Bible Quotation for today/Revenge & Love for Enemies
Matthew 05: 38-48: "You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.  But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap your left cheek too. And if someone takes you to court to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well  And if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two miles. When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something, lend it to him.  You have heard that it was said, Love your friends, hate your enemies. But now I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may become the children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun to shine on bad and good people alike, and gives rain to those who do good and to those who do evil. Why should God reward you if you love only the people who love you? Even the tax collectors do that! And if you speak only to your friends, have you done anything out of the ordinary? Even the pagans do that! You must be perfect—just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
After Obama’s Visit, Armageddon Awaits/By: Ahmed Othman/Asharq Alawsat/April 02/13

Ten Years On: The Iraq War Was Justified/By: Azad Jundyany/Asharq Al-Awsat /April 02/13

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for April 02/13

Canada opens diplomatic mission in Baghdad
Hollande Calls on Lebanese to Abide by Baabda Declaration
March 8 Christians, Hizbullah Delegation Hold Talks in Rabieh
Future MP wants consensual new premier

Patriarch al-Rai : Leaders must forsake personal interests
Hezbollah MP slams calls for “non-political cabinet”
Fatfat Says Mustaqbal to Refrain from Submitting Candidacy Requests without Consensus
Syria says rebels set fire to three eastern oil wells

Raad on Next PM: No Veto on Anyone Who Belongs to Patriotic Camp

Qaouq: New Govt. Mustn't Stab Resistance in the Back, March 14 Blinded by Lust for Power
Lebanon minister advocates formation of national unity cabinet
Report: Abou Faour to Meet Hariri in Saudi Arabia

Reports: Odds in Favor of Naming Miqati for Premiership, Again
Reports: Jumblat Bloc to Submit Candidacy Requests Tuesday

Algeria Says Syria Opposition Group's Decisions Will be Futile
Suicide Truck Bomb Kills 9 as Iraq Unrest Spikes

Syria Conflict Dents Damascus Loyalties of Golan Druze
1 Dead, 3 Injured in Arkansas Nuclear Site Accident

Iraq Executes Four Including Qaida's Baghdad Chief

Kuwait Hangs Three in First Executions since 2007

Top Aide of Libya Premier 'Kidnapped' in Tripoli Suburb

Party Officials: Hamas Set to Re-Elect Meshaal as Leader

Abbas Confirms Jordan as Custodian of Jerusalem Holy Sites

Somber Easter for Syria's Christians
Israel begins gas delivery from offshore Tamar field

Palestinians kick off Jerusalem bid by ceding Holy Sites Custodianship to Jordan’s king

Reports: Odds in Favor of Naming Miqati for Premiership, Again
Naharnet/Consultations over the formation of the cabinet are ongoing as the March 8 and 14 alliances are still mulling the possibility of designating Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati to form the government that will oversee the upcoming parliamentary elections. Sources said in comments published in Kuwaiti al-Seyassah newspaper on Monday that the March 14 opposition are keen to prevent the March 8 majority alliance led by Hizbullah from claiming the majority by luring Miqati and centrist Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat to its coalition. According to the daily, the March 8 coalition is discussing the name of the new PM-designate with the balance tilting towards Caretaker Finance Minister Mohammed al-Safadi. The March 8 is also tackling the names of ex-Minister Bahij Tabbara, former PM Omar Karami or ex-Minister Abdul Rahim Murad. The Kuwaiti al-Anbaa newspaper reported that Hizbullah is seeking to assign a balanced PM. Miqati's resignation on March 22 prompted calls for the resumption of the national dialogue.
His resignation further complicated the political crisis in Lebanon after signs began appearing that the Hizbullah-led March 8 forces are seeking a national salvation cabinet while the March 14 opposition alliance wants a neutral government. Al-Anbaa newspaper reported that the March 14 coalition is waiting for the stance of ex-PM Saad Hariri before naming its candidate. On Sunday, al-Mustaqbal bloc leader Fouad Saniora returned to Lebanon after talks with Hariri in the Saudi capital Riyadh. The talks came ahead of the April 5-6 binding consultations between President Michel Suleiman and the parliamentary blocs and independents on the name of the PM-designate.
The alliance has previously ruled out the appointment Miqati to lead such a government. Hariri, who is also the al-Mustaqbal movement chief, headed a cabinet in 2009, until its collapse in 2011 after March 8 alliance ministers withdrew from his national unity government. Jumblat's 12-member National Struggle Front parliamentary bloc, along with the March 8 majority led by Hizbullah, brought Miqati to the premiership.

Reports: Jumblat Bloc to Submit Candidacy Requests Tuesday
Naharnet/Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat and the members of his National Struggle Front parliamentary bloc will submit their candidacies for the parliamentary elections to the interior ministry on Tuesday, according to media reports. MTV quoted PSP's secretary general Zafer Nasser as saying that “the party's MPs will file their nominations after the (Easter) holiday to reject the postponement of elections and the extension of parliament's mandate.” According to information obtained by LBCI television, Jumblat and the five members of his bloc, as well as other candidates, have signed their candidacy requests and prepared all the necessary documents in order to file the nominations before the constitutional deadline – April 9. “They will likely file the requests on Tuesday,” LBCI's report said. The TV network quoted PSP sources as saying that the move aims to underline the party's insistence on holding the elections on time and according to the 1960 law. According to the sources, the step will also reflect that the 1960 law is still in force and that it is “constitutional and legal,” adding that the move would support and complement President Michel Suleiman's stance and his demand that the electoral supervisory committee be formed as well as his rejection of a possible delay of elections and extension of parliament's mandate. Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel has said that he would suggest a technical postponement of the parliamentary elections for three months amid a deadlock on the new cabinet and the vote law.
In remarks to al-Liwaa daily published on Saturday, Charbel said his proposal “would give the consultations aimed at reaching consensus on the electoral law and the government” more time.
He said that the caretaker cabinet can supervise the elections if the rival parties were able to agree on a vote law before June 20 when the term of the legislature expires.
But under such a circumstance, the elections that are set to be held on June 9 will have to be postponed. “I think that agreement should first be reached on the electoral draft-law and then set the date for the elections,” Charbel told al-Liwaa. “Then they could strike a deal on the government so that we don't fall into a vacuum.”The rival parties have so far failed to agree on an electoral draft-law. The resignation of Prime Minister Najib Miqati complicated the crisis after signs began appearing that the Hizbullah led March 8 forces are seeking a national salvation cabinet while the March 14 opposition alliance wants a neutral government.
Miqati's resignation came last week over the rejection of Hizbullah and its allies a proposal to extend the tenure of Internal security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi and form the authority that would supervise the elections over fears that the polls would be held based on the 1960 law which they totally reject.Several proposals have been made but the conditions set by each party have prevented a deal on the vote law.

Raad on Next PM: No Veto on Anyone Who Belongs to Patriotic Camp
Naharnet/MP Mohammed Raad, head of Hizbullah's Loyalty to Resistance bloc, on Monday said the Hizbullah-led coalition is “open to all choices and options” regarding the designation of a new premier, noting that there will be no “veto” on “anyone who belongs to the patriotic camp.” “Any new electoral law must ensure fair representation for all the Lebanese and truly achieve equal power-sharing between Muslim and Christians,” said Raad.
“We're open to all choices and options and we will not put a veto on anyone who belongs to the patriotic camp, but we have a different approach towards the agents of foreign powers in our country,” Raad added.
The top Hizbullah official said “clarity” is required in the new cabinet “because our country is in need for consolidating and reiterating the national principles and the army-people-resistance strength equation.”
Raad added that the new prime minister must avoid elusiveness in approaching the national causes and must refuse to comply with “the conditions and diktats of others.”
He noted that “the magnitude of pressure and siege imposed by Arab and Western states on the government (of Najib Miqati) was not equivalent to the great benefit achieved by forming this government, which prevented Lebanon from being turned into a tense arena in which clashes flare up in all neighborhoods, cities, towns and villages as a result of involvement in the Syrian crisis.”
“Had others been in power during this period, Lebanon would have become a player in the Syrian crisis from the very first day,” Raad noted. “What is the purpose behind amassing weapons in the North and what is the reason behind sending Lutfallah II and the other (arms) ships to Lebanon?” he asked rhetorically. “From the moment this government was formed, they started demanding its resignation and downfall and we said that we will work and exert utmost efforts to ensure the survival of the government until the date of the (parliamentary) electoral juncture, and this is what happened,” Raad added.
Miqati's resignation on March 22 further complicated the political crisis in Lebanon after signs began appearing that the Hizbullah-led March 8 forces are seeking a national salvation cabinet while the March 14 opposition alliance wants a neutral government.

Fatfat Says Mustaqbal to Refrain from Submitting Candidacy Requests without Consensus
Naharnet/Al-Mustaqbal movement will not submit the candidacy of any lawmaker for the parliamentary elections prior an agreement among the parties affiliated in the March 14 alliance, lawmaker Ahmed Fatfat revealed on Monday. “We will not take a unilateral decision in this regards,” Fatfat said in comments to Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5). He pointed out that submitting the candidacy of MPs requires a consensus over the new electoral law. Media reports said on Sunday that Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat and the members of his National Struggle Front parliamentary bloc will submit their candidacies for the parliamentary elections to the interior ministry on Tuesday. The rival parties have so far failed to agree on an electoral draft-law. The resignation of Prime Minister Najib Miqati last week complicated the political crisis in Lebanon. Fatfat reiterated that elections must be held on time, noting that if the opposition and March 8 majority-led by Hizbullah, failed to agree on an electoral law then polls could be postponed briefly. Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel has said that he would suggest a technical postponement of the parliamentary elections for three months amid a deadlock on the new cabinet and the vote law. He said that the caretaker cabinet can supervise the elections if the rival parties were able to agree on a vote law before June 20 when the term of the legislature expires.

Hollande Calls on Lebanese to Abide by Baabda Declaration
Naharnet/French President Francois Hollande expressed hope on Monday that Lebanon's sovereignty and stability remain, calling on politicians to abide by the Baabda declaration. According to Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3), Hollande contacted his Lebanese counterpart Michel Suleiman to congratulate him on Easter Day, stressing the importance of implementing the dissociation policy. The French president urged Suleiman to safeguard Lebanon from the negative repercussions of the turmoil in the neighboring countries and not to interfere in the affairs of other countries. In the Baabda Declaration, 16 political leaders from both the March 8 majority coalition and the March 14 opposition agreed to avoid rhetoric that fuels sectarian incitement. They also pledged to consolidate stability to prevent the country from descending into strife. Lebanese parties are sharply divided over the crisis in Syria as the March 8 alliance continuously expresses its support to Assad, while the March 14 camp backs the popular revolt. The international community and analysts have expressed fears that the conflict in Syria may spill over into Lebanon. Hollande also praised Suleiman's stance concerning the parliamentary elections. On Sunday, Suleiman stressed the need to hold the parliamentary elections on time, rejecting the possibility of extending the term of the current parliament. However, Suleiman and Caretaker Prime Minister Miqati have signed a decree that sets the elections on June 9 based on the 1960 law that was used in the 2009 polls over the lack of agreement between the bickering parliamentary blocs. Their call have drawn the ire of the March 8 majority coalition, which has totally rejected the law. Deep rift between the March 8 and 14 alliances surfaced over the electoral system that would be adopted during the upcoming polls. The majority insists on the adoption of the Orthodox proposal that considers Lebanon a single district and allows each sect to vote for its own MPs under a proportional representation system, but it was opposed by Suleiman, Miqati, al-Mustaqbal bloc, the Progressive Socialist Party, and the independent Christian MPs of the March 14 opposition, saying it harms the social fabric and increases sectarian tension.

March 8 Christians, Hizbullah Delegation Hold Talks in Rabieh
Naharnet /A meeting was held on Monday between the March 8 alliance Christians and a delegation from Hizbullah at the residence of Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun in Rabieh.
The meeting included Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh, ex-Minister Youssef Saade, FPM caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil, Tashnag Party MP Hagop Pakradonian, political aide of the Hizbullah chief Hussein Khalil and Hizbullah Liaison and Coordination Officer Wafiq Safa. The state-run National News Agency quoted Pakradonian as saying: “Consultations are ongoing.”
However, officials left the residence of Aoun without making any statement. Later, Franjieh, Saade, Safa and Khalil headed to Ain el-Tineh for talks with Speaker Nabih Berri.
The talks came ahead of the April 5-6 binding consultations between President Michel Suleiman and the parliamentary blocs and independents on the name of the PM-designate after Prime Minister Najib Miqati resigned on March 22. His resignation further complicated the political crisis in Lebanon after signs began appearing that the Hizbullah-led March 8 forces are seeking a national salvation cabinet while the March 14 opposition alliance wants a neutral government.

Syria says rebels set fire to three eastern oil wells
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian rebels have set three oil wells in the east of the country ablaze, causing a daily loss of nearly 5,000 barrels of oil and 52,000 cubic meters of gas, state media quoted an oil ministry official as saying on Sunday.SANA news agency said the damage to the oil wells in Deir al-Zor province, much of which is in rebel hands, followed disputes among the fighters over "sharing out the stolen oil" from fields in areas they control.
It said Syria's Furat Petroleum Corporation was working to extinguish the three fires. A total of nine wells had been set on fire by the rebels, the agency added, without saying when the other six had been set ablaze.
Furat was not immediately able to comment on the report. European Union sanctions imposed on Syria two years ago over President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on protests - which have since developed into armed conflict - effectively halted Syria's modest oil exports. Assad's government has also struggled to meet domestic energy requirements after losing control of large parts of the east of the country, where most of the oil wells are located.
But despite the fighting residents say oil production has continued in some fields, with rebels trading with local authorities and allowing oil to be shipped to government-controlled areas.
(Editing by Sophie Hares)

Suicide Truck Bomb Kills 9 as Iraq Unrest Spikes
Naharnet/A suicide truck bomber killed nine people at a police headquarters on Monday as data showed March was Iraq's deadliest month since August, raising fears of a surge in violence leading up to elections.
The latest attack, in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, comes as Iraq marks 10 years since the U.S.-led invasion of the country that intended to oust Saddam and install a stable, democratic ally in the Middle East but instead unleashed brutal violence and endless political disputes. The attacker detonated the tanker truck at a police headquarters in Tikrit, 160 kilometers (100 miles) north of Baghdad, killing nine people and wounding 28, according to Mohammed Hassan Attiya, the head of the security committee within the provincial council of Salaheddin, of which Tikrit is the capital. Among the victims were eight policemen who died and 25 who were wounded, Attiya said. Also north of the capital in the town of Tuz Khurmatu, gunmen wounded the mayor and his two bodyguards, officials said.No group immediately claimed responsibility for the Tikrit attack, but Sunni militants linked to al-Qaida often use suicide bombers and vehicles packed with explosives to target security forces and officials in a bid to destabilize the country. The bombing comes ahead of provincial elections scheduled for April 20, due to be held in 12 of Iraq's 18 provinces, the country's first polls since a parliamentary vote in March 2010.
"Because we are approaching elections, which are a key event in the country, this is pushing terrorist groups ... to carry out maximum damage against internal security," a senior security official told Agence France Presse, speaking on condition of anonymity. "They are aiming to hinder the elections." Questions have been raised about the credibility of the polls as they have been postponed in two provinces roiled by months of protests, and 11 candidates have been killed, according to an AFP tally. Officials cited security threats to candidates and election officials in justifying the delay in Anbar and Nineveh province, but diplomats have voiced concern over the move.
"The fact is that while security has been put forward as a rationale for that postponement, no country knows more about voting under difficult circumstances than Iraq," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on a surprise visit to Baghdad last month. The vote is seen as a key barometer of support for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as he grapples with criticism from within his unity cabinet and protests in the minority Sunni Arab community.
Though violence remains high by international standards, Iraq's military and police are consistently described by Iraqi and American officials as capable of maintaining internal security, but are not yet fully able to protect the country's borders, airspace and maritime territory. Figures compiled by AFP and based on reports from security and medical officials, meanwhile, showed that March was the deadliest month in Iraq since August with 271 people killed and 906 wounded in attacks. The death toll was sharply higher than the toll for February, when 220 people were killed and 571 were wounded.
In last month's bloodiest day, 56 people were killed in a spate of bombings and shootings nationwide on March 19, marking the 10th anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
Iraq has largely eschewed any formal ceremonies marking the date of the invasion, but events are likely to be held on April 9, which marks the day Baghdad fell and is typically reserved as a public holiday.
SourceAgence France Presse

1 Dead, 3 Injured in Arkansas Nuclear Site Accident
Naharnet /A worker was killed and three others were injured Sunday during an industrial accident at a U.S. nuclear power plant that did not release any nuclear material, officials and operators said. Part of a generator fell as it was being moved out of the turbine building at Entergy Operations Inc's Arkansas Nuclear One in Russellville, the company said in a statement. "There is no danger to the public," it added.
The Arkansas Department of Health stressed that the accident, which occurred around 7:45 am (1245 GMT), took place in a "non-radiation area, and there has been no risk to public health and safety identified."
The injured workers were taken to hospital, according to Entergy. Unit 1 of the plant is offline for refueling and Unit 2 was automatically shut down after the accident.
"Both plants are in a stable shutdown condition and there is no danger to the public," Entergy said. The accident, in which the generator stator -- the stationary part of the system -- fell, is classified as an unusual event, the lowest of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's four emergency classifications. "We are deeply saddened by what has happened today," said executive vice president and chief nuclear officer Jeff Forbes.
"Our greatest sympathy is with the family and friends of the employee who lost his life, and with those who sustained injuries. I also want to express my sorrow and support to all those who work at Arkansas Nuclear One. I know this is especially hard on them." The group, which provides electricity to 2.8 million customers in Arkansas and the neighboring states of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, employs around 15,000 people. It owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including more than 10,000 megawatts of nuclear power, making it a top U.S. nuclear generator.
SourceAgence France Presse

Patriarch al-Rai : Leaders must forsake personal interests
Now Lebanon/ Lebanon’s Maronite Patriarch on Easter Sunday presided over a mass in the seat of the church in Bkirki during which he called on the country’s leaders to forsake their personal interests. “Officials are called upon to [forsake] their personal interests… for the sake of the resurrection of the country and its citizens,” the National News Agency quoted Bechara Boutros al-Rai as saying. The Patriarch added that state officials serve God for the sake of the country’s people.Rai’s comments come amid a political crisis that has gripped the country after Najib Miqati’s resignation as premier last week and as Lebanon’s political class remains bitterly divided over what electoral law to adopt for the June parliamentary elections.

Hezbollah MP slams calls for “non-political cabinet”
Now Lebanon/Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Nawwaf al-Moussawi criticized some parties advocating for the replacement of the newly resigned cabinet with a non-political government. “Advocating for a non-political government runs counter to the [country’s] political reality as well as its constitution,” the National News Agency quoted Moussawi as saying on Monday. He explained his position by claiming that fair representation for all the political parties can only be ensured through “political representation.” The Hezbollah official slammed the idea of a non-political government, saying that it is “an attempt to breach the constitution… to turn against it and against the Taif Accord,” which brought a negotiated end to Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war.The country’s different political parties have expressed divergent points of view concerning the formation of a new cabinet after Prime Minister Najib Miqati stepped down from his office in March. This resignation came after the cabinet failed to approve the creation of a supervisory electoral body and did not vote on the extension of the tenure of Internal Security Forces chief Ashraf Rifi.  Talks have since focused on the nature of the new cabinet, with some parties calling for a salvation government and others advocating the formation of a neutral cabinet, or a national unity government.

Lebanon minister advocates formation of national unity cabinet
Now Lebanon/Caretaker Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour said that the government that will replace the newly resigned cabinet must respect the disassociation policy. “The best choice is to [form] a national unity government… that will keep the Baabda Declaration [which stipulates Lebanon will stay away from regional and international conflicts] as its central [focus],” Abou Faour said on Monday. “The only course of action available to us is to try as diligently as possible to not import Syria’s [conflict] to Lebanon,” the minister in the recently resigned cabinet added. Abou Faour went on to explain why, in his opinion, Prime Minister Najib Miqati stepped down from his post in March. “The cabinet resigned for one reason only, which is that some parties wanted to… target an institution that has a pivotal role in preserving Lebanon’s security and stability,” he said in reference to the Internal Security Forces. Two weeks ago, Lebanon’s government fell following Miqati’s resignation from his office after the cabinet failed to approve the formation of a supervisory electoral body and did not vote on the extension of the tenure of ISF chief Ashraf Rifi. Talks have since focused on the nature of the new cabinet, with some parties calling for a salvation government and others advocating the formation of a neutral cabinet, or a national unity government that will oversee the process of electing a new parliament. Elsewhere, the caretaker minister stressed that the controversial 1960 electoral law is still legally valid, contrary to what some parties are claiming.
“We do not consider the 1960 law as the best [law] for the parliamentary elections… However, it is still the electoral law [in force].”Parties affiliated with the March 8 coalition have expressed severe criticism of the 1960 electoral law which is based on simple majority representation, and have repeatedly refused to hold a vote under this law that governed the 2009 polls they lost in. These parties, along with the opposition Lebanese Forces and the Kataeb Party, advocate for the adoption of the sectarian-based Orthodox proposal. The controversial law was approved by the joint parliamentary commissions in February, but was met with fierce opposition from the Future Movement, the Progressive Socialist Party, independent Christian MPs and President Michel Suleiman on the grounds that it would lead to sectarian divisions within the country.

Future MP wants consensual new premier
Now Lebanon/Future bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat voiced his party’s endorsement of the election of a new prime minister that all the country’s political parties would agree to. “The premier does not necessarily have to be [neutral], but rather accepted by everyone,” Fatfat told Voice of Lebanon (100.5) radio on Monday.The opposition lawmaker added that any new prime minister elected must “form a government of non-election candidates.”
He also highlighted that the Future Movement will not reveal the names of their candidates for the new premiership before the March 14 coalition reaches a unanimous decision on the matter.
“There will be one common name [proposed by] March 14, and our stance will be unified.” Fatfat went on to commend President Michel Suleiman’s refusal to sign the extension of the parliament’s term, describing this move as a “principled position.”“Thank God we have a president such as ours,” Fatfat added.Lebanon’s different political parties have expressed divergent points of view concerning the formation of a new cabinet after Prime Minister Najib Miqati stepped down from his office in March. This resignation came after the cabinet failed to approve the creation of a supervisory electoral body and did not vote on the extension of the tenure of Internal Security Forces chief Ashraf Rifi. Talks have since focused on the nature of the new cabinet, with some parties calling for a salvation government and others advocating the formation of a neutral cabinet, or a national unity government.

Canada opens diplomatic mission in Baghdad
Canada opened its first diplomatic mission in Iraq in more than two decades on Monday as Foreign Minister John Baird acknowledged his country "needs to be on the ground in Baghdad".On a brief visit to the Iraqi capital, Baird met with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and his political rival Osama al-Nujaifi, the parliament speaker, as well as inaugurated the mission, an office of the Canadian embassy in Amman that will be located on the compound of the British embassy in Baghdad.
"Ten years after the Iraqi intervention, Iraq is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, despite deep and lingering sectarian tensions," Baird said in a statement.
"Canada's trade and investment interests in Iraq have strong potential, including in the country's north, where we will expand our dialogue with leaders in Arbil.
"To pursue our interests, we know that Canada needs to be on the ground in Baghdad."
Ottawa closed its embassy in the Iraqi capital in 1990.
The Baghdad office's charge d'affaires will be Stephanie Duhaime.
While violence in Iraq remains high by international standards, it is markedly lower than its peak in 2006 and 2007, and Baghdad has sought in recent years to re-emerge on the world stage and has pushed for several countries to re-establish diplomatic missions in the country.

Somber Easter for Syria's Christians
Naharnet /Syrian Christians marked a sombre Easter on Sunday, many having to observe the holy day in areas devastated by Syria's conflict, including in the northern hamlet of Ghassaniyeh.
The Christian town on the edge of Idlib province was once home to some 10,000 residents, all of them Catholics except six Muslim families. Now Ghassaniyeh is a ghost town, with no more than 15 of its residents left. "We're weren't able to celebrate either the Passion or the Crucifixion, we didn't dare to leave our homes," 88-year-old Giorgio told Agence France Presse, referring to religious ceremonies on Good Friday.
But Giorgio, one of the last residents left in the town, decided to make it to church for the Easter Sunday service.
Dressed in a blue trousers, a beige jacket and traditional white headscarf, he marked the occasion with eight other residents, four nuns and two priests.
"We are people of peace, not of war. We want peace for the whole world," added Giorgio, whose children fled town when their homes were destroyed in shelling.
At the entrance to the town, a large statue of Saint George slaying the dragon has been half destroyed by a rocket, and an altar dedicated to the Virgin Mary bears the marks of fighting.
The roof of one of the three churches in the area, belonging to the Evangelical community, has been pierced by a rocket and the floors of buildings in the town have been reduced to rubble by successive air raids.
In the capital Damascus, where fighting between rebels and regime forces has engulfed districts on the outskirts of the city, the atmosphere was similarly sombre.
"This year, we aren't celebrating with the family," said 32-year-old Naji, whose brother was killed in violence three months ago.
"I'm ashamed to utter the word 'celebration' while my country is bleeding," added 53-year-old Fadia, a translator living in northern Damascus.
"It's sadness that unites the families on this day... there are so many relatives and friends who have left the country," she added.
"While in the past the churches were full of believers, today it was desperately quiet. People are afraid to leave their homes."
State television showed footage of Easter services in the capital, some of them sparsely attended. The Orthodox Christians of Syria celebrate Easter in May.
At its peak, Syria's Christians numbered around 1.8 million, approximately five percent of the population. They have remained largely out of the armed revolt which erupted after a crackdown on anti-government protests in 2011.The violence has killed 70,000 people since then, according to U.N. figures, and prompted a call on Sunday from Pope Francis for a "political solution."
Speaking in front of some 250,000 people from around the world in the Vatican, Francis prayed for "dear Syria, for its people torn by conflict and for the many refugees who await help and comfort.
"How much blood has been shed! And how much suffering must there still be before a political solution to the crisis will be found?" he asked.
SourceAgence France Presse

Israel begins gas delivery from offshore Tamar field
Now Lebanon/Israel announced on Saturday it had begun delivering gas from a major northern offshore drill toward its shores, a move officials say will diminish the Jewish state's dependency on foreign gas imports.
A statement from the energy and water ministry said that on Saturday afternoon "natural gas has begun being moved from the Tamar reservoir to a new naval production raft across from Ashdod, from where it will within 24 hours reach an absorption station in Ashdod," a city in southern Israel.
Tamar, which has reserves of up to 238 billion cubic meters, lies 130 kilometers off the Mediterranean port city of Haifa.
Energy and Water Minister Silvan Shalom said the event marked "an energy independence day for Israel."
"This breakthrough is a bellwether of the entry of additional private companies for Israel's energetic freedom," he said in a statement.
Tamar, which was discovered in 2009, is jointly owned by American company Nobel Energy and three Israeli firms -- Delek, Isramco and Dor Alon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement the event marked "an important day for Israel's economy" which would benefit the citizens.
Israel generates approximately 40 percent of its electricity from natural gas and until 2011, Egypt provided 43 percent of its gas supplies.In the absence of Egyptian gas, Israel has been pushing for the speedy exploitation of several recently-discovered gas fields off its northern coast.
The pipeline from Egypt supplying Israel and Jordan, which crosses the troubled Sinai peninsula, has been hit by bomb attacks time and again since the uprising which toppled Mubarak in February 2011.
 

After Obama’s Visit, Armageddon Awaits

By: Ahmed Othman/Asharq Alawsat
After US President Barack Obama’s visit to Israel, which was scheduled to coincide with Iranian celebrations marking the Persian New Year (Nowruz), it seems that the mythical Battle of Armageddon is approaching. However, the Hidden Imam has not reappeared. Shi’ite eschatology talks of a conflict that will rage before Doomsday—the end of time—between the forces of good and evil on a mountain called “Armageddon”, where a decisive battle will take place between the two sides.
As soon as he assumed power, President Ahmadinejad started talking about the return of the Hidden Imam—Abu Al-Qasim Ibn Muhammad—who is said to have vanished from sight in 329 Hegira (941 CE). In his speech before the UN General Assembly in September 2005, Ahmadinejad expounded on the imminent return of the imam, leaving Western diplomats bemused. He hinted that the return of the Hidden Imam was imminent, saying that soon, God willing, Iran would be the focal point of the global leadership. The Iranian president has also asserted in the past that even the enemies of Iran now know that the return of the Mahdi is inevitable, claiming that the world’s superpowers are “stunned” as a result. Ahmadinejad has also remarked that the Hidden Imam has played a role in Iran’s transformation into a nuclear power.
In 2006, Dar al-Ilm Publishing House in Beirut published a book entitled “Ahmadinejad and the New World Revolution”. It was written by Shadi Faqih and distributed by Lebanon’s Hezbollah. In it, the author talks about the relationship between Ahmadinejad and the returning imam, and claims that the latter will liberate Jerusalem. Faqih goes on to say that we are now living in the age of the imam’s reappearance, and as the date of his return approaches, Ahmadinejad will become the commander of his forces and Supreme Guide Ali Khamenei the standard bearer. The book claims that after Ahmadinejad was elected president, the Iranian Council of Ministers struck an agreement with the Hidden Imam and a letter stipulating the terms was thrown into the well of Jamkaran, near Qom, requesting the imam’s return. However, Faqih explains that before he is to reappear, Iran must first become a nuclear power since the atomic bomb is the modern-day equivalent of the holy fire the Persians used to light in their temples before the advent of Islam. They considered this holy fire to be a symbol of their god Ahora Mazda, who represented light to them.
In his first trip since his re-election, Barack Obama arrived in Israel two days after Benjamin Netanyahu formed his new government. Despite the past differences between the two men, clear signals were made by the two sides that the time has come to deal with the Iranian nuclear issue. Before leaving Washington, the US President said that it is time for Iran to take “immediate and significant steps” to reduce the tension between it and the international community regarding its nuclear program. Obama appealed to Iran to resolve its differences with Washington and other Western countries. He said, “Iran’s leaders say that their nuclear program is for medical research and electricity. To date, however, they have been unable to convince the international community that their nuclear activities are solely for peaceful purposes”.
In west Jerusalem, Netanyahu announced before the Knesset—after his government had won the approval of the parliament—that his new government’s priority is to defend Israel. The Israeli prime minister added that Iran is doing its utmost to enrich uranium, but—as he pointed out in September—there is a red line that it cannot cross.
The US president and the Israeli prime minister have differed with regards to what exactly this “red line” is. However, Obama recently told a television station that Iran is one year way from being able to produce a nuclear bomb and thus the two men have limited time to deal with the issue decisively.
There are two options now: Either the US and Israel can allow Iran to produce a nuclear bomb or they can strike its reactors to prevent this from happening. Since Ahmadinejad’s presidential term is likely to end in mid-June, it seems that the decisive battle between good and evil will take place after his departure, and most likely after Obama has approved an Israeli military strike against Iran’s nuclear installations without any reference to Washington in this regard.

Ten Years On: The Iraq War Was Justified

By: Azad Jundyany/Asharq Al-Awsat Debate
The debate over the 2003 international intervention in Iraq is ongoing, and many people continue to express the view that the toppling of the Ba’athist regime by the US and its allies was an example of foreign occupation. Some of those espousing this view rely on the definition put forward by the UN Security Council, while others use the classical understanding of toppling regimes via foreign military intervention.
However, the majority of the Iraqi people cooperated with the international coalition to topple the regime, viewing this military intervention as part of the process of liberating a country that suffered more than three decades of Ba’athist rule. The Ba’ath in Iraq were a party that established a militaristic and chauvinistic regime based primarily on a totalitarian and sectarian ideology.
Saddam Hussein’s regime persecuted Shi’ites, Kurds advocates for democracy, and even the Sunni nationalists who put forward views that contradicted those of the Ba’athist authorities. His regime used all means of persecution against the Iraqi people—the violence was not limited to utilizing chemical weapons against Iraq’s own unarmed citizens in Halabcheh. Another example is the Al-Anfal genocide campaign against Iraq’s Kurds, which saw more than 100,000 Kurdish civilians killed. These Kurds were buried in mass graves, many of which remain undiscovered.
In addition to this, regime forces completely flattened approximately five thousand Kurdish villages. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Kurds, Shi’ites and Sunnis were forcibly expelled from Iraq, or had no choice but to emigrate to neighboring countries or to Europe. Ultimately, a single family was in control of the reins of power in Iraq and all the institutions of the state, and they looted all of the country’s wealth.
However, Iraqis continued to struggle to stop these inhumane and aberrant policies, and they—including the Kurdish political forces—tried to stay on the path of negotiation and dialogue with the regime. Their goal was to correct the country’s path and stop the bloodshed, the Kurdish genocide and the persecution of the Shi’ites. All such attempts were to no avail.
Facts and statistics have shown that the Iraqis were incapable of replacing the Ba’athist regime with one that believed in democracy, coexistence between the different components of society, and using the country’s material and human resources to establish an economic renaissance in line with Iraq’s potential. Unfortunately, many of the Arab countries and elites defended the regime and its crimes under false pretenses, motivated by Arabist and sectarian tendencies.
On the other hand, the ‘new world order’ that was established after the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War changed many of the understandings that governed relations between states. It also affected the ability of despotic regimes to persecute their citizens and violate their human rights, as was occurring in Iraq under Ba’athist rule. The examples of bloodshed and mass genocide that could be seen taking place in different parts of the world confirmed that persecuted peoples were often unable to resolve their situation on their own, particularly as despotic governments enjoyed international legal protection in accordance with the concept of national sovereignty.
In other words, it was impossible for people to assert their rights against despotic regimes by themselves, without the intervention of the international community. Before the coalition forces intervened to stop the persecution of the Iraqi people, humanitarian intervention had had a number of successes—for example, benefiting the powerless people of Yugoslavia, not to mention other regions in the world. Humanitarian intervention was therefore a positive feature of this new era.
In addition to this, the failure of people to defeat dictators on their own gave new force to the idea of international humanitarian intervention. International intervention to save a people from persecution became an important pillar of international relations. This form of intervention is not colonialist in conception or implementation, including in Iraq where the coalition forces relied on participation from national Iraqi forces that supported the toppling of the regime. This was a positive intervention, and it included a strategy to return sovereignty and authority to the Iraqis themselves without imposing colonial rule—which is indeed what happened.
In the case of Iraq, the priority was to topple the regime and remove its evil oppression of large segments of the population. This was achieved when the international coalition entered Iraq and was welcomed by the majority of the Iraqi people. The moment that the regime was toppled was a moment of joy for all Iraqis, with the exception of the Ba’athists and their followers. This is because the people experienced and understood the meaning of “freedom” for the first time, and they thanked all those who helped them throw off their fetters. There is a very simple reason for this joy: prior to the liberation of Iraq, the Iraqi people truly felt that they had reached the end of the road and would never be rid of Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship. They had tried everything they could, and had sacrificed everything.
I believe that the majority of the Iraqis do not think about the meaning of words like “freedom” and “dignity” as much as they think and deal with the freedom and dignity they gained following the toppling of the despotic regime that was persecuting and killing them.
On the tenth anniversary of the collapse of the regime, I conclude my contribution to this debate by saying: Long live freedom!
 

Palestinians kick off Jerusalem bid by ceding Holy Sites Custodianship to Jordan’s king
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report April 1, 2013/A historic agreement signed in Amman Sunday, March 31, between Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan’s King Abdullah II takes a new stand on Jerusalem - one of the core issues subject to negotiation with Israel - by accepting the king as Custodian of the city’s Holy Sites. The Palestinians agreed that Abdullah “will oversee and manage the Waqf (Muslim religious authority) in Jerusalem” and represent the interests of the Holy Sites “in relevant international forums… through feasible legal means.”
Where the Palestinian (Wafa) and Jordanian (Petra) versions of the same agreement differ is over the definition of “Palestinian sovereignty.”
DEBKAfile: However, by this document, the Palestinian leader and the king have laid the foundation for a mixed Arab-Palestinian-Israeli framework for managing the shrines holy to Jews (who are not mentioned), Muslims and Christians in Jerusalem. It has opened the door to what many will be perceive as a proposal to internationalize Jerusalem’s sanctuaries, a status affirmed but never honored from 1948 to 1967.
This foundation will not only raise strong Israeli objections but also be challenged by many Palestinians and therefore will have to last a long and tortuous course to survive.
Its importance lies in that the Palestinian Authority has taken the historically momentous step of ceding to the Hashemite throne the custodianship - religious, political, legal, and security - of the Muslim shrines on Temple Mount with authority over the Palestinian Waqf.
It means that henceforth, instead of the Palestinian Authority, Israel will have to engage the Jordanian government in discussions of matters pertaining to Temple Mount, especially hyper-sensitive security arrangements.
This should not be too much of a stretch since in practice, Israeli and Jordanian intelligence have cooperated quietly on such issues for many years.
The Hashemite House comes out of the accord with Palestinian recognition for the first time as the Custodian of the Holy Places of Jerusalem, especially the Mosque of al Aqsa, a title which parallels the Saudi king’s traditional title as Guardian of the Holy Places to Islam in Mecca and Medina.
The degree of US Secretary of State John Kerry’s involvement in Jordanian-Palestinian accord is still to be determined and also whether Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni (in charge of negotiations with the Palestinians) were privy to its substance.
The Arab League summit meeting in Doha March 26-27, which debated the dormant Saudi Peace Plan, was certainly not in the picture. Those rulers now have much to chew on.
It may be instructive to cite here the exclusive DEBKAfile report published on Dec. 27, 2012:
A confederation plan for a Palestinian West Bank state and Jordan was the real subject of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s recent conversation with King Abdullah in Amman, DEBKAfile’s sources reveal – not Syria. This idea has become a focal talking point in Amman, Washington and Palestinian centers. It ties in with the report from US and Jordanian sources that Israel and the Palestinians will resume talks in the spring.
The new Abbas-Abdullah accord appears to be a strong move towards bringing this plan to fruition.
That it is a practical document and not just a declaration is indicated by the detailed definition of the Custodian’s purview appearing in the Jordanian version:
“Recalling the unique religious importance to all Muslims of al-Masjid al-Aqsa with its 144 dunams including include the Qibil Mosque of al-Aqsa, the Mosque of the Dome of the Rock and all its mosques, buildings, walls, courtyards, attached areas over and beneath the ground (a hint at Israeli archeological digs for the Biblical city and Temple)…”
Jordan and Palestine also pledged “all efforts to protect Jerusalem and its Holy Sites from Israeli escalatory Judaisation” – according to another clause in the Petra version.
On at least one very important point the Palestinian and Jordanian communiqués varied significantly:
According to PA Minister of Waqf and Religious Affairs Mahmoud Habash, “The agreement confirmed Jordan’s historic role in caring for the religious sanctuaries. It also confirmed Palestinian sovereignty over all of Palestine, including East Jerusalem as its capital.”
However, Article 3:3.1 of the agreement published in full by Jordan puts it this way: “The Government of the State of Palestine, as the expression of the right of self-determination of the Palestinian people, shall have the right to exercise sovereignty over all parts of its territory, including Jerusalem.
While hailing their accord as a historic breakthrough, the Palestinian and Jordanian leaders will obviousy need to get all parts of their act together before they face Israel.