LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
August 02/09
Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ
according to Saint Matthew 14:1-12. At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the
reputation of Jesus and said to his servants, "This man is John the Baptist. He
has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him."
Now Herod had arrested John, bound (him), and put him in prison on account of
Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for John had said to him, "It is not
lawful for you to have her." Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the
people, for they regarded him as a prophet. But at a birthday celebration
for Herod, the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests and
delighted Herod so much that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for.
Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John
the Baptist." The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the
guests who were present, he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded
in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl,
who took it to her mother. His disciples came and took away the corpse and
buried him; and they went and told Jesus.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
We’re sick of being kept in the
dark. Now Lebanon/August 1, 2009
What
good will Christian reconciliation bring for Lebanon’s citizens?
The Daily Star 01/08/09
What the Romans Wrought in Lebanon.
By MELIK KAYLAN/Wall Street Journal /July 31/09
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for August
01/09
Suleiman: I am The Guarantor of
Partnership; Keen on Safeguarding UNIFIL and Implementing 1701-Naharnet
Washington Links Syria Sanctions With Border Demarcation And Ending Arms Supply
to Hizbullah-Naharnet
Davutoglu: Comprehensive Peace Must Include the Lebanese-Israeli Track-Naharnet
Gafo: No war in the South
And Spain is Against Amending Rules of Engaement-Naharnet
Raad: LAF not being allowed to own
powerful arsenal -Now Lebanon
Qawouk: US concerned Resistance
will be strengthened in new cabinet -Now Lebanon
Berri: New Government Will
Soon Be Born with No Veto, No Neutral Minister-Naharnet
New TV Station Surrounded
By Police Seeking to Arrest Eid-Naharnet
Mottaki Calls on Arabs to
Send Volunteers if Lebanon is Attacked By Israel-Naharnet
Bassil From Baabda: The
Issue of Not Providing Cabinet Portfolios to Election 2009 Losers Has Another
Dimension-Naharnet
Aoun: 15-10-5 Formula
Common Denominator With Opposition, While the Rest is Not-Naharnet
Franjieh: Reconciliation
with the LF Can't be Imminent-Naharnet
Italian Soldier Injured in
Traffic Accident-Naharnet
Raad Rules Out a Regional
War Adds That Resistance Not in Danger-Naharnet
Aoun
Desires Interior or Finance Portfolios-Naharnet
Peacekeeping mission not achieved yet: UNIFIL commander-Xinhua
Arslan calls Jumblatt, praises his
stances -Now Lebanon
Higher Islamic Council
concerned about cabinet formation obstructionism -Now Lebanon
Turkish minister highlights need for regional peace and stability-Daily Star
Kahwaji visits Sfeir on eve of Army Day-Daily Star
Franjieh says meeting with LF unlikely soon-Daily Star
Cabinet formation slowed by battle over ministerial portfolios-Daily Star
Hariri urged to pick women for cabinet-Daily Star
EIU
maintains Lebanon’s growth forecast at 2.4 percent for 2009-Daily Star
Former deputy Nabil Boustani passes away after long illness-Daily Star
Man
with swine flu may have died from Leukemia-Daily Star
High
poolside prices keeping tourists at bay-Daily Star
EU to
Lebanon accepts grant proposals-Daily Star
Malfunction causes power outage-Daily Star
Shatila tunnel closed on Sunday-Daily Star
Traffic measures in place for Army Day-Daily Star
Ministry of Economy must ‘think local-Daily Star
Spy
for Israel sentenced to life-Daily Star
STL
hosts seminar of top lawyers-Daily Star
Tests
show gasoline supplies untainted-Daily Star
Lebanese officials pay respects to Archbishop Qorban-Daily Star
French Turks and flip-flopping in Bourj Hammoud-Daily Star
Ahmadinejad denies rift with
supreme leader-Daily Star
Suleiman: I am The Guarantor of
Partnership; Keen on Safeguarding UNIFIL and Implementing 1701
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman said he is the guarantor of political
partnership in Lebanon and the protector of the Lebanese constitution. The
president said that Lebanon is keen on safeguarding the United Nations Interim
Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the full implementation of United Nations Security
Council resolution 1701 without any amendments.
On the occasion of Army day on Saturday the President in an unprecedented move
was accompanied by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Care-Taker prime Minister
Fouad Saniora and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri celebrated the 64th
anniversary of the Lebanese armed forces at the Military school of Shukri Ghanem
in Fayadeyeh.
Suleiman called on the Lebanese not to sink into the various political
polarizations that hinder the state's progress, he assured his audience that
nation building calls for compromises by all.
The president said that the delay in forming a national unity government calls
on all of us to re-think the constitutional gaps that continue to hinder the
democratic game in Lebanon.
Suleiman said the next government must work on a wide range of reforms covering
the entire republic and move the nation towards further progress and
modernization, to place a clear and valid economic plan and to end electric
power and water shortages in the country.
"If the problem lies in us officials, then let us all go; and if the problem is
constitutional, then lets go and amend it to guarantee a balance of powers,"
Suleiman said.
He also called for a self-made criticism by all politicians in simply asking
themselves what have we offered the Lebanese people so far. The president
pointed that Israel continues to breach United Nations Security Council
resolution 1701. he went further to affirm that the international resolution
should be fully implemented without any added amendments. "We are keen on also
safeguarding the UNIFIL as we do our soldiers," Suleiman said. He touched on
Lebanese-Syrian relations saying diplomatic relations with Damascus have
established the depth of the relationship between both people.
Suleiman also called for implementing the 1989 Taef accord and for placing a new
election law. He affirmed that political sectarianism works on hindering
political life in Lebanon.
Army Commander Gen. Jean Qahwaji issued the order of the day to the military on
their 64th anniversary calling on them to remain vigilant against any possible
Israeli aggression and to foil the enemy's plans as it continues to occupy the
Shaebaa Farms, the Kfar Shouba Hills and the northern portion of the Ghajjar
village. Beirut, 01 Aug 09, 11:07
Washington Links Syria Sanctions With Border Demarcation
And Ending Arms Supply to Hizbullah
Naharnet/Washington Friday linked its renewed sanctions on Syrian and Lebanese
figures it accused of working on diminishing the work of constitutional
institutions and the process of democracy in Lebanon with the progression of
Lebanese-Syrian border demarcation and in ending the inflow of arms to Hizbullah.
The daily pan-Arab al-Hayat quoted an unnamed U.S. official on Saturday who said
the White House renewed sanctions have two dimensions, one legal "that commits
President Barack Obama to renew the emergency state that surrounds these
sanctions, the other stems from considering Lebanon to constitute a pivotal
element of regional stability."
"There are serious issues that concern us regarding some individuals that seek
to down-size Lebanese legal and constitutional institutions," the U.S. official
said.
He added that Washington looks at all parties to work on achieving progress in
fully implementing United Nations Security Council resolutions 1559 and 1701, as
well as the demarcation of Lebanese-Syrian borders and ending the inflow of arms
to Hizbullah.
Al-Hayat quoted informed sources close to the Obama administration that
Washington is closely following up on individuals included in the U.S. imposed
sanctions.
Sources affirmed that Washington is "moving very cautiously and accurately" in
dealing with the Syrian issue. Sources reported progress between Washington and
Damascus, but stressed that the issue of border demarcation and Syrian respect
of Lebanese sovereignty remain pivotal in this regard.
The daily An-Nahar on Saturday said the U.S. renewal of sanctions for another 12
months came following deep and long discussions inside the U.S. administration
by two political lines.
One line felt that there is no need for imposed sanctions following the waning
of political assassinations and violence in the country. Many Lebanese and U.S.
officials felt that Damascus is the prime suspect behind such acts. However,
following established diplomatic relations between Beirut and Damascus, some
U.S. officials felt that more important issues are now on the negotiating table
between Washington and Damascus such as the security situation in Iraq, the
revival of Syrian-Israeli peace talks and settling the issues of Hizbullah and
Hamas.
The second U.S. political line said that Syria has to adopt more positive and
practical measures towards Lebanon prior to lifting U.S. imposed sanctions. This
line felt that canceling U.S. sanctions now would encourage Damascus and its
Lebanese allies to adopt more hardline stances "that could negatively impact the
formation of the new Lebanese cabinet."
Reports state that those involved in the sanctions include former Lebanese
ministers and officials, high-level Syrian intelligence officials including Gen.
Asaf Shawkat, Gen. Rustom Ghazale who previously headed Syrian intelligence in
Lebanon, Intelligence official Jameh Jameh as well as former Syrian presidential
intelligence advisor ret. Gen. Hisham Ekhtiar.
The Lebanese figures involved in the sanctions include former Defense Minister
Abdel Rahim Murad, former Public Works Minister Assaad Hardan, Former State
Minister Assem Qansou, former Information Minister Michel Samaha, former
parliament member Nasser Qandil and former Environment Minister Weam Wahab.
In an official white House issued document President Obama explained that he
"determined that the actions of certain persons to undermine Lebanon's
legitimate and democratically elected government or democratic institutions; to
contribute to the deliberate breakdown in the rule of law in Lebanon, including
through politically motivated violence and intimidation; to reassert Syrian
control or contribute to Syrian interference in Lebanon, or to infringe upon or
undermine Lebanese sovereignty contribute to political and economic instability
in that country and the region and constitute an unusual and extraordinary
threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. "
It added "Despite some positive developments in the past year, including the
establishment of diplomatic relations and an exchange of ambassadors between
Syria and Lebanon, the actions of certain persons continue to contribute to
political and economic instability in Lebanon and continue to pose an unusual
and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the
United States. Therefore, the national emergency declared on August 1, 2007, and
the measures adopted on that date to deal with that emergency, must continue in
effect beyond August 1, 2009. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of
the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the
national emergency declared in Executive Order 13441. " Beirut, 01 Aug 09, 09:15
Aoun Desires Interior or Finance Portfolios
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and 'Reform and Change' parliamentary
bloc leader MP Michel Aoun is demanding either the Interior or Finance
portfolios from Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri. A 70 minutes meeting
Friday evening between Hariri and Aoun's envoy, Telecommunications Minister
Jebran Bassil delved for the first time into the specific issue of distribution
of government portfolios. The issue of who would be handling what portfolio
would be discussed at a later stage. Current government givens predict a long
process for forming a government, as no sliver lining is seen on the horizon.
The daily As-Safir said on Saturday that the first round of Hariri-Bassil talks
were negative. It said that the prime minister-designate presented Bassil with
his vision regarding the distribution of portfolios. In return Bassil asked for
either the Interior or Finance portfolios. According to As-Safir the prime
minister-designate refused to discuss the matter. A parliamentary majority
source told the daily al-Liwa on Saturday that the undeclared dispute between
Speaker Berri and MP Aoun is delaying matters. He expected a Syrian move in this
regard to close the loop on this. The daily pan-Arab al-Hayat on Saturday quoted
parliamentary opposition sources saying, "the exist would be for President
Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister-designate Hariri to accept placing Jebran
Bassil in government but not necessarily in the Telecommunications portfolio.
Sources added that the game of "give and take" could further complicate matters
as placing Bassil in government would open the door wide open to placing others
that similarly didn't succeed in the June 7 parliamentary elections in
government. Beirut, 01 Aug 09, 11:26
Davutoglu: Comprehensive Peace Must Include the Lebanese-Israeli Track
Naharnet/Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Lebanon's joining of
peace negotiations with Lebanon needs to be paved through adding that a
comprehensive and permanent peace in the Middle East must also include the
Lebanese-Israel track as with the Palestinian and Syrian tracks with Israel,
following preparations. The Turkish FM added that his country is working on
reviving the Syrian-Israeli peace track under American auspices despite
complications by the Israeli side. He informed Lebanese officials that Turkey
shall continue to contribute to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL),
saying Ankara is also willing to present military aid to the Lebanese armed
forces. Davutoglu disclosed that his visit to Beirut is his first official visit
as foreign minister, saying he previously visited Lebanon 13 times in a
"confidential" capacity and similarly paid 34 such visits to Damascus. Some of
these visits were directly related to Lebanese issues. The daily As-Safir on
Saturday that following their meeting with Dautoglu, Lebanese official came out
with the impression that Ankara had diligently worked on bridging the
Syrian-Saudi gap to benefit Lebanon. Davutoglu met with President Suleiman,
care-taker Prime Minister Saniora and Prime Minster-designate Saad Hariri and
paid a visit to the Turkish UNIFIL unit in south Lebanon. Beirut, 01 Aug 09,
09:37
Gafo: No war in the South And Spain is Against Amending
Rules of Engaement
Naharnet/Spanish ambassador to Lebanon Juan Carlos Gafo stressed the importance
of implementing United Nations Security Council resolution 1701 adding that
there are great positive signs in Lebanon that stretch to the south saying no
one has an interest in a new war. "In my opinion war won't happen, despite the
threats we hear," Gafo told the daily As-Safir on Saturday. He denied news that
the rules of engagement in the south or the articles of UNSC 1701 would change.
The Spanish ambassador reiterated his country's stance against any amendments to
the international resolution. He also ruled out an Israeli insistence on
fostering amendments. Gafo said the Lebanese government would be formed despite
some delays expressing his trust in the prime minister-designate and other
national elements would find the proper formula for doing so. Beirut, 01 Aug 09,
12:03
Berri: New Government Will Soon Be Born with No Veto, No
Neutral Minister
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri said a new government will "soon" be announced
without veto power or a so-called "neutral" minister. "A new government will
soon be born with neither a one-third blocking (vote) nor a neutral minister,"
Berri said in remarks published Friday by pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat. "We have
entered true partnership with a national government based on trust among the
parties and faith that the President is not a party," he added. Berri stressed
that he is "playing the role of facilitator" in the Cabinet lineup. He said that
some of the credit for positive developments goes to Syrian-Saudi harmony.
Beirut, 31 Jul 09, 08:32
New TV Station Surrounded By Police Seeking to Arrest Eid
Naharnet/Elements of the Judicial Police surrounded New TV (al-Jadeed) in Beirut
on Friday to arrest al-Fassad [Corruption] talk show presenter Ghada Eid. Eid
has a warrant for her arrest for slandering Judge Shaheed Salameh, following a
verbal exchange on air over the assassination case of Nasri Marouni [Eid's
cousin] in Zahle and following Salameh's decision to release those arrested in
the case. Police and security forces did not enter the television station while
Eid was on the air. However, the daily An-Nahar reported on Saturday that
followed police procedures for entering into media stations are between the
hours of 8:00 am to 5:00pm Beirut, 01 Aug 09, 09:48
Raad: LAF not being allowed to
own powerful arsenal
NOW Staff/August 1, 2009
Loyalty to the Resistance bloc leader MP Mohammad Raad said during a
commemoration on Saturday in South Lebanon that the Lebanese Armed Forces is not
being allowed to own a powerful arsenal and that those who are calling for the
army to be provided with military equipment only “grant the institution with
cars, wheels and shoes.”He stated that Hezbollah has always called for enhancing
the army’s military capabilities in order to ensure a balance in the
confrontation with Israel’s armed forces. Raad also said that the opposition
supports the formation of a national-unity cabinet that will enhance Lebanon’s
security from Israel.
Qawouk: US concerned Resistance will be strengthened in new cabinet
August 1, 2009 /-NOW Staff
Hezbollah official in South Lebanon Sheikh Nabil Qawouk said that the United
States has no interest in the formation of a Lebanese national-unity government,
which he said would strengthen the Resistance at a political level, enhance
Lebanon’s regional role and put an end to domestic divisions. During a
commemoration of the 2006 Qana Massacre on Saturday, Qawouk said that US
concerns about the impending formation of the cabinet were demonstrated by the
renewal of sanctions against Lebanese and Syrian figures. “The patriotic stances
of some March 14 figures and March 8 coalition leaders will deceive the US and
isolate domestic parties that have no interest in unity,” he concluded.
Arslan calls Jumblatt, praises his stances
August 1, 2009 /-NOW Staff/Democratic Lebanese Party leader MP Talal Arslan
thanked Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt in a phone call on
Saturday for his recent positive stances. Arslan emphasized the importance of
enhancing cooperation and reconciliation to ensure national unity and civil
peace.
We’re sick of being kept in the dark
August 1, 2009 /Now Lebanon
Lebanon’s power sector is in such disarray that 19 years after the end of the
civil war, the country still does not have 24 hours of electricity per day. (AFP/Ramzi
Haidar)
Whatever the merits of their methods, it was hard not to sympathize with the
frustration of residents of the Beirut neighborhood of Zokak al-Blat. Taking to
the streets last Wednesday, they burnt tires protesting the city’s power cuts.
It is absurd that 19 years after the end of the civil war, Lebanon is still
unable to provide 24 hours of electricity. True, the power sector’s problems are
myriad, but the incoming government should make reforming Electricité du Liban (EDL)
not just a priority, but the priority.
When PM-designate Saad Hariri visits Damascus after the new cabinet is
announced, he should demand that Syria allow Egyptian natural gas to flow into
Lebanon through its pipelines. (One part of Lebanon’s power problem is that the
country still depends almost entirely on fuel oil to create electricity. Natural
gas is cleaner, cheaper and readily available.)
Talk of natural gas sent by Cairo to Beirut first started in the late 1990s as
Egypt considered building an “Arab gas pipeline” with the ultimate goal of
supplying Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey and Europe. The route for this
pipeline had Lebanon’s share of the gas branching off a pipe running north
through Syria. Lebanon and Egypt have signed several agreements since 2001 to
make this dream a reality, but construction delays and political intervention
have kept the natural gas from reaching Lebanon.
By February 2008, all the pieces were in place for one of Lebanon’s two power
plants that can run on natural gas to receive Egyptian fuel. In early 2008,
Egypt and Lebanon said there would be gas piped here by the third quarter of
that year. The date was pushed back in November 2008 to early 2009. In March
2009, Minister of Energy and Water Alain Tabourian said some of the gas would
start flowing this August, though no one has said a word about it since.
Agreement after agreement was signed with Egypt, yet Lebanon still has no
natural gas.
It seems clear Syria will just not allow gas to flow through its pipes into
Lebanon. Emboldened by a decisive parliamentary win, Hariri should put his foot
down.
Of course, natural gas is no silver bullet. The Lebanese government must also
dedicate itself to seriously overhauling EDL, upgrading the power grid and
eventually privatizing the state-owned power company. Successive governments
over nearly two decades have promised reform, yet the Lebanese still spend
several hours a day in the dark. Not only is it ridiculous that ordinary people
have to either pay a second electricity bill for a private generator (after
paying first-world rates for third-world power) or plan their days around the
cuts, but a dysfunctional power sector also hurts local businesses, particularly
the manufacturing sector, and makes Lebanon less attractive for foreign
investment. March 14 pledged that if they won the parliamentary elections, June
8 would be “the day the state starts.” We certainly expect it was more than just
talk.
Mottaki Calls on Arabs to Send Volunteers if Lebanon is
Attacked By Israel
Naharnet/Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki called on the Arabs to send
volunteers to Lebanon in case Israel attacks it. "The Lebanese people lately
have been talking about the possibility of another aggression launched by the
Zionist entity [Israel] on Lebanon. [This] despite the remote possibility that
the leaders of this entity would not even consider an aggression following their
defeat suffered two years ago in Lebanon and Gaza afterwards," Mottaki said
Friday. "Hence, I propose that the Arab states that did not take the necessary
steps during the past aggression on Lebanon to make their volunteers fully
available for Lebanon," he said. He went on to attack the United Kingdom saying
its actions and behavior with all issues related to the recent Iranian
presidential elections "are all categorized with enmity and interference." He
pointed that British interference has "failed." He also accused other states of
"training people through their satellite television channels how to erupt
disturbances, manufacture explosives and create tensions." "The test for the
western states was not good, they failed once again in [dealing] with our
regional issues," said Mottaki adding that such states have interfered with all
their capabilities "openly and covertly" to influence the outcome of Iranian
presidential elections. Beirut, 31 Jul 09, 20:41
Bassil From Baabda: The Issue of Not Providing Cabinet Portfolios to Election
2009 Losers Has Another Dimension
Naharnet/Telecommunication Minister Jebran Bassil said the issue of not placing
those that lost the 2009 legislative elections with government portfolios is an
act of a different dimension that aims to cover up things.He gave no further
details. Following his meeting with President Suleiman in Baabda Palace as an
envoy of Free patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Friday, Bassil said:
"the relationship between Rabiyeh and Baabda is more than excellent and any
statement issued from Rabiyeh [residence of MP Aoun] is not directed to
[President] Suleiman and vice versa."The Telecommunications Minister added that
it was agreed that every party is to name whomever, they see fit to a government
portfolio adding: "there is no problem if the other side attempts to name one of
their own to government that did not win in the parliamentary elections." "The
problem of government formation is not with us, but rather with the otherside,"
Bassil told reporters. Bassil also met with Prime Minister-designate Saad
Hariri, at the later's Center House in Beirut on Friday. Discussions focused on
current consultations for forming a new government. Following a 75 minute
meeting Bassil told reporters, " all issues are up for discussion, the
atmosphere is very positive there are no closed issues by us or by the
PM-designate." He was asked whether he is the 'political knot' standing in the
way of forming a new government, "This issue was never approached at all and
talking about it is manufacturing a knot." "The 'knot' is not located in a
certain place, the search is still ongoing and meetings shall continue," he
said. He added that a meeting between PM-designate Hariri and MP Michel Aoun is
possible at any time following progressive consultations. Beirut, 31 Jul 09,
17:17
Aoun: 15-10-5 Formula Common Denominator With Opposition,
While the Rest is Not
Naharnet/'Change and Reform' parliamentary bloc, and Free Patriotic Movement
[FPM] leader MP Michel Aoun said that the cabinet formula of 15-10-5 is a common
denominator between the FPM and the parliamentary opposition, while all else is
not. He affirmed there are no differences among parliamentary opposition forces.
The 15-10-5 cabinet formula distributes the future Lebanese cabinet in the order
of 15 ministers to the parliamentary majority, 10 to the parliamentary
opposition and 5 ministers considered to represent President Michel Suleiman.
The FPM leader denied to reporters news of an 'Aoun Complex' standing in the way
of forming a new Lebanese government following the June 7 parliamentary
elections. "The Aoun Complex is present with everyone else, if they don't get
over it, then they should go to a mental hospital where they have specialized
doctors," Aoun told a delegation of Lebanese army officers on Friday.
"Government portfolios and names have not been set yet, we at the FPM have our
own technical distribution, every person has specific qualifications that
qualify him/her to a specific ministerial post. Hence, we shall appoint the
right people to the ministries offered us…there are no names yet prior to
knowing the distribution of portfolios," Aoun said. Beirut, 31 Jul 09, 16:26
Franjieh: Reconciliation with the LF Can't be Imminent
Naharnet/Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh said Friday that he agreed with a
visiting Maronite League delegation to reassure the Christians and stressed that
reconciliation with the Lebanese Forces can't be imminent. "We agreed with the
League Council headed by Joseph Tarabay to work on reassuring the Christians and
… keeping Christians in an optimistic atmosphere," Franjieh said. The MP told
reporters that the Christians are tired from disagreements. "That's why the most
important thing is to reassure the people and keep the doors of hope open."
A tense situation only leads to disagreements while openness leads to positive
results, according to the Marada leader. Asked if the Marada-Lebanese Forces
reconciliation was on the right track, Franjieh said: "I reiterate what (LF
leader Samir) Geagea has said that this is the beginning of a path which God
willing would lead to reconciliation. But reconciliation can't be
imminent."Tarabay, in his turn, lauded the weekend meeting between Franjieh and
Phalange leader Amin Gemayel, saying the talks "set up a foundation for new
communication between all Lebanese, in particular Maronite, leaderships." About
reports on Marada-LF reconciliation, Tarabay said: "We've made a million steps
forward … the meeting could be held but we don't care when it would be held as
long as work is ongoing on putting the foundations for strategic issues." He
also said he didn't believe there was a problem between Bnashii and Diman.
Beirut, 31 Jul 09, 14:45
Italian Soldier Injured in Traffic Accident
Naharnet/United Nations interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) spokesman, Col. Diego
Folker said a soldier from the Italian brigade was injured following a traffic
accident at the Qalila region in Tyre when a military vehicle carrying four
soldiers on their routine patrol turned over. The soldier was immediately
transferred to hospital in Sidon. Later in the day the Italian embassy in Beirut
issued a press statement canceling two scheduled military exhibitions by Italian
cavalry for Saturday in Beirut following the injury sustained by the Italian
soldier. Beirut, 31 Jul 09, 20:04
Raad Rules Out a Regional War Adds That Resistance Not in Danger
Naharnet/'Loyalty to the Resistance' MP Mohammed Raad ruled out any modification
to United Nations Security Council resolution 1701 and any new Israeli war on
Lebanon and the region, in particular on Iran. He affirmed that the Islamic
resistance in Lebanon Hizbullah] is not in danger. "The resistance is not in
danger, the resistance's own strength place it in the cross hairs of others,"
Raad said. He added, "the situation in Lebanon is particularly with all that
relates to a new government formation is moving towards the best." In an
interview with the Minbar al-Tawhid magazine on Friday, Raad said, "the
Syrian-Saudi dialogue completes the internal Lebanese effort for strengthening
the country via the formation of a national unity government."He affirmed that
the parliamentary opposition is here to stay and would on confronting any
attempt for imposing new conditions and breach government commitments.
Regarding the issue of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Raad said the
international tribunal is today facing the test of politicization adding that
the tribunal is lacking the necessary credibility.
Raad said that there is a trend by Hizbullah for removing all existing tensions
with the Progressive Socialist Party on the basis of calming things, while not
entering into a discussion over political choices, stances, and alliances. The
head of the 'Loyalty to the Resistance' parliamentary bloc said that any
potential war on Iran would constitute a prelude to a wider and more
comprehensive war that would cover the entire region. Beirut, 31 Jul 09, 17:42
Kahwaji visits Sfeir on eve of Army Day
Daily Star staff/Saturday, August 01, 2009
BEIRUT: Army Commander Jean Kahwaji was the lunch guest of the Maronite
patriarch Friday, on the eve of Army Day. Kahwaji arrived by military helicopter
in Diman, the summer residence of Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir in the north,
for talks with the prelate. Kahwaji presented Sfeir with a commemorative shield
to mark Army Day, and held a 45-minute private discussion with the patriarch,
before the two continued their talks over lunch. A ceremony will be held
Saturday at the Fayyadieh Barracks on the occasion of Army Day. Meanwhile,
politicians praised the Lebanese Army’s role in defending civil peace, and
advised the next government to pay attention to the military in its policy
statement. Speaker Nabih Berri issued a statement in which he paid tribute to
the army’s fallen soldiers. The speaker added that support for the military, “in
terms of numbers, equipment and modern weapons, should be a national priority in
order to confront Israeli aggressive intentions, and also to prevent any
terrorist attempt to shake security” in Lebanon. The army sustained more than
150 casualties during its 2007 campaign against Fatah al-Islam in the northern
Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared. General Francois Hajj, the Aarmy’s
commander of operations, was assassinated by a car bomb attack in Baabda several
months after the operation was concluded. Separately, Deputy Speaker Farid
Makari expressed hope that “the executive branch of government” would be clear
in time for Army Day, referring to consultations on forming a national unity
Cabinet. “However, if a political reason or detail” prevents the announcement of
a new government in time for Army Day, Makari said, “it’s not the end of the
world.” For his part, Chouf MP Marwan Hamadeh issued a statement in which he
predicted that “attempts to neutralize the army would fail, and we’ve seen
examples of [such attempts] over the past two years.” – The Daily Star
What good will Christian reconciliation bring for Lebanon’s citizens?
By The Daily Star /Saturday, August 01, 2009
Editorial
Lebanon’s Christian leaders have recently been engaged in an effort to overcome
decades of inter-religious discord and to bury several hatchets left over from
the Civil War era. Only a year ago, it was hard to imagine that Phalange Party
chief Amine Gemayel and Madara Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh would be
sitting down to chat about ways of cooperating politically in the future, or
that such contacts might one day lead to reconciliation between Franjieh and his
arch-foe Samir Geagea, the head of the Lebanese Forces. But it seems the tides
are turning and yesterday’s feuds are slowly giving way to tomorrow’s
partnerships.
It’s tempting to think that the various political leaders of the Christian
community have seen the errors of their ways and have made a collective leap
forward for the benefit of Lebanese citizens, or even just for the sake of
members of their own sect. But the reality is that their decisions have been and
will continue to be guided by political expediency. Just as Christian leaders
shunned contacts at a time when the prevailing divisions suited their own
political purposes, they will welcome a continuation of open communication if
they stand anything to gain from such a trend.That means that the current course
of pursuing amity among these leaders could easily be derailed – whether as a
result of a whim or of foreign interference – and the country could see a swift
return to the inter-Christian mudslinging and vitriol that we saw over the last
few years, especially in the run up to parliamentary elections.
But the sad fact is that such a development would matter very little in terms of
its real impact on Lebanese citizens. Sure, the country has experienced a surge
in tensions whenever Christian leaders have taken their private feuds public,
but these anxieties won’t evaporate if Franjieh and Geagea decide to get
together for tea. Nor would a reconciliation meeting of the sort immediately
solve any of the country’s multiple economic, security, environmental or other
problems.
There was a time in Lebanon when the leaders of the Christian community could be
counted upon to deliver solutions to any national problem with their creativity
and innovation. Throughout Lebanon’s history, Christian leaders played an active
role in modernizing the state and making the country entrepreneurial and
cosmopolitan, while simultaneously defending its historic identity and
traditions. But those times have passed, and today’s Christians are a community
so mired in mediocrity that the new benchmark for political achievement is to
hold a conversation with a rival. The question is: Whether they are working in
harmony or at odds with one another, what are today’s Christian zaim doing for
the benefit of the country? And will all of the energy that was wasted on
maintaining an internal feud now be turned toward promoting the national
interest?
Spy for Israel sentenced to life
-Daily Star staff/Saturday, August 01, 2009
BEIRUT: The Military Tribunal has sentenced Faisal Ghazi to life in prison with
hard labor for collaboration with Israel. The Tribunal, presided over by General
Nizar Khalil, reached its verdict on Friday, after hearing the testimony of
several suspected spies and of the defendant’s former wife. Ghazi was convicted
of leaking information on Hizbullah and helping Israeli agents enter Lebanon by
sea. Ghazi’s ex-wife, who is also suspected of collaboration with Israel, said
she had accompanied her then-spouse to Egypt but never saw him speak with an
Israeli officer. – The Daily Star
Lebanese officials pay respects to Archbishop Qorban
Daily Star staff/Saturday, August 01, 2009/BEIRUT: Funeral services will take
place in Tripoli on Sunday for His Eminence Metropolitan Elias Qorban,
Archbishop of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Tripoli and Koura, who
passed away on Thursday. The archbishop’s body was relayed in a convoy from the
Tripoli Archdiocese to Saint Gregory Cathedral, where funeral services will be
held on Sunday at 5 p.m. Officials paid their respects to the Archdiocese and
praised the metropolitan’s positive legacy.
“The archbishop’s death is a grave loss for the Orthodox Church and for all the
Lebanese,” said Koura lawmaker and Deputy Speaker Farid Makari, adding that
Qorban had always fought for “co-existence and national unity.” Tripoli MP
Robert Fadel said that “His Eminence spent his life serving his Church and the
people of Lebanon, especially in the north.”“He was wise and rational and always
eager to solve differences,” he added. Fadel said the archbishop was a champion
of coexistence who “always sought peace and promoted dialogue.” “He was a loving
father, brother and friend to everyone he knew,” he added. The president of the
General Maronite Council, Wadih Khazen also paid his respects and recalled the
metropolitan’s attempts to maintain civil peace in 1985, when he oversaw the
rebuilding of the Patriarchate after it was burned and destroyed. Khazen also
referred to the late archbishop’s literary achievements, which contributed to
bringing Christians in the east together. Qorban was born in 1926 in the village
of Ain Sindiyana, near Dhour Choueir, and he became archbishop of the Orthodox
Archdiocese of Tripoli and Koura in 1962. The former head of the Union of
Northern Associations, Mazen Abboud, said the Antiochian Orthodox Church had
lost its “melodious harp.” “His voice was sweet and beautiful and it lifted
believers to heaven,” added Abboud, praising the departed. – The Daily Star
Franjieh says meeting with LF unlikely soon
Daily Star staff/Saturday, August 01, 2009
BEIRUT: Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh stressed Friday that Lebanon’s
Christians were “tired of disagreements” but hinted that a long-awaited
reconciliation with the Lebanese Forces would not be “immediate,” due to the
feelings of the rank-and-file. Franjieh made the comments at his home in
Bneshaai after receiving a delegation from the Maronite League, underscoring the
need to reduce tensions within the Christian community so as to reassure the
public and preserve hope. “A tense situation only leads to disagreements while
openness leads to positive results,” Franjieh said. Asked if a Marada-LF
reconciliation was on the right track, Franjieh told reporters that LF leader
Geagea’s recent statement was the beginning of a process which would hopefully
lead to reconciliation. The LF leader expressed on Wednesday his willingness to
meet with Franjieh, adding that he was open to “advancing communication.”
However, Franjieh said that reconciliation was not imminent since “the people
aren’t ready” for such a step. Tensions between the two date back to the
assassination of Franjieh’s father Tony in June 1978 along with his mother and
4-year-old sister, at the hands of armed men belonging to the Phalange Party.
Geagea, who was then part of the Phalange, was accused by Franjieh of leading
the assault, though Geagea maintains he did not take part in the killings.
Meanwhile, Maronite League head Joseph Tarabay praised last Sunday’s meeting in
Bikfaya between Franjieh and former President Amin Gemayel, the head of the
Phalange. “The [Bikfaya meeting] will pave the way for communication among
Lebanese leaders, particularly Maronites,” he said. Tarabay also underscored the
importance of laying the strategic foundations of an LF-Marada reconciliation. –
The Daily Star
What the Romans Wrought in Lebanon
Shadowed by Hezbollah, a visitor finds Baalbek’s temples to Jupiter and Bacchus
an intoxicating sight
By MELIK KAYLAN
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204482304574223971816504460.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Wall Street Journal /July 31/09
These days, if you visit the Roman ruins of Baalbeck in Lebanon you will likely
be followed by Hezbollah before, during and after the visit. On the Bekaa Valley
main road that runs into the town of Baalbeck, your car is likely to be tailed
by nippy little BMWs with blackened windows. Aggressively antennaed opaque vans
sit parked along the road every few miles—they are Hezbollah surveillance
vehicles. Stretched overhead, banners depicting Hezbollah leaders multiply.
Entering Baalbeck itself, you will pass by a garishly tiled blue-and-turquoise
mosque built recently with Iranian help.
Nevertheless, a first glimpse of Baalbeck’s six 72-feet-high Corinthian columns
will instantly raise your spirits and turn unease into adventure. Like the
Parthenon or the Pyramids, the Baalbeck complex is one of the glorious monuments
of history. No matter which angle you look from, the two lofty temples—to
Jupiter and to Bacchus—seem to ride the sky and will intoxicate your faculties.
You will know how it feels to be a besotted idolater.
The site sits astride a north-south thoroughfare of history, being the place
where trouble flowing down from the north (Syria) meets trouble coming up from
the coast (Beirut). In recent years, the Bekaa Valley was home to guerrilla
training camps. The Lebanese Civil War shut down the annual Baalbeck
International Festival—and its presentations of music, dance and theater—from
1975 to 1996. The Hezbollah-Israel war did the same for a year in 2006.
Nowadays, when the festival is in full swing a shop set into the ancient walls
sells Hezbollah banners and T-shirts.
Through the millennia, the Romans took Baalbeck from the Greeks in the first
century B.C. and built the temples; the Christians took it from the pagans in
the third century and closed the place; the Arabs took it from the Byzantines in
636 and turned it into a fortress. And successive Caliphates manned it, followed
by the Mamelukes, Mongols and Timurids, until the Ottomans took over in 1517 and
held it for five centuries. In the 19th century, Baalbeck was a stop on the
Grand Tour of the ancient world. Mark Twain wrote in his travel memoir
“Innocents Abroad” that “such grandeur of design, and such grace of execution,
as one sees in the temples of Baalbeck, have not been equaled or even approached
in any work of men’s hands that has been built within twenty centuries past.”
Countless such eminences occupied rooms overlooking the ruins at the nearby
Palmyra Hotel. The hotel is still there, as are its visitors books with the
signatures of such world leaders as Kaiser Wilhelm. He launched the first
restoration project of Baalbeck in 1898 as part of his long courtship of the
Ottoman Empire, his later allies on the losing side of World War I.
Baalbeck’s name derives from the Phoenician God Baal, of biblical fame, to whom
the site was first consecrated around the first millennium B.C. as a center for
healing. The surrounding area exuded fecundity in the form of hashish, poppy and
grape—it was only five years ago that the Lebanese army finally destroyed the
illicit opium and hashish crop so dear to militia financiers. Vineyards flourish
still, even Muslim ones, as long as they sell to Christians who make the wine.
In antiquity, the sedative and healing powers of the soil became the identifying
features of the gods.
The Romans brusquely leveled, enlarged and reordered the site beginning in the
last quarter of the first century B.C. It took them 250 years to complete their
project, and a mere 50 years later the Christians shut the temples down. The
work was mostly done by slaves from around the empire—10 generations of them
perished on the job, some 100,000 souls.
Today, you can still get a wonderfully stentorian official guide to take you
around. He will certainly complain at some point that the Lebanese government
has done no restoration since the Civil War years. Yet the work done before by
German, French and Lebanese archaeologists immensely enhanced the sights that so
dazzled Twain. Of the two big temples, the Jupiter Temple is the less well
restored but the more famous and magnificent. As you ascend into a plateau of
courtyards, your senses are both ordered and uplifted by the graduated precision
of the layout—the Hexagonal Forecourt, then the Great Court and finally the
soaring six standing columns left of a colonnade that encircled the main
sanctuary where Jupiter abided, to which only priests had access. Progressing
through, one sees the massive stone altar on which they performed ritual
sacrifices, the pools where they first prewashed the animals, all girded
spaciously by semicircular walls with decorative niches for statues. The Romans,
one feels, captured the sky in Baalbeck’s sublime enclosures, but Jupiter’s
presence feels more palpable for being more air than enclosure among the ruins.
Nearby, the Temple of Bacchus seems barely altered by time from its original
monolithic state. Hemmed in by a rectangle of almost perfectly preserved 42-foot
colonnades, the whole is raised on a solid stone base 16½ feet high. The lofty
monumental gate atop 33 stone steps lures the eye to a cool, dreamy interior.
The doorjambs display complex carved images that indicate the temple’s
mysterious functions with grape and poppy, alpha and omega symbols. A carved
depiction of cupid without arrows tells of Bacchus’s transsexual identity. Along
the building’s side, a bas-relief of Octavian, Anthony and Cleopatra warns the
onlooker of the fate of anyone defying Rome’s power. The entire edifice has a
sealed, secretive air of undecoded mysteries, as befits a temple dedicated to
the god of trances.
There is a great deal more to see at or near Baalbeck’s site—from the small
Venus Temple to other minor structures raised by Christians and Mamelukes and
Ommayads. Nearby, at the ancient local quarry, the biggest stone ever quarried,
at 1,200 tons, sits unused. By that point in your visit you will notice the man
in jeans with a headscarf masking his face who has followed you around for some
time, intermittently muttering into a device near his mouth. He is the votary of
an entirely different cult.
—Mr. Kaylan, a columnist for Forbes, writes about culture and the arts for the
Journal.