LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
January 31/09
Bible Reading of the
day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ
according to Saint Mark 4,26-34. He said,"This is how it is with the kingdom of
God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise
night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own
accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain
in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the
harvest has come." He said, "To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or
what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown
in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is
sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large
branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade."With many such
parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without
parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained
everything in private.
Saint Vincent de Paul (1581-1660), priest, founder of religious communities
Conversations; counsels to A. Durand, 1656
"To what shall we compare the kingdom of God"
Never be obsessed about appearing to be superior or in control. I don't share
the opinion of someone who said to me a few days ago that, to keep a firm hold
on one's authority, one should let one's superiority be seen. My God! Our Lord
Jesus Christ never spoke like that! In both word and example he taught us quite
the contrary, telling us that he himself had come not to be served but to serve
and that whoever wishes to be first among you must become the slave of all (Mk
10,44-45)...For this reason, give yourself to God so that you can speak in the
lowly spirit of Jesus Christ, confessing that your teaching is not your own, nor
does it come from you, but is the Gospel's. Above all, imitate the simple words
and comparisons made by Our Lord in Holy Scripture when speaking to the people.
Alas! What wonderful things might he not have taught the people! What secrets
might he not have disclosed about the Divinity and its marvellous perfections,
he who was his Father's eternal Wisdom! But yet you see how he speaks
intelligibly and makes use of familiar comparisons of laborer, vinedresser,
field, vine, mustard seed. This is how you ought to speak if you would make
yourself understood by the people to whom you are proclaiming the word of God.
Something else to which you ought to give special attention is to rely heavily
on the Son of God's method of acting. In other words, when you have to do
something you should ask yourself: «Does this conform to the sayings of the Son
of God?» If you find that it does so, then say: «Let us do it when the
opportunity arises»; but if not, say: «I'll have nothing to do with it». In
addition, when there's some question of carrying out a good work, say to the Son
of God: «Lord, if you were in my place, what would you have done in this
instance? How would you have taught this people? How would you have consoled
this sick person in body or soul?»... Let us aim to make Jesus Christ reign in
us.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters &
Special Reports
For the love of Lebanon and
life-Future News 30/01/09
Don't strengthen Hamas-International Herald
Tribune 30/01/09
A confrontation between Hardan and
Al-Sabaali at Ghazaleh’s office… to Michel Aoun’s favor/Future
News 30/01/09
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for January 30/09
US May Forge New Ties With Syria-CBS
News
National Bloc” dubbed Aoun’s party
“Bankruptcy and misfortune”/future news
4 MPs from “Al Mustaqbal” present a
draft law to exempt expatriates from real estate registration fees/future news
Lebanon's State Budget Battle
Heats Up Raising Specter of Crisis-Naharnet
Saniora Tells Nasrallah Letter Sent to U.N. in September Regarding Missing
Iranians-Naharnet
Nasrallah Shifts from Missing Lebanese to Missing Iranians-Naharnet
Hajj
Again Refrains from Appearing in Court to Confront Fatah Islam Suspect-Naharnet
When it Comes to Israel,
Nasrallah Believes Obama Same as Bush-Naharnet
Nicola Accuses Police -
Information Division of Violating Wiretap Law, Department Denies-Naharnet
Court Tries UNIFIL
Attackers, Qaida Smugglers-Naharnet
Hizbullah Won't Give Up
Revenge of Mughniyeh Death, Israeli Source-Naharnet
Netanyahu Wants to
'Neutralize' Iran to Reduce Hizbullah Threat-Naharnet
Lebanese Cabinet Decreases
Cell Fees-Naharnet
Samir
Qantar Honored by
Ahmadinejad-Naharnet
Chamoun Attacks
Hizbullah's Destructive Strategy-Naharnet
Geagea Backs Centrists-Naharnet
Clinton to Saniora: U.S.
Administration Committed to Lebanon's Independence-Naharnet
LEBANON: Hezbollah says war with Israel is always a possibility-Los
Angeles Times
Syria: Gaza "Victory" Groundwork For Peace-CBS
News
US committed to Lebanon’s security:
Clinton-Khaleej
Times
Turkey urges Obama to redefine Mideast terrorism-The
Associated Press
Iran's Ahmadinejad to honour Lebanese militant-AFP
Syria's Arab Allegiance and Genocide in Darfur-Canadian
National Newspaper
Nasrallah vows to avenge commander's killing-AFP
Hezbollah leader: Search must go on for dead
prisoners in Israel-Monsters
and Critics.com
Syria's Least Costly
Choice, the West, Iran or Saudi Initiative?Naharnet/future news
State Budget Battle Heats Up Raising Specter of
Crisis
Naharnet/The usually routine budget process in Lebanon could be headed for
trouble on Friday as Speaker Nabih Berri and Premier Fouad Saniora disagreed
over funding for the Council of the South. The state budget for fiscal 2009
could be stalled by LL 60 billion Berri wants earmarked for the Council of the
South.
State Minister Khaled Qabbani, however, sounded optimistic about a solution. "I
believe state budget will be approved. A solution to the crisis seems to be in
the offing; and we will reach a solution at Cabinet meeting tonight," Qabbani
told the Voice of Lebanon radio station. Meanwhile, member of Berri's
Development and Liberation parliamentary bloc MP Ali Hassan Khalil suggested
setting up a Ministry of Planning that would carry out the paperwork on credits
and grants. The Ministry of Planning, according to Khalil, could also be
"responsible for running balanced development projects across Lebanon." Cabinet
Minister Ibrahim Najjar hit back at Khalil, saying: "We would discuss the
creation of a Ministry of Planning when a new Cabinet is formed." President
Michel Suleiman was said to be playing a role in calming the situation between
Berri and Saniora in an effort to reach a compromise. News reports said Suleiman
and Berri agreed that Khalil be dispatched to the Presidential Palace on Friday
carrying with him a "comprehensive compromise" based on immediate elimination of
the Council of the South in addition to the Council regarding internally
displaced citizens and the Higher Relief Council and set up a Ministry of
Planning instead. Beirut, 30 Jan 09, 09:05
Saniora Tells Nasrallah Letter Sent to U.N. in September
Regarding Missing Iranians
Naharnet/A statement by Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's office said the
government sent a letter to U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon on Sept. 13, 2008, urging him
to help resolve the "mystery" shrouding the fate of four Iranian diplomats who
went missing during Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon. The statement came in
response to comments by Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Thursday in
which he said the Lebanese government is responsible for the fate of the missing
Iranians. The statement from Saniora's office said the Iranian government is
aware of the letter. Beirut, 30 Jan 09, 09:07
When it Comes to Israel, Nasrallah Believes Obama Same as
Bush
Naharnet/Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah believed that there is no
difference between U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and George Bush when it comes to
Israel. He also believes that the new U.S. administration has so far shown full
support for Israel. "The conduct of the new (U.S.) administration when it comes
to Israel is ... one of absolute support," Nasrallah told a news conference
Thursday via videolink. "I have not sensed until now that there is any
difference between the two (U.S.) administrations," he added in the first such
remark since the inauguration of Obama. Nasrallah also described Israel's
offensive on the Gaza Strip as a "military and political failure," stressing
that Israel failed to achieve its target to wipe out Hamas. In his speech, he
also vowed revenge on Israel for the Feb. 12 assassination of top Hizbullah
commander Imad Mughniyeh in a Damascus car bombing. Nasrallah said Hizbullah
"confirmed" Israel's Mossad spy agency was behind Mughniyeh's killing. Israel
has denied involvement and Syria has not announced results of the probe. Beirut,
30 Jan 09, 12:11
Hajj Again Refrains from Appearing in Court to Confront
Fatah Islam Suspect
Naharnet/Brig. Gen. Ali Hajj, ex-commander of the Internal Security Forces,
refrained again from appearing in court to confront Fatah al-Islam suspect Ahmed
Merhi.Hajj, who is held in Roumieh prison along with three other generals
charged with involvement in the 2005 assassination of former Premier Rafik
Hariri, refused to go to court in handcuffs. Prosecutor Saqr Saqr has decided to
set another hearing. Brig. Gen. Jamil Sayyed, one of the four generals, has up
till now refrained nine times from appearing in court in handcuffs to confront
Merhi. Beirut, 30 Jan 09, 10:24
Nasrallah Shifts from Missing Lebanese to Missing Iranians
Naharnet/Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah disclosed Thursday that the
bodies of Palestinian Dalal Mughraby and Lebanese Yahya Skaff were not included
in a swap with Israel a year ago. Nasrallah, addressing a press conference on
the first anniversary of the swap, also said the Lebanese government is
responsible for disclosing the fate of four Iranian diplomats who went missing
during Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon. Nasrallah claimed the Israelis have
provided Hizbullah with a report on the four Iranians, claiming they were
kidnapped by the Lebanese Forces at a checkpoint in north Lebanon and killed
later. The Lebanese Forces Party, Nasrallah said, "has the key to the mystery"
of the four Iranian diplomats. "Had they turned them over to Israel, they should
say that. Had they killed them, they should turn over their bodies," Nasrallah
stressed. The cabinet of national unity, in which the Lebanese Forces Party is
represented and holds the justice portfolio, is responsible for the issues,
Nasrallah added. He was referring to Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar who had
been nominated to the post by the Lebanese Forces.
The LF says it has no information about the four Iranians, who allegedly went
missing at the Barbara checkpoint at a time Elie Hobeika was in charge of the
militia's security apparatus. Hobeika, who broke away from the Lebanese Forces
at a later date and set up alliance with Syria, was killed by a powerful car
bombing near his residence in Beirut's eastern suburb of Hazmiyeh on Jan. 24,
2002. Nasrallah also renewed his attack on Egypt, saying he "denounces" Cairo
for refusing to open the Rafah crossing into Gaza. He also said the war on Gaza
"has not stopped. It is persisting through other means. They are exerting
pressure on Hamas as related to funding the rebuilding of the sector." He also
urged Arabs to focus on the issue of "thousands of Palestinian and Arab
detainees held by Israel." Beirut, 29 Jan 09, 19:07
Syria's Least Costly Choice, the West, Iran or Saudi
Initiative?
Naharnet/A leading Lebanese political figure told the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat
that the Syrian leadership is facing important political choices in the near
future, following recent regional developments. He added that Syria continues to
play for time hoping for a good exit. The unidentified Lebanese political leader
based his analysis following the Israeli war on Gaza and on current regional and
international developments. He told al-Hayat that Syria is in a perplexing
stance, between continuing and strengthening its alliance with Iran, and that of
continuing its peace negotiations with Israel (suspended during Gaza war). Syria
also has to make up its mind regarding the Saudi peace initiative, and in
settling its relations with both Saudi Arabia and Egypt. According to the
Lebanese political leader all of the above choices are difficult, because Syria
has to sacrifice some cards in the process. He added that Damascus has one
choice to take out of three:
1. Opening up to major western states and that entails agreeing to what these
states concur to regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Gaza in
particular.
This means that Syria would have to respond to a western call for an
inter-Palestinian reconciliation, which would pave the way for legislative and
Palestinian elections that would renew the basis for Israeli-Palestinian final
status negotiations. This process would lift Syria from its western isolation,
but would complicate its relationship with Iran.
2. Strengthening the alliance with Iran, which would entail complicated
relations with the west and the Arab world. This strengthened relationship would
further establish Iran's "political" presence at the Doha Arab summit, and
diminish the role of the Arab league in the political sense, as well as
marginalize the Saudi peace initiative. The results of this choice according to
the Lebanese political leader are a stiff Syrian political relationship with the
west and the Arab world coupled with a firm Iranian political grip on Damascus.
In other words the west's possible dialogue with Tehran would be at the expense
of Damascus.
3. The other option for Syria is to go through the gate of the Saudi peace
initiative. This initiative was greatly visible during the Kuwait Arab Economic
Summit, its general principle does not seek to create enmity with Iran. However,
at the same time works on not providing Iran with a say in Arab issues and
crisis. The Saudi initiative would provide Syria with an advantage in providing
it with a new dynamic for bilateral and multilateral relations with the west.
Beirut, 29 Jan 09, 14:32
Nicola Accuses Police - Information Division of Violating
Wiretap Law, Department Denies
Naharnet/Lebanese Police – Information Division denied accusations by Free
Patriotic Movement member MP Nabil Nicola that the department had violated state
wiretap law. "The Information Division, as well as the other departments of the
Internal Security Forces, only gets information under judicial orders," said a
statement by the ISF - Directorate General. Nicola on Thursday defended Minister
of Telecommunications Jebran Bassil against accusations by Progressive Socialist
Party leader Walid Jumblat that he has allowed the illegal bugging of
communications. Nicola said wiretapping law has not been applied by previous
governments, adding that the violation did not come from Bassil "who seeks to
apply the law.""Who is involved in secret wiretapping and making illegal calls?"
Nicola asked.
Beirut, 30 Jan 09, 12:21
Court Tries UNIFIL Attackers, Qaida Smugglers
Naharnet/A military court continued trial of 13 persons, nine of whom make up a
terror cell involved in planning attacks against the U.N. Interim Force in
Lebanon as well as firing rockets from southern Lebanon into Israel and
transferring weapons and explosives. The court listened to the testimonies of
three witnesses in the presence of a UNIFIL representative. Meanwhile, the trial
of 21 persons from various Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian nationalities -- on
charges of setting up a cell to carry out terrorist attacks, smuggle wanted
people and hiding fighters belonging to al-Qaida – has also kicked off. News
reports on Friday said the military court questioned defendant Mohammed
Ezzeddine who retracted his previous testimony "which was obtained as a result
of torture."Ezzedine denied having any links to Salafis or extremist groups. He
said he had wanted to go to Iraq to "fight Americans like all other Mujahideens
who had been recruited for that purpose."
Beirut, 30 Jan 09, 12:05
Hizbullah Won't Give Up Revenge of Mughniyeh Death, Israeli
Source
Naharnet/Attempts by Hizbullah to carry out attack against an Israeli target
will continue, Israel's Channel 2 TV quoted security sources as saying.
Based on Israeli assessments, the sources said that Hizbullah plans for
attacking an Israeli target "will continue in the coming period."
Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered Israeli security services last week to raise
their level of alertness out of fear that Hizbullah would increase its efforts
to launch an attack against an Israeli or Jewish target abroad ahead of the
first anniversary of Hizbullah commander Imad Mughniyeh's assassination.
Hizbullah has accused Israel of involvement in Mughniyeh's Feb 12, 2008 murder
and vowed revenge. Israel has denied the charge.
Around two weeks ago, several media outlets reported that a Hizbullah plot to
blow up the Israeli embassy in Azerbaijan was foiled weeks after Mughniyeh's
killing in a car bombing in Damascus, after Azeri intelligence discovered the
plot. "Hizbullah's '1800 Unit' is said to be working on possible attacks inside
Israel," the Times of London reported. "We will retaliate because the Sayyed
made that promise," Abu Hassan, commander of a 25-man Hizbullah squad, allegedly
told The Times, referring to Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. "The
Israelis have killed our leaders in the past but we have always grown stronger.
Nothing can shake Hizbullah." Beirut, 30 Jan 09, 11:03
Netanyahu Wants to 'Neutralize' Iran to Reduce Hizbullah
Threat
Naharnet/Israeli election front-runner Benjamin Netanyahu told a session of the
World Economic Forum that, if the Iranian rulers were "neutralized," the danger
posed to Israel and others by Hamas in Gaza and Hizbullah in south Lebanon would
be reduced. "We have had two wars with two Iranian proxies in two years and
Persia has now two bases on the eastern Mediterranean," said Netanyahu Thursday,
referring to this month's brutal fighting in Gaza against Hamas and Israel's
2006 war with Hizbullah in Lebanon. "I think we are going to have to deal with
neutralizing the power of the mother regime," he said in Davos, Switzerland.
"The Hamas stronghold would be about as important, if Iranian power was
neutralized, as Cuba was when the Soviet Union became irrelevant."
As prime minister, he said, he would "move rapidly to advance a workable peace"
with moderates in the Palestinian Authority and work to "drive down the
radicals."
"But all of this will fall by the wayside if the world fails to stop Iran from
arming itself with nuclear weapons. It was and remains the greatest challenge
facing the leaders of the 21st century at the beginning of the 21st century," he
said. Netanyahu said he saw no chance of peace with Hamas.
The comments come amid a heated election race in Israel that could bring about a
Likud government pledged to strongly oppose Hamas and Hizbullah and allow
existing settlements in the West Bank to expand -- one of the main sources of
anger between Arabs and Israelis.
Netanyahu, a former finance minister, said he believes the global financial
meltdown is reversible if governments, businesses and people make the right
decisions.
"What is not reversible is the acquisition of nuclear weapons by a fanatic
radical regime ... We have never had, since the dawn of the nuclear age, nuclear
weapons in the hands of such a fanatical regime," he claimed. Iran has denied it
is seeking to acquire nuclear weapons and says it is pursuing nuclear power for
peaceful uses. It also denies it is engaged in terrorism, instead accusing
Israel of terrorist policies against the Palestinians in Gaza and the West
Bank.(AP-Naharnet) Beirut, 30 Jan 09, 08:15
Qantar Honored by Ahmadinejad
Naharnet/Lebanese militant Samir Qantar, who was released by Israel in a
prisoner swap last year, called for the destruction of Israel during a visit to
Tehran on Thursday. "We have to resist against American occupation because
Americans are the supporters of the tyrants and in the region we have to resist
the Zionist regime and destroy it," Qantar said in a speech before being honored
by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Qantar was released in July 2008 as
part of a prisoner swap between Lebanon and Israel after three decades of
imprisonment in Israel. Described as a monster in Israel where he was convicted
of killing three people, including a policeman and a four-year-old girl in a
notorious attack nearly three decades ago, Qantar is considered a hero by some
in Lebanon. He said he appreciated the role played by Tehran in supporting the
Lebanese and Palestinian "resistance" to Israel.
"Today we meet in Iran and we are on the threshold of the 30th anniversary of a
great revolution led by the great imam Khomeini," he said referring to the
overthrow of Iran's monarchy in 1979. He said he still wanted to confront
Israel. "I stayed in prison for 30 years and I am still waiting for the date to
confront the occupying enemy," he said. "Every drop of blood and every bit of
pain we went through is the price we paid for victory. This was the situation in
Iran, in Lebanon in 2000 and in 2006. Gaza is waiting for a similar future."
Ahmadinejad gave Qantar a statue of two prisoners trying to break through the
bars of a jail cell, as the two men kissed each other in greeting. Iran's hard
line president himself has drawn global outrage for calling for Israel to be
wiped off the map and describing the Holocaust as a myth.(AFP) Beirut, 29 Jan
09, 21:55
Chamoun Attacks Hizbullah's
Destructive Strategy
Naharnet/National Liberal Party leader Dory Chamoun on Thursday criticized
Hizbullah's "destructive strategy that has become obvious after the Lebanon and
Gaza wars." Chamoun, in a statement, said Hizbullah should "respect Lebanon's
constitution as superior to the Faqih rule (of Iran)."The forthcoming
parliamentary elections, according to Chamoun, would be "decisive" and called
the March 14 factions to "compete as a unified front in favor of Lebanon's
interests, even if that requires sacrifices." Beirut, 29 Jan 09, 21:18
Geagea Backs Centrists
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Thursday said his party would compete in
the forthcoming elections even if armed factions competed.
Geagea, talking to reporters after receiving U.S. Ambassador Michele Sison, said
the LF is not a centrist group. However, he said if neutral candidates were
interested in joining the competition "their nomination would not be rejected."
He said centrist candidates would not be restricted to Christian constituencies,
but would compete in "other constituencies, such as Tripoli, Akkar and the Bekaa."
Beirut, 29 Jan 09, 21:05
Clinton to Saniora: U.S.
Administration Committed to Lebanon's Independence
Naharnet/U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday told Premier Fouad
Saniora the new U.S. administration is committed to Lebanon's independence and
stability. Clinton made the remark in a telephone call to Saniora. Saniora
responded by praising the approach of the new U.S. administration to Middle East
peace, saying it should be linked to ending the Israeli occupation and creating
a viable Palestinian state in line with the Arab peace initiative. Beirut, 29
Jan 09, 20:12
Geagea warned that some candidates to the elections might
be targeted
Date: January 29th, 2009 Source: Free Lebanon
Samir Geagea, head of the Lebanese Forces expressed his fears that candidates
running for the upcoming parliamentary elections might be targeted, and implied
that “some parties are inclined to temper the security situation if the results
were not in their favor.”
After meeting the Ambassador of the United States to Lebanon Michel Sison,
Geagea stated “our rivals are petrified by the result of a public referendum
they carried out on the upcoming parliamentary elections, therefore they
readopted their favorite hobbies in an attempt to change the reality.”
He assured “any centrist is authorized to run for the elections even if he was
not affiliated to any party, and no one is eligible to eliminate this legal
right.”
Geagea considered the campaign launched against the central bloc is to suppress
some candidates and urge others to run..S
Mahfoud: We are facing an Islamic Shiite State
Date: January 30th, 2009 Source: Future News
Head of “Change Movement” Elie Mahfoud asserted the existence of a Shiite
Islamic State in the South.
Mahfoud said “the issue of the Council of the South will be resolved at the end
but not in a way that maintains the sovereignty of the state”
He added “we are facing an Islamic Shiite State. The state’s household is in the
South, its president is Sayed Hassan Nasrallah and its Prime Minister is Nabih
Berry”.
He concluded “the Christians of the south do not benefit financially from the
Council of the South”. Noting “there is an attempt to rehabilitate the concept
of division, established in 1943 under new slogans”.R.R
Gemayel: Nasrallah’s statement intrigues the Lebanese
Date: January 29th, 2009 Source: Future News
Kataeb party leader Amine Gemayel considered the statement of Hezbollah’s
secretary general Hassan Nasrallah intriguing as it contains implicit threats,
especially that he held Lebanese factions responsible of a number of issues.
Nasrallah held a press conference this afternoon commemorating the success of
the exchange of detained with Israel last year. Gemayel said that Nasrallah’s
statement indicates the preparation to an operation to avenge the assassination
of Imad Moghnieh, and added: “We are still concerned from a unilateral decision
of war.” The former President continued: “I would prefer to hear Sayed Hassan
declaring the fate of the detained in the Syrian prisons.” F. C.
National Bloc” dubbed Aoun’s party “Bankruptcy and
misfortune”
Date: January 29th, 2009 Source: NNA
The executive committee of the “National Bloc” party was surprised by the “state
of Schizophrenia that the “Change and Reform” bloc suffers, calling it
“bankruptcy and misfortune”. The party criticized speaker Nabih Berry’s request
of “60 billion L.L for the benefit of the Council of the South without any
explanation or expense program”.After its regular meeting headed by Amid Carlos
Edde, the committee issued a statement refering to the suggestion of “reducing
gasoline price”, presented by MP Michel Aoun through one of his bloc members
considering it “one of the most position declaring the beginning of the
electoral campaign”.
The statement reminds that “Aoun’s suggestion comes after his call to pay the
contractor’s payments, while he is still drawing the harshest criticism to the
public debt that the state suffer”, asking: “how does Aoun reconcile between the
desire of stopping the waste of money to provide treasury expenses with his
previous critiques and proposals?”In conclusion, the statement addressed all the
responsible leaders mentioning that “Lebanon is not under Syrian tutelage which
imposes Lebanese citizens to orders and instructions of how to dispose
funds”.L.F
For the love of Lebanon and life
Date: January 30th, 2009 Source: Future News
The day martyr president Rafic Hariri was assassinated, the Lebanese went
emotional. Their anger blew the moment their dream and the promise of Lebanon to
come was blasted. Each one of us felt that this brutal crime targeted him
personally, and its goal likely was to eliminate what Hariri would have been and
not what he was during the previous years.
During then, one of the geniuses of the security apparatus and its executive arm
said that the reactions of the Lebanese are temporarily and they would end with
the burial. But the Lebanese proved to be a live people and does not rest or be
humiliated whatever the tools used in this regard, and do not fear the
consequences. So was launched the “Cedars Revolution” as a result to a political
struggle initiated individually and later collectively by the Lebanese.
On the eves of the preparation to this anniversary, one could wonder if the
Lebanese remain in the same emotional moment and in a reaction attitude. The
facts assert that the Lebanese moved at that moment to the action attitude to
achieve the political slogans they adopted Muslims and Christians.
What has been achieved in this context was not easy or transient: the withdrawal
of the Syrian troops and intelligence from Lebanon was rather a dream that will
not come true. Then came the ratification of the International Tribunal and the
soon to be date to launch its work. Between those two achievements many steps
were taken leading to the establishment of the strong unified state, instead of
the treason accusations launched by a group against their co-partners in the
homeland, and the deployment of the Lebanese army in the south after a forced
absence that lasted 30 years, as the Security Council resolution 1701 with all
the guarantees it presents to protect the country from the aggressiveness of the
Zionist enemy.
These achievements and others remain a modest step on the path of building the
state as a political project requiring a free and independent will and ready to
sacrifice, as has been proven by the long list of martyrs that culminated with
martyr Major Wissam Eid.
The sad events have proven that killings and humiliations will not prevent us
from continuing our march to liberate Lebanon and burry the Iranian and Syrian
attempts to annex our country or transforming it to a playground for the
adventures of the two regimes in Damascus and Tehran.
Long is gone the era of trusteeship and unilateralism and this era will not be
back regardless of the political and security nature of the reactions that they
dream of prompting this return.
What is being proposed to all of us is restricted to the choice of building the
state for all its citizens and not to partisans seeking the social, religious
and sectarian hatred to cover on their corruption and affiliations to this
intelligence regime or that state.
In this context, the participation in the 14th February anniversary is for
declaring the victory of the voice over the silencer, the truth in the
International tribunal and to raise the voice of freedom facing the sound of the
booby trapped cars and explosions. It is an event to assert the adherence to the
Lebanese principles of the 14th March revolution, facing the “Thank you Syria”
for killing us individuals and groups. It is an occasion for the Christians to
assert they are not a minority and to respond to the incidents of 7 May, an
occasion to strengthen the presence of the state on its borders facing the
Israeli enemy in purely Lebanese obligations. The southerners do not have to be
no more soldiers to a country or another, and no one should be permitted to
trade their blood and properties, or deprive their children the joy waiting for
Bashar Al Assad to “exploit the victory politically” and cause the internal
division that could have blown up the country and its existence.
14 February could be one of the darkest days in the Lebanese memories, and so it
is anyway, but it is a moment that witnessed the victory of the Lebanese
principles in loving life and coexistence and accepting the other. It is a
moment to reject the security intimidation and freedom confiscation and
profiling our democratic life to the example of the authoritarian regime in
Syria or the Mullahs regime in Tehran.
14 February is a date to reaffirm our right in a sovereign and democratic state
with law as roof and freedom as ground. It is the day of the right promise.
A confrontation between Hardan and Al-Sabaali at Ghazaleh’s
office… to Michel Aoun’s favor
Date: January 30th, 2009 Source: Future News
The leadership of the Syrian intelligence summoned, earlier this year, the head
of the “Syrian Nationalist Party” Asaad Hardan and the head of the dissident
“Renaissance Movement” Milad Sabaali to resolve the difference that started to
affect their position in the forthcoming parliamentary elections and the Syrian
influence on the party.
After the rumors of dissidence spread, Hardan was summoned to Damascus to meet
the Head of the Syrian Intelligence in “Damascus and its Suburbs” General Rustom
Ghazaleh in his office to put an end for the practices that the Syrian
leadership had warned him against.
When Hardan left Beirut, he was aware that the Syrian leadership is displeased
with the growing opposition within the party and that it has remarks on his way
of managing the party’s interior crisis.
Sabaali arrived in Damascus before Hardan with a file containing a long list of
the party’s opposition remarks against Hardan including embezzlement and
dictatorship.
Sources close to the party stated that summoning Hardan to Damascus was
Sabaali’s idea in order to force him to change his conduct.
The sources added “the Syrian intelligence interfered to end the dissidence
within the party after the efforts of the Vice Secretary General of Hezbollah
failed to resolve the differences between Hardan and Sabaali”.
The sources revealed what happened in Ghazaleh’s office in Kfarsousa when Al-Sabaali
and Hardan met face to face and listened to Ghazaleh’s notations attributed to
President Bashaar Al-Asaad, prohibiting conflicts inside the party and demanding
unity to resolve differences in order to stop the opposition from forming the
“Renaissance movement”. In return, Hardan would conduct a dialogue with the
opposition in order to open the way for its participation within decision-making
authority of the party.
The sources added, Hardan was very upset from the latter’s sympathy with his
rival, which were attributed –as close sources to Hardan said- to the financial
potentials of the wealthy Sabaali who aspires to have a parliament seat from the
share of the national party.
Moreover, Hardan accuses Al-Sabaali of weaving a conspiracy against him
beginning with Michel Aoun, who prefers to have a non-flagrant Syrian National
affiliate on his electoral list such as Sebaali, and who has financial
potentials to be deposited in the electoral fund of the FPM supervised by his
son-in-law Jibran Bassil.
Although Hardan promised to conduct discussions with the opposition in the
Syrian Nationalist Party as soon as he returns to Lebanon, but so far he failed
to do so. In his private meetings, Sebaali says that Hardan cannot disobey the
orders from Syria, particularly that MP Michel Aoun asked President Asaad to
exert pressure on Hardan to make him agree on his vision to involve the National
Party in the parliamentary elections.
Sources close to Sebaali said, the Syrian leadership asked Hardan to conduct
discussions with the opposition in the party, but he managed to avoid the
matter.
Hardan’s differences with Sebaali can be resolved by naming the latter on Aoun’s
electoral list in return for 3 million dollars as electoral fee. The discussions
between Syria and Hardan do not reveal the real reason for these differences,
which is represented by the presence of opposition inside the party having its
own objective reasons and partisan demands.R.R