LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
August 23/09
Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ
according to Saint Matthew 23:1-12. Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his
disciples, saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the
chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They
tie up heavy burdens (hard to carry) and lay them on people's shoulders, but
they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be
seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places
of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces,
and the salutation 'Rabbi.' As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but
one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you
have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one
master, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever
exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
Interview with Chimon Peres:
Hizbullah Has 80,000 Missiles that Might Bring Calamity to Lebanon 22/08/09
The “Emirate” of Gaza. By: Ziad
Majed/Now Lebanon 22.08.09
Lebanon the arena/Future
News/August 22nd, 2009
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for August
22/09
Nadim Gemayel calls for discussions
on Hezbollah arms, for Hariri to form majority cabinet
Youssef: Iran presses Hizbullah to
block the cabinet formation-Future
News
Jumblatt to Sfeir: I will not break
my alliance with Hariri-Future
News
Abu
Faour: we are part of the majority-Future
News
Allouch: Hariri will not abstain from forming the government-Future
News
Kataeb: key ‘March 14’ member… Hariri denies futile debates-Future
News
Hariri Asks Berri for Cabinet Nominations, Speaker Prefers to Wait-Naharnet
Lebanese Army Steps Up Security around Beddawi Camp-Naharnet
Hizbullah: We Will Handle Reaching Understanding with Aoun over Government-Naharnet
Suleiman to Host Ramadan
Dinner for All Political Parties-Naharnet
Security Council Draft
Bill Calls for Ghajar Deal, Not Withdrawal-Naharnet
Hariri Leaves for Saudi on
Private Visit-Naharnet
Sfeir
receives Army Commander Kahwaji-Future
News
Iranian Cabinet Nominee Wanted in Argentine Attack-New
York Times
Sfeir wants cabinet based on poll
results-Daily Star
Palestinian factions hold emergency
meeting-Daily Star
Egypt court to try 26 members of alleged Hizbullah cell-Daily Star
Karami: Parties could be able to
propose ministers-Daily Star
Retired security official confesses
to spying for Israel-(AFP)
Prison guards suspected of aiding Roumieh escape bid-Daily Star
Number of tourists to Lebanon
reaches record in July-Daily Star
Attack on EDL worker casues Choueifat power cut-Daily Star
Sidon complains of 'impoverished'
Holy Month decorations-Daily Star
Beirut abuzz as Ramadan gets under
way-Daily Star
Hizbullah: We Will Handle Reaching Understanding with Aoun over Government
Naharnet/Hizbullah will handle efforts to reach an understanding with MP Michel
Aoun over his pre-conditions for joining a future government, the Shiite party
aide Hajj Hassan Khalil told the president and the premier-designate, according
to press reports Saturday. Meanwhile, a ministerial source in the Change and
Reform bloc told As Safir daily that the opposing team was not being "respectful
of the rules to form a government." "For the last time we say they cannot move
past us, or form a government without the Free Patriotic Movement," he said,
adding "they can discuss with us the distribution of portfolios, their size and
number, but they cannot impose who we want to represent the movement in the
government."
"We are not prepared to enter bazaars, full stop. If they are capable of forming
a government without the FPM, then let them do that if they can," the source
said.
On another level, a leading member of Hizbullah slammed accusations the party
was obstructing the cabinet shape-up and has reneged on its promises to
premier-designate Saad Hariri to mediate with Aoun. "All this talk about
Hizbullah's pledge to Hariri to mediate with Aoun over his demands for cabinet
portfolios is mere lies and baseless claims," he told As Safir.
"If Hizbullah really has an obligation toward Hariri to convince Aoun, then what
was the purpose of the meetings between Hariri and his adviser with both
(Telecoms Minister Jebran) Bassil and Aoun?" he asked. Beirut, 22 Aug 09, 09:23
Peres: Hizbullah Has 80,000 Missiles that Might Bring Calamity to Lebanon
Naharnet/Israeli President Shimon Peres said in comments published Saturday that
Israel knew about "80,000 missiles" in the possession of Hizbullah. In an
interview with the Kuwaiti al-Rai newspaper, Peres cast doubt on "Hizbullah's
goals and the justifications for its presence." "Hizbullah is working for its
own interests and will always find a pretext to continue its policy against
Israel, even if the (Israeli army) withdrew from Shebaa Farms and the Lebanese
Ghajar village," he said.
"Lebanon used to have an ambition to become the Switzerland of the Orient, and
why not? But instead it has become the Iran of the region," he said. He said
that Hizbullah's missiles "might lead to a disaster for the Lebanese because the
last war brought unnecessary calamities to Lebanon." Peres was referring to
Israel's 33-day war with Lebanon in the summer of 2006 and which resulted in the
deaths of more than 1,200 Lebanese civilians, a third of them children.
Asked if Israel would respond to a Hizbullah attack against Israeli targets
abroad to avenge the assassination last year of Hizbullah commander Imad
Moghniyeh, Peres answered: "I do not know what this revenge is about. "Moghniyeh
himself was a top assassin and he who kills becomes a target as well," he added.
"He was the head of (Hizbullah's) special operations, and no one knows who
killed him. There is no evidence that a certain side carried out the
assassination. And obviously if Israel is attacked it will defend itself," Peres
said. Moghniyeh was killed by a car bombing in Damascus in a February 2008
attack that was blamed on but denied by Israel. Beirut, 22 Aug 09, 13:35
Lebanon the arena
Date: August 22nd, 2009/Future News
There is a vast distance the separates between Lebanon the state or the arena.
This distance is due to the policies adopted by those who open the country to
several regional and international possibilities ignoring the interests of the
Lebanese. Some political figures hide behind slogans to serve a regional policy
that aims to consolidate the position of certain states, and another who takes
Palestine as a mount for his narrow motives which will only cause destruction
and damage, while another makes international alteration his excuse to explain
his personal position. This situation takes place while the country is in
another different location. No one cares for the interests of the Lebanese and
their economical and social concerns, or the scholastic year which is close and
the resulting difficulties borne by all Lebanese families, without exception.
Those who insist for making the country an arena for all countries and foreign
policies, refuse to differentiate between two main principles of politics: the
first exists in the tribal sense of politics and is based on driving the herd,
and wants the Lebanese to be treated according to it. The other considers that
politics is an urban awareness, based on conducting the public good starting
from the interests of the free people as citizens, not a herd led by someone
according to his interests and ignoring the ambitions and welfare of the others.
Lebanon recently faces several threats which start from the Hebrew state and
does not end at the strong desire of the Syrian and Iranian regimes to dominate
the country, in addition to terrorism which some defected groups threats of. Is
someone aware?
Nadim Gemayel calls for discussions on Hezbollah arms, for Hariri to form
majority cabinet
August 22, 2009 /Now Lebanon
In an interview to be published on Sunday in the Sada Al-Balad newspaper, Kataeb
MP Nadim Gemayel emphasized the need for ongoing discussions regarding
Hezbollah’s “illegitimate arms,” particularly following an explosion at a
suspected Hezbollah arms storage facility in Kherbet Selem in July and an attack
against UNIFIL forces investigating the incident. He added that he objects to
having a ministerial statement that supports Hezbollah’s arms. Gemayel called
for Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri to form a majority cabinet instead of
giving into the opposition’s demands, saying that the opposition can participate
in the new cabinet but without being granted the obstructing-third vote. He said
he is pleased the Kataeb party and the March 14 General Secretariat are
resolving their disagreement, after the former decided to suspend its
participation in the secretariat’s meetings. He also said he hoped Progressive
Socialist Party representatives will return to the secretariat. Gemayel
emphasized the lack of activity in both the Lebanese embassy in Syria and the
Syrian embassy in Beirut. He said he does not expect any Kataeb official to
visit Damascus before the latter reveals the fate of Boutros Khawand, who is a
Kataeb official reportedly among the detainees held in Syrian prisons, and the
resolution of all pending bilateral issues.-NOW Staff
The “Emirate” of Gaza
Ziad Majed , August 21, 2009
Now Lebanon
It is difficult to describe the calamity which has befallen the Gaza Strip in
recent years: the Israeli blockade; the infighting between the Fatah and Hamas
movements and how the latter put an end to it, separating Gaza from the West
Bank and from the Palestinian “Authority;” an international boycott and
political and economic isolation; Israel’s devastating war; internal clashes,
repression and the imposition of laws of obscurantism; and today, constantly
shifting conflicts and a bloody liquidation undertaken by what has been said to
be an uncompromising Salafist-jihadist organization that has declared Gaza an
“emirate.”
It is hard to view what is happening in Gaza beyond the scope of the open
internecine conflicts that could lead to a total collapse.
Families have been attacked and youth have been persecuted under the pretext of
being affiliated with a party accused of attempting to undermine “security.”
“Gunmen” opened fire on [their fellow] citizens during the war with Israel and
thereafter in order to discipline them for their possession of weapons. Later,
“fatwas” would revolve around requiring women to wear the Hijab and ways of
spreading “virtue,” imposing the “[personal] requirements” behind such virtue
and punishing those among them who “undermine” it. Circumstances in Gaza seem to
be heading toward frightening scenarios which the recent battles between Hamas
and Jund Ansar Allah only begin to explain.
As such, there is no limit to how far [Gaza] can fall when those responsible for
it, and those who are being dragged down with it, consider themselves above the
law. They consider themselves so just because they implement Sharia Law and are
“the chosen elite,” representing what is right, unburdened with the necessity to
negotiate any partnership or enter into any contract with anyone over the
management of legal, territorial and human concerns.
Similarly there is no such limit when the handling of politics and the economy
comes to rely upon metaphysical slogans which offer no [meticulous]
calculations, no feasibility studies and no clear definition of their interests
and ambitions…
About two years ago, the poet Mahmoud Darwish commented on what has been
happening in Gaza by saying that: “…so long as we do not know the difference
between al-Jame’ [the mosque] and al-Jame’a [the university], since they come
from the same linguistic root, what do we need a state for… as it would only
pass into oblivion anyway?”
In these short words Darwish summarized the tragedy of [Gaza’s] depletion of
thought and preponderance of metaphysics over science, alongside the tragedy of
the contempt for the state, a state which has come to be of trivial importance
and dominated by “religious endowments,” infighting and death.
The only thing filling the void of the state is the specter of Somalification
which looms overhead, threatening to bring about ruin and total destruction.
**This a translation of an article that appeared on NOW Lebanon’s Arabic site
Hariri Asks Berri for Cabinet Nominations, Speaker Prefers
to Wait
Naharnet/Premier-designate Saad Hariri has asked Speaker Nabih Berri for the
names of ministers who will represent Amal in the new government during talks in
Nijmeh Square, al-Liwaa daily reported Saturday. It said that Berri "preferred
to wait for the outcome of ongoing efforts to resolve the repercussions of MP
Walid Jumblat's recent position in addition to other demands before presenting
his nominations for cabinet."Meanwhile, Hariri left for Saudi Arabia on a
private visit Friday night expected to last for a few days. Beirut, 22 Aug 09,
10:12
Lebanese Army Steps Up Security around Beddawi Camp
Naharnet/The Lebanese army was placed on maximum alert over the past 48 hours in
the environs of the northern Beddawi camp, providing no public explanation for
the stepped up security, As Safir daily reported Saturday.Military units, backed
with tanks, were deployed near the Talla military post of the Popular Front for
the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, the paper said. The move created a
state of tension in the camp among Palestinian leaderships and residents.
Palestinian factions have been asserting that coordination and cooperation with
the Lebanese army "have reached advanced levels after the former handed over
fugitives and helped hunt down Fatah Islam members who had fled to the camp"
armed confrontations with the army in 2007 came to an end.
The factions have been in contact with their leaderships inside and outside the
camp over the stepped up security, the daily added. Beirut, 22 Aug 09, 09:55
Suleiman to Host Ramadan Dinner for All Political Parties
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman will invite all political figures and
movements to a Ramadan dinner on September 1 at Baabda Palace and will call on
them "to find common grounds" in order to form a government, Ad-Diyar daily
reported Saturday. For its part, An Nahar newspaper quoted an official source
that Suleiman and interim Prime Minister Fouad Saniora discussed ways to
activate the work of the caretaker government but agreed not to change the
"course on which matters are being handled currently." Suleiman has been meeting
regularly with the interim ministers for updates on progress in their
ministries. The two leaders agreed to support the efforts of premier-designate
Saad Hariri to form a new government. Beirut, 22 Aug 09, 09:39
Hariri Leaves for Saudi on Private Visit
Naharnet/Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri left Beirut late Friday for Saudi
Arabia for a few days private visit. Before leaving, Hariri congratulated the
Lebanese on the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan, expressing hope that this
month would "be an opportunity to overcome problems." "I hope that all political
groups as well as the Lebanese media would seize this opportunity to rise above
wounds, to forget the harm, in order to renounce civil strife and put an end to
political wrangling," Hariri said. Beirut, 21 Aug 09, 22:13
Egypt court to try 26 members of alleged Hizbullah cell
By Patrick Galey
Daily Star staff
Saturday, August 22, 2009
BEIRUT: Twenty-six men accused of targeting Egyptian tourist resorts and ships
on the Suez Canal on behalf of Hizbullah are set to stand trial in the country’s
security court Sunday. The suspects – two Lebanese, five Palestinians and 19
Egyptians – will answer charges of “conspiracy to murder, spying for a foreign
organization with the intent of conducting terrorist attacks and weapons
possession.” A further four suspects are on the run and will be charged in
absentia, including the alleged mastermind of the plot, Lebanese national
Mohammad Qublan, who is believed to have fled Egypt. Speaking to AFP, defense
lawyer Abdel-Moneim Abdel-Maqsud said that some of the defendants had confessed
to plotting attacks against Israeli nationals. He added that Hizbullah had ruled
out retributive action in response to the assassination of a senior group
member, Imad Mughniyeh.“Those whose names appear on the list, including number
two suspect Lebanese Mohammed Yusuf Ahmad Mansur, known as Sami Shihab, told
prosecutors during questioning that they initially planned attacks against
Israeli tourists in Sinai in response to the killing of [Hizbullah commander]
Imad Mughniyeh, but that orders came from Hizbullah leadership banning such
activities,” he said.
Hizbullah commander Mughniyeh was killed in a Damascus car bombing in February
2008. Responsibility for the attack has been levied against Israel, which has
repeatedly denied involvement. This week, Hizbullah deputy leader Sheikh Naim
Qassem vowed that the group would exact revenge on the perpetrators of
Mughniyeh’s assassination, but refused to be drawn on when and where any
retribution would occur.
“Hizbullah has kept its promise. The decision to avenge Imad Mughniyeh’s murder
has been taken. The place and time would be known during execution [of the
plan],” Qassem told Iranian Al-Alam TV on Tuesday. Retired Lebanese Army General
Elias Hanna told The Daily Star that Hizbullah’s threats should be taken
seriously, although the group was unlikely to hit tourist targets. “We have to
go back to Nasrallah’s speech promising more revenge against Israel. The most
important issue is that Hizbullah’s retribution needs to be felt by Israel as
retribution for Lebanese deaths,” he said. “The revenge must be at the same
level [of significance as] Mughniyeh’s. He is cast as a high value member [of
the group]. Killing Israeli civilians won’t suffice; they need to hit a
high-profile Israeli target.” Earlier this month, Israeli Deputy Foreign
Minister Danny Ayalon warned that Hizbullah would be blamed for any
assassination plot, implicating Lebanon itself in any incident. “I have one
message here: If … one hair falls off the head of any Israeli representative
abroad, or even an Israeli who is not an official representative, tourists,
etc., we will consider Hizbullah responsible,” he said.
Hanna said that retribution from Hizbullah was not inevitable and the group
needed to take into account regional influences before targeting Israelis
abroad.
“They want to put Israel in a position where they won’t be able to retaliate as
they did in 2006,” said Hanna. He pointed to “regional complications” that may
prevent Israel from responding to provocation with the same level of force as it
did during the 2006 war, in which over 1,000 civilian deaths and billions of
dollars worth of infrastructure damage were sustained in Lebanon. Hizbullah
leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has admitted that Shihab was tasked with
smuggling some of the group’s weapons to militants in the Gaza Strip. The
defendants have confessed to attempting to help Palestinians in Gaza, according
to Maqsud. According to Egyptian security officials, five of the accused are
implicated in the “Hizbullah cell case” and belonged to Egypt’s largest
opposition group, the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, before recently leaving the
organization.
During this week’s summit in Washington with US President Barack Obama, Egyptian
President Hosni Mubarak claimed the Brotherhood had links with Hizbullah, as
well as the Islamic militant group Hamas. Speaking during an Interview with US
television network CBS, Mubarak said the Brotherhood “have contact with Hamas,
they have contact with Hizbullah. These are well-known and they have contact
with many organizations.” He added, however: “As long as they do not commit
terrorist crimes, I do not care.” Hanna said that Hizbullah’s resurgent
political credibility left its leaders facing a tough choice between revenge and
constitutional engagement. “When Hizbullah is more involved politically it will
be easier for the government to control their movements. On the other hand,
Hizbullah’s [plan] in the region is not finished,” he said, adding that Middle
East diplomatic breakthroughs could blunt the group’s armed agenda. “Nasrallah
has a high degree of credibility and if he doesn’t retaliate he will lose some
of that. This necessitates Hizbullah taking revenge unless something totally
changes regionally,” he said. – With AFP
Sfeir wants cabinet based on poll results
Aoun’s demands only remaining obstacle – Future movement sources
By Elias Sakr /-Daily Star staff
Saturday, August 22, 2009
BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir called on President Michel
Sleiman and Prime Minister-designate Rafik Hariri on Friday to form a majority
cabinet based on the outcome of the June 7 parliamentary elections. In remarks
published by the online daily paper Elaph, Sfeir expressed concerns with regard
to the delay in the government’s formation, adding that Lebanon was now governed
by a “consensus democracy.”
Sfeir added that if the opposition and the March 14 failed to reach an accord on
a national-unity cabinet, the “opposition should monitor the decisions and
mistakes of [a majority] cabinet so as to straighten its performance and
consequently be judged positively or negatively.”
Commenting on Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader MP Walid Jumblatt’s
withdrawal from the March 14 alliance, Sfeir said the head of the Democratic
Gathering parliamentary bloc did not inform him of his decision prior to his
announcement on August 2.
Meanwhile, Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader MP Michel Aoun’s demands were
the remaining obstacles hampering the formation of a national-unity cabinet,
Future Movement figures told The Daily Star on Friday.
The Future Movement MPs stressed that Hizbullah approved of Aoun’s terms since
the party exerted no pressure on the Reform and Change bloc leader to curtail
his conditions.
“Opposition groups imposed on Hariri their collective participation in the
cabinet, but each party negotiated its share individually,” Future Movement
sources said.
While Hizbullah and Amal officials declined to comment on Aoun’s stances, FPM
MPs reiterated that the obstacles were the result of foreign intervention as
well as Hariri’s monopoly over key portfolios. Concerning a news report
published in As-Safir paper Friday claiming that Hariri would take an “extremely
important” step in the coming hours, a source close to the premier-designate
denied the alleged move.
The source added that while Hariri remained in contact with opposition figures,
the latter “did not need to tackle the premier’s constitutional powers since
they were clearly stated in the Constitution.”
Future Movement MP Amar Houri told The Daily Star three of Aoun’s conditions
hindered’ the formation process; Aoun’s insistence to be granted a sovereign
portfolio, his demand to nominate ministers who lost in the parliamentary race
and his refusal to be assigned state ministries.
Aoun insists on nominating his son-in-law caretaker Telecommunications Minister
Jebran Bassil for a second term in the next cabinet. Bassil did not succeed in
getting elected into Parliament.
Houri stressed that Aoun should negotiate his demand for a sovereign portfolio
with his opposition allies since out of four portfolios one was granted to the
opposition, another for the majority while two were assigned to President
Sleiman.
The four sovereign portfolios include the Defense, Interior, Foreign and Finance
ministries.
Houri said Hizbullah negotiated with Hariri the opposition’s share and agreed to
the 15-10-5 cabinet make-up while committing to discuss with Aoun his terms and
convince him to show more flexibility.
However, a source close to Hizbullah denied on Friday that his party made such
commitments during talks with Hariri.
The 15-10-5 cabinet structure grants the majority 15 ministers, the opposition
10 and the president 5 seats which guarantee him the tipping vote.
The Future MP also added that Aoun rejected the allocation to his Reform and
Change bloc of any of the eight state ministries which should be distributed
proportionally among March 14, the opposition and the president.
In response to statements by the Future Movement, FPM MP Nabil Nicholas told The
Daily Star the formation process was delayed due to foreign intervention and
pressure on Hariri.
Tackling the issue of a sovereign portfolio, Nicholas stressed that the Future
Movement wanted monopoly over key portfolios, adding that March 14 controlled
most service portfolios.
The media debate between the Future Movement and the FPM escalated on Thursday
when figures from both parties traded unprecedented heavy insults with regard to
the delay in the cabinet’s formation.
Future Movement MP Mohammad Kabbarah said Aoun needed “psychological support,”
while Democratic gathering MP Fouad Saad described Aoun as a clown.
On Wednesday, Aoun had lashed out at Hariri saying he operated upon foreign
orders and accused him of wanting to paralyze the government formation process,
“in an attempt to replicate the behavior of his allies who stop working during
Ramadan,” a reference to Saudi Arabia.
In other news, MP Jumblatt held talks on Wednesday with a delegation of the
March 14 General Secretariat during which he stressed his commitment to remain
part of the parliamentary majority, secretariat member Michel Mkattaf told the
Central News Agency of Friday.
Separately, Phalange Party leader Amine Gemayel said on Friday his party was a
founding and active member of the March 14 General Secretariat. However, Gemayel
stressed the necessity to develop the secretariat’s work frame in order to
ensure more productivity and efficiency.
Hariri calls for reconciliation during Ramadan
BEIRUT: Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri called on Lebanese on Friday to
refrain from controversial and provocative political rhetoric and urged them to
overcome their “wounds” on the occasion of the Holy Month of Ramadan.
In his statement, Hariri underscored that “political parties as well as media
outlets should seize the opportunity to halt disputes.”
The premier-designate added that Ramadan was an opportunity to reflect upon
“matters which bring people together rather than divide them since better ties
among the constituencies of the Lebanese society secured the public good.”
Hariri highlighted that only this way would allow Lebanese politicians to revert
to the right priorities, “which preserve the citizens’ interests and support a
productive Lebanese economy. – The Daily Star
Number of tourists to Lebanon reaches record in July
By Dana Halawi /Daily Star staff
Saturday, August 22, 2009
BEIRUT: Lebanon is experiencing an unprecedented tourism boom this summer with a
record number of tourists reaching 1,100,000 during the first seven months of
2009 compared to a total of 1,300,000 for the entire year 2008, said Ministry of
Tourism General Director Nada Sardouk. “At the beginning of 2009 we expected to
end the year with a record number of 2,000,000 tourists which appears to be very
possible because until now, we were able to reach the total number we have
achieved in all of 2008,” said Sardouk.
The number of incoming tourists to Lebanon totaled 1,085,778 in the first seven
months of 2009, constituting an increase of 57.3 percent from 690,180 tourists
in the same period last year, as reported by Byblos bank’s weekly report.
Sardouk said that this summer a very small percentage of Lebanese people left
the country with huge numbers preferring to spend their summer vacations
visiting various Lebanese touristic areas.
“One of the most important indicators for the success of the tourism season this
year is the high demand for tours inside the country,” she said.
“Travel agencies reported a very small demand on trips to Sharm el-sheikh and
Turkey this summer, and recorded a great demand by Lebanese expatriates and
Arabs for trips inside Lebanon,” she added.
According to the Byblos bank report, Arab tourists accounted for 40.9 percent of
total visitors and were followed by visitors from Europe with 24.3 percent, Asia
with 14.7 percent, America with 13.5 percent, Oceania with 3.6 percent and
Africa with 2.2 percent.
The record number of tourists reflected positively on the occupancy rates at
Lebanon’s hotels which reached an average of 90 percent during the six months of
2009, according to the president of the Hotelier’s Syndicate, Pierre Ashkar.
This is the best season in 15 or 20 years and this is due to the stability that
the country is witnessing so far,” said Ashkar.
Ashkar believes that the delay in the government formation is not likely to
affect the tourism boom which Lebanon is currently experiencing. “We have
excellent reservation rates for Eid al-Fitr and the francophone games which are
going to take place in September, and we are sure that hotels during Eid al-Adha
are going to be fully booked as well,” he said.
However, Ashkar noted that the flow of investment is likely to be affected if
the government formation experiences a further delay.
“Projects worth millions of dollars were already put on hold waiting for the new
government to be formed,” said Ashkar.
According to the global consulting firm Deloitte Et Touche, Beirut achieved the
strongest growth in revenues per available room or revPAR growth, not only in
the Middle East, but also worldwide, up a staggering 124.4 percent to $117.
Sweden defends press freedom amid Israeli furorSaturday, August 22, 2009
Malin Rising /Associated Press
STOCKHOLM: Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt has rejected Israeli calls for
official condemnation of a Swedish newspaper article about organ harvesting,
saying that freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy. Bildt said in a
blog posted late Thursday that he would not condemn an article in the Swedish
tabloid Aftonbladet that suggested Israeli troops had harvested the organs of
dead Palestinians. He said freedom of expression is part of the Swedish
Constitution.
Freedom of expression and press freedom are very strong in our Constitution by
tradition. And that strong protection has served our democracy and our country
well,” Bildt wrote. “If I were engaged in editing all strange debate
contributions in different media I probably wouldn’t have time to do much else.”
Bildt said he understood why the article stirred strong emotions in Israel, but
said basic values in society are best protected by free discussion.
The writer, Donald Bostrom, based the story on accounts from Palestinians in the
occupied West Bank and Gaza and his own experience of seeing a dead Palestinian
man returned to his family with surgical stitches running the length of his
torso. The article quoted an Israeli military spokesman who denied the charges
and said that Palestinians killed by Israeli forces are routinely subjected to
autopsies.
Headlined “Our sons are plundered for their organs,” the story made news in
Israel, where officials described it as racist and accused it of using “vile
anti-Semitic themes.” Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said he planned
to make a “serious protest” to Bildt over the Swedish Foreign Ministry’s
previous decision not to comment on the article.
“A country that truly wants to defend democratic values must strongly condemn
deceitful reports with an odor of anti-Semitism of the kind published this week
in Aftonbladet,” Lieberman said in a statement.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said he would look into suing the reporter
for libel.
On Friday, Israel’s ambassador to Sweden, Benny Dogan attended a scheduled
meeting with representatives from the Swedish Foreign Ministry. Dogan was quoted
by local news agency TT as saying he had repeated Israel’s request for a
reaction from the Swedes.
Germany calls for Israeli settlement halt
BERLIN: – Reuters/The German government said ahead of a visit next week by Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that urgent action was needed on Israeli settlements
in the occupied West Bank in order to move toward peace in the Middle East.
“We and our partners the Americans have made very clear that we see the
settlements issue as one of the biggest impediments to a two-state solution,”
German Foreign Ministry spokesman Andreas Peschke told reporters Friday.
“There must be urgent progress on the settlements to make progress on Middle
East peace,” he added.
Netanyahu is due to hold talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on
Thursday, during the second leg of a trip that will start in London.
Germany regularly cites its special obligation to Israel because of the Nazi
Holocaust, in which 6 million Jews died, and German politicians traditionally
avoid public criticism of Israeli policies. – Reuters