LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِSeptember
28/2011
Bible Quotation for today/Teaching
about Anger
Matthew 05/21-26: "You have heard
that people were told in the past, Do not commit murder; anyone who does will be
brought to trial. But now I tell you: if you are angry] with your brother you
will be brought to trial, if you call your brother You good-for-nothing! you
will be brought before the Council, and if you call your brother a worthless
fool you will be in danger of going to the fire of hell. So if you are about to
offer your gift to God at the altar and there you remember that your brother has
something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once
and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God.
If someone brings a lawsuit against you and takes you to court, settle the
dispute while there is time, before you get to court. Once you are there, you
will be turned over to the judge, who will hand you over to the police, and you
will be put in jail. There you will stay, I tell you, until you pay the last
penny of your fine.
Latest
analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases
from
miscellaneous
sources
The West beyond
politics/By: Hazem Saghiyeh/September 27/11
Fleeing to Israel, not Iran/By
Tariq Alhomayed/September 27/11
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources
for September 27/11
Reports: U.S. Warns Lebanon it
Would be Harmed if it Rejects Syria Sanctions
Egypt uncovers Libyan SA-24
anti-air missiles and sea mines bound for Gaza
Lebanon rallies behind Spanish
nominee for U.N. coordinator
Militarization of Syria revolt
would lead to civil war, analysts say
Lebanese Spiritual summit stresses
“coexistence, Christian key role” in Mideast
Spiritual Summit: All Sides Must
Adhere to State, Reject Foreign Meddling
Grand Mufti of the Lebanese
Republic Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani vows that Christians, Muslims will
“foster security”
Hezbollah's General Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah preparing to visit Maronite Patriarchate, MTV reports
Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai
reiterated stances on Hezbollah’s arms and Syria, MTV reports
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi:
We Asked France to Eliminate Hizbullah’s Excuses to Retain Arms
National Liberal Party (NLP) leader
MP Dori Chamoun: Bkirki’s meetings have no outcome
March 14 MP Boutros Harb says
Mikati’s cabinet took Iranian visa decision
Future Movement official Mustafa
Allouch: Rai’s stances contradict Maronite Church’s historical position
Lebanese Forces bloc MP Antoine
Zahra says LF stands behind Patriarchate in “serious situations”
Future bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat: Mikati
is committed to STL funding, not cabinet
Future bloc MP Ammar Houri says
minorities are protected by citizenship
The Kataeb politburo against
naturalization of Palestinians in Lebanon
Former Premier Fouad Saniora and MP
Bahia Hariri Shuns Msayleh Banquet over Rahi’s Actions
Conflicting Reports about Syrian
Grand Mufti’s Visit to Bkirki
Jumblat Says he Met Assad Twice
Lately Advising him to Avoid Bloody Crackdown
Lebanese Army Questions Israeli
Arab who Swam to Naqoura
Mikati’s STL funding pledge met
with skepticism
Syria forces storm refuge for army
defectors
Report: Lebanon arrests 3 people
suspected of spying for Israel, trespassing
Erdogan urges UN sanctions on
Israel
Reports: U.S. Warns Lebanon it Would be Harmed if it
Rejects Syria Sanctions
Naharnet /The U.S. has sent a stern warning to Lebanon that “it will be hurt” if
it doesn’t commit itself to a new U.N. Security Council resolution imposing
sanctions on Syria over its violent crackdown on protestors, Beirut dailies
said. Al-Liwaa newspaper on Tuesday quoted U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for
Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman as saying that if the Council imposes
sanctions against Syria, “then Lebanon should commit to them and if it doesn’t
it will be hurt.”
Feltman held talks with Premier Najib Miqati in New York on Monday after a
similar meeting between the Lebanese prime minister and U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton at Lebanon’s office at the U.N headquarters. As Safir daily said
that the seven-minute meeting between the two men came as part of the U.S.
pressure on Lebanon over the Palestinian U.N. bid. Lebanon is the head of the
rotating presidency of the Security Council for the month of September and has
backed the Palestinian effort to win full U.N. membership.
A U.S. source told An Nahar daily that Clinton stressed to Miqati that Lebanon
should be committed to its international obligations and mainly the funding of
the Special Tribunal for Lebanon that is set to try ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s
suspected assassins.“Lebanon should be cautious in dealing with the situation in
Syria and not to allow Syria to impose on it a rejection of sanctions against
Damascus,” the top U.S. diplomat told Miqati, according to the source.
Clinton hoped that Beirut would steer clear of the situation in Syria “because
it would be the best choice for Lebanon at this stage,” As Safir quoted her as
saying.
Diplomatic sources also told al-Liwaa that the Secretary of State made an
indirect warning to the Lebanese government saying its bias would “do you big
harm.”
Patriarch to start US tour on October 4
September 26, 2011 /Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai will go on a tour
to the US from October 4 until October 23, the National News Agency reported on
Monday.
According to the report, Rai’s visit to the state of Washington was
cancelled.-NOW Lebanon
Rai’s U.S. trip back on
The Daily Star /BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai will leave for the United
States on Oct. 4 for a 19-day pastoral visit. The trip was postponed from Sept.
30 after the cancellation of the patriarch’s stop to Washington, D.C., where he
was to meet with U.S. officials. Recent media reports said Rai’s visit to
Washington to meet with high-ranking officials, including U.S. President Barack
Obama, was canceled as a sign of the U.S. disapproval of the patriarch’s latest
remarks on Syria and Hezbollah’s weapons.Rai had told the international
community that Syrian President Bashar Assad should have been given further time
to implement reforms, warning that Sunni extremists could possibly take power if
Assad’s regime collapses. Rai also tied the disarmament of Hezbollah to the
withdrawal of Israel from all Lebanese occupied territories. Below are some
highlights of the patriarch’s trip:
- Tuesday, Oct. 4: Rai arrives in the United States in St. Louis, Missouri.
- Thursday, Oct. 20: Rai holds a news conference at the Catholic Near East
Welfare Association in New York.
- Friday, Oct. 21: Rai holds talks with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New
York, followed by a meeting with the permanent papal observer at the U.N.
- Monday, Oct. 24: Rai returns.
Hezbollah's General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah preparing to
visit Maronite Patriarchate, MTV reports
September 27, 2011 /MTV station reported on Tuesday that Hezbollah is preparing
for a visit of its Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to Maronite
Patriarchate headquarters in Bkirki. The report added that the visit will be an
acknowledgment for Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai latest stances.
However, it did not elaborate any further. The patriarch has faced criticism by
some figures of the Western-backed March 14 coalition after his recent
statements in France supporting the Syrian regime and Hezbollah’s arms.However,
the patriarch later commented on the aforementioned statements and said that
they “were taken out of context and have nothing to do” with his personal
opinion. -NOW Lebanon
Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai reiterated stances on
Hezbollah’s arms and Syria, MTV reports
September 27, 2011 /MTV reported on Tuesday that Maronite Patriarch Bechara
Boutros al-Rai reiterated his previous positions on Hezbollah’s arms and Syria
during the Christian-Muslim summit in Dar al-Fatwa. “I did not justify the
presence of Hezbollah’s arms, but I [reiterated] Hezbollah’s justification for
the existence of its arms,” the station quoted him as saying.
The Patriarch also addressed the situation in Syria, saying that he does not
want a civil war to break out in the unrest-hit country, the report added.
“If a civil war takes place in Syria it will happen between Sunnis and Alawites,
and Lebanon will be affected since it is organically [tied] to Syria,” the
station also quoted him as saying.
MTV reported that the Maronite Patriarch expressed his fears over the rise of
extremist rule in Syria that would lead the Alawites to call for their own
state, adding that “this will result in Christian emigration.” Meanwhile, LBC
television reported that Rai said during the meeting that he called on France to
work on fixing ties between Prime Minister Najib Mikati and former PM Saad
Hariri. The Patriarch also called on Paris to encourage Hariri to return to
Beirut, following his six-month absence from Lebanon. The patriarch has faced
criticism by some figures of the March 14 coalition after his recent statements
in France supporting the Syrian regime and Hezbollah’s arms. However, the
patriarch later commented on the aforementioned statements and said that they
“were taken out of context and have nothing to do” with his personal opinion.
The UN says that the Syrian regime's crackdown on protests that erupted in
mid-March has killed more than 2,700 people. -NOW Lebanon
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi: We Asked France to Eliminate Hizbullah’s
Excuses to Retain Arms
Naharnet /Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi revealed on Tuesday that he had
requested from France that the excuses for Hizbullah to maintain its possession
of arms be eliminated.
He said during the Dar al-Fatwa spiritual summit: “We requested French
assistance in eliminating its excuses to keep its weapons and help in
strengthening the Lebanese army because only then can we say that the party no
longer needs its arms.”He made his request during his visit to France a few
weeks ago.Addressing Arab developments, he stated: “Regarding Syrian President
Bashar Assad’s regime and the need to introduce democracy in Syria, we as a
church do not oppose any political system, but we support democracy, reform,
justice, and freedoms.”“We oppose violence regardless of which side it comes
from,” al-Rahi added.“We have seen the example of Iraq where democracy has
turned into a civil war, which resulted in the immigration of Christians,” the
patriarch noted.“We hope that the developments in Syria won’t develop into a
civil war between Sunnis and Alawites that may spread to Lebanon seeing as it
too has Sunni and Alawite populations,” he warned.He reiterated his fear of the
ascension of extremist groups to power in Syria.
“Political choices are left to the political leaders, but the Patriarchate is
demanding that national principles and mutual coexistence be respected,” the
patriarch stressed.
**Source Naharnet
Spiritual
summit stresses “coexistence, Christian key role” in Mideast
September 27, 2011 /Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai (L) entering Dar
al-Fatwa meeting with Grand Mufti of the Lebanese Republic Mohammad Rashid
Qabbani. (NOW Lebanon) A Christian-Muslim summit was held on Tuesday at the Dar
al-Fatwa and its participants stressed on “national coexistence” and on the
Christians’ “key role in the Middle East.”
“The meeting’s participants highlighted [the importance] of coexistence and
stated that the Christians’ historical presence in the Middle East is crucial,”
said a statement issued following the meeting.The statement added that
“Lebanon’s stability is for its entire people and [is guaranteed] throughout
equal distribution of shares in the government.”
“The [participants] also stressed the respect of human dignities, liberties and
from of expression.”In a reference to the pro-democracy protests in the Middle
East, the statement called for “benefiting from the mobilization in the region”
but warned against “slipping into [conflict].”The meeting was held under the
auspices of Grand of Mufti of the Lebanese Republic Sheikh Mohammad Rashid
Qabbani. Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai, Druze spiritual leader
Sheikh Naim Hassan, Vice President of the Higher Shia Islamic Council Sheikh
Abdel Amir Qabalan and other religious figures took part in the summit.-NOW
Lebanon
Conflicting Reports about Syrian Grand Mufti’s Visit to Bkirki
Naharnet /The visit of Syria’s Grand Mufti Ahmed Badreddine Hassoun to Beirut
has been postponed indefinitely, al-Liwaa daily quoted an informed source as
saying.
The source said Hassoun, who was planning to visit Bkirki to congratulate
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on his stances from Syria, postponed his
trip.The source didn’t give any reason for the indefinite postponement. Hassoun
was also planning to visit Islamic spiritual leaders in Lebanon. However,
Lebanese religious sources told the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa newspaper that Hassoun will
arrive in Bkirki on Wednesday at the head of an Islamic-Christian delegation.
The mufti told An Nahar daily on Saturday that his trip to Lebanon had become
more essential after al-Rahi called for allowing Syrian President Bashar Assad
to be given the chance to introduce reform.
Former Premier Fouad Saniora and MP Bahia Hariri Shuns Msayleh Banquet over
Rahi’s Actions
Naharnet /The luncheon banquet that was hosted by Speaker Nabih Berri in honor
of Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in the southern town of Msayleh on Monday
was shunned by former Premier Fouad Saniora and MP Bahia Hariri, thus raising
speculation about the consequences of al-Rahi’s visit to the south.Sources close
to Saniora told An Nahar newspaper on Tuesday that the reason behind the MP’s
boycott to the banquet was because al-Rahi refused to accept an invitation over
lunch at the Hariri’s house in Majdelyoun but accepted Berri’s
invitation.However, al-Liwaa newspaper noted that Berri might have been targeted
by the boycott and not al-Rahi. The daily reported that al-Rahi also rejected an
invitation by Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat for a lunch
banquet in Mukhtara when he visited the Shouf. This forced Jumblat to stay away
from the region under the excuse of visiting Moscow.
Lebanese Army Questions Israeli Arab who Swam to Naqoura
Naharnet /The army was on Tuesday questioning an Israeli Arab who turned up on a
beach in south Lebanon after swimming from Israel, a Lebanese security official
said.
The National News Agency identified the man on Monday as Ahmed Jamal Daaif. The
official said the man showed up in a diving suit on a beach in Naqoura after
having swum from Nahariya beach in Israel Monday. Investigations were ongoing to
determine whether he had entered Lebanese waters by mistake.The Israeli army
said it had no information on the case. *Source Associated Press
March 14 MP Boutros Harb says Mikati’s cabinet took Iranian visa decision
September 27, 2011 /March 14 MP Boutros Harb said on Tuesday that Prime Minister
Najib Mikati’s cabinet took the decision to exempt Iranians from requiring an
entry-visa to enter Lebanon. As-Safir newspaper reported on Tuesday that Mikati
told US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that Hariri’s cabinet took the
decision to exempt visa requirement for Iranians traveling to Lebanon, not the
current cabinet. “Former Foreign Minister Ali al-Shami submitted a draft law to
cancel visas between Lebanon and Iran to the government of former PM Saad
Hariri, but the draft law was never discussed and no decision was taken on it,”
the National News Agency quoted Harb as saying.Harb added that the draft law was
adopted in by the current government on September 7, 2011.-NOW Lebanon
Future Movement official Mustafa Allouch: Rai’s stances contradict Maronite
Church’s historical position
September 27, 2011 /Future Movement official Mustafa Allouch said on Tuesday
that Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai’s latest stances contradict the
Maronite Church’s position throughout history.“Neither dictatorship, nor arms,
can protect the presence of the Maronite sect, which has been based in this
country for over 1500 years,” he told As-Sharq radio.
The patriarch has faced criticism by some figures of the Western-backed March 14
coalition after his recent statements in France supporting the Syrian regime and
Hezbollah’s arms.
However, the patriarch later commented on the aforementioned statements and said
that they “were taken out of context and have nothing to do” with his personal
opinion.
The former MP also said that Prime Minister Najib Mikati is trying to “buy time”
by agreeing with the international community’s stances.
“Mikati knows that when he will return [from New York] the opposite [of what he
is saying] will happen… [because] the cabinet is under the Syrian regime’s and
Hezbollah’s control,” he added. Following his meeting with US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton on Monday in New York, Mikati reiterated his commitment to
international resolutions.
Allouch also addressed the Syrian developments saying that the Syrian regime
will not hesitate to “trap” the entire region, including Lebanon, and “engulf it
in the destruction process” that is targeting Syria and its people.Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad’s troops have cracked down on protests against almost
five decades of Baath Party rule which broke out mid-March, killing over 2,700
people, according to the UN Human Rights Council, and triggering a torrent of
international condemnation. However, the Syrian regime has blamed “armed gangs”
for the recent unrest.-NOW Lebanon
Grand Mufti of the Lebanese Republic Sheikh Mohammad Rashid
Qabbani vows that Christians, Muslims will “foster security”
September 27, 2011 /Grand Mufti of the Lebanese Republic Sheikh Mohammad Rashid
Qabbani on Tuesday vowed that the country’s Christians and Muslims “will ensure
the prevalence of national security.”“In this country, the Muslims and
Christians vow to foster security,” Qabbani said while sponsoring a religious
summit at Dar al-Fatwa.He welcomed the participants, including the Maronite,
Shia and Druze religious leaders, the National News Agency reported.The Mufti
also shed light on “coexistence taking place in the most difficult phase of
modern Lebanese history.” “This meeting is historical and exceptional… and Dar
al-Fatwa is for all of us,” he added.-NOW Lebanon
National Liberal Party (NLP) leader MP Dori Chamoun: Bkirki’s meetings have no
outcome
September 27, 2011 /National Liberal Party (NLP) leader MP Dori Chamoun said on
Tuesday that he is not taking part in Bkirki’s Christian meetings because “they
have no outcome.”
A meeting comprising Maronite leading figures under the auspices of Patriarch
Bechara Boutros al-Rai took place on Friday in Bkirki after the participants
agreed to follow up on the drafting of a new electoral law. “Bkirki – the
headquarters of the Maronite Patriarchate - did not change its political stance,
[however] the [Maronite Patriarchate] has no [right] to interfere in the
political debate that is taking place in the country and has no right to take
sides,” he told As-Sharq radio. “Today, we hope that the patriarch reviews his
mistakes,” Chamoun added. The patriarch has faced criticism by some figures of
the Western-backed March 14 coalition after his recent statements in France
supporting the Syrian regime and Hezbollah’s arms.
However, the patriarch later commented on the aforementioned statements and said
that they “were taken out of context and have nothing to do” with his personal
opinion.
Chamoun also said during a NLP dinner on Monday night that “the insubstantial
positions that some [parties] are taking do not build a nation and do not save
the [fate of] the Christians.”
“This is not a characteristic of the Christians who are known for their
[commitment] to righteousness,” he added.-NOW Lebanon
Lebanese Forces bloc MP Antoine Zahra says LF stands behind Patriarchate in
“serious situations”
September 27, 2011 /Lebanese Forces bloc MP Antoine Zahra on Tuesday said that
his party supports the Maronite Patriarchate “in serious situations.”“[The
Patriarchate] knows that no one stands behind during hard times but the LF,”
Zahra told Future News. He also said that Free Patriotic Movement leader MP
Michel Aoun is the one that “deceives” most the Lebanese Christians. A
heated debate has erupted in Lebanon over controversial remarks by Maronite
Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai, who has warned that an end to Syria's regime
threatens Christians across the Middle East. Rai urged that Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad be given a chance to implement reforms, saying the “poor man
cannot work miracles.” He voiced concern of a takeover by the radical Muslim
Brotherhood, a movement the Syrian authorities have blacklisted for decades.
Assad's regime has cracked down on a string of unprecedented protests across his
country, killing more than 2,700 civilian protesters since the uprising began in
March, according to the United Nations.
-NOW Lebanon
Future bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat: Mikati is committed to STL funding, not cabinet
September 27, 2011 /Future bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat said on Tuesday that only Prime
Minister Najib Mikati is committed to the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon
(STL), but not his cabinet. “The premier’s commitment to funding the STL is
personal and it is not directed by the cabinet,” he told Al-Fajr radio.“The
cabinet cannot escape Lebanon’s international commitments because they
constitute a public debt,” Fatfat added. The Future Movement official also said
that if Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement have not yet approved the STL
funding, then the cabinet might see itself forced to clear the tribunal’s
funding without their approval. He added that the opposition MPs might adopt an
alternative way to fund the tribunal by proposing a draft bill to the
parliament. 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 tribunal which is probing the 2005 assassination of former
PM Rafik Hariri. Four Hezbollah members have been indicted by the STL. However,
the Shia group strongly denied the charges and refuses to cooperate with the
court.-NOW Lebanon
Future bloc MP Ammar Houri says minorities are protected by citizenship
September 27, 2011 /Future bloc MP Ammar Houri said Tuesday that the Middle
East’s minorities are “protected by citizenship and democracy,” in a reference
to Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai’s warning that an end to Syria’s
current regime threatens Christians across the region. “Totalitarian regimes do
not protect minorities… they are protected by citizenship and democracy,” he
told Voice of Lebanon (93.3) radio, adding that every citizen should feel
protected by the state. The Future Movement official also said that the cabinet
has no choice but to fund the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) which
is probing the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. “The
cabinet has no choice but to fund the STL… not financing the tribunal will put
Lebanon in opposition with the international community,” he added. Houri also
said he hopes that no party will place Lebanon in a confrontation with the
international community, adding that “Lebanon’s only [indemnity] is its
relations with the international and Arab communities.” 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 tribunal.Four
Hezbollah members have been indicted by the STL. However, the Shia group
strongly denied the charges and refuses to cooperate with the court.-NOW Lebanon
Militarization of Syria revolt would lead to civil war, analysts say
Now Lebanon/September 27, 2011
A militarization of the anti-government revolt in Syria, an option favored by
some within the opposition, would inevitably lead to civil war, analysts warn.
"For now, the majority of the protesters want the movement to remain peaceful
but after months of repression there is a risk of militarization," said Agnes
Levallois, a Paris-based Middle East expert."Resorting to arms would lead to
civil war... as no one would be able to control the situation," she added.
The uprising threatening the regime of Syrian Bashar al-Assad has remained
largely peaceful since it erupted in March. But some activists have recently
started calling for Syrians to take up arms or for foreign military intervention
in the face of the brutal crackdown by the government that has left more than
2,700 people dead.
On Monday, Washington said that while the peaceful nature of the revolt was
laudable it would not be surprising if it turned violent given the brutality of
the regime.
But experts and opposition members warn that such a scenario would only serve
Assad and erode the "moral superiority" that has characterized the revolution.
Omar Idlebi, of the Local Coordination Committees (LCC), an anti-regime activist
network, said a militarization of the protest movement would undoubtedly tear
the country apart.
Any civil conflict would also take on a sectarian turn given the country's
confessional make-up. Assad hails from the minority Alawi community, an offshoot
of Shia Islam, while the majority of Syria's 22-million strong population is
Sunni. There is also a minority of Christians, Kurds and Druze. Several experts
said weapons are already pouring into the country as some brace for the uprising
to turn violent. "There are reports of guerrilla-type or ambush attacks against
the shabeeha (government militia) or soldiers and of armed clashes in wooded
areas and valleys in border zones," said Riyad Kahwaji, head of the Institute
for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis (INEGMA), a think tank based in Dubai.
However that does not mean that the uprising has already turned into a military
conflict, he added.-AFP/NOW Lebanon
The Kataeb politburo against naturalization of Palestinians in Lebanon
September 26, 2011/The Kataeb politburo said on Monday that Lebanon will “not
accept” a settlement for the Palestinian cause that leads to naturalizing
Palestinians in Lebanon.
Following its weekly meeting, the Kataeb said it is “positively” following up
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ steps at the UN regarding the former’s
formal submittal of a membership bid to the UN. “The Kataeb, which has always
stood by the Palestinian people and supported their legitimate rights to
establish an independent state in Palestine, hopes [Abbas’ step] to be
successful,” the party said in a statement. The statement also called on the
Arab and international communities to find a “quick solution” to the issue of
Palestinian refugees particularly those present in Lebanon. “Lebanon will not
accept a settlement to the Palestinian cause [in which the former] is dedicated
to naturalizing Palestinians in Lebanon. It is the Lebanese government’s duty to
set an emergency domestic, Arab and international plan to prevent any threats
against Lebanon while the world resolves the issue of the Arab-Israeli
conflict.”
Abbas on Friday called on the United Nations to recognize the state of Palestine
as a full member based on the 1967 borders, before the Six-Day war with Israel.
Commenting on the cabinet’s work, the Kataeb said that the government, as well
as political parties, must address citizens’ needs. “The Kataeb cannot but stand
by achieving the [Lebanese] people’s rightful and urgent demands, and supports
any governmental plan that fulfills these demands.”-NOW Lebanon
The West beyond politics
Hazem Saghiyeh, /Now Lebanon
When criticism is addressed to Mr. Michel Aoun and his Free Patriotic Movement,
it is not about the small-scale politics he implements here and there; rather,
it has to do originally with the major policy that gives rise to all the smaller
ones.
The major policy is the one according to which he put a sizeable portion of
Lebanese Christians out of their traditional sensitivity regarding the West. In
fact, tradition has it that Christians – and for many reasons – “kept an eye
out” for events in Europe and the United States and tried to emulate them. They
succeeded at times and failed at others. At other times still, they used to hide
the healthy fact that they were influenced by the claims of authenticity, local
loyalty and “village show-off policies.”
This gave rise to both positive and negative results. Yet the most important
positive result was the fact that they managed to bring the nation-state
experience home and establish it more or less successfully in Lebanon. For this
reason, they have paid a hefty price since the 1950s for the increasing
political tension between the West and the forces that transformed the conflict
from a political into a cultural one while adding to it a growing destructionist
dimension.
Throughout this period, prevailing beliefs had it that the relation with the
West was far richer and more important than to be resumed by politics alone.
Indeed, the West is the source of everything worthy of being learned in our
modern times. For more reasons than one, Christians were the primary
beneficiaries of this relation and it was only natural and healthy to spread it
throughout the whole region.
What Aoun did in the 2005 test was that he went against this principle. When the
Lebanese nation-state witnessed the influx of inhabitants that were
traditionally strangers to it, Aoun’s welcome of this transformation was
extremely negative. In so doing, he was stating that he granted precedence to
the interests of the community as an underdeveloped social structure rather than
to the concept of the nation as a modern notion we inherited by coming into
contact with the West.
This same choice is being presented to us once again, albeit in a worse form.
The Aounist and semi-Aounist stance on the Syrian uprising is actually not only
set against the idea of freedom, but also extends far more than that, as it will
contribute to worsening sectarian polarization in Lebanon and Syria. Those who
are not fanatics will edge closer to fanaticism, and those who are already
fanatics will become even more so.
This comes at a time when non-Aounist stances among Syrian and Lebanese
Christians should have gone in the other direction. Those harboring these
opinions differ tremendously from those calling for putting the Syrian people
under international protection as they are aware that the West can ultimately do
far more than just politics.
*This article is a translation of the original, which appeared on the NOW Arabic
site on Monday, September 26.
Not at any cost
Now Lebanon
September 26, 2011
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has seized the mood of the Arab awakening in
a bid to put the aspirations of his people on the front pages. He had little
choice. Israel can drag its heels on the peace process because it knows that the
US, as shown by its empty promises to the Arabs, will always bow to Israeli
pressure both from Tel Aviv and from the all-powerful Israeli lobby in
Washington. And yet it is clear to anyone with half a brain that the Palestinian
people deserve their own state, and Lebanese opposition leader, Saad Hariri,
spoke for most of us when he said on Saturday, “Arab solidarity with Palestine
must be wide-ranging… with support on the political and diplomatic levels to
accomplish the formation of a functioning Palestinian state.”On “political” and
“diplomatic levels.”
Now is the time for Lebanon to formulate a clear policy on Palestine, one that
falls in line with the belief that the injustice meted out to the people of
Palestine is a global concern, and at the same time recognize that as fellow
Arabs and strategic neighbors, the Lebanese have a particular interest in a
resolution, both because of domestic security issues and the aspirations of the
region as a whole. But this policy must not be at the expense of the growth of
Lebanon as a free, sovereign and democratic country. No nation has given more to
the Palestinian cause, and Lebanon can no longer be the whipping boy of the
region.And this is where Hariri’s point about support on the political and
diplomatic levels is well made. Lebanon must deal with Israel as a fully
functioning state and give it no excuse to ride roughshod over it as it did in
1982 and in 2006, years in which Lebanon was perceived as a country under the
thumb of the PLO and Hezbollah, respectively. Sadly, Hezbollah’s permanent
martial posture gives Israel all the excuses in the world to ask who really runs
Lebanon and claim that it cannot take the country seriously as long as
Hezbollah’s non-state weapons are pointed at its towns and cities.
And it is with Hezbollah that the obstacle to any meaningful and rational policy
on Israel lies. Hassan Nasrallah has said—or at the very least implied—that
those who object to the Resistance are automatically “with” Israel. It is a
cynical argument, the kind of impassioned rhetoric that wins knee-jerk approval
from the mindless masses and seeks to bully those who are prone to making up
their own minds. His logic is, of course, nonsense. It is perfectly reasonable
to adopt a position that vows to fight Israeli injustice while at the same time
works toward creating a fully functioning country with institutions whose
loyalty is to the state.
Hezbollah’s agenda flies in the face of this. One of its stated aims is to
liberate Jerusalem. Another is to restore the lands of Palestine to its original
inhabitants. Noble objectives indeed, and there is no denying that many millions
of Arabs embrace them, but as long as Hezbollah operates outside the Lebanese
state, Israel and its Western allies will continue to regard Lebanon as a half
state, one not to be taken seriously, and one that cannot be counted on to play
a role in the shaping of the modern Middle East.
It is imperative, therefore, that all parties push for the implementation of
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for the
“disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon” and states that “no armed forces
other than UNIFIL and the Lebanese [army]” can be present south of the Litani
River. This will create the right environment for Lebanon to embark upon the
political and diplomatic channels that Hariri is calling for. Lebanon must
separate its own road map for nation building and economic prosperity from the
shaping of what is today undeniably the new Middle East. Lebanon can be a
valuable partner in the peace process, but to do this it must shed the last
vestiges of conflict, and the role of the non-state actor must be consigned to
the rubbish bin of history.
Fleeing to Israel, not Iran!
By Tariq Alhomayed
Asharq Al-Awsat
In the wake of the detection of Israeli agents inside Hezbollah in Lebanon, the
party’s media machine set out to distort the news, once under the pretext of
inaccurate reporting regarding the number of individuals involved, and on
another occasion questioning the timing of the discovery. However, this is not
important in my opinion.
More important than the controversy surrounding the numbers, and the timing of
the discovery of Israeli agents in Hezbollah, are two striking issues. The first
is that the majority of cases whereby Israeli agents and spies appear in Lebanon
occur amongst the ranks of those who call for resistance and opposition, who
themselves describe their opponents, and rational media outlets, as agents of
Israel.
Therefore, their faux media, and many of their leaders whether from Hezbollah,
the Aoun current or others, are guilty of a gross lie; the lie of resistance and
opposition. The question here is: why do Israeli agents only appear in the ranks
of those bragging about patriotism, resistance and opposition?
This is an important question which needs to be asked in earnest, not only about
the presence of Israeli agents among the ranks of Hezbollah or its allies, but
also why Israeli agents and spies have now appeared so easily in a country like
Syria, where they were responsible for the assassination of Imad Mughniyeh,
according to what Damascus announced recently. Although the al-Assad regime has
delayed all reformative steps, and refused to open up the country for four
decades, under the pretext of fighting Israel and so its agents cannot penetrate
Syria, an agent of Israel appears suddenly in Damascus and is responsible for
the assassination of one of the most important Hezbollah terrorist figures, Imad
Mughniyeh? Either the al-Assad regime resists and opposes, as it claims, and was
infiltrated from the ground up, despite all the false slogans of patriotism and
resistance, or the al-Assad regime, which does not know the first thing about
detective work, just wants to promote the story of the Israeli agent for
purposes that are not clear as of yet.
It may be a prelude to the launch of assassination operations inside Syria,
which would then be blamed on Israel, or perhaps the regime has the intention to
settle accounts with other supposed allies of the al-Assad regime in Lebanon.
The other striking matter in the story of the detection of Israeli spies and
agents, whether among Hezbollah or its allies, is that it has always been
supposed, and believed, that Tehran was the protector of these groups, their
employees and associates. Yet we are surprised to discover that those doing what
they are doing in Lebanon, under the cover of subordination to Iran, and
resistance, have fled to Israel and not Tehran! This is indeed a puzzling
matter, for these individuals have glorified Iran, and are dedicated to
implementing its agenda in Lebanon and the region, yet when they run away they
flee to Israel!
There is no doubt that under the carpet of our region there is a staggering
amount of lies which are widespread. If the carpet were to be lifted completely
there would be a big shock, but, and this is important today, by just lifting an
edge of the carpet which has not been swept underneath for a long time, we can
see the emergence of numerous lies which many, out of naivety or ignorance,
believed to be facts. It has been revealed to us that the regime in Syria is far
from resistance and opposition, and that when some leaders of Hezbollah flee,
they are fleeing to Israel! Of course, this is only the tip of the iceberg!
Erdogan urges UN sanctions on Israel
Ynetnews
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is advocating imposing UN sanctions
on Israel. In an interview with Time magazine the Turkish leader said that had
prospective UN sanctions been imposed on Israel "the Palestine-Israel conflict
would have been resolved a long time ago."
Appearing at the UN General Assembly Erdogan claimed that the US approach
towards the Middle East peace process had failed. Asked what he would have done
differently, Erdogan said: "Do we really want to resolve this issue or not?
Unfortunately, I do not even see traces of this within the Quartet. Because if
the Quartet was so willing to resolve this issue, they would have imposed
certain issues on Israel today.
Until today, the UN Security Council has issued more than 89 resolutions on
prospective sanctions related to Israel, but they've never been executed. And
furthermore, there were about 200 resolutions issued by the General Assembly and
neither have those been complied with."
He further added: "One might wonder why no sanctions have been imposed on
Israel. When it's Iran in question, you impose sanctions. Similarly with Sudan.
What happens with Israel then?"
Erdogan also criticized the make-up of the Security Council: "What's the deal
with these permanent seat holding members in the Security Council? They should
be eliminated. The entire world is literally a slave to the decisions of these
five permanent seat holders."
On the issue of the diplomatic crisis with Israel, Erdogan blamed Israel for
"victimizing the positive relations of two countries with (its 2010 raid) on the
Mavi Marmara."
The Turkish premier also stressed relations between Ankara and Jerusalem will
never become normalized until Israel apologizes for the deaths of nine Turkish
citizens, pays compensation to the families of the victims and lifts the Gaza
blockade.
He claimed the flotillas were carrying nothing but humanitarian aid and
mentioned that one of the casualties was an American citizen of Turkish decent.
"And right now the Israeli Prime Minister still alleges that the flotillas were
actually loaded with weapons. Had they possessed the weapons that were alleged,
why didn't they fire back? There are reports issued by both the UN Security
Council and UN agencies in Geneva about this incident and you never see the
slightest trace that the flotillas were carrying guns. The Israeli government is
not being honest at all. "
Addressing the Palestinian bid for statehood, Erdogan said that first and
foremost the Security Council must accept the proposal. He added: "Israel first
seems to have accepted going back to the borders of 1967, but somehow seemed to
have got distanced from this ideal. They need to get closer back to it.
"Through TIME, I'd like to make a call out to humanity: (the Palestinians) are
there to exist. They are not there to be condemned to struggle in an open-air
penitentiary. Israel's cruelty in that regard cannot be continued any longer. "
Egypt uncovers Libyan SA-24 anti-air missiles and sea mines bound for Gaza
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report September 26, 2011,
Helped by highly sophisticated contraband weapons smuggled out of Libya, Iran
and Hizballah are getting the Palestinian Hamas equipped for another round of
hostilities with Israel. debkafile's military sources report that Sunday, Sept.
25, Egyptian security forces, acting on information from a Western intelligence
source, homed in near Ismailia on a large half-empty buried cache of advanced
SA-24 anti-air infrared missiles (a version of the US Stinger) stored there en
route from Libya to Gaza.
The information came too late to block delivery; most of the crates were found
empty of their contents of missiles and other military equipment which must
already be on their way to Sinai or Gaza. Some of the empty containers were
found to have contained Russian-made MDM-3 sea mines, of the type Muammar
Qaddafi scattered around Libyan ports in May to keep NATO vessels at bay.
Our North African sources report that many of Qaddafi's weapons stores were
seized by the rebels and their contents sold by some of the officers to the
highest bidders.
Tripoli today is under the sway of several rival militias belonging to the rebel
National Transitional Council. An oversight committee of American, British,
French and Italian delegates is trying to track down the advanced weaponry which
the rebels seized during the NATO-led advance into the capital on Aug. 21. They
have been questioning the Libyan rebel officers placed in charge of the arms
stores and Libyan weapons dealers for information.
The CIA agents on the committee are aware that Hizballah and Hamas purchasing
missions armed with Iranian petrodollars established a presence some months ago
in Benghazi, seat of the NTC which has not yet moved to Tripoli. Those agents
elude discovery in the mayhem prevailing in rebel ranks and may be hiding in one
of the rebel commands operating outside Benghazi.
But the NATO commission has managed to find out roughly what happens to the
smuggled arms after they are spirited out of Tripoli, debkafile's counter-terror
sources report. Some are bound for southern Libya and Niger, where Qaddafi
loyalists holed up in the Sahel desert on the fringes of the Sahara take
delivery: The second destination is Algeria for Al Qaeda in the Maghreb; and the
third is the Gaza Strip through Egypt and Sinai.
The introduction of sophisticated anti-air infrared missiles and sea mines into
areas abutting on Israel's land and sea borders has given its army chiefs and
strategists a serious headache. The SA-24s would give the Hamas an anti-air
capability on a par with that of the Hizballah and consists three elements:
- The SA-24s which are portable air defense missiles with a range of 5.2
kilometers, an operational ceiling of 3.5 kilometers and Mach 2.3 speed.
Depending mainly on visual scanning, they can also be fired at night and are
effective against fighter planes, armored helicopters, drones and diverse
surface-to surface missiles, including cruise missiles.
- SA-14 (Strela-3) has a small and very precise solid propellant guided missile
as well as an improved system for overcoming countermeasures. Its range is 4.5
kilometers and operational ceiling 3 kilometers.
- The SA-7 (Strela-2) has a 3.6 kilometer range, operational ceiling from 15
meters to 1.5 kilometers and Mach 1.75.
Hamas is therefore armed with weapons capable of attacking high-, medium- and
low-flying objects, including planes, helicopters and drones over and outside
the Gaza Strip in southwest Israel including the port towns of Ashdod and
Ashkelon.
Sea mines if Hamas can sow them in eastern Mediterranean waters would severely
impair the Israeli and Egyptian navies' freedom of navigation. There is the
additional danger of mines drifting ashore.
Our military sources report that Iran, Hizballah and Hamas employ experts with
specialist knowledge of deep Mediterranean currents. They use them for Iranian
freighters to skirt Israel's naval blockade against the Gaza Strip and throw
arms consignments overboard for Hizballah and Hamas to be carried ashore by
currents.
Both radical terrorist groups are now in possession of a stock of Libyan sea
mines which can be used with the help of these experts for striking precise
locations on the Israeli coast..