LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِOctober
20/2011
Bible Quotation for today/The
Official's Daughter and the Woman Who Touched Jesus' Cloak
Matthew 09/18-26: " While Jesus was saying this, a Jewish official came to him,
knelt down before him, and said, My daughter has just died; but come and place
your hands on her, and she will live. So Jesus
got up and followed him, and his disciples went along with him. A woman who had
suffered from severe bleeding for twelve years came up behind Jesus and touched
the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, If only I touch his cloak, I will
get well. Jesus turned around and saw her, and
said, Courage, my daughter! Your faith has made you well. At that very moment
the woman became well. Then Jesus went into the official's house. When he saw
the musicians for the funeral and the people all stirred up, he said, Get out,
everybody! The little girl is not dead—she is only sleeping! Then they all
started making fun of him. But as soon as the people had been put out, Jesus
went into the girl's room and took hold of her hand, and she got up. The news
about this spread all over that part of the country.
Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from
miscellaneous sources
Iran is repositioning, but/By Tariq
Alhomayed/October
19/11
Iran and Syria: Bazaar tactics/By
Ali Ibrahim/October
19/11
The Saudi Shiites and the
Al-Awamiyah riots/By Dr. Hamad Al-Majid/October
19/11
Interplay between God and Caesar in
the MENA region/By: Harry Hagopian/October 19/11
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for October
19/11
France: Syria Must Respect
Lebanon’s Sovereignty
CIA Accuses Lebanese Man of Funding
Hizbullah through Algerian Money Laundering Network
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea
calls on Mirza, Qortbawi to address abduction of Syrians
Deputy Speaker Farid Makari slams
cabinet for not addressing Syrian “violations”
March 14: We Will Consider Govt. as
‘Collapsed’ Should it Reject Funding STL
National Bloc calls for
withdrawing, replacing Syrian envoy
Future bloc MP Jean Ogassapian:
Mikati part of plan to cancel STL
Unmarked Lebanese-Syrian Border
Paves Way for Incursions into Lebanon
Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour says
his stances on Syria reflect the government’s
Connelly Says Lebanon Should Steer
Clear of Events in Syria to Keep Stability
Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros
al-Rai calls on Lebanese political parties to change their names
Syrian state media lashes out at
Arab League
10 Killed in Homs as Syria Death
Toll Rises
First 200 French Soldiers Leave
Afghanistan
Jordan PM-Designate in Talks with
Opposition
Sarkozy for Tighter Iran Sanctions
after Alleged Assassination Plot
Al-Aysami’s Daughter Pleads with
Syria’s Allies to Unveil her Father’s Fate
Mustaqbal Slams Govt. 'Silence on
Syrian Dissidents Kidnap'
Syrian forces in “fierce” crackdown
around capital, rights group says
Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon:
Lebanese Officials Must Reconsider Accusations against us by Resorting to
Constitution
Cabinet Discusses Budget, Bassil
Denies Jumblat’s Remarks on Electricity Plan
Aoun Accuses Miqati of Exposing
Lebanon to Dangers
Aoun, Bassil Discuss 'Economic,
Social Issues' with Karami
PM Mikati sees big
Lebanese role in Mideast growth
Rifi releases report into Syrian Embassy role in
kidnappings
ISF report links Syrian Embassy to abductions
Turkey makes contact with Syrian opposition
Turkish foreign minister meets Syrian opposition:
official
Diplomats concerned by armed groups in Bekaa
Aridi defends ISF’s Information Branch in face of
Aoun’s attacks
Aoun warns of extremist Islamist rule in Syria if
Assad regime falls
Syrian troops kill 1, conflicting reports on
location of incident
Clinton in Tripoli urges Libya’s unsteady new
rulers to unite
MP, Khlid Daher urges Lebanon to recognize Syrian
National Council
Connelly ‘Appreciates’ Transparent
Energy Sector Regulations
Suleiman: Prisoner Swap Must Be
Lesson for Israel that War is Useless
Shalit Freed as Hundreds of
Palestinian Prisoners Return Home
Turkey Claims 'Very Significant'
Role in Shalit Release
Joy, Tears as Palestinians Greet
Freed Prisoners
US objected to Israel's release of
some Palestinians as posing a threat
Maronite
Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai calls on Lebanese political parties to change
their names
October 19, 2011/Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai voiced hope on
Wednesday that Lebanese parties change their names, and “begin political work
all over again,” LBC television reported.Rai, who is currently in the US on a
pastoral visit, met with Lebanese Forces and Kataeb Party delegations in
Massachusetts, the report stated, adding that the delegations said that Rai
“works to unite all Lebanese people, not only Christians.”-NOW Lebanon
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea calls on Mirza,
Qortbawi to address abduction of Syrians
October 19, 2011 /Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Wednesday called on
Attorney General Judge Said Mirza and Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi to follow
up with the “kidnapping of Syrian nationals in Lebanon case, in order to reveal
the truth,” according to a statement issued by the LF. Last week, Al-Jumhuriya
newspaper reported that Internal Security Forces Director General Achraf Rifi
told the parliamentary committee for human rights that “members of the Lebanese
security forces assigned to protect the Syrian embassy in Lebanon abducted four
Syrians, [whose family name is Jassem], using embassy vehicles.” However, Syrian
ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul Karim Ali denied the report, and said that he
was “puzzled by these unfounded claims that have been attributed to the police
chief.” Commenting on Syrian incursions in Lebanese territory, the LF leader
held Foreign Minister Adanan Mansour and the relevant officials responsible for
not dealing seriously with an issue linked to Lebanon’s sovereignty.He also
voiced the importance of coordination between the Lebanese and Syrian armies.On
October 4, Syrian army tanks crossed the Lebanese border near the town of Aarsal
and fired several gunshots within Lebanese territory. On October 6, Syrian
troops shot and killed a farmer near Aarsal. Asked about the cabinet’s decision
on wages, Geagea suggested to institute a committee “whose task would be drawing
up a plan and embracing a vision, as soon as possible, to [address] the economic
status quo and find the suitable solutions for it.” Last week, the cabinet
decided to raise the minimum wage from 500,000 LL of 700,000 LL, add an amount
of 200,000 LL to wages up to 1 million LL and 300,000 LL to wages ranging from 1
million to 1.8 million LL.
NOW Lebanon
Deputy Speaker Farid Makari slams cabinet for not addressing Syrian “violations”
October 19, 2011 /Deputy Speaker Farid Makari said on Wednesday that it is
“unacceptable that the Lebanese cabinet distances itself from the matter of
Syrian violations of Lebanese borders.”Makari said in a statement that Syrian
“violations” of Lebanese borders are related to Lebanon’s sovereignty and
people’s dignity, adding that it is unacceptable for the Lebanese cabinet to
ignore such matters. He also said that such “violations” may take a turn for the
worst if the Lebanese cabinet does not address them. “To be silent amid
[violations] of Lebanese territory and security… is tantamount to being
accomplice with the violators.” Makari also called on the relevant authorities
to announce a “clear position” in which the Lebanese government “officially
voices its [complaint], or at least concern regarding these violations.” On
October 4, Syrian army tanks crossed the Lebanese border near the town of Aarsal
and fired several gunshots on Lebanese territory. On October 6, Syrian troops
shot and killed a farmer near Aarsal.
National Bloc calls for withdrawing, replacing
Syrian envoy
October 19, 2011 /The National Bloc on Wednesday called on the cabinet to
“officially request” Syria withdraw or replace its envoy because Syrian
Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdel Karim Ali’s actions “violate diplomatic and
international norms.”Following its weekly meeting, the bloc also addressed “the
big scandal which was demonstrated” by Internal Security Forces Director General
Achraf Rifi regarding the abduction of Syrian nationals in Lebanon, according to
a statement issued by the bloc’s press office.Last week, Al-Jumhuriya newspaper
reported that Rifi told the parliamentary committee for human rights that
“members of the Lebanese security forces assigned to protect the Syrian embassy
in Lebanon kidnapped four Syrians, [whose family name is Jassem], using embassy
vehicles.”The Syrian envoy denied the report, and said that he “is puzzled by
these unfounded claims that have been attributed to the police chief.”The
National Bloc also asked what the position of Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi
is, and asked “What will he do about this case [of kidnapping Syrians in
Lebanon]?”-NOW Lebanon
Connelly Says Lebanon Should Steer Clear of Events
in Syria to Keep Stability
Naharnet /U.S. Ambassador Maura Connelly has said Lebanon should be kept away
from the “negative repercussions” of the situation in Syria stressing on the
importance of Lebanese stability. In remarks to al-Balad daily on Wednesday,
Connelly said the U.S. agenda on Lebanon hasn’t changed. It calls for a stable,
independent and sovereign Lebanon.
But the deterioration in the situation in Syria and the regime’s crackdown on
protestors has led the U.S. to stress the importance of stability in Lebanon,
she said. Connelly told al-Balad that the U.S. supports institutional building
in Lebanon at the level of the state and civil society. Asked about U.S.
military assistance to Lebanon, the ambassador said she was waiting to see the
results of Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji’s visit to Washington. Qahwaji ended his
visit to the U.S. on Tuesday. An Nahar daily said that he explained to U.S.
officials about the needs of the Lebanese army. The officials appreciated the
role of the Lebanese army leadership in consolidating the military, the
newspaper said. It added that “they held onto their country’s decision to
develop the program of special assistance to the Lebanese army.”
CIA Accuses Lebanese Man of Funding Hizbullah through Algerian Money Laundering
Network
Naharnet /A court in the Algerian capital Algiers is expected to look into the
case of an Algerian money laundering network that includes a Lebanese investor
accused by U.S. intelligence of funding Hizbullah, reported Algeria’s al-Khabar
newspaper. It said that 31 suspects face “heavy” charges related to money
laundering, including the Lebanese national. The case started when American
security apparatuses began questioning the wealth of the Lebanese man accused of
funding Hizbullah, stated the newspaper.They found out that large funds were
being transferred to his bank account in Lebanon in a manner that violates
banking law, it added. Investigations discovered that the investor sought to
open three companies aimed at importing iron waste in Lebanon, Turkey, and
Algeria, it continued. He also sought to establish good ties with customs agents
in Algerian and Tunisian ports. The agents are accused of receiving bribes in
exchange for facilitating customs procedures of suspicious operations related to
the import of iron and non-iron waste, reported al-Khabar.
March 14: We Will Consider Govt. as ‘Collapsed’
Should it Reject Funding STL
Naharnet /The March 14 General Secretariat slammed on Wednesday Hizbullah’s
recent positions, accusing it of acting as the sole authority on state decisions
and the constitution due to its positions on the funding of the Special Tribunal
for Lebanon. It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “We will consider
the government as collapsed should it reject the funding of the tribunal.”
“Hizbullah has astounded us for years with its so-called ‘consensual democracy’
and now it is calling for a cabinet vote to prevent the funding,” it added.
“The party is boasting of its power to gain votes and imposing its will on its
allies,” it noted. “Hizbullah’s actions are the crowning achievement of the
armed coup that it staged earlier this year … and the March 14 forces are
determined to continue their struggle against the illegitimate arms that are
harming Lebanese-Lebanese ties and Lebanon’s relations with the Arab and
international powers,” stressed the statement. Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh
Naim Qassem had stated on Sunday that cabinet may turn to a vote at cabinet to
settle issues of contention.
Addressing Syria’s infiltration of Lebanese territory, the general secretariat
condemned Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdul Karim Ali and the Syrian Embassy’s
crackdown against protests in support of the Syrian people. It lauded Internal
Security Forces chief Ashraf Rifi’s efforts to reveal the truth in the affair,
voicing its support to him in this regard. The March 14-led opposition and Rifi
have accused the Syrian Embassy of being behind the disappearance of Syrian
opposition members who had gone missing in Lebanon. Last week, Rifi said that
the ISF collected "dangerous information" linking the embassy to the
disappearance of Shebli al- Aisamy. Aisamy, 86, is a co-founder of Syria's
ruling Baath party who fled his native country in 1966 over political
differences. He was last seen in May in the eastern Lebanese region of Aley.
Syrian Ambassador Ali has denied the accusations, accusing the MPs and some
Lebanese officials of seeking to undermine his country.
France: Syria Must Respect Lebanon’s Sovereignty
Naharnet /France condemned on Wednesday the Syrian army’s repeated incursions
into Lebanese territory. The French Foreign Ministry said in a statement that
Syria should respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence.It noted that the
incursions have resulted in the death of one person in Lebanese territory. On
Tuesday, conflicting reports said that Syrian troops had infiltrated al-Qaa in
the Bekaa region, killing two Syrian army defectors. The development came after
Syrian troops entered the town of Arsal in the Bekaa where it killed a Syrian
farmer and attacked a family residing in the area. About a month ago, Syrian
troops infiltrated northern Lebanon where it accidentally fired at the Lebanese
army. The French Foreign Ministry called on the Lebanese authorities to exert
efforts to protect every individual who escapes the crackdown against
anti-regime demonstrations in Syria. Since March, Syria has witnessed protests
against the rule of President Bashar Assad, with the regime retaliating with a
bloody crackdown. The United Nations estimates that some 3,000 people have been
killed in the crackdown. *Source Naharnet
Unmarked Lebanese-Syrian Border Paves Way for Incursions into Lebanon
Naharnet /A unit from the Syrian army made a new incursion in Lebanese
territories in in the area of Dawrat al-Ghazal and al-Qaa in the northern Bekaa
valley, killing a Syrian man and arresting his brother, media reports said
Wednesday. The incursion took place on Tuesday as the Syrian military was
chasing a group of men who escaped on motorcycles to the Lebanese side of the
town of al-Douwar, they said. The reports said that the unit entered 1.5
kilometers deep inside Lebanese territories, killing Ahmed Adel Abu Jabal and
arresting his brother Ammar.But an Internal Security Forces source told Agence
France Presse that the two brothers were killed and others were arrested. A
Lebanese army spokesman also stressed that the operation took place inside
Syrian territories.An Nahar quoted security sources as saying Wednesday that
clashes erupted in the Syrian side of the town, forcing the residents to
transport eight bodies to the Lebanese part.Despite the alleged incursion into
Lebanese territories, a Lebanese security source told al-Liwaa newspaper that
the Syrian authorities have been given instructions not to cross the Lebanese
border or approach it. The source blamed the unmarked border for the “unintended
incursions.”
The security situation in Lebanon is stable and there is no local or foreign
decision to destabilize the country, he said.There were also unconfirmed reports
on Wednesday that two Syrian defected officers and 6 other soldiers were killed
in clashes that erupted on Lebanese territories in al-Qaa.Syrian troops have
made several incursions into the town of Arsal since the beginning of
October.The incidents took place as An Nahar said that Syria will send a
document to Lebanon detailing the alleged smuggling of arms. A high-ranking
security source also told al-Liwaa that Damascus knows the identity of those
smuggling the weapons to its territories.
Hizbullah in Moscow to Discuss Latest Developments
Naharnet /A delegation from Hizbullah arrived in Moscow on Wednesday in the
first official visit to the Russian capital, As Safir newspaper reported. The
delegation will discuss with Russian officials the bilateral relations, issues
of common interest and the developing situation in the region, mainly in
Lebanon. The daily remarked that the visit is of a parliamentary nature, as the
Russian parliament is the side that invited Hizbullah’s delegation. Head of the
Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammad Raad headed the delegation that
included MP Hassan Fadlallah and MP Nawwar al-Sahili. The newspaper reported
that the delegation will reiterate the resistances’ role in protecting Lebanon,
and the continuous efforts by the west to hit the resistance forces and to
control decision-making in the region, in an attempt to control its natural
resources and abilities.
Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour says his stances on
Syria reflect the government’s
October 18, 2011 /Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour said on Tuesday that “the
stance that he took at the Arab League was Lebanon’s official stance.”“If some
people are [upset by this position], it is their problem,” Mansour told NBN
television, in reference to the criticisms of March 14 figures. Mansour also
said that “the Arab foreign ministers’ meeting did not bring up the issue of
suspending Syria’s membership in the Arab League.”He also said that “the
fifteen-day deadline given to the Syrian authorities to hold dialogue with the
opposition is not enough,” in reference to the meetings call for a national
dialogue to be held between the Syrian regime and the opposition’s National
Council.“Syria voiced its reservation over the location of the Arab foreign
ministers’ meeting [in Cairo], and not over the statement that was issued
following it.” Arab foreign ministers on Sunday opened an emergency meeting in
Cairo on the crisis in Syria, where the UN says more than 3,000 people have been
killed in a crackdown on anti-government protests. Mansour also said that “a
Lebanese delegation will head to Cyprus to demarcate a [common] economic
zone.”In July, Israel's cabinet approved a map of the Jewish State's proposed
maritime borders with Lebanon, which is to be submitted to the United Nations.
Following Israel’s approval of the map, Energy Minister Gebran Bassil countered
that Lebanon will not give up its maritime rights. Lebanon and Israel differ on
their interpretation of the maritime border and the rights to the petroleum
fields located near the border. The Lebanese Parliament in August 2010 passed an
oil exploration bill, which calls for the establishment of a treasury and a
committee to oversee exploration and drilling off the coast of Lebanon.-NOW
Lebanon
Future bloc MP Jean Ogassapian: Mikati part of plan
to cancel STL
October 19, 2011 /Future bloc MP Jean Ogassapian said on Wednesday that “Prime
Minister Najib Mikati is part of the plan aiming at dropping the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon [STL]” probing the 2005 assassination of former Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri. “There is a distribution of roles between Mikati and
[Change and Reform bloc leader MP] Michel Aoun who is assigned by Hezbollah to
harm the image of the STL and disengage Lebanon from it,” Ogassapian told the
Voice of Lebanon (93.3) radio. He also said that “if Mikati is serious on the
issue of the STL funding, he should add it on the cabinet meeting’s schedule as
a treasury loan.”The Hezbollah-led March 8 parties – which currently dominate
Lebanon’s cabinet – have opposed a clause in the Lebanese annual state budget
pertaining to the funding of the UN-backed court, while Prime Minister Najib
Mikati has repeatedly voiced Lebanon’s commitment to the tribunal. Four
Hezbollah members have been indicted by the STL in the 2005 assassination of
former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. However, the Shia group strongly denied the
charges and refuses to cooperate with the court.-NOW Lebanon
Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya condemns Syrian “violations” of
Lebanese borders
October 19, 2011 /A Future Movement delegation met with Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya
delegation in Beirut on Wednesday, the National News Agency reported, adding
that both delegations condemned “Syrian violations of Lebanese borders.”The
participants called on the government to address the issue, the report also
said, adding that they also congratulated the Palestinians following the release
of Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons.On October 4, Syrian army tanks
crossed the Lebanese border near the town of Aarsal and fired several gunshots
within Lebanese territory. On October 6, Syrian troops shot and killed a farmer
near Aarsal. Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit returned to Israel on Tuesday after
five years of Hamas captivity, sparking the release of 477 Palestinian prisoners
under a landmark swap deal.-NOW Lebanon
10 Killed in Homs as Syria Death Toll Rises
Naharnet /Syria's official media lashed out at the Arab League on Wednesday,
accusing it of serving U.S. and Israeli interests as the regime continued its
brutal crackdown on a seven-month popular protest, with 10 civilians reported
killed. Two teenage girls and a woman were among those killed Tuesday in
separate violence in the central flashpoint province of Homs and in and around
the village of Qusayr bordering Lebanon, a watchdog group said. The
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said four of the victims were
killed by gunfire of the pro-government "shabiha" militiamen in the Homs
district. Two others were killed in clashes between the army and gunmen
suspected to be army deserters in a village near Qusayr, including a woman who
was hit by a stray bullet, the watchdog reported. The teenage girls were killed
when troops engaged in clashes with suspected defectors near Qusayr, when their
home was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade that also wounded four family
members.
A young man died when security forces opened fire as they carried out raids in
the town, and several were wounded, said the Observatory, adding that the
victim's brother was arrested.
Three other people were killed in separate violence, it said as the army and
security forces pressed on with a crackdown on anti-regime opponents and hunted
suspected army defectors.
Syrian forces raked homes with heavy machine-guns as they raided neighborhoods
searching for suspects wanted by the authorities, the Observer said.
The Observatory also reported that a civilian, who had been wounded on Tuesday
on the outskirts of the capital Damascus, died early Wednesday.
Activists had said security forces on Tuesday shot dead four people in Qusayr
and in the southern province of Daraa, cradle of the anti-regime protests that
erupted in mid-March.
The United Nations estimates more than 3,000 people, including 187 children,
have been killed in a fierce crackdown on dissent in Syria.
Arab League attempts to help defuse the deadly violence -- specifically a call
for a dialogue between the government and the opposition -- was met with harsh
criticism by the official Al-Thawra newspaper."It is no longer surprising to see
the Arab League, which is supposed to be concerned with joint Arab action, turn
into an instrument of injustice aimed at destabilizing Syria," the newspaper
said. The daily said the 22-member Arab League was "hostage to powers following
the agenda of aggressors like the United States, Israel and their European
allies."
"Following years of inaction, the Arab League has now become a tool of
destabilization, and is acting against Arab interests," said the newspaper.
At an urgent session in Cairo on October 16, the Arab League called for
"national dialogue" in the Egyptian capital between Syria's government and the
opposition by the end of the month to help end the violence and avoid "foreign
intervention" in Syria.Syria's representative to the Arab League, Youssef Ahmed,
slammed what he said was a "conspiracy" against Assad's regime. Protests against
the Assad-controlled Baath Party, which has ruled Syria unchallenged for close
to 50 years, have shown no signs of dying down despite a rising death toll.
On Wednesday Syrian state television aired a broadcast of what it said was a
pro-Assad rally in the second city of Aleppo, Syria's economic hub, claiming it
was attended by a million supporters of the embattled Assad.
Syrian state media lashes out at Arab League
October 19, 2011 /An official Syrian daily lashed out at the Arab League
Wednesday, accusing it of serving the interests of the United States and Israel
after the organization urged Damascus to open up to dialogue."It is no longer
surprising to see the Arab League, which is supposed to be concerned with joint
Arab action, turn into an instrument of injustice aimed at destabilizing Syria,"
said the daily Ath-Thawra.The daily said the 22-member Arab League was "hostage
to powers following the agenda of aggressors like the United States, Israel and
their European allies."At an urgent session in Cairo on October 16, the Arab
League called for "national dialogue" between Syria's government and the
opposition in the Egyptian capital by the end of the month.Syria's
representative to the Arab League Youssef Ahmad slammed what he said was a
"conspiracy" against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at the Cairo
meeting on Sunday.Protests against the Assad-controlled Baath Party, which has
ruled Syria unchallenged for close to 50 years, erupted in mid-March and have
shown no signs of dying down despite a rising death toll.The United Nations on
Friday said more than 3,000 people, including 187 children, have been killed in
a fierce crackdown on the dissent.
-AFP/NOW Lebanon
Mustaqbal Slams Govt. 'Silence on Syrian Dissidents Kidnap'
Naharnet /The Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday strongly condemned what it
called “the Lebanese government’s deafening silence” over the alleged “abduction
of the two Syrian dissidents belonging to the al-Jassem family and similar cases
related to other Syrian citizens who were abducted in Lebanon, including Mr.
Shebli al-Aysami.”
In a statement issued after its weekly meeting, the bloc also slammed the
“suspicious idleness and flagrant indifference of some judicial authorities
concerning this issue,” holding the government responsible for addressing the
disappearance cases. “The bloc, which is keen on reaching solid and positive
ties between Lebanon and sisterly Syria that are based on mutual respect and
parity, condemns these rejected acts that are harmful to the aspired relations
between the two countries,” it said in the statement.
It deplored “the recurrent security violations of (Lebanon’s) northern and
eastern borders, the involvement of the Syrian embassy security staff in
abduction and assault operations against citizens and foreign residents, and the
irresponsible stances and remarks recently voiced by the Syrian ambassador to
Beirut.” Addressing the issue of the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon,
the bloc stressed that “the decision to finance the tribunal, which is included
in the (draft) state budget, … is not a technical issue, but rather a political
and national issue par excellence that is directly linked to … the principle of
justice and the protection of public freedoms.” “Those who side with the
financing of the tribunal will be siding with justice, truth and the protection
of freedoms in Lebanon. But those who side against the financing of the tribunal
will be choosing to side with the criminals and murderers,” the bloc said.
Cabinet Discusses Budget, Bassil Denies Jumblat’s Remarks on Electricity Plan
Naharnet /Energy Minister Jebran Bassil denied on Tuesday Progressive Socialist
Party leader MP Walid Jumblat’s recent remarks that proposals by certain Arab
states to fund the Energy Ministry’s electricity plan have been rejected. He
said during cabinet session: “These remarks are untrue.” Jumblat had asked
during his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa magazine on Monday:
“Where are those who lecture on a daily basis on reform and combating
corruption? Is it true that Arab funds proposed to fund the electricity plan and
it rejected it?”
Cabinet convened on Tuesday at the presidential palace in Baabda. Headed by
President Michel Suleiman, the session tackled the 2012 draft state budget that
was prepared by Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi. Briefing reporters after the
session, Information Minister Walid al-Daouq said “ministers will submit their
suggestions concerning the draft state budget within a week, and after the
submittal of all observations work groups will be set up in order to scrutinize
each issue separately.”Asked whether the issue of Syrian abductees was raised
during the session, Daouq said: “The draft budget was the only item on the
cabinet’s agenda and according to my information the relevant judicial
authorities are addressing the issue.”
Lebanese Cabinet Discusses Budget, Bassil Denies Jumblat’s Remarks on
Electricity Plan
Naharnet /Energy Minister Jebran Bassil denied on Tuesday Progressive Socialist
Party leader MP Walid Jumblat’s recent remarks that proposals by certain Arab
states to fund the Energy Ministry’s electricity plan have been rejected. He
said during cabinet session: “These remarks are untrue.” Jumblat had asked
during his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa magazine on Monday:
“Where are those who lecture on a daily basis on reform and combating
corruption? Is it true that Arab funds proposed to fund the electricity plan and
it rejected it?”
Cabinet convened on Tuesday at the presidential palace in Baabda. Headed by
President Michel Suleiman, the session tackled the 2012 draft state budget that
was prepared by Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi. Briefing reporters after the
session, Information Minister Walid al-Daouq said “ministers will submit their
suggestions concerning the draft state budget within a week, and after the
submittal of all observations work groups will be set up in order to scrutinize
each issue separately.” Asked whether the issue of Syrian abductees was raised
during the session, Daouq said: “The draft budget was the only item on the
cabinet’s agenda and according to my information the relevant judicial
authorities are addressing the issue.”
Al-Aysami’s Daughter Pleads with Syria’s Allies to Unveil
her Father’s Fate
Naharnet/The daughter of a Syrian opposition member who was allegedly kidnapped
in the eastern Lebanese region of Aley pleaded with Syria’s allies in Lebanon to
mediate for the release of her father. Shebli al-Aysami, 86, a co-founder of
Syria's ruling Baath party, who fled his native country in 1966 over political
differences, was last seen in May in Aley. His daughter Rajaa Sharafeddine told
pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in remarks published Tuesday that all Lebanese
politicians sympathized with her family.“But sympathy isn’t enough. We urge
above all Lebanon’s allies in Lebanon to mediate and take serious stances from
this case,” she said. Sharafeddine stressed that her father should have been
honored rather than being arrested. Her comments came after An Nahar daily
published an investigation report in which Internal Security Forces chief Maj.
Gen. Ashraf Rifi says the kidnapping of four Syrian opposition members from the
Jassem family and the disappearance of al-Aysami were connected. While the
report detailed the abduction of the Jassem brothers, Rifi said the probe into
the 86-year-old’s disappearance is not yet complete. However, Rifi has stressed
that the head of the Syrian embassy guard unit, First Lt. Salah Hajj, was the
ringleader of a four-member group that abducted the Jassem brothers. Rifi’s
announcement is a clear indication of the Syrian regime’s involvement in her
father’s disappearance, Sharafeddine told Asharq al-Awsat, although she stressed
that she know prior hand that al-Aisamy is in Syria. “We were informed a month
ago that his health is deteriorating but he is still alive,” she said.
Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi’s Report Offers Insight
into Kidnapping of Jassem Brothers by Salah Hajj
Naharnet /Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi’s investigation
report on the kidnapping of Syrian opposition members reveals that the head of
the Syrian embassy guard unit, First Lt. Salah Hajj, was the ringleader of the
group that abducted the Jassem brothers. An Nahar daily published on Tuesday the
full report, which is based on witness testimony and telecommunications data.
Rifi said the son of former ISF chief Maj. Gen. Ali Hajj and four other men
kidnapped the Jassem brothers from outside the Baabda Serail on Feb. 24 at 11:00
pm. They were driving two vehicles carrying ISF license plates put at the
disposal of the Syrian embassy. On that day, Jassem al-Jassem was set free after
being held for distributing flyers. His brothers Ali and Shabib came to pick him
up from the Serail and were not seen again. The fourth brother, Ahmed al-Jassem,
has also disappeared, the report said.
It also unveiled detailed information about the movements of the vehicles and
mobile phone calls that Salah Hajj made with a member of the Popular Front for
the Liberation of Palestine-General Command ahead of handing him over the
brothers in Yanta on the Lebanese-Syrian border. According to the report, Hajj’s
vehicle was seen in the area of Baabda immediately before and after the
kidnapping. It was later seen heading towards Dahr al-Baidar and then to Yanta
at around 1:47 am on Feb. 25.
The vehicle later returned to the area of Bar Elias and then to Mar Mikhael near
Beirut. The telecom data also unveils that al-Hajj made several phone calls with
PFLP-GC militant Bater Rateb al-Nemr, who goes by the nom de guerre of Abou Nemr.
Another PFLP-GC militant had also contacted al-Hajj from a Syrian number during
the kidnapping process. Rifi concludes that Abu Rateb was coordinating between
al-Hajj and the owner of the Syrian number until he delivered them to a PFLP-GC
fighter on the Lebanese-Syrian border. The report was published after Rifi told
the parliamentary human rights committee last week that the ISF had "dangerous
information" linking the Syrian embassy to the disappearance of Syrian
opposition member Shebli al-Aisamy in Aley in May. But Syrian Ambassador Ali
Abdul Karim Ali denied any involvement and challenged Rifi to provide evidence.
Although the ISF chief wrote a detailed report on the kidnapping of the Jassem
brothers, he stressed that despite the similarity of the two cases, the
investigation into al-Aisamy’s abduction was not over yet. Rifi has also
separated the two kidnappings from the investigation into the case of Joseph
Sader, an official at Middle East Airline's IT department, who was seized in
Feb. 2009 near Rafik Hariri international airport by unidentified assailants.
The release of the investigation report is a blow to the military judiciary and
the interior ministry, which according to An Nahar, haven’t taken any action to
resolve the issue and unveil the fate of the abductees almost eight months after
Rifi referred the information to them. The newspaper also said that a
disciplinary action was taken against Hajj for a 30-day period after he claimed
during the questioning that he was in the area of Baabda in a mission linked to
the Syrian ambassador when the kidnapping took place.
Syrian forces in “fierce” crackdown around capital, rights group says
October 18, 2011 /Now Lebanon
Syrian troops on Tuesday mounted the fiercest raids in the Damascus region of
their seven-month crackdown on dissent, a human rights group said. A sniper
killed a military intelligence officer in Edleb province close to the Turkish
border as armed resistance to the security forces spread, while search
operations in the flashpoint central province of Homs wounded 15 people, the
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. Around the capital, "several towns
were targeted by the fiercest security operations since the start of the
revolution" in mid-March, the Britain-based watchdog said in a statement
received in Nicosia. "The army and the security services have imposed a complete
blockade and snipers are posted on tower blocks," it added. "Residents are being
prevented from getting to their places of work or study and dozens of young
people were arrested." Troops also detained 25 people in the city of Daraa,
south of Damascus, where the unprecedented protests against President Bashar
al-Assad's 11-year rule began, and 15 in the town of Saraqeb in Edleb province,
the watchdog added. In Homs province, troops wounded five people in the town of
Qusayr close to the Lebanese border and another nine in villages during search
operations for army deserters, the Observatory said. "Convoys of armored cars
criss-crossed the streets of Qusayr, firing on anything that moved and
particularly at motorcycles."
On Monday, the Observatory said troops killed 27 people, most of them civilians
but some of them police, in Homs city. UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said at
the weekend that more than 3,000 people, including 187 children, have been
killed in the regime's crackdown. She warned that Syria risked "a full-blown
civil war." -AFP/NOW Lebanon
Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul Karim Ali : Lebanese
Officials Must Reconsider Accusations against us by Resorting to Constitution
Naharnet /Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul Karim Ali questioned on Tuesday
criticism by some Lebanese officials that have accused his embassy of being
behind the disappearance of Syrian opposition members in Lebanon. He said after
holding talks with former Prime Minister Salim Hoss: “I don’t want to dwell on
the details of this dispute, but I will renew my call for some sides to
reconsider their positions based on the Lebanese constitution and cooperation
agreements between Lebanon and Syria.”“I wonder at the fact that this call would
be interpreted as meddling in Lebanese internal affairs,” added the ambassador.
“This in itself is a sufficient response to the criticism,” Ali stated.
“We are keen on establishing the best fraternal ties with Lebanon … and
cooperation between Lebanon and Syria will positively reflect on the interests
and security of the two countries, especially against Israel and the
confrontation that is being prepared for them,” he stressed. On Friday, Ali
denied reports that his embassy was behind the disappearance of Syrian
opposition members who had gone missing in Lebanon, calling such accusations
"unfounded." "I am puzzled by these unfounded claims that have been attributed
to the police chief," the ambassador said. He accused some Lebanese officials
and MPs of seeking to undermine his country, where the regime of President
Bashar Assad is in the throes of a brutal crackdown aimed at crushing an
eight-month-long revolt. Ali was referring to Internal Security Forces chief
Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi who last week said that the ISF collected "dangerous
information" linking the Syrian Embassy to the disappearance of Shebli al-
Aisamy. Aisamy, 86, is a co-founder of Syria's ruling Baath party who fled his
native country in 1966 over political differences. He was last seen in May in
the eastern Lebanese region of Aley.
Sarkozy for Tighter Iran Sanctions after Alleged
Assassination Plot
Naharnet/ French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday voiced deep concern over a
U.S.-alleged Iranian plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to Washington and said
the West should harden sanctions against Tehran. "The Americans have given us
extremely precise information which shows the credibility of this information
and the drift of the Iranian leaders is extremely worrying," he said in an
interview to Agence France Presse and French radio stations RCJ and Radio J. The
West must react "by hardening sanctions", he said, adding that Iran's stand on
its controversial nuclear program and its relations with Arab neighbors were
also extremely preoccupying. Iran has fiercely denied any involvement in the
thwarted plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington which U.S.
authorities revealed on October 11. U.S. President Barack Obama has vowed Iran
will "pay a price" for what he says is incontrovertible proof it had a hand in
trying to contract a Mexican drug cartel to carry out the hit. The U.S. Justice
Department and FBI say the alleged plot leads back to officials inside the Quds
Force, a special operations outfit within Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards.
Quds Force personnel are said to have transferred nearly $100,000 to the bank
account used by a member of the Mexican drug cartel who was really a paid U.S.
informant. The money was allegedly a down payment for a $1.5-million-dollar hit
on the Saudi ambassador, Adel al-Jubeir, possibly through the bombing of a
Washington restaurant. Iranian-American dual national Mansour Arbabsiar is
currently being held in a U.S. jail pending trial. Sarkozy, when asked if Iran
was seeking a confrontation, said: "There are a certain number of elements which
make us think that."Source Agence France Presse
Aoun Accuses Miqati of Exposing Lebanon to Dangers
Naharnet /Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun slammed on Tuesday Prime
Minister Najib Miqati’s statements, saying that they are a concession of
Lebanon’s sovereignty.
He said after the Change and Reform bloc’s weekly meeting: “His statements
expose Lebanon to dangers and I proudly say that I will not agree to the funding
of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.” “We consider everything they impose on us
an attempt to intimidate us,” he stressed. Furthermore, the MP noted that a law
in the STL stipulates that foreign powers can fund the tribunal if Lebanon fails
to do so. In an indirect response to MP Walid Jumblat’s recent statements that
he will fund the tribunal, Aoun said: “We are not forcing anyone to remain on
our side.” A few weeks ago, Miqati had stated before the United Nations Security
Council that Lebanon will fund the STL, an issue which has created further in
division between the March 8 camp that opposes it and the March 14 camp that
advocates it.
Aoun, Bassil Discuss 'Economic, Social Issues' with Karami
Naharnet /Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Tuesday held talks
with former premier Omar Karami at the latter’s residence in Beirut, in the
presence of Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil and Sports and Youth
Minister Faisal Karami. A statement issued by the FPM’s press office after the
meeting said the conferees discussed “the economic and social issues, topped by
the issues of state budget and wage hike.” For his part, Aoun told reporters
after the talks that “communication is necessary in order to coordinate the
stances concerning the current situations.”
Connelly ‘Appreciates’ Transparent Energy Sector Regulations
Naharnet /U.S. Ambassador Maura Connelly lauded the Lebanese Energy Ministry for
making commitments to implement “strong” and “transparent” regulations in the
energy sector, the U.S. embassy said in a statement on Tuesday. Connelly’s
remarks came during a meeting with Energy Minister Jebran Bassil at his
ministry’s office in Karantine. “Connelly expressed appreciation for the
commitments that the Ministry has made to implement strong, transparent
regulations to develop the Lebanese energy sector,” the statement said.
She “raised the need for Lebanon to meet all of its international obligations,
including Lebanon’s obligation to fund the Special Tribunal for Lebanon,” it
added. Connelly also renewed the U.S. commitment to a sovereign and independent
Lebanon
Shalit Freed as Hundreds of Palestinian Prisoners Return
Home
Naharnet /Looking dazed, a thin and pale Gilad Shalit emerged from a pickup
truck Tuesday under the escort of his Hamas captors and the Egyptian mediators
who helped arrange the Israeli tank crewman's release after more than five years
in captivity. Freed in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, an
ashen-faced Shalit struggled to breathe in an interview with Egyptian TV minutes
after his release, saying that he had feared he would remain in captivity for
"many more years." He said he was "very excited" to be headed home and that he
missed his family and friends. A short while later, the 25-year-old soldier was
transferred to Israel, said Israeli army spokesman Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai,
who told a news conference: "Today, Gilad Shalit is with us."
In the first public sighting of Shalit since he was captured, he appeared thin
with dark circles around his eyes in the brief video clip and interview
broadcast on Egyptian TV. Wearing a black baseball cap and gray shirt, Shalit
was taken from a pickup truck and escorted by a contingent of Egyptian officials
and masked Hamas gunmen who had whisked him across the border.
The deal, the most lopsided prisoner swap in Israeli history, caps a
five-and-a-half-year saga that has seen multiple Israeli military offensives in
Gaza, an Israeli blockade on the territory and numerous rounds of failed
negotiations. The Palestinian prisoners, who included dozens of people who had
been serving life sentences for deadly attacks, were returning to heroes'
welcomes, while dozens of people prepared a joyous homecoming in Shalit's tiny
hometown in northern Israel. "Until we see him, we are following with concern
and anticipation," Shalit's father, Noam, told Israel Radio from an air base
inside Israel where his family was waiting to reunite with him.
The swap got under way early Tuesday as Hamas moved Shalit across Gaza's border
with Egypt, while Israel simultaneously began freeing the Palestinian prisoners.
At midmorning, Mahmoud Zahar, a Hamas leader in Gaza, said his group was no
longer holding the soldier. Hamas' Al-Aqsa TV reported that a high-level Hamas
delegation arrived on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza
to hand over Shalit and to greet the returning prisoners.
In an elaborate operation, Shalit was then taken across Egypt's border into
Israel and was being flown to the Tel Nof air base in central Israel to be
reunited with his family.
Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was at the air force base with
Shalit's family, telling them "Gilad will be returning to you shortly,"
according to a statement from his office.
Before dawn, convoys of white vans and trucks transported hundreds of
Palestinian prisoners to the locations in the West Bank and on the Israel-Egypt
border where they were to be freed.
More than 200,000 people gathered in Gaza City for a mass rally to celebrate the
return of prisoners freed. "More than 200,000 people have gathered now at
the Katiba (in Gaza City) to participate in the main festival welcoming the
prisoners," one of the Hamas officials involved in organizing the welcome rally
said.
Ismail Haniya, Gaza's Hamas prime minister was expected to address the rally as
well as Yehia Sinwar, a senior leader with Hamas's armed wing who was among
those released on Tuesday. In Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, thousands of
excited family members gathered to welcome the 296 newly-released prisoner’s
home, many of whom could be seen wearing green Hamas sashes and wiping tears
from their eyes. Similar scenes of jubilation were occurring across the West
Bank, with many thousands of people packing into the city of Ramallah to welcome
117 detainees home, cheering and waving flags as they got off four buses outside
the Muqataa presidential compound. Armed Hamas security guards were deployed on
rooftops overlooking the field. In the West Bank, located on the opposite side
of Israel, about 200 relatives of prisoners waited at a West Bank checkpoint as
the exchange unfolded. The exchange, negotiated through Egyptian mediators
because Israel and Hamas will not talk directly to each other, is going ahead
despite criticism and court appeals in Israel against the release of the
prisoners. Nearly 300 of them were serving lengthy sentences for involvement in
deadly attacks.
The exchange involves a delicate series of staged releases, each one triggering
the next. The Red Cross and Egyptian officials are involved in facilitating the
movement of prisoners.
In Gaza, Hamas militants deployed in force along the road leading into Egypt
where Shalit was taken. Shortly thereafter, hundreds of returning Palestinians
were slated to enter Gaza on the same road. When Tuesday's exchange is complete,
477 Palestinians held in Israeli jails, including 27 women, will have been
released, several of them after decades behind bars.
More than 200 prisoners, originally from the West Bank, will instead be sent to
the fenced-off Gaza Strip. And some 40 prisoners will be deported to Syria,
Qatar, Turkey and Jordan, Palestinian officials said. Another 550 prisoners are
slated to be released in two months.
Source Agence France PresseAssociated Press
Turkey Claims 'Very Significant' Role in Shalit Release
Naharnet /Turkey claims "very significant contributions" for the release of
Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, Anatolia news agency quoted deputy prime minister
Bulent Arinc as saying on Tuesday.
"In this exchange ... and in protecting the life of Shalit until today, Turkey
made very significant contributions," Arinc said without elaborating. Israel is
"aware" of Turkey's role, and acknowledged it "at the level of Presidency,"
Arinc told reporters during a visit to Skopje. "All our hope is silencing the
weapons, stopping the blood and (making) Palestine ... a more free, independent
and secure state within its own borders," he said. Israel began releasing 1,027
prisoners in two stages Tuesday in exchange for the handover of soldier Shalit,
who was snatched by Gaza militants in June 2006. Shalit has arrived back in
Israel, chief army spokesman Brigadier General Yoav Mordechai announced.
Once-flourishing Turkish-Israeli ties plunged into a deep crisis last year when
Israeli forces killed nine Turks in a raid on a Turkish ferry, part of an
activist flotilla carrying aid to Gaza.Source Agence France Presse
The STL’s resignation record
Aline Sara, October 18, 2011 /The UN Security Council Resolution 1664
established the Special Tribunal for Lebanon on March 29, 2006 as the result of
an agreement between the United Nations and the Lebanese Republic. The STL
officially opened two years later, on March 1, 2009, under UN Security Council
Resolution 1757 and Chapter VII of the UN Charter.
To date however, nine major STL staff members have resigned. Though onlookers
might be quick to attribute the string of resignations to politics, experts told
NOW Lebanon the departures were probably due to internal legal and managerial
issues. According to experts, departures such as the recent stepping down of STL
President Antonio Cassesse are not uncommon, as judges, prosecutors and other
staff members do not always share each other’s views. NOW Lebanon brings you an
overview of the tribunal’s nine most significant resignations to date
US objected to Israel's release of some Palestinians as
posing a threat
DEBKAfile Special Report October 18, 2011, Tuesday night, Oct. 18, when the
young Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was finally home with his family, the State
Department spokesman Mark Toner disclosed that the United States had voiced
concerns to Israel over some of the 477 Palestinians freed as part of a deal for
his release. "We have looked at some of these individuals and we've communicated
our position... to the Israeli government," he said, adding he could not "get
into the substance of our concerns too greatly."
He did not reveal how Israel had reacted to the American message or to what
threat he referred. Toner added he was not aware of any Palestinians not freed
because of US concerns and stressed that the Israeli government had "made a
sovereign decision."
Tuesday, Israel freed 477 Palestinian terrorists, including multiple murderers
serving several life sentences, to obtain the release of Gilad Shalit, held by
Hamas for five years and four months after he was kidnapped in a cross-border
raid from Gaza.
The White House response to the successful prisoner exchange with Hamas was also
cool, although several Western leaders sent messages of congratulations.
debkafile's Washington sources report that the Obama administration had made it
clear to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu ahead of the exchange that it
objected to the scale of the deal - 1,070 for the Israeli soldier - with Hamas
which is listed as a terrorist organization in the US.
Certain names of terrorists were marked as posing danger not only to Israel but
also to US interests in the Middle East, including the Israel-Palestinian peace
track - if they were set loose.
Although this was not said specifically, the White House viewed the prisoner
swap deal as a major setback for Mahmoud Abbas, chairman of the Palestinian
Authority, at a time when Washington is trying hard to bring him to the
negotiating table.
Indeed two US officials are due Wednesday, Oct. 19, in Jerusalem and Ramallah to
once again look into the prospects of restarting the talks.
Referring to the optimist view expressed widely in Western capitals that the
prisoner swap would enhance the chances of resuming peace talks, the State
Department spokesman said it was "difficult for us to say what this means."
A major US objection applied to the inclusion of terrorists who had murdered
Israelis of American nationality on the list of Palestinians to be freed. The
Netanyahu government would have been expected to at least consult with
Washington before going through with deal.
This was one of the rare occasions, debkafile's sources comment, in which the
Netanyahu government refrained from conferring with the United States on a
matter involving the war on terror. The White House spokesman Jay Carney
commented only: "We are pleased that Gilad Shalit is being reunited with his
family."
Israeli opinion on the deal is divided. A poll conducted by Maagar Mochot the
day before the prisoner swap took place showed 88% of the Israelis sampled
approving of the prime minister's decision to hand over 1,070 terrorists to
recover Gilad Shallit, while 63 percent considered the price to high. Asked if
the deal would lead to more abductions of Israelis by Palestinian terrorists, 82
percent though it would. Almost 69 percent approved of direct dialogue with
Hamas, while 70 percent favored the death sentence for exceptionally brutal
multiple murders. Interestingly, only 36 percent believed the deal had added to
Netanyahu's popularity while 57 percent thought his public position was
unchanged. More than half – 64 percent – thought that the media was unduly
influential in pushing the deal through.
Iran and Syria: Bazaar tactics
By Ali Ibrahim/Asharq Al-Awsat
There are a lot of similarities between Iran and Syria’s crisis management
strategies. Often the methods are comparable to the bazaar merchants in terms of
bartering, bargaining, and buying time in the hope of improving the terms of the
deal and securing the best price! In Iran, after a series of fiery statements in
response to the plot that the United States recently declared to have uncovered,
- the plot to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador in Washington – the Iranian
authorities have taken a small step backwards by declaring, in the words of the
Iranian Foreign Minister, that they are prepared to calmly consider the charges
lodged against them. In a letter to Washington, Iran requested that America
provide it with the relevant information, and facilitate a consular visit to the
accused Iranian who is currently being detained in connection to this plot.
This shift came after this unprecedented case was referred to the [UN] Security
Council, which may yet discuss the plot and issue resolutions. Remarkably, the
shift also came after the harsh comments issued by the Iranian Supreme Leader
Ali Khamenei and hard-line members of parliament, threatening doom and despair.
This shift may be part of a power struggle that has been raging since the
beginning of this year between Khamenei and President Ahmadinejad, over
influence and determining who the next president of Iran will be following the
2013 elections. However, it is certainly an attempt to buy time and ease tension
at the peak of this crisis, and then later resort to bazaar tactics through
bargaining and bartering in the hope of obtaining the best price to get out of
this impasse, which has forced the Iranian leaders into a corner and revealed to
the world that their foreign policy utilizes terrorist methods.
In Syria, a longstanding partner and regional ally of Tehran, the Iranian
leadership is alarmed at the possibility of the regime collapsing as a result of
the ongoing popular uprising there. Here we also find [Syrian] attempts to buy
time, in the hope that the protestors will grow tired of mobilizing their forces
every Friday, and taking to the streets in sporadic daily demonstrations
demanding freedom.
It was natural for Damascus to reject the decisions of the emergency meeting of
Arab foreign ministers in Cairo, which was held amidst the rhythmic chants of
protestors gathered outside, urging that Syria’s membership to the Arab League
be frozen.
The Syrian regime resorted to bazaar tactics by bargaining before the meeting,
issuing a presidential decree forming a committee tasked with drafting a new
constitution over the next four months, in order to give the impression that
Syria is moving forwards with the reforms that the world demands. Here it is
buying time in the hope of being able to suppress the uprising during these
months, and then changing the deal afterwards. Meanwhile, the Syrian regime is
showing its “sincere” commitment to reform by declaring the formation of a new
government – incorporating opposition and independent representatives – and led
by an independent figure, during the transitional period pending the preparation
of this constitution. In addition to this, the Syrian regime also said that it
would abolish Article VIII of the constitution, which stipulates the Baathist
party’s control of the state.
The Arab League route was obstructed from the beginning and may only be able to
record a moral stance [in support of] the Syrian people seeking freedom. The
Syrian regime wants to sit down with the tame, internal opposition, whilst the
wider Syrian opposition has gone beyond the stage of dialogue; after all it has
endured in terms of terrorism and murder. The demonstrators slogans have also
evolved from “the people want to overthrow the regime” to “the people want to
prosecute the regime”, and now methods to buy time will be of no avail. The
people have had enough; they have already granted the regime a lot of time, and
received nothing in return but bullets!
Iran is repositioning, but…
By Tariq Alhomayed
Asharq Al-Awsat
In the past few days we have witnessed several passive and empty Iranian
reactions from all levels, with regards to the official US disclosure of an
Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador to Washington, but there is one
Iranian statement that is worth careful reading.
In a speech broadcasted on Iranian television last Sunday, Iran’s Supreme Leader
said that his country might abolish the post of the directly elected president.
He added in his speech, delivered in the western province of Kermanshah, that
“the current political system of the country is presidential, and the president
is elected directly by the people. This is a good and effective system.”
However, Khamenei then clarified himself by saying “but if one day, possibly in
the distant future, it is felt that a parliamentary system is more suited for
electing those responsible for the executive branch, then there would be no
problems in making changes in the system”.
The question here is: What is the meaning of this statement, and what are its
implications? Some might say that the Supreme Leader’s statement is part of a
silent battle between Khamenei and President Ahmadinejad, and this is true. But
this statement also means that the Supreme Leader has initiated the
repositioning of Iran, albeit internally not externally. Iran would abolish the
direct election of the president in order to prevent the reformists attaining
the Iranian presidency, just as it currently prevents anyone from gaining power
who is not completely loyal to the Supreme Leader, through the votes of the
people.
This is the first positive effect of the international community playing a home
game with the Iranian regime, which I have previously talked about. What we
should notice here is that amidst Iran’s cheers for the so-called Arab Spring,
the Supreme Leader wants to restrict Iran’s president, and deprive the Iranian
people of reformist characters, especially after the events of the Green
Revolution. Of course, it is well known that Iran’s brand of democracy is fake,
and this is the opinion of the bulk of Iranians. Likewise, the Supreme Leader is
threatening to abolish the directly elected presidential post to ensure that no
personalities arrive in power with ambitions of challenging with the Walih
al-Faqih. The consequence of this of course is that the Supreme Leader is not
only concerned with control over foreign policy, but now he wants control of
every strategic decision, internally and externally.
It is suffice here to consider that many reports have indicated that the
decision to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador in Washington was taken in Iran,
but away from Ahmadinejad’s circles. It is well known of course that the Quds
Force does not fall within the remit of the Iranian President, but rather the
Supreme Leader, and the same applies to relations with the West, defending
Hezbollah, or the nuclear issue. Thus, an immediate political reading would say
that the Iranian Supreme Leader is now aware of the threat coming from abroad,
and Iran must reposition itself and rearrange its cards. Yet this will not take
place inside Iraq or Lebanon, or with regards to its relationship with Syria,
but rather inside Iran itself. It is clear that the Supreme Leader and his inner
circle have begun to sense the danger of changes in the region, the most
important being the decline of Iran’s main ally, the Bashar al-Assad regime.
The Iranian regime is beginning to feel the impact of its foreign losses, and
the magnitude of their severity. Thus it has begun to reposition itself, but
internally not externally. The fall of the al-Assad regime alone would cause an
internal political earthquake for the Iranian regime, and this is a frightening
scenario for Tehran.
The Saudi Shiites and the Al-Awamiyah riots
By Dr. Hamad Al-Majid/Asharq Al-Awsat
Discussions about sensitive incidents relating to any sectarian minority would
be more beneficial if they came a little later, after every one has relaxed, and
when logical reasoning is used instead of emotions. Of course, this applies to
the bloody riots in Al-Awamiyah near al-Qatif, a city with a Shiite majority,
which marked a spark which the government managed to put out before it reached
the wider Saudi fabric. It is for this reason that the reactions of the Saudi
people, in all their intellectual spectrums, were strict and firm in opposing
such riots as well as taking a stand against Iran, a state that has acquired the
exclusive right to provoke sectarian tensions and sedition in peaceful states.
There were “no buts” allowed in this regard, in the same manner that no “no
buts” were allowed when dealing with al-Qaeda remnants who carried out a series
of terrorist acts in Saudi Arabia. The general consensus of siding with the
Saudi government in its drastic handling of the riots does not mean that the
people are satisfied with its general performance, nor does this mean denying
the Shiite minorities of Saudi Arabia their rights.
The most significant lesson to be learned from such an incident, which
fortunately passed by peacefully, is that rational Shiites should adopt a tough
stance towards such events. Despite our deep appreciation for Shiite figures who
have adopted explicit and clear stances, other influential Shiites seemed
hesitant to denounce the incident; or rather they did so in a whisper, but
demanded their rights loudly. We should not confuse the issues here, for no one
with a sense of patriotism, honour or rationality could accept these events. For
example, if a school was set on fire by a student because he was abused by one
of his teachers, then it is the responsibility of all those affected to put out
the fire first, then condemn the student's action and punish him, before looking
into his grievances against the teacher. Rights and entitlements cannot be
claimed in such a barbaric and violent manner. It would be ridiculous to suggest
that the student’s complaints and demands be satisfied whilst the school was
still on fire, and the building and pupils were under threat.
It is unfortunate that the enthusiasm manifested in discussions of the Al-Awamiyah
riots, especially on social networking websites, has produced further errors,
most dangerously the mistake of sweeping generalizations. Apart from the obvious
injustice that results from generalizing an issue, this also causes the moderate
category to shrink and lean towards extremism. This is what we saw when
al-Qaeda's terrorists carried out a number of bombings, causing some
intellectuals to launch accusations and make broad generalizations in a manner
akin to throwing cluster bombs at religious institutes, school curriculums, and
various Muslim clerics and scholars. Accusations extended to the Salafis and
Wahabis, and were about to reach the heart of Islam itself. When the London
bombings occurred in July 2005, it saddened us to hear the extreme right's
accusations over there, which accused Islamic institutions and centers, and even
Islam as a religion, of being behind the bombings. Yet, it pleased us enormously
to hear British officials and intellectuals issue statements confining terrorism
to a limited category, and deeming the rest of the Muslim community there as
innocent victims.
Thus, anyone who has suffered the injustice of others should not misjudge
others. It is depressing to see a small category who believe that every religion
or sect incorporates moderates and likewise extremists, except for the Shiites.
Such an unrealistic fantasy will inevitably broaden the sense of Shiite
alienation, thus widening the gap between different social classes of Saudi
society as a result. If this continues to happen, the climate will become
contaminated with the spread of the "Iranian germ". After the Syrian revolution
erupted, this germ was proven to be acting in cooperation with the Syrian
regime, to create hotbeds of sedition in a number of pivotal countries in the
region including Saudi Arabia. The aim is to untie the rope that the brave
Syrian people have placed around the neck of their bloodthirsty regime.
Interplay between God and Caesar in the MENA region?
Harry Hagopian, October 19, 2011
Now Lebanon
Egyptian Christians demonstrate in Cairo after over two dozen were killed in
sectarian riots in the city. Christians across the region fear their future in a
changing Middle East. (AFP photo)
Populus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur! Attributed to the Roman satirist
Petronius, this mediaeval aphorism can roughly be translated as: “The people
want to be deceived, therefore they will be deceived.” This thought flashed
through my mind last Sunday—dubbed Bloody Sunday—as I followed the
confrontations that pitted Coptic Christian demonstrators against the Egyptian
army in Cairo. Mind you, such tensions are not fresh in Egypt in terms of their
frequency and intensity, as we have previously seen from Imbaba to Atfih, and
this latest episode of violence—resulting in 25 deaths and 329 injuries—was
sparked by the torching last month of the Coptic Mar Guirguis church in southern
Egypt.
Paradoxically, those horrid scenes we saw on our television screens stood in
sharp contrast to the signs of solidarity a few months earlier when people
holding the cross and the crescent congregated at Tahrir Square together
demanding an end to a presidential dictatorship and claiming citizenship rights
for all Egyptians—Muslim and Christian, secular or religious. At the time, some
pundits predicted a new conviviality being born between Egyptian Muslims and
Christians, the latter of whom make up roughly 10 percent of the Egyptian
population. So what is it that occurred to re-transform that sensation of
togetherness into this sense of bitterness?
If one follows the reams of analyses on this particular incident, the finger of
accusation would point squarely at the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) in
Cairo. This is the same military that played a pivotal role during the
demonstrations that ousted President Hosni Mubarak when it refused to fire on
peaceful protesters and was widely applauded as a highly-respected and competent
body that would oversee a peaceful transition to democracy.
However, nine months after the revolution in Egypt, the reputation of this
military council has been tarnished severely. It is increasingly at odds with
the people and even seems to be contributing toward instability. Today, many
Egyptians fear that the ruling military will spare no effort to retain power and
prevent ordinary citizens from exercising their political rights. In fact, the
news conference held by two generals to explain the incidents failed to mount a
plausible, let alone transparent, version of events. Many contradictions colored
the generals’ rebuttals, not least a failure to admit that some of the dead were
either crushed by military vehicles or shot at by soldiers as evidenced by
witnesses and autopsies. Not only that, but latent fears that the SCAF is
resorting to the tricky political machinations of the Mubarak era were
exacerbated further when Major-General Mahmoud Hegazy, speaking of the military,
stated, “We will keep the power until we have a president”—in other words, quite
possibly till 2013.
However, I still do not buy fully into the thesis that this resurgent
sectarianism is a sudden phenomenon that is exclusively the fault of the SCAF.
After all, sectarian rifts and ethno-religious clashes have often in the past
been stoked by despotic rulers in Egypt and across the MENA region as a means of
ensuring their own staying power. Instead, I would suggest that a more radical,
albeit gradual, metamorphosis is taking root. With the overthrow of the
Tunisian, Egyptian and Libyan presidents, and with the sustained challenges
against other unreformed regimes, we are, in effect, witnessing perceptible
shifts in the political paradigms of this region. Simply put, the awakening of
the Arab peoples against their dictators and totalitarian regimes is now
assuming a more conservative and religious nature. And herein lies the real
challenge for the future: It is no longer a struggle between a liberal (read:
lay) school of thought and an Islamist one, but rather between a Turkish model
of Islamist governance that is akin to a “democracy” and a more conservative
Iranian-style brand that is better suited to a “theocracy.” The parameters have
simply shifted region-wide, and whoever succeeds in wresting rightful control of
this region will also write the next chapter of its history.
It is in this interplay between the “might” of God (a substantial proportion of
religiously conservative men and women) and Caesar (the military) that many
indigenous Christian communities are seeking their compasses today. Will the
future be better or worse for them? Are the choices of modernity and diversity
simply incompatible? Do Christians stay loyal to ruthless regimes in the hope
that they will be “safeguarded” from further marginalization? Or will they throw
in their lot with the demonstrators calling for change and risk ending up more
weakened or even forced out of the region altogether? Will the whole region tilt
toward an austere form of political Islam where ethno-religious and political
boundaries do not line up perfectly? Can local Christians eventually achieve
parity in citizenship rights for their communities too?
The people want to be deceived, therefore they will be deceived: In the midst of
this teratoma of political excesses and intrigues, the peoples of the MENA
region have clearly risen up against the yoke of oppression and are seeking to
define new forms of popular sovereignty. I would strongly defend the right of
the majority to freely exercise its choices and preferences so long as those
choices and preferences do not turn predatory and ride roughshod over the rights
of the smaller local communities. So as Europeans, let us for a start listen to
all the local voices as they express their hopes and fears, and let us also be
intellectually honest enough to admit that the road ahead might end up being
quite a long and bumpy one with painful jolts and many imponderables. But let us
pray that we also have the resolve to stay the course.