LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
February 14/2012
Bible Quotation for today/The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax
Collector
Luke 19/09-14: "Jesus also told this parable to people who were sure of their
own goodness and despised everybody else. Once there were two men who went up to
the Temple to pray: one was a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee
stood apart by himself and prayed, I thank you, God, that I am not greedy,
dishonest, or an adulterer, like everybody else. I thank you that I am not like
that tax collector over there. I fast two days a week, and I give you one tenth
of all my income. But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not
even raise his face to heaven, but beat on his breast and said, God, have pity
on me, a sinner! I tell you, said Jesus, the tax collector, and not the
Pharisee, was in the right with God when he went home. For those who make
themselves great will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be made
great.
Latest analysis,
editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
Hassan Nasrallah’s ‘strip
show/By: Ahmed Al Jarallah/February
13/12
Muslim Persecution of
Christians: January 2012/by Raymond Ibrahim/February
13/12
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for
February 13/12
Arabs end Syrian mission, seek joint UN force
The Free Syrian Army denies claims Israeli weapons seized
in Homs
Arabs seek U.N.
intervention in Syria
US admiral says forces prepared to confront Iran
Iran rebukes Azerbaijan for allegedly aiding Israel's
Mossad
Iran blocks access to Facebook, Gmail ahead of Islamic
Revolution anniversary
Khamenei pledges Iranian support to Palestinian
'resistance' against Israel
Germany: Israeli military strike on Iran unlikely to
succeed
Report: Israel's Mossad still using foreign passports in
undercover operations
Greece approves austerity bill as rioting engulfs
country’s cities
Ban’s STL letter behind Mikati’s
decision to suspend Cabinet sessions
Rai concludes pastoral visit to Maronite community in
Cyprus
Cautious calm prevails
in Tripoli after deadly weekend clashes
Mikati hopeful of
resolving Cabinet crisis
A cycle of criminality
besieges Baalbek
Released Syrian says $2 mln demanded for release of
brothers, employee
Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour denounces Syria resolution,
fears Lebanon’s safety
Former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora,: Hariri’s killers
will be punished
Aoun: We Won't Leave Government, Let the PM Quit
Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai concludes pastoral visit to Maronite community in
Cyprus
February 13, 2012/ By Elias Mansour The Daily Star
NICOSIA: Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai highlighted his sect’s unity Sunday as
he headed a ceremonial Mass to commemorate Mar Maroun Day, on the third day of
his pastoral visit to Cyprus.Attendees at the Mass, which took place in a church
in the Cypriot capital Nicosia, included the country’s President Dimitris
Christofias and his wife, its Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis and
Cyprus’ interior minister, as well as the envoys of Arab and Western states and
the papal ambassador to the island. Rai gave a sermon and reiterated his earlier
statements that the patriarchate would continue working with great effort toward
unification of the island. Since 1974, Cyprus has been divided between the
internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus, which is predominantly Greek, and
the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is recognized only by Turkey.
Negotiations between the two sides aim at reuniting the island.
Rai took the opportunity to thank the Cypriot president and prime minister and
all religious, political and social figures for their kind hospitality.
He said that the deep ecclesiastical relationship between Maronites in Lebanon
and those in Cyprus and the Orthodox Church was very pleasing. The patriarch
also gave thanks to Christofias for caring for the Maronite community in Cyprus.
“One thousand two hundred years have passed of the presence of Maronites and
other Lebanese on this island,” Rai said. “And they’ve been rooted there in
love, security and loyalty and are completely loyal to Cyprus and its
people.”Rai spoke of his visit to the four traditionally Maronite villages in
the Turkish-occupied north whose inhabitants fled their homes after the 1974
invasion and now live in the predominantly Greek portion of the island. “I
discovered [there] that the residents of these parishes are very attached to
their lands, their churches and their social and cultural values,” he said. Rai
called for the island to regain its unity based on just and permanent peace and
diversity. For his part, Christofias said that Mar Maroun celebrations held
particular importance this year because of Rai’s presence in Cyprus. He added
that there is close coordination between the state and Maronites who hold
decision-making positions.
“We deal with their issues positively, especially those in the Republic of
Cyprus, and we are continuously working on removing the Turkish army to give the
Maronites in northern Cyprus a chance to return their villages which are
occupied. “The main obstacle with the Turkish army is that it does not want to
withdraw and the Cypriot government cannot do anything about it,” he added. “We
contribute to development projects that help Maronites return to their northern
villages.”Christofias called on the United Nations to respect the sovereignty
and the unity of the island. “We support respect for human rights and the rights
of sects, and the solution will be a sectarian federal system in one republic in
order to reach positive cooperation between the sects,” he said. At noon Rai
attended an honorary lunch held by members of the Maronite community in Cyprus,
at which Bishop Youssef Soueif presented him with a picture painted by Maronite
Cypriots.The patriarch thanked Soueif and all who cooperated to make the
pastoral visit a success. He also saluted the Orthodox Church and said that his
meeting with the Orthodox archbishop had been very successful. He concluded by
saying: “My visit ends tomorrow and I carry with me an important Cypriot
cultural heritage as I carry in my heart and prayers the Cypriot cause to reach
the unification of this island.” To end his visit, Rai laid the foundation stone
for a Maronite Church and religious center in Nicosia and visited some elderly
Maronites. He also paid a visit to a Maronite Church and in the evening attended
a dinner at the home of Cypriot Maronite MP Antoine Russos. Speaking during the
banquet, Russos told Rai that Cyprus’ Maronite community was among the most
vulnerable groups in the small island because their villages were occupied, or
transformed into buffer zones. The lawmaker also expressed hope that Lebanon’s
Maronite Church would continue providing support to the Maronites of Cyprus.
Released Syrian says $2 mln demanded for release of
brothers, employee
February 12, 2012 10/ The Daily Star /BEIRUT: One of four Syrians kidnapped in
east Lebanon over the weekend was released Sunday and says his abductors are
demanding a ransom of $2 million for the release of his two brothers and an
employee. Osama Abdel Raouf, 50, told police he was released Sunday morning in
Zahle, the district in which he and his brothers Hisham, 45, and Imad, 47, as
well Khaled al-Hamadah, a 23-year-old employee, had been kidnapped in Saturday.
The National News Agency reported Saturday that four Syrians were kidnapped in
Taanayel, Zahle, after a group of armed men in a GMC Envoy obstructed their
vehicle - a four-wheel drive Mazda with a Syrian license plate. The Syrians were
then forced out of their vehicle after the men shot at their car.
The Syrians had been headed to the Masnaa border crossing, the NNA said. Last
week, a Syrian man was kidnapped in Lebanon but was released five days later in
return for a ransom estimated at $17,000 and some of his wife's jewelry.
Ban’s STL letter behind Mikati’s decision to suspend Cabinet sessions
February 13, 2012/By Hussein Dakroub, Hasan Lakkis /The Daily Star
BEIRUT: U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has sent “a secret letter” to
President Michel Sleiman asking for Lebanon’s comments by Feb. 15 on a plan to
extend the mandate of a U.N.-backed court for another three years, a senior
political source said Sunday.According to the source, Ban’s letter, which
requires the government to meet to give a response, was at the root of Prime
Minister Najib Mikati’s decision earlier this month to suspend the Cabinet’s
sessions. “The U.N. chief wants to know if the Lebanese authorities have any
observations about the Security Council’s plan to renew the mandate of the
Special Tribunal for Lebanon and the Lebanese judges for another three years,”
the source told The Daily Star. “The requested observations are over the
three-year period only, not over the principle of renewal.” The three-year
mandate of the STL, which is trying to uncover the killers of former Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri, expires on March 1. The source, speaking on condition of
anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case, said Ban sent the letter to
Sleiman about 10 days ago seeking a response ahead of a U.N. Security Council
meeting to decide on the issue. The letter says the proposed three-year renewal
came at the request of the STL’s general prosecutor. In view of the suspension
of the Cabinet’s sessions and the split among ministers over the STL, the
Cabinet will not be able to meet before Feb. 15 to discuss Lebanon’s
observations, the source said.
Therefore, the most likely outcome is that Lebanon will not send any
observations to Ban by Wednesday. Mikati, who paid a two-day official visit to
France last week, said that he did not discuss with French officials the
extension of the STL’s cooperation protocol with Lebanon, but added that Lebanon
had received a letter from Ban in this respect. “We are consulting on this issue
[renewal of STL’s mandate]. Our opinion on this subject is consultative. But the
[final] decision is in the hands of the Security Council,” Mikati told Lebanese
journalists based in Paris Saturday.
The Cabinet, which was split over Lebanon’s $32 million share to the tribunal’s
funding, eventually had to pay the amount through the state-run Higher Relief
Committee, thus averting a clash with Hezbollah and its March 8 allies.
Hezbollah and its allies, who have a majority in Mikati’s 30-member Cabinet,
strongly oppose the STL altogether, let alone financing it or renewing its
mandate. Any Cabinet decision on the tribunal’s funding or renewal of its
mandate was expected to be voted down by Hezbollah and its allies.
Mikati’s decision to suspend the Cabinet’s sessions was viewed as a solution for
the government to avert a clash with the Hezbollah-led March 8 bloc over the
renewal of the STL’s mandate.
Mikati has implicitly accused Aoun’s ministers of obstructing the Cabinet’s
work, saying he will not allow anyone to undermine the prime minister’s
prerogatives. He has since said that he will not resume Cabinet sessions before
agreement is reached on a formula to make the government productive. Mikati
called off Cabinet sessions on Feb. 1 following sharp differences with ministers
from MP Michel Aoun’s parliamentary Change and Reform bloc over the thorny issue
of civil service appointments. Meanwhile, Mikati will resume his activity from
his residence in Verdun Monday after his return from an official visit to France
amid signs that the Cabinet is unlikely to meet soon pending efforts by
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to end the row between Mikati and Aoun’s
ministers over the appointments in the public administration. Sleiman has
entered the fray, taking Mikati’s stand when he said that Labor Minister Charbel
Nahhas, one of Aoun’s ministers, must sign the transportation allowance decree
or else he should be replaced. Mikati has cited Nahhas’ refusal to sign the
transportation allowance decree as a major bone of contention with Aoun’s bloc.
Nahhas, who has refused to sign the decree arguing that it should be made legal
first by Parliament, hit back at Sleiman. “I will not sign [the decree] even if
29 ministers, and not only a two-third majority, agreed to dismiss me. Anyone
who can dismiss me, let him try,” Nahhas told Al Jadeed TV Saturday.
Parliamentary sources said that as Mikati and Aoun stood firm on their
conflicting attitudes over the civil service appointments issue, the only
possible solution for the Cabinet crisis is through a draft law in Parliament
that would legitimize the transportation allowance and thus remove the labor
minister’s excuse for not signing the decree. This solution would also satisfy
Sleiman and Mikati who have been demanding the implementation of the decisions
taken by the Cabinet, the sources said.
They added that such a solution would take at least two weeks to materialize
after which contacts or serious mediation effort s would begin to resolve the
inter-Christian differences over administrative appointments and other sticking
issues. The possibility of launching the Cabinet’s productivity requires a
change in Mikati’s approach toward the administrative appointments and other
issues and his decisions should not emanate from nervousness that puts him in an
impasse as happened with his recent decision to suspend the sessions, the
sources said. They added that Mikati should play the role of a judge among the
Cabinet members because Sleiman, in the eyes of many, has become a party to
inter-Christian differences.
Aoun has repeatedly accused Sleiman of backing his political opponents in and
outside the government.
The same sources said that Mikati’s constitutional partner, Sleiman, cannot
secure a political cover to reconvene the Cabinet as the prime minister hopes.
On the contrary, Sleiman’s stance, especially his statement that a solution for
the Cabinet crisis could either be with the dismissal of the labor minister –
this is impossible because it does not have the consent of two thirds of
ministers – or by changing his portfolio, which is constitutionally possible in
agreement with the prime minister but politically impossible since there is no
consensus on it in the Cabinet.
A cycle of criminality besieges Baalbek
February 13, 2012 /By Rakan al-Fakih/The Daily Star
BAALBEK, Lebanon: Umm Ahmad lives in an unfinished home that has been
under construction for many years on arid land. Now in her 60s, she has a
hunched back and deeply lined faced. She lives alone here, despite being mother
to seven children. Her three daughters left when they married, while her four
sons, one after the other, were arrested and went to prison on drug charges. Her
story is just one of hundreds of similar tales in the Baalbek-Hermel province,
where there are some 30,000 outstanding arrest warrants. The increase of the
number of wanted individuals has left devastated a younger generation, many of
whom themselves end up in prison, fleeing justice or committing crimes, some
resulting in death. Michel Daher, an attorney, says that around 2,500 residents
currently have arrest warrants for crimes, while another 500 are wanted for
minor violations. According to Daher, those who are wanted by the police often
fall prey to more serious criminal networks. The problem is also exacerbated by
the terrible conditions in prisons which make fugitives all the more reluctant
to turn themselves in and face the charges. “The problem is very grave, and
cannot be solved from the security angle alone. It is complicated and has been
compounded by years of trouble,” says Daher, who is working on the cases of many
prisoners as well as fugitives in the area. “The number of wanted persons
skyrocketed, leading to more crime. There is no solution except to issue a
general pardon which would allow people to return to their daily lives and
reduce the number of crimes,” he says. “The majority of wanted persons will have
a fresh start after they stop running from the law.” The phenomenon can be
traced to the tribal system of social values in the area, says Ali al-Moussawi,
a sociology professor at the Lebanese University.
According to Moussawi, members of tribes traditionally view raids as a source of
power and pride, and there is no alternative framework that focuses on respect
for the modern state and laws, especially since the Lebanese state is itself
based on religious, sectarian and tribal balances, and the enforcement of laws
is weak and selective.
“Enforcing the law should either be comprehensive or it will fail. When members
of a tribe notice that the law is often violated by citizens of the country, and
see some individuals being treated as if they are above the law, then they
revert to their traditional system of values,” says Moussawi. The professor
argues that chronic underdevelopment is also responsible for the number of
fugitives. During the Civil War, he continues, the area was secure and stable as
it benefitted from illegal drug crops, which provided employment and steady
income.
“This stopped with the return of the state, and the decision to end the drug
crops. With this came the return of wanted persons, a problem that persisted due
to underdevelopment projects in the area,” he says. “Baalbek residents are the
victims of the economic and political system in the country,” he adds.He says
that resolving the issue requires full scale development as well as prisoner
rehabilitation in order to facilitate their return to the work force, adding
that any solution based on security will not have any significant impact.
The relationship between the residents and the security forces has become one of
cat and mouse. First charges are often for minor violation, but when wanted
individuals flee from security forces, this leads to further violations, and can
result in life of criminality or prison. According to Mefleh Allaw, a member of
the Allaw tribe as well as the Hermel municipal council, the problem of
fugitives can be traced to independence, when the northeast region started being
marginalized and neglected by state. “There are still so many wanted persons
because of the absence of development projects, which is the failure of
successive governments since independence. The money that was allocated by the
Lebanese government and international donors to these projects was wasted,” he
says. “It was spent on superficial studies, as well as lining some people’s
pockets.” Allaw also argues that upper class residents bear some of the blame.
“At the same time, wealthy residents in the area who have made their fortune
from illegal drugs do not use their money for projects that could benefit the
wider area and provide job opportunities for its in youth,” he says, adding that
no one investigates the source of their wealth. Allaw argues that the long term
solution is development. “The solution is the implementation of real
development, but issuing a general pardon would be a temporary solution,” he
says. “After the pardon, punishments could be made more severe.”
Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour denounces Syria resolution, fears Lebanon’s
safety
February 13, 2012/The Daily Star /BEIRUT: Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour slammed
an Arab League resolution calling for greater cooperation with the Syrian
opposition Sunday, warning that it would only bring further instability to the
country. “What do we really want from Syria? Do we want regime change or do we
want a political solution? ... If we want a political solution then should we
stand with one side or the other?” he asked. “The resolution also leads to
politically and financially supporting the opposition, but will this bring
stability to Syria?” he said Arab Foreign Ministers meeting in Cairo to discuss
the unrest in Syria. During its meeting, the League approved a resolution
calling for “opening communication channels with the Syrian opposition and
providing all forms of political and material support to it,” and urging the
Syrian opposition to unite. In his address, Mansour also denounced proposals to
recognize the Syrian National Council as the representative of the Syrian
people.
“This decision would be very dangerous and shouldn’t be adopted it. It would
lead the country into darkness ... the Arab League would bear a historic
responsibility because this resolution would upset the stability of Syria and
the region,” he said. Mansour was critical of the League’s performance, telling
members: “After every meeting, the Council has issued new resolutions and this
shows that the Arab League has failed to produce dialogue and achieve security.”
Mansour told a Kuwaiti newspaper in comments published earlier Sunday that
Lebanon has nothing to gain by recognizing the SNC, and described Russia and
China’s veto of a Western-backed resolution calling on President Bashar Assad to
hand over power “realistic.”
“I think Lebanon does not have any interest in recognizing [the SNC],” Mansour
told Al-Ray newspaper.
“We found that the U.N. Security Council proposal was unbalanced given that it
takes into account one point view and not the other ... we should take into
account points of views from all sides in order to [draft a resolution],” he
said. “Recognizing the Syrian National Council could lead us down dangerous
path,” he added, criticizing former Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s calls last week
for Arab countries to recognize Syria’s opposition as the legitimate
representatives of the Syrian people. “If Lebanon’s policy is to disassociate
itself then how can it recognize the Syrian National Council? Isn’t that
considered interference in the internal affairs of Syria? Would the recognition
serve the long-term mutual interests of Lebanon and Syria?” Mansour asked.
In a statement issued Friday, Hariri urged the Arab and the international
community to recognize the SNC as the official representative of the Syrian
people.He also encouraged countries to deny Assad political cover for his lethal
crackdown on protesters. But Mansour felt opening up the conflict to
international intervention would be problematic. “We are against the
internationalization of the Syrian crisis because that will not bear fruit and
will not offer Syria any stability, but instead it will complicate matters
further.”“And perhaps there are countries who want to settle scores with Syria,”
he added. Taking the case of Syria to the U.N., according to Mansour, was
evidence that the Arab League was incapable of resolving the crisis.
Lebanese officials, including Prime Minister Najib Mikati, have said that the
country’s policy of disassociating itself from ongoing unrest in Syria would
benefit Lebanon given that the country cannot afford to be embroiled in another
nation’s affairs again. Mansour said that Lebanon was directly concerned with
developments in Syria, adding that Syrian, Arab and international officials have
all understood Lebanon’s “sensitivities” and its policy toward the crisis. “Our
action stems from our keenness of not interfering in the internal affairs of
others,” Mansour said. “We are working on establishing peace and stability in
Syria because it concerns us,” he added.
Former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora,: Hariri’s killers will be punished
February 13, 2012/The Daily Star /BEIRUT: Former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora,
head of the parliamentary Future bloc, said Sunday justice will eventually be
achieved and the criminals who killed former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri seven
years ago will be punished. In an interview with Ash-Sharq radio station on the
eve of the 7th anniversary of Hariri’s assassination Tuesday, Siniora said:
“Those who carried out this crime had thought that they will get rid of Rafik
Hariri and that within 15 days the Lebanese will weep over him and later,
because of the barriers of silence and fear, they will return to exercising
their daily lives and forget Rafik Hariri. But they were wrong ... The truth is
that the presence of Rafik Hariri has increased despite his absence. What Rafik
Hariri has done for Lebanon is that he has always constituted a glimmer of hope
for the Lebanese.” Siniora added that Hariri, who was killed along with 22
people in a massive suicide truck bombing in Beirut on Feb. 14, 2005,
constituted “the will of the Lebanese to stand fast and to believe in Lebanon’s
ability to overcome difficulties.”
The Free Syrian Army denies claims Israeli weapons seized
in Homs
12/02/2012/By Yousef Diab/Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat- The Free Syrian Army [FSA]
and Syrian revolution coordination committees have categorically rejected
reports published in the Syrian Al-Watan newspaper that "the competent
authorities were able after violent clashes with gunmen in Baba Amru (in Homs)
to kill several of them, wound others, and arrest others as well. It became
evident that they included ones who carry Lebanese, Libyan, and Afghan
nationalities and had Israeli weapons." They labelled this information deception
and lies.
The regime-affiliated Al-Watan newspaper said that "during the chasing of the
terrorists in Baba Amru neighbourhood, the competent authorities seized
Israeli-made (LAW) rockets, US and Israeli-made highly accurate and rapid-fire
sniper guns never seen before, in addition to weapons and shells of various
calibers. Some of these elements were also arrested and it became evident that
some of them carry Lebanese, Libyan, and Afghan nationalities. The information
indicates their association with "Al-Qaeda" organization."
Al-Baath newspaper, the ruling party's mouthpiece in Syria, also announced the
capture of Israeli-made weapons and said "the competent authorities dismantled
an explosive device weighing 1.5 kg that a terrorist group planted under the car
of a school headmaster in Lattakia. It was discovered after it was dismantled
that the device contained the highly explosive C4 material." It pointed out that
"this material is made abroad and Syria does not produce it and the Israeli
occupation entity is considered its largest producer in the region."
A leading "FSA" officer considered the "aim of this information is to deceive
and fabricate lies because this (Syrian) regime is built on lies and deception
to solicit the people's sympathy and justify its crimes." As to the seizure of
Israeli weapons in Homs, the officer who refused to be named told Asharq Al-Awsat:
"This is a scenario to scare the people. The fact is that Al-Assad family's
regime alone has been the agent of Israel for 40 years. It is starting today to
claim that it is the target of an Israeli-American conspiracy and at times
claims it is targeted by Al-Qaeda organization. We assert there are no foreign
gunmen in Syria other than the fighters of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and
Hezbollah who are fighting alongside this regime for its survival." He asked:
"Why Bashar al-Assad does not allow the media to enter Syria and report the
truth as it is?" He pledged to the Syrian people that the "FSA will live to
their expectation and will continue to defend our people until the regime is
brought down, especially after the international community has let us down."
Arabs end Syrian mission, seek joint UN force
12/02/2012/CAIRO, (Reuters) - The Arab League called on Sunday for the U.N.
Security Council to send a joint U.N.-Arab peacekeeping mission to Syria and
decided to scrap its own monitoring team, according to a resolution approved by
ministers and obtained by Reuters. Arab ministers met in Cairo to revive
diplomatic efforts after Russia and China vetoed a U.N. resolution that called
for President Bashar al-Assad to step aside. That resolution was based on an
Arab peace plan and had Western backing. The Arab League called for "opening
communication channels with the Syrian opposition and providing all forms of
political and material support to it". It also urged the opposition to unify its
ranks.
As part of the Arab efforts, Tunisia said it would host the first meeting on
Feb. 24 of a "Friends of Syria" contact group made up of Arab and other states
and backed by Western powers.
"How long will we stay as onlookers to what is happening to the brotherly Syrian
people, and how much longer will we grant the Syrian regime one period after
another so it can commit more massacres against its people?" Saudi Foreign
Minister Saud al-Faisal asked ministers at the start of the League session. "At
our meeting today I call for decisive measures, after the failure of the
half-solutions," he said. "The Arab League should ... open all channels of
communication with the Syrian opposition and give all forms of support to it."
The resolution said Arabs would scrap their monitoring mission which had been
sent to Syria in late December but which was criticised by Syria's opposition as
ineffective from the outset. It also faced internal dissent and logistical
problems. The Sudanese general leading the observers quit on Sunday.
"I won't work one more time in the framework of the Arab League," General
Mohammed al-Dabi, whose appointment had been criticised because of Sudan's own
rights record, told Reuters.
"I performed my job with full integrity and transparency but I won't work here
again as the situation is skewed," he added. In place of the Arab team, the
League called for the U.N. Security Council to issue a resolution setting up a
joint U.N.-Arab peacekeeping mission to go to Syria. League chief Nabil Elaraby
has already proposed such a joint mission to the U.N. secretary-general but the
plan has drawn lukewarm support from diplomats at the United Nations in New
York. The United States and Germany said they were studying it.
SUPPORT FOR THE OPPOSITION
The resolution said violence against civilians in Syria had violated
international law and "perpetrators deserve punishment". It also reaffirmed a
call for Arabs to implement economic sanctions on Syria and decided on ending
diplomatic cooperation with Damascus.
Analysts and diplomats say sanctions that Arabs agreed to impose last year had
limited impact so far because Iraq and other neighbours have not implemented
them. Although the ministers lent their support to the opposition, the
resolution did not recognise the opposition.
Tunisian Foreign Minister Rafik Ben Abdessalem told reporters that recognising
the Syrian National Council was "premature and requires the opposition get
unified".
Earlier he had told ministers: "The Syrian people deserve freedom as much as
their brothers in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and other Arab states that witnessed
major political change."
Ben Abdessalem also announced that Tunisia would host the meeting of "Friends of
Syria", a plan proposed by France and the United States after Russia and China
blocked the Security Council resolution.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani said the new forum would
provide "a good opportunity to try to create a clear international direction to
help the Syrian people to exit the crisis"
Gulf states have been leading moves to isolate Assad. They announced last week
that they were recalling their ambassadors from Syria and expelling Syria's
envoys.
Libya and Tunisia, both countries where popular revolts toppled authoritarian
rulers last year, have done likewise. The Saudi minister criticised the Security
Council's failure to back the Arab plan for Syria. Elaraby said the veto, cause
of much Arab frustration, exposed the failings of the Council's voting system.
The League resolution expressed the "disappointment towards the Russia and
Chinese stance which used a veto against supporting the Arab peace plan".
Diplomats at the United Nations said Saudi Arabia had circulated a new draft
resolution backing the Arab plan for the General Assembly, rather than the
Security Council, to consider. Assembly resolutions are non-binding but cannot
be vetoed. However, Riyadh denied on Sunday reports that it had formally
presented the resolution to the assembly. Egypt's news agency said Elaraby had
proposed appointing former Jordanian minister and U.N. envoy to Libya, Abdel
Elah al-Khatib, as the League's special envoy to Syria. But a source in the
meeting said Khatib's name was not put forward.
US admiral says forces prepared to confront Iran
News agencies /Ynetnews
In Bahrain, commander of the 5th Fleet says Navy 'built wide range of potential
options to give the president.' Adds: Iran has 'suicide boats,' large mine
inventory The top US Navy official in the Persian Gulf said Sunday he takes
Iran's military capabilities seriously but insists his forces are prepared to
confront any Iranian aggression in the region. Vice Adm. Mark Fox,
commander of the 5th Fleet, told reporters at the naval force's Bahrain
headquarters that the Navy has "built a wide range of potential options to give
the president" and is "ready today" to confront any hostile action by Tehran. He
did not outline specifically how the Navy might respond to an Iranian strike or
an effort to shut the entrance to the Persian Gulf, though any response would
likely involve the two US aircraft carriers and other warships cruising the
waters off Iran. "We've developed very precise and lethal weapons that are very
effective, and we're prepared," Fox said. "We're just ready for any
contingency." Faced with tightening Western sanctions, Iranian officials have
stepped up threats to close the Strait of Hormuz if the country's oil exports
are blocked. A fifth of the world's oil supply passes through the narrow
waterway, which is only about 30 miles (50 kilometers) across at its narrowest
point. Iran and Oman share control of the waterway, but it is considered an
international strait, meaning free passage is guaranteed. Iran's army chief,
Gen. Ataollah Salehi, early last month warned an American warship not to return
to the Gulf shortly after the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis and another
vessel left. Another carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, entered the Gulf without
incident on Jan. 22. Fox acknowledged that Iran's military is "capable of
striking a blow" against American forces in the Gulf, particularly using
unconventional means such as small attack boats or mines laid along shipping
lanes. "We're not bulletproof. There are people that can take a swipe at us,"
Fox said. They have increased the number of submarines ... they increased the
number of fast attack craft," he told reporters. "Some of the small boats have
been outfitted with a large warhead that could be used as a suicide explosive
device. The Iranians have a large mine inventory." But he added that he has
reminded officers under his command that they "have a right and an obligation of
self defense" if attacked. The admiral's comments echo those of other Western
officials, who say they will respond swiftly to any Iranian attempt to shut the
Strait of Hormuz. Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff,
told CBS' "Face the Nation" last month that Iranian forces could block shipping
through the strait "for a period of time," but added, "We can defeat that."
Fox's command encompasses the bulk of the Middle East, including the Red Sea,
the Persian Gulf and a large swath of the Indian Ocean along the east African
coast. There are about 25,000 sailors under his command. AP, Reuters contributed
to the report
Aoun: We Won't Leave Government, Let the PM Quit
by Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Sunday stressed
that his ministers “will not leave the government.” “Let the premier quit”
instead, Aoun said in an interview on Al-Jadeed television. “We're not putting
obstacles in the government's path, we're rather confronting the wrongdoing, but
the premier (Najib Miqati) is paralyzing the cabinet,” Aoun charged. He noted
that any president of the republic “will have no role until we restore his
powers,” calling on President Michel Suleiman to play his “real role” and
“become an arbitrator according to the (current) constitution.” “Simply, those
who don't have (parliamentary) representation cannot rule,” Aoun added.“If we
had elected Suleiman as a president, that doesn't mean that he can ‘sit on our
shoulders’,” he went on to say.
Commenting on his bickering with Suleiman over the issue of Christian posts,
Aoun stressed that he was “the one who represents Christians in power.”
“I must select the Christian (civil servants) and until now we haven't gained
anything in the administrative appointments,” he noted. On the other hand, Aoun
stressed that “the government is not Hizbullah's government.”“Aren't
(Progressive Socialist Party leader MP) Walid Jumblat and the premier part of
the March 14 camp? The cabinet has 12 ministers who vote according to March 14's
policies, as they (Jumblat and Miqati) have only quit that camp verbally and not
truly,” Aoun claimed.Launching a vehement attack against ex-PM Fouad Saniora,
Aoun said: “Let Saniora tell us where did the donations go.”
“He does not have any trait a statesman should have and he is responsible for
many scandals. He is the biggest scandal and let him and those defending him
meet us in court,” Aoun added.
Asked about recent accusations that he had breached the protocol by showing up
late to church on St. Maroun Day after the arrival of the president of the
republic, Aoun said: “Sixty people other than me arrived late to the St. Maroun
mass and I told the archbishop beforehand that I would not attend the lunch
banquet” held after the mass. “I will not respond to assumptions … as we
are also subjected to insults and let's see the popular support each one of us
enjoys,” Aoun said, in an indirect attack against Suleiman
Nasrallah’s ‘strip show’
By: Ahmed Al Jarallah/Arab Times
http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/179494/reftab/36/Default.aspx
“NASRALLAH has yet to fully strip himself from his political attire. At least he
will not shed all his ‘attire’ all at once as we see in a strip tease show.
There is no doubt he is firing his last political salvo and this is perhaps
because he depends on a majority of his supporters. Events unfolding on the
political arena have not given this opportunist politician who wears a religious
cloak a chance to compose his ingenious speeches heaping threats on others. He
is well-known for flexing his muscles in front of the media. The situation has
exposed him and he has very little to cover himself.
In his last speech, Nasrallah said his people don’t need any wealth as long as
they have plenty in Allah’s state - a clear reference to Iran. He is not only
admitting that he is a mercenary of Tehran, he has elevated the regime in Iran
to a divine level. He has ascribed the regime as sacred and infallible. There is
no doubt he has violated the most uncomplicated principles of Islam and the
Shiite doctrine which he claims to uphold. He says there is no government
official in Tehran who can dare say so. The witty Nasrallah does not mind
violating religious doctrine just to please his masters - masters who have ended
up inviting upon themselves the international embargo amidst the crumbling walls
of Damascus, their only ally in the region.
Their dreams and hopes are on the verge of collapse. They desperately try to
brighten the spirits of those who are held in Lebanon as hostages.
Perhaps, Nasrallah may not be peddling drugs personally, but he is sheltering an
empire of drug smugglers. He and his ‘henchmen’ are closing an eye to the
phenomenon of the spread of drugs. This poison has seeped even into the school
premises and a majority of the areas controlled by Hezbollah (in terms of
security and military).
He prevents the government of Lebanon from entering these areas. This phenomenon
reminds us of a joke which is circulating in Lebanon about a Hezbollah religious
man who was given Zakat by a drug baron. The baron gave the religious man a
quantity of heroin and asked him to bless his charity. He subsequently wiped
some of the white powder on the sheikh’s beard while the words ‘Blessings,
Blessings’ were being repeated.
Also maybe, Nasrallah himself is not involved in money laundering, but everyone
who is involved in this crime is associated with him. Even those skillful money
launderers who donate money for his party while thousands impoverished families
in the south and other areas suffer, Hezbollah smuggle their ‘haram’ money -
which according to Nasrallah is ‘halal’. This is done with the blessings of the
so-called ‘resistance group’.
As all these heinous crimes are committed by this group, Nasrallah keeps telling
the people of Lebanon that he controls the entire country.
He exposed himself when he prevented the government of Lebanon from resigning.
This is a clear indication that the government of Lebanon can be just a toy
which Nasrallah uses to control decisions. There is no veil left to cover him
apart from waiting for the events to fold and subsequently be forgotten.
Shows never end until a comedian cracks a joke. On one hand Nasrallah condemns
the massacre in Homs and various other places and on the other he considers the
killings of infants, young women and men skirmishes between the regime forces
and ‘terrorist groups’.
The funniest part is when he had the audacity to say the demands of Syria’s
freedom fighters is a conspiracy against his party.
The strip show which Nasrallah orchestrated was very entertaining, and indeed it
finally it fully stripped him. He has nothing to cover himself not even the
‘resistance’ which he used to boast about attended his speech about the
destruction of Israel...
No wonder (Benjamin) Netanyahu, (Ehud) Barrak and other enemy leaders slept
soundlessly on the night Nasrallah was giving his imaginary speech which was
full of threats. In the speech, he was defending himself and his mob, and
perhaps, with reservations which will preserve the soft side of his masters in
Tehran.
It has been long said, “Whenever there is a smoke, there is fire.” Why is he
defending himself? Isn’t it this a person who is guilty without being accused by
anyone?
Muslim Persecution of Christians: January 2012
by Raymond Ibrahim
http://www.meforum.org/3171/muslim-persecution-of-christians-january-2012
Stonegate Institute
February 9, 2012
The beginning of the New Year saw only an increase in the oppression of
Christians under Islam, from Nigeria, where an all-out jihad has been declared
in an effort to eradicate the Muslim north of all Christians, to Europe, where
Muslim converts to Christianity are still hounded and attacked as apostates.
According to the Chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious
Freedom, "The flight of Christians out of the region is unprecedented and it's
increasing year by year"; in our life time alone, he predicts "Christians might
disappear altogether from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Egypt."
An international report found that Muslim nations make up nine out of the top
ten countries where Christians face the "most severe" persecution. In response
to these findings, a Vatican spokesman said that "Among the most serious
concerns, the increase in Islamic extremism merits special attention. Persons
and organizations dedicated to extremist Islamic ideology perpetrate terrible
acts of violence in many places throughout the world: the Boko Haram sect in
Nigeria is but one example. Then there is the climate of insecurity that
unfortunately in some countries accompanies the so-called "Arab spring"—a
climate that drives many Christians to flee and even to emigrate."
Categorized by theme, January's batch of Muslim persecution of Christians around
the world includes (but is not limited to) the following accounts, listed in
alphabetical order by country, not severity of anecdote.
APOSTASY
Iran: A Christian convert who was arrested in her home has been sentenced to two
years in prison. Previously she endured five months of uncertainty detained in
the notorious Evin prison, where the government hoped she would come to her
senses and renounce Christianity. She was convicted of "broad anti-Islamic
propaganda, deceiving citizens by formation of what is called a house church,
insulting sacred figures and action against national security." Likewise,
Iranian Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani continues to suffer in prison. Most recently,
he rejected an offer to be released if he publicly acknowledged Islam's prophet
Muhammad as "a messenger sent by God," which would amount to rejecting
Christianity, as Muhammad/Koran reject it.
Kenya: Muslim apostates seeking refuge in Kenya are being tracked and attacked
by Muslims from their countries of origin: An Ethiopian who, upon converting to
Christianity, was shot by his father, kidnapped and almost killed, is now
receiving threatening text messages. Likewise, a Ugandan convert to Christianity
is in hiding, his movements severely restricted since "the Muslims are looking
to kill me. I need protection and help."
Kuwait: A royal prince who openly declared that he has converted to
Christianity, confirmed the reality that he now might be targeted for killing as
an apostate.
Norway: While out for a walk, two Iranian converts to Christianity were stabbed
with knives by masked men shouting "infidels!" One of the men stabbed had
converted in Iran, was threatened there, and immigrated to Norway, thinking he
could escape persecution there.
Somalia: A female convert to Christianity was paraded before a cheering crowd
and publicly flogged as punishment for embracing a "foreign religion."
Imprisoned since November, "the public whipping was meant to mark her release."
She received 40 lashes as hundreds of Muslim spectators jeered. An eyewitness
said: "I saw her faint. I thought she had died, but soon she regained
consciousness and her family took her away." Likewise, "Somali Islamists
arrested a Muslim father after two of his children converted to Christianity"
and fled. He is accused of "failing to raise his sons as good Muslims, because
"good Muslims cannot convert to Christianity."
Zanzibar: After being robbed, a Muslim convert to Christianity called police to
his house; they discovered a Bible during their inspection. The course of
inquiry immediately changed from searching for the thieves to asking why he "was
practicing a forbidden faith." He was imprisoned for eight months without trial,
and, since being released, has been rejected by his family and is now homeless
and diseased.
CHURCH ATTACKS
Azerbaijan: A pastor has been threatened with criminal proceedings following a
raid on his church during Sunday service. Earlier, he was told that "a criminal
case had been launched over religious literature arousing incitement over other
faiths," and was pressured by authorities to leave the area, which he did,
traveling great distances each week to lead church services.
Egypt: Before a bishop was going to inaugurate the incomplete Abu Makka church
and celebrate the Epiphany mass, a large number of Salafis and Muslim
Brotherhood members entered the building, asserting that the church had no
license and so no one should pray in it. One Muslim remarked that the building
would be suitable for a mosque and a hospital.
Indonesia: A sticker on the back of the car of a member of the beleaguered
Yasmin church saying "We need a friendly Islam, not an angry Islam," distributed
by the family of the late Muslim president, prompted another Islamic attack on
the church: scores of Muslims "terrorized the congregation and attacked several
church members." Since 2008, the congregation has been forced to hold Sunday
services on the sidewalk outside the church and then later in the home of
parishioners. Not satisfied, hundreds of Muslims later searched and found the
private home where members were congregating and holding service and prevented
them from worshiping there as well: "It crosses the line now. The protesters now
come to the residential area, which is not a public place." A new report notes
that anti-Christian attacks have nearly doubled in the last year.
Nigeria: Soon after jihadis issued an ultimatum giving Christians three days to
evacuate the region or die, armed Muslims stormed a church and "opened fire on
worshippers as their eyes were closed in prayer," killing six, including the
pastor's wife. Then, as friends and relatives gathered to mourn the deaths of
those slain, "Allahu Akbar" screaming Muslims appeared and opened fire again,
killing another 20 Christians. Several other churches were bombed, and seven
more killed.
Pakistan: Enraged by the voices of children singing carols at a nearby church,
Muslims praying in a mosque decided to silence them—including with an axe: "The
children were preparing for mass to be celebrated the next day which was a
Sunday. The loud cheers became terrified whimpers when suddenly four men, one of
them with an axe, barged into the church. The men slapped the children, wrecked
the furniture, smashed the microphone on to the floor and kicked the altar. "You
are disturbing our prayers. We can't pray properly. How dare you use the mike
and speakers?" (Islam forbids Christians from celebrating loudly in church,
banning bells, microphones, etc.) Also, a center owned by the Catholic church
for 125 years, and used for "charitable purposes"—it housed a home for the
elderly, a girls' school, a convent and chapel for prayer—was demolished, after
it was discovered that its land is worth much money; in the process, demolition
workers destroyed Bibles, crosses, and a statue of Our Lady.
Zanzibar: Muslims destroyed two churches: one was torched, while the other
demolished—all to yells of "Allahu Akbar."
DHIMMITUDE
[General Abuse, Debasement, and Suppression of non-Muslim "Second-Class
Citizens"]
Denmark: In Muslim majority Odense, an Iranian Christian family had two cars
consecutively vandalized—windows smashed, seats cut up, and set ablaze—because
the cars had crucifixes hanging in them; the family has since relocated to an
undisclosed location. Likewise, "Church Ministry" will change its name to
"Ministry of Philosophy of Life" to accommodate Muslims.
Egypt: In the latest round of collective punishment, a mob of over 3000 Muslims
attacked Christians in a village because of a rumor that a Coptic man had
intimate photos of a Muslim woman on his phone (denied by the man). Coptic homes
and shops were looted before being set ablaze. Three were injured, while
"terrorized" women and children who lost their homes stood in the streets with
no place to go. As usual, it took the army an hour to drive 2 kilometers to the
village and none of the perpetrators were arrested.
Nigeria: Boko Haram Muslims set ablaze a Christian missionary home. Occupants of
the home, mostly orphans and the less-privileged, were rendered homeless as a
result. Meanwhile, a top officer allowed the mastermind behind the Christmas Day
church bombings to escape, evincing how well entrenched Islamists are in
government.
Pakistan: A judge has denied bail to the latest Christian charged with
desecrating the Koran, under Pakistan's blasphemy laws, despite the lack of
evidence against him: according to Sharia, the word of a Christian is half that
of his Muslim accuser (his landlord).
Saudi Arabia: Officials strip-searched 29 Christian women and assaulted six
Christian men after arresting them for holding a prayer meeting at a private
home. Imprisoned last month without trial, they have not been told when or if
they will be released. Authorities conducted the strip searches of the women,
who insisted they had committed no crime, in unsanitary conditions. As a result,
some of the women have been injured and are suffering illnesses, but authorities
have provided no medical treatment.
Sudan: Authorities threatened to arrest church leaders if they engage in
"evangelistic activities" and fail to comply with an order for churches to
provide names and identifications: "The order was aimed at oppressing Christians
amid growing hostilities toward Christianity… Sudanese law prohibits
missionaries from evangelizing, and converting from Islam to another religion is
punishable by imprisonment or death in Sudan, though previously such laws were
not strictly enforced." Accordingly, days and weeks later, two evangelists were
arrested on spurious charges and beat by police.
Turkey: A Christian asylum seeker who fled from Iran because of his faith "was
brutally assaulted by his Turkish employer with hot water and his body was
severely burned," due to "the extreme religious views" of his Muslim employer,
who "told him he had no rights and that he would not pay him any money," after
the Christian asked for his agreed wages. He "is just one example of hundreds of
Iranian Christian asylum seekers who are living in such situations in Turkey."
ABDUCTION, RANSOM, MURDER
Egypt: The abduction of a 16-year old Christian girl, who disappeared over a
month ago, has become a "tug of war between the Christian family and Muslim
lawyers." The court sided with the Islamists, ordering the girl to be held in a
state-owned care home till she reaches 18—the legal age of conversion—instead of
returning her to her family. Coptic activists argue that the decision
"encourages Islamists to continue unabated the abduction of Christian minors for
conversion to Islam."
Pakistan: A Christian girl who was abducted in 2001 when she was 15 and forced
to marry a Muslim, returned to her Catholic family after 10 years. Her case is
not an isolated case: "there are at least 700 cases a year of Christian girls
kidnapped and forced to marry Muslims. Likewise, "within the past three months,
nine women have been abducted and forcibly converted to Islam."
Sudan: After a large truck smashed through the gates of a Catholic Church
compound, Muslims affiliated with Sudan's Islamic government kidnapped two
Catholic priests and "severely beat" them and looted their living quarters,
stealing two vehicles, two laptops and a safe. Later, the kidnappers forced the
priests to call their bishop with a ransom demand of 500,000 Sudanese pounds
(US$185,530).
Switzerland: A Muslim man hacked his daughter to death for dating a Christian:
were they dating in a Muslim-dominated country, the Christian, as so often
happens, would have likely received similar treatment.
Syria: The Christian community in Syria has been hit by a series of kidnappings
and brutal murders; 100 Christians were killed since the anti-government unrest
began; "children were being especially targeted by the kidnappers, who, if they
do not receive the ransom demanded, kill the victim, including some who are "cut
into pieces and thrown in a river." These latest reports are reminiscent of the
anti-Christian attacks that have become commonplace in Iraq for a decade.
Tajikistan: A young man dressed as Father Frost—the Russian equivalent of Father
Christmas—was stabbed to death while visiting relatives and bringing gifts. The
Muslim mob beating and stabbing him screamed "you infidel!" leading police to
cite "religious hatred" as motivation.
About this Series
Because the persecution of Christians in the Islamic world is on its way to
reaching epidemic proportions, "Muslim Persecution of Christians" was developed
to collate some—by no means all—of the instances of Muslim persecution of
Christians that surface each month. It serves two purposes:
Intrinsically, to document that which the mainstream media does not: the
habitual, if not chronic, Muslim persecution of Christians.
Instrumentally, to show that such persecution is not "random," but systematic
and interrelated—that it is rooted in a worldview inspired by Sharia.
Accordingly, whatever the anecdote of persecution, it typically fits under a
specific theme, including hatred for churches and other Christian symbols;
sexual abuse of Christian women; forced conversions to Islam; apostasy and
blasphemy laws; theft and plunder in lieu of jizya (tribute); overall
expectations for Christians to behave like cowed "dhimmis" (second-class
citizens); and simple violence and murder. Oftentimes it is a combination
thereof.
Because these accounts of persecution span different ethnicities, languages, and
locales—from Morocco in the west, to India in the east, and throughout the West,
wherever there are Muslims—it should be clear that one thing alone binds them:
Islam—whether the strict application of Islamic Sharia law, or the supremacist
culture born of it.
Raymond Ibrahim is a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center and an
Associate Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
http://www.meforum.org/3171/muslim-persecution-of-christians-january-2012
Related Topics: Anti-Christianism | Raymond Ibrahim
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