LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
December 01/09

Bible Reading of the day
The Letter from James/1:12-18: "Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.  Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. /Naharnet

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
 Still in our hands/Now Lebanon/November 30/09
 The Region: More, more, more!/By BARRY RUBIN/Jerusalem Post/November 30/09
Bill would allow import of books from Syria, Lebanon/By Jonathan Lis/Haaretz/November 30/09

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for November 30/09
 Hizbullah's New Manifesto: Party's Rebirth for a Clearer Vision on the Resistance/Naharnet
 Phone Messages to Southerners Ask for Info on Missing Israelis/Naharnet
 Residents Cut Power across Akkar/Naharnet
 Fadlallah Slams Swiss Minaret Ban/Naharnet
 March 14's Christian Ministers Meet to Consult, Won't Issue Unified Statement/Naharnet
 Italy Takes Command of UNIFIL Maritime Task Force/Naharnet
 $10,000 Reward for Info on Lebanese Man who Killed 4 Family Members in Florida/Naharnet
 Report: Israel May Start Importing Books from Lebanon, Syria/Naharnet
 Reservations Only on Resistance Clause, Vote of Confidence is by Now a Fact/Naharnet
 Rahhal: Hariri to Head a Lebanese Delegation to Discuss Global Warming in Copenhagen/Naharnet
 Jumblat: Suleiman's Efforts a Key Role to Make Ministry Work/Naharnet
 March 14-backed List Won Pharmacists' Syndicate Elections/Naharnet
 Report: Suleiman to Meet Obama Next Month/Naharnet
 Egypt mufti says Swiss minaret ban insults Muslims/AFP
Warnings of war/Ha'aretz
 Lebanon 'Accepts' Hezbollah's Weapons/Middle East Online
 Miitary aid tops Sleiman agenda during Washington visit/Daily Star
Religious leaders call for dialogue during Eid al-Adha celebrations/Daily Star
Jumblatt seeks return for Chouf displaced/Daily Star
 UAE will not extradite discredited witness in Hariri probe/AFP
 Political sectarianism 'responsible' for emigration/Daily Star
Hariri to head for climate change conference/Daily Star
Aoun dismisses need for Christian reconciliation talks /Daily Star
 Lebanese-American shoots 6-year-old in Miami death spree/Daily Star
 Fallout from Dubai crisis will spare Lebanese economy/Daily Star
 March 14 secures win at pharmacists' election /Daily Star
Animal rights groups fight for stricter legislation, change in public opinion /Daily Star
Anniversary Mass marks Moawad's death/Daily Star
 Soldiers in 'critical condition' after bus crash/Daily Star
Mneimneh says school holiday calendar should be fixed/Daily Star
Nepal bans migration to Lebanon amid abuse fears/Daily Star

Reservations Only on Resistance Clause, Vote of Confidence is by Now a Fact
Naharnet/Ministerial sources did not rule out arguments during Wednesday's cabinet session over the reservations by Phalange and Lebanese Forces ministers as well as Minister Boutros Harb on the 6th clause of the policy statement. The sources told An Nahar that additional, though minor, amendments could be introduced to the policy statement. However, clauses on which there was consensus would be left intact. They said that the four ministers – Salim al-Sayegh, Ibrahim Najjar, Salim Wardeh and Harb – would most probably express reservations only on the resistance clause while announce their backing for the rest of the statement. Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat also expected the four Christian ministers to grant the cabinet their vote of confidence while expressing reservations on article 6 during a parliamentary session. Al-Hayat quoted ministerial sources as saying that the possibility of holding a parliamentary session on Saturday is still on if lawmakers were handed over the policy statement text before Thursday. However, if Saturday's session was held, Hariri would read the statement on that day and pave way for discussions in parliament starting Monday. There is no excuse for discussions to last more than three days, the sources added. Meanwhile, As Safir newspaper said that the Phalange and LF ministers have now become the new opposition in the government while the representatives of the Free Patriotic Movement, Hizbullah and Amal are now part of the "new majority" along with the Progressive Socialist Party and al-Mustaqbal movement. Beirut, 30 Nov 09, 10:07

Hizbullah's New Manifesto: Party's Rebirth for a Clearer Vision on the Resistance
Naharnet/Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah will announce on Monday the party's new manifesto which media reports said was a document that would give a new impetus to the Shiite group's "political and ideological plans."An Nahar newspaper said Nasrallah intended to make his appearance, which will be through a giant screen at 3:30 pm at al-Jinan hall on the airport road, after the formulation of the cabinet policy statement. Nasrallah was re-elected head of Hizbullah earlier this month following a congress that also adopted the new manifesto, which was not revealed at the time. Hizbullah's first manifesto in 1985 called for the establishment of Islamic rule in Lebanon, but the party leadership has toned down its rhetoric in recent years as it gained political clout. According to As Safir newspaper, the manifesto would be a text that would lay foundations for the party or in other words a "second birth" that would set the path for Hizbullah in the coming years. Hizbullah leadership sources told An Nahar that the party intends with the new manifesto to launch wide-ranging discussions on several important and new issues. "It would include a clearer and wider vision on the resistance in its (the party's) political and ideological plan," the sources said. "This project is an absolute priority for the party and its supporters." The sources added that the new document was "historic and essential" since it would for the first time deal with topics never mentioned by the party's first manifesto. The document's importance also lies in its description of Hizbullah's "views on the nation and relations with its entities," according to the sources. Beirut, 30 Nov 09, 08:12

Phone Messages to Southerners Ask for Info on Missing Israelis
Naharnet/Several residents in the south complained on Monday about receiving recorded phone messages in Arabic offering huge rewards in return for information on missing Israeli soldiers.Voice of Lebanon radio said the messages offered a $10 million reward. In June, the Lebanese army warned people not to respond to the recorded phone messages. Lebanese have been receiving the messages periodically for more than a year asking people to view a website or call if they have information on missing Israeli soldiers, including Ron Arad, whose plane was shot down over Lebanon in 1986. The army statement at the time said that the messages were a violation of Lebanese sovereignty. It said any response would be considered "clear collaboration" with Israel. The Jewish state has in the past refused to say if it was behind the calls. Beirut, 30 Nov 09, 13:38

Fadlallah Slams Swiss Minaret Ban
Naharnet/Leading Lebanese Shiite cleric Sayyed Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah on Monday slammed as racist a referendum in Switzerland that saw voters approve a ban on the construction of mosque minarets. Fadlallah said in a statement that the ban was in line with a media frenzy to portray Muslims negatively and urged the West to seek better understanding of the Islamic religion. "This kind of decision is aimed at inciting racism against Muslims in the West," said Fadlallah, who has followers throughout the Shiite world. "It also negatively impacts on non-Muslims." He said Muslims in Switzerland should not resort to violence in answer to the ban. "I call on them to act positively with their Swiss compatriots, even those who voted in favor of a ban on the minarets," Fadlallah said. Switzerland on Sunday voted in favor of a ban on new mosque minarets -- the towers or turrets attached to mosques from which Muslims are traditionally called to prayer -- prompting dismay and anger in the Muslim world.(AFP) Beirut, 30 Nov 09, 14:32

Italy Takes Command of UNIFIL Maritime Task Force
Naharnet/UNIFIL Maritime Task Force (MTF) underwent on Monday a transfer of command from Germany to Italy for the next six months, UNIFIL said in a statement.
In a ceremony aboard German flagship FGS Schleswig-Holstein at Beirut Harbour, Rear Admiral Paolo Sandalli of Italy assumed command from Germany's Rear Admiral Jürgen Mannhardt. UNIFIL Commander Maj.-Gen. Claudio Graziano paid special tribute to Germany for its competent leadership of MTF over the past months. He also praised the Lebanese navy's performance. "The combined employment of LAF-navy patrol craft and coastal radar in interdiction operations, the navy's involvement in hailing merchant vessels and in the boarding and inspection of suspicious vessels at sea, including at night, have significantly contributed to securing Lebanese maritime borders," Graziano said. UNIFIL-MTF assists the Lebanese navy in securing the territorial waters and helping prevent the unauthorized entry of arms or related material by sea into Lebanon. Since the start of its operations on 15 October 2006, MTF has hailed around 28,000 ships and referred nearly 400 suspicious vessels to the Lebanese authorities for further inspections, the UNIFIL press release said. Following Monday's command changeover, UNIFIL-MTF will now comprise naval units from Germany (3 ships), Greece (1 ship), Italy (1 ship) and Turkey (1 ship). Beirut, 30 Nov 09, 13:00

Rahhal: Hariri to Head a Lebanese Delegation to Discuss Global Warming in Copenhagen
Naharnet/Environment Minister Mohammed Rahhal announced that PM Saad Hariri will head a Lebanese delegation to Copenhagen to discuss global warming. Accompanying Hariri will be Minister Rahhal himself and other associations' and ministry staff. In a reception celebrating al-Adha, Rahhal praised Hariri for forming a national unity government that represents all parties adding that "everybody will be responsible for the decisions that the government will take." He stated that Lebanon "is one of the least countries that contribute to global warming in comparison with the industrial countries given the fact that the toxic emissions in our country reach the minimum percentage of 0.07. That figure amounts to 5% in Arab countries; but Lebanon gets affected with as much percentage as any other country in the world."PM Hariri means to offer Lebanon as an exemplary country in the global warming case. "Hariri will suggest an objective plan to be discussed at the conference which is meant to reduce global warming and put a halt to its negative effects," added Rahhal. The Environment Minister declared that Lebanon does suffer from environmental issues and "if the world is to continue at this pace then there won't be any life left in a century of time". Beirut, 29 Nov 09, 19:37

Egypt mufti says Swiss minaret ban insults Muslims
CAIRO (AFP) - Egypt's Mufti Ali Gomaa denounced a vote to ban new minarets in Switzerland on Sunday as an "insult" to Muslims across the world, while calling on Muslims not to be provoked by the move. A solid majority of Swiss voters chose in a referendum to ban the construction of new minarets, the towers attached to mosques from which the call to prayers is announced. This proposal...is not considered just an attack on freedom of beliefs, but also an attempt to insult the feelings of the Muslim community in and outside Switzerland," Gomaa, the Egyptian government's official interpreter of Islamic law, told the state-run news agency MENA. He encouraged Switzerland's 400,000-strong Muslim community to use "dialogue" and legal means to contest the ban, which he described as "provocative behaviour."The rightist Swiss People's Party (SVP) -- Switzerland's biggest party -- had forced the referendum after collecting a mandatory 100,000 signatures from eligible voters within 18 months. Gomaa also called on Muslims not to be affected "by this provocation," adding that Islam "considers humanity a single family." Egypt is the most populous Arab country and was at the forefront of a backlash against Denmark in 2006 after a Danish newspaper printed cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed.

The Region: More, more, more!
By BARRY RUBIN
Jerusalem Post
Finally, we know the terms of the US-Israel agreement on freezing construction in West Bank settlements. It is a good plan and represents a considerable, well-crafted, albeit unilateral, concession by Israel. No licenses will be granted or apartments started in the West Bank for the next 10 months. And Israel doesn't consider east Jerusalem to be part of the West Bank.
PA President Mahmoud Abbas holds up a replica of Venezuelan independence hero Simon Bolivar's sword, left, and a palm frond given to him from Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Friday.
The US government praised the decision; after all it was pretty much what President Barack Obama has been trying to obtain for nine months and has worked hard to negotiate. "We believe the steps announced by the prime minister are significant and could have substantial impact on the ground," said George Mitchell, Obama's Middle East special envoy.
But, of course, it will have no impact whatsoever. On the contrary, the Palestinians and the Arab states will complain that it isn't enough, that it doesn't mean anything, and that they have more demands. Their openly stated demand is that Israel just hand over all the West Bank and east Jerusalem in exchange for nothing.
In giving something in exchange for no material gain or even a gesture from the other side, Israel can only hope that the president appreciates this and remembers that he did not deliver on his promise to get some concession from the Arab side to match it.
But will it be appreciated and even kept by the Obama administration? Will the world give Israel any credit for making one more effort to show that it wants peace? Is it going to be widely understood as demonstrating - unfortunately - that the other side doesn't? Is this going to affect the knee-jerk media view of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu as "hard-line"?
Probably, not but it's worth a try. Obama will be president another three to seven years and he should be shown that Israel wants peace and is willing to cooperate with his efforts to a reasonable extent.
But that's also why there's a time limit. It's not a high price to pay for keeping the US happy and showing Obama that Israel wants peace, is cooperative and is willing to make him look good. Certainly, it won't please the Palestinians.
FOR REASONS different from what you might think, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas is not so happy. He's complained in an interview that Obama is "doing nothing right now" regarding the peace process."I hope he'll take a more important role in the future," Abbas said. The Palestinians "are waiting for the United States to put pressure on Israel so it respects international law, so it takes up the road map... It can do two things: put pressure on the Israelis so they reject settlements, and put pressure so they accept withdrawing to the 1967 borders."
Can you see the humor in this? Here's Obama who campaigned and continues to say that his predecessor was "doing nothing" on the issue and that's why it hadn't been solved. Could Obama have possibly tried harder? He made it his most outspoken issue, talked about it constantly, met with leaders, put forward plans, pressured Israel, reached a deal with Israel that involved considerable Israeli concessions and asked for - but didn't receive - Arab help.
Could the lesson be more obvious? The problem isn't Obama or Netanyahu, it's Abbas. He is the one refusing to negotiate and is making a president who promised talks within two months look bad.
Why is Abbas behaving this way: because he's frustrated that progress isn't being made? This claim is rather ironic since he's the one blocking progress. The real reason is that he wants Obama to get him everything he wants without him making any compromises or concessions.
It isn't going to happen. And the Palestinians, Arabs in general and many Muslims will blame Obama. This must be a shock to him since he'd have tried so hard and bent over backwards to make them happy. And this disrespect is coming from Abbas, leader of the group which Obama has tried hardest to help.
Ironically, too, this is the first real foreign policy success for the Obama administration after 10 months in office. Yet the White House isn't eager - or not likely to be successful - in so claiming since so many people never want to credit Israel's compromises. Once Arab sources criticized Hillary Clinton's enthusiasm, the administration backed down in its praise and looked for still new, albeit small, ways to show that it is tough on Israel.
Objectively, though, bilateral relations are good, due in no small part to this step.
If the Palestinian side was sincere about negotiating and making peace, it would respond rationally.
Okay, they could say, it is only for 10 months but we can use that period to make so much progress that it will be extended. Even better, they could understand that if they made a peace treaty and got a state, there wouldn't be any more settlements in the territory they would be ruling (though there would be on land swapped with Israel).
But, of course, Abbas and the PA don't intend to do anything serious diplomatically in the next 10 months, or 20, or 30. All Abbas wants is that the United States force Israel to "accept withdrawing to the 1967 borders" and give up demands for settling Palestinians only in Palestine, not Israel.
Let's all watch, see and draw appropriate conclusion about what actually happens. And for those who didn't learn this lesson the last half-dozen times - most importantly from the fate of the 1990s' peace process, Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon, Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip - this can be a less costly way of understanding that it is the Palestinian side that is blocking peace and that support for Israel is the proper response to this situation.

Lebanon ‘Accepts’ Hezbollah’s Weapons
First Published 2009-11-29,
By: Franklin Lamb
Middle East On Line
Privately, the reaction to legitimizing Hezbollah’s deterrence to Israeli aggressions is causing a strong reaction on Capitol Hill. AIPAC has another Congressional Resolution ready to condemn Lebanon. But many people in Lebanon and the region who support Hezbollah do so because but because they have experienced six decades of Israeli aggression and six wars funded and armed by a US Congress, notes Franklin Lamb.
"It is the right of the Lebanese people, Army and the (Hezbollah led-) resistance to liberate the Shebaa Farms, the Kfar Shuba Hills and the northern part of the village of Ghajar as well as to defend Lebanon and its territorial waters in the face of any enemy by all available and legal means."
So reads the Policy Declaration of the new Government of the Republic of Lebanon, issued on 11/26/09, four days after the celebration of Lebanon’s 66 years of independence from the French colonial power, achieved in 1943.
Legally, constitutionally, and politically, Lebanon’s new National Unity Government policy legitimizes, embraces, and incorporates by reference, according to some Pentagon and State Department analysts, the National Lebanese Resistance.
For the US-Israel axis, the 52 words signal that Hezbollah- which since 2006 has enjoyed majority popular support- and the State of Lebanon are inseparable and indivisible with respect to defending this country from foreign interference and occupation. It affixes the Governmental imprimatur for liberating Lebanese lands still occupied by Israeli forces.
According to some international lawyers, it also fulfills UN Security Council Resolution 1559 regarding disarming militias because Lebanon has in effect declared that the arms of the Hezbollah led Resistance are part of the defense of Lebanon itself and not a particular movement or political party. This Policy statement satisfies UNSCR 1701 for the same reason.
Apart from the Phalange (Kataeb) Party and the Lebanese forces, and their spokesmen Samir Geagea and Amin Gemeyal, who will continue to condemn the policy declaration, the issue of Hezbollah’s arms has been essentially settled.
Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri stressed that “Hezbollah’s arms belong to all Lebanese and their existence is linked to Israel’s withdrawal from all Lebanese territory.”
Tawhid (Unifying) Party and Druze leader Wiam Wahhab went further and advised the media following the Policy Statement approval, the same wording as was reached at the 2008 Doha conference:
“Hezbollah’s arms will remain as long as there is conflict between the Arabs and Israel. When the world tells us how the naturalization of Palestinians issue will be resolved, then we will give details on how to deal with the arms of our national resistance. They now belong to all of Lebanon.”
The message from Lebanon’s new government to the US administration is clear according to Lebanese Human Rights Ambassador Ali Khalil:
“You can have very friendly relations with Lebanon but that means dealing with Lebanon and our new government as a whole, not cherry picking certain ministries or parties in Parliament. Aid, defensive arms and equipment, economy, trade, should be negotiated with equality- not the US Embassy’s color coded push pin political affiliation map used previously. Hezbollah is Lebanon and Lebanon is Hezbollah. Try to understand and get used to it. You might be pleased if both the US and Lebanon work for our own interests but dialogue with mutual respect.”
Many people in Lebanon and the region who support Hezbollah do so not because they know all about or even very much care about the pillars of Shia Islam or the role of the Wali al Faque but because they have experienced six decades of Israeli aggression and six wars funded and armed by a US Congress that puts Israel before its own country and way before any Arab country including Lebanon. They realize that 18 years of a fake ‘peace process’ has brought nothing but misery to the Palestinians and Lebanon whereas 18 years of Resistance has freed most of Israel occupied Lebanese territory. And they realize that there is more yet to be done.
UNIFIL sources reported this week that they expected Israel to withdraw from the Lebanese village of Ghajar before the 12 member Cabinet committee voted to legitimize Hezbollah’s arms, in order to upstage the Lebanese government decision. The Israeli government, under US and EU pressure agreed, knowing that its army could not hold the village during its next attack on Lebanon and realizing that holding Ghajar meanwhile is not worth the political and military price.
Actual Israeli troop withdrawal is expected at any moment against the backdrop of more “cry wolf” threats such as yesterdays from Israeli defense minister Ehud Barack that “all of Lebanon will pay the huge price for giving Hezbollah its Government.” More than ever Lebanon’s population believes that Israel will also pay a huge price if it launches a 7th war against Lebanon or attacks Iran or Syria.
A Conference Call
In Washington and Beirut the response to Lebanon seems legitimization of Hezbollah’s arms was publicly subdued. The US Embassy, for the second year in a row mistakenly sent Eid al Fitr greetings to Lebanon’s President Michel Suleiman, whereas this week’s holiday, which commemorates the annual Hajj Pilgrimage and the 1,400 year old Muslim tradition of giving of meat to the poor, is called Eid al Adha. Eid al Fitr actually follows Ramadan which ended this year on September 19th. Anyhow, for sure it’s the thought that counts and the White House did promptly correct the Beirut’s Embassy error and sent President Obama’s and the American peoples Eid al Adha greetings yesterday at 2:15 p.m. Beirut time.
Privately, the reaction to legitimizing Hezbollah’s deterrence to Israeli aggressions is causing a strong reaction on Capitol Hill. AIPAC has another Congressional Resolution ready to condemn Lebanon for capitulating to ‘terrorism’. Hard to believe as it is, some members of Congress are actually tiring of all the Israel Lobby’s resolutions and the pressure tactics AIPAC uses to get them passed irrespective of what they say or whether they are read.
Before the Thanksgiving break, AIPAC organized an urgent conference call among 11 Chairman, all Jewish or ardent Zionist, of key US Congressional committees, including Foreign Affairs, Intelligence, Appropriations, Banking, Homeland Security, Environment, and Aging, and Rules.
Together, the group forms what AIPAC calls “Israel’s Firewall” which it and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations conceived of and formalized in late September 2001 “to assure consultation and dialogue with respect to how best to launch Congressional initiatives that will preserve the special and unbreakable US-Israel relationship.”
In addition to the above members, others who have been approached to form the ‘firewall’ in the 111th Congress include all 13 Jewish members of the US Senate and the 28 Jewish House Members as well as a couple of dozen trusted evangelical Christian Zionist members.
According to a Zionist Organizations of America (ZOA) source, the group has not been very active until recently. Decisions, if any that were taken the past eight years by what is referred to by some on Capitol Hill as the “Israel Synod” is not currently known.
One recent decision that has been taken was revealed by ZOA. The ‘fire wall’ project is to ‘fast track’ a dramatic increase in US military aid to Israel to deal with perceived Hezbollah, Hamas, Syria, and Iranian threats to Israel. “These people see an urgent need to clean house and restore Israel’s military dominance and credibility”, claimed the ZOA source.
According to a staff member of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, the ‘ fire wall’ group plans to expedite US Congressional approval for more subsidies for all or part of the funds needed by Israel to purchase US weapons. This will be in addition to Israel receiving over the past 24 months $ 2,070.1 billion from US taxpayers earmarked for this purpose.
AIPAC’s new ‘fire wall’ group will work for the 2010 deployment of the so called “Iron Dome” that can unleash a metallic cloud to bring down incoming rockets in the skies over Gaza or Lebanon as well as funding for a new generation of Israel’s Arrow defense system designed to shoot down Iran's long-range missiles at high altitudes.
In addition, Israel will receive US funding for more German-made Dolphin submarines that can be equipped with nuclear-tipped missiles for positioning off the coast of Iran.
AIPAC’s problem is to get Congress to overrule Pentagon skepticism of much of Israel’s ‘new weapons’ projects which some view as more psychological warfare than reliable or usable effectively in future conflicts. AIPAC appears confident and with good reason.
The Congressional Israel lobby has already achieved a commitment from the Obama administration to add Israeli systems and munitions to a new US-built F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and deliver 25 to Israel by 2015 with another 50 delivered by 2018. The Obama administration will also integrate bombs that use an Israeli precision guidance kit called Spice along with Python 5 air-to-air missiles made by Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. The ‘fire wall’ group is to assure that Israel will also get a relatively inexpensive path for hardware and software upgrades to add future weapons.
'Mother of All Bombs'
Another major Congressional weapons project for Israel is the Boeing Corporations new 30,000 pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bomb.
The MOP carries more than 5,300 pounds of explosives and delivers more than 10 times the explosive power of its predecessor, the 2,000-pound BLU-109, according to the Pentagon's Defense Threat Reduction Agency, which has funded and managed the seed program. It is also about one-third heavier than the 21,000-pound GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb – last season’s "mother of all bombs" -- that was dropped twice in tests at a Florida range in 2003.
The 20-foot-long (6-metre) MOP is built to be dropped from either the B-52 or the B-2 "stealth" bomber and is designed to penetrate up to 200 feet underground before exploding, according to the US Air Force. The Pentagons Central Command, which is preparing for war with Iran- just in case- is backing a acceleration request according to Kenneth Katzman, an expert on Iran at the Congressional Research Service, the research arm of Congress. Israel wants them to attack Hezbollah’s deep bunkers in South Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.
If AIPAC can get Congress to shift enough funds to the program, Northrop Grumman Corp (NOC.N)’s radar-evading B-2 bomber "would be capable of carrying the bomb by July 2010. This claim has been verified by Andy Bourland, an Air Force spokesman, who added, “There have been discussions with the four congressional committees with oversight responsibilities. Officially no final decision has been made."
In fact the decision has been made according to AIPAC and Congressional sources and its “all systems go”.
**Franklin Lamb is doing research in Lebanon and can be reached at fplamb@gmail.com.

Bill would allow import of books from Syria, Lebanon
By Jonathan Lis /Haaretz
Books translated in "hostile countries" will soon be allowed to be sold in Israel, after the Ministerial Committee for Legislation decided yesterday to support a bill overturning a World War II-era law aimed at blocking information from enemy states.
This will allow the Arabic translations of best-selling children's books like "Harry Potter" and "Pinocchio," as well as Arabic versions of prominent Israeli authors, to be sold here.
Until now, Arabic translations of popular children's books and works by authors like Amos Oz, Yoram Kaniuk and Eshkol Nevo were not available in Israel, because they were printed in hostile countries like Syria and Lebanon. This was because a 1939 British-Mandate era law prohibited literature from being imported from enemy states.
Given the relatively low readership of Arabic-language books in Israel, and the resulting low returns on translations, almost none have been produced in Israel.
The present bill, initiated by MKs Yuli Tamir, Yariv Levin and Zeev Bielski, aims to make literature in Arabic more readily available.
Tamir (Labor) said yesterday, "This would be an important law, one that ensures the freedom of literature and culture of all citizens. Every citizen is entitled to read literature in his mother tongue. This law would end the absence of children's books and belles-lettres for Arabic readers."
The bill calls for freedom to "import books from any country, and allow translations into any language, in order to ensure exposure to a wide array of literature and to expand citizens' rights to rich cultural lives in their native tongues."
The proposal allows security authorities to reject the importation of a certain book or journal for content that could be used for incitement, such as literature denying the Holocaust or encouraging terrorism.
In January, the human rights organization Adalah petitioned the High Court to allow Kol-Bo Sefarim - Israel's largest supplier of Arabic-language textbooks - to import books from Egypt and Jordan that were published in Syria and Lebanon.
The book supplier has imported books from Egypt for three decades, and since 1993, it has imported books from Jordan as well. Most of the books were printed in Syria or Lebanon, but the company had received permission from the chief military censor to import them.
In August of last year, however, Kol-Bo received a letter from the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry stating its permit to import books from enemy countries would not be renewed. The letter said such books could not even be imported through countries with which Israel has diplomatic relations, due to the World War II-era law.
Adalah's petition noted that 80 percent of books intended for Israel's Arab community, and most Arabic books destined for college and university libraries in Israel, are printed in Syria and Lebanon, where several large publishing houses hold exclusive rights to translate major Western literary works into Arabic.
Lebanese printing houses hold exclusive rights to translate "Harry Potter" and "Pinocchio," as well as works released by Britain's Ladybird Books, which publishes a variety of popular children's books. The Lebanese printing houses also hold exclusive rights to the Arabic translations of classic works by William Shakespeare and Moliere, and modern works by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Paulo Coelho.
A handful of Syrian printing houses have exclusive rights to the Arabic translations of Hebrew works by Oz, Kaniuk and Nevo.

 Still in our hands
November 30, 2009
Now Lebanon/
There has been much haste in writing the obituary of the March 14 movement, especially as many of these doubters see the tenor of the ministerial statement as the final, exhausted nail in a coffin the opposition has spent three years trying to close.
Although the details of the statement have not yet been disclosed, we know enough to be sure that the objectives of Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s new government will not fully reflect the March 14 coalition’s June 7 election victory, and as such, the aspirations of the Lebanese who voted for far-reaching change that day.
And while, from what we know, the economic pledges are laudable, the article relating to the Resistance and its considerable arsenal will surely once again disappoint those who believe that weapons should only be carried by the state and who know that as long as these weapons sit outside the state, we can kiss goodbye to genuine progress. For while the issue of the Resistance and its weapons remains unaddressed, all the economic goodwill in the world will not bring to Lebanon the blend of harmony, security and prosperity it deserves.
But back to March 14. The March 8 opposition bloc would like to think that it has snuffed out the last vestiges of hope, hope that was kindled during those heady days in the spring of 2005 in the wake of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 21 others.
We hate to disappoint them. Results from the university student elections at AUB and NDU and the professional syndicates – most recently the pharmacists, but also the dentists – demonstrate that the spirit of March 14 is alive and kicking. The opposition may have got what it wanted in the ministerial statement – through coercion and veiled threats – from the March 14 alliance, the political manifestation that takes its name from the day. But what it cannot take away is the fact that the March 14 movement – the 1 million Lebanese who flocked to Martyrs’ Square in the name of sovereignty, freedom and independence – was created by the people and remains in their hands.
These were people who for the first time modern Arab history felt compelled to force their so-called leaders to act on their behalf in the face of terror and the unacceptable conditions of occupation and repression.
Today there is a disconnect. The government that was created on November 9 was a refection of the regional dynamic. It was not formed, by any stretch of the imagination, with the best interests of the Lebanese people in mind. Those same people recognize the realities, the harshness of the Middle East’s realpolitik, but today they serve notice that they have not given up on wanting a better Lebanon.
Regional horse-trading cannot kill their hopes, dull their courage or quench their desire for change. In 2005, they walked into the unknown. They said “enough” and were prepared to risk all (we forget that at one point then-President Emile Lahoud had initially issued orders for soldiers to fire on demonstrators) to show they meant it.
So we wait for the ministerial statement. We will not be expecting much, but we will not stop campaigning for the Lebanon in which we, and the majority of Lebanese, want to live.
 

LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
December 01/09

Bible Reading of the day
The Letter from James/1:12-18: "Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.  Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. /Naharnet

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
 Still in our hands/Now Lebanon/November 30/09
 The Region: More, more, more!/By BARRY RUBIN/Jerusalem Post/November 30/09
Bill would allow import of books from Syria, Lebanon/By Jonathan Lis/Haaretz/November 30/09

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for November 30/09
 Hizbullah's New Manifesto: Party's Rebirth for a Clearer Vision on the Resistance/Naharnet
 Phone Messages to Southerners Ask for Info on Missing Israelis/Naharnet
 Residents Cut Power across Akkar/Naharnet
 Fadlallah Slams Swiss Minaret Ban/Naharnet
 March 14's Christian Ministers Meet to Consult, Won't Issue Unified Statement/Naharnet
 Italy Takes Command of UNIFIL Maritime Task Force/Naharnet
 $10,000 Reward for Info on Lebanese Man who Killed 4 Family Members in Florida/Naharnet
 Report: Israel May Start Importing Books from Lebanon, Syria/Naharnet
 Reservations Only on Resistance Clause, Vote of Confidence is by Now a Fact/Naharnet
 Rahhal: Hariri to Head a Lebanese Delegation to Discuss Global Warming in Copenhagen/Naharnet
 Jumblat: Suleiman's Efforts a Key Role to Make Ministry Work/Naharnet
 March 14-backed List Won Pharmacists' Syndicate Elections/Naharnet
 Report: Suleiman to Meet Obama Next Month/Naharnet
 Egypt mufti says Swiss minaret ban insults Muslims/AFP
Warnings of war/Ha'aretz
 Lebanon 'Accepts' Hezbollah's Weapons/Middle East Online
 Miitary aid tops Sleiman agenda during Washington visit/Daily Star
Religious leaders call for dialogue during Eid al-Adha celebrations/Daily Star
Jumblatt seeks return for Chouf displaced/Daily Star
 UAE will not extradite discredited witness in Hariri probe/AFP
 Political sectarianism 'responsible' for emigration/Daily Star
Hariri to head for climate change conference/Daily Star
Aoun dismisses need for Christian reconciliation talks /Daily Star
 Lebanese-American shoots 6-year-old in Miami death spree/Daily Star
 Fallout from Dubai crisis will spare Lebanese economy/Daily Star
 March 14 secures win at pharmacists' election /Daily Star
Animal rights groups fight for stricter legislation, change in public opinion /Daily Star
Anniversary Mass marks Moawad's death/Daily Star
 Soldiers in 'critical condition' after bus crash/Daily Star
Mneimneh says school holiday calendar should be fixed/Daily Star
Nepal bans migration to Lebanon amid abuse fears/Daily Star

Reservations Only on Resistance Clause, Vote of Confidence is by Now a Fact
Naharnet/Ministerial sources did not rule out arguments during Wednesday's cabinet session over the reservations by Phalange and Lebanese Forces ministers as well as Minister Boutros Harb on the 6th clause of the policy statement. The sources told An Nahar that additional, though minor, amendments could be introduced to the policy statement. However, clauses on which there was consensus would be left intact. They said that the four ministers – Salim al-Sayegh, Ibrahim Najjar, Salim Wardeh and Harb – would most probably express reservations only on the resistance clause while announce their backing for the rest of the statement. Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat also expected the four Christian ministers to grant the cabinet their vote of confidence while expressing reservations on article 6 during a parliamentary session. Al-Hayat quoted ministerial sources as saying that the possibility of holding a parliamentary session on Saturday is still on if lawmakers were handed over the policy statement text before Thursday. However, if Saturday's session was held, Hariri would read the statement on that day and pave way for discussions in parliament starting Monday. There is no excuse for discussions to last more than three days, the sources added. Meanwhile, As Safir newspaper said that the Phalange and LF ministers have now become the new opposition in the government while the representatives of the Free Patriotic Movement, Hizbullah and Amal are now part of the "new majority" along with the Progressive Socialist Party and al-Mustaqbal movement. Beirut, 30 Nov 09, 10:07

Hizbullah's New Manifesto: Party's Rebirth for a Clearer Vision on the Resistance
Naharnet/Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah will announce on Monday the party's new manifesto which media reports said was a document that would give a new impetus to the Shiite group's "political and ideological plans."An Nahar newspaper said Nasrallah intended to make his appearance, which will be through a giant screen at 3:30 pm at al-Jinan hall on the airport road, after the formulation of the cabinet policy statement. Nasrallah was re-elected head of Hizbullah earlier this month following a congress that also adopted the new manifesto, which was not revealed at the time. Hizbullah's first manifesto in 1985 called for the establishment of Islamic rule in Lebanon, but the party leadership has toned down its rhetoric in recent years as it gained political clout. According to As Safir newspaper, the manifesto would be a text that would lay foundations for the party or in other words a "second birth" that would set the path for Hizbullah in the coming years. Hizbullah leadership sources told An Nahar that the party intends with the new manifesto to launch wide-ranging discussions on several important and new issues. "It would include a clearer and wider vision on the resistance in its (the party's) political and ideological plan," the sources said. "This project is an absolute priority for the party and its supporters." The sources added that the new document was "historic and essential" since it would for the first time deal with topics never mentioned by the party's first manifesto. The document's importance also lies in its description of Hizbullah's "views on the nation and relations with its entities," according to the sources. Beirut, 30 Nov 09, 08:12

Phone Messages to Southerners Ask for Info on Missing Israelis
Naharnet/Several residents in the south complained on Monday about receiving recorded phone messages in Arabic offering huge rewards in return for information on missing Israeli soldiers.Voice of Lebanon radio said the messages offered a $10 million reward. In June, the Lebanese army warned people not to respond to the recorded phone messages. Lebanese have been receiving the messages periodically for more than a year asking people to view a website or call if they have information on missing Israeli soldiers, including Ron Arad, whose plane was shot down over Lebanon in 1986. The army statement at the time said that the messages were a violation of Lebanese sovereignty. It said any response would be considered "clear collaboration" with Israel. The Jewish state has in the past refused to say if it was behind the calls. Beirut, 30 Nov 09, 13:38

Fadlallah Slams Swiss Minaret Ban
Naharnet/Leading Lebanese Shiite cleric Sayyed Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah on Monday slammed as racist a referendum in Switzerland that saw voters approve a ban on the construction of mosque minarets. Fadlallah said in a statement that the ban was in line with a media frenzy to portray Muslims negatively and urged the West to seek better understanding of the Islamic religion. "This kind of decision is aimed at inciting racism against Muslims in the West," said Fadlallah, who has followers throughout the Shiite world. "It also negatively impacts on non-Muslims." He said Muslims in Switzerland should not resort to violence in answer to the ban. "I call on them to act positively with their Swiss compatriots, even those who voted in favor of a ban on the minarets," Fadlallah said. Switzerland on Sunday voted in favor of a ban on new mosque minarets -- the towers or turrets attached to mosques from which Muslims are traditionally called to prayer -- prompting dismay and anger in the Muslim world.(AFP) Beirut, 30 Nov 09, 14:32

Italy Takes Command of UNIFIL Maritime Task Force
Naharnet/UNIFIL Maritime Task Force (MTF) underwent on Monday a transfer of command from Germany to Italy for the next six months, UNIFIL said in a statement.
In a ceremony aboard German flagship FGS Schleswig-Holstein at Beirut Harbour, Rear Admiral Paolo Sandalli of Italy assumed command from Germany's Rear Admiral Jürgen Mannhardt. UNIFIL Commander Maj.-Gen. Claudio Graziano paid special tribute to Germany for its competent leadership of MTF over the past months. He also praised the Lebanese navy's performance. "The combined employment of LAF-navy patrol craft and coastal radar in interdiction operations, the navy's involvement in hailing merchant vessels and in the boarding and inspection of suspicious vessels at sea, including at night, have significantly contributed to securing Lebanese maritime borders," Graziano said. UNIFIL-MTF assists the Lebanese navy in securing the territorial waters and helping prevent the unauthorized entry of arms or related material by sea into Lebanon. Since the start of its operations on 15 October 2006, MTF has hailed around 28,000 ships and referred nearly 400 suspicious vessels to the Lebanese authorities for further inspections, the UNIFIL press release said. Following Monday's command changeover, UNIFIL-MTF will now comprise naval units from Germany (3 ships), Greece (1 ship), Italy (1 ship) and Turkey (1 ship). Beirut, 30 Nov 09, 13:00

Rahhal: Hariri to Head a Lebanese Delegation to Discuss Global Warming in Copenhagen
Naharnet/Environment Minister Mohammed Rahhal announced that PM Saad Hariri will head a Lebanese delegation to Copenhagen to discuss global warming. Accompanying Hariri will be Minister Rahhal himself and other associations' and ministry staff. In a reception celebrating al-Adha, Rahhal praised Hariri for forming a national unity government that represents all parties adding that "everybody will be responsible for the decisions that the government will take." He stated that Lebanon "is one of the least countries that contribute to global warming in comparison with the industrial countries given the fact that the toxic emissions in our country reach the minimum percentage of 0.07. That figure amounts to 5% in Arab countries; but Lebanon gets affected with as much percentage as any other country in the world."PM Hariri means to offer Lebanon as an exemplary country in the global warming case. "Hariri will suggest an objective plan to be discussed at the conference which is meant to reduce global warming and put a halt to its negative effects," added Rahhal. The Environment Minister declared that Lebanon does suffer from environmental issues and "if the world is to continue at this pace then there won't be any life left in a century of time". Beirut, 29 Nov 09, 19:37

Egypt mufti says Swiss minaret ban insults Muslims
CAIRO (AFP) - Egypt's Mufti Ali Gomaa denounced a vote to ban new minarets in Switzerland on Sunday as an "insult" to Muslims across the world, while calling on Muslims not to be provoked by the move. A solid majority of Swiss voters chose in a referendum to ban the construction of new minarets, the towers attached to mosques from which the call to prayers is announced. This proposal...is not considered just an attack on freedom of beliefs, but also an attempt to insult the feelings of the Muslim community in and outside Switzerland," Gomaa, the Egyptian government's official interpreter of Islamic law, told the state-run news agency MENA. He encouraged Switzerland's 400,000-strong Muslim community to use "dialogue" and legal means to contest the ban, which he described as "provocative behaviour."The rightist Swiss People's Party (SVP) -- Switzerland's biggest party -- had forced the referendum after collecting a mandatory 100,000 signatures from eligible voters within 18 months. Gomaa also called on Muslims not to be affected "by this provocation," adding that Islam "considers humanity a single family." Egypt is the most populous Arab country and was at the forefront of a backlash against Denmark in 2006 after a Danish newspaper printed cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed.

The Region: More, more, more!
By BARRY RUBIN
Jerusalem Post
Finally, we know the terms of the US-Israel agreement on freezing construction in West Bank settlements. It is a good plan and represents a considerable, well-crafted, albeit unilateral, concession by Israel. No licenses will be granted or apartments started in the West Bank for the next 10 months. And Israel doesn't consider east Jerusalem to be part of the West Bank.
PA President Mahmoud Abbas holds up a replica of Venezuelan independence hero Simon Bolivar's sword, left, and a palm frond given to him from Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Friday.
The US government praised the decision; after all it was pretty much what President Barack Obama has been trying to obtain for nine months and has worked hard to negotiate. "We believe the steps announced by the prime minister are significant and could have substantial impact on the ground," said George Mitchell, Obama's Middle East special envoy.
But, of course, it will have no impact whatsoever. On the contrary, the Palestinians and the Arab states will complain that it isn't enough, that it doesn't mean anything, and that they have more demands. Their openly stated demand is that Israel just hand over all the West Bank and east Jerusalem in exchange for nothing.
In giving something in exchange for no material gain or even a gesture from the other side, Israel can only hope that the president appreciates this and remembers that he did not deliver on his promise to get some concession from the Arab side to match it.
But will it be appreciated and even kept by the Obama administration? Will the world give Israel any credit for making one more effort to show that it wants peace? Is it going to be widely understood as demonstrating - unfortunately - that the other side doesn't? Is this going to affect the knee-jerk media view of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu as "hard-line"?
Probably, not but it's worth a try. Obama will be president another three to seven years and he should be shown that Israel wants peace and is willing to cooperate with his efforts to a reasonable extent.
But that's also why there's a time limit. It's not a high price to pay for keeping the US happy and showing Obama that Israel wants peace, is cooperative and is willing to make him look good. Certainly, it won't please the Palestinians.
FOR REASONS different from what you might think, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas is not so happy. He's complained in an interview that Obama is "doing nothing right now" regarding the peace process."I hope he'll take a more important role in the future," Abbas said. The Palestinians "are waiting for the United States to put pressure on Israel so it respects international law, so it takes up the road map... It can do two things: put pressure on the Israelis so they reject settlements, and put pressure so they accept withdrawing to the 1967 borders."
Can you see the humor in this? Here's Obama who campaigned and continues to say that his predecessor was "doing nothing" on the issue and that's why it hadn't been solved. Could Obama have possibly tried harder? He made it his most outspoken issue, talked about it constantly, met with leaders, put forward plans, pressured Israel, reached a deal with Israel that involved considerable Israeli concessions and asked for - but didn't receive - Arab help.
Could the lesson be more obvious? The problem isn't Obama or Netanyahu, it's Abbas. He is the one refusing to negotiate and is making a president who promised talks within two months look bad.
Why is Abbas behaving this way: because he's frustrated that progress isn't being made? This claim is rather ironic since he's the one blocking progress. The real reason is that he wants Obama to get him everything he wants without him making any compromises or concessions.
It isn't going to happen. And the Palestinians, Arabs in general and many Muslims will blame Obama. This must be a shock to him since he'd have tried so hard and bent over backwards to make them happy. And this disrespect is coming from Abbas, leader of the group which Obama has tried hardest to help.
Ironically, too, this is the first real foreign policy success for the Obama administration after 10 months in office. Yet the White House isn't eager - or not likely to be successful - in so claiming since so many people never want to credit Israel's compromises. Once Arab sources criticized Hillary Clinton's enthusiasm, the administration backed down in its praise and looked for still new, albeit small, ways to show that it is tough on Israel.
Objectively, though, bilateral relations are good, due in no small part to this step.
If the Palestinian side was sincere about negotiating and making peace, it would respond rationally.
Okay, they could say, it is only for 10 months but we can use that period to make so much progress that it will be extended. Even better, they could understand that if they made a peace treaty and got a state, there wouldn't be any more settlements in the territory they would be ruling (though there would be on land swapped with Israel).
But, of course, Abbas and the PA don't intend to do anything serious diplomatically in the next 10 months, or 20, or 30. All Abbas wants is that the United States force Israel to "accept withdrawing to the 1967 borders" and give up demands for settling Palestinians only in Palestine, not Israel.
Let's all watch, see and draw appropriate conclusion about what actually happens. And for those who didn't learn this lesson the last half-dozen times - most importantly from the fate of the 1990s' peace process, Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon, Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip - this can be a less costly way of understanding that it is the Palestinian side that is blocking peace and that support for Israel is the proper response to this situation.

Lebanon ‘Accepts’ Hezbollah’s Weapons
First Published 2009-11-29,
By: Franklin Lamb
Middle East On Line
Privately, the reaction to legitimizing Hezbollah’s deterrence to Israeli aggressions is causing a strong reaction on Capitol Hill. AIPAC has another Congressional Resolution ready to condemn Lebanon. But many people in Lebanon and the region who support Hezbollah do so because but because they have experienced six decades of Israeli aggression and six wars funded and armed by a US Congress, notes Franklin Lamb.
"It is the right of the Lebanese people, Army and the (Hezbollah led-) resistance to liberate the Shebaa Farms, the Kfar Shuba Hills and the northern part of the village of Ghajar as well as to defend Lebanon and its territorial waters in the face of any enemy by all available and legal means."
So reads the Policy Declaration of the new Government of the Republic of Lebanon, issued on 11/26/09, four days after the celebration of Lebanon’s 66 years of independence from the French colonial power, achieved in 1943.
Legally, constitutionally, and politically, Lebanon’s new National Unity Government policy legitimizes, embraces, and incorporates by reference, according to some Pentagon and State Department analysts, the National Lebanese Resistance.
For the US-Israel axis, the 52 words signal that Hezbollah- which since 2006 has enjoyed majority popular support- and the State of Lebanon are inseparable and indivisible with respect to defending this country from foreign interference and occupation. It affixes the Governmental imprimatur for liberating Lebanese lands still occupied by Israeli forces.
According to some international lawyers, it also fulfills UN Security Council Resolution 1559 regarding disarming militias because Lebanon has in effect declared that the arms of the Hezbollah led Resistance are part of the defense of Lebanon itself and not a particular movement or political party. This Policy statement satisfies UNSCR 1701 for the same reason.
Apart from the Phalange (Kataeb) Party and the Lebanese forces, and their spokesmen Samir Geagea and Amin Gemeyal, who will continue to condemn the policy declaration, the issue of Hezbollah’s arms has been essentially settled.
Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri stressed that “Hezbollah’s arms belong to all Lebanese and their existence is linked to Israel’s withdrawal from all Lebanese territory.”
Tawhid (Unifying) Party and Druze leader Wiam Wahhab went further and advised the media following the Policy Statement approval, the same wording as was reached at the 2008 Doha conference:
“Hezbollah’s arms will remain as long as there is conflict between the Arabs and Israel. When the world tells us how the naturalization of Palestinians issue will be resolved, then we will give details on how to deal with the arms of our national resistance. They now belong to all of Lebanon.”
The message from Lebanon’s new government to the US administration is clear according to Lebanese Human Rights Ambassador Ali Khalil:
“You can have very friendly relations with Lebanon but that means dealing with Lebanon and our new government as a whole, not cherry picking certain ministries or parties in Parliament. Aid, defensive arms and equipment, economy, trade, should be negotiated with equality- not the US Embassy’s color coded push pin political affiliation map used previously. Hezbollah is Lebanon and Lebanon is Hezbollah. Try to understand and get used to it. You might be pleased if both the US and Lebanon work for our own interests but dialogue with mutual respect.”
Many people in Lebanon and the region who support Hezbollah do so not because they know all about or even very much care about the pillars of Shia Islam or the role of the Wali al Faque but because they have experienced six decades of Israeli aggression and six wars funded and armed by a US Congress that puts Israel before its own country and way before any Arab country including Lebanon. They realize that 18 years of a fake ‘peace process’ has brought nothing but misery to the Palestinians and Lebanon whereas 18 years of Resistance has freed most of Israel occupied Lebanese territory. And they realize that there is more yet to be done.
UNIFIL sources reported this week that they expected Israel to withdraw from the Lebanese village of Ghajar before the 12 member Cabinet committee voted to legitimize Hezbollah’s arms, in order to upstage the Lebanese government decision. The Israeli government, under US and EU pressure agreed, knowing that its army could not hold the village during its next attack on Lebanon and realizing that holding Ghajar meanwhile is not worth the political and military price.
Actual Israeli troop withdrawal is expected at any moment against the backdrop of more “cry wolf” threats such as yesterdays from Israeli defense minister Ehud Barack that “all of Lebanon will pay the huge price for giving Hezbollah its Government.” More than ever Lebanon’s population believes that Israel will also pay a huge price if it launches a 7th war against Lebanon or attacks Iran or Syria.
A Conference Call
In Washington and Beirut the response to Lebanon seems legitimization of Hezbollah’s arms was publicly subdued. The US Embassy, for the second year in a row mistakenly sent Eid al Fitr greetings to Lebanon’s President Michel Suleiman, whereas this week’s holiday, which commemorates the annual Hajj Pilgrimage and the 1,400 year old Muslim tradition of giving of meat to the poor, is called Eid al Adha. Eid al Fitr actually follows Ramadan which ended this year on September 19th. Anyhow, for sure it’s the thought that counts and the White House did promptly correct the Beirut’s Embassy error and sent President Obama’s and the American peoples Eid al Adha greetings yesterday at 2:15 p.m. Beirut time.
Privately, the reaction to legitimizing Hezbollah’s deterrence to Israeli aggressions is causing a strong reaction on Capitol Hill. AIPAC has another Congressional Resolution ready to condemn Lebanon for capitulating to ‘terrorism’. Hard to believe as it is, some members of Congress are actually tiring of all the Israel Lobby’s resolutions and the pressure tactics AIPAC uses to get them passed irrespective of what they say or whether they are read.
Before the Thanksgiving break, AIPAC organized an urgent conference call among 11 Chairman, all Jewish or ardent Zionist, of key US Congressional committees, including Foreign Affairs, Intelligence, Appropriations, Banking, Homeland Security, Environment, and Aging, and Rules.
Together, the group forms what AIPAC calls “Israel’s Firewall” which it and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations conceived of and formalized in late September 2001 “to assure consultation and dialogue with respect to how best to launch Congressional initiatives that will preserve the special and unbreakable US-Israel relationship.”
In addition to the above members, others who have been approached to form the ‘firewall’ in the 111th Congress include all 13 Jewish members of the US Senate and the 28 Jewish House Members as well as a couple of dozen trusted evangelical Christian Zionist members.
According to a Zionist Organizations of America (ZOA) source, the group has not been very active until recently. Decisions, if any that were taken the past eight years by what is referred to by some on Capitol Hill as the “Israel Synod” is not currently known.
One recent decision that has been taken was revealed by ZOA. The ‘fire wall’ project is to ‘fast track’ a dramatic increase in US military aid to Israel to deal with perceived Hezbollah, Hamas, Syria, and Iranian threats to Israel. “These people see an urgent need to clean house and restore Israel’s military dominance and credibility”, claimed the ZOA source.
According to a staff member of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, the ‘ fire wall’ group plans to expedite US Congressional approval for more subsidies for all or part of the funds needed by Israel to purchase US weapons. This will be in addition to Israel receiving over the past 24 months $ 2,070.1 billion from US taxpayers earmarked for this purpose.
AIPAC’s new ‘fire wall’ group will work for the 2010 deployment of the so called “Iron Dome” that can unleash a metallic cloud to bring down incoming rockets in the skies over Gaza or Lebanon as well as funding for a new generation of Israel’s Arrow defense system designed to shoot down Iran's long-range missiles at high altitudes.
In addition, Israel will receive US funding for more German-made Dolphin submarines that can be equipped with nuclear-tipped missiles for positioning off the coast of Iran.
AIPAC’s problem is to get Congress to overrule Pentagon skepticism of much of Israel’s ‘new weapons’ projects which some view as more psychological warfare than reliable or usable effectively in future conflicts. AIPAC appears confident and with good reason.
The Congressional Israel lobby has already achieved a commitment from the Obama administration to add Israeli systems and munitions to a new US-built F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and deliver 25 to Israel by 2015 with another 50 delivered by 2018. The Obama administration will also integrate bombs that use an Israeli precision guidance kit called Spice along with Python 5 air-to-air missiles made by Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. The ‘fire wall’ group is to assure that Israel will also get a relatively inexpensive path for hardware and software upgrades to add future weapons.
'Mother of All Bombs'
Another major Congressional weapons project for Israel is the Boeing Corporations new 30,000 pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bomb.
The MOP carries more than 5,300 pounds of explosives and delivers more than 10 times the explosive power of its predecessor, the 2,000-pound BLU-109, according to the Pentagon's Defense Threat Reduction Agency, which has funded and managed the seed program. It is also about one-third heavier than the 21,000-pound GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb – last season’s "mother of all bombs" -- that was dropped twice in tests at a Florida range in 2003.
The 20-foot-long (6-metre) MOP is built to be dropped from either the B-52 or the B-2 "stealth" bomber and is designed to penetrate up to 200 feet underground before exploding, according to the US Air Force. The Pentagons Central Command, which is preparing for war with Iran- just in case- is backing a acceleration request according to Kenneth Katzman, an expert on Iran at the Congressional Research Service, the research arm of Congress. Israel wants them to attack Hezbollah’s deep bunkers in South Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.
If AIPAC can get Congress to shift enough funds to the program, Northrop Grumman Corp (NOC.N)’s radar-evading B-2 bomber "would be capable of carrying the bomb by July 2010. This claim has been verified by Andy Bourland, an Air Force spokesman, who added, “There have been discussions with the four congressional committees with oversight responsibilities. Officially no final decision has been made."
In fact the decision has been made according to AIPAC and Congressional sources and its “all systems go”.
**Franklin Lamb is doing research in Lebanon and can be reached at fplamb@gmail.com.

Bill would allow import of books from Syria, Lebanon
By Jonathan Lis /Haaretz
Books translated in "hostile countries" will soon be allowed to be sold in Israel, after the Ministerial Committee for Legislation decided yesterday to support a bill overturning a World War II-era law aimed at blocking information from enemy states.
This will allow the Arabic translations of best-selling children's books like "Harry Potter" and "Pinocchio," as well as Arabic versions of prominent Israeli authors, to be sold here.
Until now, Arabic translations of popular children's books and works by authors like Amos Oz, Yoram Kaniuk and Eshkol Nevo were not available in Israel, because they were printed in hostile countries like Syria and Lebanon. This was because a 1939 British-Mandate era law prohibited literature from being imported from enemy states.
Given the relatively low readership of Arabic-language books in Israel, and the resulting low returns on translations, almost none have been produced in Israel.
The present bill, initiated by MKs Yuli Tamir, Yariv Levin and Zeev Bielski, aims to make literature in Arabic more readily available.
Tamir (Labor) said yesterday, "This would be an important law, one that ensures the freedom of literature and culture of all citizens. Every citizen is entitled to read literature in his mother tongue. This law would end the absence of children's books and belles-lettres for Arabic readers."
The bill calls for freedom to "import books from any country, and allow translations into any language, in order to ensure exposure to a wide array of literature and to expand citizens' rights to rich cultural lives in their native tongues."
The proposal allows security authorities to reject the importation of a certain book or journal for content that could be used for incitement, such as literature denying the Holocaust or encouraging terrorism.
In January, the human rights organization Adalah petitioned the High Court to allow Kol-Bo Sefarim - Israel's largest supplier of Arabic-language textbooks - to import books from Egypt and Jordan that were published in Syria and Lebanon.
The book supplier has imported books from Egypt for three decades, and since 1993, it has imported books from Jordan as well. Most of the books were printed in Syria or Lebanon, but the company had received permission from the chief military censor to import them.
In August of last year, however, Kol-Bo received a letter from the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry stating its permit to import books from enemy countries would not be renewed. The letter said such books could not even be imported through countries with which Israel has diplomatic relations, due to the World War II-era law.
Adalah's petition noted that 80 percent of books intended for Israel's Arab community, and most Arabic books destined for college and university libraries in Israel, are printed in Syria and Lebanon, where several large publishing houses hold exclusive rights to translate major Western literary works into Arabic.
Lebanese printing houses hold exclusive rights to translate "Harry Potter" and "Pinocchio," as well as works released by Britain's Ladybird Books, which publishes a variety of popular children's books. The Lebanese printing houses also hold exclusive rights to the Arabic translations of classic works by William Shakespeare and Moliere, and modern works by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Paulo Coelho.
A handful of Syrian printing houses have exclusive rights to the Arabic translations of Hebrew works by Oz, Kaniuk and Nevo.

 Still in our hands
November 30, 2009
Now Lebanon/
There has been much haste in writing the obituary of the March 14 movement, especially as many of these doubters see the tenor of the ministerial statement as the final, exhausted nail in a coffin the opposition has spent three years trying to close.
Although the details of the statement have not yet been disclosed, we know enough to be sure that the objectives of Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s new government will not fully reflect the March 14 coalition’s June 7 election victory, and as such, the aspirations of the Lebanese who voted for far-reaching change that day.
And while, from what we know, the economic pledges are laudable, the article relating to the Resistance and its considerable arsenal will surely once again disappoint those who believe that weapons should only be carried by the state and who know that as long as these weapons sit outside the state, we can kiss goodbye to genuine progress. For while the issue of the Resistance and its weapons remains unaddressed, all the economic goodwill in the world will not bring to Lebanon the blend of harmony, security and prosperity it deserves.
But back to March 14. The March 8 opposition bloc would like to think that it has snuffed out the last vestiges of hope, hope that was kindled during those heady days in the spring of 2005 in the wake of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 21 others.
We hate to disappoint them. Results from the university student elections at AUB and NDU and the professional syndicates – most recently the pharmacists, but also the dentists – demonstrate that the spirit of March 14 is alive and kicking. The opposition may have got what it wanted in the ministerial statement – through coercion and veiled threats – from the March 14 alliance, the political manifestation that takes its name from the day. But what it cannot take away is the fact that the March 14 movement – the 1 million Lebanese who flocked to Martyrs’ Square in the name of sovereignty, freedom and independence – was created by the people and remains in their hands.
These were people who for the first time modern Arab history felt compelled to force their so-called leaders to act on their behalf in the face of terror and the unacceptable conditions of occupation and repression.
Today there is a disconnect. The government that was created on November 9 was a refection of the regional dynamic. It was not formed, by any stretch of the imagination, with the best interests of the Lebanese people in mind. Those same people recognize the realities, the harshness of the Middle East’s realpolitik, but today they serve notice that they have not given up on wanting a better Lebanon.
Regional horse-trading cannot kill their hopes, dull their courage or quench their desire for change. In 2005, they walked into the unknown. They said “enough” and were prepared to risk all (we forget that at one point then-President Emile Lahoud had initially issued orders for soldiers to fire on demonstrators) to show they meant it.
So we wait for the ministerial statement. We will not be expecting much, but we will not stop campaigning for the Lebanon in which we, and the majority of Lebanese, want to live.