LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
November 29/2011

Bible Quotation for today/The Rich Young Man
Matthew 19/16-30: "Once a man came to Jesus. Teacher, he asked, what good thing must I do to receive eternal life? Why do you ask me concerning what is good? answered Jesus. There is only One who is good. Keep the commandments if you want to enter life. What commandments? he asked. Jesus answered, Do not commit murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not accuse anyone falsely; respect your father and your mother; and love your neighbor as you love yourself. I have obeyed all these commandments, the young man replied. What else do I need to do? Jesus said to him, If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me. When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he was very rich. Jesus then said to his disciples, I assure you: it will be very hard for rich people to enter the Kingdom of heaven. I repeat: it is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. When the disciples heard this, they were completely amazed. Who, then, can be saved? they asked. Jesus looked straight at them and answered, This is impossible for human beings, but for God everything is possible. Then Peter spoke up. Look, he said, we have left everything and followed you. What will we have? Jesus said to them, You can be sure that when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne in the New Age, then you twelve followers of mine will also sit on thrones, to rule the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake, will receive a hundred times more and will be given eternal life. But many who now are first will be last, and many who now are last will be first.

Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
If and when Mikati resigns/By: Hanin Ghaddar/November 28/11
Analysis: Iran adopts "wait and see" policy on Syria's crisis/Reuters/November 28/11
Arab sanctions find Syria's 7 neighbors on alert. Russian missiles for Assad/DEBKAfile Special Report/ November 28/11

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for November 28/11
Baragwanath: Beirut Visit Has Given Me Confidence that Impunity in Lebanon Will End
Geagea: Christians in East Can Only Be Strong under Democratic Regimes
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati meets with Pope, invites him to visit Lebanon
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe says days are numbered for Syrian regime
Minister of Foreign Affairs Adnan Mansour: We cannot support sanctions against Syria
Assailants shoot at Future bloc MP, Mohammad Kabbara's office in Tripoli
March 14 General Coordinator Fares Soueid says Syrian regime “has started to persih”
Report: Suleiman Proposes STL Funding to be Approved in Absence of Hizbullah Ministers
Islamist party wins Moroccan election
MP: Kuwait Emir Accepts Cabinet’s Resignation
Russia to Send Aircraft Carrier to Lebanon, Syria in 2012
Report: France Training Free Syrian Army Rebels in Turkey, Lebanon
We'll hit NATO shield in Turkey if threatened: Iran
Syria rebels: Assad regime recruiting Iranian, Hezbollah mercenaries
Future Movement blasts Hezbollah, Syria at rally
Tens of Thousands Rally in Tripoli for 'Arms Fall, Independence Spring'
Jubilant northerners celebrate independence
Hariri: Tripoli Rally an Occasion to Raise Lebanon Voice against Repression
Patriarchs, Bishops call on state to honor resolutions
STL funding vote may see delay to find solution
President Gemayel Says 'Resistance Approach' Ended, Accuses FPM of Obstruction
Bsharri MP: Assad’s downfall ‘almost certain’ - 3
Bekaa residents protest rising fuel prices, call for subsidies
fatal road accident mars rally - 3 hours ago
Fatah: Graduation unrelated to camp security measures
Arab League agrees sanctions on Syria
Syria hit with new sanctions: Will this weaken Assad?
NB protesters rally to bring detained Canadian farmer home from Lebanon
Syria border mines add to munitions woes
Jordan Times/'Gunfire erupts on border with Syria'
Syrian women visit Mlita to support resistance
Canada Welcomes Arab League Sanctions on Syria
Egypt's Copts wary of future ahead of parliamentary elections
Egypt braces for landmark vote as leaders grapple over power
Egypt military chief warns of 'extremely grave' consequences of crisis
Ruling military, opposition urge Egyptians to vote ahead of parliamentary election
Issacharoff and Harel / Arab Spring elections boost democracy, and Israeli fears
Saboteurs blow up Egypt gas pipeline to Jordan, Israel
Netanyahu delays demolition of Jerusalem bridge over Egypt, Jordan warning
Iran legislature gives cabinet 2 weeks to expel U.K. envoy over recent sanctions

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati meets with Pope, invites him to visit Lebanon
November 28, 2011/Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati during a visit to the Vatican on Monday invited Pope Benedict XVI to visit Lebanon next year, an aide from the PM’s office said.
Mikati conveyed the official invitation from President Michel Sleiman. The Vatican did not say whether the pope would accept the invitation but informed sources said a trip is being planned by the Vatican in April in which the pope would present Middle Eastern bishops with an "apostolic exhortation". According to the National News Agency, Mikati and the Pope discussed Lebanese developments as well as Beirut’s relations with the Vatican. They also addressed the situation of Christians in the Middle East, the NNA said. “The meeting lasted around 35 minutes,” the report said. It added that the Lebanese premier also met with Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi earlier on Monday.-NOW Lebanon/AFP

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe says days are numbered for Syrian regime
November 28, 2011 /French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Monday that time was running out for the regime in Syria after the Arab League agreed sweeping sanctions against Damascus over its deadly crackdown on protesters. "Its days are numbered, that is obvious. It is totally isolated today," Juppe told France Info radio, while acknowledging that efforts to try to stem the bloodshed in Syria were moving slowly. "Things are going slowly unfortunately... but they are advancing since the Arab League, which carries considerable political weight, has just decided on some sanctions which will isolate the Syrian regime a bit more." He also voiced hope that the idea of humanitarian corridors had not been ruled out for Syria, where well over 3,500 people have been killed since protests erupted in March.
Last week, Juppe said France would ask its EU partners to consider setting up protected escape routes for Syrian civilians fleeing the regime of Bashar al-Assad but later said such a move would have to either be agreed by Damascus or come under an international mandate. "We have done this in other situations and it is the only way in the short term to ease the plight of the population," he said Monday.
The United Nations said at the weekend that international help was needed to feed 1.5 million people in crisis-torn Syria, but that humanitarian corridors were not yet justified.-AFP/NOW Lebanon

Minister of Foreign Affairs Adnan Mansour: We cannot support sanctions against Syria
November 28, 2011 /Minister of Foreign Affairs Adnan Mansour said on Monday that Lebanon cannot support sanctions against Syria because of their repercussions on Lebanon.
“We cannot back sanctions against Syria due to the historical, security and economic relations with Syria,” Mansour told New TV.Arab foreign ministers on Sunday agreed sweeping sanctions against Damascus to punish President Bashar al-Assad's regime for failing to halt a deadly crackdown on protests. Nineteen Arab League members voted for the sanctions, but Iraq abstained and said it would refuse to implement them, while Lebanon "disassociated itself.”  UN figures say that the Syrian regime’s crackdown on anti-regime protests has left at least 3,500 people dead since mid-March.-NOW Lebanon

Assailants shoot at Future bloc MP, Mohammad Kabbara's office in Tripoli
November 28, 2011 /Unknown assailants opened fire in the direction of Future bloc MP Mohammad Kabbara’s office in the northern city of Tripoli on Monday morning, the Free Lebanon radio station reported. “Kabbara’s office was shot at by unknown individuals,” the report said, but did not mention if the incident resulted in any injury or material damage.
It added that relevant security forces launched an investigation into the incident. Kabbara told the radio station that “one man has been arrested” on suspicion of being involved in the act.
The MP also said, “Nothing scares me and no one will stop us, no matter how many threats they make.”On Sunday, thousands of people poured into Tripoli to take part in a rally organized by the Future Movement to honor Lebanese politicians assassinated in past years as well as to voice support for Arab uprisings.
Kabbara was one of the speakers at the event. -NOW Lebanon

March 14 General Coordinator Fares Soueid says Syrian regime “has started to persih”
November 28, 2011/March 14 General Coordinator Fares Soueid on Monday said in a reference to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime that “the godfather” of the Lebanese cabinet is “perishing.”
“The godfather of the government has started to perish after its isolation by Arab countries,” Soueid said in a reference to the Arab foreign ministers’ Sunday decision to impose sanctions designed to cripple Assad’s regime. He told the Voice of Lebanon (100.5) radio station that “Lebanon will enter a transition phase after the collapse of the Syrian regime.” Lebanon's political scene is split between supporters of Assad’s regime, led by Hezbollah, and the March 14 pro-Western camp. Assad’s troops have cracked down on protests against almost five decades of Baath rule which broke out mid-March, killing over 3,500 people and triggering a torrent of international condemnation. -NOW Lebanon

Islamist party wins Moroccan election
November 27, 2011A moderate Islamist party won the most seats in Morocco's parliamentary elections, final results showed Sunday, giving it the right to lead a coalition government for the first time.
The Justice and Development Party (PJD) won 107 seats in the 395-seat assembly in Friday's polls, the interior ministry said. It had 47 seats in the outgoing assembly, making it the main opposition party.
"This is clear victory but we need to form an alliance to work together," party leader Abdelilah Benkirane told AFP after the final results were released.
Under a new constitution proposed by Moroccan King Mohammad VI in the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings that was approved in a July referendum, the monarch must now choose a prime minister from the winning party instead of naming whoever he pleases. The king, the latest scion of a monarchy that has ruled the country for 350 years, proposed changes to the constitution that curb some of his near absolute powers as autocratic regimes toppled in nearby Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya and pro-democracy protests brewed at home."We are going to wait for King Mohammad VI to nominate a prime minister before we start talks with other political parties," added Benkirane.-AFP/NOW Lebanon

March 14 MP Marwan Hamadeh calls on state officials to not “imprison Lebanon”
November 27, 2011 /March 14 MP Marwan Hamadeh on Sunday delivered a speech at the Future Movement rally, calling on President Michel Sleiman, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Speaker Nabih Berri to “not imprison Lebanon.”“I tell [Sleiman, Mikati and Berri], do not imprison Lebanon while the rest of the Arab world is getting out of it,” Hamadeh said in a reference to the pro-democracy protests in Arab countries that toppled several autocratic rulers. Regarding the uprising in Syria, the MP called on the Arab League to “surround the murderer in Damascus,” a reference to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Hamadeh also slammed Hezbollah and its Christian ally, Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, describing them as “those who have staged a coup against the constitution.”
Lebanon's political scene is split between supporters of Assad’s regime, led by Hezbollah, and the March 14 pro-Western camp. The Arab League suspended Syria’s membership in the organization until Assad implements an Arab deal to end violence against protesters, and Lebanon voted against the move. Assad’s troops have cracked down on protests against almost five decades of Baath rule which broke out mid-March, killing over 3,500 people and triggering a torrent of international condemnation.
-NOW Lebanon

March 14 MP Boutros Harb says collapse of government would “end nightmare”
November 27, 2011 /March 14 MP Boutros Harb says the collapse of Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s government would “end the nightmare” in Lebanon in a speech at a Future Movement-organized rally in Tripoli on Sunday. (NOW Lebanon) March 14 MP Boutros Harb on Sunday said that a possible collapse of Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s government would be the “end of a nightmare” in Lebanon.
“This is the government [that sponsors non-state] arms and its collapse would bring an end to the nightmare,” Harb said in a speech at the Future Movement’s parade in North Lebanon’s Tripoli.
He added that the use of non-state weapons “generates violence and destroys Lebanon.”The MP also said that Mikati’s cabinet “distorts Lebanon’s image and has failed to make [any achievement].”
Thousands of people poured into the of Tripoli to take part in the rally to honor Lebanese politicians assassinated in past years as well as to voice support for Arab uprisings.
The western-backed March 14 parties have been calling for ending Hezbollah’s arms use.-NOW Lebanon

Former Premier Fouad Siniora says STL cooperation is “a right and duty”
November 27, 2011 /Future bloc leader MP Fouad Siniora on Sunday delivered an address at his party’s parade, saying that the government’s cooperation with the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon is a “right and duty.” Speaking on behalf of Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri – who is currently outside Lebanon – Siniora said that “the people want the STL, whether some are with or against it.” He added in a reference to Prime Minister Najib Mikati – who has voiced commitment to the tribunal – that “committing to the STL is not made as a [favor] for anyone.”
The MP also called for building a “strong state… not statelets,” a reference to Hezbollah. Commenting on the Syrian uprising, Siniora said that “the Syrian people are those who make change,” adding that “they do not need anyone to teach them which path [to follow].” “The Syrian people are the ones to decide how their regime will be changed and developed.” Thousands of people poured into the of Tripoli to take part in the rally to honor Lebanese politicians assassinated in past years as well as to voice support for Arab uprisings. The current Lebanese government is dominated by Hezbollah and its allies, which are insisting that the country cease all cooperation with the Netherlands-based STL, set up in the wake of Rafik Hariri’s 2005 murder. Last week, Mikati hinted that he will resign if the cabinet fails to provide its funding share.The STL has charged four Hezbollah operatives in connection with the assassination.-NOW Lebanon

Analysis: Iran adopts "wait and see" policy on Syria's crisis
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran, its crucial anti-Israel alliance with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at risk from an uprising against his rule, has chosen a "wait and see" policy driven in part by concern not to alienate anyone who might succeed him, analysts say. A downfall of Assad could deal a strategic blow to Shi'ite Muslim-dominated Iran, where confrontation toward Israel remains one of its overriding foreign policy principles. Iran has used various regional cards, including fears it could unleash militant proxies like Hezbollah and Hamas against Israeli and U.S. interests, to deter foreign intervention in Syria, making it harder for protesters to overthrow Assad. But analysts say the Iranian-Syrian axis now faces a serious dilemma: Should Iran stick with Assad -- whose family has ruled Syria for 41 years -- at any cost or should it jettison the Islamic Republic's most important Middle East ally? "Iran's policy is to wait and see ... We need to be patient as the situation is very unclear and very sensitive in Syria. We hope for the best possible outcome for everyone," said an Iranian government official, speaking on condition of anonymity. "(But although) Assad helped Iran play a leading role in its fight against the Zionist regime (Israel) ... now it is unwise for Iran to take sides."Iran will be hard-pressed to find Arab allies to replace Syria so it will be naturally keener to ensure Assad -- whose minority Alawite sect is an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam -- can ultimately vanquish the revolt by majority Sunni Muslims. "A weak Assad is no longer an effective regional ally for Iran ... But it is better to have a weak ally rather than a Sunni (Muslim) leader in power in Syria," said Iranian analyst Hamid Farahvashi.
WARY OF "BACKING THE WRONG HORSE"
However, Iranian leaders are also worried that siding too emphatically with Assad could undermine their chances of establishing a beneficial relationship with any new Syrian government, analysts say.
"Iranians do not want to back the wrong horse ... It is a very sensitive period and any wrong move could have negative consequences," said Farahvashi.
There are rumors in Tehran suggesting that Iranian officials have met members of the Syrian opposition in an effort to probe the possibility of forming future alliances.
"We do not want to be seen as betrayers of our ally ... but like all other countries, Iran's priority is to preserve the country's interests," said the Iranian official.
The Syrian crisis has added to pressures on Iran's clerical elite, ranging from tightening international sanctions imposed over Iran's disputed nuclear work, high inflation, long queues of jobless and investors keeping a tight hold on their purses.Betraying frayed nerves about the possibility of government change in Syria, Tehran has called the unrest against Assad an "American-Zionist" conspiracy. Whether Tehran has contingency plans for any overthrow of Assad remains unclear.
"Everything will happen behind the scenes. Iran might get closer to Lebanon's Hezbollah or other Shi'ite militant groups in the region to preserve its influence in the region," said an Asian diplomat in Tehran, speaking on ground rules of anonymity. The United States says Iran's policy toward the Syrian crisis has included financial and military aid. Iran denies any involvement in matters of the Syrian state.
Iranian officials still hope Assad will outlast the revolt. "Assad can bring millions of his supporters into the streets ... He enjoys support of his nation in big cities as we have seen in pro-government rallies in Syria," the government official said.
Iranian leaders hope international efforts to unseat Assad will ultimately be undone by concerns not to ignite broader sectarian conflict between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims that could destabilize the wider region. Saudi Arabia, which shares U.S. fears that Iran is covertly seeking nuclear arms, has long accused Tehran of trying stir up its Shi'ite minority. Analysts say Syria might become the focal point of an Iranian-Saudi battle for regional dominance. "Syria might become a ground for America and Saudi Arabia to settle scores with Tehran ... Further pressure on Assad might cause sectarian violence in Lebanon, Iraq and many other parts of the region where Iran has influence," said political analyst Mansour Marvi.
IRAN EYES TURKEY IN SYRIAN CRISIS
With Turkey's condemnation of its erstwhile ally Assad over his military crackdown on protesters that has left thousands dead, Iran has become more cautious in its approach to Syria's crisis, condemning his use of violence and calling on his government and the opposition to reach an "understanding."
Turkey and Iran are competing for influence in the new Middle East and each presents a model -- one Islamic, the other secular and democratic -- for Arab revolutionaries.
Iranian leaders view Ankara as a key cog in what they see as a U.S. scheme backed by Gulf Arab states to contain Tehran's ambitions to be the Middle East's dominant power and undermine its Islamic Revolution.
Some diplomats and analysts disagree, however.
"More than having influence, Iran is wisely using regional conflicts, like the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, to its own benefit," said an Asian diplomat in Tehran. "Americans credit Iran for their mistakes in the Middle East." Iran's hardline rulers were quick to put a positive spin on the Arab Spring uprisings against autocratic rulers, saying it will spell the end of U.S.-backed governments in the region.
While analysts abroad have said the Arab Spring has been largely secular in nature, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has dubbed it the "Islamic Awakening," saying it was inspired by Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution that replaced the U.S-backed Shah with a Muslim theocracy.
The government's Syria policy has angered President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's rivals, deepening a political rift within the conservative elite dating to the 2009 presidential election that the opposition says was rigged to secure his return to power. Some politicians, including legislators, say Iran should side with the Syrian opposition and not "a figure (Assad)."
"Iran could have mediated and controlled the crisis in Syria if Ahmadinejad's government had a better position in the international community," moderate former deputy foreign minister Mohammad Sadr was quoted as saying by some pro-reform Iranian websites. Iran's reformist opposition has watched with admiration as popular revolutions have toppled several Arab dictators.
But despite divisions within Tehran conservative ruling elite, opposition leaders looks incapable for now of resuming serious street protests quelled by Revolutionary Guards two years ago in the wake of Ahmadinejad's re-election. (Editing by Mark Heinrich)

We'll hit NATO shield in Turkey if threatened: Iran
AFP – Sat, 26 Nov, 2011..
Iran will target NATO's missile shield in neighbouring Turkey if it is threatened by military action, the commander of the aerospace division of the Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday.
"We are prepared to first target the NATO defence missile shield in Turkey if we are threatened. And then we'll move on to other targets," Amir-Ali Hajizadeh was quoted as saying by the Mehr news agency. Although Iranian officials have said several times they could retaliate with ballistic missiles against Israel if attacked, Hajizadeh's remark was the first time the Revolutionary Guards spoke of targeting Turkey. Speculation has intensified in Israel that it was preparing air strikes on Iran to hit nuclear facilities following a November 8 report by the UN nuclear watchdog strongly suggesting Tehran was researching atomic weapons. Hajizadeh, whose unit is in charge of Revolutionary Guards' missile systems, told a crowd of Basij militia members in the western city of Khorramabad that Iran's stance now was to "threaten in the face of threats," in line with a decree this month by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Turkey last year agreed to host an early warning radar system in its southeast as part of NATO's shield which the United States says is aimed at thwarting missile threats from the Middle East, particularly Iran. Hajizadeh said last Monday the Revolutionary Guards' "greatest wish" was for Israel to attack Iran, so they could retaliate and relegate the Jewish state to "the dustbin of history

Arab sanctions find Syria's 7 neighbors on alert. Russian missiles for Assad
DEBKAfile Special Report/ November 27, 2011/,Twenty-four hours before the Arab League Sunday, Nov. 27, clamped down sanctions on the Assad regime, the first ever against a member state, the armies of Syria's seven neighbors were already scrambling into position on standby on its borders for acts of retaliation. Military suspense mounted after the Arab League vote to cut off transactions with Syria's central bank, withdraw Arab funding from projects and other painful sanctions over Bashar Assad's refusal to halt his crackdown on protest.
debkafile's military sources report Israeli armored brigades pushed forward up to the Lebanese and Syrian borders; Ankara placed three armored brigades, its air force and navy in astate of preparedness, likewise Hizballah and the Lebanese and Jordanian armed forces, while the US and Russia are in the midst of a naval buildup opposite Syrian shores.
Military sources in the Gulf report that 150 Iranian Revolutionary Guards specialists had landed at a military airport south of Damascus on their way to Lebanon to join Hizballah which began bringing its rockets out of their hideouts.
Ahead of the Arab League vote, Qatar and Turkey were reported to be airlifting "volunteers" from Libya to fight alongside the rebel Free Syrian Army, some also transporting weapons, whereas Russia has begun another airlift to deliver top-notch missiles for Assad's forces.
Our sources report the two key items are advanced Pantsir-1 (SA-22 Greyhound) anti-air missiles for breaking a no-fly zone against most types of aircraft should one be imposed and supersonic Yakhont (SS-26) missiles for targeting vessels blockading Syria's shores at a distance of 300 kilometers.
On Nov. 25, debkafile reported:
Israeli and Jordanian armed forces declared a state of preparedness Friday, Nov. 25, after the Syrian General Command accused an "armed terrorist" group of an ambush killing 10 airmen including 6 elite pilots on the Homs-Palmyra road Thursday, "with the involvement of foreign parties, the foremost of which is Israel."
debkafile's military and intelligence sources report the ambush was another of the major operations against Assad regime's most sensitive targets executed by the Free Syrian Army this week.
It took place at a point on the highway east of Palmyra on the fringe of the Syrian Desert and close to the Syrian Air Force base at Tiyas.
The official statement aired on Syrian state TV said the attack claimed the lives of six elite pilots, one technical officer and three technical sub-officers of the airbase.
Our sources add that the rebel army must have penetrated the highest levels of Syria's military intelligence command for the attack and was clearly receiving targeting data from inside the armed forces.
The attack took place two days after the Free Syrian Army using rocket grenade launchers and heavy machine guns smashed into the Air Force Intelligence base of Harasta near Damascus, killing at least 10 Syrian troops. The ruling Baath party headquarters in Damascus was also attacked on Thursday.
The official statement broadcast Friday described the pilots as "qualitatively trained in piloting modern military aircraft" and "prepared to carry out "the sacred duty of liberating the land and restoring the usurped rights."
It went on to say: "The General Command… considers that the beneficiaries of this terrorist act are the enemies of the homeland and the nation, foremost being Israel."
The Syrian military vowed "to cut every evil hand that targets Syrian blood, and decisively confront all who threaten the homeland's security and stability."
The 24-hour lapse between the attack and the official statement indicated the level of dismay and confusion in Damascus over the sudden assault on the most stalwart buttress of the Assad dynasty in the nine-month crisis and a body blow to his regime.
Bashar Assad cannot afford to avoid retaliating. If he does, it will be an admission that the backbone of his armed forces is falling apart and out of control.
Since there is no knowing what form his revenge will take, Israel, Jordan and most likely Turkey too were braced Friday for trouble.
Assad no doubt took into account that bombing Free Syrian Army training bases across the border in Turkey would bring forth a Turkish military strike. So for now, he decided to point the finger at Israel, a reliable standby when the regime has its back to the wall. Jordan, through which large arms supplies reach the Syrian opposition, may seem to Damascus to be easy prey for the bombardment or raid of bases hosting Syrian rebels.
In the heat of the crisis, the Syrian ruler allowed the deadline set by the Arab League of his acceptance of hundreds of monitors go by Friday without an answer. "It is a last chance, a new chance for Syria,” Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters in Istanbul at a joint news conference with his Jordanian counterpart Nasser Judeh. By missing the deadline, Damascus faces possible economic sanctions spearheaded by the Arab League, which earlier this month suspended Syrian membership, amid growing international isolation.

Patriarchs, Bishops call on state to honor resolutions
November 28, 2011/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: The Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon has called on the Lebanese government to honor its commitments to international resolutions, including those pertaining to the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
In a communique issued Saturday at the end a six-day conference held under Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai at the Maronite patriarchate’s seat in Bkirki, north of Beirut, the patriarchs called on Lebanese from various sects and political affiliations to consolidate national unity on the basis of the 1943 National Pact and full and indivisible loyalty to Lebanon.
They urged the Lebanese to adopt “a calm dialogue and understanding” on anything that helps the state to assert its sovereignty over all its territories and the independence of its national political decision-making away from any foreign pressure or intervention.
“Lebanon’s independence, which the Lebanese celebrated earlier this week [on Nov. 22], requires the success of the state in administering public affairs with its own capabilities through its constitutional institutions,” the communique said.
It added that Lebanon needs to continue its efforts for the rise of a civilian state based on citizenship and the National Pact.
“Lebanon must be fully committed to resolutions of international legitimacy, including the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, for the sake of the truth and justice,” the communique said.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai asks church officials not to employ non-Christian foreign labor
November 27, 2011/The Daily Star
Lebanon's Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai attends a memorial ceremony for victims killed in a militant attack on the Our Lady of Salvation Church in 2010, at the Church in Baghdad October 31, 2011. Fifty-two hostages and police were killed during an attack on the church on October 31, 2010. REUTERS/Saad Shalash (IRAQ - Tags: POLITICS SOCIETY RELIGION CRIME LAW ANNIVERSARY)
BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai asked religious institutions to avoid employing non-Christian foreign labor to prevent a repeat of the events of last week in which a 28-year old woman was murdered by a Syrian national working in a church in Sahel Alma. “We ask officials of monasteries, religious Christian institutions, in a bid to preserve their sanctity, inviolability and message, not to entrust their protection to non-Christian foreigners or house them,” Rai told a Mass in Bkirki in honor of Myriam Ashkar, killed last week by Fathi Jabr al-Salateen, a janitor at the church Ashkar was visiting, after he attempted to rape her. Ashkar, whose body was recovered after a day-long search and rescue operation by the army and Internal Security Forces, was stabbed at least eight times in her chest and suffered other injuries Salateen, who has confessed to the crime, is also suspected of having been a member in a Syrian intelligence unit in Lebanon and having quit his post several years ago, sources told The Daily Star.
“We ask security and judicial officials to protect Lebanese and to apply the most severe form of punishment upon the criminal,” Rai said to the crowd, which included Ashkar’s family members and Interior Minister Marwan Charbel. He also asked the Internal Security Forces to take good care of the security of citizens and protect them against any threats.
The patriarch also asked unions and workers to implement necessary laws governing foreign labor, voicing appreciation for foreigners who are genuinely working in the country.
Rai also touched upon the controversial issue of funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which is scheduled to be discussed in Cabinet Wednesday.
“We regret that there is reluctance to comply with international legitimacy especially concerning the Special Tribunal for Lebanon,” Rai said, warning of repercussions for Lebanon if Cabinet fails to pay the country’s $36 million share of the court’s annual budget. The majority in the Cabinet, Hezbollah and its allies, reject the tribunal all together, while the prime minister and the president say Lebanon should commit to its international obligations.

Bsharri MP Elie Keyrouz: Assad’s downfall ‘almost certain’
November 28, 2011/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Bsharri MP Elie Keyrouz said Sunday that the downfall of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime is “almost certain,” the National News Agency reported.
Keyrouz also said that Assad’s regime is “convenient” for Israel as it guards the Syrian-Israeli border in the Golan Heights, and that Israel is the main backer of the Baath regime in Syria. “The Syrian regime’s downfall has become a demand not only for the Syrian opposition but also for international and regional political circles, and its downfall has become almost certain,” Keyrouz said in a radio interview. “Syrian tutelage over Lebanon is what drove Christians to become alienated from the state, excluded politically and marginalized electorally,” he added.
 

Arab League agrees sanctions on Syria
November 28, 2011/Agencies/Daily Star
CAIRO/ AMMAN: Arab states voted Sunday to impose economic sanctions on Syria immediately, in response to President Bashar Assad’s failure to halt a violent crackdown on an eight-month uprising against his rule.Qatar said that if Arab nations failed to resolve the crisis, other foreign powers might intervene.
Nineteen of the Arab League’s 22 members voted for sanctions which include travel bans on Syrian officials, freezing Syrian government assets, halting trade dealings with the central bank and stopping Arab investment. “The decision should be executed immediately,” Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani told a news conference after he chaired a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo.The Arab League has for decades avoided imposing sanctions on its members but has been spurred into action by the scale of bloodshed during Syria’s crackdown and by the failure of Damascus to implement an Arab peace plan.
The Arab peace plan called for sending in Arab monitors, withdrawing Syrian troops from residential areas and starting talks between the government and opposition. Damascus ignored several Arab League deadlines. Arabs have said they want a regional solution and do not want foreign intervention in Syria. France became the first major power to seek international involvement last week when it called for “humanitarian corridors” to protect civilians.
Sheikh Hamad said foreign powers might intervene if they did not consider Arabs “serious” in their bid to end the crisis.
“All the work we are doing is to avoid this interference,” he said, adding that the League could itself seek international intervention “if the Syrians do not take us seriously.”
Hundreds of people, including civilians, soldiers and army deserters, have been killed in Syria this month, in unrest inspired by uprisings that overthrew leaders in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.
The new sanctions could plunge Syria deeper into economic crisis, although the League said measures were not intended to hurt ordinary people.
“This is a very sad and unfortunate day for me,” the Qatari minister said. “I had hoped the Syrian brothers … would stop the violence and release the political detainees.”
Bahrain and Qatar also called on their citizens Sunday to leave Syria “as soon as possible,” after the United Arab Emirates also advised its citizens to stay away.
Qatar has been at the forefront of the drive to end the violence, backed by other Gulf Arab states.
Lebanon, which for years had a Syrian military presence on its soil, voted against sanctions, as did Iraq, which neighbors Syria and Iran. Baghdad had said before the meeting it would not impose sanctions.
“Iraq has reservations about this decision. For us, this decision … will harm the interests of our country and our people as we have a large community in Syria,” Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Labeed Abbawi told Reuters.
Non-Arab Turkey attended the Cairo meeting. Foreign Minister Ahmad Davutoglu said Ankara would act in unison with Arabs.
“When civilians are killed in Syria and the Syrian regime increases its cruelty to innocent people, it should not be expected for Turkey and the Arab League to be silent,” Davutoglu said, according to Turkey’s state news agency.
“We hope the Syrian government will get our message and the problem will be solved within the family,” he said, adding that the region did not want a repeat of events in Iraq and Libya, two states where international powers intervened.
During Libya’s uprising, an Arab League call for a no-fly zone led to a U.N. Security Council resolution, which in turn paved the way for NATO airstrikes on Moammar Gadhafi’s forces.
Against a backdrop of mounting pressure, violence continued inside the country Sunday, with activists reporting at least 23 civilians killed, including seven in the flashpoint region of Homs that has been under siege for several weeks.
A government official said Syrian forces also shot and wounded a Syrian woman as she and her family crossed a fence into neighboring Jordan.
The official said Jordanian border patrols fired in the air to help the three-member family get away but did not exchange fire with the Syrian army.
The woman, wounded in her leg, was taken to a nearby hospital.
About 500 Syrian refugees and 100 army and police deserters have fled to Jordan since the outset of the eight-month uprising, which has seen upward of 3,500 people killed according to the latest U.N. estimates.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague Sunday praised the Arab League’s move to impose sweeping sanctions on Syrian President Bashar Assad and called for the U.N. to back up the bloc’s decision.
“We welcome the Arab League’s leadership in seeking an end to the horrific violence in Syria,” said Hague in a statement issued by the Foreign Office Sunday.
“Today’s unprecedented decision to impose sanctions demonstrates that the regime’s repeated failure to deliver on its promises will not be ignored and that those who perpetrate these appalling abuses will be held to account,” he added.

Future Movement blasts Hezbollah, Syria at rally
November 28, 2011/By Dana Khraiche The Daily Star
BEIRUT: The Future Movement expressed solidarity with the Syrian people at a mass rally in Tripoli Sunday and reiterated the March 14 coalition’s call for the current government to fund the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
Former prime minister and current head of the party, Saad Hariri, disappointed many who had hoped he would arrive in person at the rally, with MP Fouad Siniora, giving his speech.
Siniora, the leader of the Future Movement parliamentary bloc, addressed thousands gathered in Tripoli’s Rasheed Karami’s international stadium.
“The Syrian people are the ones who make change in Syria and no one else. Heroes of the Syrian revolution are more aware of their country. They do not need anyone to teach them lessons or lead their way,” Siniora said as the crowd cheered, some waving the Syrian and Lebanese flags. One flag read: "Bashar Assad, Hasan Nasrallah: game over."
“They [Syrians] decide what system they will have and modernize. But we say to them, our hearts are with you. We, the sons of freedom in Lebanon, await,” he said.
Since the beginning of anti-government protests in Syria in mid-March, Future Movement and March 14 politicians have voiced their support for the uprising in neighboring country, condemning the violent crackdown on demonstrators by government forces.
Tripoli in particular has been the scene of weekly protests against President Bashar Assad and at times, demonstrators burnt pictures of Assad, and Hezbollah flags.
“We have moved from an era characterized by what rulers want to an era of what the people want. The people want to know the truth, try murderers and achieve justice for their martyrs,” Siniora said.
Siniora added that Lebanese, want to know the truth behind the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and others, especially in Hariri’s hometown of Tripoli, evoking a popular chant used by anti government protesters in the Arab region.
“Do what these noble people want, [they want] the international tribunal, to cooperate and fund it,” he said.
“Our commitment to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon [probing Hariri’s assassination] was never to seek revenge, but to protect Lebanon which has been violated through the consistent targeting and assassination of its leaders,” the MP said.
Siniora also warned that Lebanon’s principles and characteristics were under threat.
“Lebanon’s ability to remain what it is, [a country] of independence, freedom, democracy, equality and mutual respect, is being threatened, by risky minds and cisk ambitions seeking to change its traditions and norms,” he said.
“And for these reasons the choice is clear, between the era of those who support martyrs and the right of the innocent and oppressed and those who support criminals and protect terrorists.”
Many of his sentiments were echoed by other speakers at the really. MP Marwan Hamadeh, who survived an assassination attempt in 2004, addressed Prime Minister Najib Mikati on several occasions, asking him to fund the STL and allow justice to be achieved under his government.
“Only the criminal and the collaborator fear the tribunal. The situation today is extremely dangerous and that is why I responded to [former] Prime Minister Saad Hariri's call to attend this gathering,” Hamadeh said.
Hamadeh also spoke about events in Syria, urging President Bashar Assad to implement the Arab League plan designed to end the crisis in that country.
“Bashar, you have to choose. Options are open but fate is inevitable,” he added.
March 14 MP Butros Harb slammed Hezbollah’s arms, saying the party lost its legitimacy when it used its arms for domestic purposes.
“We are here today to reiterate our position towards the illegitimate arms being carried within the state, against it and at its expense,” Harb said,
"I reiterate our rejection of any illegitimate arms which we see as posing a danger to the state, not to Israel. They pose a danger to our national unity, institutions, security, justice and our economy,” he added.
The MP also said that March 14 will not compromise on the issue of the international tribunal, warning Mikati’s government that the coalition would retaliate if funding of the court is not approved.
He also praised Progressive Socialist Party ministers in the Cabinet who had voiced their support for funding the court.
He slammed the government’s position regarding events in Syria especially Lebanon’s vote in the Arab League earlier this month against suspending Syria’s membership.
“I am ashamed by Lebanon’s positions and its government regarding the popular movement in Syria,” Harb said.
Tripoli MP Mohammad Kabbara was the first of the speakers, and described Sunday's rally as a continuation of the Cedar Revolution in 2005, which called for the withdrawal of Syrian troops in Lebanon following the assassination of Hariri.
"Tripoli today continues its historical path of struggle as it has sacrificed many lives for [Lebanon's] independence and now is offering lives against [President] Bashar Assad's army," Kabbara said.
He also added that it was time to overthrow the “criminal, hegemonic” Assad who, Kabbara said, is nearing the end of his rule.
Future Movement MP Samir Jisr also spoke to the crowd, stressing the importance of Lebanon’s sovereignty over its territories and rejecting Hezbollah’s possession of arms.
“Sovereignty over all territories in the country should not only be theoretical but also implemented,” Jisr said, adding that the state alone should have the prerogative to protect Lebanese and possess arms.
“From here, we want to force the collapse of arms held under the title of the resistance,” he said.
He also addressed rival politicians, asking them to place Lebanon’s interest before anything else.
Since the collapse of Hariri’s Cabinet in January, when ministers from the Hezbollah-led March 8 coalition resigned, lawmakers from the Future Movement and March 14 coalition have repeatedly described the fall of the government as a coup by Hezbollah, accusing Mikati of having no decision-making power.
During an interview with MTV in July, Hariri said his ouster was decided by Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah and his ally Assad.
Hariri has also voiced his support for what he describes the Syrian people’s calls for freedom and change, saying that Assad’s era is about to end during one of his now-frequent question and answer sessions on the social networking website Twitter.

Canada Welcomes Arab League Sanctions on Syria
http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2011/354.aspx
(No. 354 – November 27, 2011 – 7:15 p.m. ET) Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following statement:
“Canada welcomes the Arab League’s courageous decision to put sanctions on the Assad regime.
“This is another important signal from Syria’s neighbours that the egregious behaviour of the Assad regime will not be tolerated.
“We are encouraged to hear of the Arab League’s plans to engage with the United Nations. The senseless violence occurring in Syria can no longer be ignored by the United Nations. We call on the UN to follow the Arab League’s decision and further isolate this reckless and illegitimate regime.
“We stand with the Syrian people, who seek to realize a brighter future for themselves—one that respects freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
“Canadians in Syria should leave now by commercial means while these are still available.”

Syria hit with new sanctions: Will this weaken Assad?
The Arab League hit Syria with sanctions Sunday. The new sanctions include a travel ban on Syrian officials and a freeze on Syria government assets.
By Yasmine Saleh, Reuters / November 27, 2011
Cairo
The Arab League approved economic sanctions on Syria on Sunday to try to force Damascus to halt an eight-month crackdown on protests against President Bashar al-Assad that Qatar said may prompt international intervention. Anti-Assad activists said there was no respite from the crackdown and security forces had killed at least 24 civilians, many in a town north of Damascus that has become a focus for protests demanding Assad's removal. Others were killed in raids on towns in the province of Homs.
Nineteen of the League's 22 members approved the decision to immediately enforce the sanctions, hailed by Britain as unprecedented. They include a travel ban on top Syrian officials and a freeze on assets related to Assad's government.
Recommended: Who's supporting Syria?
"The indications are not positive ... the sanctions are still economic but if there is no movement on the part of Syria then we have a responsibility as human beings to stop the killings," Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, Qatar's prime minister and foreign minister, told reporters.Power is not worth anything when a ruler kills his people," he said, adding that the sanctions were also aimed at halting dealings with Syria's central bank and investment in Syria.
Sheikh Hamad said Arab nations wanted to avoid a repeat of what happened in Libya, where a U.N. Security Council resolution led to NATO air strikes. He warned other Arab states that the West could intervene if it felt the league was not "serious."
"All the work that we are doing is to avoid this interference," he said.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the "unprecedented decision to impose sanctions demonstrates that the regime's repeated failure to deliver on its promises will not be ignored and that those who perpetrate these appalling abuses will be held to account."
Hague said Britain hoped the move would help break what he called United Nations silence "on the ongoing brutality taking place in Syria" after Russia and China thwarted Western efforts to pass a U.N. Security Council resolution on Syria.
Damascus, where the Assad family has ruled for 41 years, says regional powers helped incite the violence, which it blames on armed groups targeting civilians and its security forces.
SYMBOLIC
The president of the Union of Arab Banks, a division of the Arab League, expected the sanctions to hit Syria's central bank, which he said has "big deposits" in the region, especially the Gulf.
"Once individual countries that have voted for the sanctions issue instructions, Syrian deposits will be frozen, which will affect the financial resources of the Syrian government," Adnan Youssef told Arabiya television. Arab ministers were spurred to action by worsening violence in Syria and by the Assad government's failure to meet a deadline to let in Arab monitors and take other steps to end its crackdown on the uprising.
"It is a symbolic but a huge step. The Arab League has tried to stop civilian killings but it failed. Now it is removing the Arab cover from the regime, which could make it easier for the international community to intervene," said opposition figure Walid al-Bunni.
"No one wants to see ordinary Syrians deprived of essential supplies. The Arabs are telling Bashar: 'You are killing the people to whom you say you belong. We will not receive you in our capitals. We're freezing your assets. We are not investing in your country,'" Bunni said from Cairo. Even so, the measures could plunge Syria deeper into economic crisis. Syrian official media quoted an undated letter by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem to the Arab League as saying Damascus viewed the plan for monitors as interference in its affairs. "We trust that all Arab countries stand against foreign interference in the affairs of Arab countries. Therefore we hope that the League will issue (a statement) confirming this," he said.
The League for decades avoided action against its 22 members. But it has been galvanised by pressure from Gulf Arabs, already angry at Syria's alliance with regional rival Iran, by the political changes brought about by Arab uprisings, and by the scale of the Syrian bloodshed.
TANK FIRE
Troops backed by armor killed 11 people, including two children, in Rankous, a town 30 km (19 miles) north of Damascus as they raided houses looking for activists who had taken part in anti-Assad rally on Friday that was broadcast live on al-Jazeera television, activists said.
It is difficult to know what is happening in Rankous exactly. The communications have been cut. A couple of Facebook messages that trickled from there talked about heavy tank fire on the town," said one activist, who lives in Damascus and gave his name as Fares.
"There were hit-and-run attacks by insurgents on loyalist forced in Rankous last week. The raid today may be also in revenge of that," he said.
In the eastern city of Deir al-Zor, security police killed two people and wounded 10 at a funeral of an activist.
"The funeral came under fire at the mosque when the crowd started chanting 'the people weren't the downfall of the regime'," Abu Jassem, an activist in the city, said by phone.
In al-Ghab plain, northwest of the city of Hama, troops arrested dozens of villagers in the town of Kfar Nbouzeh, burned six houses belonging to activists and ransacked shops, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, adding that 11 people were also killed in the central province of Homs.
"Even regular food stores were not spared from the ransacking," said Rami Abdelrahman, the Observatory's director.
The United Nations says the crackdown has killed more than 3,500 people. Along with peaceful protests, some of Assad's opponents are fighting back. Army defectors have loosely grouped under the Syrian Free Army and more insurgent attacks on loyalist troops have been reported in the last several weeks.
The defectors are drawn from the majority Sunni rank and file. The military and security apparatus are dominated by officers from Assad's minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Islam that has controlled the majority Sunni country for the last five decades. Hundreds of people, including civilians, soldiers and army deserters, have been killed in Syria this month, possibly the bloodiest since the unrest broke out in March inspired by uprisings which overthrew leaders in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.
Alongside the mainly peaceful protests, armed insurgents have increasingly attacked military targets in recent weeks. Officials say 1,100 security force members have been killed.
(Additional reporting by Dominic Evans in Beirut, Patrick Werr and Tom Pfeiffer in Cairo, and Patrick Markey in Baghdad; Writing by Khaled Yacoub Oweis; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)


N.B. protesters rally to bring detained Canadian farmer home from Lebanon
By Mark Rickard, Grand Falls Victoria Star November 27, 2011 8:05 PM
Read more: http://www.canada.com/news/protesters+rally+bring+detained+Canadian+farmer+home+from+Lebanon/5775230/story.html#ixzz1eyCYGtmh
GRAND FALLS, N.B. — Chanting “Free Henk now” and “Mr. Harper, make the call,” about 100 protesters joined family and friends in a small New Brunswick community Sunday to support ongoing efforts to bring imprisoned potato farmer Henk Tepper home in time for the holidays. Harmiene Dionne, Tepper’s sister, said the rally was a “great support” for the family.
“I know the community is standing behind us, it’s wonderful to see everyone out here. I know everyone wants to see their friend, their family, their colleague, their community member back in Canada where he belongs,” Dionne said after the march. Protesters marched through Grand Falls, chanting and waving placards demanding that Tepper be released from the Lebanon prison where he has been detained since March. When the march was completed, the demonstrators gathered around a Christmas tree in the centre of Broadway Boulevard, decorating the fir tree with gold ornaments, tiny burlap potato sacks and yellow ribbons, a longtime symbol of support. Dionne recently travelled to Lebanon to visit her brother, who was detained by Lebanese officials acting on an Interpol “red alert.” The Algerian government requested the red alert, claiming that the potato producer sold spuds unfit for human consumption to Algeria in 2007. Tepper has never been charged for any crime, but remains in detention in Lebanon.
“He is mentally going downhill. He is really angry. He is frustrated and wants to get out of there,” Dionne said. “Henk said the Canadian consulate (officials) only visited him once in his cell. All the other times it was for a minute or two minutes at the most in an upstairs office.”
Dionne said her brother has been visited several times by Hilary Childs-Adams, Canadian ambassador to Lebanon, including a visit before an Oct. 30 rally held in Grand Falls to support the farmer. Dionne said she also visited Childs-Adams, but there is no indication of when or if her brother will be released.
“Not unless the government is doing something behind closed doors that we are not aware of,” she stated.
Dionne said the Tepper family recently wrote another letter to local Conservative MP Mike Allen, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Diane Ablonczy, stating that Tepper’s lengthy incarceration is unacceptable.
“All I heard back from the government was stating, ‘Thank you for the letter with the concerns about your brother and we would direct the email to the right people.’ ... That’s all the comments that I get, that we will direct this email to the right person. Then we don’t hear anything else.”
Dionne said the circumstances that sparked her brother’s detainment “could have happened to anybody.”
“I might travel and perhaps there is a country that wants me. They do a communication with the government and put our names on red alert and the government doesn’t give us any advance warning. That’s the scary part. We are Canadians but in my opinion we are not really well protected.
On Monday, Edmundston Court of Queen’s Bench is scheduled to review the financial state of Tepper’s family farm and the businesses’ ability to pay more than $11 million in debt. A court-ordered creditor protection on several businesses owned by Tepper ends on Monday.
© Copyright (c) Postmedia News

Gunfire erupts on border with Syria’
Jordan Times/By Taylor Luck
AMMAN - Shots rang out at the Jordanian-Syrian border late Sunday as Syrian forces attempted to prevent civilians from entering the Kingdom, hours after an Arab League decision to impose sanctions on Damascus.Syrian soldiers opened fire on a married couple and their young child as they attempted to enter the Kingdom late yesterday near the Jaber border crossing, some 90 kilometres north of the capital, according to Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications and Government Spokesperson Rakan Majali. Initial reports from civilians living near the border region identified the gunfire as clashes between Syrian and Jordanian forces, a claim the spokesperson denied. The Syrian family arrived in the Kingdom and received emergency medical attention, Majali indicated. Incidents like this one, which occurred hours after the Arab League endorsed a series of economic sanctions targeting the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, have become “commonplace” over the past few months, he said. “This has now become a very normal incident that happens nearly every day, but often without notice,” Majali told The Jordan Times. According to Majali, the woman was rushed to Mafraq Military Hospital where medical sources indicated she was listed in serious condition as of late yesterday, adding that her husband and child were not injured in the incident. The incident will not register a response from the Jordanian government, the spokesperson said, noting that the Kingdom will continue to extend efforts to “ensure the humanitarian protection” of Syrian civilians. The humanitarian impact of the Syrian crisis has become an increasing concern for Jordan, which has hosted thousands of civilians fleeing violence since mid-February, with over 1,500 Syrians registered with the UN refugee agency. Although Jordan has not offered asylum to Syrians, authorities near the northern border provide emergency medical attention and shelter to displaced Syrians, with preparations in place for any potential large-scale humanitarian crisis. A majority of Syrians in Jordan do not seek support from authorities or the UN as they are able to financially support themselves during their stay, according to the refugee agency.
Majali ruled out that yesterday’s incident had any connection to Amman’s support for Arab League economic sanctions, stressing Jordan’s position supporting joint-Arab action to bring an end to the violence in Syria.

Syrian women visit Mlita to support resistance
November 28, 2011 01:45 AM By Mohammed Zaatari The Daily Star
MLITA, Lebanon: A delegation of about 100 Syrian women visited the Hezbollah museum in the village of Mlita in Nabatieh Saturday, in a show of solidarity with the resistance.
The women, coming from the various cities along the Syrian coast and headed by Father Raffi Hilweh, were receivedat the Resistance Museum by Hezbollah official and Nabatieh MP Mohammad Raad, a delegation from local women’s organizations and a number of mayors and public figures.
After meeting with the group, Raad gave a speech in which he affirmed “Hezbollah’s support for Syria and its loyal people who embraced the resistance and its people.”
In a reference to March 14 politicians, Raad said that those who are calling on Syria to open its Golan Heights front against Israel “know nothing about strategy.”
“Those who are conspiring against Syria today are the ones who were holding hands with the Israelis and Americans during the July [2006] aggression against Lebanon,” Raad said. “They are targeting the resistance’s strategy of deterrence and Syria’s support for the resistance in fighting the enemy.”
Raad also thanked the Syrian people for their support during the July 2006 war.
“If it weren’t for Syria and its strategic vision, Lebanon would not have survived,” he added.
For his part, Hilweh said that the recent events in Syria were a foreign conspiracy against the Syrian people’s unity and will to survive. “We ask the Arab League and major powers why they … are planting seeds of resentment and hatred among the Syrian people,” Hilweh said.
At the end of the meeting, members of the convoy presented gifts to Raad and for resistance fighters, and Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah.


If and when Mikati resigns
Hanin Ghaddar, November 28, 2011
Now Lebanon/PM Najib Mikati may resign on Wednesday, something that would send Lebanon into a political tailspin.
In a couple of days, Lebanon might enter a political void, one that could be very dangerous for the country and its fragile stability. On Wednesday, the cabinet is supposed to meet and make a decision regarding Lebanon's annual share of funding for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL). PM Najib Mikati hinted last week that he would resign if his government failed to provide its share of the money, stressing that he would not accept the cabinet renouncing Lebanon's international commitments. If he resigned, it wouldn’t be bad news for Hezbollah and co. However, it would certainly horrible news for the Lebanese.
Mikati is by no means the best prime minister Lebanon has ever had. It is known that he got his position with the help of Hezbollah's “black shirts,” the young men who stormed the streets of Beirut in a show of intimidation only one day before the parliamentary blocs had to choose their candidate for PM. It is also known that he was Hezbollah's one and only choice.
But things have changed drastically since then. The Syrian uprising began, and Lebanon is once more under international and regional scrutiny. So far, the state and its institutions have been extremely supportive of the Syrian regime, protecting it on every level, but Mikati is finding it more and more difficult to keep up with the developments. Losing on the political level is one thing, but losing on the popular and Sunni levels is another.
When he hinted at his resignation, the Future Movement was in the process of preparing a huge rally, which took place on Sunday in the Sunni city of Tripoli. Also, the Arab League was giving its last ultimatum to the Syrian regime before imposing sanctions. That same week, the residents of Arsal in the Bekaa stopped the Lebanese army from capturing Syrian opposition activists who had taken shelter in the area and burned two jeeps belonging to the army.
All this presented itself to Mikati as one big ball of trouble. His political opponent, Future Movement leader and former PM Saad Hariri, made a huge comeback with the rally and used strong rhetoric, even though his strategy is not yet clear, if there is one. In addition, the Arab sanctions against Syria will put Lebanon in the spotlight. If Lebanon refuses to apply these sanctions, Mikati’s government will be in trouble with the Arab and international communities. Conversely, if Lebanon does apply the sanctions, the trouble will come from Syria.
In any case, Lebanon will, as always, be the battleground in the political war between the Syrian regime and the Arabs behind the sanctions.
Now, the Arsal incident, although still localized, has the potential to become part of a serious pattern of civilians fighting the army. With a pro-Syrian government devoting its resources to searching for and capturing Syrian activists, and with more and more Syrian refugees fleeing to Lebanon, more Lebanese will stand up to protect them.
Things are looking more complicated for Mikati than ever. Remaining the head of a government that is gearing up to fight the international community, the Arab states and the people is very bad for Mikati, who is already not doing well as a Sunni leader. Resignation does not sound like such a bad idea after all.
If he did resign, the possibility of March 14 forming a government is almost nil, and it is unlikely that Hezbollah could form another. This might leave Lebanon with a caretaker government, without a prime minister at the helm. Each minister would be the sole master of his or her ministry, and decisions would be taken without having to refer to the cabinet or wait for the approval of the PM.
This is a convenient scenario for Hezbollah and the pro-Syrian camp in Lebanon. But it would create bitter feelings between Lebanon and the international community, which is now paying closer attention to Beirut and its behavior. Also, it would incite more tension between Hezbollah and its allies on the one hand, and the Sunni community in Lebanon on the other.
To escape this unneeded trouble, a technocrat government might be a solution, but again, it is very hard to define a technocrat in Lebanon, and when Hezbollah has the upper hand, the nature of any government is invalid.
Time will only tell, but it seems that this week's developments will put Lebanon at a very dangerous crossroads, and until the Syrian revolution unfolds, this country will be in the crossfire.
**Hanin Ghaddar is the managing editor of NOW Lebanon