's Arabic press digest - July 6, 2011
 July 06, 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.
Ad-Diyar: Confidence [vote] debate acceptable, Nasrallah says tribunal retaliation for resistance victories
Tribunal to demand list of places raided and [inquire about] why police patrols did not enter Dahiyeh
Saudi Arabia has intervened on the issue of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) when Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal announced his support for the tribunal in an indirect response to remarks made by Iran’s Ali Larijani.
We are now faced with two positions: an Iranian stance that has dubbed the STL as “invalid” against a Saudi stance that supports the STL and consider it a means to justice.
As for the STL indictments and arrest warrants issued against four Hezbollah members, the tribunal will send a memo to the Lebanese judiciary asking them to reveal the places that have already been raided in the pursuit of the wanted men ahead of the 30-day deadline.
Under the STL’s rules, Lebanese authorities have to report to the court on the measures they have taken to arrest the accused within 30 days of the issuing of the indictment.
Much of the STL work is now focused on whether Lebanese police patrols will raid places in the [Hezbollah-controlled] southern suburbs of Beirut and why they have not entered [the area] yet.
Western and European ambassadors seem to be following up on a pledge made by Interior Minister Marwan Charbel that Internal Security Forces will raid places to arrest the wanted men. They were secretly inquiring about the reason that ISF patrols have not entered the southern suburbs as if they were coordinating with the tribunal, or that they had been asked to do so by their governments.
In return, several March 14 MPs who returned from a visit to Paris said the issue was a matter of time, saying the indictments were based on strong evidence. Following investigative reporting, Ad-Diyar has learned that the probe was based on [recordings of] mobile telephone calls.
Meanwhile, according to judicial information, international investigators are likely to visit Lebanon on July 15 to hand over a list of 12 Hezbollah members accused in the Hariri assassination.
Al-Mustaqbal: March 14 MPs launch their campaign against the coup government
A session to discuss the policy statement of Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s government did not come out as expected since opposition [March 14] MPs did not raise the level of their rhetoric beyond the statement made after their Sunday meeting at Beirut’s Bristol hotel. The debate was particularly focused on two points: the coup government and the way it is dealing with the STL and illegal weapons, while majority [March 8] MPs went as far as to demand the withdrawal of Lebanese judges from the STL and ending funding for the tribunal.
It was significant how discipline prevailed during the session with a calm tone despite the heightened positions made by both opposition and pro-government MPs alike.
As-Safir: Parliament debates tribunal six years late… Faisal calls for wisdom
A session Tuesday to discuss the policy statement turned into a debate over the STL and how to deal with its decisions, a discussion that was delayed nearly six years after a protocol agreement was signed between the government of Lebanon (under Prime Minister Fouad Siniora at the time) and the tribunal.
Contrary to expectations, which suggested a verbal battle or even a fistfight, the parliamentary session passed off peacefully.
A decision made by Jamaa Islamiya, via its MP Imad Hout, was stunning as he announced his party would refrain from voting, a stance that carries signs at the Sunni arena level. It indicates that the “Jamaa” has taken up a position similar to the "fierce opposition" adopted by the Future Movement.
Meanwhile, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal called on all parties in Lebanon to "deal with the international court's decision calmly and rationally away from tension and to avoid any escalation or confrontation with the international community."
He said now that the indictments had been issued, Saudi hopes the Lebanese parties would seek to achieve justice and resort to wisdom by not allowing this incident to destabilize Lebanon, particularly since everyone had voted in favor of the STL, including political groups that oppose the of tribunal’s decision.
An-Nahar: March 14 prosecutes the government: [Hariri’s] assassination was not 'in principle'
A high-ranking source in the opposition told An-Nahar at the end of the first day of parliamentary meetings to discuss the government’s police statement ahead of a vote of confidence: "We did not hear from Mr. Mikati an explicit commitment to the implementation of Resolution 1757 on the STL, and so our response will be a no-confidence vote and end of cooperation with the government pending further steps to be adopted in the near future."

Syria’s message: Lebanon, despite all, is still ours
July 06, 2011/ By Joseph: Bahout /The Daily Star
When Lebanon’s Hariri government fell earlier this year, a new prime minister, Najib Mikati, was quickly appointed by the majority coalescing around the March 8 Forces. Analysts speculated that Lebanon was entering a long political vacuum and that the prime minister-designate would take a long time to form his government. The speculation then was that Syria and Hezbollah, the two main actors behind the maneuver, wanted to get rid of Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s majority in order to deal from a more comfortable position with the anticipated Special Tribunal for Lebanon indictment in the assassination of Saad’s father, Rafik, in 2005.
A lot of surprises followed, however, and provided additional explanations for the subsequent limbo of five months during which Mikati seemed either unable or unwilling to form a Cabinet. The “Arab Spring” revolutions erupted, first not only ignoring Syria but ironically seeming to play to its advantage, then ultimately reaching its soil and spreading from the remote province of Deraa to the entire country. Syria’s initial unwillingness to shape the political landscape of its Lebanese backyard by pushing for formation of a Cabinet morphed into paralysis induced by the stunning way in which the Syrian uprising confronted the Damascus leadership.
Then, all of a sudden, the March 8 Forces and Michel Aoun finally ended their bickering on ministerial quotas, and a new team was announced. This took place just days after Walid Jumblatt’s visit to Syrian President Bashar Assad, the day after the decisive events in Jisr al-Shoughour in northwest Syria, and on the day of the Turkish elections. True, there is a classic Lebanese reflex that reads all local details through the prism of regional affairs. But most analysts linked the sudden formation of a Cabinet to the Syrian turmoil.
In explaining the haste and speed with which this government was eventually formed, the Syrian parameter is indeed more than central and the Syrian context predominant. After having ousted Saad Hariri and neutralizing him in anticipation of the conclusions of the tribunal, and having tilted the Lebanese political balance of power by pushing the Jumblatt bloc toward March 8, Syria’s regime – now facing an existential battle – was badly in need of a secure Lebanese neighbor (along with additional tools) for confronting one of the most acute crises of the Assad era. Confronted with Arab ignorance, Turkish defiance and growing isolation and threats by the West, Damascus’ message was “Lebanon is, despite all this, still ours.”
This was meant as a message that Syria’s capacity to generate movement outside its frontiers – today in Lebanon and tomorrow in Iraq – was intact. It was also designed to signify that Lebanon could now be added by Syria’s antagonists as yet another theater of confrontation with Damascus.
Syria was in fact sending a message very similar to the one sent in September 2004, where in forcibly extended President Emile Lahoud’s mandate. The message was directed at the international community, and specifically at France and the United States that had then sought to impose Security Council Resolution 1559 on Syria. Hezbollah at the time was a crucial and effective ally and enforcer. The latest message aims to inform those pressuring Assad that the alliance with Iran is, despite troubled times, stronger than ever and effective enough to produce a political reality in Beirut.
Still, despite the overwhelming Syrian parameter, internal Lebanese considerations also have to be factored into any explanation of the sudden government formation. These are mainly related to Hezbollah, which once again helped its Christian ally Michel Aoun grab the lion’s share in the new coalition, including strategic portfolios essential to the mission of cleansing the civil and security administration of residual pro-Hariri personnel.
Then, too, we need to grasp an interesting sign of Shiite tactical political flexibility: the “gift” made by the Amal-Hezbollah tandem to the Sunnis, who received one more portfolio than traditionally permitted under Lebanese custom, at the expense of the Shiite share. By offering this concession, the allies of Damascus and Tehran were of course showing sectarian “generosity” and openness. But were they not also helping Damascus send a signal that its Lebanese – hence, Syrian – policies are not anti-Sunni in essence?
All this leads to the crucial question looming today in Lebanon in light of the Syrian quagmire. If the Syrian regime gets weaker, will Hezbollah gradually become more flexible in terms of its “Lebanonization,” or integration into Lebanon, and its transformation into a non-military party? Or, on the contrary, will it become more radicalized and bitterly defend its share of the Lebanese system while echoing Tehran’s dictum that Assad’s rule in Syria is a red line?
Joseph Bahout is a professor at Sciences Po in Paris and researcher at the Academie Diplomatique Internationale. This commentary first appeared at bitterlemons-international.org, an online newsletter

Amnesty accuses Syria of crimes against humanity
5 July 2011/BBC
Amnesty International has called for a UN-backed investigation into the violence in Syria, saying the regime's crackdown on pro-democracy protesters may constitute crimes against humanity
The group has documented several cases of torture, deaths in custody and arbitrary detention in a new report.
All relate to a military sweep in the northern village of Tell Kalakh in May.
Amnesty says the UN Security Council must refer Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague.
Syrian human rights groups have said that more than 1,350 civilians and 350 security personnel have been killed across the country since protests began in mid-March against the repressive rule of President Bashar al-Assad, who is fighting off the most serious challenge to his family's four decades in power.
'Targeted abuse'
"The accounts we have heard from witnesses to events in Tell Kalakh paint a deeply disturbing picture of systematic, targeted abuses to crush dissent," said Philip Luther, Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director.
Munira, seven, was shot three times when fleeing with her family Witnesses have told Amnesty that Syrian security forces fired on fleeing families on 14 May, the day the army entered Tell Kalakh, near the Lebanese border, following a demonstration in the village calling for the downfall of the regime.
At least one person, 24-year-old Ali al-Basha, was killed, apparently by snipers, and the ambulance carrying his body came under fire, witnesses said by phone and in Lebanon. Amnesty has not been allowed to enter Syria.
In the following days, scores of male residents were rounded up and detained. Most were tortured, Amnesty says, some even as they were being arrested.
In one incident, soldiers transporting detainees counted how many they had arrested by stabbing lit cigarettes on the backs of their necks, Amnesty said in its report, titled Crackdown in Syria: Terror in Tell Kalakh.
Interrogation tactics
The report highlights the case of a 20-year-old, identified only as Mahmoud, who says he was jailed for nearly a month, including five days at a detention centre in Homs, where he was tied up in stress positions and tortured.
"Each day [was] the same story," he told Amnesty researchers. "They tied me up in a shabah position [strung up by the wrists and forced to stand on tiptoes] and applied electricity to my body and testicles. Sometimes I screamed very loudly and begged the interrogator to stop. He didn't care."
Witnesses say at least nine people from Tell Kalakh died while in custody. Their bodies showed signs of torture, including cuts to the chest, slashes on the thighs and apparent gunshot wounds on the legs, Amnesty was told.
Majd al-Kurdy was one of nine people killed The London-based international rights group says that a number of Tell Kalakh residents remain in detention, including a 17-year-old boy. It called on the authorities to free them immediately.
"Amnesty considers that crimes committed in Tell Kalakh amount to crimes against humanity as they appear to be part of a widespread, as well as systematic, attack against the civilian population," Mr Luther said in a press statement that accompanied the report.
The organisation reiterated its call on the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the ICC prosecutor in the Hague so that legal proceedings could be taken.
The call comes as the Syrian authorities continue their crackdown in the central city of Homs, killing at least nine people in two days and arresting around 500 across the country over the past few weeks, according to Syrian human rights groups.
On Tuesday, France again called for the UN to act against the "ferocious armed repression", but the French campaign for UN condemnation has met resistance from Russia and China.
The Syrian authorities - who blame "armed gangs" and "terrorists" for the unrest - are pushing for a national dialogue next week. But the opposition has refused to participate while the violence continues

Is Assad losing Syria? As concerns grow, US urges halt to 'intimidation.
By: Howard LaFranchi, Staff writer / July 5, 2011 /Christian Science Monitor
Washington
The United States turned the rhetorical heat on Syria up a notch Tuesday – as sentiment grows among Western and regional powers that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is gradually doing himself in. With the Assad regime’s forces encircling the opposition stronghold of Hama Tuesday and reported to have caused at least six more civilian deaths there, the State Department said the US is “very concerned” about continuing and spreading violence that is taking Syria “in the wrong direction.”
The US is urging the Syrian government to “immediately halt its intimidation and arrest campaign” and to proceed with the political dialogue President Assad has promised, State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters. Noting that as recently as last week Hama was a “positive example” of how political expression could proceed, Ms. Nuland referred to the weekend violence there and added, “We are going in the wrong direction.”
Noting that as recently as last week Hama was a “positive example” of how political expression could proceed, Ms. Nuland referred to the weekend violence there and added, “We are going in the wrong direction.”
Hama remains an international symbol of the Assad regime’s history of violent repression, since it was there that the current ruler’s father, Hafez al-Assad, put down a 1982 insurrection by killing at least 10,000 of the city’s residents.
The State Department comments reflect what appears to be a dawning realization among a number of international powers, including the US, that a regime until recently thought likely to weather the protest storms – and which was assumed to still have time to right its ship – may indeed be falling apart. About 1,500 people have been killed in Syria since the protests began.
Syria’s abandonment by some traditional allies, including Turkey and Gulf states, plus the sight of continuing and even growing protests despite intense repression, have some European capitals reconsidering assumptions about Assad’s survivability.
“People think at least that things are never going to be the same for [Assad],” says one European official, adding that the perception is growing that Assad is losing control. “What has impressed people is that even after a violent crackdown, [Assad] is confronted with huge protests,” the official adds.
The US has stopped short of calling on Assad to step down from power, in part reflecting the deep concerns of some US allies in the region – first among them Israel – that a Syria without Assad would be an even bigger problem.

Canada Is Concerned Over Latest Use of Force by Syrian Regime
(No. 187 - July 5, 2011 - 1:15 p.m. ET) John Baird, Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, today issued the following statement deploring the latest violent crackdown by the Syrian regime against its own people:
“The reported violence being perpetrated by the Syrian government against its citizens in Hama and along the Syrian-Turkish border is completely unacceptable.
“Canada calls on President Assad and the Syrian regime to listen to the Syrian people’s calls for reform.
“The Syrian people demand and deserve better from their government.
“It is clear that President Assad is unwilling or unable to deliver on the reforms he promised the Syrian people. Canada reiterates that the president has a choice: he can deliver reform or go. The status quo is no longer acceptable.
“Canada and our international allies will continue to press for democracy and human rights in Syria.
“Canada continues to support the people of Syria in their peaceful efforts to realize for themselves a brighter, better future.”But some Middle East experts say they have detected a shift in thinking among some US officials toward the idea that Assad is bungling his challenge and causing his own demise.
There are a number of people in the US government who think the Syrian government is crumbling from within,” says Patrick Clawson, director of research at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Assad is seen to be gradually losing control of the state’s security forces as he stretches the special units in his control to confront mushrooming protests, Mr. Clawson says. And that, he adds, is leading people to wonder how or if he can recover.
“The special units have not been able to bring things under control,” he says, “and to the extent they’re in the whack-a-mole game, they’re in a big problem.”
Turkey is a prime example of a friend Assad could have used in the international community, but which he has now lost. Not only has the Turkish government referred to Assad’s repression of protesters as “savagery,” but it is now threatening to enter Syria to create a buffer zone to insulate itself from a further onslaught of refugees.
Some human rights advocates are calling for Assad to face the same fate as Libya’s Muammar Qaddafi – indictment by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity.
But that seems unlikely to happen, perhaps because Colonel Qaddafi suffered that fate first. According to the European official, Syria is not a party to the statute that created the ICC, and so is not subject to its indictments.
The UN Security Council could refer the Syria case and Assad specifically to the ICC. But that is the avenue by which Qaddafi was recently hit with an ICC indictment, and some Security Council members – notably Russia – have since got cold feet about aggressive Security Council action against leaders facing domestic political uprisings.
France and Britain, joined by the US, continue to want a Security Council resolution on Syria, but officials from both European governments acknowledge that resistance on the council to such action continues to put off a council vote.
The Europeans do not believe that the continuing violence in Syria has as yet altered what one official calls the “dynamics” at the UN.

Syrian activist offers account of abduction, beatings
By Reema Khrais, CNN
July 5, 2011
CNN) -- He says it is not safe to communicate through Twitter.
Google chat is our best option, he tells me. Just type in Arabic. Keep it short. And please type President Bashar al-Assad's name sparingly.
Halfway around the world, a 20-year-old Syrian answers my questions. Every stroke is thoughtful, every word heavy with fear.
He asks to go by the name of Ahmed.
CNN cannot independently confirm the account that follows, but communications with Ahmed went on for many days, and he provided detail about events and places that supported what he told us. CNN was also able to contact several of his online associates independently, and they confirmed his background and the events he described below.
"I had an ego. You never really think you're going to get caught."
Ahmed has been involved in peaceful demonstrations against the Syrian regime since the first days of the uprising, often with his 52-year-old father.
But one day in May, on a street in Damascus, he and other protesters are ambushed.
In a moment, everything becomes distorted: changed expressions and frenzied feet.
"Many other protesters ran, but I was stuck. I tried to knock on nearby doors. Nobody answered. I found myself standing in front of security forces. They looked at me but didn't make any move. I was convinced at that moment that nobody was going to open their door for me. So I ran."
A security officer strikes him across the head with his stick. He continues to run. He feels another thump. And another one.

"I was down on the ground. The officers gather around me and hit me with their weapons on every bone in my body. Especially my head. I thought I was dead."
A car drives up; they throw him in. There are two other guys in the car, protesters bleeding like him.
"They throw our heads to the ground and handcuff us with tight white plastic cuffs. We were transported us to a security compound, not a police station. They threw us in something like a garage, and the beating began."
Inside the compound
"You want freedom, aha!" one of the officers screams as he thrusts his stick into the young man's back. "You want to topple the regime?!"
Ahmed spots electricity sticks from the corner of his eye. Long batons that resemble torches press down toward his arms and chest, each time for three to five seconds.
It is dark when he regains consciousness. He remembers where he is.
"I'm on the ground, almost naked. They start searching our bodies and clothes to see if we were hiding anything."
They find nothing. But the humiliations and hitting do not stop. Slurs and smears fill the dim room: insults about their mothers, sisters, their God. He is taken to a cell.
"The cell is only meant for two people, but there are 25 of us. It was 2 by 5 meters small. We could barely move."
His ID, money and cell phone are confiscated. The security officers return within a few hours with a list of names. Ahmed is on it.
"They handcuffed, blindfolded and took us to a building. Here, we started to hear only screams. Agonizing screams, the kind you can't get out of your head. I started to pray. I asked God for forgiveness."
He is forced to stand -- listening -- for hours. His hands swell. The plastic around his wrists pinches hard at his skin.
"Then, someone came and took me. He asked me to sit down. But another begins talking. I can still hear his voice in my head."
"What is your name? Who are your parents?" the man yells. It is the first of many interrogations.
"Are you involved with a political party?"
"I wanted to tell him that there is only one party in Syria, but I say: no."
"How much money do you get from Israel? Who are your outside connections? Why did you protest, you animal? "
Ahmed says he was not protesting. The man repeats the question. Ahmed repeats the answer. A whip. He repeats the question, another whip. And again.
"After about 20 minute of whippings, I faked that I was very tired and in pain. I began to say nonsense words. The interrogator stops."
"OK, let's put everything behind us and start a dialogue," the officer says. "Tell me your demand. You can speak freely."
"I have no demand. Everything is fine with me," Ahmed says.
Silence. He must prove himself. He praises the reforms of al-Assad.
The interrogator detects insincerity, and the beating resumes. "The reforms are a symbol of our leader's generosity, and you are joking about them," he shouts.
Seconds into minutes, minutes into hours, and the beating stops. The blindfold comes off, and he is handed a sheet of paper.
"It was a statement of the interrogation. I noticed that he wrote I was protesting, so I asked if I can read it before I sign it."
The officer looks at him in anger. A punch in the face. "Sign, you animal!" He signs without reading it. The blindfold goes back on, and it is back to the cell.
Different times, same fight
That night he remembers the words of his mother. He remembers her mythical-like tales of a grandfather he never knew.
"I always think of him, but especially his bravery. He sacrificed his life for our country while fighting the French and their occupancy of Syrian land. We may be in different times, but we are still fighting a war against injustice."
It is dark in the cell, but Ahmed cannot fall asleep. Like the whispers of the men around him, his thoughts shift seamlessly but quickly.
"My mind wouldn't stop running. I was thinking about my grandfather, my mother, my brothers ... about Syria, about tomorrow. I kept thinking, 'please, just keep me here forever if you have to, but do not take my mother and brothers. They cannot handle this.' "
There were more interrogations in the morning. More whippings.
"The second day was a lot like the first. They tried so hard to make me confess I was protesting against the regime, but I wouldn't."
So the interrogators gave him lessons: 101s on patriotism, loyalty to the president, conspiracy in Syria and fighting Israel.
The Syrian government has consistently blamed the violence and protest casualties on armed gangs and extremist groups with religious affiliations.
"The men shouted for hours, explaining to me what it means to be a good Syrian. They asked me ridiculous questions: 'Do you actually believe what you see on Al-Jazeera? Do you really think security forces are killing protesters?!'"
The questions and abuse last three days. By the end of the third, Ahmed is sent home under the signed condition that he never protest against the regime again. He said it was an agreement signed by all of the detainees but taken seriously by very few.
"I've protested now for two months without being arrested again," he says. "The only reason I won't is because of my mother."
She began taking antidepressants when he was detained, to cope with her worry. Now, he says, he must lie to her when he joins friends and family in demonstrations.
I ask him whether he ever gets scared that he will be arrested again. He quickly responds.
"No, I'm not scared. They arrest anybody they suspect. Why, you ask? Only to frighten people.
"But they don't understand that will only make people angrier. And that is what will be bring their end."

Analysis: Syria's Assad faces dilemma in Hama
BEIRUT | Tue Jul 5, 2011
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad faces a dilemma over the city of Hama, crushed by his father a generation ago and now slipping beyond his control.
If he lets protesters stay on the streets, he will see his authority ebb away, but if he sends tanks into the city still scarred by the 1982 massacre, he risks igniting far wider unrest at home and deeper isolation abroad.
Between 10,000 and 30,000 people were killed when Hafez al-Assad ordered his troops in to defeat insurgents in Hama, and parts of its old city were razed to the ground.
Twenty-nine years later Hama demonstrators chanting for the overthrow of Bashar still curse the memory of his father, who died in 2000 after ruling Syria for three decades.
"If tanks go into Hama and crush the protests, Syria will ignite from south to north and from east to west," said Rami Abdelrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
"The regime will be isolated internationally, because Hama has historical symbolism."
Assad's forces largely disappeared from Hama one month ago after activists said at least 60 protesters were killed when security men fired on crowds of demonstrators.
The security vacuum -- some reports said even traffic police disappeared -- emboldened residents and the weekly protests after Friday prayers grew into huge gatherings.
Last Friday, video footage showed tens of thousands of people in the city's main square and activists said at least 150,000 people attended the rally demanding Assad's departure.
The next day Assad sacked the provincial governor and tanks appeared on the outskirts of the city. The tanks stayed outside Hama on Tuesday, but Syrian forces and gunmen loyal to Assad went in and killed 10 people, activists said.
LITMUS TEST
Diplomats say how Assad deals with Hama could determine the direction of Syria's unrest, at least for the immediate future.
Since the outbreak of protests in March, the 45-year-old president has combined ruthless repression with a series of concessions to demonstrators, including a promise of national dialogue on political reform.
The mix of stick and carrot has often appeared counter-productive, and activists say they cannot hold talks with authorities while killings continue across the country.
"There's a political track and a security track and they don't seem to be in synch... Hama is a litmus test," a diplomat in Damascus said. "If the tanks stay on the outskirts and move away eventually, it would seem that the political track has won the day.
"If they continue to stay where they are, making sorties into the center of town, then maybe they are drifting back to the security solution... So what happens there in the next few days will really be key."
Abdelrahman said the mixed messages from authorities reflected genuine divisions at the top. "There is one wing of the authorities which wants a military solution in Hama and one wing which wants a democratic solution," he said.
Others said pledges of reform talks were a smokescreen.
"They are calling for dialogue... and at the same time the Syrian army is at the gates of Hama," said Rime Allaf, associate fellow at Chatham House. "It's the most blatant illustration of just how insincere the regime is about dialogue."
License TO KILL
Assad might hesitate to send the army into Hama for fear of alienating Russia and China, veto-holding members of the United Nations Security Council which have so far resisted Western efforts to secure U.N. condemnation of Syria.
"Even (Syria's) supporters at the Security Council, Russia and China, even they might baulk at military action in Hama," the Damascus-based diplomat said.
But analysts say a leadership increasingly focused on "regime survival" is unlikely to be swayed by international criticism.
Reaction to the unrest in Syria, where activists say security forces have shot dead more than 1,300 civilians, has been muted compared to the response to protests in Libya.
While the United States, European Union and other Western nations have imposed sanctions on Assad and senior officials, their repeated warnings over several months that Assad is running out of time are beginning to ring hollow.
"Bashar interprets the international position as one of support for him, because there are no clear messages from the international community yet," said Lebanese academic Nadim Shehadi. "The international community is divided over Syria."
"I think Bashar al-Assad thinks he has a license to kill from the international community."
French parliamentarian Gerard Bapt, head of the French-Syrian friendship committee, said there was also little regional appetite to confront Assad.
"With the Arab League not moving and with a nation like Saudi Arabia saying nothing publicly to condemn the killings by the Syrian regime it is difficult to see international pressure rising beyond the economic," he told Reuters in Amman.
"Another grand Hama massacre could result in a United Nations resolution, but is unlikely to contain protection for the civilian population, with the West already engaged in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya."
(Additional reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis in Amman, editing by Paul Taylor)

The Syrian regime’s dungeons
Tales of torture from Syrian refugees in Wadi Khaled
Ana Maria Luca and Nadine Elali,/July 5, 2011
Syrian and Lebanese nationals crossing the Kabir River in North Lebanon.
“These are from the plastic cables they used to tie my hands in prison,” said Ahmad, a young Syrian man who took shelter in the Iman School in the village of Kneisseh in Wadi Khaled. “I stayed in for 20 days. During 15 of them I was beaten and tortured. The last five days, they left me alone for my wounds to heal,” he said calmly. He smiled and mimicked typing on a computer keyboard. “I used to upload the videos of our revolution on Facebook,” he said.
The other 50 Syrian men who were taking shelter in the school after crossing into Lebanon about two weeks ago had the same scars on their hands.
Many of the men had been imprisoned by the Syrian security forces cracking down on the anti-regime protests in the Homs governorate in northwestern Syria. Some of them were brought to Lebanon with severe wounds. And many of them have the terrible stories of their murdered friends, brothers and sons, and of their wives and daughters being arrested and raped.
Ahmad said he knows how important it is that he got to tell his story. When the shabiha, the pro-regime Alawite militia, broke the door of his house in Tal Kalakh, the young man knew what awaited him. “They hit me with the gun in the back of my head, they tied my hands, made me kneel on the ground, and their boss farted in my face,” he recalled. He remembers being blindfolded and tied up, and transported to the nearby Alawite village of Hajar al-Abiad. “I think we were around 50 men. They made us kneel in the square, and people started throwing stones at us. Then they took us to Homs, but the prison was full, so they took us to a former French army station. We were around 400 people in a 60-square-meter hangar. We had to take turns at sitting down,” he said.
Other young men gathered around the table where Ahmad sat in the hallway of the school. They brought their own chairs and kept silent, nodding while he described his torture. “Then the investigation started. That’s what they call it, ‘investigation.’ I was one of the lucky ones. They beat me up, humiliated me, cursed me, tied my hands, my feet barely reaching the floor, and then they electrocuted me,” Ahmad said.
A man in his 40s who calls himself Ziad chimed in. “Yes, he is one of the lucky ones,” he said. “They took around 1,500 people from Tal Kalakh, including nine women. Only 500 of them were let go. They kept us crowded in cells. We had to take turns crouching so that we could rest. And then the ‘investigation.’ Most of us had our eyes swollen from the beatings, some had acid burns, cigarette burns. A doctor in my cell they had arrested for treating protesters had his legs broken from the beatings. And then when he asked for water, they urinated in his mouth.”
“Look at my skin,” said a man in a sweatsuit, pulling up his shirt. His body was covered with cigarettes burns. “This is not all. My genitals look much worse. What they like most is to make you drink water and then kick you in your genitals so that you can’t urinate. During the interrogations most of the prisoners are naked,” he shouted angrily.
Abdelrahman, a man in his early 20s, his head shaved and his beard irregular like many young Sunni sheikhs wear them, came out of one of the rooms. His face was full of stitches, and he had a dent in the middle of his skull. “He is the reason we crossed the border 15 days ago,” Ahmad said. The men revealed that they crossed into Wadi Khaled so that the young sheikh could get treatment, otherwise he would have died.
“It happened two weeks ago,” Abdelrahman said. “We went out with olive branches, and the shabiha attacked us with axes. They hit me only in the head with their axes. ‘What, you want freedom?’ they were shouting. Then they took me to the hospital in Tal Kalakh. I was bleeding all over. Then I remember waking up here,” he said.
Ahmad continued Abdelrahman’s story. “We had to go in to the hospital and save him. He was on the floor, and a nurse, together with some security agents, was hitting him. They stepped on his head. So we brought him to Lebanon barely alive. He was treated here. We donated blood for him,” he said.
The men said they have no doubt that the nine women from Tal Kalakh who were detained will never make it out of prison alive. “They raped some of the young men, so we have no doubt that they raped the women,” Ahmad said. “But we have no fear anymore. The world should know what happens in Syria. Shame on the international community for not caring.”

US-French plan Israeli-Palestinian Paris peace summit Sept. 2, ending Libya war
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report July 6, 2011,
The Obama and Sarkozy administrations are working together on a plan to convene an Israel-Palestinian peace summit in Paris on Sept. 2 shortly after the Libyan war is brought to a close, debkafile's Washington and Paris exclusive sources disclose. If they can pull it off, Presidents Barack Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy will join Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas at a summit in the French capital to announce the restart of Israel-Palestinian peace talks, thereby calling off the unilateral Palestinian request for UN recognition of an independent state.
President Obama's Special Adviser Dennis Ross and senior French diplomat Jean-David Levitte are leading the effort to get this summit off the ground. According to the US-French plan, it will take place shortly after the Libyan war is brought to a close – ideally by a four-way accord between the US, France, Muammar Qaddafi and the Libyan rebels or, failing agreement, by a crushing NATO military blow in which the United States will also take part. The proposed accord would be based on Muammar Qaddafi's departure and the establishment of a power-sharing transitional administration in Tripoli between the incumbent government and rebel leaders.
The US and French presidents hope to be credited at home and in the Middle East with a triple feat: two diplomatic breakthroughs in the Middle East and a US-French victory in Libya.
To this end, negotiations are going forward with the concerned parties. Russia and the African Union have been drawn into the drive to end the war in Libya. One stumbling block still remaining is Qaddafi's demand for his sons to be part of the proposed transitional administration in Tripoli.
To clear the way for the Paris summit, Ross recently put before Netanyahu Obama's revised formula for the starting-point of negotiations with the Palestinians: Israel would accept the 1967 borders with territorial swaps in exchange for Palestinian recognition of Israel as the national state of the Jewish people. Just this week, the Israeli prime minister said that if the Palestinians recognized Israel as the Jewish homeland, the other outstanding issues could be easily and quickly resolved.
However, it is not clear whether the revised formula had won prior Palestinian approval before it was presented in Jerusalem or Washington intended to later squeeze this concession out of Mahmud Abbas and so drive a crack in the deadlock which has frozen the peace track for more than seven months.
At all events, Netanyahu's reply was qualified. He accepted the new US formula in principle, but batted the ball back into the White House's court. debkafile's sources in Jerusalem and Washington disclose that he made acceptance contingent on President Obama publicly and formally affixing his signature to President Bush's letter of April 2004 to then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. This letter constituted a presidential commitment to support negotiations with the Palestinians based on UN Resolution 242 (which promised Israel defensible borders), to refrain from demanding Israel's return to the 1949 lines, and to acknowledge the existence of major Jewish population centers on the West Bank as demographic changes occurring in the years since the Six-Day War.
The prime minister is now waiting for an answer from the White House.
Our sources in Jerusalem explain that this exchange encapsulates the US-Israeli-Palestinian debate over how much territory the land swaps would leave Israel and the Palestinians respectively in future agreements on their borders.
Up until now, the Palestinians have insisted on a ratio of one kilometer in pre-1967 Israel for every kilometer awarded Israel on the West Bank. This ratio Jerusalem has found to be unacceptable. A comprehensive study commissioned by the prime minister's office from the National Security Council found that the big settlement blocs on the West Bank cover roughly 8 percent of West Bank area. Giving up an equal area of Israeli territory would imperil its security no less than a flat return to the 1967 borders. Israel cannot therefore afford to cede more than 4 percent of its sovereign territory at most. The Palestinian demand for parity in the mutual exchanges of land is therefore rejected by Jerusalem.
Jerusalemis reverting to the Bush letter and its reaffirmation of UN Resolution 242 – not just because it better addresses Israel's security needs more advantageous, but also because, "You can't just toss out UN Resolution 242 and Bush's letter to Sharon," Netanyahu has been saying in recent private talks. In his view, the Obama White House cannot simply ignore a presidential commitment given by his predecessor personally to an Israeli prime minister. In the opinion of the prime minister and his advisers, the formula incorporated in Obama's May 19 speech requiring Israel to return to the 1967 borders with mutual land swaps and accept a non-demilitarized Palestinian state is tantamount to giving up on secure borders. The UN 242 and the Bush commitment upheld this principle and is therefore the option preferred in Jerusalem.

After Hama…No reform in Syria
05/07/2011
By Tariq Alhomayed
Asharq Al-Awsat
After approximately 700 thousand Syrians came out to demonstrate in Hama, President Bashar al-Assad issued a decree relieving Ahmed Khaled Abdul Aziz from his duties as governor of Hama. But what is the meaning of this?
It is true that the governor of Hama was the third governor in Syria to be sacked since the outbreak of this unprecedented uprising; however the implications of this recent decision are worth highlighting. Firstly, the promises of the Damascus regime to implement reform have become hard to believe, or count upon. The Hama demonstrations, on the Friday of Departure, were widespread, and included an unprecedented number of participants, but the other distinguishing feature [of this protest] was that the people of Hama were not suppressed like those in other regions of the country. There is one simple reason for this, and that is that the security and the army did not interfere with the demonstrators [in Hama], in order to disperse and suppress them; this action is believed to have led to the dismissal of the city's governor. In other words, the governor of Hama was not fired because there were a large numbers of dead and wounded, rather his offense was allowing peaceful demonstrations to take place [in Hama].
This is no secret. In fact the media reported, following the demonstrations in Hama, that the Syrians were not surprised by the decision to sack the governor of Hama, as this dismissal had been preceded by rumors of dissatisfaction in some official circles – particularly the security apparatus – with regards the governor's method of handling the crisis in Hama. According to reports, the governor of Hama had earned, to a large extent, the trust of his people; granting them promises that they would be allowed to demonstrate peacefully, and pledging that the security forces would not confront them, in exchange for the people not chanting slogans that were offensive to the head of the regime, or calling for the regime to be overthrown. The governor also removed pictures and statues of the regime's symbols from the city, so that the protestors would not destroy them.
Thus it is easy to conclude two important things here: Firstly, it is difficult to say today, following the dismissal of the governor of Hama, that the Syrian regime is keen on meeting the people's demands, and that it will lead the reform process itself. How is that possible as long as the regime fires a man whose only fault was that he didn’t allow the security forces to kill demonstrators in the city of Hama on the Friday of Departure?
The other important thing that those concerned with Syrian affairs must understand is that the actions of the governor of Hama towards his people earned their trust which suggests that there are some Syrian officials today who are seriously re-evaluating what is happening in the country, either out of sincerely sympathizing with growing popular demands, or because they are wary of the consequences of what may happen in Syria should the regime fall, in any way. This is especially because the Syrian officials today are able to see with their own eyes what is happening to those affiliated with the Hosni Mubarak regime in Egypt, and how officials in Libya are now jumping ship one by one from Colonel Gaddafi, out of fear of the consequences.
Therefore, we must pay attention to these implications from the dismissal of the governor of Hama, rather than be distracted by the promises of the Damascus regime, especially as none of these promises have been yet to be implemented. Indeed rather than implement these promises [of reform], the Syrian regime has sacked a governor that protected unarmed demonstrators from the wrath of the security forces.