LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
April 29/09

Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 6,30-35. So they said to him, "What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"So Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." So they said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
Hizbullah's global aims come to light-By Ferry Biederman 28/04/09
A Palace on the Fault Line-By: Ghassan Charbel/Dar Al-Hayat 28/04/09
Money isn't what's bad about Lebanon elections - but the way it's spent is- The Daily Star 28/04/09

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for April 28 /09
Raad: Lebanon Target in Massive Israeli Military Maneuvers on May 31-Naharnet
Protesters Prevent Sison from Reaching School-Naharnet
March 8 Unveils Baalbek-Hermel List-Naharnet
7th National Dialogue Session on June 1-Naharnet
6th National Dialogue Session to Discuss Polls, Stress on Pact of Honor-Naharnet
Aoun’s arrogance…vengeance from the martyrs and allies/Future News
What's the deal with Syria?Ha'aretz
UN chief raps 'intimidation' by Lebanon militias/Future News
Iran's President 'would support two-state solution' for Israel/Future News
Assad Defends Hizbullah against Egypt's Allegations, Says Syria Not 'Party' in Hariri Tribunal-Naharnet
Lebanon Plans to Complain to U.N. About Israel-Linked Cells-Naharnet
Arab League Denies Hizbullah-Egypt Mediation-Naharnet
Majority, Minority Confusion Over Kesrouan Lists-Naharnet
U.S. for Lebanese Government that has Moderate Views-Naharnet
Chances of Understanding in Beirut 1 and 3-Naharnet
Murr and Gemayel Announce Metn Electoral List-Naharnet
Tribunal's Pre-Trial Judge to Announce Decision on Generals on Wednesday-Naharnet
Egypt: The Hizbullah Cell in Egypt – A Joint Conspiracy by Iran ...Middle East Media Research Institute
Mubarak Speaks Against Iran And Hezbollah-Philadelphia Bulletin
Egypt: Shehab: We will apply Egyptian law concerning Hezbollah ...ISRIA
Scenes of Hezbollah in south Beirut-Worldfocus
Obama asks for change in US law on Hamas - report/(AFP)
Welch warns US officials against 'overreacting' to March 8 victory-Daily Star
Murr, Gemayel unveil March 14 Forces electoral list for northern Metn-Daily Star
Jumblatt calls Sfeir a 'great man' for Lebanon-Daily Star
Sfeir: Money will have 'drastic' impact on polls-Daily Star
Baroud proposes amending law for 'Jewish Lebanese-Daily Star
Tribunal judge to unveil decision on four generals Wednesday-Daily Star
UNIFIL: June 7 elections 'strictly Lebanese-Daily Star
Israelis seize 200 kg of drugs at border in 18 months-Daily Star
Fadlallah says opposition will be unified in polls-Daily Star
Hizbullah's Egypt cell 'violation' - Roed-Larsen-Daily Star
Three suspected spies 'confess' to giving Israel sensitive information on Hizbullah-Daily Star
Turkish Week kicks off with a dinner in Beirut-Daily Star
Women demonstrators demand reform of nationality legislation-Daily Star
Physicians offer chilling account of Gaza atrocities-Daily Star
Bassil unveils study to install high speed fiber-optic Internet cables-Daily Star

7th National Dialogue Session on June 1
Naharnet/National dialogue participants stressed at the end of the sixth session of all party-talks on holding elections in a calm and democratic atmosphere and called for abiding by decisions made during previous sessions. The 14 political leaders also agreed Tuesday to hold the seventh session on June 1 to discuss parliamentary elections.
The sixth session kicked off at Baabda palace Tuesday morning. President Michel Suleiman stressed at the start of the all-party talks on the need to keep a calm political and media atmosphere. He also urged to make administrative appointments as the June 7 elections are approaching. Suleiman and MP Michel Aoun held closed-door talks for around 40 minutes ahead of the dialogue session. Several meetings were also held on the sidelines of the all-party talks, including talks between Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat and Hizbullah MP Mohammed Raad. They were later joined by MP Boutros Harb. Al-Mustaqbal movement leader Saad Hariri also held side talks with Speaker Nabih Berri after a similar small meeting that brought together Berri, Hariri, Jumblat and MP Hagop Pakradounian. Sources had told An Nahar newspaper that the 14 political leaders will stress on the "pact of honor" that they had sealed during a previous session. The pact stresses on calm and holding the June 7 polls in a peaceful atmosphere and away from tension and disturbances. The sources said some March 14 representatives could raise the issue of remarks by Hizbullah MP Mohammed Raad, in which he said the Lebanese government must go for being part of an aggressive program against Lebanon and the Lebanese. The March 14 officials will also ask Raad about Hizbullah's written defense strategy proposal, in particular after the party and Amal movement haven't yet named their representatives to an experts committee, the sources told An Nahar. The committee, tasked with studying defense strategy proposals, met only once for lack of quorum, the sources added. Minister Wael Abou Faour told Voice of Lebanon radio before the conference that the session could be the last ahead of the polls. Meanwhile, As Safir newspaper had said that Berri and Aoun were expected to hold a meeting on the sidelines of the all-party talks at Baabda palace.
Beirut, 28 Apr 09, 08:10

Raad: Lebanon Target in Massive Israeli Military Maneuvers on May 31
Naharnet/MP Mohammed Raad on Tuesday said that Lebanon must go on high alert in anticipation of Israel's largest-ever military maneuvers on May 31.
"Lebanon is one of Israel's targets during the exercises. The country must be fully prepared for such an emergency," Raad told the national dialogue session.
Raad distributed extensive literature on the operation dubbed "Turning Point 3" with details on targets, scenarios and steps to counter a possible threat.
Earlier this month, the Jerusalem post said Israel and the United States will hold massive joint missile defense drills later this year, testing three anti-ballistic missile systems. It did not give a date for the maneuvers. The exercise, dubbed Juniper Cobra, will be held in Israel to test the Arrow (Hetz) system as well as the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) and the ship-based Aegus Ballistic Missile Defense System. Israeli and U.S. forces have staged the Juniper Cobra exercise over the past five years but the Post said this year's drill was likely to be the most complex yet and will for the first time include the launch of interceptors. Earlier this month, Israel carried out the latest successful test of its Arrow missile system, a costly project launched two decades ago aimed at countering strikes mainly from arch-foe Iran. Development of the Arrow is now half-funded by the United States.(Naharnet-AFP) Beirut, 28 Apr 09, 17:26

Egypt: Shehab: We will apply Egyptian law concerning Hezbollah organization
Naharnet/Minister of State for Legal Affairs and Parliamentary Councils Mufeed Shehab said that serving the Palestinian cause should not be through slogans, statements and speeches, but through good appreciation of situations. He added that the legitimate resistance should be calculated very well in order not to make harm or be in a form of collective suicide. He said the remarks during his speech before a meeting of the National Democratic Party (NDP) which was organized in Alexandria on the occasion of celebrating Sinai Liberation Day on 25/4/2009.
Shehab said that we consider the Palestinian cause as part of our commitments and we are working for solving it for the interest of the Egyptian security as well as restoring the rights of the Palestinians. He added that Egypt resumes its efforts for reaching a reconciliation between the Palestinian factions who are due to meet in Cairo on 27/4/2009. Concerning Hezbollah issue, Shehab confirmed that if the accused are found guilty, they will be punished. He added that the initial results of the investigations indicated to the existence of illegal organization of Hezbollah aiming at collecting information, implementing destructive acts in Egypt and smuggling weapons, in addition to special missions of extending Shiite tide by incitement of outside powers.
Shehab stressed that this organization is illegal and not allowed on the Egyptian lands. He said that we will apply the Egyptian law regardless of any other claims.
Shehab clarified that Egypt is exerting great efforts for delaying the implementation of arresting the Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, confirming that Egypt is keen on supporting Sudan and helping it with all its capacities, as the unity of Sudan is connected with the Egyptian national security.

Mubarak Speaks Against Iran And Hezbollah
By David Bedein, Middle East Correspondent
Monday, April 27, 2009
Jerusalem — Two weeks after the revelation of a Hezbollah network in Egypt, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has threatened Iran’s revolutionary regime and Hezbollah with harsh language. “We are well aware of your plans,” he said. “We will reveal your plots and grab you by your necks. Stop hiding behind the Palestinian cause. Beware the wrath of Egypt and its people.”
In the course of the speech, which was his most bitter to date aimed at Iran and its allies, the Egyptian president also accused Iran of being hostile to peace and of pushing the region to the brink of hell.
“They wish to force their influence and agenda on our Arab world, and they ignite disharmony in the Palestinian and Arab arena,” he said “They infiltrate their agents in the region in order to threaten Egypt’s national security, to breach its borders and to shake its stability.”
Since the uncovering of the Hezbollah network, sources in Cairo have said they would act in a localized and efficient manner against the Shiite organization.
They have hinted that most of the damage would be to the weapons’ smuggling conducted along the Sinai roads and Suez Canal.
Mr. Mubarak’s speech came while his men continued to uncover more information in the course of the investigation.
The brains behind the Hezbollah network in Egypt — Hezbollah’s intelligence officer Mohamed Kablan — trained and qualified Palestinian suicide bombers for attacks in Israel. Mr. Kablan is a senior officer in Hezbollah’s 1800 unit, a secret body that aids Hamas and other Palestinian factions in their struggle against Israel.
Information on his involvement in attacks against Israel emerged in the course of the interrogation of the affair’s main suspect, the Lebanese Mohammad Yussuf Mansur, aka Sami Shihab. “Mohamed Kablan is responsible for preparing the Palestinians who left for Jihad,” Mr. Shihab told his interrogators, “This is due to his proficiency in the language and his great ability to spark enthusiasm in the hearts of the holy warriors.”Mr. Kablan lived in Egypt in the past for a long period and is fluent in the Egyptian dialect of Arabic. David Bedein can be reached at bedein@thebulletin.us

Assad Defends Hizbullah against Egypt's Allegations, Says Syria Not 'Party' in Hariri Tribunal
Naharnet/Syrian President Bashar Assad said Damascus was not a "party" in the U.N. tribunal set up to try the suspects in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination and also defended Hizbullah against allegations that the Shiite group planned to carry out multiple attacks in Egypt.
"What is Hizbullah's aim behind this?" Assad said in remarks published on Tuesday. "Hizbullah has no reason to do this, and it has denied that," Assad added. He was referring to Cairo's accusations that the so-called Hizbullah cell arrested in Egypt plotted attacks against Israeli tourists in Egypt.
"They (Hizbullah) said they have nothing against Egypt or the Egyptians," Assad stressed, adding that neither Hamas nor Hizbullah would attack Israel via Syrian territory. Regarding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Assad said: "We have no expectations at all.""It's a process that must be done professionally," he stressed, adding that he expects "a good ending" to the trial if the issue was dealt with in a professional manner. Assad said Syria was not a party in the STL. "There is an agreement between the STL and the Lebanese government. A similar deal should be cut with Syria if there is anything concerning a Syrian -- whether he was guilty or innocent, any Syrian without exception," Assad explained. He said Damascus was willing to cooperate and will do everything possible to uncover the truth behind the Hariri crime. Beirut, 28 Apr 09, 08:28

6th National Dialogue Session to Discuss Polls, Stress on Pact of Honor
Naharnet/The sixth national dialogue session kicked off at Baabda palace on Tuesday as bickering politicians are expected to stress on calm and holding parliamentary elections away from tension. President Michel Suleiman stressed at the start of the all-party talks on the need to keep a calm political and media atmosphere. He also urged to make administrative appointments as the June 7 elections are approaching. Suleiman and MP Michel Aoun held closed-door talks for around 40 minutes ahead of the dialogue session. Several meetings were also held on the sidelines of the all-party talks, including talks between Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat and Hizbullah MP Mohammed Raad. He was later joined by MP Boutros Harb. Al-Mustaqbal movement leader Saad Hariri also held side talks with Speaker Nabih Berri after a similar small meeting that brought together Berri, Hariri, Jumblat and MP Hagop Pakradounian.
Sources told An Nahar newspaper that the 14 political leaders will stress on the "pact of honor" that they had sealed during a previous session. The pact stresses on calm and holding the June 7 polls in a peaceful atmosphere and away from tension and disturbances.
The sources said some March 14 representatives could raise the issue of remarks by Hizbullah MP Mohammed Raad, in which he said the Lebanese government must go for being part of an aggressive program against Lebanon and the Lebanese.
The March 14 officials will also ask Raad about Hizbullah's written defense strategy proposal, in particular after the party and Amal movement haven't yet named their representatives to an experts committee. The committee, tasked with studying defense strategy proposals, met only once for lack of quorum, the sources added.
The 14 leaders will also discuss media incitement and decide whether Monday's session would be the last before the elections. Minister Wael Abou Faour told Voice of Lebanon radio that the session could be the last before the polls, adding that it is being held upon the desire of the president to stress on the "pact of honor."Meanwhile, As Safir newspaper said Speaker Nabih Berri and Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun are expected to hold a meeting on the sidelines of the all-party talks at Baabda palace. The two leaders will discuss formation of the Jezzine district list, whish is facing obstacles as a result of conflicting demands by Aoun and Berri. Beirut, 28 Apr 09, 08:10

Lebanon Plans to Complain to U.N. About Israel-Linked Cells
Naharnet/Lebanon could file a complaint to the United Nations after documenting the results of investigations that authorities are carrying out on several networks accused of spying for Israel. Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat said Tuesday that Lebanon could resort to the U.N. and inform it about results of probes on several cells accused of working with the Israeli Mossad, in violation of Security Council Resolution 1701. Meanwhile, Lebanese authorities continued questioning several members of a cell arrested in the past few days in Sidon, Zebdin, Nabatiyeh and Marjayoun. Al-Liwaa newspaper said several other people were arrested in a number of southern and eastern towns. Authorities are questioning them in secrecy to find out their relations with some of the accused. Beirut, 28 Apr 09, 09:47

Arab League Denies Hizbullah-Egypt Mediation
The Arab League denied mediating between Egypt and Hizbullah over an alleged cell accused of planning attacks inside Egyptian territories. "The Arab League has no stance on the issue, because it is up to the courts in Egypt; it's a court issue," the organization's spokesman Abdul Alim al-Abyad told The Jerusalem Post. "We are not involved in any mediation, because it is a judicial matter and it's in front of the Egyptian courts," he reiterated. He told the Israeli newspaper that Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa visited Beirut and held talks with top leaders although he mainly made the trip to attend a celebration at UNESCO palace announcing Beirut as "World Book Capital City 2009." Lebanese media had said that Moussa discussed the crisis between Egypt and Hizbullah, along with the upcoming parliamentary elections and other developments in Lebanon and the region. Al-Abyad, however, denied that the Arab League chief discussed the alleged Hizbullah cell issue with Lebanese leaders. "He didn't discuss it and we don't discuss it at the Arab League," he said. "We have no position on that." Moussa declined to respond to reporters' questions about the issue on Saturday but confirmed that quiet diplomatic efforts are underway, as President Michel Suleiman had previously stated. Beirut, 28 Apr 09, 08:28

Majority, Minority Confusion Over Kesrouan Lists
Naharnet/March 14 forces could have more than one list in the Kesrouan district as media reports say Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun's ticket is awaiting the last touches before its announcement. As Safir daily said Tuesday that the majority couldn't close its ranks either under the slogan of March 14 or independents in Kesrouan and Jbeil which could lead to the formation of separate lists. Meanwhile, sources close to Aoun told the newspaper that the FPM's list could see light in the next few days. MP Gilberte Zwein could be replaced by Fares Boueiz, according to the sources. Al-Liwaa newspaper, however, said there is still confusion in Kesrouan. Aoun has chosen Youssef Khalil and Farid Elias al-Khazen among the list's five Maronites while he is hesitant in his choice between Zwein and Nehmatallah Abi Nasr and between Boueiz and Antoine Hkayyem. The FPM leader would be the fifth Maronite on the ticket. As for Jbeil, As Safir said complications could lead to the birth of three separate tickets for the pro-government forces or what are called the "centrists." Beirut, 28 Apr 09, 10:15

U.S. for Lebanese Government that has Moderate Views
Naharnet/The United States has stressed on free elections in Lebanon and reiterated its backing for a moderate government in the aftermath of the parliamentary elections. "We obviously want to see free elections," State Department assistant spokesman Robert Wood said Monday. "We're going to support the Lebanese government. We certainly want to see … a government that has moderate views in place," he stressed in response to a question on contingency plans in case Hizbullah becomes the majority in parliament. Wood reiterated that the Obama administration is against interference in Lebanon's internal affairs and said the June 7 elections should be held in a democratic manner. "What's important here is that there not be interference in Lebanese internal affairs. We want to make sure that everyone supports a free election in Lebanon and, as an overall goal, a free, democratic, prosperous Lebanon," he said.
"We'll just have to see what happens after the election," Wood told reporters. He said U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "was very clear in terms of where we stand with regard to Lebanon and the upcoming election."Wood also called on Iran to encourage Islamic militants to accept Israel's existence, after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tehran could accept a two-state solution. Ahmadinejad, in an interview with the U.S. network ABC broadcast on Sunday, said it would be "fine with us" if the Palestinians reached a two-state solution that accepts Israel. Wood said the U.S. wanted Iran to "play a positive role in the region, which up until now it hasn't.""If Iran wants to show goodwill, it should encourage those forces that it supports that are opposed to a two-state solution to cease their opposition and work constructively toward helping us reach that two-state solution," he said. Beirut, 28 Apr 09, 08:48

Chances of Understanding in Beirut 1 and 3
Naharnet/Talks of an alliance between al-Mustaqbal movement leader Saad Hariri and Jamaa Islamiya are delaying announcement of the Beirut 3 list while contacts are underway to solve the Beirut 1 Armenian Catholic seat problem. Jamaa Islamiya's deputy chief Ibrahim al-Masri told As Safir newspaper that negotiations have come to a standstill although there are still chances of understanding. He stressed, however, that the grouping's candidates in the South, Bekaa, North and Beirut continue with their candidacies and are ready for an alliance with Mustaqbal. Al-Liwaa said the grouping's politburo will hold a meeting on Tuesday or Wednesday to assess contacts between the two sides and adopt a stance. In Beirut 1, contacts are underway to find a solution to the Armenian Catholic seat currently occupied by MP Serge Tor Sarkissian. The contacts are aimed at convincing Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea to withdraw his candidate Richard Kouyoumjian.
As Safir said that Hariri and his ally MP Michel Faraoun gave the involved officials 48 hours to find a solution or else the list will be announced with the seat going to Tor Sarkissian. Beirut, 28 Apr 09, 11:38

Murr and Gemayel Announce Metn Electoral List
Naharnet/Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel joined MP Michel Murr on Monday in announcing their 2009 electoral list for the Metn district.
Titled 'The Metn Salvation List,' the ticket includes: Sami Gemayel, Elie Karame (Phalange), Eddie Abillamaa (Lebanese Forces), Sarkis Sarkis, Elias Mukhaiber, Emile Kanaan and Michel Murr (Independents). Murr said that the list is united and shall remain so in parliament in defense of state legitimacy and the hopes of Metn voters. He also paid tribute to previous parliamentary candidates Pierre Ashqar and Antoine Haddad for pulling out of the electoral race for the benefit of the 'Metn Salvation List.' Gemayel said that the Metn list is most close to the hearts of Lebanese because it represents a list of people that struggled for the last breath for Lebanon, its independence, sovereignty and freedom. Phalange Central Committee Coordinator Sami Gemayel read the list's political platform saying it holds true of Lebanon's independence and sovereignty, to work on removing Lebanon out of the policies of political axis, maintaining the country's democratic system where the parliamentary majority would govern and minority would oppose, supporting the Christian Maronite patriarchy and the president. The platform also paid support to the Lebanese security and armed forces in solely having the right in defending the country. Beirut, 27 Apr 09, 19:29

Tribunal's Pre-Trial Judge to Announce Decision on Generals on Wednesday
Naharnet/Pre-Trial Judge of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Daniel Fransen will announce his decision on the fate of the four detained generals on Wednesday.
The tribunal said that Fransen will announce his decision at 2:00 pm Beirut time after the tribunal's general prosecutor Daniel Bellemare handed down his decision on the fate of the generals to the pre-trial judge. Fransen had issued a ruling asking Bellemare to either justify the need to keep the prisoners in custody or to order their release by April 27. The four generals are Jamil Sayyed, Ali Hajj, Raymond Azar and Mustafa Hamdan who respectively headed the General Security Department, the Internal Security Forces, Military Intelligence and the Presidential Guards Brigade. Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar said from the Grand Serail that the release of the generals does not imply their innocence and keeping them in prison doesn't mean they were involved in former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's killing. "It is up to Fransen to take the appropriate decision after studying the file," Najjar said after meeting with Premier Fouad Saniora. The Lebanese side that will be informed about the court's decision is state prosecutor Saeed Mirza, al-Jadeed TV said. Bellemare's spokesperson Radia Ashouri told Future News TV that the content of the prosecutor's decision on Monday "would only be made public once Fransen allows that to happen." Beirut, 27 Apr 09, 14:39

Aoun Criticized Clinton's Visit to Hariri Tomb Calls For Honoring Tomb of Unknown Soldier
'Naharnet/Reform and Change' parliamentary bloc leader MP Michel Aoun criticized Sunday's visit to the tomb of slain former premier Rafik Hariri by visiting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton saying: "when foreign official visitors come to Lebanon they usually go and place a wreath on the tomb of premier Hariri. They have the right to honor him, but they cannot sum-up thousands of martyrs with the Hariri tomb." "There is the tomb of the unknown soldier that represents all those martyrs," Aoun said, adding that foreign dignitaries should inform their government of this. He went on to stress that placing a wreath on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier honors the people of Lebanon. Aoun made his statements Monday following a meeting of his parliamentary bloc at his residence in Rabieh.
He further tackled the Clinton visit saying: "her surprise visit to Lebanon was a sort of political indication that says, she does not support our policies. However, this does not bother us."He added that during difficult times when U.S. policy supported the parliamentary majority [meaning March 14 Forces] in Lebanon the majority did not win "and I say today that they would not win today either." Aoun accused an un-named parliamentary candidate of pulling all American cigarettes out of the market to raise prices adding that he is going to inform public prosecutors about this development. The Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader said that his party is under attack in various regions as aggression is reaching party centers and the forceful removal of party posters."The individuals that are doing so are well known, even those that fire their guns, they are arrested for a few hours and then turned loose. If we are going to begin the elections this way, what would happen later?" Aoun responded to previous statements by some against Metn Greek Orthodox parliamentary candidate Ghassan Rahbani saying: "some are underestimating parliamentary candidate Ghassan Rahbani, those that forget his name should not ask who he is. Rahbani comes from a good family from the Metn that raised Lebanon's name very high. Those who don't know him don't know much."
The FPM leader affirmed to reporters that he has no difference with his political ally parliament Speaker Nabih Berri over parliamentary seats in Jezzine saying: "We, Speaker Berri and Hizbullah are all agreed on a mechanism for settling this issue." "In the past it was said that Gen. Aoun cannot be president because he has a parliamentary bloc; today they want the president to have a parliamentary bloc saying he is a centrist, this contradiction bothers me," Aoun said regarding political centrists. He expressed his support to women right to vote saying: " in the west they have a saying sois belle et tais toi. I say sois belle et vote,this is an invitation to women to express themselves." Beirut, 27 Apr 09, 18:39

Hizbullah's global aims come to light
By Ferry Biederman
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
For all the verbal fireworks coming out of Cairo, Egypt's campaign against the Lebanese Hizbullah movement may not amount to much in the end. We're talking after all about a country that cannot even exert significant influence over events in neighboring Gaza and that cannot rein in the Palestinian Hamas movement there toward which it is ostensibly not well disposed either. To think that it can counter Hizbullah in any meaningful way in its Lebanese home base or anywhere else in the region, beyond its own borders, seems farfetched. But the row does emphasize a couple of regional fault lines and raises questions of Hizbullah's international ambitions and the extent of its coordination with Iran.
While many in Lebanon have focused on the Egyptian charges that Hizbullah was planning to carry out attacks on its soil, the claim by its leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, that the group was smuggling arms to Palestinian factions in Gaza, for which "we do not apologize," was the more remarkable. Any attack on Israelis in Egypt can be construed as being in line with his earlier pledge to seek revenge for the killing of Hizbullah commander Imad Mughniyeh in Damascus last year, which Nasrallah has accused Israel of being behind. But the now open extension of Hizbullah's role to supporting the Palestinian cause hundreds of miles from the Lebanese border opens up the prospect of a continued confrontation with Israel even if all outstanding Lebanese-Israeli issues get settled. It also lifts a tip of the veil of secrecy that has always covered persistent indications that Hizbullah does have an international strategy, be it in the Palestinian territories, in Iraq or in South America.
Hizbullah's support for Hamas in Gaza is not surprising given the well-known ties that go back several years now between Iran and Hamas. What is significant is that Hizbullah's and Tehran's aid to Hamas gives the lie to the notion that militant Shiite and Sunni movements do not cooperate. Since Hamas, apart from its Palestinian nationalist agenda, is also an offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, such cooperation becomes even more important and could be regarded as a real threat by some of the so-called moderate or pro-Western Arab regimes. This may be one of the reasons behind Egypt's decision to take Hizbullah on in such a public and vocal way. The combination of Iranian support and Hizbullah's guerrilla expertise and Arab nationalist appeal seems to be an alarming one for Arab states. Egypt's foreign minister immediately claimed a link between Iran and Hizbullah's alleged activities in his country. The rivalry between Cairo and Tehran is well established by now and Egypt has kept a wary eye on increased Iranian influence in the region, which has been particularly in evidence since 2003. Iran and Hizbullah received a further boost from the 2006 war when Hizbullah fought credibly against the Israelis. By some accounts the popularity of the group among ordinary Egyptians has been neutralized by the row, which would be an achievement for the Egyptian authorities.
The confrontation also comes at a time when the Obama administration's advances toward Iran have made Cairo, as well as other Arab regimes, even more nervous about being sidelined in the region's great game. The Americans seem momentarily more interested in bringing on board the more rejectionist and hence more popular players in the Arab-Israel conflict rather than relying on their traditional allies. If Cairo can convince the Americans that Iran had a hand in a real plot in Egypt, it may put a bit of a break on the administration's ardor in pursuing Tehran.
The vocal Egyptian campaign against Hizbullah may finally be meant to undercut the chances of Hizbullah's electoral alliance in the upcoming elections in Lebanon. These will be decided in the Christian areas where there is a contest between anti-Syrian groups and the faction following Michel Aoun, who has a written understanding with Hizbullah. That movement's international entanglements may embarrass Aoun. His Christian followers often have little sympathy for the armed Shiite group. They may tolerate it as long as it claims to be defending Lebanon's interests but not when it is aiding the Palestinians to the detriment of Lebanon's interests.
As with all else, the way in which the affair is being viewed in Lebanon depends on the political allegiance of the person who is being asked. In some anti-American quarters the Egyptian accusations are seen as paving the way for another assault on Hizbullah by Israel. Others cannot believe that the country may once again be held hostage by the actions of one particular group. They note that Egypt has also accused the Lebanese state of giving cover to Hizbullah and they wonder how it will affect Egypt's support for Lebanon vis-ˆ-vis Syria. Hizbullah itself is reasonably immune to pressure but if the group is indeed carrying out an international strategy in coordination with Iran, this could have long-lasting implications for Lebanon.
**Ferry Biederman is a free-lance journalist based in Beirut. This commentary first appeared at bitterlemons-international.org, an online newsletter

Obama asks for change in US law on Hamas - report
By Agence France Presse (AFP) /Compiled by Daily Star staff
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
US President Barack Obama's administration has asked Congress to allow continued aid to Palestinians, even if officials linked to Hamas become part of the government, The Los Angeles Times reported Monday. The move has alarmed congressional supporters of Israel, the paper reported.
Under the existing law, any US aid would require that the Palestinian government recognize Israel, renounce violence and agree to follow past Israeli-Palestinian agreements. Hamas does not meet these criteria. The daily said the administration had requested the changes this month as part of an $83.4 billion emergency spending bill that also contains funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill would also provide $840 million for the Palestinian Authority as well as for rebuilding Gaza after the Israeli military assault earlier this year. But the Obama administration is not sure how to deliver the aid to Gaza because of the restrictions on dealing with Hamas, the report said.
The Palestinians are watching for signs that the new Democratic team at the White House might be more sympathetic to Palestinians than the administration of former President George W. Bush, The Times said. The paper quoted Republican Representative Mark Steven Kirk as saying that the proposal was like agreeing to support a government that "only has a few Nazis in it." US officials insist that the new proposal doesn't amount to recognizing or aiding Hamas, the report said.
However, the request underscores the quandary faced by the Obama administration in its efforts to broker peace in the Middle East.
Obama has repeatedly called for a separate Palestinian state. But negotiating a peace agreement will be difficult without dealing with Hamas, which won Palestinian elections in 2006, The Times said. Hamas, despite its election victory, was prevented from governing by Israel. Meanwhile, rival Palestinian delegations from Fatah and Hamas met in the Egyptian capital Monday, in what could be their last attempt at reconciliation.
The delegations met for three-way talks with Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, the official MENA news agency reported. The meetings - the fourth round since March - are expected to last at least three days, senior Fatah official Nabil Shaath told AFP. Nabil Amr, the Palestinian ambassador to Cairo, said he hoped this round "would be the last before an agreement [is reached], because a time-limit must be set."On Sunday, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization warned that this would be the last attempt at inter-Palestinian reconciliation if talks failed.
The Fatah team is headed by former Prime Minister Ahmad Qorei, while the Hamas delegation is led by member Moussa Abu Marzouk.
The rival factions are expected to discuss the formation of a national unity government and its program, the reform of security apparatuses and the drafting of a new electoral law. Abbas told a political rally in the West Bank town of Ramallah on Monday that if the parties managed to form a unity government, the Cabinet would have to abide by past Israeli-Palestinian accords. "It is the government and its members that should respect such deals and not movements," Abbas said, referring to the Hamas movement's refusal to recognize past deals.
A new cabinet must also tackle the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and prepare for presidential and parliamentary elections "before January 24, 2010," Abbas said.
Amr urged Hamas, to "look at the situation realistically and to deal more positively with the international situation." "The lack of harmony with the international situation means we will not receive any support, on any level, and I believe we are not self-sufficient enough to rebuild Gaza," Amr said. International donors have pledged $4.5 billion in aid to the Palestinians, much of it for the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip where over 1,400 Palestinians, mostly civilians, were killed in the turn-of-the-year Israeli offensive. But the aid was promised to Abbas' government, not to Hamas, and no reconstruction aid has been allowed into the territory.
Hopes for progress appeared dim at the start of the talks, with Hamas predicting obstacles and Fatah admitting there were "still many issues to cover."
"But we insist on reaching an agreement," Shaath said.On Sunday, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum said this round of talks would be "the most difficult."
The two sides began their negotiations in Cairo on March 10, but so far the talks have made little headway in healing the deep rift between the rival movements.
Discussions were suspended for three weeks on April 2 and a few days later Egypt proposed adjourning efforts to form a unified government and instead setting up a committee to coordinate two rival cabinets. On Thursday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed doubt that the rival Palestinian factions would clinch a deal on a unity government. - AFP with The Daily Star

Hizbullah's Egypt cell 'violation' - Roed-Larsen
Daily Star staff/Tuesday, April 28, 2009
BEIRUT: UN special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen criticized Hizbullah Sunday evening, describing the phenomenon of purported Hizbullah agents operating in Sinai as a serious violation of Egypt's sovereignty. "Hizbullah's cell in Egypt is a violation of Egyptian territories," Roed-Larsen said in Cairo following talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Egypt's public prosecutor is interrogating 49 people it claims plotted to carry out "hostile operations" on orders from Hizbullah. The suspects, who face charges of espionage and planning to overthrow the regime, are allegedly led by Hizbullah operative Sami Shehab. The Lebanese organization admitting at least one of the detainees was a member of the organization helping smuggle arms into the Gaza Strip. However, Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah denied his movement was planning terror attacks in order to destabilize Egypt. Egyptian MPs are demanding an indictment be issued against Nasrallah. A bill of indictment is expected to be announced soon against the detained suspects, who include 24 fugitives.
Roed-Larsen said UN chief Ban Ki-moon dispatched him to Cairo to follow-up on Hizbullah's alleged plot.
Ban had expressed concern over Hizbullah operations outside Lebanese territories, saying "interference in another country's internal affairs constitutes a violation of sovereignty." "The UN secretary general has clearly denounced this unjustified violation of Egypt's sovereignty and its internal affairs," said Roed-Larsen, Ban's special envoy for the implementation of resolution 1559. "He [Ban] is following closely all circumstances related to the issue," Roed-Larsen added. On Monday, German news agency DPA said Egypt has arrested three new suspects thought to have ties with the Hizbullah, in the Al-Arish area of the Sinai Peninsula The three are Egyptian and Palestinians; two of them were found with weapons in their possession, newspapers clippings and video reports of Nasrallah talking about the Palestinian resistance. - The Daily Star

Jumblatt calls Sfeir a 'great man' for Lebanon
By Maher Zeineddine /Daily Star correspondent
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
BEIRUT: Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt said Monday that experience has proved that "the relationship with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir is close enough not to be exploited." "This great man is the first sponsor of the Cedar Revolution that restored hope to the Lebanese in enjoying state protection and in achieving their ambitions," Jumblatt said in his weekly interview with PSP's Al-Anbaa magazine .The "Cedar Revolution" was a term coined by the US State Department to refer to Lebanon's Independence Intifada, or massive street protests in March 2005 that forced Syria to withdraw from Lebanon. "We shall work on protecting reconciliation, because it has become deeply rooted and has succeeded in turning the page on a painful and hateful past," Jumblatt said. He also stressed the importance of preserving the Taif accord. "If this accord was well applied from the very beginning, bilateral relations would not have deteriorated [with Syria] as they did. We still hold on to the Taif, this accord calls for a distinguished relationship for both countries in a framework of mutual respect and independence," Jumblatt said. He touched on the issue of the defense strategy saying the issue is important for strengthening the state against Israeli aggression and almost daily violations "particularly when the state is now uncovering Israeli espionage rings."The PSP leader said it was very important to turn focus to economic and social issues following the parliamentary elections next June saying "real and daring deep rooted reforms are now needed in Lebanon

Welch warns US officials against 'overreacting' to March 8 victory
By Andrew Wander /Daily Star staff
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
BEIRUT: A former Bush administration foreign policy official has warned US politicians against "overreacting" if the Hizbullah-led opposition wins a majority in the upcoming parliamentary election. David Welch, who was assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern affairs during Bush's presidency said that a March 8 victory would "open up policy questions" for the Obama administration, but cautioned against a knee-jerk response to any potential result of the June 7 poll, which he said rested on "a few key districts."
"For Americans there is a struggle in not overreacting. It's a really hard thing to do," he said at an event hosted in Washington, which was broadcast over the internet on Monday. "It's wonderful to speculate about crisp outcomes, but we may not get a crisp outcome," he added.
The event was hosted by the Woodrow Wilson Center and organized by the Safadi Foundation's US office. Welch's comments came in the context of a broader discussion about the significance of the forthcoming elections in Lebanon.
Welch said that he believed that the Obama administration was pursuing a "pro-Lebanon" policy that was similar to the position of the Bush administration in that the country was not being viewed as a bargaining chip for wider regional politics. "Support for Lebanon is bi-partisan," he said, adding that he believed the US Congress would continue to view the promotion of Lebanon's sovereignty as a priority. Welch admitted that there was "no shortage" of criticism for the Bush administration's policy toward the Middle East, but argued that Lebanon had benefited from the previous president's approach.
He pointed to efforts to bolster Lebanese security forces in the face of various armed non-state actors in the country as an example, although he admitted there was still some way to go before process was complete. "It's regrettable that they don't have a monopoly on the use of force," he said, but added that the Nahr al-Bared conflict of 2007 was a "turning point" in the role of Lebanese security forces. His call for moderation in Washington's response to a potential March 8th victory was echoed by the Beirut-based analyst Paul Salem, the director of the Carnegie Center for Peace, who also spoke at the event.
"The US should deal with whatever government the Lebanese people vote for," Salem said, after saying that the election was "too close to call," and that there would be no big victory. "There will be no landslide, or major shift," he said. "Life won't change on June 8th."
He outlined three scenarios that he believed the elections could throw up: a narrow March 14th victory, a hung parliament or a slim majority for March 8th. He said that the first two outcomes would not represent "major change," but warned that a March 8th government that did not include March 14th could struggle to govern effectively. He said he believed it would be "difficult" for March 14th to stick to previous statements in which they said they would not accept a role in a March 8th majority government as a result, because doing so would leave their constituents unrepresented.
The poll would probably be peaceful, Salem said, because of a lull in regional tensions that was having a positive impact on Lebanon. But he warned that deterioration in the regional security situation could have a major impact on Lebanon's stability. "The stability or calm is not homegrown," he said. "The risk for Lebanon is that there is a regional breakdown in 2010." Salem urged the Obama administration to push for a peace deal between Syria and Israel to help Lebanon consolidate its recent security improvements. "Without it we will be an occasional state arena for warfare," he said.

Women demonstrators demand reform of nationality legislation
'No one should be excluded from the new law'
By Marc Abizeid /Special to The Daily Star
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
BEIRUT: About 100 women carrying signs marched their way through the gates of the Interior Ministry building Monday to demand drastic reform to a 1925 nationality law barring women from passing citizenship to their foreign husbands and children. Inside, Minister Ziyad Baroud held a closed-door meeting with representatives of the campaign to reform the law before appearing together for a news conference. The activists are working with the ministry to draft a new version of the law which they say must cater to the principle of equality. "No one should be excluded from the new law," said Lina Abu Habib, director of Collective for Research and Training on Development-Action. "That includes Palestinians, Iraqis and husbands - not just children."
She added that Lebanon was lagging behind among Arab countries in terms of nationality rights, noting that a handful of other countries in the region have recently introduced reforms to their citizenship laws. Civil rights groups have long been trying to change the 84-year-old law stipulating that only men married to non-Lebanese may pass on nationality to their wives and children. "The nationality law is flawed," Baroud affirmed after giving Abou Habib the chance to open up the conference. "It discriminates against women. We should move away from the mentality of exceptions, and adopt more regulations in the new law."
The families of Lebanese women must pay annual residency permit fees of around $1,200, undergo regular medical check-ups and blood tests, and face substantial difficulties in accessing employment, affordable education and health care.
The advocates of a new law also point out that Lebanese women married to Arabs struggle financially more often than women married to Europeans and Americans.
Opponents of the law argue that allowing women to pass on nationality will provide a backdoor to Palestinian refugees seeking naturalization, which is currently a fiercely contested issue in Lebanon. They also say that granting citizenship to foreigners may alter the sectarian demographics of the country, on which the country's political system is based. The nationality law was slightly altered in 1994 to allow the children of a Lebanese mother and foreign father to gain citizenship, but with a confusing fine print: the child must marry a Lebanese and live in the country uninterrupted for at least five years, including one year after the marriage.

New York man receives 6-year “terror” sentence for Hezbollah TV broadcasts
By Peter Daniels
27 April 2009
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/apr2009/iqba-a27.shtml
A New York man was sentenced last week to 69 months in prison on charges of assisting Hezbollah, the mass-based Lebanese Shiite movement, by providing satellite television services that included broadcasts by the party’s television station, Al Manar.
Javed Iqbal, 45 years old, was first arrested in August 2006, charged under a 30-year-old statute, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. A small businessman who was born in Pakistan and came to the US as a teenager, he had used satellite equipment at his home in the New York City borough of Staten Island to provide programming for various outlets, including Christian evangelists as well as Hezbollah.
The law under which Iqbal was charged had been amended by the Patriot Act after the September 11. The revised statute was used to target individuals accused of providing aid to organizations designated as terrorist by the US State Department.
Iqbal’s prosecution had the effect of criminalizing speech and utilized the technique of guilt by association. Law professor and civil liberties advocate David Cole pointed this out at the time.
“Mr. Iqbal is being penalized for doing nothing more than facilitating speech, and is being punished not because the speech itself is harmful, but because it is associated with Hezbollah,” Cole said.
Moreover, the original legislation had been amended in 1988 to include an exemption for news content. The American Civil Liberties Union criticized the arrest of Iqbal on the grounds that it ignored this constitutional exception to the law, but the judge in US District Court in Manhattan later upheld the charge, claiming that the prosecution was based not on content but on specific conduct, that of providing material support to a terrorist group.
Hezbollah, a pro-Iranian Islamic movement which had its origins more than a quarter century ago in response to the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, inflicted a political and strategic blow to the Israeli regime when it fought back against Israeli attacks in 2006. It is now the largest party in the country with 11 seats in the Lebanese parliament and virtual veto power over government policy. It regularly mobilizes hundreds of thousands of supporters in mass demonstrations.
The State Department first labeled it as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997, under the Clinton Administration, in line with the foreign policy interests of US imperialism and its Zionist ally.
Hezbollah’s broadcasts, meanwhile, remain freely available on the Internet.
Mr. Iqbal is apparently not affiliated with Hezbollah, but has been caught up in the “war on terror.” A small businessman, he first challenged the charges, but, facing a jail sentence of up to 15 years, was eventually pressured into accepting a guilty plea on a single charge. His attorney read a statement in Federal District Court on April 23 stating, “I have not harmed anyone in my whole life,” but expressing sorrow for what he called a mistake that had hurt him “financially, emotionally and physically.”
This case was begun under the Bush regime and concluded under the Obama Administration. It is one more sign that the recent change in terminology, in which the White House has apparently dropped the expression “war on terror” for more innocuous-sounding language, is a change in terminology only, and not in foreign policy or the attacks on free speech and other democratic rights.

A Palace on the Fault Line
Ghassan Charbel Al-Hayat - 27/04/09//
How can the palace inhabitant be at ease, I wonder? Every time I visit him, I smell an earthquake, feelings I often hide from Mr. President, regardless of his name. He has enough causes of concern. The Lebanese leaderships and the crazy region are more than enough to annoy the Republic and its President. Nevertheless, he strives hard in the presidential palace to defend his title, like a weary wrestler drained by blows… in a country with modified demographic and political balances… in a region with heightened fears and continued struggles - a region that awakens conflicts and busies itself with the funerals of suicide bombing victims.
The presidential palace is a tragedy. It is a part of the tragedy of the Republic, which seeks him sometimes, but which he always seeks. It is as if they seldom meet. It is either a Republic searching for a president or a president searching for the Republic. If the two happen to meet, fate interferes. The fault line moves. It eliminates the president or the Republic, leaving the country in the care of small or blind armies.
On my way out of the Baabda palace, old images assaulted me. Shells displaced President Sleiman Frangieh from the palace, chasing him around rooms. Elected at the sound of bullets, President Elias Sarkis left the palace with the country shackled by Israeli tanks. Bashir Gemayel took hold of the palace, which exploded before he could seize the seals. Amine Gemayel entered the palace with a bloody family and a bloody country. He left the palace to void. General Michel Aoun took hold of the palace, fought and was fought, bringing about a myriad of funerals. When Taef instituted Rene Moawad as a president looking for a palace and a Republic, Independence Day blew up with him, and their remains were scattered around. Elias Hraoui protected himself from the fault line. Moawad's coffin was one of his teachers. He extended his mandate, retired, and died of natural causes.
At the army headquarters in Yarze, General Emile Lahoud waited impatiently for his opportunity to come. A whole kitchen was put at the disposal of his project…. Polls and stories… As he entered the palace, he took off his military uniform but forgot to turn into a civilian. His program had a single clause: to dismantle the 'Republic of Rafic Hariri' and the halo of its president. This choice brought stability to security. Once again, the Lebanese drank the cup of extension; fate interfered, and the fault line moved. A man the size of the Republic burnt in one of the streets of a city whose darkness he had ended. The Republic and the palace were both rocked by a string of successive earthquakes. The rest of the story is known, and painful. Lahoud left the palace to void. I read the book of my friend Karim Pakradouni about his mandate. What a pleasant style! How hard it is to perform cosmetic surgeries!
Michel Suleiman paid witness to all these earthquakes in his military uniform. I felt too shy to ask him about the feeling that submerges him when night creeps in on the palace, as his visitors and advisors leave. When the government fails to appoint several employees; when a national dialogue session is postponed endlessly; when the Republic thrashes about on talk about the International Tribunal and the defensive strategy? What does he do with the legacy of the past and the mines of the present? How can he stand in the middle of the road in a country that speaks the language of two sides? How does he deal with forces whose program is either smaller or larger than the country?
One gets a feeling that the president's task is hard, if not impossible. How hard it is to rescue a nation from such debris! How hard it is to build a state, whose common denominators have receded, and where coexistence seems hard. In all likelihood, the elections will compound the task further. Nonetheless, the president has no other choice but to try, aware as he is that the palace and the Republic stand on a fault line

Iran's President 'would support two-state solution' for Israel
Date: April 27th, 2009 Source: Telegraph
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has recognized Israel's right to exist for the first time, saying it would be "fine with us" if the Palestinians reached a two-state solution.
Asked if he would support an agreement between the Palestinians and Tehran's arch enemy, he said: "Whatever decision they take is fine with us. We are not going to determine anything. Whatever decision they take, we will support that.
"We think that is the right of the Palestinian people; however we fully expect other states to do so as well."
In an interview with ABC News's George Stephanopoulos in the Iranian capital, Ahmadinejad seemed unsure how to react to Obama' friendly overtures, which have included a message to the Iranian people on their national day praising their "great civilization".
He ruled out talks between the US and Iran without pre-conditions but welcomed talks "with clear guidelines".
When asked whether he shares Obama's vision for a new relationship with Iran, Ahmadinejad said: “In the past 29 years, different US administrations have opposed the Iranian people.
"Now they say that we have given up that enmity. That's fine. We have welcomed such comments. But an administration which, up until yesterday, was saying that 'I'm going to kill you', and today says that 'I'm not going to kill you', is that sufficient?"
He continued to question the Holocaust, even though aggressive comments about Israel at a UN conference on racism in Geneva last week prompted a walk out by European delegations.
"If this is indeed a historical event," he said of the murder of six million Jews by the Nazis, "why do they want to turn it into a holy thing? And nobody should be allowed to ask any questions about that?"
Ahmadinejad has previously declared that Israel should be "wiped off the map" and a week ago accused the Israelis of running the "the most cruel and repressive racist regime".