LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
July 22/09
Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ
according to Saint Matthew 12:46-50. While he was still speaking to the crowds,
his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him.
(Someone told him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking
to speak with you.") But he said in reply to the one who told him, "Who is my
mother? Who are my brothers?" And stretching out his hand toward his disciples,
he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my
heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother."
-Now Lebanon
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
Is it time to get rid of UNSCR
1701? By: Hazem Saghieh , July 20, 2009
Will Iran's political turmoil shake Hezbollah?Christian
Science Monitor 21/07/09
Time for disengagement-Ynetnews
21/07/09
Explosion of Hizbullah warehouse said to reveal
Lebanese Army's ...World
Tribune 21/07/09
Commentary: Middle East is changed forever-CNN
21/07/09
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for July
21/09
Sfeir discussed the ‘interfaith
dialogue’ conference results-Future News
Hizbullah Cell on Trial in Egypt Next Week-Naharnet
Israel to Lebanon: stop border
violations -Future
News
Army Arrests Terrorist Network that
Planned Attacks on UNIFIL-Naharnet
Siniora: Severe measures
to be taken against any attempt to harm Christian-Muslim co-existence-Now
Lebanon
Checchia to Hariri: All
parties in South Lebanon should have self-control-Now
Lebanon
Sleiman condemns
Israeli violations, calls for coordination between LAF and UNIFIL-Now
Lebanon
Dib: No problems with
president having ministerial bloc, but not at opposition’s expense-Now
Lebanon
El-Jouzou: non-yielding to the instable minority-Future News
Haj-Hassan: Hizbullah respects the
1701 resolution- Future News
Sakr: Assaults against UN troops a
message from Hizbullah-Future
News
Lebanon
Refuses to Amend Rules of Engagement as Israel Brings In Reinforcements to
Kfarshouba to Face Residents' Ultimatum-Naharnet
Israel
Criticizes UNIFIL, Asks Lebanon, U.N. to End 'Blue Line Violation'-Naharnet
Nasrallah Honoring Yakan: We Will Continue on the Same Path and Spread Culture
of Resistance among Muslims-Naharnet
Suleiman Sees Things
Moving in Right Direction-Naharnet
Danish Military Unit
Involved in Lebanese Woman's Headscarf Row-Naharnet
Fatah-Hamas Gunbattle
Injures 2 People in Ain el-Hilweh-Naharnet
Closed-door Hearing for
Lebanese-American in UAE Sparks Criticism-Naharnet
Phalange Party: Any Reckless Action
Could Invite Israeli Attack-Naharnet
Jumblat Surprised by Storm
over 'Muslim Gathering' Calls-Naharnet
Hariri Rejets Calls for
1701 Amendment; Williams Asks Israel to Stop Violations-Naharnet
El-Jouzou: non-yielding to the
instable minority. Future News
Hariri witness held for four years without
charge in Syria-Amnesty
International
Hezbollah defies UN Resolution
1701-International Analyst Network
UN troops attacked by
civilians-The National
In South America, Israeli FM seeks to block Iran-The
Associated Press
Lebanese FM: joint probe into clashes underway-Xinhua
'Israel and Lebanon must show
restraint'-Jerusalem Post
Iran Leader Warns Detractors on Post-Election
Unrest-New York Times
Israel complains to UN about violations of
Resolution 1701-Ynetnews
US donates $30 mln to reconstruction of Lebanon
camp-AFP
Erdogan to make surprise
trip to Syria-Jerusalem Post
UN urges restraint following south Lebanon
clash-Ynetnews
Russia To Build Up Naval Site In Syria In Piracy
Fight-Agency-Zawya
Hizbullah Cell on Trial in Egypt Next Week
Naharnet/Egyptian judicial sources on Monday, anticipated that the captured
Hizbullah cell in Egypt would go on trial in an emergency state-security court
sometime next week. The case against a Lebanese national known as Sami Shehab,
who stands accused by Egyptian authorities of conspiring with some Palestinian
and Egyptian nationals of forming a Hizbullah cell operating to smuggle arms
from the Sinai to Gaza and of carrying out aggressive acts against Egypt. The
Kuwaiti daily al-Jarida quoted sources from Egypt's state security prosecutors
on Tuesday saying all legal investigative procedures are geared up for a trial.
27 individuals are accused in the case, 22 of whom remain at large so far.
Beirut, 21 Jul 09, 10:31
Is it time to get rid of UNSCR 1701?
Hazem Saghieh , July 20, 2009
Now Lebanon
What happened in Kherbet Selem was significant, very significant. On Saturday,
Fourteen UNIFIL soldiers suffered “light injuries” because they were carrying
out their task of investigating the reasons for the explosion that occurred
“south of the Litani.” five days earlier. The action was designed to express
rejection of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
Moreover, undertaking this mission of resistance against UNIFIL forces – and, as
such, against the Lebanese army as well, since the army is partners with the
international forces in their assignment – were “residents [of Kherbet Selem],”
thus assigning to this issue the utmost gravity. This is because these
“residents,” here essentially a name for supporters of Hezbollah, forcefully
demanded the expulsion of UNIFIL forces, and as such the nullification of the UN
Security Council resolution that provided the reason for their presence [in the
first place]. These “residents” have made an informed decision to remove this
obstacle blocking them from confrontation with Israel and a political and
economic confrontation with the world in its entirety.
This, of course, was not the first time Hezbollah’s resentment of UNIFIL forces
and UNSCR 1701 has been expressed. It should be mentioned that the resolution,
from the moment of its issuance, upset Hezbollah and its allies. However, what
happened at Kherbet Selem was graver and more important that earlier such
incidents, especially as it was accompanied by the fiery rhetoric of Hezbollah
Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
Kherbet Selem and similar events come at an extremely tense and tumultuous time
for the region. It is no secret that Western patience –American and European- is
being increasingly tested by the situation in Iran. This, at least, is what
Western officials have expressed in their statements which actually seem
tantamount to threats [of further measures prescribed] in a time schedule. One
such official is US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
More restraint in striking Iran is a good thing, for whoever strikes Iran today
is making a big mistake for any number of reasons. However, this ethical and
political governance does not negate the possibility of such a strike occurring.
Nor does it negate the possibility of sanctions against Iran being increased to
the point where the regime in Iran can no longer cope, completely changing the
rules of the game. At the same time it is no secret that the clerical regime is
not currently experiencing the happiest of times. Whoever bet on Iran’s domestic
case “being closed,” through the repression of the protestors by the
Revolutionary Guard and the Basij, was surprised by former Iranian President
Hashemi Rafsanjani’s sermon at last week’s Friday prayers and the revival of
protests. As such it was confirmed, what observers had been saying before: that
the “case of legitimacy” which was opened in Tehran will not be closed so
easily. It was also confirmed, that the regime feels the dire need to redirect
attention from its violent crisis which is open to such surprises.
In this context it is possible to look at what happened in Kherbet Selem as a
kind of declaration time has come to be rid of UNSCR 1701 and to reenact
completely “the theory of Lebanon being a stage [for all conflicts].” This
theory has been cast aside during the past three years when Tehran was satisfied
with its negotiating positions.
Thus, if this analysis is correct, than it could also be true that today we are
witnessing defining moments in time leading up to a major development. This
calls for setting aside some current concerns around the formation of the
government and the summer tourism season. Everything and everyone in Lebanon are
thrown to the wind from time to time, so long as the same equation remains valid
that says there is a state that is stronger than the [Lebanese] state and an
army that is stronger than the [Lebanese] army.
**This article is a translation of the original, which appeared on the NOW
Arabic site on June 20
Low expectations
July 21, 2009 /Now Lebanon
The Lebanese cabinet, which was rendered powerless by the opposition’s
acquisition of the blocking-third vote.
On a day in which Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah called upon the
Arab nations to embrace the Resistance and its culture in preparation for a war
that aimed “uproot the Resistance and control Lebanon’s waters, territories and
resources”, Finance Minister Mohammad Chatah spoke his mind on a less dramatic,
but, some would argue, more salient, topic.
In an interview with An-Nahar on Monday, Chatah said, no doubt for the record,
that the economic reforms that conditioned the January 2007 Paris III donor
conference never had any chance of being implemented. He cited the
obstructing-third vote given to the opposition at the Doha Conference as the
main reason.
He was being generous. The mechanism that allows the opposition to crush any
initiative it doesn’t like was granted in May 2008. By that time, 18 months
after Paris III, Fouad Siniora’s first government was already dead and buried.
Any desire to fix the economy had been crushed by March 8’s determination to
bring down his administration by any means possible.
Quite simply, he never had a chance, and those Lebanese who took to the streets
on March 14, 2005, but who now feel they have been let down by the bloc of the
same name, forget this very important nugget of truth.
From the outset, the government was working with one hand tied behind its back
(not to mention a gun at its temple). The second part of 2005 may have seen the
heady move away from Syrian dominion, but it was also punctuated by political
killings and random bomb blasts across Beirut and its suburbs. But if the 12
months following Saad Hariri’s landslide victory at the polls were characterized
by an attempt at consolidation, the next 24 months saw Lebanon plunged into a
catastrophic war with Israel and suffer paralysis soon after, as the opposition
swarmed into the Beirut Central District and set up an illegal tent village.
Siniora was a virtual prisoner in the Grand Serail, “protected” by troops and
rows of razor wire.
As if this were not enough, the besieged government had to deal with a bloody
insurrection by Fatah al-Islam militants at the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in
Tripoli that took up most of the summer of 2007 and cost the lives of nearly 200
Lebanese troops. When the Doha gathering brought the 18-month crisis to an end,
the blocking-third mechanism effectively killed off any notion of work for the
coming 12 months.
It is hardly surprising that the country is aching for a government that is
serious about economic reform. Lebanon’s problems are so crude in their
complexity and their solutions so easy; if only the will were there.
And there’s the rub. Chatah’s comments highlighted not only the constipation of
the previous four years but offered a gloomy outlook for the coming term,
arguing that, if a national-unity cabinet were formed, there would be no
accountability.
But who cares about accountability when it appears that many of our honorable
politicians only see the formation of the cabinet and their role in government
in terms of consolidating their own power bases and holding out for portfolios
that will allow them to distribute patronage – both monetary and service-based –
from what is a pitiful national trough. Let us not kid ourselves for one minute
that the current round of horse trading is taking as long as it is because a
formula to somehow breathe life into Lebanon’s emaciated carcass cannot be
agreed upon. Unless we are very careful, we are in danger of being faced with
more of the same for another four years, especially given Nasrallah’s latest
apocalyptic rant.
If, in 2013, there is uninterrupted electricity, hi-speed internet, cheaper
mobile phone rates and a reduction in the national debt, the government will
have arguably achieved more than any other in the two decades since the war.
What is even sadder is that, so low have their expectations sunk, the people
will be happy either way.
Haj-Hassan: Hizbullah respects the 1701 resolution
Date: July 21st, 2009 Future News
Member of Loyalty to Resistance MP Houssein Haj-Hassan stressed that Hizbullah
respects the 1701 international resolution, considering that the refusal of
Premier-designate Saad Hariri and the outgoing PM Fouad Siniora to the Israeli
calls for amending the 1701 as “a good national condition.” Haj-Hassan wondered
who gave the UNIFIL troops the order to raid Kherbet Selem area, while America
and Israel discuss changing the rules of engagement. “The 1701 resolution
explains that the task of the UNIFIL is to support the Lebanese army, and the
given data is that the UNIFIL provoked the anger of people by raiding a house
without the presence of the army which lead them to confront the troop” he
emphasized. Haj-Hassan considered that the atmosphere of the government
formation is positive and there are serious consultations between
Premier-designate Hariri and the opposition group but there is no final formula
yet. He concluded that the opposition is interested in a governmental formula
which guarantees participation.
Sfeir discussed the ‘interfaith dialogue’ conference
results
Date: July 21st, 2009 Source: NNA
The Maronite Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir discussed the results of the ‘interfaith
dialogue’ that was held in the Austrian capital,Vienna, with Hareth Shehab,
member of the Christian-Islamic dialogue committee. Shehab conveyed to Sfeir the
atmosphere of the conference which is a sequel to Madrid’s conference, held year
2008 by the invitation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah
Bin Abdul Aziz. He pointed that the participants in the conference were
interested in the Lebanese formula and co-existence between the people,
considering that the success of this formula is important and calling to
consolidate and support the state and its institutions.
Phalange Party: Any Reckless Action Could Invite Israeli
Attack
Naharnet/The Phalange Party warned Monday against any "reckless" action that
could be used by Israel as an excuse to attack Lebanon. The warning came in a
statement following a meeting of the Phalange politburo. Fearing that the latest
incidents in south Lebanon could be linked to the process of government
formation, the party called for the establishment of a "harmonious Cabinet
capable to face up to the challenges." Beirut, 20 Jul 09, 20:19
Closed-door Hearing for Lebanese-American in UAE Sparks
Criticism
Naharnet/A judge has sparked criticism for unexpectedly closing the trial of a
U.S. citizen of Lebanese origin detained in the United Arab Emirates on
terrorism-related charges. The American Civil Liberties Union said a closed-door
hearing for Naji Hamdan, 43, is a "travesty of justice." Judge Shahab al-Hamadi
gave no reason for reversing course Monday after the first court session in June
was open to the public. The ACLU has accused the U.S. government of secretly
pushing Hamdan's case through Emirati courts for lack of evidence to convict him
at home. Hamdan, who was born in Lebanon, denied the charges against him in June
and said he confessed under pressure because he wanted the "beatings to stop."
He was charged with supporting terrorism, participating in the work of terrorist
organizations, and being a member of a terrorist group. He denied all three
charges during his first court appearance, 10 months after he was detained by
UAE state security forces. No date has been set for the court
verdict.(AP-Naharnet) Beirut, 21 Jul 09, 09:03
Israel Criticizes UNIFIL, Asks Lebanon, U.N. to End 'Blue Line Violation'
Naharnet/Israel urged the Lebanese government and U.N. peacekeepers on Monday to
prevent Hizbullah fighters and their supporters from allegedly violating its
territory and jeopardizing the fragile stability along the border. In identical
letters to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council, Israel's U.N.
ambassador also accused Hizbullah of violating resolution 1701 by building new
military facilities and hiding arms in the zone between the Litani River and the
Israeli border.
Israeli Ambassador Gabriela Shalev cited three recent incidents that she said
were "severe violations" of the U.N. resolution.
In the first, on July 14, a Hizbullah arms cache exploded in an abandoned
building in Khirbet Selm, she said. Hizbullah has remained silent.
Three days later, 15 Lebanese civilians crossed the U.N.-drawn Blue Line — the
unofficial boundary with Israel — and penetrated 175 meters into Israel,
planting three Hizbullah and Lebanese flags before crossing back into Lebanese
territory, Shalev said.
The July 17 incident took place near a position manned by U.N. peacekeepers, but
Shalev said UNIFIL "refrained from taking any action to prevent the crossing of
these individuals into Israeli territory" in reference to a newly erected
Israeli post in Kfarshouba, which Lebanon considers Lebanese territory.
The ambassador noted that MP Qassem Hashem, who helped organize "the illegal
action," claimed it was coordinated with relevant authorities including UNIFIL.
"Given the proximity of the violation to a UNIFIL position, Israel would have
expected that UNIFIL intervene in time to prevent this violation," Shalev said.
"Israel calls upon the government of Lebanon to exercise its authority and
prevent such violations of the Blue Line that endanger the stability along our
mutual border," she said. "In addition, Israel calls upon the secretary-general
to exercise his influence and to ensure that UNIFIL will prevent any future
incidents from occurring."
A third serious incident took place the following day, July 18, in Khirbet Selm,
the same place where the arms cache exploded.
Villagers threw stones at U.N. peacekeeping troops, lightly injuring 14
soldiers, in an attempt to prevent an investigation near the site of the arms
depot explosion, the U.N. said.
Shalev said the presence of arms in southern Lebanon and actions to prevent
UNIFIL from carrying out its mandate "must be confronted."
In order to ensure that there are no Hizbullah weapons, "the Lebanese army and
UNIFIL must re-adapt their activity to the new reality in which Hizbullah is
rebuilding its military infrastructure south of the Litani River within the
civilian population," she said.(AP-Naharnet) Beirut, 21 Jul 09, 09:34
Lebanon Refuses to Amend Rules of Engagement as Israel Brings In Reinforcements
to Kfarshouba to Face Residents' Ultimatum
Naharnet/Israel reinforcements took up positions around the border town of
Kfarshouba to face a possible action by local residents who threatened to remove
a recently set up Israeli position if UNIFIL failed to address their demand
immediately. Residents had given a weeklong ultimatum to UNIFIL last week
threatening to take action to remove the unmanned post on the outskirts of
Kfarshouba if UNIFIL failed to meet the deadline.
Around 70 Lebanese, led by MP Qassem Hashem, cut through barbed wire on Friday
and marched on the post in the Kfarshouba hills which Israel set up last week.
The protesters put a Lebanese flag and another of Hizbullah just outside the
post before being asked by U.N. peacekeepers in the area to evacuate the
grounds.
Last Tuesday the Lebanese army asked the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
(UNIFIL) to remove the position.
Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat said the U.N. has pledged to hold contacts with Israel
in order to stop its violations in Kfarshouba and remove the new post, a
two-meter high earth mound.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese army and UNIFIL troops were put on alert "in case of any
emergency," while UNIFIL helicopters hovered above the Blue Line, local media
said Tuesday.
UNIFIL commander Maj. Gen. Claudio Gratziano met Lebanese army commander Gen.
Jean Qahwaji at the Defense Ministry in Yarze on Monday to discuss ways to
curtail any possible repercussions from Israeli violations of Lebanese territory
around Baathaeel Pond on the outskirts of Kfarshshouba.
Premier-designate Saad Hariri on Monday rejected Israeli calls for the amendment
of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 which ended a 34-day war between Israel
and Hizbullah, and called for full commitment to its provisions without
exception.
"Israel's calls for the amendment of Resolution 1701 are a new attempt to escape
(its obligations) and to hide the real violations of this resolution," Hariri
told visiting U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams.
He cautioned the international community against the "dangers of slipping toward
any form of manipulation of Resolution 1701."
Hariri called for safeguarding "UNIFIL's role and responsibility to protect the
Lebanese border against any Israeli aggression."
"We stress that UNIFIL is a friendly force that is undertaking the essential
tasks of guaranteeing Lebanon's sovereignty and the implementation of 1701," he
said.
Williams, in turn, said he discussed with Hariri the implementation of
Resolution 1701 and "agreed on the need for all sides to adhere to this
resolution."
UNIFIL spokesperson Yasmina Bouziane said the issue of changing the rules of
engagement depends on the outcome of the Security Council meeting due to convene
in August to discuss renewal of UNIFIL's mandate.Bouziane told al-Jadeed TV that
U.N. peacekeepers together with Lebanese troops were carrying out routine
patrols, adding that investigation into a house raid in Khirbet Selm was still
ongoing. Beirut, 21 Jul 09, 08:26
Army Arrests Terrorist Network that Planned Attacks on UNIFIL
Naharnet/The Lebanese army said Tuesday that it arrested a 10-member extremist
network that was planning to carry out attacks against U.N. troops and smuggle
wanted terrorists out of the southern Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh.
"Our investigation has shown that this network was planning to smuggle wanted
terrorists out of Ain el-Hilweh ... smuggle Fatah al-Islam fighters into Ain el-Hilweh,
to carry out attacks from Lebanon on targets abroad and create terrorist cells
to monitor UNIFIL and the army in order to carry out terrorist attacks on them,"
an army communiqué said. The suspects all hailed from unidentified Arab states
and most were not Lebanese, the communiqué added. Last month, high-level
military sources said that the army had uncovered 25 cells spying for the
Israeli Mossad and arrested since early 2009 six extremist groups belonging to
al-Qaida. The sources said the networks were planning attacks to target
stability, including in areas where U.N. peacekeepers are deployed. Beirut, 21
Jul 09, 13:41
Nasrallah Honoring Yakan: We Will Continue on the Same Path and Spread Culture
of Resistance among Muslims
Naharnet/Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah repeated Monday calls by the
late Muslim leader Fathi Yakan for the expansion of the culture of resistance
among the Muslims, in a televised speech aired during an event to commemorate
the prominent cleric.
Nasrallah also issued a stern warning against attempts to incite sectarian
sedition in the country and called on the Lebanese to put their weight behind
the resistance.
Remembering Yakan, Nasrallah said: "Lebanon is witnessing a difficult,
complicated and dangerous phase that needs someone with Yakan's courage,
devotion and commitment.
"We will continue on the same path. We are required to work toward spreading out
the resistance in the Muslim arenas as Yakan wished." Nasrallah's focus on the
resistance came as tensions escalated along Lebanon's southern border with
Israeli tanks approaching an area of Kfarshouba Hills where civilians marched on
an Israeli post last week. According to Lebanese media reports, the Lebanese
army has been placed on high alert. Addressing the Israeli threats, Nasrallah
said: "We hear of a new war being planned against Lebanon as Israel escalates
its tone. "The Israelis have learned from their mistakes (in the July 2006 war)
and have been correcting their points of weakness.
"They are speaking of a new war to eradicate the resistance from the Lebanese
territories. This means it is a war against Lebanon and to displace the
Palestinians of 1948." "I say that our enemies have done all that can be done to
harm the resistance and have failed," he added. Nasrallah called on the Lebanese
to "once again embrace the resistance and the culture of resistance" as a way to
combat the Israeli schemes. He recalled the national disunity that prevailed in
Lebanon during and after the 2006 war and criticized those who "conspired
against the resistance" then. "The past years witnessed the climax of conspiracy
against the resistance," he said. "The battle against the resistance was not
limited to its arsenal. It went to the level of belittling the culture of
resistance and its martyrs. It was a comprehensive and broad attack," he said.
However, he said, the division was "political, although some were promoting it
as sectarian." "I tell all of those who are betting on sectarian strife in
Lebanon that we will not let them take over our national arena," he said. "Our
speeches have always adhered to a patriotic and national tone. We have always
been keen to bring people together and to shun all sectarian speeches that some
have released," he said. Beirut, 20 Jul 09, 19:53
Danish Military Unit Involved in Lebanese Woman's Headscarf Row
Naharnet/A Danish military unit has become embroiled in a dispute about Muslim
headscarves after it allowed a hijab-wearing Lebanese woman to complete a
training course. The Home Guard, a home defense corps of thousands of volunteer
soldiers, does not allow headscarves and violated that rule when it allowed
Maria Mawla, 27, to wear one during its 10-day basic training program, spokesman
Joergen Jensen said.
"We made a mistake internally," Jensen told The Associated Press.
The issue became national news in Denmark after the populist Danish People's
Party, known for its anti-Muslim outbursts, expressed shock over an article
about Mawla posted on the Home Guard's Web site. The July 14 article, which has
now been removed, described Mawla as a devout Muslim of Lebanese origin who said
her headscarf posed no practical obstacles during training. A picture with the
article showed her wearing a green headscarf under a camouflage hat.
"I must say that I'm shocked to discover that the Home Guard not only allows
members to wear the Muslim headscarf, but also boasts about it," Ib Poulsen, the
Danish People's Party's spokesman on defense issues, said in a statement. It
demanded that the Home Guard ban the Muslim headscarf, calling it a symbol of
oppression of women and discrimination.
Later Sunday, Home Guard chief Ulrik Kragh said the headscarf was not allowed in
the corps because it violates the Danish military's uniform rules. Kragh said
the Muslim woman could remain a member of the Home Guard if she respected the
uniform rules. Mawla told Danish media she was angry about the statement. "I
feel it's really discriminating," Mawla told the Jyllands-Posten daily. "And it
makes me feel like a bad citizen."Jensen, the Home Guard spokesman, said the
uniform rules would be reviewed later this year. He said the article about Mawla
was removed from the Web site "because of this controversy. We don't want her to
suffer. She made no mistake herself."Critics said the Home Guard was caving in
to pressure from the Danish People's Party, which is highly suspicious of Islam.
"Enough is simply enough," said Asmaa Abdol-Hamid, a Palestinian immigrant who
was ridiculed by the Danish People's Party officials in 2007 because she wore a
headscarf during a campaign to enter Parliament. "It's about time that Danish
People's Party is put in place and learns that we live in a democratic
society."(AP) Beirut, 21 Jul 09, 13:06
Jumblat Surprised by Storm over 'Muslim Gathering' Calls
Naharnet/MP Walid Jumblat said Monday he was surprised that his recent calls for
a "Muslim Gathering" have provoked a wide storm of criticism in the country.
Last week Jumblat called for the formation of a gathering with al-Mustaqbal
Movement, Hizbullah and Speaker Nabih Berri aimed at "erasing the traces" of May
7, 2008 clashes. "My call was a mere attempt to clear the air after the Muslim
(communities) experienced deep conflicts that reached a dangerous level and
almost dragged the country into a new civil war," Jumblat said in an interview
with al-Anbaa weekly. He voiced surprise at the "premeditated controversy
surrounding each announced statement or position." The Druze leader saw a need
to "reach political understandings that can keep the country away from returning
to the tunnel of sectarian and confessional tension." "There is absolutely
no need to create any form of sectarian alliances in confrontation of other
sects," he added. "If the objective of my call is to relieve confessional
tension, is it then reasonable to call for the establishment of sectarian blocs
opposite to other sectarian coalitions?
He said all political sides in Lebanon had a responsibility to "go along with
regional and international changes in order to preempt the rekindling of
tension." Beirut, 20 Jul 09, 16:51
Islamic Jamaa: military prepared to face any attack
Date: July 21st, 2009 Source: NNA
Bassam Hammoud the member of Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiyya political bureau in the South
declared that the “Jamaa” is fully prepared to carry out its duties in military
defense against any Israeli aggression and providing logistic support for the
resistance. Hammoud’s words came during a celebration to honor the party in the
South, where he pointed that the associations of the Al-Jamaa are ready to carry
the burden of development as it did after the summer 2006 war “because our
principle is to defend the homeland and its people and resistance.”He added that
the political movement between groups represents a positive sign, calling to
facilitate the mission of Premier-designate Saad Hariri in forming the
government.