LCCC NEWS BULLETIN
FEBRUARY 15/2006

Below news from Miscellaneous sources for 15/2/06
Lebanon Before February 14. By: Hazem Saghieh Al-Hayat - 15.2.06
Analysis: A year after Hariri's killing-UPI 15.2.06
Lebanon marks Hariri's death-Reuters 15.2.06
CHRONOLOGY-Events in Lebanon since Hariri's killing-Reuters 15.2.06
Police question MKs Bishara, a-Sanaa over trips to Syria and Lebanon-Jerusalem Post 15.2.06
Below News from the Daily Star for 15/2/06
Instead of Shebaa Farms, let us free Baabda Farm: Jumblatt
A year on: U.S. focused on Syria, Hizbullah and bringing Hariri's killers to justice
Demonstrators throng Beirut, calling for Lahoud's resignation
Religious leaders unite in praise of slain former premier
Security in full force in Martyrs' Square
Nazek Hariri delivers emotional speech pledging to fulfil her husband's dream
Religious, political figures pay tribute to Hariri
March 14 Forces urge big February 14 turnout
Demonstrators go distance to pay tribute
Lebanon bans air carriers from 38 countries for lack of proper security and safety measures
Lack of strong institutions is Lebanon's weak link
Mofaz: Mubarak believes Hamas will succumb to pressure
The response to racism is humanity.By: Rami G. Khouri
Hizbullah, FPM organize separate commemorations

Hizbullah, FPM organize separate commemorations
By Adnan El-Ghoul -Daily Star staff
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
BEIRUT: Symbolic delegates representing Hizbullah, Amal and the Free Patriotic Movement were silent participants in Tuesday's demonstration. The other groups from the March 8 camp organized their own modest gatherings to mark the passing of a year since former Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination, "strictly to sympathize with members of the Hariri family and pay tribute to late Hariri's character and good services to the country."
Members of Hizbullah and the FPM said they had refrained from rallying at Martyrs' Square due to expectations the leaders of the March 14 Forces would "politicize the event and stir friction among the opposing crowds."
Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir phoned in to Al-Mustaqbal television station to congratulate the Lebanese people for their "unity and steadfastness." "National unity, and not division, can save the country. The people's unity expressed in today's rally is proof their cause is just," he said. Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea met Tuesday with Sfeir to discuss "the rally's importance and impact on political developments."
Asked if he agreed with Walid Jumblatt's speech attacking Hizbullah, Geagea said: "Jumblatt has his own style and terminology and I have mine." "However," he added, "the big turnout today proves that the people are siding with our national choices, as opposed to the other parties' policies." In a prerecorded interview with Al-Manar, Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said he misses Hariri "in these crucial times." "Had Hariri been among us today he would have easily overcome most of the hard obstacles facing the country," he added. Nasrallah said his statements were not meant to diminish the role played by MP Saad Hariri, but "the experiences gained by the father were so valuable and indispensable."We got to know Hariri well only a few months before he was assassinated," he said. "We discussed and agreed on most national issues, including the Taif Accord, the resistance, how to build a strong central authority that would protect every citizen in the country."
Nasrallah quoted Hariri as saying "Lebanon cannot be ruled from Damascus nor can it be ruled against Damascus." He further recalled that Hariri had believed that Lebanon was in a state of war with Israel, regardless of whether actual clashes took place. "In Hariri's view, the issue of the resistance's weapons is not linked to Shebaa Farms or the Lebanese prisoners, but the resistance should keep its arms until Lebanon reaches a final settlement with Israel," he said.
A gathering in Jal Al-Dib to commemorate Hariri's assassination was attended by Hizbullah and FPM representatives, as well as Communist Party leader Khaled Hedadeh. The Amal Movement organized its own commemoration in Tyre in cooperation with a several political and religious figures, including a representative from the Future Movement.
Speakers at the event called for national unity, insisting the late Hariri would have done the same "had he been still alive."
In an article written for the occasion and published in the Hariri-owned Al-Mustaqbal daily, FPM leader Aoun said: "Until we uncover the truth and punish Hariri's killers, the political leaders must work toward settling their differences and uniting the country in the face of all challenges."

Instead of Shebaa Farms, let us free Baabda Farm: Jumblatt
By Majdoline Hatoum -Daily Star staff
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
BEIRUT: Around one million flag-waving Lebanese poured into Beirut's Martyrs' Square Tuesday, as a show of loyalty to former Premier Rafik Hariri marking the first year commemorating his assassination, as politicians stepped up their demands that the president resign. "We came here to tell you, the ruler of Syria, the tyrant of Damascus - and your friends and allies - that we are not a passing few, and we are not an imaginary majority. You are the vindictive criminal ... you are the slave and we are the free," Druze leader Walid Jumblatt said in reference to insults by state-run Syrian media to Premier Fouad Siniora last year. Jumblatt, who emerged from his remote Mukhtara home where he has been residing for safety reasons, also urged the Lebanese people to remove President Emile Lahoud from power. He said: "Instead of saying let us free the Shebaa Farms, let us free the Baabda Farm."
"There is no real independence as long as the pro-Syrian symbol of betrayal is residing in Baabda Palace. We tell him, the terrorist Bashar brought you to power, and the loyal Lebanese people will throw you out."Jumblatt urged the Lebanese people retain their true independence. "We came here to say there is no real independence and no real sovereignty when the jurisdiction of the army and the state stop at the borders of the southern suburbs and the refugee camps and the South," he said, in an attack on Hizbullah, Syria's main ally in Lebanon. "We came to say there is no real independence and there is no real sovereignty without implementing international
resolutions. We reject the Shebaa Farms alibi [in order to maintain Hizbullah's arms], we reject the Syrian-Iranian axis, and we reject the confiscating of the country against the advance of our dreams of freedom and independence," he said.
Jumblatt and the members of the March 14 Forces - including Samir Geagea and former President Amin Gemayel - held a 15-minute meeting in the Freedom Tent before emerging into the square. Talking to the sound of the cheering crowds, the son of the slain former premier, MP Saad Hariri thanked the crowds for their massive turnout, and called for the ousting of Lahoud.
"They [Syrians] left the symbol of their mandate in Baabda; we tell them, withdraw the symbol of your suppression of Lebanon and its people ... the people of Lebanon will not compromise," he said and added, "our slogan will always remain 'Lebanon first.' We will not compromise, we will not compromise, we will not compromise," he said.
Saad also stressed the need for national unity, and said, "We meet here today as one in the face of the aggression targeting us," he said. "We meet here today in March 14 square, there are no Muslims and there are no Christians, there are only Lebanese screaming 'Lebanon first,'" he added. "There is no place amongst us for criminals ... there is no place among us for the symbols of the security apparatus." Talking in at a public rally for the first time since his release from 11 years of Syrian imposed prison, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea lamented Hariri's death, describing him as "Lebanon's martyr."
"They thought that by killing one of our main leaders they would be suffocating our souls ... we tell them 'we are here, despite your hatred,'" he said. "The march of truth and freedom has started, and we will not allow anything to stand in its way," Geagea said, and added: "Lebanon will not be anyone's hostage anymore; we will stay here, independent and free on our own land."
The LF leader, who barely leaves his well protected residence in north Lebanon for security reasons, also warned of an "undeclared war" being launched by the Syrian "terrorist regime.""We should stay alert for all attempts to divide us and to kill our free souls," he said. Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamade, who himself experienced an assassination attempt in 2004, apologized to Hariri for not being able to completely end the "Syrian security grip over Lebanon," but vowed that the "battle continues."
"Liberate Baabda from the tyrant. Liberate Damascus from the murderers and you will be liberating Lebanon from despair and retreat," he said in front of the crowd who chanted anti-Syrian slogans whenever Lahoud or Assad were mentioned.
"We apologize to you [Hariri] for not succeeding in cutting off the head of the security apparatus that is sitting in Baabda Palace, filling a post he does not deserve constitutionally" Hamadeh said in reference to Lahoud. "But rest assured we are determined to do so, and we draw our strength from the blood you spilled for Lebanon's sake."
Prominent anti-Syrian journalist May Chidiac, who was maimed in an assassination attempt last September, also addressed the crowds from Paris, asking them to stay united "for Lebanon's sake."
Talking over the phone, Chidiac said, "To my Lebanese, who have exceeded a million, your numbers are neither imaginary nor a passing phase, you are the people that refuse to die." She added: "Many have counted on this occasion to fail; many have counted on bad weather to ruin it ... but you have proven, with your strong will that sowing the seeds of difference between us Lebanese doesn't work.""Together, we will build a strong state that is governed with equality, security, and legal security departments capable of protecting our sovereignty and independence," she added.

A year on: U.S. focused on Syria, Hizbullah and bringing Hariri's killers to justice
By Rami G. Khouri -Daily Star staff
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Interview
BEIRUT: The United States government views Tuesday's one-year commemoration of the murder of Rafik Hariri, Basel Fuleihan and their colleagues as a reminder of the world's commitment to identify and bring to justice the assassins, so that Lebanon can once again pioneer the modern transformation of the Middle East.
In a telephone interview with the Daily Star Monday night from his office in Washington, D.C., U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch said that dealing with the peculiar position of incumbent President Emile Lahoud was one of the priorities on the horizon. This theme also emerged strongly at the rally in central Beirut Tuesday.
Welch stressed four themes that have defined the American position during the past year: freeing Lebanon from Syrian domination, bringing Hizbullah's military capability under the authority of the Lebanese government, completing the UN-led international investigation into the Hariri murder and the ensuing judicial trials, and pushing ahead with domestic Lebanese reform efforts in the political and economic arenas.
"We want justice to be done for Rafik Hariri, Basel Fuleihan and the many others who died or were injured on that day a year ago, and in the subsequent months until the murder of Gebran Tueni. We hope this is a genuine moment of remembrance of a man of courage and genius, who rebuilt his country after a terrible war. We do not want Hariri and all the others who have died in the past year to have been killed in vain for their country," Welch said.
He described the most significant gains during the past year as Syria's military departure from Lebanon, holding the Spring parliamentary elections in a free environment, and "promoting a new constellation of political forces in Lebanon that allows the international community to respond in more constructive ways" to the reform needs defined by the Siniora-led government.
"In the tragedy, there has also been a historic shift, which is that it is no longer possible for Syria to maintain a military presence in Lebanon. Their presence was reversed, and is irreversible. Syria will stay out of the domestic affairs of a free, secure and stable Lebanon," he said.
Welch also described the four most urgent priorities for the immediate future as:
1. Addressing "the unimplemented parts of UN Security Council Resolution 1559,
which means ending the situation of a state within a state, and disarming militias," a reference to Hizbullah.
2. The "need to address the situation of the presidency in Lebanon, which is somewhat artificial now."
3. Fully investigating the murder of Hariri and all the others who have died, and prosecuting those identified as the likely culprits.
4. "It is most important that Lebanon not be a field where others can play, using their own presence or working indirectly through others in the region or parties inside Lebanon."
Welch accused Syria of continuing to meddle in Lebanese affairs, saying it was "unfortunate that so many non-Lebanese were arrested in last Sunday's riots in Beirut. Why does that happen?"
He said the U.S. strongly backs the UN investigation into the Hariri murder, noting that "We want the truth, and we don't know what the truth is, which is why the investigation was launched. It is a mystery, though, why Syria does not cooperate more fully and promptly, and why Syria is not responding to all requests of the UN commission. If Syria is innocent, why not respond quickly? Lots of questions are raised about Syria because of its behavior vis-ˆ-vis the commission's requests."
Welch repeated the American position that "Resolution 1559's call to disarm militias in Lebanon and bring all arms under the control of the government should be addressed by the Lebanese government and people, in the most practical and suitable way. But this should not be at the price of postponing a decision that most Lebanese agree with and most of the international community endorses."
Welch said that "the cause of freedom rings loud and is very real for most Lebanese, who want to live in an atmosphere of security, not fear. The Middle East region includes places where opportunity is possible and history is on the move. The Lebanese people and government should be in the forefront of this process ... it is important that Lebanon be a place that people throughout the region look to with respect and hope."

Demonstrators throng Beirut, calling for Lahoud's resignation
By Rym Ghazal -Daily Star staff
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
BEIRUT: A million Lebanese demonstrated in central Beirut on Tuesday, marking one year since the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri, reviving sentiments of national unity and calling for the resignation of President Emile Lahoud.
Demonstrators, carrying Lebanese flags and posters of the slain Hariri, came from all across Lebanon and crammed Beirut's Martyrs' Square near his grave in a show of loyalty to the premier "who rebuilt Lebanon and its people and brought about its freedom." "We are here to send a message that Lebanon has become independent and will remain so forever, and Syria and anyone else can just forget about ever controlling it again," said Monica Ayoub, one of the demonstrators who also demonstrated in the March 14 protest against Syria's presence in Lebanon.
Arriving in hundreds of buses and cars or on foot, demonstrators poured into the square near Hariri's grave, popularly renamed "Freedom Square" after his death, in defiance of earlier speculations of a smaller show of support, turning this Valentine's Day into "Rafik Hariri's day of loyalty." "Hariri, for you we came," chanted demonstrators wearing the symbolic blue of Hariri's Future Movement, and others the white and red scarves representing Lebanese solidarity.
Demonstrators observed a minute's silence at 12:55 p.m. to mark the exact time of the massive bomb blast that killed Hariri and 20 other people on Valentine's Day 2005. A horn blew three times to mark the instant the bomb exploded. The crowd roared with shouts of "Syria out" and "truth, freedom, national unity!"
Reports of bad weather also proved false, as a clear sky greeted the hundred of thousands of demonstrators that came from across the country. "God loves the March 14 forces and their supporters, and hence the storm was delayed," said Ahmad Ghazi, who brought a patriotic red and white umbrella to the demonstration.
The demonstration on Tuesday was reminiscent of the March 14 demonstration of last year, and saw a revival of anti-Syrian sentiments. Demonstrators chanted slogans such as "No, no to the mukhabarat" in reference to the once-feared Syrian secret police, and "Bashar just leave us alone," referring to the Syrian President Bashar Assad. Loudspeakers blared patriotic songs and Koranic verses in the background.
Demonstrators also carried pictures of other assassination victims, including journalist Samir Kassir, politician George Hawi, and Gebran Tueni. Some carried banners accusing Syria of all the killings: "Bashar: your greed has no limits?" and a play on words, "Assadsin.""Enough assassinations, enough injustice," said Ruya Hamadeh, 22, from Akkar, who came to the demonstration on a bus with 50 other people."Lebanon will not achieve its true independence until Lahoud resigns," said Hamadeh, echoing the March 14 Forces' calls for his resignation.
"Although Hariri's assassination was a big loss for Lebanon, it also helped achieve national unity," said Baria Jawad, 21, a student, who came from the northern city of Tripoli holding Hariri's picture and wearing a T-shirt also bearing his photo.
A few posters carried pictures of President Lahoud saying: "Shame on you, enough blood shed," and "four down, one to go," a reference to the four security chiefs in prison. The rally was attended by mostly Christians and Sunni Muslims, reflecting the divisions in Lebanon. Pro-Syrian Shiite movement Hizbullah and a key Christian leader, General Michel Aoun, refused to endorse the commemoration charging that it had been "politicized."
"We respect Hizbullah's resistance and all their efforts, but it is time they disarm and move on and become a normal member of the government. ... Why cause division in the country?" said George Khadra, who is a member of the Lebanese Forces youth group."As for Aoun, he cracked the March 14 forces when he went his separate way and allied with pro-Syrian groups. Sadly, he would sacrifice anything to get the presidential seat, even his country's unity," said Khadra, whose words brought cheers from other LF members nearby.A few Lebanese preferred to pay homage to the slain Hariri from home, away from the square. "There will be nobody like Hariri, as he was one of the few Arab leaders with a realistic vision, and one which he truly fought for," said Farouk Jaber, who watched the demonstration from a nearby apartment.
"I hope this protest will be the last one needed to bring about Lebanon's true independence and freedom," he said.

Religious leaders unite in praise of slain former premier
Daily Star staff-Wednesday, February 15, 2006
BEIRUT: Religious figures praised the slain former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri as a "national figure" as the March 14 Forces and Hariri's supporters crowded Martyrs' Square to commemorate his assassination. As part of the commemoration ceremony, Future Television contacted Christian religious leaders who hailed the turnout of almost one million of Hariri's supporters in Beirut. Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir congratulated the Lebanese "for uniting around one cause that concerns all of Lebanon [unraveling the truth about Hariri's assassination]." He hailed the Lebanese people saying "they know that unity will save the country."
Meanwhile Beirut's Bishop Boulos Matar said he believed the "assassination of Rafik Hariri on February 14 lead to the resurgence of Lebanon, a country united by its people." Matar hoped that this resurgence will continue so that life in Lebanon returns to normal.Matar said "Hariri will forever be remembered for what he did for Lebanon." He also hoped that his legacy will be continued so that Lebanon's national unity and independence are strengthened.
The Greek Catholic Bishop of Tripoli and Koura Elias Korban also speaking to Future Television labeled February 14 a "very important historical day for Lebanon because it marks the first year since Rafik Hariri, the man of peace, was assassinated."
Meanwhile, the Gathering of Islamic Associations led by its secretary general Bilal Taqieddine voiced the gathering's support for the initiatives of Speaker Nabih Berri and PM Fouad Siniora.
Taqieddine was speaking following a visit to Sfeir and issued a statement condemning the riots that occurred Sunday, February 5 when demonstrators protested outside the Danish Embassy.
The statement said that the riots "aimed at striking Lebanon's stability and instigating sectarian strife by vandalizing the churches."The gathering said it supports the initiative called for by Speaker Nabih Berri for dialogue at the Parliament to reinforce national unity. - The Daily Star

Security in full force in Martyrs' Square
By Leila Hatoum -Daily Star staff
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
BEIRUT: Over 8,000 internal security and army personnel were deployed in and around Martyrs' Square on Tuesday to protect an estimated one million Lebanese who took part in commemorating the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri.
Acting Interior Minister Ahmad Fatfat told The Daily Star that some "8,500 security personnel were deployed to keep the attendants safe. Most of these security personnel wore civilian clothes and mingled with the people to ensure a better surveillance."According to the interim minister, there were no incidents during the commemoration, "except for a couple of very trivial incidents."Fatfat held a news conference at Internal Security Forces headquarters after the demonstration to evaluate the forces' handling of the crowds, during which he said that the increased security measures would continue "until further notice."
"Some 12 people were arrested for minor incidents," he added. "A woman was arrested for carrying a gun and one driver died after her car slid on a road that is said to have been intentionally polluted with diesel oil. Police are investigating the matter further."Fatfat told The Daily Star that preliminary investigations into the incidents revealed that the armed woman was allowed to pass "by her husband who works at one of the inspection points. The husband was also arrested and is being interrogated."
The 12 persons arrested throughout the day were held because "they either pushed others around or held a knife or a sharp object which could have been used to inflict harm on others," he said.
As for a so-called "diesel incident," which some media outlets accused of being carried out by "hidden hands" on a road in the North to prevent demonstrators from reaching Beirut, Fatfat said primary investigations had revealed there was no ill intention behind the incident. "One of the officers told me that it wasn't oil; it was pebbles which fell from a truck a day before and the road was not cleaned."The single victim of the roads in question was reported to be Rana Saad, 31.

Nazek Hariri delivers emotional speech pledging to fulfil her husband's dream
'I implore God to give me patience and consolation'
Daily Star staff-Wednesday, February 15, 2006
BEIRUT: Marking the first anniversary of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's assassination, his widow, Nazek, delivered an emotional speech on television in which she pledged to fulfill her husband's dream of "reconstructing the Lebanon of tomorrow, the future Lebanon."Earlier French President Jacques Chirac accompanied Nazek Hariri to a memorial service Tuesday in Paris for the slain former Lebanese premier. Nazek Hariri wore a small pin on her lapel showing the image of her husband. The one-hour candlelit religious service took place at Paris' Notre Dame of Lebanon Church. Hariri arrived in a dark sedan with Chirac and his wife, Bernadette.
Nazek said she was "out of words that could express her feelings of sadness and sorrow for the loss of the loved one" who was her companion and support in life."What do I say when I still do not believe that his hour would come so soon and he would be taken away from me and the country he dearly loved."Nazek recalled when Rafik used to tell her that he won't be long before he returns from a trip, "and you have always kept your promise."
"But the hands of betrayal and tyranny, the hand of injustice and aggression, were lurking this time and you couldn't keep your promise ... but I will not reproach you for not coming back although separation is hard and bitter."
"But, the track you drew to Lebanon and your determination to lead the country to sovereignty, freedom and nationality will remain an example to all."
Addressing the people, Nazek, who is in Paris, apologized for staying away from the country, saying it is beyond her control, but promised to return soon with the family.Nazek said "Rafik did not wish his children to engage in politics but with him gone away without being capable of achieving his dreams, Saad took over the reins of power to assume the national and political responsibilities." On the occasion of Valentine's Day, Nazek said, like every year, this year she is giving her husband a gift.
She announced the Rafik Hariri International Award for Creativity and Distinction in commemoration Hariri's lifelong achievements. The first award will be granted on February 14, 2008 to those who realize achievements in science and progress in knowledge.Nazek said she hoped that this year would be burden-free, "a year during which good will prevail and peace will be established across the country.""I implore God to give me patience and consolation to cure my heart and soul from the bitterness of our separation.""I whisper to you and I say I miss you ... as I wonder how much I can bear this suffering,"Nazek said. - The Daily Star

Religious, political figures pay tribute to Hariri
'He spared no effort to serve his country'
By Therese Sfeir -Daily Star staff
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
BEIRUT: Several religious leaders and political figures paid tribute to late former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on the eve marking the passing of one year since his assassination. Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani said: "On the occasion of the day of loyalty to the martyr Rafik Hariri, we remember how he filled our national life with achievements in the economic, political, charitable and social fields."
He added: "February 14 will always be the day of loyalty to Rafik Hariri and his companions, when all the Lebanese will express their victory for the sake of their country's future."
Vice President of the Higher Shiite Council Sheikh Abdel-Amir Qabalan said Hariri was "a man of national vision and willpower and worked hard to resolve all the problems that faced the country."
"The martyr did not spare any effort to serve his country and its causes," he added.
Qabalan added Hariri "rebuilt Beirut after it was destroyed by the war and spent huge amounts of money in charity works." He continued: "Hariri's assassination is a big loss to Lebanon and the Arab and Islamic world; it also caused a big earthquake that resulted in severe repercussions."Qabalan addressed the Lebanese people and said: "To be loyal to Hariri, you should adhere to his path, preserve your country and promote dialogue and national rhetoric."
Qabalan also called for uncovering of the truth behind Hariri's assassination.
President Emile Lahoud said Lebanon "is still determined to know the truth behind the assassination of Hariri, MP Bassel Fleihan and their companions and to punish the perpetrators."In a letter addressed to the Lebanese Monday, Lahoud stressed the need to promote unity and to "rise above futile political disputes to face the conspiracy that was behind Hariri's killing."
Former Premier Rashid Solh visited Monday the grave of Hariri in Downtown Beirut and said afterward: "The loss of this great man was a severe loss to Lebanon and the Arab world, because he served his country and offered sacrifices for the sake of its sovereignty and independence."Meanwhile, MP Bahia Hariri, the late Hariri's sister, received on Monday a delegation from the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc at her residence in Majdalyoun. The delegation was headed by MP Mohammad Raad and included MPs Amin Shirri, Hassan Huballah and Mohammed Haidar. In comments afterward, Raad said the delegation "conveyed its condolences to Bahia Hariri and the Future Movement, on the occasion of the passing of one year since the assassination of Rafik Hariri." Raad also said Hizbullah is "committed to the dialogue initiative" launched by Saad Hariri.

500,000 Lebanese Protest On First Anniversary of Hariri's Murder
Crowds estimated at 500,000 waived flags in central Beirut to mark the first anniversary of the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri. Hariri and 22 others were killed last year by a car bombing which preliminary investigations have linked to Syria and pro-Syrian Lebanese forces. Damascus continues to deny any connection to the killings. After Hariri's death, similar protests combined with international pressure forced Syria to end their nearly 30-year old occupation of Lebanon. Although Syrian troops and intelligence officers have left Lebanese soil, anti-Syrian politicians and journalists have still been assassinated in Lebanon during the past year. 'By being present here today, you foil the conspiracy ... against Lebanon, against Rafik al-Hariri, against Lebanon's freedom, independence and dignity,' the Hariri's son and political heir Saad al-Hariri. He was speaking to the crowd behind a bullet-proof glass barrier. The protesters were hoping to pressure Lebanon's President, Emile Lahoud, to resign. Lahoud is considered very pro-Syrian.
The pro-Syrian group Hezbollah, considered a terrorist organization by the United States State Department, stayed away from the rally but does plan a counter rally in the near future. Security was very tight at today's rally as the tension and unrest in Lebanon continues. Brad Kurtzberg

After ‘black Sunday’ Aoun, Hezballah conclude a ‘joint work document’
Aoun, Nasrallah: “An invitation to all parties to sit with us around a table to discuss the best way of building Lebanon, without excluding anyone”
Prime Minister Fuad Saniora meeting at the Grand Serail with the head of the country’s Christian and Muslim communities. (For reasons of health, Patriarch Sfeir could not attend and sent Mgr. Roland Abou-Jaoudé and Mgr. Boulos Matar to represent him. Sheikh Bahjat Ghaith of the Druze community was represented by the head of the Druze Community Court.)
After the regrettable events of Sunday, February 5, a double tendency has been seen. On the one hand, towards a calming of the atmosphere by the declaration of a “common political work document” between the Free Patriotic Movement and Hezballah; and on the other towards escalation with Damascus after the decision of the March 14 Gathering to present complaints against Syria to the Arab League and the UN, requesting the condemnation of the Syrian regime “for fomenting division in Lebanon, with the intention of transforming it in a new Iraq”.
Michel Aoun, leader of the FPM, and Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, general secretary of Hezballah, met at the church of Mar Mikhael in Shiyah, to discuss many issues and announced the signature of an accord on a “joint political work document”, indicating that the project was “not directed against any political force”. On the contrary, both leaders called for the Lebanese to close ranks to save the country in danger.
The decision by the March 14 Gathering to present complaints against Syria was taken at the Beirut residence of MP Walid Jumblatt, leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, though he himself was absent. The decision was taken following the attack by a mob on the Danish embassy, which was seriously damaged. The rioters were protesting against the publication in a Danish newspaper of cartoons considered to defame the Prophet Mohammad. Several rioters also caused damage to a nearby church, that of Mar Maroun in the Gemmayzé neighborhood despite the protests of Muslim clerics at the scene, who admonished the rioters that the purpose of the demonstration -- which was intended to be peaceful -- was to denounce the cartoons, not to sow confessional disorder.
The participants in the meeting charged that there was a danger that confessional disturbances could make Lebanon “a new Iraq”.
Criticizing the Aoun-Nasrallah accord, Jumblatt said it failed to mention the fact that the Shebaa Farms belonged to Lebanon, or the UN inquiry into the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri, or the need to define the frontier between Lebanon and Syria. Nor was there any mention of Palestinian weapons held outside the camps, he noted.
Aoun, Nasrallah explain…
During their joint press conference, General Aoun and Sayyed Nasrallah discussed certain points, in order to reassure other political forces as to the intentions and objectives they proposed.
Nasrallah affirmed that the accord was not directed towards any person or political grouping. “On the contrary”, he said, we invite all parties to join us for dialogue at a round table to discuss the best way of building Lebanon, without excluding any party… constitutes a means of stabilizing the atmosphere” after the rioting of February 5.
For his part, General Aoun observed that the agreement was intended to “cement national unity in order to build a sovereign and independent Lebanon”.
The media generally welcomed the agreement between the two currents, the more so since it came right after the disorder of February 5, which was described by the March 14 Gathering as “an attempt to make a pro-Syrian coup d’état fomented by means of exploiting fundamentalist groups”.
Ashoura
On February 9 Lebanon’s Shiite community observed Ashoura. People marched in the southern suburbs of Beirut, in Nabatieh of South Lebanon and in Baalbek in their thousands to protest against the cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad in a derogatory way. They carried placards saying “the nation of Islam will not submit and will not accept offense”.
Hundreds of thousands of people marched on the occasion, held to mark the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, 1,326 years ago.
In his speech to the gathering, the head of Hezballah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, called on Muslim states to demand that European countries outlaw attacks on God and the prophets.
“I invite Islamic states to work together so that European parliaments and governments adopt a law prohibiting the media from attacking God and the prophets,” Nasrallah told thousands of faithful in South Beirut.
The theme of the occasion was “Defending our Prophet At All Costs.”
“We are faced with a new example of the hypocrisy and the duplicity of the West... which adopts a policy of double standards,” he said.
He cited French philospher Roger Garaudy, who is being pursued in the courts for writing a book denying the Holocaust, while Hezballah’s Al-Manar television is banned in Europe for anti-Semitism because “it speaks of the crimes perpetrated by the Zionists and challenges their right to usurp a state.”
Demonstrations have been held across the Muslim world against the cartoons originally published by a Danish newspaper in September.
Nasrallah also pledged to work for the release of detainees held in Israeli jails and “to protect Lebanon from Israeli aggression”. He also urged the Lebanese to begin a dialogue without delay, and called on the government to assume its responsibilities and remedy the economic situation, to ensure national security, and to patch up relations with Syria without affecting the probe into Hariri’s death.
The Hezballah chief also affirmed that “we see in General Aoun a genuine and serious candidate for the presidency. He has the credibility and legitimacy to assume this post. When the elections are due, we will agree”.
The issue of the presidency was not included in the document, which did however give strong support on the part of the FPM to Hezballah’s stand on the issue of its weapons.
The document called for “national dialogue to resolve all pending issues, implement harmonious democracy, draft a modern election law, establish a modern and strong country and strengthen the security situation by reforming the security bodies. Both sides also agreed to fight corruption and to sign the UN convention in this respect. They denounced all political assassination attempts and urged the disclosure of the truth [about Hariri’s death] through continuation of the investigation”.
He also made a point of stressing his support for the peoples of Palestine, Syria and Iraq.
Saniora hosts a spiritual summit
On the evening of the February 9, which commemorated both Ashoura and St. Maroun, Prime Minister Saniora hosted the heads of the various religious communities in Lebanon for a spiritual summit and a dinner. Patriarch Sfeir didn’t attend for health reasons but sent Patriarchal Vicar Mgr. Roland Abou-Jaoudé and Beirut’s Maronite Archbishop Boulos Matar to represent him. Also absent was the Sheikh Akl of the Druze community, Sheikh Bahjat Ghaith. His place was taken by the head of the Druze Community Court.
Premier Saniora conversed with his guests for two hours and then the group had dinner together. Saniora told his guests that the government was “responsible for the security of the Lebanese people” and it would prosecute the guilty until the end. He affirmed that the government was serious about prosecuting the detainees in Sunday’s riots “till the end” and that “justice will be served”.
He added that it would not be right for each community to have its own security force, since it was the state’s duty to ensure such matters.
In turn, the religious officials told the premier that their primary concern was to make sure that the Lebanese people were safe and that their economic welfare was looked after.
In another development, MP Walid Jumblatt on Friday received two MPs from the Reform and Change Bloc: MPs Ghassan Moukheiber and Farid el-Khazen, as well as other guests from various political factions. Jumblatt later told the press that he favored a consensual candidate for the Baabda-Aley by-election “because should there be a battle the result would be serious dissensions within the Christian community, not to mention tension between Druzes and Shiites.
“To avoid all this, I prefer a consensual candidate agreed on by all, and I propose that all the Lebanese parties should sit down for a serious dialogue”.
Feast of St. Maroun
February 9 was also the feast of St. Maroun, and in keeping with tradition, the mass celebrated at the church of Mar Maroun in the Gemmayzé neighborhood was attended by the president, the parliamentary speaker and the prime minister, or their representatives. This year the occasion was attended by President Emile Lahoud and Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, and by MP Abdellatif Zein, representing Speaker Berri.
Also attending were members of the diplomatic corps and personalities from all part of the political spectrum.
The occasion was all the more moving in view of the damage done to the church earlier in the week by rioters, who also attacked and burned the nearby Danish mission in a protest against the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad.
In his homily the celebrant, Archbishop Boulos Matar, spoke of the coincidence of the feast with that of Ashoura, observed on the same day this year “and of the sacrifice of Imam Hussein, who gave up his life for God”. He also remembered the former prime minister, Rafik Hariri, “who perished as a martyr for his country and for the Arabs, in a tragedy which has not yet ceased to trouble our hearts and minds”.
Speaking of the “spiritual riches” conferred on the country by the many communities comprising it, he added, “Certain ill-intentioned people have broken the links joining these communities by giving themselves up, at the beginning of the week, to reprehensible exactions against a peaceable part of Beirut and even against this church. But the goodness of God and the vigilance of the Lebanese foiled their designs, closing the door to this act of sedition. This enabled Lebanon to win a new victory, strengthening its unity and the triumph of Good”.

Lebanon remembers Hariri
A year after his death, the country remains divided.
By Nicholas Blanford | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor
BEIRUT – Lebanon's Cedar revolutionaries returned to the streets here Tuesday, transforming the city center into a swaying sea of red and white national flags as the country marked the anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The rally, which drew as many as 1 million, echoed last spring's huge anti-Syrian protests spurred by Mr. Hariri's murder that compelled Damascus to withdraw its troops from Lebanon. The Syrian disengagement was supposed to usher in a new era of independence from Damascus's embrace. Yet a year on, Lebanon is deeply divided, split by a resurgent sectarianism, threatened by a growing Al Qaeda presence, and torn by competing political visions over the future direction of the country.
This country is once more becoming a battleground in a broader struggle for control of the Middle East, pitting the axis of Iran, Syria, and Lebanon's powerful Hizbullah organization against the influence of the West, chiefly the US, Britain, and France.
"Lebanon will be engulfed again in a huge power game that will last quite a long time. This is the tragic destiny of Lebanon," says Walid Jumblatt, the leader of Lebanon's Druze community.
Twelve months after his death, the shadow of the billionaire construction tycoon and politician continues to loom over a country that saw the heady optimism of last spring's Independence Uprising, often called the Cedar Revolution, turn into disillusion, political turmoil, and bloodshed.
From dozens of newly erected billboards, Hariri's face gazes benevolently out over a city that he helped rebuild from the ruins of the 1975-1990 civil war. "They feared you and killed you," reads one sign. At one junction, an electronic counter ticks away the number of days in red numerals since Hariri died along with 22 others when a van packed with nearly a ton of TNT exploded beside his motorcade in central Beirut.
In Martyrs' Square where the flag waving demonstrators gathered Tuesday, organizers hoped to revive the spirit of the Independence Uprising, focusing this time on ousting Emile Lahoud, the pro-Syrian president.
"There is one person who is playing with Lebanon's security and that's Emile Lahoud," says Tarek Balad, carrying a portrait of Hariri. "All Lebanese want him to go."
In an address to the crowd from behind a bulletproof glass screen, Saad Hariri, Rafik's son and political heir, called for Mr. Lahoud's ouster, describing him as "the symbol of [Syrian] domination."
Chibli Mallat, a democracy campaigner who advocates replacing Lahoud, says that the rally marked a "new phase" in the struggle for full independence. "The extraordinary momentum we have gathered again today will have been lost if we don't succeed in translating this very massive demand for him to leave into his ousting," he says.
Yet, like the mass rallies of last year, the participants were mainly Christians, Sunni Muslims, and Druze. Other than formal delegations, Lebanon's Shiites, the largest of the country's sects, were absent, underlining Lebanon's deep political and sectarian divisions.
The US is urging the Lebanese government to disarm the powerful Shiite Hizbullah organization in compliance with UN Resolution 1559. However, Hizbullah and its allies represent a third of the government, and the party refuses to disarm. The political dispute is paralyzing the government's ability to tackle the moribund economy and improve the fraught security climate.
Sensing the government's weakness, Syria's former allies are gaining confidence and mobilizing their supporters. "There's a new order in Lebanon that is getting ready to change the situation," says Wiam Wahhab, a staunch pro- Syrian former minister.
The political turmoil is aggravated by a heightened sectarianism that is further complicated by the emergence of a militant Islamist trend that has taken hold in the poorer Sunni regions of north Lebanon. "The political differences have assumed very sharp cultural dimensions which is very disturbing," says Samir Khalaf, professor of political science at the American University of Beirut.
Last month, Lebanese authorities arrested 13 members of an Islamist cell, the latest evidence, the government says, of Al Qaeda-style militancy establishing a foothold in Lebanon.
Earlier this month, thousands of mainly Sunni demonstrators, including Islamist militants and pro-Syrian activists, rampaged through a Christian quarter of Beirut when a protest against the publication in Europe of cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad turned into a sectarian riot.
The Lebanese government accuses Syria of seeking to destabilize Lebanon by inciting this kind of violence. Of the rioters arrested, almost half were Syrians or Palestinians.
Damascus is also blamed for a sporadic campaign of bombings and assassinations that has forced some prominent critics of Syria to stay overseas.
Many Lebanese say the tensions will continue until a UN investigation into Hariri's death is concluded and the culprits are known. But the commission has warned that it could take months, maybe years, before the identity of the killers is finally revealed.
Lebanon's turbulent year
• Feb. 14, 2005: Former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is assassinated in Beirut with 22 others
• Feb. 16: About 200,000 Lebanese protest Syria at Hariri's funeral
• March 8: Hizbullah organizes a large "pro-Syrian" march in Beirut
• March 14: About 1 million Lebanese rally to call for Syrian withdrawal
• April 26: The last Syrian troops leave Lebanon ending a 29-year military presence
• Oct. 20: UN investigators say high-ranking Syrian officials were involved in Hariri's killingources: United Nations, AP

Analysis: A year after Hariri's killing
By DALAL SAOUD-BEIRUT, Lebanon, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- A year after the assassination of Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri led to the withdrawal of Syrian forces, the Lebanese are still struggling re-build a sovereign and democratic state while trying to protect their unity and security. Their future, however, depends largely on survivng dramatic changes in the region.  Hariri's killing in a massive explosion that targeted his convoy in Beirut Feb. 14, 2005 unleashed unprecedented nationalist sentiments.
Hundreds of thousands of angry mourners took to the streets to participate in Hariri's funeral, and for the first time shouted daring calls for the pullout of the Syrian forces -- calls that hinted at Syria's suspected involvement in the assassination.
Syria's allies in Lebanon reciprocated by organizing a counter-demonstration. Those demonstrating included the Shiite Hezbollah group, the Amal Movement and nearly 700,000 people who wanted to show gratitude to Damascus for its support.
A week later more than one million people, Christians and Muslims, flocked to what became known as "Freedom Square," just a few yards from where Hariri and his companions were buried in Beirut's downtown area. As well as demanding an end to Syrian military presence and political interference in Lebanese affaires, they were aspiring to be free, independent, sovereign and unified. They also wanted to know the "truth" behind Hariri's assassination.
The Lebanese got a big boost from the international community when the United Nations formed a special committee to investigate the assassination. The investigation was first led by German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis; he ordered the arrest of top Lebanese security services commanders and requested an interview with Syrian President Bashar Assad and other Syrian security and political officials before being replaced by Belgian prosecutor Serge Brammertz. One year later, the investigation continues. Despite the ongoing investigation, security in Lebanon was shaken repeatedly by the assassination of three anti-Syrian figures and the attempted assassinations of two others by a series of explosions that hit Christian areas. Accusing fingers were pointed at Syria, prompting Hariri's son and heir, Saad, as well as a number of Syria's opponents, to seek refuge in Paris. Syria repeatedly denied any link to Hariri's assassination and the subsequent killings in Lebanon.
The withdrawal of Syrian forces in April 2005 allowed the return to the political scene of Christian leaders: former army commander Gen. Michel Aoun returned from 15 years of exile in France and Lebanese Forces commander Samir Geagea was released after 11 years in prison.
New parliamentary elections -- the first without a Syrian presence -- were held. They gave the majority in the House to Saad Hariri and his allies and paved the way for Christian-Muslim alliances, bringing together wartime foes and disengaging long-time allies. Consequently, a new cabinet was formed. Hariri's long-time associate and finance minister Fouad Siniora became prime minister. For the first time Hezbollah participated in the government. Yet failure to engage in political dialogue persisted. The different parties failed to agree on a mechanism to tackle U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559, calling for the disarming of Hezbollah and the Palestinians.
Disagreements over deposing President Emile Lahoud, a staunch pro-Syrian ally, and Syria's possible responsibility in Hariri's killing soon surfaced. This deepened differences among the new players and paved the way for new alliances, such as the one struck last week between Hezbollah's chief Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah and Aoun, head of the Free Patriotic Movement.
Druze leader Walid Jumblat and Christian leaders started to openly question Hezbollah's right to retain weapons. Questions were also asked about the purpose of allowing Palestinian factions to keep their arms.
"The intensity of the struggle in Lebanon is set to increase," said political analyst Amin Kammourieh. "Lebanon will continue to be the scene for exchanging messages between the United States on one hand and Iran and Syria on the other."
Kammourieh sees the hope to build a strong Lebanese state, which surfaced with Hariri's assassination, diminishing as "we prove to be a group of religious communities and sects."
He said the failure to tackle in depth the reasons that plunged Lebanon in the 1975-90 civil war only increased "the rift among the Lebanese and such a rift can only be eliminated with establishing a real democratic system."
A demonstration last week by angry Muslims who marched to the Danish Embassy located in the Christian neighborhood of Ashrafieh to denounce cartoons published in a Danish newspaper considered harmful to Prophet Mohammed turned into riots and was close to plunging Lebanon in a new sectarian strife. Syria was again accused by some Muslim and Christians of having a hand in inciting the troubles.
The accusations remains to be proved but Lebanese authorities will have to further investigate whether the country is facing an emerging Sunni-Jihadi extremist trend and is becoming a hotbed for Muslim fundamentalists.
"The margin of freedoms that became available a year ago (after Hariri's assassination and the Syrian pullout) has allowed religious fundamentalism among Christians and Muslims without exception to flourish," said Michel Samaha, former Information Minister. Samaha referred to what he termed as a provoked "build-up" between Sunnis and Shiites and said "This wouldn't have been possible had Hariri been alive, despite all the problems in Iraq."
He said Hariri acted as "a buffer zone" between the various political and religious groups and was able -- despite his differences with Syria -- to "be the sponge that absorbs differences preventing them from leading to explosion."
"It is true that the Syrian Army pulled out from Lebanon, but all the interests of the world players in the region infiltrated our scene," Samaha said.
"Things may have changed but our situation as far as sovereignty is concerned has not and you just need to watch how the (Western) ambassadors are acting ... this is not safeguarding the Lebanese situation but using Lebanon and the Lebanese as tools to serve their plans in the region."
Although the Lebanese long for freedom and sovereignty, many look with suspicion at U.S. plans in the region and fear they might again be the victims of the big powers' interests in re-arranging Iraq's political structure, solving the Palestinian problem, achieving the disarming of Hezbollah and preserving Israel's security.
"Lebanon cannot be disengaged from what's going on in the region, starting from Palestine, to Egypt, Syria and from Syria to Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the Gulf and now what will happen in Iran," Samaha said.
The possible bombing of Iran's nuclear sites by the United States or Israel would only lead to a horrifying scenario in which Tehran could retaliate by hitting back at Israel and the oil fields in the Gulf as well as unleashing the Iraqi Shiites -- so far under control -- against the U.S. and British occupying forces there. Fears that Hezbollah might target Israel from south Lebanon were echoed. "What kind of a Pandora's Box they the (United States) are to open (if they hit Iran)? What would be its impact on Lebanon in the absence of leaders (like Hariri) able to absorb such repercussions?" asked Samaha.
The Lebanese are at odds over whether Lebanon can benefit from Iran's support and the emerging alliance between Tehran and Damascus or if it should remain on the safe side of adopting a neutral stance.
Lebanon's protectors, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt -- which both fear that the collapse of the Syrian regime might lead to "another Iraq" where Muslim fundamentalist groups along the lines of al-Qaida might flourish and expand to their countries -- have been trying to mediate to improve the Lebanese-Syrian ties that deteriorated after Hariri's assassination.
Even if the international investigation concludes that Syria was involved in Hariri's assassination, the collapse of its regime would be an Arab red line -- at least for the time being.

CHRONOLOGY-Events in Lebanon since Hariri's killing
14 Feb 2006 11:05:31 GMT
Feb 14 (Reuters) - Around 500,000 Lebanese gathered in Beirut on Tuesday to mark the first anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.
The killing turned the political landscape on its head with protests forcing Syria to end its military presence in Lebanon.
Here is a chronology of some of the main events in Lebanon since Hariri's killing on Feb. 14 2005.
Feb 16 - At least 150,000 Lebanese turn Hariri's funeral into outpouring of anger against Syria.
Feb 28 - Pro-Syrian Prime Minister Omar Karami resigns.
March 5 - President Bashar al-Assad tells Syrian parliament his troops will start phased pullout from Lebanon.
April 26 - Last Syrian soldiers leave Lebanon.
June 2 - Samir Kassir, journalist opposed to Syria's role in Lebanon, is killed in Beirut by bomb in his car.
June 16 - U.N. probe into Hariri's killing starts work.
June 19 - Lebanese parliamentary elections end in victory for anti-Syrian alliance led by Hariri's son Saad al-Hariri.
Aug 30 - Four pro-Syrian former security chiefs are detained as suspects in Hariri's killing and later charged with murder.
Sept 20 - U.N. investigators go to Damascus to interview Syrian officials, including Interior Minister Ghazi Kanaan.
Sept 25 - May Chidiac, a Christian television journalist critical of Syria, is seriously wounded by bomb in her car.
Oct 12 - Syrian state news agency SANA announces that Kanaan has committed suicide in his office in Damascus.
Oct 20 - U.N. investigators say high-ranking Syrian officials and their Lebanese allies were involved in Hariri's killing, in report to U.N. Security Council.
Nov 10 - Syrian President Assad launches a scathing attack on Lebanon's leaders, accusing them of turning their country into a hotbed of conspiracy against Damascus.
Dec 7 - U.N. investigators complete questioning five Syrian officials in Vienna in connection with the Hariri assassination.
Dec 12 - Gebran Tueni, staunchly anti-Syrian member of parliament and Lebanese newspaper magnate is killed by a car-bomb in Beirut. The unknown group, "Strugglers for the Unity and Freedom of the Levant" claims responsibility.
Jan 19, 2006 - Serge Brammertz, deputy prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), arrives in Beirut to succeed Detlev Mehlis, as head of the U.N. investigation.
Jan 12 - Former Syrian vice president Abdel-Halim Khaddam accuses President Bashar al-Assad of ordering Hariri's killing.
-- Syria says U.N. investigators probing the Hariri killing cannot meet the Syrian president.
Feb 11 - Saad al-Hariri returns to Lebanon more than six months after he left because of security worries.
Feb 14 - Around 500,000 gather in central Beirut to mark the first anniversary of Hariri's assassination.

Police question MKs Bishara, a-Sanaa over trips to Syria and Lebanon
By YIGAL GRAYEFF
Police at the International Serious Crimes Unit in Petah Tikva questioned MKs Azmi Bishara and Taleb a-Sanaa on Monday about recent trips to Arab countries that are considered enemy states.
Attorney General Menahem Mazuz ordered the police to investigate the two after Balad MK Bishara went to Lebanon in December and United Arab List MK a-Sanaa went to Syria in November, both without the necessary permission from the Interior Ministry.
Nine months before his latest trip, Bishara went to Lebanon to attend the funeral of slain Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, and Mazuz let this first trip go by on the grounds that it had been a bereavement visit. However, Mazuz warned Bishara at the time that it was against the law for MKs to visit enemy countries.
A spokesman for Bishara said the MK, who is also an author, went to Lebanon after being invited to a book fair. The police questioned him about the "dry facts" of the trip, such as when he went and whether he received permission for the trip, according to the spokesman. However, Bishara hadn't even requested permission, because he didn't believe he would have gotten it and that he shouldn't have to make the application in the first place, his spokesman said.
"The nub of our argument is that freedom of movement is essential when carrying out a job as an MK," the spokesman said. "It is impossible to limit this. The person who does limit this is the Interior Minister, who is a politician." The spokesman added that whoever wants to contact hostiles agents could do so anywhere, including in Israel, and not just in an enemy state.
"There is no suspicion that he was in contact with hostile agents. There is no security issue here at all," he said. "Syria and Lebanon, from our point of view, are not enemy states."
A-Sanaa said he requested permission for his trip to Syria after receiving an invitation from the country's parliament, but didn't receive an answer from the Interior Ministry. He went anyway.
"I argued that I'm an MK chosen in order to promote peace. It's impossible to promote peace without visits, meetings and talks," he said. "For me, Syria is not an enemy state. It's an Arab country and I'm an Arab." While in the country, a-Sanaa met the heads of the parliament and the ruling Ba'ath party, but not President Bashar Al-Assad.
The investigation of Bishara is the latest in a series of probes over the last several years. Earlier this month, the High Court of Justice ruled that the MK's parliamentary immunity protected him from being put on trial for controversial statements allegedly supporting terror organizations. That decision ended a court battle that had lasted several years.
When Bishara was in Lebanon in December, the country's news agencies and its Al-Safir newspaper reported several anti-Israel statements Bishara uttered.
"This conflict is possibly endless. We must keep its embers burning. Why do some Arab leaders declare readiness to recognize Israel as a state? This is capitulation. Some Arabs may want to surrender, but they cannot force us to surrender with them. We shall go on fighting," he was reported as saying.
Bishara and a-Sanaa are not the only Arab MKs to have been investigated recently for visiting countries defined as enemy states. In June, Mazuz ordered police to investigate a trip to Lebanon by Hadash-Ta'al MK Ahmed Tibi, who was also let off with a warning for an earlier visit to the country. Tibi was questioned in September for several hours by the International Serious Crimes Unit.

LEBANESE MARK ONE YEAR TO AL-HARIRI MURDER
Lebanon is marking one year since the assassination of its former prime minister Rafiq Al-Hariri on Tuesday.
Religious leaders and political figures are paying tribute to the slain politician while all private, public and educational institutions remained closed.
Lebanese President Emile Lahoud said Lebanon is “still determined to know the truth behind the assassination of Al-Hariri,” and to punish the perpetrators, the Lebanese Daily Star reported.
He stressed the need to promote unity, to rise above political disputes and face “the conspiracy that was behind Al-Hariri's killing.” Al-Hariri was killed on February 14, 2005, when a car bomb exploded in his motorcade in Beirut.
The millionaire-turned-politician helped rebuild Lebanon after the country’s civil war.
His death sparked huge local protests against Syria’s control of Lebanon, actions which have been coined the Cedar Revolution. Local and international pressures eventually drove Syrian forces out of Lebanon in April 2005, ending a 29-year presence in the country.
Critics say Syria has intelligence officers covertly stationed in Lebanon and that Damascus still maintains a strong sway over the Lebanese leadership. An international investigation committee is still probing Damascus and has implicated several high-ranking Syrians in the murder. Syria denies any connection to the killing.
Meanwhile, Al-Hariri’s son, Sa’ad Al-Hariri, who heads the Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc, returned to Lebanon on Sunday after a six-month self-imposed exile. He urged the public to participate en masse in the commemoration services on Tuesday. By The Media Line Staff on Tuesday, February 14, 2006

General says only he can save Lebanon
After 15 years living in exile, the Maronite Christian leader has brokered a remarkable deal with Hezbollah,
MARK MacKINNON writes. If he's not killed, Aoun aims to be president
BEIRUT -- General Michel Aoun believes there's only one man who can save this troubled country: himself. The only doubt in his mind is whether he'll live long enough to see the day.
That's not a glibly considered question in Lebanon. A large crowd is expected to gather today in central Beirut to mark the first anniversary of the murder of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri, one of more than a dozen high-profile assassinations and assassination attempts in the country during the past 12 months.
The current pro-Syrian President, Émile Lahoud, is hugely unpopular and clings to power only because Gen. Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement has yet to join the parliamentary majority looking to oust Mr. Lahoud from office.
Gen. Aoun, 70, has one key demand in exchange for lending his support to the push: that he be made Mr. Lahoud's successor. Under Lebanon's constitution, which divides power between the country's three main religious groups, the post is reserved for a Maronite Christian.
"I am here, I have partners, I have popular support and I can do it," Gen. Aoun boasted in an interview at his fortified home in the hills overlooking the Lebanese capital.
He chuckled before adding a big caveat. "If I'm not eliminated by a car bomb and I'm still alive, I will see it."
Nearly all of those targeted for assassination in the past year were anti-Syrian figures, so Gen. Aoun knew he was taking a risk by returning from 15 years in exile.
As the leader of an armed Christian faction during the latter stages of Lebanon's 15-year civil war, and briefly the president of one of two rival governments, he tried to drive Syrian troops out of the country, a losing fight that led to his defeat and flight into exile in 1990.
Ironically, the forces that drove him out of the presidential compound were led by his one-time protégé, Mr. Lahoud.
Upon his return to Beirut last year, Gen. Aoun got a hero's welcome as one of those who had fought longest to end the country's military occupation. But he soon demonstrated that the time abroad did nothing to diminish his ambition, or his ability to polarize the country.
Gen. Aoun almost immediately fell out with the coalition -- headed by Mr. Hariri's son Saad -- that had forced the Syrian withdrawal, sulking when they didn't offer him the presidency. Then, last week, he signed a remarkable deal with Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Shia militant group Hezbollah, which has long been allied with Gen. Aoun's arch-enemies in Damascus.
The wide-ranging accord turned Lebanon's political scene on its head all over again and was dubbed by many a "coup" for Gen. Aoun. The agreement calls for the Syrian-Lebanese border to be properly demarcated and for normal diplomatic relations to be established between the two countries, touchy issues for some in the Syrian regime who still view Lebanon as little more than a renegade province.
The deal also suggests that if Israel leaves the disputed Shebaa Farms area and returns Lebanese prisoners-of-war, Hezbollah will either hand in its weapons or join the Lebanese army.
It was a major breakthrough, something the United Nations Security Council has repeatedly called for, but which the government in Beirut has been unable to achieve.
Analysts say the agreement gives Gen. Aoun momentum, both internationally and domestically, that may yet see him returned to the presidential compound he surrendered to Mr. Lahoud in 1990. While MPs loyal to Saad Hariri, a Sunni Muslim, and to Druze leader Walid Jumblatt still control parliament, Gen. Aoun, as arguably the most popular Maronite Christian figure in the country, and Hezbollah, as the unrivalled representative of the country's Shia Muslims, can now claim to represent as many as two-thirds of the country's residents.
"We have a new balance of power," said Fadia Kiwan, a professor of political science at Beirut's St. Joseph's University. The Aoun-Hezbollah alliance, she said, means "that there is no real majority, either in the government, or in public opinion."
Sixteen years after he surrendered the presidential palace to his enemies, Gen. Aoun has no doubts that he will win this battle for power. "Remember that," he smiled. "You will see

Lebanon marks Hariri's death
Tue Feb 14, 2006
By Nadim Ladki
BEIRUT (Reuters) - A crowd of 500,000 flag-waving Lebanese packed a square in central Beirut on Tuesday to mark the first anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.
The turnout, reminiscent of huge protests after the February 14 2005 murder that forced Syria to bow to international pressure and leave Lebanon, looked set to give fresh impetus to the country's anti-Syrian coalition that dominates the government after winning a general election in May and June.
The coalition of Sunni Muslim, Christian and Druze political forces, which called the rally, is demanding to know the truth about Hariri's assassination, which it blames on Damascus, and the resignation of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud.
"We miss you," read large posters of Hariri. "They feared you, so they killed you," others said. "He lived Lebanon and died for its sake," a black banner read.
"I came here to say that the terrorist Syrian regime that kills will never escape punishment," Amal Yassin, a mother of three, told Reuters as she waved a red-and-white Lebanese flag.
Leaders of the coalition, including Hariri's son Saad al-Hariri, were expected to address the crowd, estimated by security sources at half-a-million of Lebanon's 4 million population.
Shi'ite Muslims, led by Syrian and Iranian ally Hizbollah, largely stayed away from the rally.
Thousands of Lebanese soldiers and police were deployed in Beirut and its suburbs as people converged from across Lebanon on Martyrs' Square in downtown Beirut, where Hariri is buried.
Security measures were tightened after a demonstration against cartoons depicting Prophet Mohammad turned into a riot in which the Danish mission was torched and a church vandalised earlier this month.
U.N. INQUIRY
"We salute the Lebanese for coming together around a just cause ... and displaying their unity," Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir, the Maronite patriarch, told LBC television.
Many in Lebanon say Syria was behind the killing of Hariri. A United Nations inquiry has implicated senior Syrian security officials and their Lebanese allies. Damascus denies any role.
Four pro-Syrian generals have been detained and charged with roles in the murder, but no indictments have yet been issued.
A poster carried the pictures of the four and that of Lahoud above a sentence reading: "Four down, one to go".
The killing of Hariri, a billionaire construction tycoon and prime minister for 10 years between 1992 and 2004, galvanised international sympathy and support for Lebanon and piled pressure on Syria.
One of Hariri's personal friends was French President Jacques Chirac, the driving force behind several U.N. Security Council resolutions on Lebanon and the Hariri investigation.
"I can tell you that the international community's determination to find and punish the guilty, on the one hand, and to give Lebanon all the means for independence, security, democracy and freedom, on the other hand, has not moved at all," Chirac told Future Television on the eve of the anniversary.
But despite the Syrian pullout in April, a string of bombings and the assassination of three anti-Syrian figures as well as a series of political crises and the resurfacing of sectarian tensions have raised fears Lebanon could slide into instability.
(Additional reporting by Leila Bassam and Alaa Shahine)

Jumblat: Jamil Sayyed Forged a Map to Put Shabaa Farms in Lebanon
Druze leader Walid Jumblat has said a Lebanese army map dating back to 1962 showed the Shabaa Farms outside Lebanon's border.
Jumblat displayed the map before engineers belonging to the March 14 groups visiting him in his hometown of Mukhtara on Sunday.
He said that the Syrian-Lebanese security apparatuses had altered the maps by pushing the borderline to include the Shabaa Farms into the Lebanese territory. By doing so, the security apparatuses had given a reason for Hizbullah to continue its military activity against Israeli troops supposedly occupying Lebanese land, according to Jumblat.
This way, the Druze leader said, "Syria and Iran could extend their influence in Lebanon through the continuation of Hizbullah's role."
Jumblat blamed the imprisoned former security chief, Jamil Sayyed, for amending the borderline in a map made in 2001 putting the farms in Lebanon.
Sayyed, who served under Syria's defunct tutelage, is awaiting trial along with another three former security chiefs for their alleged role in the assassination of ex-premier Rafik Hariri.
The Progressive Socialist Party leader said that Hariri "was not convinced of the 2001 forged map and that is one of the reasons why he was assassinated."
Lebanon and Syria say the farms are Lebanese, and therefore, support Hizbullah's sporadic military attacks against Israeli troops stationed there. Israel and the United Nations, however, say the area belongs to Syria and its fate is linked to U.N. Resolution 242 that calls on Israel to pull out from Syria's Golan Heights.
Jumblat added that the 2001 map had kept Lebanon hostage of Syrian and Iranian interests.
The Druze leader's claim about the identity of the Shabaa Farms contradict with studies by some leading historians, such as Issam Khalifeh, who has repeatedly stated that the farms belong to Lebanon.
Beirut, Updated 14 Feb 06, 11:02

ebanon Marks Anniversary of Hariri's Murder with New Cedar Revolt
One million Lebanese flocked to Martyrs' Square Tuesday to mark the first anniversary of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's assassination, in a replication of the Cedar Revolution that took the country by storm a year ago.
A human wave carrying red and white Lebanese flags covered the square as the demonstrators gathered in and around the center of the city. The crowds overwhelmed thousands of army troops and policemen deployed amid high security measures.
Endless bus convoys poured into the capital from regions throughout the country to take part in the commemorative event. Entrances to the square were clogged with a sea of marchers from all ages and a wide range of religious groups.
The demonstrators held banners demanding the resignation of President Emile Lahoud. Some of the signs read: "The extension killed Hariri," "Lahoud is unconstitutional." The president's term was extended in Sept. 2004 under Syrian pressure.
Others carried placards critical of Syria and its president, Bashar Assad. "Isn't it enough, Bashar?" said one, listing the names of anti-Syrian Lebanese who have been slain in other bombings over the last year.
"Yes, for the Syrian people. No to (Syrian) intelligence terrorism," read another.
The organizers of the rally dubbed the "gathering of loyalty and unity" are hoping to recreate the same momentum as the March 14 protest when 1 million flag-waving Lebanese converged on the same spot to pressure Syria to withdraw and demand an international investigation of the assassination of Hariri.
The slain leader was buried along with seven of his companions at al Amin mosque that oversees Martyrs' Square, popularly renamed Freedom Square after his death.
All anti-Syrian groups known as the March 14 alliance are participating in huge numbers. The largest members of the coalition are Saad Hariri's Future Movement, Walid Jumblat's Progressive Socialist Party and Samir Geagea's Lebanese Forces representing Lebanon's Sunni Muslim, Druze and Christian communities.
Jumblat was among the first politicians to arrive on the scene to participate in the event. He held a meeting with Saad and Geagea at Camp Freedom ahead of a series of political speeches.
Forces outside the alliance including Gen. Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement and the two Shiite parties Amal and Hizbullah will only send political representatives.
The FPM was a key member of the anti-Syria coalition that drove Damascus' forces out of Lebanon last year. However, relations between Aoun and the remaining members of the alliance have been tense especially in light of a recent cooperation agreement he signed with the Party of God.
Politicians of the March 14 alliance dedicated their speeches to Hariri and the 22 other people who died in the fateful blast on Beirut's seaside Corniche a year ago. One of the victims was former Trade and Economy Minister Bassel Fleihan who survived the bombing but died from severe burns two months later.
They also paid tribute to Samir Kassir, George Hawi and Gebran Tueni, key figures in the March 14 movement, who were assassinated last year.
At 12:55 the crowd will observe a moment of silence in memory of Hariri and the remaining victims.
Saad Hariri, who took on his father's political mantle, is also expected to address the huge gathering.
Saad returned home at the weekend after six months in exile due to security concerns to issue an emotional appeal for a massive turnout for Tuesday's anniversary of his father's murder as a show of Lebanese unity.
The anniversary "will be a day of a renewal of faith in the unity of Lebanon", Hariri told a press conference.
"I call on all Lebanese to adopt a historic position of unity on this day to show that our national unity is above all else and that the forces of March 14 will remain united," he added.
Beirut has been adorned with billboards in honor of Hariri, a five-time billionaire premier who played a major role in the reconstruction of Beirut after the 1975-1990 civil war. "We miss you," one of them reads.
Restaurants and hotels in Beirut marked St Valentine's Day three days early this year so as not to clash with the Hariri commemoration. Florists reported a rush on roses both for lovers and to be placed on Hariri's tomb. Beirut, Updated 14 Feb 06, 15:12

Lebanon Before February 14
Hazem Saghieh Al-Hayat - 14/02/06//
When it comes to General Michel Aoun and Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, dealing seriously with the texts becomes tactless. In this regard, we are not before a case of "two negations do not make a nation," as George Naccache once said in 1943, but before a case of two extreme and radical negations that only make wars. In this outlook, the reached "agreement" is not tantamount to a fattening prior to devouring - with the "Sayyed" teeth different from the "General's" milk teeth.
Eager to become president, Aoun is "forging an alliance" with a regional project that initially rejects the Republic per se. Hence, he will only win a parliamentary seat in Baabda-Aley, which is, away from rhetoric and exaggerated promises and hopes, the sole possible culmination of a Napoleon-like record of wars and exile!
As for the leader of "Hezbollah", a section of an axis encompassing the capitals and forces of "rejection", he skillfully broke, with the "General's" stick, his one-year isolation. While Aoun's openness to Nasrallah is perceived as a precious gift to the said axis, Nasrallah's openness to Aoun is, by contrast, the kiss of death that has instantly displeased the American ally. In this sense, the leader of the "Free Patriotic Movement" has remarkably offered "Hezbollah" a precious gift when claiming that the mid-80 Beirut hostages "were not all tourists."
So came Ashura, an occasion Nasrallah has seized to raise his voice against George Bush, Condoleezza Rice, and the "illusory majority." Meanwhile, Aoun seems absorbed by Pierre Dakkash's electoral battle.
But the question is more than a "trick" schemed by bearded "cadres" to entrap their clean-shaven "counterparts." With no doubt, the recent meeting has unraveled some simple calculations fomenting popular sensitivities. Now, those who have previously rejected George Naccache's well-known expression may view the idealistic nationalism as an equal outcome between those who fought Israel and Syria. Most importantly, the said parties neither belong to the class of traditional politicians nor are accused of corruption, the former being previously excluded from decision making, rather exiled from the country, and the latter managing without local income resources.
Yet, from their stumbling rivals, they draw more strength, one that will be soon consumed. Obviously, their rivals hold the most influential position where the Lebanese nationalism is built, the same position targeted by those despising such nationalism. Indeed, the March 14 legitimacy and legacy can give birth to a country colliding with numerous difficulties. But the said milieu, marked by the huge transformation the Sunnis have known in Lebanon, eventually embraces confessional pluralism. Nonetheless, the March 14 Movement will have to face a deeper problem with the annoying and piercing absence of one of its leaders, Saad Hariri, and the equally loud and hot blooded leader, Walid Jumblatt.
If the country's confessional reality and its necessary materialization in the government's structure, was translated in a weak performance of the Cabinet of MP Fouad Siniora, then the widespread conspiracy rhetoric (infiltrators, foreigners, foreign parties…) also reflects the looming deadly stalemate. In truth, this is not to deny the existence of active infiltrators, foreigners, or foreign parties, but is simply intended to highlight the contradictions either brewed or concealed, in part, by the March 14 alliance (refer to Hussam Itani's January 7 article in "Assafir"). In this regard, the Ashrafieh ordeal came to illustrate the difficulty to blend deeply rooted national ambitions and unleashed confessional structures and culture, as well as Beirut-based centralization and an exclusive trans-regional confessional representation. Moreover, all other confessions are likely to undergo the same experience as the "Future Movement" at similar moments, when realities mingle with illusions, when the desired confessional unity is put to the test within all confessions.
In all cases, February 14 must convince us that the Lebanese politics is no longer confined to the International Investigation findings, while the "General" and "Sayyed" anticipate and hamper these results.