LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

Merry Christmas
From the LCCC, I wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May the New Year with the blessings of Jesus bring justice and tranquility to our beloved Lebanon and peace of mind to our people all over the world.
Yours Truly
Eias Bejjani

Bible Quotation for today/The Birth of Jesus
Luke 02/01-20: "1 At that time Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Roman Empire. When this first census took place, Quirinius was the governor of Syria. Everyone, then, went to register himself, each to his own hometown. Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David. He went to register with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him. She was pregnant,and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby. She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger—there was no room for them to stay in the inn. There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, but the angel said to them, Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. This very day in David's town your Savior was born—Christ the Lord! And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased! When the angels went away from them back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the manger. When the shepherds saw him, they told them what the angel had said about the child. All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said. Mary remembered all these things and thought deeply about them. The shepherds went back, singing praises to God for all they had heard and seen; it had been just as the angel had told them.

Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources For December 25/13

Oppressed Lebanon and the Christmas Spirit
By: Elias Bejjani
December 25/13
Thinking of the great fatherhood love that Almighty God carries for us, we His children, helps in appreciating and understanding the actual meanings of Christmas. God for the sake of our salvation and freedom from the original sin, He sent His only son, Jesus Christ, to be incarnated, live on earth like each one of us, endure all kinds of torture, pain, humiliation and to be crucified. Jesus made us His own and called us to carry His holy message and preach it.
Hand in hand with all those who believe in righteousness and in the ultimate prevalence of good over evil, let us ask Jesus Christ, the incarnated God, to grant peace and stability to the whole world. and to shower all our oppressed Lebanese people with the graces of faith, perseverance, patience, and to bestow them the power of endurance to face the hardships inflicted on them by the Evil of Axis, the Syrian-Iranian occupation.
Despite all the sufferings, our faithful and patriotic people will always hold on to the hope of Lebanon's resurrection and to its eventual mere liberation from occupation, traitors and all evil. History always repeats itself, and victory shall inevitably be for those Lebanese who courageously and faithfully carry Lebanon's torch of freedom, dignity, and human rights, as has always been for the past 7,000 years.
All wishes to everyone of you, in occupied Lebanon, and in the Diaspora, to enjoy with your beloved ones a holy and glorious Christmas, and a very Happy New year.
Our great happiness as patriotic Lebanese will reach its prime when, and only when, our beloved Lebanon, home and land of our great fathers and ancestors reclaims its confiscated independence, redeems its marginalized sovereignty, restores its oppressed freedoms, and regains its hijacked free decision-making process.
Our joy and happiness in celebrating Christmas will be at peak the day:
When hundreds of our country's arbitrarily held detainees are released from the fascist Syrian jails and horrible detention centers, where they have been deprived for more then 30 years of all their basic human rights,
When our free and patriotic comrades, individuals, leaders and dignitaries are no longer prisoners of conscience inside Lebanon, and not exposed to intimidation, fear, terrorism and assassinations,
When our exiled people from South Lebanon who are taking refugee in Israel are welcomed back in Lebanon, officially and publicly with open arms,
When Lebanon's fertile fields are again green, ploughed, sowed, guarded and harvested by our men and women,
When our factories are re-opened, productive, and run only by Lebanese hands,
When our borders are patrolled solely by the Lebanese army and security forces,
When all militias, Lebanese and non-Lebanese, are disarmed and dismantled,
When the law of the land and the legitimate authority of a sovereign Lebanese people are fully and independently applied and enforced on all Lebanon's soil.
When conscientious and patriotic Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected freely by the people who deserve MPs who, in turn, understand that they have the obligation and the privilege to represent the people's hopes, aspirations and wishes.
When Lebanon's markets are open for the country's products with no foreign hegemony or unfair and arbitrary competition.
When Lebanon's judiciary is fair, unbiased and non-politicized, and when the judiciary and judges fully respect the constitution and abide by the law of the land and the Charter of Human Rights.
When Lebanese identity is honored and hailed by all the Lebanese communities, and is placed above all other political, regional, ethnic and religious affiliations.
Then, and only then, we can rest our case for the struggle.
Let us all pray that the birth of Our Lord Jesus will coincide this year with the re-birth of a new Lebanon that is free, independent and sovereign.
By God's will, all the Lebanese will be able next year to celebrate Christmas and the New Year in a liberated Lebanon that is run by the Lebanese and only by them.
Best wishes for our people for A Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year.

Vatican unveils Nativity scene on pope's first Christmas
December 24, 2013/Daily Star/VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis on Tuesday prepared to celebrate his first Christmas as pontiff with a mass in St Peter's Basilica as a giant traditional Nativity scene named in his honour was unveiled on St Peter's Square. The Nativity scene made by Naples artisan Antonio Cantone this year is entitled " Francis 1223 -- Francis 2013" -- a reference to St Francis of Assisi, who inspired the pope's choice of name when he was elected. The saint is commonly credited with being behind the first representation of the Nativity, staged with live actors as is still done in many parts of the world. Cantone told AFP ahead of the ceremony that he had wanted to build a Nativity to reflect the pope's humble style, giving more prominence to ordinary people dressed in simple clothes in the traditional scene of the birth of Jesus. "I have based the scene on the message of Pope Francis," Cantone said in an interview in his workshop in the bustling centre of Naples earlier this month. "The first to arrive when Jesus was born were ordinary people, that is the core of the message I wanted." Elaborate Nativity scenes became popular in Naples churches in the 18th century to make religious teachings more widely understandable by including snapshots of daily life that people could relate to. The custom was then adopted by the aristocracy and spread to ordinary people, becoming a yearly and much-loved tradition for millions of Italians. The most traditional statuettes are painstakingly handcrafted out of terracotta, given glass eyes and painted -- each one a unique work of folk art.

Vatican City (AFP) - Pope Francis visited his predecessor Benedict XVI on Monday for an informal Christmas greeting, as the Argentine pontiff prepares to celebrate his first Christmas as leader of the world's Roman Catholics. Francis met with the 86-year-old Benedict in a former monastery building on a hill inside the Vatican City walls where the pope emeritus has taken up residence following his historic resignation earlier this year.

The two men could be seen praying side by side in a chapel inside the residence and chatting amicably on white sofas with a Christmas garland in front of them in photographs released by the Vatican press service. Both were dressed in the white cassocks used by popes. Francis came to "give his best wishes for the Christmas celebrations", the Vatican said in a statement. The 77-year-old pope earlier on Monday compared the Catholic Church to an expectant mother during a homily at one of his daily masses in the residence where he has been staying since his election by fellow cardinals in March. "Like the Virgin Mary, the Church this week is expecting a birth," Francis said. "Is there space for the Lord or is there space only for parties, shopping and making noise?" he asked. The Christmas festivities begin with the unveiling on St Peter's Square of a traditional Nativity scene named in honour of Latin America's first ever pontiff at 1530 GMT. Francis is expected to watch the ceremony from the window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking the square and light a candle for peace. Then from 2030 GMT the Argentine will celebrate the solemn Christmas Vigil mass in St Peter's Basilica. On Wednesday, Francis delivers the "Urbi et Orbi" ("To the City and the World") blessing at 1130 GMT on St Peter's Square -- where he first appeared after his momentous election by fellow cardinals on March 13. Popes often use their "Urbi et Orbi" blessings to announce specific prayers, for instance, for the victims of conflicts or for global economic justice.

Canada Calls for Peace Among Religious Communities over Christmas
December 24, 2013 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and Andrew Bennett, Canada’s Ambassador for Religious Freedom, today issued the following statement:
“On behalf of all Canadians, we wish all Christians, whether they follow the Gregorian or Julian calendar, a very Merry Christmas.
“In these times of Christmas celebration, we remain mindful of those Christians facing persecution, violence and hardship in many parts of the world.
“Year after year, we see violence and persecution around the world against religious communities. From attacks on Nigerian Christians worshipping peacefully over Christmas, to difficulties faced in Pakistan, China, North Korea, Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East, we call for greater freedom for those trying to worship in peace.
“Religious freedom is a human issue and is a fundamental human right that we believe people of all faiths should enjoy.
“In 2014, Canada will continue to lead the fight for strengthened international efforts to defend religious freedom for all humanity.”
- 30 -
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
613-995-1874
media@international.gc.ca

Al Rahi Says Sale of Lebanese Land is 'Crime,' Calls for 'Mandatory' Election of President
Naharnet Newsdesk 24 December 2013/Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi warned on Tuesday that the sale of lands in Lebanon was tantamount to committing a “crime” and “treason,” stressing the “mandatory” election of a new president on time. “Our land is the land of coexistence … It gave us our identity,” al-Rahi said in his traditional Christmas message. “We will not commit treason against it,” he said. “We should preserve our land and leave it as a legacy for others,” he said. “Selling it or plotting against our land is a crime and treason for the (Lebanese) identity and history.” “Peace building in Lebanese territories and the Orient is our responsibility,” he said. “Our land is priceless … We preserve it for being sacred … We reject to turn it into the land of hatred and killing,” al-Rahi stressed. “The church rejects that any Lebanese sells his land. We help him through our institutions to invest his land and live from it,” he said. Al-Rahi urged big investors to preserve their lands to protect their historic identity and invest them for development projects to contribute to the country's economy and the people's livelihoods. The patriarch urged the authorities to control the sale of land owned by the Lebanese to foreigners. Turning to Lebanon’s political crisis and the government deadlock, al-Rahi said the officials should form a constitutional cabinet capable of guaranteeing the real peace, which he said is based on honesty between the rival parties. Al-Rahi also called for controlling illegitimate weapons and suppressing assaults on the Lebanese. He said peace in Lebanon calls for the lawmakers' “mandatory” attendance of parliamentary sessions to elect a new president within the constitutional deadline. The patriarch said the president should have a clear agenda to reach a capable centralized state with a wide range of decentralization and resolve the gaps in the post of the presidency. The new head of state should bring the views of the rival parties closer, revive loyalty to Lebanon and distance it from regional conflicts, he said. Addressing kidnapped bishops and nuns in Syria, al-Rahi said: “You are our Eid and Christmas ... Don’t be afraid. We are proud of your Jihad.”Al-Rahi urged warring parties to reach comprehensive peace, warning that the fire could spread quickly and burn the region.

Lebanese Army Starts Implementing Holiday Season Security Measures, Denies Reports of Possible Attack
Naharnet Newsdesk 24 December 2013/Army troops on Tuesday continued to implement extraordinary security measures throughout Lebanon on the occasion of Christmas and New Year's holidays. "Troops were deployed, forces are patrolling and fixed and mobile checkpoints as well as control stations were erected in several regions,” the Army Command said in a released communique. “We have implemented these measures to assure citizens and to preserve their lives and possessions,” it explained. The statement detailed: “These measures are specifically implemented near places of worship, on main roads, in shopping malls, public institutions, touristic places and around Arab and international businesses.” The state-run National News Agency reported that General Security forces have largely deployed in northern towns.
"Fixed and mobile checkpoints were erected in the North and forces are patrolling in the region, particularity in (the northern city of) Tripoli,” the NNA added.
Control points were also erected near churches, monasteries, night clubs, restaurants and shopping malls in the city, according to the same source.
The Army Command reiterated that citizens must fully cooperate with these security measures and reach out to the military institution in case they suspected something that might put their lives to risk.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Mousallem told MTV that reports about a possible attack or sabotage on Christmas night are not true.
"We are dealing seriously with this rumor and taking all necessary measures,” he stressed.
The military institution had announced on Saturday that extraordinary security measures will be adopted during the holiday season “to protect citizens and their possessions.” However, on Sunday, a security official told An Nahar daily that the coordination between security agencies is “weak.” The official told the daily that the coordination is not up to par with the “very dangerous situation, “ explaining that there is no real exchange of information between the security officials, which as he said, “leaves a security gap.”

AL Hariri Calls for Wisdom to Avoid Dangers, Rejects 'Immoderate' Policies
Naharnet Newsdesk 24 December 2013/Al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri warned on Tuesday that Lebanon would suffer from the “gravest consequences” if the dangers surrounding it were not averted through “wisdom.” “Christmas and the New Year have come amid imminent dangers surrounding Lebanon and several friendly Arab countries,” Hariri said in a statement aimed at sending holiday greetings to the Lebanese.
“The dangers warn of the greatest consequences if they are not avoided through wisdom,” he said, urging the Lebanese to distance themselves from “immoderate policies that weaken the state and consume its energy through civil and sectarian conflicts.”The wisdom to give priority to Lebanon's national interest and its coexistence also lies in “stopping the incursion into the Syrian war,” he said in an apparent reference to Hizbullah. The party has sent its members to fight in Syria alongside troops loyal to President Bashar Assad.Hariri appealed for the fear of God and urged the Lebanese to abide by the values of Jesus Christ in dealing with differences among the rival parties.
He said “the interest of Lebanon and its people should be placed before the interest of (regional) axes and commitments abroad.”The former premier hoped that Christmas would be an occasion for unity to protect Lebanon and for peace and justice in Arab countries.

Sleiman, Hezbollah still at odds over Cabinet, presidential vote and Syria war

BEIRUT: MP Mohammad Raad, the head of Hezbollah’s bloc in Parliament, held an ice-breaking meeting with President Michel Sleiman Monday following tension caused by the war in Syria. But the two sides remained poles apart on crucial issues such as the Syrian crisis, the Cabinet formation efforts and next year’s presidential elections. “It was a cordial meeting between the president and MP Raad, affirming the continued normal ties between the two sides,” a source at Baabda Palace told The Daily Star. “Despite divergent views on the crisis in Syria and the Cabinet formation, the two sides maintain contacts,” the source said. “MP Raad’s visit to Baabda Palace has confirmed that there is no break in ties between Hezbollah and President Sleiman,” he added. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said Raad discussed three topics with Sleiman, including the nine-month Cabinet deadlock, during which the Hezbollah MP reaffirmed his party’s support for the formation of a new government based on the 9-9-6 formula. The 32-month war in Syria and its repercussions on Lebanon’s security and next month’s Geneva II peace conference on Syria figured high in the talks, the source said. He added that Sleiman told Raad that if Lebanon was invited, it would attend the conference scheduled on Jan. 22.

The third topic was next year’s presidential elections during which Raad restated Hezbollah’s stance that it is against a presidential vacuum and supported the election of a new head of state on time, the source said.

On Sleiman’s position on conflicting proposals for the Cabinet, the source said: “The president reiterated his call for forming a government in which all the parties participated.”However, Raad was reported to have warned of the consequences of forming a fait accompli government on the country’s security.

In addition to discussing with Sleiman the need for holding the presidential elections on time, Raad advised against forming a fait accompli government because of the risks it entails to the country, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV reported in its evening news bulletin. A political source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Sleiman was ready to approve the March 8 alliance’s demand for a 9-9-6 Cabinet should Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam present such a formula to him. Salam, supported by the March 14 coalition, has kept mum on the 9-9-6 Cabinet proposal. But the Future Movement and its March 14 allies have rejected outright the 9-9-6 Cabinet formula, which would grant veto power to both the March 8 and March 14 camps. Instead, they have demanded the formation of a neutral, nonpartisan government to oversee the presidential vote scheduled in May.A statement from the president’s office said Sleiman discussed with Raad the Cabinet crisis and political developments in Lebanon, in addition to regional issues and “the importance of preserving internal stability to face the upcoming constitutional deadlines with solidarity and calm.”Sleiman, apprehensive that Lebanon might slip into a presidential vacuum when his term in office expires on May 25, 2014, plans to consult with the country’s rival political factions early next year in a bid to facilitate the formation of a new Cabinet.

In a televised speech Friday, Nasrallah implicitly rejected any bid to extend Sleiman’s mandate, by calling for the election of a new president. He also warned against forming a fait accompli government.

Sleiman himself has said he opposed the extension of his term and vowed to challenge it if Parliament voted for the move.

In remarks published by An-Nahar newspaper Monday, Sleiman said he would talk frankly about all key issues during a meeting with reporters at Baabda Palace on Dec. 29.

Responding to his political opponents who accuse him of seeking to have his mandate extended, he said: “They accuse me of seeking to have my term extended. This is the last thing I am thinking of. I don’t care if the skeptics believe me or not.” Sleiman’s ties with Hezbollah were strained by the conflict in Syria as the president has kept up his harsh criticism of the party’s military intervention in the neighboring country. He also urged Hezbollah to abide by the Baabda Declaration, which calls for distancing Lebanon from regional and international conflicts, particularly the conflict in Syria.

The Future Movement and its March 14 allies have vowed not to join Hezbollah in a new government before the party withdraws its fighters from Syria and abides by the Baabda Declaration.

Sleiman’s critical stance on Hezbollah’s arms has also irked the party. In a speech in August marking the 68th anniversary of the founding of the Army, Sleiman said that the nation needed a national defense strategy to control Hezbollah’s arms because of the party’s involvement in the Syrian conflict. Sleiman stressed the use of arms should be exclusive to the state. For his part, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt also warned against forming a fait accompli government. He said the latest security incidents in the country, including “terrorist bombings” that struck Beirut’s southern suburbs and the northern city of Tripoli, should push the rival leaders to help facilitate the formation of a political government in which all the parties are represented. “Political differences can be contained through the formation of an all-embracing national political government that includes all the parties and can win the biggest deal of political consensus,” Jumblatt said in his weekly editorial in the PSP’s online Al-Anbaa newspaper. He urged the rival Lebanese factions to stop wagering on developments of the war in Syria to improve their political chances at home and to avoid “forming a so-called fait accompli government because it would aggravate complications at the political, constitutional and security levels.”

Earlier Monday, Raad urged March 8 and March 14 factions to engage in Dialogue to resolve the deepening political crisis that has left the country without a functioning government for nearly nine months and a paralyzed Parliament. He warned that Lebanon’s institutions were falling apart because of “competition and ambitions” by the feuding parties. Addressing March 14 politicians, Raad told a Hezbollah-hosted lunch on the occasion of Christmas attended by Christian religious figures in the southern village of Jarjou, “I would like to call on our brothers and partners in the nation to be careful that time is running out and we need to restore life to all institutions in this country.”“But the gateway to this is to listen to each other. Let us engage in Dialogue and understanding. If you do not like the shape of the Dialogue table or the agenda of the Dialogue, we can agree on another agenda,” he added. “But with your silence, you are taking yourselves to the abyss and dragging all your partners to big dangers,” Raad warned.

Al-Mustaqbal Says Hizbullah, Extremist Groups 'Two Sides of Same Coin'
Naharnet Newsdesk 24 December 2013/ Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday launched another verbal attack on Hizbullah's "militia," stating that the party and extremist groups are “two sides of the same coin.”
"The weapons of the resistance were formerly aimed at Israel but have now become positioned and used inside the country,” the MPs said in a released statement after their weekly meeting at the Center House.
Hizbullah's arms have thus become those of a militia, they added. Al-Mustaqbal bloc elaborated: “Hizbullah's arms aim at changing the political system in Lebanon but they no longer enjoy Lebanese consensus. The party's call for agreeing on a new political formula in the country is no longer viable after it took the unilateral decision to launch a war against the Syrian people in 2012.” “By taking this decision, Hizbullah has abandoned all national pacts and accords, including the Baabda Declaration.”Again, al-Mustaqbal MPs called on Hizbullah to withdraw its forces from the neighboring country. “The life in Lebanon will not go back to normal unless Hizbullah goes back to playing its national role only,” they said. “Hizbullah's fighting in Syria, which was a regional decision, has dragged the Lebanese into a confrontation with Syrians,” they added. “The party is trying to give the international community the impression that it is fighting terrorism but this attempt has been exposed. Hizbullah and extremist groups are two sides of the same coin.”Separately, the bloc demanded President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam to form a new cabinet of non-partisans. They also urged them “not to surrender to Hizbullah's blackmailing.”Commenting on the deadly clashes between the residents on the Souwairi town in West Bekaa, they stated that it is “unacceptable and a shame that that social relations transform into armed disputes.”The MPs urged security forces to enter the town and restore coexistence. Clashes between the Shouman and Jinbeen families in the town left four people dead on Sunday. Source/Agence France Presse.

Israeli Unit Approaches Surveillance Position near Adeisseh
Naharnet Newsdesk 24 December 2013/An Israeli unit approached on Tuesday the Lebanese-Israeli border near the town of al-Adeisseh, reported the National News Agency. It said that the unit, comprised of two armored Hummers, approached a surveillance position adjacent to the town. After 15 minutes, the commander of the unit arrived at the scene where he inspected a pit near the barbed wire fence at the border.
Last Thursday, tensions were high near the border at al-Adeisseh when Israeli troops attempted to cut down a tree situated on the Lebanese side of the border. The tree had fallen on the border fence.On December 15, an Israeli soldier was shot and killed by a Lebanese soldier, sparking tensions in the area and international condemnation.

Judge approves STL funding decree

BEIRUT: The government’s financial watchdog has approved a decree that will pay Lebanon’s contribution to the budget of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the court investigating the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The signing of the decree by Judge Aouni Ramadan, head of the Audit Bureau, paves the way for Lebanon to fulfill the long-overdue debt to the court, which will begin the trial of four Hezbollah suspects accused of complicity in the attack next month. The bureau confirmed Monday that the funding had been approved, but the STL had not yet received the payment as of Monday afternoon. Lebanon owes $38 million to the Hague-based court for 2013, or 49 percent of its budget. Lebanon has faced increasing diplomatic pressure in recent weeks to make the payments, including from the E.U. The decree must now be sent by the finance minister to caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and President Michel Sleiman for their signatures. It must then be signed by the foreign and justice ministers. The Justice Ministry can then channel funds to the court. The funding of the STL has often been the subject of controversy due to Hezbollah’s opposition to the court. Lebanon is also under financial pressure because of a spiraling refugee crisis and endemic security problems. Court spokesman Marten Youssef told The Daily Star over the weekend that the tribunal was confident the financial contribution was only a matter of time, and that it also had the backing of the international community. Meanwhile, the court appointed Mohammad Aouini, a Tunisian lawyer, as lead counsel for Hassan Merhi, the fifth Hezbollah member to be indicted. Aouini has defended Georges Ruggiu, a radio presenter sentenced for incitement against the Tutsi population during the genocide in Rwanda. Merhi is accused of coordinating the false claim of responsibility in the Hariri assassination and working with the leaders of the conspiracy. “The defense team for Mr. Merhi must have adequate time and means, on the same terms as those accorded to the office of the prosecutor, in order to accomplish its mission to ensure the accused has a fair trial,” said head of the Defense office Francois Roux. Once Aouini’s team is set up, he will be in a position to study the evidence against Merhi and conduct his investigations, the statement said.

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s trade deficit narrowed in the first 11 months of this year to $15.617 billion from $16.797 billion in the same period of last year, according to statistics released by the Customs Department Monday.

The drop in the trade deficit this year was attributed to a fall in overall imports, an indication that many merchants are reluctant to import goods in view of the political uncertainty and deep economic slowdown.

Although imports in the month of November alone were slightly higher than the same month of 2012, total imports reached $19.432 billion in the first 11 months of this year, compared to $21.280 billion over the same period of last year.Total exports up to November this year fell to $3.815 billion from $4.483 billion in the same period of last year. In the month of November of this year, total imports rose to $1.774 billion from $1.604 billion.

Caretaker Industry Minister Vreij Sabounjian expected exports in the 2014 to be better than this year despite the gloomy atmosphere in the country. “I don’t think the drop in exports will be a trend. I am very positive for the year 2014 after talking to many businessmen. They are all quite hopeful. But in the back of their minds, they want to see stability in order to improve exports,” he told The Daily Star. Sabounjian stressed that Lebanese industrialists should not give up hope in light of the absence of a government. “We should not be complacent and say that we are satisfied with the results. Lebanese industrialists and traders should strive to improve their business because this is a very competitive world,” he argued. Sabounjian declined to say whether he believed a Cabinet would be formed in the near future. “I hope we will have a Cabinet but nevertheless we should count on ourselves and seek to improve the business.” Almost 90 percent of Lebanon’s imports come through Beirut Port, which has prospered over the last three years as the conflict in Syria halted activity at all Syrian ports.

The main imported items this year were minerals, machinery and mechanical appliances, transport equipment, foodstuffs and chemical products. Italy remained the main source of imports to Lebanon, followed by France, Germany, China and the U.S. Switzerland, meanwhile, remained the largest market for Lebanese-made goods, followed by Iraq, Saudi Arabia Syria and the United States. Total revenues from Customs up to November reached $2.073 billion compared to $2.345 billion in the same period of last year, a $281 million drop. Customs collected from Beirut Port reached some $1.830 billion, or most of the total Customs collected from all of the outlets. In the month of November alone, customs revenues reached $190 million while VAT stood at $174 million. Revenues from value added tax from both imported and exported items in the same reporting period reached $1.942 billion compared to $2.191 billion in the first 11 months of 2012, a drop of $249 million. Customs and VAT are the main sources of revenues for the Treasury, followed by telecommunications and income tax.

NABAA, Lebanon: Christmas offers little respite for the many Christians living in the crowded Beirut suburb of Nabaa, an impoverished area which has become more so since Syrian refugees began settling here.

“This holiday is now only for the rich,” Hovig Bashayan says as he stands inside his shoe store. “There is so much misfortune, so much poverty here.” The narrow streets and decrepit buildings of Nabaa are in themselves an indication of ever-encroaching poverty in the suburb, which had once boasted a mix of ethnicities and religions, including Lebanese, Armenians, Kurds and Syrians hailing from both Christian and Muslim backgrounds. But coexistence here is broken now, as many Christians in the area have grown wary of the newest Syrian arrivals, a fairly large number of whom can be seen walking along Nabaa’s streets. Residents have also grown distrustful of strangers. A faint holiday-themed jingle resonates throughout the Nabaa souk where cars drive through narrow roads lined with shops that date back decades. Owners like Bashayan sit outside on stools, basking in the winter sun, desperately waiting for customers. His Christmas decorations offer a faint reminder that it is, after all, the holiday season. Despite his hard luck, Bashayan is still able to maintain a smile and cheerful eyes.

Having lived in the area all of his life, he tells The Daily Star that he has noticed a decline in the number of Christians living in the neighborhood. “There are fewer Christians in Nabaa now,” he says, adding that with the rising level of poverty, parents find themselves unable to buy their children new clothes for the holidays, not to mention food for a traditional Christmas dinner. “When is a person truly happy? When he sees that his neighbor is getting by financially. How are we to celebrate Christmas if our neighbors are unable to do so?” According to Bashayan, there are numerous nonprofit and charity organizations that give aid to the families, especially the children. But the aid is still not enough to keep the families going, especially during the holiday season. A concern for Lebanese in the area is the inability to keep their businesses running or to find decent work. Many Syrian refugees work in temporary, low-paying jobs for salaries below what Lebanese would demand. This has become a perennial source of anger among host communities across the country. There are now over 830,000 registered Syrian refugees in Lebanon, but the actual number of Syrians in Lebanon is estimated to be much higher. Some enterprising Syrians have managed to open up their own businesses and shops, also sparking intense competition with Lebanese business owners. Such is the case of a young Lebanese store owner, who asks to remain anonymous. “We are suffocating,” he says, swearing angrily. “Everybody here is Syrian now.”

Some refugees have taken to bartering their U.N. aid – such as blankets or food – for money, says the business owner, who also claims his was one of the few remaining Christian-owned businesses in the area.

“There is no Christmas, no such thing called Christmas anymore,” the young man adds. Like Bashayan, he says the striking level of poverty and what some call an “exodus” of Christians from the area have taken Christmas away. The business owner says livelihoods in the neighborhood are at risk, and the holidays are going to be as ordinary as any other day. A few stores away in Nabaa’s souk, Syrian refugee Ani expresses the very same concerns as her Lebanese counterparts. Hailing from Aleppo, this Syrian Armenian, who has been living in Nabaa for almost a year and works in a call center, harbors little hope of celebrating a happy Christmas this year.

“There is no money, there is no happiness,” she says. “The situation here is not good.” Though reluctant to speak to journalists, Ani manages to say that while she will celebrate Christmas with her family, she finds no solace in rejoicing anywhere that is away from her home in Syria. Across the street, Zohrab Terzian, owner of a drapery shop, says Nabaa’s troubles have been simmering for years. They cannot blame the neighborhood’s poverty on the refugees, he says. “Problems are growing year after year,” he says, adding that the area had been abandoned by the state long ago.

On Christmas Day some 10 years ago, the souks would have been bustling with activity, attracting residents from far beyond Nabaa, he says. But things are different now.

Like other Nabaa inhabitants interviewed by The Daily Star, Terzian reiterates that Christians have been abandoning the area for some time, leaving those who choose to remain with little holiday cheer and no motivation to celebrate the Christian holiday. “They [refugees] are growing in number, and we are becoming fewer,” he says solemnly. His friend nearby nods in agreement. Terzian has owned his drapery shop since 1981 and says he grew up in Nabaa, and Christmas has brought no cheer this year to the suburb he once called home. There’s no better evidence for that, Terzian says, than during Christmas Mass, where the range of poor to poorest is most striking.

“There is no more place for us here,” he says. “Day after day, this place is regressing.”

By Julia Payne/LONDON (Reuters) - The Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad has received substantial imports of Iraqi crude oil from an Egyptian port in the last nine months, shipping and payments documents show, part of an under-the-radar trade that has kept his military running despite Western sanctions. Assad's government has been blacklisted by Western powers for its role in the two-and-a-half year civil war, forcing Damascus to rely on strategic ally Iran - itself the target of Western sanctions over its nuclear program - as its main supplier of crude oil. A Reuters examination based on previously undisclosed commercial documents about Syrian oil purchases shows however that Iran is no longer acting alone. Dozens of shipping and payment documents viewed by Reuters show that millions of barrels of crude delivered to Assad's government on Iranian ships has actually come from Iraq, through Lebanese and Egyptian trading companies. The trade, which is denied by the firms involved, has proven lucrative, with companies demanding a steep premium over the normal cost of oil in return for bearing the risk of shipping it to Syria. It also highlights a previously undisclosed role of Egypt, Iraq and Lebanon in Assad's supply chain, despite those countries' own restrictions on assisting his government.

Both the Syrian national oil company that received the oil, Sytrol, and the Iranian shipping operator that delivered it, the National Iranian Tanker Co (NITC), are on U.S. and EU sanctions lists barring them from doing business with U.S. or European firms, cutting them off from the U.S. and EU financial systems and freezing their assets. Although firms outside the United States and EU are not subject to their sanctions, companies that do business with firms on sanctions lists risk themselves being blacklisted: Washington and Brussels regularly add companies and individuals from third countries to their sanctions lists if they are found to deal with companies already listed. At least four firms from third countries that were added to the U.S. Treasury's sanctions list for Iran when it was last updated on December 12 were punished specifically "for providing material support to NITC", the Treasury said.

"We have been very focused on targeting Iranian attempts to aid the Assad regime through economic as well as military means," said a Treasury Department spokesman. He declined to comment on the specific activities described in the documents reviewed by Reuters but said companies and individuals had been added to the sanctions list for similar types of activity.

The cache of documents describing the trade between March and May this year was shown to Reuters by a source on condition of anonymity. Many details were corroborated by a separate Middle Eastern shipping source with long-standing ties to the Syrian maritime industry. Publicly available satellite tanker tracking data, provided by Thomson Reuters, parent company of Reuters, was used to confirm the movements of ships.

The documents refer to at least four shipments by four tankers named Camellia, Daisy, Lantana and Clove, each of which is operated by Iran's NITC and, say the documents, carried Iraqi oil from Egypt's Mediterranean port of Sidi Kerir to Syria. According to the documents, Beirut-based trading firm Overseas Petroleum Trading (OPT) invoiced Syria for arranging at least two of the shipments and was involved in a third, while a Cairo-based firm, Tri-Ocean Energy, was responsible for loading Iraqi oil into at least one. Both OPT and Tri-Ocean denied any involvement in the Syria trade, declining to offer an alternative explanation for what the documents and ship tracking data show. An EU country government source said Tri-Ocean is already under scrutiny by the United States for suspected violations of sanctions against Iran, giving no further details. The U.S. Treasury spokesman declined to comment on specific investigations.Iran's NITC declined to comment. There was no evidence that the Iraqi or Egyptian governments were involved in shipping Iraqi oil through Egypt's port, as crude can change hands after first being exported. Iraq has been criticized in the past by Western countries for allowing deliveries of supplies and weapons from Iran to Syria to pass through its airspace. Iraq's oil ministry did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The Iraqi government controls exports of crude from the country and has tried to restrict traders from re-selling its oil.

A representative of the Arab Petroleum Pipeline Company, which is known as SUMED and owns and operates Egypt's Mediterranean port of Sidi Kerir where the oil tankers loaded, had no comment. SUMED is half owned by the Egyptian state oil company EGPC and half by a group of four other Arab countries. Tarek El-Molla, the chairman of EGPC, said that Egypt had banned state companies from dealing with Iranian oil and shipping firms, and that he was unaware of shipments to Syria. El-Molla said a tanker flying the Iranian flag would not be able to berth at Sidi Kerir. The four NITC-operated tankers involved in the shipments have all been renamed within the past few years and were flying Tanzanian flags at the time they loaded in Egypt, a tactic Reuters has previously reported has been used by Iran to mitigate the impact of sanctions on its shipping since sanctions against Tehran were tightened in 2011.

Syria imported up to 17 million barrels of crude oil between February and October, of which roughly half came directly from Iran and half from Egypt's Sidi Kerir port, according to the Middle Eastern shipping source. The cache of documents reveals that at least half of the oil from Egypt's port was Iraqi crude. Lebanese oil trading firm OPT arranged the shipments with Syria's internationally blacklisted state-owned oil company, Sytrol, operator of the one functioning refinery still under Assad's control. The documents show the firm invoicing Sytrol for almost $250 million for two deliveries of Iraqi crude it had arranged in March and May to Syria's Banias refinery.

In a letter to Sytrol's marketing manager dated April 4 of this year, OPT asked for a payment advance of around $50 million and detailed previous deals with the Syrian state oil company.

"Our company (OPT) has and continues to secure the state's needs in oil and oil derivatives in the recent period and was able to secure this despite major difficulties and challenges," said the letter from an OPT official, Abdelhamid Khamis Abdullah, whose name appears frequently in the correspondence. It was not possible to ascertain his exact role at the company. The letter states OPT had already provided Sytrol with almost 5 million barrels of crude, diesel, and cooking fuel. The price for each barrel of Iraq's Basra Light crude in the invoices is between $15 and $17 above the official Iraqi price at that time, equivalent to an extra $15 million for each tanker.

"We dispute all what you mentioned in your below emails," an OPT employee said in an email, without providing a name. The company offered no alternative explanation for the documents.

Egyptian oil firm Tri-Ocean Energy, which has brokered deals for OPT in the past, loaded at least one cargo of Iraqi crude onto an Iranian tanker that was delivered into Syria by OPT at the end of May, according to the documents, which say the oil was delivered to Syria on the Iranian tanker Clove on May 26.

Tri-Ocean's senior trading director Ali Tolba denied in an email that his company supplied Syria with crude or had loaded Iraqi oil onto Iranian tankers. He and Tri-Ocean's CEO, Mohammed el-Ansary, did not respond to a request from Reuters to review the documents seen by Reuters. Syria's Sytrol did not respond.

Sytrol has used a blacklisted businessman close to Assad as intermediary to transfer money to OPT, according to the documents. In a letter from OPT to Sytrol on March 14 of this year, OPT requested payment through Ayman Jaber.

Jaber, who runs a company called Al Jazerra, is himself on U.S. and EU sanctions lists, which means firms or individuals doing business with him can themselves be added to the lists. When it listed Jaber a year ago, the U.S. Treasury accused him of coordinating state-sponsored pro-Assad militia groups known as Shabiha in the port of Latakia. "Please could you pay the value of approximately $130 million plus 1.8 percent transfer fee into the account of Mr. Ayman Jaber, the head of Al Jazerra, at the central bank so he can transfer it into our accounts abroad," OPT wrote. In another letter three weeks later, OPT confirmed receipt of around 375 million euros from Al Jazerra, transferred from the account of Ayman Jaber. At least two other firms mentioned in the documents had names and logos similar to companies based in the EU, which would be directly subject to European sanctions forbidding them to deal with Sytrol or NITC. In both cases, European head offices denied any relationship with Syrian offices using their names. Some of the documents confirming the arrival of the oil in Syria were stamped or signed by a shipping agency called Med Control Syria. Jhony Matnious, a manager at the company in Damascus, told Reuters by email that the crude imports were Iranian through a government agreement between Damascus and Tehran. Med Control has a head office in Greece, which lists Syria as a branch office on its website with the same address, logo, phone number and email as in the documents. A manager there denied any relationship with the Syria office: "We had an agency agreement in Syria but it was never active and we never had any business in that country," said Sam Papanikolas.

Documents showed some shipments were certified by a quality control firm called Inspectorate, owned by Paris-based firm Bureau Veritas. A Bureau Veritas spokeswoman in Paris said Inspectorate had previously employed a subcontractor in Syria but had stopped since October 2011, and any certificates this year would have been issued without the firm's knowledge.

After leaving Iraq, the crude oil was delivered to Sidi Kerir on the 200 mile SUMED pipeline, which runs from the Red Sea to the port west of Alexandria, where it was loaded onto Iranian ships.

According to Reuters AIS Live ship tracking data, which monitors the location of oil tankers via satellite, the four ships each sailed north towards Syria. Each ship switched off its satellite signals just before the delivery date in Syria, then reappeared on satellite tracking shortly after. In some cases the satellite data also contains information about cargo weight, which confirms that the cargo was unloaded while the ships' signals were shut off.

"Aiming to cut off a regime from oil supplies is very very difficult," said Ayham Kamel, Middle East and North Africa analyst at Eurasia Group consultancy in London said. "Especially as the regime still has a few allies."

(Additional reporting by Anna Yukhananov in Washington, Jessica Donati in Kabul, Jonathan Saul and Lin Noueihed in London, Laila Bassam in Beirut, Maggie Fick and Shadia Nasralla in Cairo, Ahmed Rasheed and Sylvia Westall in Baghdad, Amena Bakr in Doha and Daniel Fineren in Dubai; Editing by David Sheppard and Peter Graff)

.ASHINGTON (AP) — Last year, while Jake Sullivan was traveling with his boss, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, he quietly disappeared during a stop in Paris. He showed up again a few days later, rejoining Clinton's traveling contingent in Mongolia. In between, Sullivan secretly jetted to the Middle Eastern nation of Oman to meet with officials from Iran, people familiar with the trip said. The July 2012 meeting is one of the Obama administration's earliest known face-to-face contacts with Iran and reveals that Sullivan - who moved from the State Department to the White House earlier this year - was personally involved in the administration's outreach to the Islamic republic far earlier than had been reported. Senior administration officials had previously confirmed to The Associated Press that Sullivan and other officials held at least five secret meetings with Iran this year, paving the way for an interim nuclear agreement signed in November by Iran, the United States and five other world powers. The cloak-and-dagger diplomacy may seem like a tough assignment even for a grizzled foreign policy veteran, but Sullivan is just 37 and looks even younger. Even-keeled and pragmatic, Sullivan's temperament mirrors that of President Barack Obama, people close to him say. That helped him crack the tight-knit foreign policy team at the White House where he serves as Vice President Joe Biden's national security adviser. While Biden is a possible presidential candidate in 2016, Sullivan remains loyal to Clinton and is seen as her likely pick for White House national security adviser, should she run for president and win. "He's essentially a once-in-a-generation talent," said Philippe Reines, a longtime Clinton aide who worked closely with Sullivan during their tenure at the State Department. Sullivan has a gleaming resume: undergraduate and law degrees from Yale, Rhodes scholar at Oxford, and clerk for Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. He entered politics by serving as chief counsel to Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Sullivan's home state. During the bruising 2008 Democratic primary, Sullivan sided with Clinton, serving as a top adviser on her debate preparation team. But he switched to Team Obama during the general election, taking on a similar role on the debate team.

When Obama tapped Clinton to lead the State Department, Sullivan followed the new secretary to Foggy Bottom. He had a pair of high-level titles - deputy chief of staff and director of policy planning - and quickly became known as one of Clinton's most trusted advisers. He traveled with her to nearly all of the 112 countries she visited as secretary and played a leading role in shaping U.S. policy toward Libya and Syria, as well as the historic opening of relations with the isolated Asian nation of Myanmar. Clinton, whose daughter Chelsea is just four years younger than Sullivan, would sometimes turn motherly with her young adviser, openly worrying that the single Sullivan's work schedule wasn't leaving him enough time to date. After Clinton announced she would leave the State Department after the first term, Obama advisers began courting Sullivan for a job at the White House. They hatched plans for Sullivan to have more face time with the president, including when Obama and Clinton headed to Asia in November 2012 for their final trip together as president and secretary of state.

Former White House national security adviser Tom Donilon said that after that trip, Obama gave him "direct instructions that Jake was a person he wanted to retain."But Sullivan was weighing other options, including a possible run for Congress back in Minnesota. It took cajoling from several high-level White House staffers and personal phone calls from both Obama and Biden to coax Sullivan to the White House.

As the vice president's top foreign policy aide, he has overseen Biden's increased outreach to Latin America and Asia. But he also has become a key player on the president's national security team, participating in Obama's daily briefings and deepening his involvement in the secret Iran talks he started at the State Department. In March, just one month after starting at the White House, Sullivan secretly boarded a military plane and headed back to Oman. This time he was joined by deputy secretary of state William Burns, one of the nation's most seasoned diplomats and a mentor to Sullivan. Waiting for them in Oman was a small handful of senior Iranian officials, wary but also curious about the possibility of a thaw in relations between the longtime adversaries.

Sullivan's contacts with the Iranians in 2012 and early 2013 were largely focused on logistics and finding out whether Americans and Iranians could even get in the same room together. But after Iranians elected a new, more moderate president this summer, the meetings quickly morphed into substantive discussions about ways to tame Iran's disputed nuclear program.

"By the early fall, I think it became clear to all of us that there was an opportunity," Burns said in an interview. "But neither Jake nor I underestimated the difficulty."

Perhaps the most important quality the understated Sullivan brought to the clandestine diplomacy: an ability to disappear and reappear while drawing little notice. Only a small handful of people were aware of the secret Iranian talks, leaving even those close to Sullivan in the dark. Reines, who traveled with Clinton and Sullivan on the July 2012 trip, said he remembered his colleague slipping away and resurfacing in Mongolia, but only learned why in recent weeks. Sullivan wouldn't comment on his outreach to Iran and declined to be interviewed for this story. But a speech he gave at the University of Minnesota last year provides some insight into how he views his quick rise in Washington and his view of public policy as a "study in imperfection." "Our government — any government, any organization — is the sum of the human beings who operate it, who bring with them all their faults, foibles, and frailties, and all of their creativity and cleverness," he said.

S.Sudan's Ex-VP Says Ready for Peace Talks with President
Naharnet Newsdesk 24 December 2013/South Sudan's sacked vice president Riek Machar said Tuesday he was ready for peace talks with his estranged mentor President Salva Kiir to bring an end to deadly clashes across the country. "Yes we are ready for talks. I have formed my delegation," he told Radio France Internationale (RFI), adding that the negotiations would likely be held in Ethiopia. "I also spoke this morning to (U.S.) Secretary of State John Kerry and I spoke to the foreign minister of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, explained to him my readiness for talks," Machar said.
He said he would not take part in the talks but had formed a "very high-level delegation... with powers to reach agreement.""We want a democratic nation. We want democratic free and fair elections. We want Salva Kiir to call it a day," he said. Machar said the talks should be held on "neutral ground". Asked specifically if he was considering Ethiopia, he said: "That's the idea. Ethiopia, yes."
Later on Tuesday, the United Nations said around 75 bodies had been discovered in a mass grave in rebel-held Bentiu, the capital of South Sudan's oil-rich Unity State, following a surge of violence in the world's youngest nation. "We have discovered a mass grave in Bentiu, in Unity State, and there are reportedly at least two other mass graves in Juba," U.N. rights chief Navi Pillay said in a statement. Pillay's spokeswoman told AFP the mass grave in Bentiu contained around 75 bodies. Pillay expressed "grave concern" over the ethnically-tinged killings that have raged across South Sudan for more than a week as troops loyal to Kiir battle those backing his rival Machar. The official toll has stood at 500 dead for days, although numbers are feared to be far higher, aid workers say. Witnesses that AFP has spoken to recount a wave of atrocities, including an orchestrated campaign of mass killings and rape. The unrest has also taken on an ethnic dimension, pitting Kiir's Dinka tribe against the Nuer tribe, to which Machar belongs. With fighting ongoing, badly overstretched U.N. bases in the capital Juba and across the country have been flooded with at least 45,000 civilians, some of whom have recounted an orchestrated campaign of brutal killings and rape by government forces.
"Mass extrajudicial killings, the targeting of individuals on the basis of their ethnicity and arbitrary detentions have been documented in recent days," Pillay said.
"There need to be clear statements and clear steps from all those in positions of political and military control that human rights violations will not be tolerated and those responsible will be brought to justice."
U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon has asked the Security Council to nearly double the size of the U.N. mission in the country. Two U.N. peacekeepers from India were killed last week when gunman stormed a U.N. compound in the restive Jonglei state where civilians were sheltering.
SourceAgence France Presse.WorldPoliticsEthiopia.

Could a division of Syria alter Lebanon’s demographics?
December 24, 2013/By Antoine Ghattas Saab/The Daily Star
Whispers in the halls of power indicate the increasing likelihood of new, permanent borders being drawn in Syria, leading to the creation of three sovereign political entities: one Alawite, one Sunni, and one for Christians, Druze, Kurds and other minorities. If this comes to pass, sources in Lebanon fear the displaced Syrians residing in the country may not return, especially in the areas of Kfarshouba, Arqoub, and the surrounding areas, as well as some other areas of the Western Bekaa where Syrians are being housed in permanent structures. Even if the Syrians do go back, the sources fear it will not be for another five to 10 years.
Diplomatic sources paint a grim picture of Lebanon’s future if the Syrians do not return home. Those Syrians who are particularly vulnerable are those whose homes in Syria now lie on the front lines that could soon solidify into borders if the country is divided. Even areas under rebel control change hands between the various factions of the armed opposition, as happened in Deraa and the surrounding areas. Most residents of those towns and villages have still not returned, especially younger generations who are reluctant to leave the areas they have resettled.
The Lebanese sources wonder about the silence on a local, regional and Syrian level regarding this stream of Syrians into Lebanon, and its implications for the demographic balance of the country, speculating that there may be a political and sectarian dimension to the issue.
Separately, the diplomatic sources say that based on their information, some regional and international powers are working toward preventing a presidential vacuum, but the developments of the last six months, including the Iranian nuclear deal, have muddied the waters, and choosing a president will prove difficult until things settle and the implications of these developments grow clearer.
These sources advise the Lebanese to work toward forming a government to handle public affairs during this transitional period, until there is a clear outcome to the fighting in Syria, so that the Lebanese presidential election will follow and hopefully coincide with an end to the ambiguity on the broader regional scene. The sources say that the regional atmosphere will be particularly delicate in the period leading up to Geneva II, and urge all parties to act wisely and remain patient. They expressed hope that Lebanese officials, particularly the president and prime minister-designate, would come up with a proposed Cabinet lineup before Geneva II, regardless of the intransigence of the major political blocs. The sources confirm that their governments have urged the Lebanese not to give up on the possibility of holding presidential elections, and emphasized the importance of holding talks among the various parties in order to choose a new leader. However, sources from several Western capitals say it would be difficult to elect either the head of the Army, Gen. Jean Kahwagi, or the head of the Central Bank, Riad Salameh, as they are badly needed in their respective fields of security and banking. The sources point out that if Kahwagi were to be elected president, there would be no one to lead the military establishment, especially because no successor has been chosen for when Kahwagi reaches the age of retirement. Some have floated the name of former Minister Jean Obeid, but high-placed sources in the Future Movement say the party would veto his nomination.

Israel holds back on punishment for Palestinian murder of civilian to save Mid East talks

DEBKAfile Exclusive Report December 24, 2013/The Palestinian sniper who Tuesday, Dec. 24, shot dead an Israeli civilian employed by the IDF to repair the damaged Gazan border fence, sent Israeli government and military chiefs into an agony of indecision over how to fight back against surging Palestinian terrorism attacks without derailing ongoing US-sponsored Middle East peace talks. Tuesday afternoon, Israeli warplanes struck a Hamas base in Gaza. This was no more than a relatively mild response. However, Hamas is evacuating its bases in case of further strikes.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu had hoped that by refraining from punishing the Palestinian attacks - spreading out from Gaza, across the West Bank, in Jerusalem and inside Israel - he could bring the talks to a successful conclusion. But he was wrong. Like his predecessors, he faild to meet the challenge which defeated them too: How to talk peace with the Palestinians under terrorist aggression.
Netanyahu however finds himself in worse straits due his secretiveness on the extensive concessions he has offered the Palestinians in such sensitive areas as the Jordan Valley as well as the West Bank, under US Secretary of State John Kerry’s bulldozing tactics. He almost gave the game away by a secret meeting he held with the dovish ultra-religious Torah Judaism (Aguda) Party leaders, suggesting he was planning a government reshuffle to drop pro-settlement factions from his government in favor of a lineup more amenable to concessions. However, the Palestinians have meanwhile run off with the initiative, seizing it from both Israel and the United States.
As debkafile revealed in an exclusive report earlier Tuesday, a new Palestinian terrorist command center has sprung up in Gaza and Istanbul.
A second batch of convicted Palestinian terrorists is due for release next week, in line with the commitment Israel gave for drawing the Palestinians into the US-sponsored Middle East peace talks now underway. Also underway however is a wave of Palestinian violence against Israeli military and civilian targets, whose figures are on a rising curve since the talks began in July.
Israeli political and military authorities insist there is no guiding hand or organization behind the attacks. They are sticking to this line for fear of derailing the talks before they reach the breakthrough promised in the latter half of January by US Secretary of State John Kerry. This line is however strongly countered by the figures which intelligence and counterterrorism officials determine are too high to be brushed aside any longer as random.
In the past two months, 4 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 15 attacks conducted against security personnel and civilians, including 6 stabbings. In the course of 2013, Palestinians perpetrated a total of 150 acts of terror - an average of one every two days.
Intelligence officials have finally established that the violence is being deliberately ratcheted up by a single group. It is the hard core of the 1,027 Palestinian terrorist-killers swapped for the release two years ago of Gilead Shalit, the Israeli soldier held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. This group consists of 40 of the most hardened killers from among the 230 released terrorists who were expelled to the Gaza Strip and Turkey. They have established a new terrorist command. Intelligence sources have also identified its ringleaders as Saleh Al-Aruri and Amana Muna. Based safely in Istanbul, they are pulling the strings of the new surge of attacks through their strong West Bank connections. Al-Aruri, former commander of the West Bank military wing of Hamas, was serving a life sentence for multiple murder. He walked free two years ago after 15 years in a cell which he used for recruiting members of the different Palestinian organizations serving time in the same prison. No one is sure how many confederates he put in place for future operations. debkafile’s intelligence sources have established however that during his two years of freedom in Istanbul, he managed to restore and activate the Hamas terrorist command on the West Bank.
Not only was Turkish intelligence aware of his activities, but local Islamist organizations gave him a helping hand and also funded the anti-Israel violence he was staging from a safe distance.
Israel refrained from protesting to the Ankara government, preferring not to further upset its already rocky relations with the Erdogan government, and far from convinced it would result in Turkish action.
The other ringleader is a woman, Amana Muna, who lured the Israeli youth Ofir Rahum from Ashkelon to his death in 2001 in what became known as the “Internet murder.”
A member of Fatah, upon her release two years ago, she was decorated for bravery in person by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
West Bank Palestinians regard Muna as a folk heroine. Both she and Al-Aruri have high credibility in the population and even among PA security personnel, so that their directives may be readily obeyed, whether transmitted directly or through their emissaries.
In operational terms, the new terrorist grouping is not an organized entity in the conventional sense of Palestinian terrorism. This is an asset for the new set-up. Its long arms from Istanbul and the Gaza Strip are hard to pin down; without the cumbersome, strife-ridden administrations typical of Fatah and Hamas, it can operate freely and flexibly on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, over the heads of those organizations’ leaders, organizations, intelligence and armed branches.