LCCC ENGLISH NEWS BULLETIN
October 03/06
Biblical Reading For today
“Bless the Lord, O you his angels, … his servants that do his will.” (Ps 103:20-21)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 18,1-5.10.At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.
Communiqué de Presse du Conseil de coordination canado-libanais (LCCC)
Nouvelle Résolution de l'ONU pour le Liban sous le Chapitre Sept de la Charte des Nations Unies/lccc.3/10/2006
An Important Document
The War Against South Lebanon-South Lebanese Army/Committee of Support of the Lebanese inenforced exile in Israel/Claude Hajjar 03.10.06
New Opinions
Syria vs. Iran -- the Real War-The Conservative Voice, NCHezbollah is for Lovers?FrontPage magazine.com
A Turning Point in History-Axis of Logic
Latest New from the Daily Star for October 03/06
Internal divisions threaten Lebanon just as much as external attack
Rice touches down in Gulf to begin regional tourSalloukh says Israel is courting 'trouble' in Ghajar
Southern commander says Hizbullah's arms are intact, hidden near frontier
Lebanese Army completes return to Israeli border after four decades
International experts to assess environmental damage from war
Top security body approves information-sharing system
FPM wants judiciary to probe funds for displaced
Beirut Bar Association demands trial for Israel
Conflict added tensions to pregnancies
Ministers agree to cease fire in war of wordsCairo priest says pope has opened door for dialogue
Secular Turks question decision to air film on descendants of Ottomans
Bush and Erdogan emphasize common ground after talks
Latest New from Miscellaneous Sources for October 03/06
Lebanon economy reels under hardships-The Australian
Rice Seeks to Rally Moderate Arabs to Curb Iranian Ascendancy-DEBKA file
Lebanese Commander Raises Flag At Israeli Border-Easy Bourse
Assad : No one can stop flow of illegal weapons to HezbollahYa Libnan President Assad's Interview with Spanish El Pais Newspaper-SANA
MIDDLE EAST: Detainees released in Egypt, Jordan and Syria-Reuters
Sfeir: Lebanon’s future weighed down by Christian divisions AsiaNews.it
Israel's Lebanon offensive visible from space-Mail & Guardian Online,
Siniora thanks Kuwait for its support to Lebanon-Ya Libnan, Lebanon
MECC General Secretary Heads Delegation to South Lebanon-Worldwide Faith News (press release) - New York,NY,USALebanese-Americans return to homeland to help rebuild from war-International Herald Tribune
An Israeli Cabinet minister called for Hezbollah's leader to beJewish Telegraphic AgencyHaddad Adel: Pope's Statements Aroused by Hezbollah's Victory-Fars News Agency
Peres praises Blair, sees a future for Hezbollah-European Jewish Press
Hezbollah warned after Israeli pullout-Sydney Morning Herald
Turkish warship heads to Lebanon on Sunday-People's Daily Online
Lebanon army raises its flag on border with Israel-Reuters
Israel Almost Gone From South Lebanon-Washington Post
False Accusation Sharpens Canadian Press Debate-New York Times
Human Rights Experts: “Israel Committed War Crimes!”-SF.Indymedia.org, CA
The statesman named Siniora
Posted on 10/1/2006
Ahmed Al-Jarallah
By Ahmed Al-Jarallah
Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times
WHEN an idea took shape in the minds of the Lebanese Christians that Lebanon was going to be the only nation for them, other sects such as the Sunnis, the Shiites, the Roman Catholics, the Orthodox Christians and so on — which were considered ‘open’ movements at that time — didn’t give much thought to this concept. Following the start of a civil war in Lebanon on April 13, 1975, which resembled more of a clash of principles and ideologies of warring factions until Syria stepped in, the latter confiscated the freedoms of the Lebanese and deprived them of their nation. The only segment of the Lebanese which cooperated with the Syrians won the trust of this regime.
Following the assassination of former prime minister and a leading personality Rafik Al-Hariri (he was a Sunni Muslim) Lebanon saw a major shift in ideologies and Lebanon was seen as the only nation for all Lebanese. The brutal assassination of Hariri united the Lebanese Christians and Muslims. Shiites, Maronites and the Druze, however, remained loyal to their respective leaders Hassan Nasrallah, Michel Aoun and Talat Arsalan, who played a different role.
These sects wasted no time and instead of playing their democratic cards, rushed to buy time to climb the leadership ladder against the will of the Lebanese people. They used the Syrian Trojan Horse to achieve their goals, but failed to clear the hurdles. The battle in Lebanon is now being fought between the majority and the minority — the majority looked forward to an open era full of sovereignty. The destiny of the minority was in the hands of the Syrians and the Iranians until the recent Israeli aggression on Lebanon.
Fouad Al-Siniora, statesman and Prime Minister of Lebanon, who is representing the majority is protecting Lebanon — a nation for all Lebanese. He represents the patriotic principles which were born following the assassination of Rafik Al-Hariri under the slogan ‘Lebanon First’ — the slogan of the Christians and Sunni Muslims in Lebanon. Siniora is fighting to defend Lebanon to establish a unified nation for all Lebanese, while Hezbollah is trying to undo Siniora’s efforts by fighting for a share in the government to ensure Damascus and Tehran are represented in the government.
This behavior is resented by the Lebanese because Hezbollah holds the identity card of Syria and Iran. Siniora who is fully aware of this silly ploy will make sure these minorities have no place in his government, especially when his government is promoting peaceful projects befitting the intentions of the international community. Siniora is a keen politician. He is fully armed with adequate diplomacy to foil silly political maneuvers. He is confident of building a strong Lebanon with the support of the international community. e-mail: ahmedjarallah@hotmail.com
Assad : No one can stop flow of illegal weapons to Hezbollah
Monday, 2 October, 2006 @ 5:49 AM
Beirut- International efforts, including peacekeeping forces, will be unable to stop illegal weapons from reaching Hezbollah, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad argued in an interview published Sunday. In yet another sign of interfering in Lebanon’s affairs he called for government change.
"If a real will exists to introduce illegal weapons (into Lebanon), neither U.N. resolutions nor military deployment will be able to stop" their entry, the Syrian leader told Spain's daily El Pais newspaper.
He described efforts by both Syrian troops and United Nations peacekeepers to stop the movement of contraband arms destined for Hezbollah as "a waste of time."Moreover, Assad said, controlling arms trafficking to Lebanon "does not tackle the central question" of establishing peace in the country.
"What's missing (in Lebanon) is a state in which all Lebanese consider themselves represented," the Syrian president told El Pais. This statement is in line with Hezbollah’s and General Aoun’s calls for government of national unity which was described by the March 14 forces as a coup against the government of parliament majority. "If that's accomplished, it will then be possible" to disarm Hezbollah.
"The only solution," Assad added, "is if all the interested parties have confidence in Syria." "The Americans need to talk to us to understand us, to know who we are and what we want," Assad said, adding that Washington "needs the Europeans to better understand the region."
Following a short trip to Damascus in August, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos suggested Syria should be "put back in the international game" after becoming isolated by the U.S. in the aftermath of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination last year.
March 14 th forces do not have confidence in Syria
The question is how could the March 14 forces which form the majority in parliament have confidence in Syria , when the Assad regime calls for a coup against this majority? The Syrian regime has not shown the government of PM Fouad Siniora any cooperation ever since the government has been formed . Syria does not even recognize Lebanon as an independent state and has refused so far to demarcate the borders and establish diplomatic relations with Lebanon.
Confidence is a 2 way street. The Syrian regime has to show the Lebanese that it respects their sovereignty , independence and freedom first and should stop interfering in Lebanon’s internal affairs to gain the confidence of the Lebanese people. It is president Assad’s call !
Source: Naharnet, Ya Libnan
President Assad's Interview with Spanish El Pais Newspaper
Sunday, October 01, 2006 - 09:05 PM
Damascus, Oct. 01 (SANA)- President Bashar al-Assad summarized in an interview with the Spanish best selling newspaper of El- Pais Syria's stances over the regional and international developments, particularly after the Israeli war on Lebanon as well as several topics regarding internal affairs.
President Assad said that one of the mistakes committed by the big powers is that they deal with an event on a short-term basis. He asserted that Syria's stance remained unchanged before and after the war, adding that one of the reasons which led to the war is that they didn't understand Syria's role or the problems of the region in addition to not understanding the role of the previous UNIFIL.
As for the UN Security Council resolution 1701 which talked about international forces that came to Lebanon, His Excellency said that Syria had a stance that it supported the UNIFIL and had warned in 2000 against reducing them at that time.
President Assad added that Syria's public stance over the resolution 1701 is that it is quite unbalanced, but we have to deal with its positive sides. His Excellency pointed out that there were vague sides in this resolution which takes positive and negative interpretations. He asserted that the final solution lies in establishing the peace.
On the Spanish participation in the UNIFIL, President Assad said that "as long as we support the UNIFIL, it's natural that we support the participation of any country in it…Spain in itself is a state with credibility for the Arabs. If the UNIFIL remains under its known legal powers, namely under the 6th not the 7th Article, and these troops make success in their role…as it's in need to stability in the region, and in parallel with the presence of these multi-national forces…then the parallel political work is very important for the success of Spain and others."
His Excellency said that Europe's role in peace is important even peace seems far away, pointing out that this role had considerably retreated last year, particularly when Europe was preoccupied with the European Constitution or because of the divisions before the war on Iraq. "Spain is part of Europe, so we see that this participation is positive provided the existence of the environment so that it remains positive."
On the safe return of the Spanish troops participating in the UNIFIL to their country, President Assad said that "if Spain or the other countries commit themselves to Spain's neutral stance, and not like the stance of the Germans who said they have come to protect Israel…these forces should not come to be part of the Lebanese problem…this means that if a later resolution is issued by the UN Security Council under the 7th Article, then these forces would become part of the problem."
His Excellency added that the importance of these forces is not by their arms but rather by the fact that each group represents a country, and this in itself constitutes a real deterrent on the ground…these points allow the Spanish soldiers to make success in their mission and return safe."
"However, if the forces are sent to remain forever….then our problem with the UN resolutions is that it issues resolutions and then the world go to sleep…but if we consider the resolution 1701 as an interim solution and we have to return to the peace process …then I believe that the subject could be for very few years….for example our vision for peace was that it could take not more than two years since its beginning in Madrid…and if we want to start from where we left off then the negotiations need six months."
On controlling the Syrian-Lebanese borders, His Excellency said that "we made fortified the borders with Lebanon… but of course this led to moving part of the border guards from Iraq borders to Lebanon borders…and perhaps the resolution 1800 is issued to return our troops from Lebanon to Iraq."
President Assad pointed out to Syria's cooperation with the issues of the existence of technical equipment to supervise the borders as proposed by UN chief Kofi Annan and the Italians. He indicated that these procedures are all "time wasting as they are an escape from the big solution."
His Excellency added that "experience in our region over the past decades has proved that if resistance has a public support then it can get what it wants…so time should not be wasted in small things like this subject."
The President pointed out that the countries concerned have no choice but to have confidence in Syria "because if there is a real desire in smuggling then neither the UN Security Council resolutions nor all technologies or armies of the world can prevent this process….there must be a return to the peace."
President Assad reiterated Syria's support to the resistance as long as there is occupation to the lands, particularly that our lands are also occupied.
The president pointed out that the strength of Hezbollah "is mainly not militarily but rather a public strength that is not restricted to a certain sect as some people seek claim….it cannot be in this strength if there is no public wide range support in Lebanon."
His Excellency said that "Syria has been helping in rebuilding the villages which had been destroyed, along with other sides of this cooperation, most of which is the political support because we're convinced that they are defending a just issue because as I said we are suffering from the same situation."
On the conditions that make the Lebanese State control this country and solve the issue of Hezbollah within the State, President Assad pointed out to the dialogue which took place in Lebanon several months before the war, saying that this dialogue was not sponsored by the State as it was divided into sides.
President Assad indicated that the Lebanese State is supposed to possess the strength of the country… and the State is the side which possesses the capability of deterrence…and when these conditions are available and these is a State that represents all the Lebanese then things would go this direction."
On Syria's support to Mr. Hassan Nassrullah and the Lebanese resistance which is described as Islamic and whether this could lead to problems inside a secular system, President Assad stressed that Hezbollah Secretary General Mr. Nassrullah stressed in his political discourse and practice as well as most of the forces allied with him that they are secular forces, including Christian forces.
"If he doesn't have this support, he can't be strong…he is defending a national issue and not only an Islamic one…so there is a consensus by different sects in the Arab countries and not only in Lebanon on his policies…there is no concern at all regarding this point," president Assad asserted.
On Syria's role in preventing the Lebanese sides from bringing the situation in Lebanon to the verge of collapse, President Assad said that "in the beginning we have to define the reason for all what happened…the beginning was the resolution 1559 at the UN Security Council…when a resolution is issued to intervene in the internal affairs of a country then this country is divided or destroyed, and definitely when the country still has a problem of sectarian or political division, in addition to the wrong international role before and after the assassination of Hariri."
His Excellency went on to say that "our stance in Syria over the current situation in Lebanon is to encourage the Lebanese dialogue…but surely we support the Lebanese national trends which don't accept foreign intervention."
On the situation of some arrested people in Syria, President Assad pointed out that nobody in the past intervened with the groups that continuously criticized the State in Syria.
The President indicated that "the subject is quite different as there are groups from Lebanon which publicly and officially called on the US to occupy Damascus and strike Syria, and these according to the Syrian law have become in the enemy line, and any person or state that calls for occupying your country is an enemy.
These groups have dealt directly with these forces…and there was an official meeting and direct coordination with them…and this according to the law immediately leads to prison because it's a dealing with an enemy."
His Excellency pointed out that the number of those are more than 200, ten of them who were considered as responsible were detained, and then with the investigations six were released. "The trail proceedings are continuous as any other trial…there are lawyers….and other persons may be released…we don't intervene in the case as it has nothing to do with the opinion or something like that…it's rather a case of relations with somebody who is considered an enemy."
On Syria's concerns over Brammertz report, President Assad said "the report will be a source of concern if it is of political objectives, but if it is made to uncover the crime, this will come in our interest… the important thing in the report is that it showed that Syria was cooperative as in the last report… but with regard to the international court, there is a question.. What are the available facts on which the international court will depend… we have to wait for the outcomes of the investigation."
Regarding his vision on the US role in the comprehensive peace process, President Assad's said "the US didn't play the role of the honest sponsor, and, unfortunately, there are no international powers that can play the US role…and the US cannot stand alone, and here comes the European role".
His Excellency pointed out that one of the mistakes committed by some Europeans in the past is that they played the role of that who marketed an American ides. President Assad clarified that the US is far fro m the region politically and geographically, thus it is in need to us, namely with the region to understand the problem…it's in need to the European role to understand the problem better.
"If Europe is stronger, namely more independent of the US but at the same time have an integrated role with it.. and if there was a balance in the UN role… this would make the US role more balanced, and then peace will be achieved," the president added.
He called on the US Administration to listen to the others and to begin with those who are related to the problem, saying "they should listen to us and recognize that they made mistakes."
President Assad noted that war on terrorism didn’t only fail but it had contributed to increasing it, saying "terrorism today is stronger than Sep.11, and we should move along with the Europeans to convince the US administration that the preemptive war creed has hurt the US and the world."
On the existing situation between Syria and Israel, President Assad said "the problem is linked to two sides not one side….this situation is linked to one thing which is peace…or maybe war if there is no peace process."
"We have clear vision, and events have proven that we think in the right direction of future and that our vision didn't depend on the principle of strength weakness… but it was based on principles, history and the people's aspirations, while the Israeli vision depends, unfortunately, on the principle of a strong army….but events in Iraq and Afghanistan as well the latest war have proved that the military power achieves nothing."
President Assad added that that Israel has no vision now, and this is another problem, "because the principle of power has been destroyed and the Israeli vision has failed, and our vision remained."
On relations between Syria and the US, President Assad described it as "semi-severed now at least on the political and security level", saying "the problem with the US administration is that they have no intention to hear the reality… all what we have said before the wars on Afghanistan and Iraq and on terrorism are happening in details now and we have discovered after cooperating with them that we are losing even in the political and security cooperation."
He added that the relations could change when the US accept the reality as it is and recognize it and when they know that we are a state that has our own interests.
On the Iranian nuclear dossier, President Assad said that "Iran now is a nuclear power whether we like it or not, and we are explaining this concept to the Arab countries."
"If there is concerns over the nuclear capability or the supposed nuclear bomb a supposed, then why don't we discuss the Israeli nuclear bombs ?," the President asked.
President Assad underlined that it's not reasonable to have concerns over Iran and forget about Israel, describing this as illogical as Israel, not Iran, is the party which wages aggressions in the region.
The President recalled the Syrian initiative submitted to the UN Security Council in 2003 which stressed the importance of removing weapons of mass destruction from the Middle East, clarifying that the US stood against this initiative, wondering "if they were true, why didn't they accept the Syrian initiative."
Regarding the danger of striking Syria and Iran, the President said that as the preemptive war principle still exists, the whole world should have concern and we are part of this world and have concerns over this principle in general.
On the modernization and development in Syria and the reason behind their slow pace in some stages, President Assad said that there are factors related to this issue, and what is currently underway is a development of the State which is linked to the country as a whole.
His Excellency pointed out to the problems which block this process, including technical and social sides as well as the size of support which comes from abroad where all attempts have failed in the past years to get real support from developed countries, adding that we are also in the process of revision of our mistakes and correcting them.
The President added that the other side of the issues is linked to internal and outside political circumstances which intermingle to a great deal and affect the process of modernization and development.
He indicated that "we are in a region that lives on ideologies…and it's affected by what is happening around us in Iraq, the war on terrorism and the international wrong policy, particularly the US policy which has crated a very negative internal reaction that has increased isolation rather than increasing openness…it increase tension for the ordinary man of street."
"Political openness depends on accepting the other party…when extremism and isolation increases the other party increases in its rejection…so we saw again terrorist operations since 2004 in Syria after we have forgotten them since mid-1980's…the most important thing is to know that these operations are not linked to terrorist organizations and nor related to what is happening with us or related with countries…and here is the danger….they constitute a local social case that moves alone…and this case is surrounded by big state of extremism."Ahmad F. ZAHRA / Mazen
MIDDLE EAST: Detainees released in Egypt, Jordan and Syria
02 Oct 2006 Source: IRIN
DUBAI, 2 October (IRIN) - In Egypt, jailed former presidential candidate Ayman Nour issued a statement from prison on Saturday, ahead of Tuesday's visit by United States's Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, appealing for his release on health grounds.
Nour, the Ghad political party leader, came a distant second to President Hosni Mubarak in the 2005 elections. He has alleged ongoing mistreatment and said he has been denied his basic rights. He is serving a five-year prison sentence for forgery and has been waiting for an operation for heart problems since August. In a statement read by his wife Gameela, Nour said, "The President traditionally releases prisoners on 6 October [the day when Egypt commemorates its victory in the 1973 war with Israel]. Until this moment I am not one of them. [Instead] I am being handcuffed 13 hours a day."
However, other sources from within his own party said that some party leaders received information from senior government officials that Nour's release was imminent. Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood reported on 25 September the transferral to house arrest of its Executive Bureau member Lasheen Abu Shanab. Abu Shanab, who is physically disabled, was imprisoned in August during a general crackdown against the movement.
The Brotherhood claims that more than 700 of its members are being held in Egyptian prisons. The movement is officially banned but tolerated, although it suffers periodical waves of arrests. According to a Brotherhood statement, the transfer of Abu Shanab was "a step in the right direction. He has only been detained for his political and religious affiliations."
On Saturday, Jordan's King Abdullah pardoned two Islamist MPs who were imprisoned for praising Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, the slain leader of al-Qaedah in Iraq. MPs Mohammad Abu Fares and Ali Abul Sukkar were sentenced to 13 months in prison each after they were found guilty of stirring up sectarianism. Leaders of the Islamic Action Front (IAF), the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood movement, welcomed their release but insisted the punishment was not fair. "The pardon eases part of the injustice inflicted on our colleagues who were jailed for political reasons," said Azzam Huneidi, head of the IAF bloc in parliament. The Islamist movement has 17 MPs in Jordan's 110-member Lower House of Parliament.
Observers believe the move could signal a new chapter in the strained relations between the government and the Islamists.
"The pardon is expected to bridge the gap between the two sides and help the country jump-start political reform," said Musa Mayta, secretary general of the leftist Democratic party. In a separate development in Jordan on 27 September, the Lower House and the Senate finally agreed on amendments to the draft iftaa [Islamic verdicts] law, despite objections from several Islamist MPs.
The law will grant the prime minister the option of consulting with a new iftaa department on death sentences before verdicts are sent to the king for approval. In addition, the law will pave the way for establishing a new autonomous body - to be led by the General Mufti, a newly-created post - tasked with issuing fatwas [Islamic rulings] on matters of public concern. IAF MPs, however, said that the final draft goes against freedom of expression and will politicise religion. A human rights group said on Saturday that the authorities in Syria recently released a human rights activist after the deterioration of his health. The National Organisation for Human Rights (NOHR) said that Abdo Khalaf Wlo from Hassaka province in north-east Syria has been released from jail. NOHR hailed the release as a "positive step in the right direction" and called for the release of all remaining political prisoners. Wlo, 65, a former leading member of the Kurdish Syrian Democratic party, was arrested in mid-June.
Meanwhile, the NOHR said that some Kurdish 46 juveniles who were released from prison in a presidential pardon in March 2004, after having spent two weeks in custody, are still being tried before the Juveniles Court in Hassaka. The juveniles were arrested following the Qamishli riots between Syrian Kurds and Arabs in north-eastern Syria in March 2004, during which 25 people were killed and more than 100 wounded.
Charges raised against the juveniles included damaging public property, fomenting riots, harming national feeling, confronting policemen and insulting the Syrian authorities. The NOHR said the trial contravened the spirit of the pardon and called on the Syrian authorities to "close the file of the Qamishli juveniles forever". Syrian Kurds have long complained that they lack basic rights and say the government neglects areas of northern Syria where they live. There are about 1.5 million Kurds in Syria, including about 200,000 who are denied Syrian citizenship. Syria has a population of 18.5 million people.
In a seperate development, the NOHR said Syrian writer and human rights activist Mohammad Ghanem was recently released from prison. He was arrested on 31 March and sentenced to six months imprisonment on charges of insulting Syrian President Bashir al-Assad, discrediting the Syrian government and fomenting sectarian unrest.
The NOHR also said that another activist, Lashfan Hassan Abdo, an engineering student who was arrested following the Qamishli riots, was also released.
Human rights specialists confirmed that rights activists Michel Kilo and Anwar al-Bunni were still in custody. They started a hunger strike on 27 September but broke the strike 24 hours later. Since coming to power in 2000, President Bashar al-Assad has freed political prisoners and passed laws liberalising the state-controlled economy. But he has also clamped down on political activists, jailed pro-democracy advocates and cracked down on government critics. The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (HRinfo) criticised Yemen's government on 29 September for curtailing freedom of expression and for other electoral violations during the September elections. The HRinfo said that there were 10 incidents involving the blocking of Yemeni websites and harassment of journalists. "These violations are contrary to the Yemeni Constitution and [are] beyond the law. In addition they violate Article number 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, signed by the Yemeni government," HRinfo said in a statement.
The government has yet to react on the HRinfo criticism.
Sfeir: Lebanon’s future weighed down by Christian divisions and Hezbollah demands
by Youssef Hourany - 2 October, 2006
The problem of Christians “displaced” in 1983 from the Mountain of Lebanon has become topical, with Aoun’s charges against Joumblatt and Geagea and the replies of the leaders of the Druze and the Lebanese Forces.
Beirut (AsiaNews) – Prevalent division among Christians, the problem of the return of “displaced people” to the Mountain of Lebanon and the statements of Hezbollah about its right to press ahead with the struggle until complete Israeli withdrawal from every corner of national territory. These are issues that are worrying the Country of the Cedars these days. In this scenario, anticipation is rife for the monthly meeting of the Maronite bishops in Bkerke, to be chaired by the Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir on Wednesday. Stands should be taken on current matters like interfaith dialogue, topical in this month of Ramadan, especially after the harsh criticism levelled last month against the “misunderstanding” of the conference held by Benedict XVI during his meeting with the academic world on 12 September.
In a meeting with AsiaNews, Cardinal Sfeir said: “Lebanon is living through a very critical time, full of questions about its political future and the future of Christian communities. In the light of rapid developments of the situation, we expect a comprehensive response from the international community, capable of clarifying current prospects, so as to enable citizens to remain in their country despite economic and political difficulties.” Meeting a group of leaders from political and religious circles, Cardinal Sfeir denounced “the danger threatening the Christian presence in Lebanon because of the division prevailing within Christian communities. No heed is paid to appeals by religious leaders and no notice is taken of the existence of a 1997 Apostolic Exhortation that could be summarized as an appeal for the reconstruction of the Christian social fabric.” The patriarch discussed the theme of freedom with his guests, indicating it as a very precious legacy of John Paul II, and he slammed current trends of thought that were destroying freedom with the shadow of “fanaticism, fundamentalism and violence”.
For his part, the Maronite Archbishop of Jbeil, Mgr Bechara Rai, expressed his concern and his “deep sadness” about the latest declarations of the Secretary General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, “who continues to uphold their right to have arms, while Christians continue to endure the tragic consequences of the conflict between Israel and the Party of God”.
The concerns of the patriarch were shared by General Michel Aoun. Talking to AsiaNews, he reiterated his firm condemnation of those that “presume to be the true representatives of Christians” (an indirect reference to the head of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea), indicating the need to “weave the social fabric of Lebanese society” and expressing his concern about the crisis destroying the country, especially the Christian community.
General Aoun expressed support for the cause of the displaced people, calling on the Druze leader Walid Joumblatt and the commander of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea to find the right means to facilitate their return to their villages. He holds these men, who have become allies, responsible for the exodus of Christians from the Mountain in 1983.
Aoun yesterday responded to Joumblatt in a meeting at Moukhtara to launch reconciliation between Druze and Christians in the region of the Mountain. For his part, the head of the Lebanese Forces sent a message to the meeting which gathered 30,000 participants in Zahle in Bekaa. He affirmed the willingness of his movement to lead Christians to real state participation, to having a future in which they will no longer fear for their children, and to resume their role in the forefront of cultural, intellectual and political levels.
Today too, the Commander of the Lebanese army, General Michel Souleiman presided over a ceremony for the return, after 34 years, of the Lebanese flag on the famous hill "Al Labbouna", in the south of the country. The General emphasized the significance of this event coinciding with the near-total withdrawal of Israeli troops, and expressed his desire to see Israel keep its promises, with the withdrawal from as yet occupied hills and from Sheeba Farms. He also reiterated the need to work together to reinforce national unity that constitutes the fundamental pillar for the rebirth of country that is “exemplary” in the region.
Israel's Lebanon offensive visible from space
Star City, Russia -02 October 2006 02:50
Israel's recent bombardment of Lebanon was clearly visible with "the naked eye" from space, a Russian cosmonaut based at the time on the international space station said on Monday. "Of course it was visible. You know, all negative human activities, in particular military operations, are immediately visible from space," said cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov, during a press conference at the Star City space facility, just outside of Moscow.
Vinogradov was speaking three days after returning to Earth following a six-month International Space Station mission.
"Of course we saw the fires, especially when it was a big city, it was very easily visible, even without our instruments. You could see it with the naked eye," Vinogradov continued. "We took many photographs of the Lebanese coast and of Israel, especially during that period," he said referring to the fighting in July and August that left about 1 200 Lebanese citizens and 162 Israelis dead. "Petrol fires, oil slicks, perhaps we are used to spotting things, but it is immediately identifiable in Lebanon among other places," he added. -- AFP
Siniora thanks Kuwait for its support to Lebanon
Monday, 2 October, 2006
Beirut & Kuwait- Prime Minister Fouad Siniora visited Kuwait and met with its leaders to thank them for supporting Lebanon during the 34 day war, and for the financial aid package of $800 million, which was the highest per capita aid
contribution, when compared to any of the donor states.
"It was an opportunity to present our thanks on behalf of the Lebanese people for what Kuwait has done for us and for its backing from the first day of the Israeli invasion," Siniora told reporters after talks with his Kuwaiti counterpart, Sheikh Nasser Mohammed al-Ahmed al-Sabah.
Earlier, he held talks with Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah. Kuwait was one of the first countries to provide relief aid to the devastated areas of south Lebanon immediately after the war started and it pledged to deposit 500 million dollars with Lebanon's central bank and granted Beirut 300 million dollars in post-war reconstruction aid. "Kuwait has always been a pioneer in helping and supporting Lebanon and I am confident they will keep on supporting us," prime minister Siniora said. The Kuwaiti contribution was the second largest after that of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which has pledged a $1.5-billion-dollar package to help Lebanon cope with the damage caused by the Israeli onslaught.
Other forms of aid
Siniora said there were many ways to help Lebanon, including pledging donations or "adopting" a village to reconstruct it as other Arab countries have already done. Qatar has adopted four southern villages - Bint Jbeil, Aita al-Shaab, Khiam and Aynata - and is paying for their reconstruction. The Qatari government is also paying direct compensation to those villagers whose homes were destroyed, as well as rebuilding public institutions, infrastructure and places of worship.
Siniora won’t step down
The Lebanese premier insisted his government had no intention of stepping down, despite calls from Hezbollah and Gen. Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement for the formation of a national unity government. "This government will not resign ... This government enjoys the trust of parliament and thus any talk of it being illegitimate" is unacceptable, he said. He added "the only choice the Lebanese have is to sit together and calmly discuss their disputes."
"I personally don't believe there is a possibility for more civil wars in Lebanon despite tension," he added.
Source: Naharnet, Ya Libnan
MECC General Secretary Heads Delegation to South Lebanon
From mecc <mecc@cyberia.net.lb>
Date Mon, 02 Oct 2006
MECC General Secretary Heads Delegation to South Lebanon On Saturday, September 16, 2006, an MECC delegation headed by Mr. Guirgis Saleh and including moderators of the MECC Communication and ICNDR program committees, representatives of Dan Church Aid and Norwegian Church Aid, and MECC staff paid a visit to Muslim and Christian religious leaders in the southern Lebanese towns and villages of Saida, Tyre, Marjeyoun, Ain Ebel, Houla, Kafarkila and Khiam. During the visit, food and non-food parcels were distributed to needy families, the installation of 2 generators in Houla and Ain Ebel were finalized, and 300 water tanks handed over in the village of Khiam.
The Mufti of Tyre underlined the important social and cultural role of the Middle East Council of Churches, and more particularly, the role played in promoting Christian-Muslim Dialogue and in enhancing the spirit of love and reconciliation.
Middle East Council of Churches Office of International Ecumenical Relations P.O. Box 5376, Beirut, Lebanon
Guirgis Ibrahim Saleh, General Secretary
mecc@cyberia.net.lb or guirgissaleh@cyberia.net.lb
1-353-938 http://www.mec-churches.org/
Pope's Statements Aroused by Hezbollah's Victory
TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian Parliament Speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel said that Hezbollah's recent victory against the Zionist regime has made Pope Benedict XVI utter such irrelevant words about Islam.
"Let the Pope accuse Islam of violence, if Lebanon were void of faithful youth, who could resist against the Israeli aggressors," he stated.
The top legislative official continued, "Pope should answer the question that if Hezbollah had not resisted against the Israeli invasion and the Zionists had entered Lebanon, what would the Vatican's reaction have been in the face of such an aggression? Wouldn't the Vatican have done anything but expressing verbal regret?" "I believe that if Hezbollah had not blown such a crushing response to the Israeli aggressors, the Pope wouldn't have uttered such words," he stressed.
Hezbollah is for Lovers?
By Joe Kaufman
FrontPageMagazine.com | October 3, 2006
When Israeli troops entered Southern Lebanon this past July, in response to the abductions of two IDF soldiers, a problem arose as to who the target was. Media outlets repeated the notion that the Hezbollah fighters were hiding within civilian neighborhoods, using the populace as ‘human shields.’ Few conceded that the problem was much worse, that the neighborhoods themselves were Hezbollah, comprised of an interconnected support network of Hezbollah families. This article is about one such family – a young couple and their newborn son. It’s a terrorist love story. However, the characters in this story are not living in Lebanon. No, they are living right here, in the United States.
Majeda is a 24-year-old female Shiite Muslim, who blogs (publishes one’s thoughts or comments chronologically) on a website that goes by the same name as hers. Born in Lebanon, Majeda left for Canada at an early age in 1988. Today, she lives in Orlando, Florida with her husband, Yusef Amin, and her 9-month-old son.
Blogging has become a big part of Majeda’s life. In January of 2004, she became a member of the AhlulBayt Discussion Forum on ShiaChat.com, which she currently is still a part of. The forum holds discussions on such matters as where one can purchase Hezbollah flags and how people who describe themselves as Jews are not really Jews. It is on this blog that Majeda first proclaimed to the world her support for Hezbollah. In a blog entry she started, on March 29, 2004, lauding the deceased founder of Hamas, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, she stated, “I'm a supporter of Hizbullah, and all islamic jihad movements that adhere to Islamic laws and regulations when they are engaged in jihad…”
Less than a month later, on April 17, 2004, Majeda would discuss her devotion to Hezbollah’s leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah. She wrote, “They wouldn’t dare touch Nasra’Allah… but if they do, it’s ON… and if they do, it’d be a great loss to the Islamic Ummah, but the man will surely be granted paradise through such a martyrdom… May Allah grant him a long life, and make him among the Mahdi’s soldiers… I would LOVE to be led by Nasra’Allah, while among the Mahdi’s army insha’Allah.”
In May of 2005, Majeda launched her own blog, “Majeda,” on the Xanga Weblog Community. On the site, she describes why she took this initiative. She states, “I basically joined this site because I'm at UCF's [University of Central Florida’s] library waiting for my husband to finish working out, and I've finished all I need to do on the internet. So, I decided to join Xanga since he's on it and thinks it's so cool.”
The insignia that Majeda has chosen for her site is a green and yellow sign consisting of the Hezbollah logo hovering over the words, “SUPPORT OUR TROOPS.” On her blog, she has inserted directives from Hassan Nasrallah. In her entry entitled ‘Fight with the Hizb,’ she posted, “Following the on-going agression by the Zionist Regime against both the Palestinians as well as against the Lebonese, the Secretary General of Hizbullah, has made a request to all the lovers of Truth to recite the following supplication - Dua Jawshan as-Sagheer. This request was made on Monday, July 24, 2006, and should be considered an on-going request.” Under this, she provided a link to a web page containing a Hezbollah poster of “martyrs” flying over their graves.
In June of 2005, Majeda made a blog entry commemorating the anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Seyyed Ruhollah Khomeini, the man that was responsible for the revolt against the America-friendly Shah of Iran and who condoned the taking of U.S. hostages by his fanatical supporters in November of 1979. This makes sense, as Majeda, in the past, has referred to the United States as “the devil.” She stated, “Yes, AmeriKKKa is the devil…”
Majeda’s latest entry contains images of Hezbollah t-shirts that she sold, along with music CDs, at ‘Conference 2006’ of the Muslim Congress, an organization located in Houston, Texas whose website includes a children’s section containing a video of an anti-Jewish libel entitled ‘The Wrath’ and an explanation of the term “jihad” accompanied by an animation of swords fighting whilst dripping with blood. One of the featured speakers at the conference was Mohammad Al-Asi, a radical Imam linked to Hezbollah, who, during a 1990 event sponsored by Sami Al-Arian’s Islamic Committee for Palestine (ICP), called on Muslims to create a “war front for the Americans in the Muslim world.”
Written across the front of the t-shirts are the words, “MOST SURELY THE PARTY OF G-D [Hezbollah] SHALL BE VICTORIOUS.” The back of the shirt depicts Hassan Nasrallah’s raised fist superimposed over the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Majeda is still soliciting funds for the shirts and CDs, on her website and elsewhere.
Majeda claims that all the proceeds of the sales will be given to a Shiite mosque, the Madinatul Ilm Islamic Center, located in Tampa, Florida, where she says she will be moving to once her husband “finishes with school.” The spiritual leader of Madinatul Ilm is Sheikh Mohammed Baig. On February 6, 2006, in the course of his speech, entitled ‘Jihad of the Sword’ – which is found on the center’s website – he spoke of the greatness of committing suicide in the cause of Allah. He stated:
“Above every good deed is another good deed, until one is killed in the way of Allah, until one gives his life in the way of Allah. Then above this, above this sacrifice, there is no other greater deed. This is an encouragement for us that we, in order to practice Islam, in order to obey Allah, that we must be so strong that we are willing to sacrifice our own life for Allah’s cause. And Allah is encouraging us to know that there is no other greater deed that you can do than to sacrifice your life for Allah’s sake.”
This idea of embracing death as a means of religious devotion is echoed by many radical Islamic scholars. Majeda, as well, has little regard for life, including that of her son’s. On July 6, 2006, she issued the comment, “I am excited because I know that we are being weeded out… those ready to die in the service of Allah are being separated from those willing to kill in the service of the NOW... insha'Allah, this ‘show and prove’ of those who will die in the way of Allah will show our Imam (aj) that we are ready to put ourselves, our children and all that we have in front of him when he is ready to fight unrighteousness...” Not to be outdone by his wife, that same month, on July 27, 2006, Majeda’s husband wrote the following comment on her blog, “Insha Allah we have one of the two victories – Victory on the battlefield, or Martyrdom. Allahu Akbar!!”
Yusef Amin, the 25-year-old husband of Majeda, is a Brooklyn-born convert to Islam. According to his wife, he is half Panamanian and half Jamaican. As stated previously, Amin has his own blog on Xanga. The title of his blog is “deep_en_thought.” When going onto his site, one sees that his insignia, like his wife’s, is also that of the logo of Hezbollah, just a different color scheme (gold and black). When going on the site, one is also treated to a somber Islamic chant. Until recently, the chant was the same one found on a video from Al-Manar TV, Hezbollah’s media center, entitled ‘The Supplication for the People of the Frontier,’ about soldiers going off to fight in jihad.
On Amin’s blog, there are pictures of Ayatollah Khomeini, Sheikh Nasrallah, and the President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has called for Israel to be “wiped off the map.” There is also a Hezbollah poster commemorating Ashura, the day Shiite Muslims hit themselves repeatedly over their heads with swords and knives. The poster reads, “Ashura, When the Blood of Martyrs triumphed over the Sword of Aggressors.”
In addition, Amin put up pictures on his blog of President George W. Bush with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. Under the images, he placed the often heard quote from the Quran, “Oh you who believe! Do not take the Jews and Christians for your friends and protectors: they are but friends and protectors of one another. And he amongst you that turns to them for friendship is one of them. Verily Allah guides not a people unjust. (5:51)” About this blog submission, someone posted the following comment: “Asalaamulikum. Very nice entry and very nice pics, both of them are Traitors of the world!!!” Amin offered no response.
Both Amin and his wife Majeda are members of a number of blogrings (groups of bloggers), including one for the Muslim Students Association (MSA) of UCF. A few of the bloggers in Amin and Majeda’s blogrings are:
Charles2005, who sports a green and white Hezbollah insignia for his site. On August 17, 2006, he proudly posted a quote from member of the Iranian Assembly of Experts, Ahmad Khatami, who stated: “This victory was promised in the Koran: ‘The party of Allah must triumph.’ On this occasion, I want to tell Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Olmert that they should learn a lesson from this shameful defeat. They should not bare their fangs, expose their stings, or make threats against Islamic Iran. They should learn a lesson from the fact that a single party [Hizbullah] has turned their days into dark nights. If they decided to display the slightest aggression against Islamic Iran, they should bear in mind that the missiles of the Lebanese Hizbullah, with a range of 70 kilometers, have turned Israel into a ghost-country. They should fear the day that our missiles, with a range of 2,000 kilometers, land in the heart of Tel Aviv.”
Wahajat786, who also sports a Hezbollah insignia – one that includes images of Hezbollah fighters and a tiger – which states, “SHIA SOLDIER TIL’ I DIE.” Wahajat’s site contains numerous Hezbollah posters and pictures of Ahmadinejad and Nasrallah. On his July 16, 2006 pro-Hezbollah/Hamas entry, ‘G-d bless the freedom fighters,’ Wahajat stated, “May Allah aid and protect the freedom fighters in lebanon, palestine, and iran against the oppressive powers. May the nights of the oppressors be devoid of sleep and may they be annihilated where they stand.”
Webcrawler2k2, who has a picture of Nasrallah for his blog insignia. On his site, one will find images of Hezbollah soldiers marching and a bloodied beheaded body lying in the desert with arrows sticking out of it. On his August 6, 2006 posting, entitled ‘G-d’s Curse be upon the Opressors,’ Webcrawler stated, “G-d has promised victory to the Believers, and that is how it shall end. It is only devils and those with the devil that think that by killing thousands of civilians, crippling the infrastructure of an entire country, they have achieved success. No matter how many of us, as in the devil's own words either you are with us or with them, you kill, you shall never be able to dimish [diminish] our spirit. But rather the spirit of the Believers thrives upon death.”
Yusef Amin and Majeda have lives away from blogging. Yusef plays basketball with his MSA buddies, and Majeda takes care of the baby, who she must be proud of since she plasters her website with pictures of him in a disturbing mix of maternal pride and exhortations to jihad. Ultimately, their identities have been fashioned by the work they have done with regards to a terrorist organization. Their baby, on the other hand, has a clean slate, with no identity as of yet, save for his name. He represents the next generation. The question is, in the future, will he be allowed to forge his own persona, or will he remain sequestered in a world of hatred, violence and the possibility of Islamist-induced suicide. Luckily for him, he lives in the United States, a bastion of freedom and opportunity. But then again, his parents live here too.
In a romantic gesture, on August 3, 2004, Majeda looked to members of ShiaChat for their advice on whether or not she should have Yusef’s engagement ring engraved. She asked, “Just wondering, how many of you brothers would like it if ur wedding band had an inscription on the inside of it -- an Islamic one… and if so, what would it be?” In doing this, she had expressed her profound love for her man, which is represented by the ring. Instead of planning to live happily ever after, though, the two aspire to martyrdom. If only their love for each other was as strong as their love for Hezbollah.
Beila Rabinowitz, Director of Militant Islam Monitor, contributed to this report.
Turkish warship heads to Lebanon on Sunday
A Turkish frigate escorted by two assault boats is set to leave for war-torn Lebanon on Oct. 8 to ensure security in Lebanese territorial waters, the Turkish Daily News reported on Monday.
The Gaziantep Frigate, which was purchased from the United States in 1997, has a crew of 222, said the report.
On Sept. 5, the Turkish Parliament passed a government motion authorizing deployment of an unspecified number of troops in Lebanon to shore up an expanded U.N. peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL. Under the motion, the government is authorized to send a naval force to patrol the eastern Mediterranean, deploy land troops for non-combat missions, help train the Lebanese army and support allied countries in naval and air transport.
Although the Turkish contribution will primarily consist of naval forces, ground troops are also likely to be included to assist Turkey's humanitarian aid efforts and to ensure security of the humanitarian aid personnel. The Turkish contribution is expected to be around 1,000 troops, but details, including the definite number and the area of deployment, have not yet been finalized. The troops are expected to head for Lebanon in late October.
The decision to send a force to Lebanon has sparked a deep political controversy in Turkey, with opponents saying that Turkish soldiers should not be put in harm's way to defend Israeli interests. Although UNIFIL is tasked with monitoring a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, many view the force as favoring Israel. The government, on the other hand, has defended the decision, saying Turkey cannot turn a blind eye to developments taking place in the region. In an address to representatives of the Turkish community in New York over the weekend, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey had decided to send troops to Lebanon for the maintenance of stability and peace in that country.
Source: Xinhua
A Turning Point in History
By Dan Lieberman
Oct 2, 2006, 05:31
Debates concerning the causes and consequences of the war between Israel and Hezbollah have obscured the exact nature and deep meaning of the conflict. The war might prove to be a turning point in world history.
Who started the War?
Without seeking international support to free its abducted soldiers, and immediately after a military excursion into Lebanon failed to locate its captured soldiers, Israel had its navy blockade Lebanon and had its air force bomb several targets, including Beirut's airport and Hezbollah's headquarters in southern Beirut. More than twenty four hours after these attacks, Hezbollah fired long range rockets into Israel.
By killing several Israeli soldiers and abducting two of them, while firing mortars at the Israel town of Shlomi (that did little damage), Hezbollah started an unjustified skirmish; no doubt about that. However, Israel, after learning it could not use a ground campaign to retrieve its military personnel, escalated hostilities that could have and should have been contained, and started a pulverizing war. Israel's initial strategy resembled NATO's war against Yugoslavia, in which NATO used aerial warfare to punish Yugoslavia, which lacked adequate defenses against guided missiles launched from airplanes. No need to use troops and no need to occupy terrain. Hezbollah started a low-level conflict and Israel propelled the skirmish into a war.
What were the Strategies in the Attacks?
Hezbollah initially pursued its usual strategy in an attempt to fulfill its usual purposes. The militant Lebanese Shi'ite organization continued its harassment of Israel with anticipation of increasing its prestige by forcing Israel to negotiate. The "Party of God" expected to receive Israel's maps of mined territory in Lebanon, a prisoner exchange and international recognition of its claim to ownership of the Sheeba farms.
This strategy had one difference from previous operations. Hezbollah mentioned the Palestinian conflict in its arguments and referred to Palestinian prisoners in Israel's prisons. Although not proven, Hezbollah must have hoped to combine its strategy with those of the Palestinians and make it one Moslem effort against Israel's encroachments into Arab territories and Jerusalem.
Israel had one simple short term strategy: free its soldiers without negotiations and concessions! Don't help Hezbollah to become more recognized. Get the soldiers out and drop the matter. Its strategy failed.
The short term objectives of both contestants faded fast and exposed their long term objectives.
The Shi'ite Islamist organization proceeded with its ultimate strategy - the use of terror bombing to force a truce and also to motivate Jews to leave Israel. Rocket attacks, as another terror weapon, succeeded. Israel had only 42 civilian casualties, not much more than two suicide bombings, but the rockets appeared more ominous. Immigration to Israel has been slowing but now it might be halted. An average of 25,000 Israelis leave their nation yearly and the emigration from Israel might increase. Recent figures from the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies show that: "Some 313,000 Jews have left Jerusalem over the last 25 years, 105,000 more than those who moved to the capital during the same period."
Israel derived its long-term strategy from the failures of earlier experiences. Israel learned from previous occupations that it lacks sufficient resources to occupy hostile lands. Its new policy has endeavored to control antagonists by other means. Examine Israel's previous occupations in Lebanon and Gaza, and it becomes obvious that Israel only removed its soldiers. It still controls Lebanon and Gaza air space and shipping lanes, engages in targeted assassinations in both areas and is able to enter Gaza with minimal interference.
Israel noted that accession to power by a radical Muslim group can initiate sectarian strife. Israel succeeded in stimulating several weeks of sectarian warfare between Hamas and Fatah. It modeled its new strategy from that experience and from observations of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. By generating sectarian strife, Israel could have its antagonists destroy one another and reduce their ability of confrontation. If the strategy, which has partially succeeded in Palestine, could succeed in Lebanon, then it is probable that Israel would have applied the same strategy in Syria and Iran. Nevertheless, despite bombing mainly Shi'ite neighborhoods and saturating Christian neighborhoods with propaganda which blamed Hezbollah for the war and for the havoc committed upon the Lebanese people and which also urged the Christian population to engage the militant Islamic party, the sectarian warfare strategy failed.
What were the Successes and Failures?
Hezbollah's power was greatly exaggerated. Except for the intense rocket barrage, Hezbollah was more smoke than fire, Hezbollah didn't have the power to create any offensive and deter Israel's air and sea power from daily destroying Lebanon's infrastructure. Anti-tank missiles stopped Israel's tanks and that effort, coupled with world opinion turning against Israel, prevented Hezbollah's defeat - Hezbollah's success was not victory; it was survival.
Israel took the offensive. Its military tried to destroy Hezbollah's ability to attack Israel again and attempted to reduce Lebanon to an impotent state. However, ground troops, as they worked their way into southern Lebanon, learned that ultimate victory, which was defined as destruction of Hezbollah, could not be achieved without massive destruction of the Lebanese population and Lebanon's infrastructure. By not exhibiting a winning offensive that accomplished objectives, observers proclaimed Israel to be a loser. Since there are those who like winners and despise losers, Israel lost some of its previous support.
Israel lost the public relations war. From the images on the TV screens, the world perceived a different Israel - a highly aggressive and non-compromising Israel that uses excessive power with diminished regard for civilian life. Particularly disturbing was a missile attack on a convoy containing Lebanese families fleeing the village of Marwahin, close to the Israeli border. Israel warned the villagers to evacuate and although the villagers proceeded on the only available road, Israeli warplanes bombed them and killed 16 persons.
Hezbollah deserved to be criticized for its rocket attacks on Israeli cities. However, the barrages of 100-200 pound rockets caused minimal damage and served to emphasize the excessive damage caused by Israel's 1000-2000 pound guided missiles. To compensate for its aggressive actions, Israel tried to arouse hostility against Hezbollah by accusing the Lebanese organization of operating rocket launchers in heavily populated areas and intentionally inviting reprisals that would inflict harm on civilians. The accusations damaged Israel's credibility. An example of a pro-Israel statement:
The IDF, as has been well publicized, warned the citizens of Lebanon of impending attacks and did everything in its power to avoid the loss of civilian life. Hezbollah, in contrast, operates from civilian areas and uses Lebanese civilians as shields while firing missiles at Israel's cities. It does this knowing that in order to protect its own citizens, Israel will be forced to endanger the lives of Lebanese civilians, and the result will inevitably be to increase civilian deaths, no matter how precise Israel's weaponry. And these deaths in turn will be used to ratchet up the violence and hate.
(1) Warnings of some attacks didn't relieve Israel's responsibility for having committed criminal acts by its unwarranted attacks on bridges, roads, power plants and entire neighborhoods in Beirut. Lebanese civilian casualties were twenty times those of Israeli civilian casualties and that didn't tell the complete story of havoc - include destruction of whole villages, loss of century old homes, memorabilia and household goods and the severe psychological damage to refugee families and children.
(2) Israeli pilots didn't supply photographs of rocket launchers being housed in populated areas.
(3) Non-biased reports from those who surveyed areas after Israeli bombings didn't disclose rocket launchers.
(4) Long-distance multiple rocket launchers cannot operate in populated areas. They need to fire rockets from areas where there are no obstructions. They are usually stationed in fields and hidden by foliage.
(5) Israel showed little concern for its own population by not agreeing to a truce at an earlier time and by engaging in a last day and meaningless offensive action that resulted in the deaths of seventeen Israeli soldiers.
(6) Israel realized that an aggressive war would only bring retaliation from Hezbollah who would not surrender. and therefore make it impossible to secure the release of the captured soldiers.
Perceptions after the truce: A different Hezbollah was perceived; a well-organized and social-minded institution that had support from the Lebanese people and quickly assisted in relief programs without prejudice. Previous perceptions of Israel as a defenseless and embattled state were modified. Israel lost its moral ground.
Israel's citizens became exhausted with war. For Israel, war has become endless. The endless wars solve immediate problems and create new problems. Wherever Israel goes it meets enemies. Saddam Hussein is gone, and now Iran, a major antagonist, has an almost direct path thorough Iraq to Syria and to Israel. The new Israeli population does not have Zionist idealists but are persons, mainly Russians, who came to Israel for economic opportunities. Their principal interest is comfortable living. They don't want to sit in their living rooms, and while watching television or listening to music, suddenly experience a Katyusha rocket fall in their lap. They can easily leave, go back to the old country, which now has increased opportunities, or go to another country. They have bags and can travel.
The United States lost prestige. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice reluctantly traveled with her fashion show and accomplished what she promised the U.S. would not do - a ceasefire without guarantees of Hezbollah's destruction. By approving on day thirty-two what could have been achieved on day two and, if so, saved lives, the U.S. must have alienated international bodies and lost trust from much of the world.
A Turning Point in History
A number of established concepts that had moved the world in the last decades were destroyed. Other concepts that will move the world in the future were established.
A powerful and seemingly unimpeded movement, that expanded from a Zionist dream to the establishment of a state and succeeded in rapid growth in size and population, has been halted. This could be the end of the Zionist dream; a decisive moment in history.
Lack of victory forces Israel to rework its military and reinvigorate an angry population before embarking on another aggressive action. Israel cannot afford another non-victory. Israel now has no strategy to overcome Syria. If it replaces Bashar Al-Assad's government, Israel will face Hezbollahs in Syria and Lebanon. Israel can bomb Iran nuclear installations, but if Iran, with a population of 70 million and a vast area, is able to retaliate with missiles, the smaller Israel will not easily survive. Israel has a dilemma - the time to challenge the enemy is when a nation has a large military advantage - but it might be a fatal victory. The Palestinians have offered a truce, and back channels will be used to lessen tensions. Israel needs to rest and devise a new strategy. The Middle East, outside of Iraq and Palestine, will probably become less threatening.
The concept of preemptive war, pioneered by Israel and adopted by the U.S., has proven to be a failure. It has been shown in Iraq and Lebanon that preemptive war can only succeed if the enemy is totally destroyed and if the conditions that created the antagonisms are totally suppressed and then replaced.
The arguments between western nations and Islam cannot be resolved by force. In Lebanon, an addition to that of Iraq, Islam has displayed elements that are prepared to sacrifice everything, human and material, to prevent encroachments upon their lives. Prevention of mutual destruction of east and west is a choice between genocide and compromise.
The notion that a major military power can be provoked into war by an infraction upon their psyche without a major infraction upon their territory has alarmed other nations. Only the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction can save the weak from the strong. The war will stimulate a new and more aggressive arms race.
Israel's proposition that the release of a few soldiers is worth more than the destruction of a nation and massive killings of people, and its targeting of Shi'ite populations, tarnished its image and branded it as a megalomaniac and racist state. Israel lost the trust of a part of the world that previously supported it. The European Union, in particular, has finally displayed incipient movements geared to prevent Israel and the United States from shaping the Middle East to their own designs. The EU will work more independently to secure an equitable Middle East peace.
Nations will be reluctant to depend on the U.S. The U.S. demonstrated that it is not a positive force for world peace. Unfortunately, as a result, countries might once again form blocs, similar to those before WWI, and make defense pacts in which an attack on one means an attack on all.
More ominous is that Israel still has the nuclear option and could use it to prevent the end of the Zionist dream.
Syria vs. Iran -- the Real War
October 01, 2006 05:58 PM EST
Regardless of whether the Republican or Democratic party directs US defense institutions in the Executive Branch, , or which party wins control of Congress in the mid-term elections, the US will have to pick a side in the Real War between Syria and Iran for control of Iraq, Lebanon, and the Palestinian Authority. Whoever controls Iraq controls Lebanon and the PA.
To put it another way, is the US with Assad/Tito, or Ahmaedinejad/Hitler? Is the US with Muqtada al Sadr and the Mahdi Army in Iraq, supported by Syria; or with Abdul Azziz al-Hakim and the Badr Brigades, supported by Iran?
Secretary Rice is on her way to the region next week and all indications are is that she is with Ahmadinejad and Hakim.
Just how high are the stakes for Assad and Muqtada al Sadr? Why are they choosing this time to dig in?
The stakes are high for Assad and al-Sadr because they know they are dead men if Iran prevails in Iraq. Their names are on Ahmadinejad’s short list once he consolidates in Iraq.
Assad and al-Sadr have chosen this moment to dig in because the US has decided to throw its weight behind Iran in Iraq and the region. This US decision has unleashed Iran to attack in the region at will, and spells doom for Syria, Iraq’s Sunni and Shia, and the Sunni states in general.
Look at what is happening is Basra as this is being written. Basra is Iraq’s second most important city, following Baghdad. Basra has Iraq’s only large port, and therefore controls a large part of Iraq’s oil exports as well as imports of supplies for US forces in Iraq. Basra also contains 60% of Iraq’s proven oil reserves. Basra is the city Iran would like to establish as the center of is proposed state of Shiastan, essentially southeastern Iraq.
In short, Iran’s plan is to turn Baghdad into a battleground between US forces, Iraqi Sunnis under Osama’s control via Anbar province, and Muqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army. While all these elements are fighting and destroying each other, Kurdistan would walk away with Kirkuk (Iraq’s second largest oil producing region by far) while Iran would walk away with Basra. The Sunnis would be left with nothing and would be driven by Iran from Iraqi soil.
Meanwhile, the twin victories by Iran and the Kurds could destabilize Syria, which is 60 percent SunnI and which has a large Kurdish minority. As a result, Syria could break up a state.
This an ideal plan for Iran because Iran’s principal rivals and adversaries (US, Syria and Saudi Arabia/Osama) take each other out while Iran not only sits on the sidelines but annexes Shiastan as well. Perfect!
However, Iran needs two things to happen before it can move ahead. First, the US has to be convinced that Muqtada al Sadr, not Iran, is the main threat and to concentrate US forces mainly in Baghdad, which is al Sadr’s political base. This has been done.
Second, prior to annexing Shiastan, and before launching all out civil war in Baghdad, Iran must take political control of Basra, which is now under the control of Muqtada al-Sadr and his allies. This has not been done.
How would Iran take control in Basra? Today the governor of Basra city, Mohammed al-Waelia, accused police officers of trying to assassinate him. He is from the Fadhila party, which is allied with al-Sadr.
Is Iran making its move in Basra? Is Iran coordinating its move with new US pressure against Assad and al-Sadr?
The psychology behind suicide bombings.
By - Pierre Rehov, documentary filmmaker On July 15, MSNBC's "Connected" program discussed the July 7th,2005 London attacks.
One of the guests was Pierre Rehov, a French filmmaker who has filmed six documentaries on the intifada by going undercover in the Palestinian areas.Pierre 's upcoming film, "Suicide Killers," is based on interviews that he conducted with the families of suicide bombers and would-be bombers in an attempt to find out why they do it. Pierre agreed to a request for a Q&A interview here about his work on the new film.
Q - What inspired you to produce "Suicide Killers," your seventh film?
A - I started working with victims of suicide attacks to make a film on PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) when I became fascinated with the personalities of those who had committed those crimes, as they were described again and again by their victims. Especially the fact that suicide bombers are all smiling one second before they blow themselves up.
Q - Why is this film especially important?
A - People don't understand the devastating culture behind this unbelievable phenomenon. My film is not politically correct because it addresses the real problem, showing the real face of Islam. It points the finger against a culture of hatred in which the uneducated are brainwashed to a level where their only solution in life becomes to kill themselves and kill others in the name of a God whose word, as transmitted by other men, has become their only certitude.
Q - What insights did you gain from making this film? What do you know that other experts do not know?
A - I came to the conclusion that we are facing a neurosis at the level of an entire civilization. Most neuroses have in common a dramatic event, generally linked to an unacceptable sexual behavior. In this case, we are talking of kids living all their lives in pure frustration, with no opportunity to experience sex, love, tenderness or even understanding from the opposite sex. The separation between men and women in Islam is absolute.
So is contempt toward women, who are totally dominated by men. This leads to a situation of pure anxiety, in which normal behavior is not possible. It is no coincidence that suicide killers are mostly young men dominated subconsciously by an overwhelming libido that they not only cannot satisfy but are afraid of, as if it is the work of the devil. Since Islam describes heaven as a place where everything on Earth will finally be allowed, and promises 72 virgins to those frustrated kids, killing others and killing themselves to reach this redemption becomes their only solution.
Q - What was it like to interview would-be suicide bombers, their families and survivors of suicide bombings?
A - It was a fascinating and a terrifying experience. You are dealing with seemingly normal people with very nice manners who have their own logic, which to a certain extent can make sense since they are so convinced that what they say is true. It is like dealing with pure craziness, like interviewing people in an asylum, since what they say, is for them, the absolute truth. I hear a mother saying "Thank God, my son is dead." Her son had became a shaheed, a martyr, which for her was a greater source of pride than if he had became an engineer, a doctor or a winner of the Nobel Prize.
This system of values works completely backwards since their interpretation of Islam worships death much more than life. You are facing people whose only dream, only achievement goal is to fulfill what they believe to be their destiny, namely to be a Shaheed or the family of a shaheed. They don't see the innocent being killed, they only see the impure that they have to destroy.
Q - You say suicide bombers experience a moment of absolute power, beyond punishment. Is death the ultimate power?
A - Not death as an end, but death as a door opener to the after life. They are seeking the reward that God has promised them. They work for God, the ultimate authority, above all human laws. They therefore experience this single delusional second of absolute power, where nothing bad can ever happen to them, since they become God's sword.
Q - Is there a suicide bomber personality profile? Describe the psychopathology.
A - Generally kids between 15 and 25 bearing a lot of complexes, generally inferiority complexes. They must have been fed with religion. They usually have a lack of developed personality. Usually they are impressionable idealists. In the western world they would easily have become drug addicts, but not criminals. Interestingly, they are not criminals since they don't see good and evil the same way that we do. If they had been raised in an Occidental culture, they would have hated violence. But they constantly battle against their own death anxiety. The only solution to this deep-seated pathology is to be willing to die and be rewarded in the afterlife in Paradise .
Q - Are suicide bombers principally motivated by religious conviction?
A - Yes, it is their only conviction. They don't act to gain a territory or to find freedom or even dignity. They only follow Allah, the supreme judge, and what He tells them to do.
Q - Do all Muslims interpret jihad and martyrdom in the same way?
A - All Muslim believers believe that, ultimately, Islam will prevail on earth. They believe this is the only true religion and there is no room, in their mind, for interpretation. The main difference between moderate Muslims and extremists is that moderate Muslims don't think they will see the absolute victory of Islam during their lifetime, therefore they respect other beliefs. The extremists believe that the fulfillment of the Prophecy of Islam and ruling the entire world as described in the Koran, is for today. Each victory of Bin Laden convinces 20 million moderate Muslims to become extremists.
Q - Describe the culture that manufactures suicide bombers.
A - Oppression, lack of freedom, brain washing, organized poverty, placing God in charge of daily life, total separation between men and women, forbidding sex, giving women no power whatsoever, and placing men in charge of family honor, which is mainly connected to their women's behavior.
Q - What socio-economic forces support the perpetuation of suicide bombings?
A - Muslim charity is usually a cover for supporting terrorist organizations. But one has also to look at countries like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Iran, which are also supporting the same organizations through different networks. The ironic thing in the case of Palestinian suicide bombers is that most of the money comes through financial support from the Occidental world, donated to a culture that utterly hates and rejects the West (mainly symbolized by Israel).
Q - Is there a financial support network for the families of the suicide bombers? If so, who is paying them and how does that affect the decision?
A - There used to be a financial incentive in the days of Saddam Hussein ($25,000 per family) and Yasser Arafat (smaller amounts), but these days are gone. It is a mistake to believe that these families would sacrifice their children for money. Although, the children themselves who are very attached to their families, might find in this financial support another reason to become suicide bombers. It is like buying a life insurance policy and then committing suicide.
Q - Why are so many suicide bombers young men?
A - As discussed above, libido is paramount. Also ego, because this is a sure way to become a hero. The shaheed are the cowboys or the firemen of Islam. Shaheed is a positively reinforced value in this culture. And what kid has never dreamed of becoming a cowboy or a fireman?
Q - What role does the U.N. play in the terrorist equation?
A - The U.N. is in the hands of Arab countries and third world or ex-communist countries. Their hands are tied. The U.N. has condemned Israel more than any other country in the world, including the regime of Castro, Idi Amin or Kaddahfi. By behaving this way, the U.N. leaves a door open by not openly condemning terrorist organizations. In addition, through UNRWA, the U.N. is directly tied to terror organizations such as Hamas, representing 65 percent of their apparatus in the so-called Palestinian refugee camps. As a support to Arab countries, the U.N. has maintained Palestinians in camps with the hope to "return" into Israel for more than 50 years, therefore making it impossible to settle those populations, which still live in deplorable conditions. Four hundred million dollars are spent every year, mainly financed by U.S. taxes, to support 23,000 employees of UNRWA, many of whom belong to terrorist organizations (see Congressman Eric Cantor on this subject, and in my film "Hostages of Hatred").
Q - You say that a suicide bomber is a 'stupid bomb and a smart bomb'simultaneously. Explain what you mean.
A - Unlike an electronic device, a suicide killer has until the last second the capacity to change his mind. In reality, he is nothing but a platform representing interests which are not his, but he doesn't know it.
Q - How can we put an end to the madness of suicide bombings and terrorism in general?
A - Stop being politically correct and stop believing that this culture is a victim of ours. Radical Islamism today is nothing but a new form of Nazism.
Nobody was trying to justify or excuse Hitler in the 1930s. We had to defeat him in order to make peace one day with the German people.
Q - Are these men traveling outside their native areas in large numbers?
Based on your research, would you predict that we are beginning to see a new wave of suicide bombings outside the Middle East ?
A - Every successful terror attack is considered a victory by the radical Islamists. Everywhere Islam expands there is regional conflict. Right now,there are thousands of candidates for martyrdom lining up in training camps in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Inside Europe, hundreds of illegal mosques are preparing the next step of brain washing to lost young men who cannot find a satisfying identity in the Occidental world. Israel is much more prepared for this than the rest of the world will ever be. Yes, there will be more suicide killings in Europe and the U.S.
Sadly, this is only the beginning.