LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
January 23/09
Bible Reading of the
day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 3,7-12. Jesus withdrew
toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people (followed) from
Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came
to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the
neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for
him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He had cured many
and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him.
And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout,
"You are the Son of God."He warned them sternly not to make him known.
Saint Augustine (354-430), bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and doctor of the
Church
Sermons on the First Letter of Saint John, 1,1 (SC 75, p.113) (©Augustinian
Heritage Institute)
Life was manifested in the flesh
«What was from the beginning, what we have
heard, and what we have seen with our eyes, and what our hands have touched of
the Word of life» (1Jn,1). Who touches the Word with his hands apart from the
fact that «the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us» (1Jn 1:14)? But this Word
which was made flesh, so that it might be touched by our hands, began to be
flesh from the Virgin Mary, yet it didn't begin to be the Word then, because
[John] said, «What was from the beginning...Perhaps someone will understand this
about «the Word of life» as though it were a way of speaking about Christ, not
as though it was the very body of Christ that was touched by our hands. See what
follows: «And life itself was manifested» (1Jn 1:2). Christ, then, is the Word
of life. And how was life manifested (for it was from the beginning)? Yet it
wasn't manifested to human beings, but it was manifested to angels, who saw it
and who fed on it as their bread. But what does scripture say? «Man has eaten
the bread of angels» (Ps 78[77]:25). Life itself was manifested in flesh so
that, by being manifested, the thing which can be seen by the heart alone may
also be seen by the eyes, so that it may heal hearts. For the Word is seen by
the heart alone, but flesh is also seen by bodily eyes. We were able to see
flesh, but we were unable to see the Word. The Word was made flesh, which we
would be able to see, so that what was in us whereby we might see the Word would
be healed.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters &
Special Reports
Bin Laden:
Gaza is one of the many fronts of "World Jihad". By: Dr. Walid Phares 22/01/09
A Live Confrontation. By Abdul
Rahman Al-Rashed 22/01/09
In the Wake of Gaza, Arab
Hard-Liners Gain Upper Hand.By Nicholas Blanford/Time/22/01/09
The End of Hezbollah Terrorism?.By
JASON RINEHEART/Middle East Time 22/01/09
Israel's bigger battle ahead: its national
identity-By: Bill
Glucroft/Christian Science Monitor 22/01/09
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for January 22/09
Jumblat Accuses
Syria of Blocking the Dismantling of Palestinian Bases-Naharnet
Sfeir: Centrist Bloc Tips Balance between Right and
Left-Naharnet
Hamas dismisses reconciliation talks with Fatah-International
Herald Tribune
From Russia With Love: Iran Gets
Top Air Defense System-pyjamas
media
Gaddafi suggests new state called
'Isratine'-Israel News
Gazan doctor says death toll
inflated-Israel News
Israeli warning on Gaza tunnels-BBC
News
After Gaza war, Israel
sees Hamas prisoner swap
Security Council Calls For
Durable Gaza Cease-Fire, Arms Smuggling Prevention, Border Openings-Naharnet
Lebanon to Probe Discovery of Natural Gas off Mediterranean Coast-Naharnet
Williams: Resolution 1701 Prevented Spread of
Gaza Violence to Lebanon-Naharnet
Slogans Insulting Coexistence on Amsheet School Wall-Naharnet
Al-Akhbar Journalist
Questioned Over Tueni Assassination Claims-Naharnet
Hezbollah vows to be "ready for any surprise" with
Israel-Xinhua
Senate confirms Clinton as
secretary of state-AP
Lebanon delays new round of talks on national defence strategy-AFP
Terror At Hugo Chavez's Hand-Forbes
Hezbollah chief congratulates Hamas for victory over Israeli offensive-Xinhua
Iran condemns Canada’s support of Israel-Vancouver
Sun
Jumblat-Raad Meeting Stressed
Right to Difference and Calm-Naharnet
Long-Awaited Hizbullah-PSP
Meeting Finally Takes Place-Naharnet
Qassem: Arab Peace Initiative was Buried after Gaza War-Naharnet
Hariri: Lebanon's Unity More Important than March 8 and 14-Naharnet
Posters of Political
Leaders Being Removed from Sidon-Naharnet
MP
Geagea for Independent Parliamentary Bloc-Naharnet
EU
Donates 4 Million Euros to Lebanon Elections-Naharnet
Mughniyeh Retaliation Still Haunts Israel-Naharnet
Gaza Crisis Sows Discord at Arab Conference-New
York Times
Sfeir:
Centrist Bloc Tips Balance between Right and Left
Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir said Thursday that a centrist
parliamentary bloc tips the balance between right and left.
"We don't want to meddle in political issues," but a centrist (parliamentary)
bloc always tips the balance between right and left," he said about recent
demands for the creation of an independent bloc. Asked about pro-Bkirki
candidates that would run in the June 7 parliamentary elections, Sfeir said: "It
is early (to discuss this). When the time comes, we'll see" what to do. He told
reporters at Beirut airport before traveling to Egypt that Lebanon is in need of
all sects in order to play an "effective role." Asked about a potential meeting
between him and Syrian officials, Sfeir said: "We don't have differences but
there are no opportunities to exchange visits these days."
Asked if he would meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo, Sfeir
said: "The ambassador is the one who sets up appointments."
"I think there would be meetings with some officials," he said. Sfeir headed to
Egypt to represent Pope Benedict XVI at the burial of former head of the Coptic
Catholic Church in Egypt, Cardinal Stephanos II Ghattas. The head of the
Maronite church welcomed inter-Arab reconciliations and Wednesday's meeting
between Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat and Hizbullah MP
Mohammed Raad.
"We welcome every reconciliation whether it is held in Lebanon or in the Arab
world. We hope that this reconciliation would be permanent and effective," he
said. "But it seems that the Arab reconciliation is held from one side and
shattered on the other. This is not welcomed," he told reporters.
Beirut, 22 Jan 09, 14:12
Jumblat
Accuses Syria of Blocking the Dismantling of Palestinian Bases
Naharnet/Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat on Thursday accused
Syria of blocking implementation of a decision to disarm Palestinian bases
outside refugee camps. "Is the Syrian regime prepared to give up the bases in
Naameh, Qoussaya and other places, including Fatah-Uprising?" Jumblat asked.
He was referring to bases manned by Ahmed Jibril's Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine-General Command and the Abu Mussa's Fatah-Uprising.
Jumblat renewed a call for the "gradual absorption of the resistance … by the
army and the state." He also said holding the decision to go to peace or war by
the state only is "in the interest of south Lebanon citizens who did not want to
be dragged anew into war in favor of regional forces." Beirut, 22 Jan 09, 19:02
Lebanon delays new round of
talks on national defence strategy
BEIRUT (AFP) — Lebanon's political leaders have delayed from Thursday to Monday
a fourth round of talks to formulate a national defence strategy that will
tackle the thorny issue of Hezbollah's weapons, a government official told AFP.
"The talks scheduled for Thursday have been postponed for technical reasons
given that the political leadership was busy with this week's summit in Doha and
the weekly cabinet meeting," an official at the presidential palace said,
speaking on condition of anonymity. The national dialogue organized by President
Michel Sleiman is being attended by 14 leaders representing each of the main
parliamentary blocs.
It is aimed at resolving lingering disputes between the country's rival pro- and
anti-Syrian parties. A major stumbling block in agreeing on a defence strategy
has been Hezbollah's weapons, an issue highlighted last May when the Shiite
group staged a spectacular takeover of mainly Sunni parts of west Beirut.
Hezbollah has rejected calls to disarm, arguing that its weapons and militia are
essential to defend the country against neighbouring Israel.
Members of the Western-backed parliamentary majority say Hezbollah's weapons
undermine the authority of the state, which should be the sole decision-maker on
matters of defence.
Williams: Resolution 1701 Prevented Spread of Gaza Violence
to Lebanon
Naharnet/U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams said U.N.
Security Council Resolution 1701 prevented an escalation between Israel and
Hizbullah in south Lebanon during the Gaza war. He told An Nahar and As Safir
dailies in remarks published Thursday that if it were not for Resolution 1701,
which ended the Israel-Hizbullah war in 2006, the situation in south Lebanon
would have deteriorated as a result of the Israeli aggression on Gaza.
"In the absence of UNIFIL any conflict would witness a large-scale escalation,"
Williams said. He denied the world body knew the identity of militants who fired
rockets from south Lebanon into Israel. "UNIFIL is continuing its
investigation," he said in the interview. "Hizbullah is part of the Lebanese
government which considered the launching of rockets dangerous … and a clear
violation of Resolution 1701," Williams told the newspapers. The firing of
rockets and the Israeli retaliation were "clear violations of U.N. Security
Council Resolution 1701," he said. However, Williams told the dailies that he
was relieved that all sides worked "to contain the situation." He said the world
body does not intend to deploy international monitors on the Lebanese-Syrian
border although the U.N. has sent two technical teams to assess the situation in
2007 and 2008 and make recommendations.
He said Premier Fouad Saniora has informed him that the government began
preparing a strategy to manage the common border.
Asked about Syria's role in the border issue, Williams said: "Lebanon should
first prepare its strategy on the border with Syria and then cooperation begins
with Syria."
He said the U.N. did not have decisive proof on the issue of arms smuggling to
Hizbullah. At the same time, the Shiite group, Williams said, has declared that
it continued to rearm after the July 2006 war.
About the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms area, Williams said that Syrian Foreign
Minister Walid Muallem informed him a few months ago that the territory is
Lebanese. Muallem also told him he would reveal the Lebanese identity of Shebaa
in his next report to U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon.
"However, we wish for more cooperation from Syria which has important documents
in its archives," he said. He told his interviewers that Syrian President Bashar
Assad and Muallem hinted to him that the issue of Shebaa would be resolved when
a peace deal is signed with Israel. "I wish negotiations (between Syria and
Israel) would resume after the end of war in Gaza," Williams said. He said
finding a solution to the issue of the Shebaa Farms was easier than solving the
problem of the border village of Ghajar. "Part of Ghajar is in Lebanon and the
other part is in Israel. The situation of the Shebaa Farms is easier because it
is uninhabited."
Williams said he would soon go to Israel along with UNIFIL Commander Gen.
Claudio Graziano to discuss a plan that calls for the withdrawal of Israeli
troops to the Blue Line and putting Ghajar under the guardianship of
UNIFIL.About the international tribunal that would try ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's
suspected assassins, Williams said: "From now on no one can hold back its work.
International courts of this sort take time and this is natural."Williams said
he expected the parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7 to be transparent
and free from violence. Beirut, 22 Jan 09, 09:21
Qassem: Arab Peace Initiative was Buried after Gaza War
Naharnet/Hizbullah's deputy Secretary General Naim Qassem said Wednesday that
Hizbullah's deterrent force has created a "balance of terror." Speaking in an
interview with talk show host Maguy Farah on Orange TV late Wednesday, Qassem
said Hizbullah was "prepared and ready for any surprise," adding that the group
has good potential. "We have experts and trainers," he boasted. Commenting on
the Israeli aggression on Gaza, Qassem said the Jewish state did not achieve its
objectives because plans to wipe out Hamas failed. He said the management of the
battle was entirely under the authority of Hamas."But there were exchange of
opinions with Hamas' representatives in Lebanon," Qassem added. On the Saudi
peace initiative launched at a 2002 Arab summit in Beirut, Qassem said it was
"buried after the Gaza war."He wondered why Israel did nothing about claims
about Hizbullah rearming. "Israel has been accusing Hizbullah of rearming for
the past two and a half years. Why didn't it do anything about it?" Qassem
asked. He believed that as long as Israel exists in the region, it will pose a
threat to Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Egypt and the entire region. Qassem
described as "good" Hizbullah's relations with President Michel Suleiman, adding
that "we have only seen the dispute through some news articles." Beirut, 21 Jan
09, 22:52
Hariri: Lebanon's Unity More Important than March 8 and 14
Naharnet/MP Saad Hariri affirmed the need for more dialogue among Lebanese
political leaders in order to overcome all differences.
"Prior to talking about the unification of the March 8 and 14 political forces,
we have to unify the country and this is a priority," Hariri told a delegation
from the 'Islamic Society for Specialization and Scientific Direction' in
Qoraitem on Wednesday. "I am convinced that our country can only be built
through political and security stability as this would guarantee us economic
stability. It is true there are great political differences. However, this must
remain within the boundaries of the democratic political game," Hariri said. He
added that when he met with Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah,
they both agreed to contain any attempt to foment sectarian sedition.He
cautioned against those who do not take advantage of Arab reconciliation and the
S-S formula (meaning the Saudi-Syrian reconciliation, as termed by parliament
Speaker Nabih Berri). Beirut, 22 Jan 09, 12:03
Lebanon to Probe Discovery of Natural Gas off Mediterranean
Coast
Naharnet/Lebanon was said to be looking into whether large quantities of natural
gas off the Mediterranean were inside Lebanese territorial waters. The daily al
Liwaa on Thursday said the issue will take center stage during the coming few
weeks. Noble Energy Inc. has said it has discovered natural gas of more than 3
trillion cubic feet at the Tamar well located offshore Israel. "This appears to
be the largest discovery in the company's history," said Charles Davidson, Noble
Energy president, chairman and chief executive. The Tamar-1 drilling site is
located 90 kilometers west of the northern port of Haifa. Al Liwaa said Lebanon
fears that the quantities discovered fall inside Lebanese territorial waters.
Energy Minister Alain Tabourian said Lebanon is in the process of asking the
U.N. to help conduct a survey of Lebanese territorial waters. Lebanese
authorities have said they were not sure whether the basin was only part of
Israel's waters. "Noble Energy's discovery proves that the (Lebanese) shore is
rich in gas," said MP Mohammed Qabbani who heads a committee that overseas
energy issues. "There is a possibility that we have a common basin between
Lebanon and the Occupied Palestinian territories," he added. He feared that
Israel could extract "quantities of gas from the depths of Lebanon's territorial
waters if there is a common gas basin." Qabbani has called for government
action, saying that if the basin extends to Lebanese waters, then Lebanon has to
warn Noble Energy from "violating our rights." He said that Lebanon should
protect its rights "even if this basin is not common, there may be other common
basins." Delek Drilling, one of the partners in the U.S.-Israeli consortium,
however, denied the possibility that the discovery fell under Lebanese
territorial waters. Beirut, 22 Jan 09, 09:09
Jumblat-Raad Meeting Stressed Right to Difference and Calm
Naharnet/The overnight meeting between Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid
Jumblat and Hizbullah official Mohammed Raad, the first such encounter between
the two sides since the violent events in May of last year, stressed on
strengthening the clam climate. Press reports on Thursday said Jumblat and Raad
did not discuss political issues. Jumblat told reporters after the Wednesday
evening meeting that he did not discuss with Raad the items on the national
dialogue agenda, saying: "dialogue is one thing and bilateral meetings are
something else." The meeting was hosted by Lebanese Democratic Party leader
Talal Arslan, who has been acting as a broker, at his residence in Khalde on the
coastal highway south of Beirut. An Nahar daily said talks were marked by
honesty. It said both men agreed on the need to follow up all-party national
talks on the basis that each side adheres to its stance and alliances. It said
Jumblat reiterated the PSP's firmness in its alliance with the ruling March 14
Forces and his stance from the Syrian regime. Jumblat, according to An Nahar,
pointed out to Raad that the problem with the Syrian regime is one of the main
controversial issues with Hizbullah.
As Safir newspaper for its part said talks focused on two topics – ways to
protect Lebanon in the face of an Israeli offensive and the prospects for future
Lebanese-Syrian relations. It quoted Raad as responding to Jumblat's criticism
on Syria, saying: "If some believed that a problem does exist with Syria, this
problem whatever it was could be solved and dealt with. But the dispute with
Israel is not subject to a solution."Raad believed that ties with Syria should
be based on this vision.
On the issue of Hizbullah's defense strategy, Jumblat said that Lebanon's
position is very clear regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict. However, he said
there is a general view that sees matters should not remain outside state
authority. Raad disagreed. "We clearly differ on the manner of the resistance so
this issue should be discussed on the negotiating table and no doubt we will
reach a solution sooner or later. That does not mean that the two of us cannot
discuss this matter bilaterally."
Raad, however, hoped that there would be a continuation of review of the May
2007 events and the Doha accord "in order to match strategic views."
Responding to a question on the possibility of a meeting between Jumblat and
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Raad said: "When exchanges of views
reach a strategic level then there would be a possibility for a
Jumblat-Nasrallah meeting."
Commenting on the newly sworn-in U.S. President Barack Obama, Jumblat said:
"Yesterday, we saw a dream come true in the U.S. and there is no doubt that it
is a nation that can through democracy bring forth a President of African origin
and I hope this dream would be achieved in the East."
Arslan also stressed after the hour-long meeting that the "mountains cannot be a
site for conspiracy against the resistance."
Arslan earlier said the meeting is "itself a major achievement."The local media
had said the meeting also aimed at ensuring a peaceful and calm climate
following the events of May last year when Hizbullah seized most of west Beirut
during fighting between opposition and government supporters. The governing
March 14 coalition said Hizbullah's battle was a "coup" aimed at restoring the
influence of Syria and Iran. Hizbullah-allied Christian leader Gen. Michel Aoun
said at the time that Hizbullah's actions had helped restore Lebanon's political
equilibrium. Beirut, 21 Jan 09, 21:08
Security Council Calls For Durable Gaza Cease-Fire, Arms
Smuggling Prevention, Border Openings
Naharnet/The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday called for the temporary
cease-fire in Gaza to be turned into a durable truce with guarantees to prevent
arms smuggling and to ensure that all border crossings are permanently reopened.
All 15 council members agreed to a press statement drafted by Britain and France
that welcomed Sunday's unilateral cease-fires by Israel and Hamas militants
following Israel's offensive aimed at halting years of militant rocket fire by
Hamas on its southern communities and arms smuggling into Gaza.
The council also expressed "grave concern" at the humanitarian situation in
Gaza, where some 1,300 people were killed and many buildings and neighborhoods
destroyed, and urged the unimpeded delivery of aid.
The Security Council emphasized the need to fully implement the legally binding
resolution adopted by the council on Jan. 8, which called for "an immediate,
durable and fully respected cease-fire..."The council on Wednesday expressed
"strong appreciation" for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's efforts to support
implementation of the Jan. 8 resolution. The council also heard a report on
Ban's recent Mideast trip aimed at stopping the fighting in Gaza and rocketing
of southern Israel. The secretary-general attended the meeting, but someone else
read his statement because he lost his voice on the trip.
Ban said that even with the truce and Israeli troops withdrawal "conditions are
still fragile, and much more remains to be done on both the humanitarian and
diplomatic fronts." "I look to Egypt and others to continue vital efforts to
seek understandings and mechanisms to ensure that a durable and sustainable
cease-fire is quickly put in place," he said. Ban stressed that "for any
sustainable political progress to occur and for Gaza to properly recover and
rebuild, Palestinians must face the challenges of reconciliation." Hamas wrested
control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007 from the Palestinian Authority, which
controls the West Bank.
The Security Council statement on Wednesday encouraged Palestinian
reconciliation as well as stepped up efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict and establish an independent Palestinian state. Riyad Mansour, who
represents the Palestinian Authority at the U.N. told reporters, said that
Palestinians "were united in the field against Israeli aggression.""The biggest
lesson of this war and aggression against us (is that) we need to be immediately
united so that we can form (a) national unity or national reconciliation cabinet
to address the monumental task of ... healing the wounds in Gaza and the
reconstruction of Gaza."
He stressed a need for unity. "If that division (is) to continue it would
entrench the division between Gaza and the West Bank and would be a huge blow
against our dream and aspiration of having a contiguous, viable Palestinian
state in all the areas that Israel occupied in 1967 including east
Jerusalem."(AP) Beirut, 22 Jan 09, 12:39
Slogans Insulting Coexistence on Amsheet School Wall
Naharnet/Security forces Thursday continued investigation into the slogans
written on the wall of a public school in Amsheet after provoking a wave of
protests from students. The slogans carried inscriptions like "No Nasr (victory)
but Nasrallah," "No Christ but you, Nasrallah," and "Jbeil (Byblos), Kesrouan
are Muslim districts."Students believed these slogans were harmful to
coexistence in an area that has protected coexistence in the most difficult
circumstances.
Beirut, 22 Jan 09, 13:10
Posters of Political Leaders Being Removed from Sidon
Naharnet/Posters of political leaders and provocative slogans were being removed
from the streets of the southern port city of Sidon on Thursday.
News reports said the decision to take down posters from the streets of Sidon
was the result of several meetings held between Lebanese army and police
intelligence officers and south Lebanon governor Malik Abdel Khaliq. The move
followed a similar action in Greater Beirut after Hizbullah and Mustaqbal
Movement agreed to remove provocative posters. Beirut, 22 Jan 09, 11:36
Al-Akhbar Journalist Questioned Over Tueni Assassination
Claims
Naharnet/Investigating Judge George Karam questioned al-Akhbar journalist Jean
Aziz for two hours on Wednesday over his article in which he challenged the
official story concerning the assassination of An-Nahar General Manager and MP
Gebran Tueni.
The daily An-Nahar said on Thursday that MP Butros Harb, acting as an attorney
on behalf of the Tueni family, presented a legal request in which he referred to
Aziz's written article saying: "The claims made in the article are directly
related to the crime; and if proved to be true, could shed a lot of light on
events and circumstances of the assassination. Moreover, if these claims are
false the alleged claims could hinder the investigation and harm the interests
of my clients."
In his article, Aziz claimed that on December 12, 2005 the presence of a parked
Renault Rapide that blew up when Tueni's vehicle was passing by causing his
death was not true. Aziz added that the ongoing investigation did not follow up
on this point. Harb described information in the Aziz article as "dangerous" and
"an attempt to keep the authorities busy," adding that this issue should be
investigated in due fact of its relation to the crime. Harb requested
investigating authorities to further widen the scope of their work and look into
all the facts related to the case in light of Aziz's article. Tueni was
assassinated as he was heading to work. His driver passed the Renault Rapide
parked on the side of the road that blew up at the Mkalles district, killing
Tueni, his driver and a bodyguard. Several passersby were also injured and ten
other vehicles destroyed, an Internal Security Forces report stated at the time.
Beirut, 22 Jan 09, 10:17
Long-Awaited Hizbullah-PSP Meeting Finally Takes Place
Naharnet/The long-awaited meeting between Progressive Socialist Party leader
Walid Jumblat and Hizbullah official Mohammed Raad finally took place on
Wednesday in a first step toward a larger reconciliation. Jumblat stressed after
the Wednesday evening meeting that he did not discuss with Raad the items on the
national dialogue agenda, saying: "dialogue is one thing and bilateral meetings
are something else." The talks were hosted by Lebanese Democratic Party leader
Talal Arslan, who has been acting as a broker, at his residence in Khalde on the
coastal highway south of Beirut.Raad, for his part, hoped that there would be a
continuation of review of the May 2007 events and the Doha accord "in order to
match strategic views." Responding to a question on the possibility of a meeting
between Jumblat and Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Raad said: "When
exchanges of views reach a strategic level then there would be a possibility for
a Jumblat-Nasrallah meeting." Commenting on the newly sworn-in U.S. President
Barack Obama, Jumblat said: "Yesterday, we saw a dream come true in the U.S. and
there is no doubt that it is a nation that can through democracy bring forth a
President of African origin and I hope this dream would be achieved in the
East."
Arslan also stressed after the hour-long meeting that the "mountains cannot be a
site for conspiracy against the resistance."
Arslan earlier said the meeting is "itself a major achievement." The daily As
Safir had earlier said the meeting is aimed at ensuring a peaceful and calm
climate following the events of May last year when Hizbullah seized most of west
Beirut during fighting between opposition and government supporters. The
governing March 14 coalition said Hizbullah's battle was a "coup" aimed at
restoring the influence of Syria and Iran. Hizbullah-allied Christian leader
Gen. Michel Aoun said at the time that Hizbullah's actions had helped to restore
Lebanon's political equilibrium. Raad said in earlier remarks that the meeting
will be a continuation of efforts made in the past in order to have "political
clam and soft political speeches." Beirut, 21 Jan 09, 21:08
Qassem: Arab Peace Initiative was Buried after Gaza War
Naharnet/Hizbullah's deputy Secretary General Naim Qassem said Wednesday that
Hizbullah's deterrent force has created a "balance of terror."
Speaking in an interview with talk show host Maggie Farah on Orange TV late
Wednesday, Qassem said Hizbullah was "prepared and ready for any surprise,"
adding that the group has good potential. "We have experts and trainers," he
boasted. Commenting on the Israeli aggression on Gaza, Qassem said the Jewish
state did not achieve its objectives because plans to wipe out Hamas failed. He
said the management of the battle was entirely under the authority of Hamas.
"But there were exchange of opinions with Hamas' representatives in Lebanon,"
Qassem added. On the Saudi peace initiative launched at a 2002 Arab summit in
Beirut, Qassem said it was "buried after the Gaza war."He wondered why Israel
did nothing about claims about Hizbullah rearming. "Israel has been accusing
Hizbullah of rearming for the past two and a half years. Why didn't it do
anything about it?" Qassem asked. He believed that as long as Israel exists in
the region, it will pose a threat to Lebanon, Palestine Jordan, Syrian, Egypt
and the entire region. Qassem described as "good" Hizbullah's relations with
President Michel Suleiman, adding that "we have only seen the dispute through
some news articles." Beirut, 21 Jan 09, 22:52
MP Geagea for Independent Parliamentary Bloc
Naharnet/MP Strida Geagea on Wednesday said the Lebanese Forces Party welcomes
the creation of an independent parliamentary bloc in the forthcoming elections.
Such an independent bloc, which is opposed by Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic
Movement, would be "the safety pin for the political life," Geagea said in an
interview to be published on Thursday. The forthcoming elections, scheduled for
June, would be "decisive," She said, adding "its outcome would decide whether
Lebanon survives or not." Beirut, 21 Jan 09, 18:27
Mughniyeh Retaliation Still Haunts Israel
Naharnet/Israel was still worried that Hizbullah would avenge the assassination
of its top military commander Imad Mughniyeh ahead of the first anniversary of
his killing which falls on Feb. 12, al-Manar TV said on its website. It quoted
Israeli media as saying that latest intelligence assessments still believed that
Hizbullah was planning a retaliatory attack. Mughniyeh was assassinated in a car
bombing in Damascus Feb. 12, 2008. Hizbullah, which blamed Israel for the
killing, said it will avenge Mughniyeh's death. Beirut, 21 Jan 09, 12:31
The End of
Hezbollah Terrorism?
By JASON RINEHEARTPublished: January 21, 2009
HEZBOLLAH NOT TO BLAME /Many analysts argue that Hezbollah gained significantly
in the 2006 summer war with Israel. While this may be true, Hezbollah also
learned that provoking Israel will bring massive retaliation. Hezbollah's
leader, Hassan Nasrallah, all but apologized for capturing Israeli soldiers near
the Lebanese-Israeli border, and admitted that he would not have approved the
operation had he known Israel would have responded by bombing Lebanon.
The recent rockets launched into northern Israel from southern Lebanon could
easily have been blamed on Hezbollah, but many analysts were skeptical. If
Hezbollah sought to force Israel into opening a second front while heavily
engaged in Gaza, it is more likely that they would have launched a continuous
barrage of rockets, instead of a desperate handful. However, we now know
Hezbollah is not to blame, and that Sunni militants launched the rockets — and
the Israelis, Lebanese, and Iranians have said as much.
These recent events have several implications for Lebanon, the United States,
Iran, Hezbollah, and the Lebanese army. Now more attention is focused on the
al-Qaida-inspired, Sunni militants hiding in Palestinian refugee camps inside
Lebanon — an issue that has flown under the radar recently. The Lebanese army by
law has no jurisdiction in the camps, but neither Hezbollah nor the army can let
a lone terrorist cell push Lebanon into war with Israel. It is clear that no one
is interested in allowing the situation in Gaza to spill over into a regional
battle.
So why is Hezbollah done attacking Israel? 2008 was a successful year for
Hezbollah politically. It effectively boycotted the government until its
political demands were met under the Doha agreement, giving the Shia a
significant voice in government for the first time since Lebanon gained
independence. With the upcoming 2009 elections, Hezbollah stands to further its
gains. Thus, it is not in Hezbollah's interests to provoke a war with Israel,
because it would lose political legitimacy and crucial votes if it sparked
another Israeli bombing campaign.
Hezbollah does have several unresolved issues with Israel. It wants Lebanese
prisoners released from Israeli prisons and for Lebanon to regain control of the
Shebaa Farms. But is it willing to start a war again to remedy these problems?
Hezbollah is more likely to pursue the political track because the costs of war
certainly outweigh the benefits.
A recent study by RAND can help us put Hezbollah's evolution into perspective
and shine some light on how it will likely end. The study concluded that the
majority of terrorist groups since 1968 have ended because they (1) chose to
join the political process or (2) were defeated by effective policing and
intelligence. Hezbollah chose the political path after the Lebanese civil war
with the signing of the Taif Agreement, but it never achieved substantial
influence until 2008 — when it gained veto power in the presidential cabinet.
It is unlikely Hezbollah will continue attacking Israel. If it does attack in
the future, it will be because the organization has been marginalized again
politically, or because it has suffered a strong division within its leadership.
It is also possible a disgruntled Shia splinter group outside of
Hezbollah-Central's control may continue attacks against Israel. However, if
Hezbollah renounces terrorism and joins the political process, then it will
represent a fundamental shift in the region's politics.
**Jason Rineheart is a counterterrorism analyst at the Memorial Institute for
the Prevention of Terrorism in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This analysis represents
the views of the author alone.
PSP leader Jumblatt and
Hezbollah official Mohammad Raad meet tonight
January 21, 2009,
BEIRUT-iloubnan.info/
Wednesday’s reports said that Progressive Socialist Party and Hezbollah
will be meeting tonight as a first step toward resolving problems of the
past.Reports also said that Lebanese Democratic Party leader Talal Arslan acted
as a broker and hosted the meeting at his residence on wenesday evening between
PSP leader Walid Jumblatt and Hezbollah representative Mohammad Raad. Al- Liwaa
newspaper reported that Jumblatt and Raad are expected to discuss the issue of
the national strategy, while Raad told As-Safir newspaper that the meeting will
be a step into the ongoing efforts made in the past to soften the political
rhetoric and speeches.
Israel's bigger battle ahead: its national identity
Can the Jewish homeland democracy fully include Arabs?
By Bill Glucroft
from the January 22, 2009 edition
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0122/p09s01-coop.html
The war, for now, is over. Israel, eager to strike back against thousands of
frightening, but largely ineffective, rockets, and apparently sensitive to the
blunders made against Hezbollah in 2006, may have very well "won." Ultimately,
however, Israel loses by focusing, once more, on external threats rather than
internal failures.
Such failures have gone largely unaddressed for decades and are sending Israel
to a tipping point that will prove more dangerous to its existence than any
threat Hamas, Hezbollah, or even Iran could ever pose.
If a viable Palestinian state does not come to pass in the near future, most
agree a single, binational state will emerge. However, Israel already is, if
merely in de facto form, just that. One-fifth of Israel's population – 1.4
million citizens and growing – is Palestinian-Arab. They are descendants of
160,000 Arabs, who did not become refugees in 1948-49 and then who had
citizenship thrust upon them in the new, Jewish state – unlike some 800,000
others who fled.
Democracy means universal suffrage, an independent judiciary, and a culture that
values expression. Israel has that. Democracy, at least in America, Canada, and
Europe, also means that citizenship and nationality are one in the same. That's
not the case in Israel.
Israel's democracy is ethnic. To be a part of the collective, a citizen must be
part of the Jewish nation, something civil law can't afford to those of the Arab
nation, even though they are, ostensibly, equal citizens. Israel, as Yoav Peled,
a leading thinker on Jewish-Arab relations, has written, is ruled by Jewish
ethnos, not Israeli demos. The result: There is no such thing as an Israeli
nation.
Israel lacks an identity that transcends subnational units of ethnicity and
religion, which can unify all citizens as equal members of a shared state with a
shared destiny reached through common goals.
The fractured nature of Israeli society goes beyond the disagreement and debate
inherent to a healthy democracy, instead prompting the question of whether
Israel's 7.1 million citizens – Jewish and Arab – actually want to be "Israeli."
Normally, a country's internal instabilities are its own business. In Israel's
case, however, huge decisions demanding national consensus are looming that will
affect the future composition of Israel, peace in the region, and security
around the world. In question is not only the relationship between Israel's Jews
and Arabs, but also between religious and secular, Sabra (native-born Jew) and
immigrant, and the immigrant communities themselves.
For Israel to be at peace with its neighbors, it must first be at peace with
itself. It's a hefty, and long delayed, process, but here are three objectives
Israeli leaders and voters should work toward in building Israeli identity.
1. Required national service for all may be the lowest-hanging fruit. The
Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported last year that Arab enlistment in the army
reached an all-time high (still only in the hundreds), and the Knesset, Israel's
parliament, is considering making civil service compulsory for Arabs as it has
been for Jews.
No one should expect any substantial number of Israeli Arabs to join an army
that is sometimes called upon to fight their families in the occupied
territories and neighboring countries. However, serving one's own community in
Israel through civil service makes sense. In a country that puts a premium on
service and self-sacrifice, Arabs would have a better leg to stand on when
demanding equal treatment.
2. One education system for all is essential. Today, three groups of citizens
attend three kinds of schools that deliver three kinds of curriculum.
The majority secular Jews enroll in public schools, similar to any other Western
country. Religious Jews can study in publicly funded religious schools. Largely
underserved Arabs attend schools taught in Arabic and framed by Arab history.
How does a society forge an identity from children who grow up with different
understandings of their country? How do citizens learn to live together when
they are raised in a segregated environment?
3. The lack of a constitution is the most glaring deficiency of Israel's
democracy. Instead, it gets by on a collection of basic laws that enjoy
semiconstitutional status.
Israel must ratify a constitution that enshrines equal rights and protections
for all citizens; recognizes Israeli Arabs as the collective, indigenous
minority that they are; separates religion from state but still preserves the
Jewish character of the country (in the same way England is officially
Christian, but the Jewish minority has no trouble living there).
A constitution is more than a set of laws. It is the ultimate symbol of national
unity: one document from which all citizens will be judged equally and fairly.
No one is above it or forgotten by it.
Dealing with Israeli identity – or the lack of one – could in itself tear the
country apart, and it's why no Israeli leader has seriously gone down that path.
Attacking external extremists has always been preferable to confronting its own
citizens.
Yet securing Israeli nationhood is essential if it is to speak in one voice with
a nation of Palestinians and save itself from either being swallowed by the
regional majority or taking drastic and immoral measures to prevent that from
happening.
• Bill Glucroft is a writer and digital journalist. He worked for an Israeli
Arab advocacy organization in Haifa and blogs at www. mediabard.org , where a
more detailed analysis about Israeli identity is available.
Terror At Hugo Chavez's Hand
Michael Rowan and Douglas E. Schoen , 01.21.09, 02:/
Sky Mall/The threat of collusion amongst Venezuela, Iran and Hezbollah.
After the Israeli attack on Gaza, Iran and Hezbollah may retaliate
asymmetrically--via Venezuela's Hugo Chavez.
Chavez is an expert in asymmetric war and deception, a strategic ally of Iran in
a declared war against the "evil empire" of America and a harbormaster for
Hezbollah, Hamas and terrorist groups in Latin America. He has all the weapons
needed to terrorize the U.S., including the capacity to build a dirty bomb--or
another biological weapon--and the ability to move money or materials across
American borders at will through the 14,000 American gas stations he owns.
Since 2000, Chavez has been to Tehran seven times for extensive deal-making that
has produced $20 billion of arrangements more opaque than the funds of Bernie
Madoff. Just last week, Turkey stopped an Iranian shipment headed to
Venezuela with 22 containers labeled as tractor parts. "The equipment was enough
to set up an explosives lab," a customs official told the Associated
Press.Further, Chavez has welcomed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to
Caracas several times to strengthen their connection and extend to him oil
dependencies in Cuba, Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua. None of these nations,
incidentally, have an explicit connection to Iran, but all of them voted against
2006 U.N. Security Council Resolutions sanctioning Iran's nuclear weapons
program.
In the Wake of Gaza, Arab
Hard-Liners Gain Upper Hand
By Nicholas Blanford / Beirut
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1872935,00.html
Jan. 21, 2009
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia invited three feuding Arab leaders to a
reconciliation lunch this week. The rulers of Syria, Qatar and Egypt, in Kuwait
for an economic summit, turned up at King Abdullah's residence in Kuwait City
for some Saudi hospitality. But it will take more than meze and grilled lamb to
heal the gaping divisions in the Arab world. "If these breaches are so easy to
solve by having lunch, then they should be having breakfast, lunch and dinner,"
said Rami Khouri, director of the Issam Fares Center of Lebanon at the American
University of Beirut. As Palestinian survivors of the three-week military
onslaught in Gaza scooped out the dead from the rubble, Khouri says the Arab
world's squabbling rulers have never looked more "collectively mediocre."
Disputes among Arab leaders are nothing new, and the current rift was evident
long before the war in Gaza. But the bloodshed and destruction wrought by
Israel's offensive against Hamas has sharpened those differences, and will
continue to shape regional dynamics in the months to come. At its most
simplistic, the divide pits a so-called moderate camp, backed by the United
States and led by Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt, against a "resistance front"
group that includes Syria along with powerful political and military movements
such as Hamas and Lebanon's Hizballah — all of which oppose Israel and U.S.
policy in the Middle East. (See pictures of heartbreak in the Middle East.)
When Israel struck Gaza in December the Arab moderates initially backed
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, head of Fatah, while the resisters
supported Fatah's bitter rivals, Hamas. Egypt and Saudi Arabia criticized Hamas
for triggering the conflict by refusing to extend a six-month cease-fire. But as
the death toll climbed and anger rose on the streets of Arab capitals, Saudi
Arabia fell silent and Egypt scrambled to find a diplomatic solution.
That left an opening for Hamas' supporters. On Jan. 16, as the Israeli assault
on Gaza still raged, Qatar, which has forged a role as regional mediator by
deftly balancing relations with Syria and Iran as well as the U.S., stepped in
to host a summit. Saudi Arabia, which resents being upstaged by its tiny
neighbor, refused to attend. Egypt and Jordan stayed away too, ensuring that
most of the participants were firmly in the Hamas camp.
At the summit, Syrian President Bashar Assad demanded the scrapping of the Arab
peace initiative, a seven-year-old Saudi plan that offers collective Arab
recognition of Israel in exchange for the return of occupied territory and the
establishment of a Palestinian state. Assad's call was intended to signal anger
toward Israel, but it also served as a swipe at the Saudi architects of the
initiative, with whom he is feuding.
With the conflict over, at least for now, the squabbling between Arab capitals
continues. Pointing to the 1,300 Palestinians killed and $2 billion worth of
damage to homes and infrastructure, Hamas' allies say the camp of Arab moderates
has been thoroughly discredited. Calls for peace with Israel have never sounded
so hollow, they say. "The settlement process [between Arabs and Israel] is
gone," Nawaf Mussawi, Hizballah's chief of international relations, told TIME.
"The resistance [against Israel] has become the mecca of everyone in the
region." (See pictures of Israel's deadly assault on Gaza.)
In an apparent nod to that sentiment, King Abdullah struck a conciliatory note
on Monday when he told the Kuwait summit that the Arab peace initiative, his own
brainchild, could be withdrawn, a shift that indicates the moderates may be
losing the argument. "Israel has to understand that the choice between war and
peace will not always stay open and that the Arab peace initiative that is on
the table today will not stay on the table," he said.
Abdullah blamed Israel for the Gaza crisis and pledged $1 billion in
reconstruction aid. The fence-mending lunch followed, but it didn't get very
far. While Saudi supporters hailed the reconciliation bid as "historic," the
Arab media noted that the atmosphere at the table between Assad of Syria and
President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt remained "cold," with the latter leaving early
to return to Cairo. In a speech before the lunch, Mubarak had delivered a veiled
jab at Syria's close ties to Iran, spelling out the suspicions of some Arab
countries about the Persian state's influence in the Middle East. "It's
regrettable that we allow the ambitions of foreign forces to impose their
hegemony on the area, to penetrate our Arab world and trade with the blood of
Palestinian souls," he said.
Iran is central to the regional polarization because of its alliance with Syria
and backing for Hizballah and Hamas, which the rival moderate camp interprets as
Persian meddling in Arab affairs at its expense. "In the past, the Arabs showed
their disagreements by closing borders, interrupting trade and massing troops on
borders. Today, they use handshakes and lunches to put a civil face on their
disagreements," said Mustafa Hamani, chairman of Jordan's weekly newspaper Al-Sijill.
"But the Arab rift always remains."
Senate confirms Clinton as secretary of state
By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer Anne Flaherty, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON – The Senate confirmed Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state
Wednesday as President Barack Obama moved to make his imprint on U.S. foreign
policy, mobilizing a fresh team of veteran advisers and reaching out to world
leaders. The Senate voted 94-2, with Republican Sens. David Vitter of Louisiana
and Jim DeMint of South Carolina opposing.
Republicans and Democrats alike said her swift confirmation was necessary so
that Obama could begin tackling the major foreign policy issues at hand,
including two wars, increased violence in the Middle East and the threat of a
nuclear-armed Iran.
"It is essential that we provide the president with the tools and resources he
needs to effect change, and that starts with putting a national security team in
place as soon as possible," said Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., chairman of the
Foreign Relations Committee.
Obama's presidential rival, Sen. John McCain, was among those who spoke in
Clinton's favor.
"This nation has come together in a way that it has not for some time," said the
Arizona Republican, on the Senate floor for the first time since the
inauguration.
Voters "want us to work together and get to work," McCain said.
As the Senate debated Clinton's appointment, Obama wasted no time in his first
day at the White House. According to a White House spokesman, Obama placed
telephone calls to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert, Jordan's King Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
The administration also planned to name former Senate Democratic leader George
J. Mitchell as Clinton's special envoy for the Middle East. Dennis Ross, a
longtime U.S. negotiator, was also expected to advise Clinton on Mideast policy,
according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not
authorized to speak publicly about the move.
Clinton planned to report to the State Department on Thursday, where she was
expected to address employees in the main lobby that morning — a tradition of
sorts for state secretaries on their first day on the job.
The former first lady received overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress
despite lingering concerns by some Republicans that her husband's charitable
fundraising overseas could pose conflicts of interest.
Sen. Richard Lugar, the ranking Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee,
proposed that former President Bill Clinton's foundation reject foreign
contributions. But Hillary Clinton rejected Lugar's proposal, contending that
the foundation's plan to disclose annually its list of donors and a range of its
contributions already exceeds legal requirements.
Lugar said he hoped Clinton would re-examine her position but supported her
appointment, citing her "remarkable qualifications" and "pressing global
issues."
Vitter and DeMint, both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said
they were unsatisfied. Last week, Vitter cast the sole opposing vote in the
committee's 16-1 endorsement of Clinton. DeMint voted in favor of Clinton on the
committee because he said he didn't want to obstruct a full Senate vote on her
appointment, but ultimately did not support her nomination.
Following the vote, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee endorsed Susan Rice
to become U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, a post Obama has elevated to
the Cabinet level.
Meanwhile, the Senate considered other appointments by Obama.
Treasury Secretary-designate Timothy Geithner apologized to the Senate Finance
Committee and said he was careless for failing to pay $34,000 in Social Security
and Medicare taxes earlier this decade. The committee planned to vote on his
appointment on Thursday.
Eric Holder's bid to become the first African-American attorney general was
delayed for at least a week when Republicans demanded more time to question him
about harsh interrogations, Guantanamo trials and other topics.
**Associated Press writers Barry Schweid, Martin Crutsinger and Larry Margasak
contributed to this report.
Gazan doctor says death toll inflated
Physician at Gaza's Shifa Hospital tells Italian newspaper number of dead in
Israeli offensive 'stands at no more than 500 or 600, most of them youths
recruited to Hamas' ranks'
Nir Magal Published: 01.22.09, 14:15 / Israel News
What really is behind the numbers reported on the number of civilian casualties
in the Gaza Strip? Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera reported Thursday that
a doctor working in Gaza's Shifa Hospital claimed that Hamas has intentionally
inflated the number of casualties resulting from Israel's Operation Cast Lead.
"The number of deceased stands at no more than 500 to 600. Most of them are
youths between the ages of 17 to 23 who were recruited to the ranks of Hamas,
who sent them to the slaughter," according to the newspaper article.
Solidarity
Israeli school erects mourning tent for Gaza / Meirav Shlomo
Students of Jaffa high school hold ceremony displaying images of death from Gaza
fighting
The doctor wished to remain unidentified, out of fear for his life.
A Tal al-Hawa resident told the newspaper's reporter, "Armed Hamas men sought
out a good position for provoking the Israelis. There were mostly teenagers,
aged 16 or 17, and armed. They couldn't do a thing against a tank or a jet. They
knew they are much weaker, but they fired at our houses so that they could blame
Israel for war crimes."
The reporter for the Italian newspaper also quoted reporters in the Strip who
told of Hamas' exaggerated figures, "We have already said to Hamas commanders –
why do you insist on inflating the number of victims?"
These same reporters mentioned that the truth that will come out is likely to be
similar to what occurred in Operation Defensive Shield in Jenin. "Then, there
was first talk of 1,500 deaths. But then it turned out that there were only 54,
45 of which were armed men," the Palestinian reporters told the Italian
newspaper.
These new figures must be treated with caution especially in light of the fact
that various official sources in the Gaza Strip, including United Nations and
Red Cross officials, have reported that more than 1,300 people were killed and
some 5,000 wounded during the three weeks of fighting in the coastal strip.
Palestinian sources claim that three-quarters of the dead were unarmed
civilians.
Hamas, while boasting on having Israeli soldiers by the dozens, a number that
has proven to be exaggerated, claimed that no more than 48 of its members were
killed during the Israeli offensive. According to IDF figures, Hamas lost
hundreds of fighters from its ranks.
The UN's humanitarian chief began a tour of the Gaza Strip on Thursday to
examine the extent of the devastation left behind by the Israeli offensive.
John Holmes said the number of casualties is "extremely shocking." He also urged
Israel to conduct a thorough investigation into shelling attacks that damaged UN
buildings in Gaza. Holmes said he was thinking about immediate humanitarian
needs and longer-term reconstruction. He said the biggest concerns are providing
clean water, sanitation, electricity and shelter. Holmes added that Gaza's
border crossings would have to be opened to allow reconstruction materials into
the area.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Gaddafi suggests new state called 'Isratine'
In a speech outlining his views on how to resolve Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
Libyan leader calls for creation of one state rather than two nations living
side by side. He also advises US President Obama to give Osama bin Laden a
chance to reform
Reuters Published: 01.22.09, 07:33 / Israel News
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi advised US President Barack Obama on Wednesday to
give Osama bin Laden a chance to reform, telling the new president that
America's most wanted man was looking for "dialogue".
Gaddafi hailed what he called "positive signals" so far from the new Obama
administration, including plans to close the US prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Gaddafi: Obama fears assassination by Israeli agents / Reuters
Libyan leader warns Democratic presidential candidate would have 'an inferiority
complex' because he is black, attributes Obama's Israel rhetoric to fear 'of
meeting Kennedy's fate'
A video grab from an undated footage from the Internet shows al-Qaeda leader
Osama bin Laden making statements from an unknown location.
Speaking to students at Georgetown University via a satellite link-up from
Libya, Gaddafi said Washington must review its approach to bin Laden, who is
blamed for the September 11, 2001 attacks and tops the US Most Wanted List.
"Terrorism is a dwarf not a giant. Osama bin laden is a person who can be given
a chance to reform," Gaddafi said through an interpreter. He gave no indication
that he had any contact with bin Laden or wanted to act as a go-between.
"Maybe we can have a dialogue with him and find out the reason that led him in
this direction," he added.
Moreover, he said the Taliban, which the United States helped oust in
Afghanistan, was "not as it has been portrayed" and Washington should review its
views on that group too.
In a speech outlining his views on how to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, Gaddafi called for the creation of one state rather than two nations
living side by side.
"We can call it Isratine," he said.
If Jews did not accept a one-state solution, he said they could move to Hawaii,
Alaska or an island in the Pacific. "They could live peacefully in an isolated
setting."
A Live Confrontation
21/01/2009
Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed /Asharq Al- Awsat,
Arab foreign ministers spent the day on Tuesday trying to draft a collective
statement at the Kuwait Summit. They could have written it in a matter of
minutes, since the disputes were not considered worthy of so much time in order
to write a formal statement, which will only be read by the ministers’ own staff
anyway. They disagreed over every word, comma and full stop. However, the
conference was no place for arguing, since all disputes were dwarfed after King
Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz called for an end to quarreling, starting with himself
and leading by example.
Live on television, in front of the entire world, King Abdullah took everybody
by surprise by announcing that he rejected the continuation of inter-Arab rifts
and called for all leaders to do the same. King Abdullah took everybody by
surprise not only because he rejected quarrelling, but also because he stood in
front of everybody and said “We are wrong”. This was unlike the usual “You’re
wrong and I’m right” nature of Arab speeches. Admitting mistakes is not easy for
any leader. By doing this King Abdullah situated these leaders in front of their
own people to test their courage and they would either follow in the footsteps
of the big man himself, who rejected bricking and called for unity, or face
their nations.
In actual fact, they chose to follow King Abdullah’s example an hour after his
speech. They caught up with him at the host’s Al Bayan palace where the coffee
was passed around amongst the leaders who came to the summit ready to fight but
left pledging their support for cooperation and reconciliation. It is hoped that
from this reconciliation, the Arab citizen would be closer to achieving his
rights to a dignified life and gaining support for his cause.
The Gaza issue overshadowed the Kuwait summit, which was designed to be the most
important of Arab summits in 50 years because it intended to launch long-term
regional economic projects. Ideas were proposed, and if they became a reality,
they would change our region, serving over 200 million Arabs, tackling permanent
regional issues such as famine, disease and unemployment.
Unfortunately, the foreign ministers took a lot of time, effort and attention
away from the Arab ministers of economy and development for whom the summit has
special relevance. It never occurred to the organizers in Kuwait two years ago,
when an agreement was reached for the summit and when work began on it, that the
Arab states would reach the summit humiliated, defeated and somber.
The foreign ministers came to deal with the situation, expressing their
individual opinions and the policy of their country. Fortunately, despite the
bad luck, the Kuwait summit ended well after months of grief and bloodshed.
Although it restrained some inter-Arab problems, a goal that Kuwait can be
credited with, it is feared that the slogan of building a comprehensive Arab
economy to serve the Arab world has fallen into a political quagmire for the
umpteenth time. The continuous preoccupation with political disputes reveals the
extent to which Arab governments are ignorant of the danger of economic threats.