LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
March 03/09

Bible Reading of the day.
Matthews 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men. You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
Aoun’s conversions/Future News 02/09/09
Next Step After Middle East Talks: A Major War?By CLAUDE SALHANI 02/03/09
Iraq Withdrawal Can Work Only With Pressure on Iran and Syria. By: Dr: WALID PHARES 02/03/09
With all eyes on Syria as Tribunal begins, Damascus would do well to act with care.The Daily Star 02/03/09

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for March 02 /09
Aoun: We Are Not the Target of Excommunication Threats-Naharnet
Saniora Pledges $1 Million in Aid for Gaza, Meets Clinton, Mubarak-Naharnet
National Dialogue Agrees: More Time for Defense Strategy Committee-Naharnet
Sixth Lebanese National Dialogue Round Scheduled for April. Naharnet
Clinton Shakes Syria's Hand-CBS News
Ghazi Kanaan’s suicide obliterated many secrets including Hariri’s assassination/Future News
Justice from Beirut to The Hague/future News
Harb: ‘The Four Generals Will Not Be Released/Future News
Bellemare: We have Received Calls from Siddiq, but We Don't Know His Whereabouts-Naharnet
Saqr to Decide on Release of 4 Generals Soon-Naharnet
Cooperation with Hariri Court, Security Breaches Likely Subjects in Dialogue Session-Naharnet
Saniora to Meet Ban, Clinton in Sharm el-Sheikh-Naharnet
Suleiman: Lebanon to Issue New Laws to Facilitate Investment-Naharnet
Special Tribunal for Lebanon Kicks-Off, Promises Unbiased Justice-Naharnet
Jumblat Thanks Russia for Financing Hariri Tribunal-Naharnet
U.S.: Tribunal is Signal that Lebanon's Sovereignty is Non-negotiable-Naharnet
Israeli Arab Accused of Spying for Hizbullah-Naharnet
Aoun Launches Electoral Campaign, Says Candidates Chosen Based on Efforts Exerted-Naharnet
Bellemare: We Will Request Generals' Transfer 'As Soon As Possible-Naharnet
Hizbullah Launches Electoral Campaign in Bekaa: 'We Have Good Relations with Everybody-Naharnet
Saniora Attends Donors Conference on Gaza Reconstruction-Naharnet
Hariri: March 1 is Fruit of Efforts of All Lebanese-Naharnet
Belgium Takes Over UNIFIL's Maritime Mission-Naharnet
Gemayel: Party That Wins Metn Poll Wins Parliamentary Majority-Naharnet
UN nuclear watchdog to consider Iran and Syria threat-euronews
Clinton, other international envoys arrive in Egypt for Gaza donor conference-AFP
Tribunal opens with no courtroom or first trial date-AFP
Lebanese photographer clinches record for world's largest book-Daily Star
Australian cinema chain pulls film on Lebanese gang violence after brawls-Daily Star
Sleiman returns to Beirut to head dialogue session-Daily Star
Hariri tribunal begins operations in The Hague-Daily Star
Beirutis' sentiments on Hariri court range from confidence to apathy and skepticism-Daily Star
Rebuild Gaza, but don't forget Nahr al-Bared-Daily Star
US promises Kahwaji Ravens-Daily Star
Italian defense officials make visit-Daily Star
Netanyahu has plan to solve Shebaa, Ghajar issues - MK-Daily Star
Trading slows on Beirut Stock Exchange amid global recession-Daily Star

Sixth National Dialogue Round Scheduled for April
Naharnet/A fifth round of national dialogue ended deliberations on Monday without making significant progress on the controversial defense strategy file.
Participants agreed to meet for a sixth round on April 28. Monday's session, which lasted for more than two hours, was headed by President Michel Suleiman and attended by top Lebanese officials, including Speaker Nabih Berri, MP Walid Jumblat and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea.
Notable absentees were Prime Minister Fouad Saniora who is attending a donors conference in Sharm el-Sheikh on rebuilding Gaza and MP Ghassan Tueni who is currently abroad. Suleiman started the meeting with a review of developments since the previous round, including ongoing steps to achieve national reconciliation following months of political and security turbulences that had rocked the country. Although the defense strategy was the main topic on the session's agenda, the participants did not make significant progress on the issue. Beirut, 02 Mar 09, 16:01

Aoun: We Are Not the Target of Excommunication Threats
Naharnet/MP Michel Aoun said Monday recent remarks on excommunication was not targeted at his parliamentary bloc adding that he is a faithful Catholic and knows his limitations when it comes to attacking the church. Aoun was referring to last week's comments by Maronite Bishop of Jbeil Beshara Rai, who said that those who slander Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir will be punished by excommunication. "We are not the target of Rai's statement. We are well aware of the limitations of faith and the church. We are still within the fold of the Catholic faith and are practicing (Catholics)," Aoun said a weekly meeting of the Change and Reform bloc.
Aoun earlier attended the fifth round of national dialogue to discuss progress on the defense strategy file and security-related measures ahead of the July 7 parliamentary elections. The session was rescheduled till April 28.
"The rescheduling of sessions is not meant to waste time, but rather to make use of it," Aoun argued. He said the meetings served as "security valve that helps overcome obstacles especially that these sessions maintain contact among sides from across the political divide thus relieving tensions."Aoun pointed out that President Michel Suleiman had the "sole right" to keep the meetings minutes and to release them to the public. On the elections, Aoun said the Free Patriotic Movement was drafting electoral lists of eight candidates in the northern Metn district. Aoun slammed the current state of the Lebanese judiciary calling on those who want reform "to start with reactivating the role of the judiciary and awaken it from its slumber." He warned that Lebanon was heading toward "(social) degradation unless we stir up our values."
Beirut, 02 Mar 09, 18:32

Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Cannon Concludes Successful Middle East Visit
March 2, 2009 (noon EST)
No. 54
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today wrapped up his first official visit to the Middle East, during which he met key regional leaders and participated in an international conference on support for the economy and reconstruction of Gaza in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. At the conference, the Minister confirmed Canada’s ongoing assistance to the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza.
“Canada has long assisted and provided support to the Palestinian Authority,” said Minister Cannon. “We stand firmly behind the direction set by President Mahmoud Abbas toward a well-governed, democratic and prosperous Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace with Israel. We believe just as firmly that it is not in the Palestinian people’s interest for terrorist organizations such as Hamas to launch rocket attacks on Israeli civilians.”
The Sharm el-Sheikh conference, which took place on March 2, was co-sponsored by Egypt and Norway. It brought together more than 70 international leaders to discuss a framework for providing immediate and long-term support to Gaza following the recent crisis.
Minister Cannon also met with President Abbas prior to the conference and conveyed Canada’s unwavering support for his leadership. He encouraged President Abbas to renew peace efforts with Israel and reaffirmed Canada’s full support.
Canada has committed $300 million in support of the Middle East peace process through assistance to the Palestinian Authority. The support is focused on justice and security system reform. Canada is also paying particular attention to the humanitarian needs of the population of Gaza, as demonstrated by its contribution of $4 million, announced January 7.
Minister Cannon’s participation in the conference concludes his three-day Middle East visit. On February 28, he visited Jordan and met with Nasser Judeh, Jordan’s Foreign Minister. In Israel, he met with Tzipi Livni, Israel’s Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister-designate. He reaffirmed Canada’s long-standing support for the state of Israel and expressed the country’s firm belief in Israel’s right to self-defence.
For more information on Minister’s Cannon’s visit to Jordan and Israel, please see:
http://w01.international.gc.ca/minpub/Publication.aspx?isRedirect=True&publication_id=386880&language=E&docnumber=53.

Clinton Shakes Syria's Hand
News agencies/Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shook hands with her Syrian counterpart Monday as the two attended a conference in Egypt on rebuilding the Gaza Strip. The simple handshake before lunch was the highest-level contact between the two countries in years.
It was clear that the gesture had been arrangement, as Foreign Minister Walid Muallem chose the first table in the banquet hall in the resort town of Sharm el-Sheik. He sat there and waited. Clinton seemed to head straight over to shake hands with him. Muallem described his meeting with Clinton to CBS News as "short, but very pleasant," and that he was "happy it happened." He said he was "hoping this Administration would apply their words into deeds on the ground." The pair of senior diplomats stood for a couple of minutes as Clinton introduced Muallem to her team, including George Mitchell, the new U.S. Mideast envoy — who excluded Damascus from his first trip to the region a couple weeks ago. The handshake came after weeks of slowly-building diplomacy between the two nations — sparked by the change of power in Washington. The United States withdrew its ambassador from Damascus after the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri and accused Syria of allowing Islamist fighters to infiltrate Iraq. Cooperation between Syria and Iran has also angered Washington.
In past weeks, several U.S. congressional delegations (most recently, one led by Sen. John Kerry) have visited Syria to try and find a path to renewed relations. Many observers and analysts of the Middle East peace process (not to Mention Syrian leaders) have stressed the role Syria could play in reconciling Palestinian factions and facilitating negotiations with Israel.

Bellemare: We have Received Calls from Siddiq, but We Don't Know His Whereabouts
Naharnet/The international tribunal's chief prosecutor, Daniel Bellemare, said that the U.N. commission investigating former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's assassination has received several phone calls from key witness Mohammed Zuheir Saddiq, but added that "we don't know his whereabouts."
"We have received several calls from Zuheir Siddiq, but we don't know his whereabouts," Bellemare told New TV.
Siddiq, who was under an international arrest warrant requested by a Lebanese prosecutor, was detained in October 2005 in a Paris suburb in connection with the assassination. France refused to extradite him to Lebanon because it had not been guaranteed that he would not face the death penalty if convicted, and the former intelligence agent had since been living in the Paris suburb of Chatou. Siddiq was quoted in newspaper reports in 2006 as saying that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his Lebanese counterpart at the time, Emile Lahoud, ordered Hariri's 2005 assassination in a massive Beirut car bombing.
There have been conflicting reports about Siddiq, with some saying he disappeared, while his brother claimed that France had "liquidated" him. France denied the charge. On the four detained Lebanese generals, Bellemare said they would be transferred to The Hague "as inmates." Beirut, 02 Mar 09, 09:35

Saqr to Decide on Release of 4 Generals Soon
Naharnet/Examining magistrate Saqr Saqr plans to decide soon about a request for the release of the four top generals arrested on charges of involvement in the 2005 assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri. The generals submitted a request to Saqr on Thursday for their immediate release.
Saqr, however, turned down all requests on Friday for the release of former head of the presidential guard Mustafa Hamdan, security services director Jamil Sayyed, domestic security chief Ali Hajj and military intelligence chief Raymond Azar. Sayyed's attorney, Akram Azouri, renewed a call for the release of his client "for the sake of the reputation of Lebanon's judicial system."In remarks published by the daily As Safir on Monday, Azouri said that the Lebanese judiciary jurisdiction "remains in effect" until the international tribunal's chief prosecutor, Daniel Bellemare, "lays hands on the (Hariri murder) case." "An artificial vacuum should not be created," Azouri stressed, claiming the transfer of jurisdiction to Bellemare is "a continuation of power and not meant to create a vacuum." Beirut, 02 Mar 09, 11:06

Cooperation with Hariri Court, Security Breaches Likely Subjects in Dialogue Session
Naharnet/Lebanon's cooperation with the international tribunal as well as recent security breaches are likely to figure high on the agenda during a fifth round of national dialogue scheduled for Monday. Local media said the ruling March 14 coalition would probably raise the issue of Lebanon's cooperation with the tribunal -- set to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri -- at Monday's meeting. It said March 14 Forces will stress the need to carry out previous recommendations reached at all-party talks in 2006 regarding international investigations into Hariri's murder. President Michel Suleiman, who returned from a weekend trip to the Sultanate of Oman, will preside over Monday's talks at Baabda Palace. The 4th round of national dialogue ended with Lebanon's leaders agreeing on the need to formulate a national defense strategy and address the issue of armed Palestinian positions outside of refugee camps.
Speaker Nabih Berri will likely present his own blueprint on the defense strategy during Monday's session.
National dialogue members are also expected to complete the formation of a committee of military experts tasked with drafting a unified defense strategy based on the various blueprints presented. An Nahar said Suleiman might ask Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat to reverse his decision to suspend the participation of his representative, Sharif Fayyad, on the committee. Jumblat is expected to agree. Beirut, 02 Mar 09, 08:13

Saniora to Meet Ban, Clinton in Sharm el-Sheikh
Naharnet/Premier Fouad Saniora is expected to meet with U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday, An Nahar daily reported. Saniora is in Sharm el-Sheikh to attend an international donors' conference to rebuild war-battered Gaza.
An Nahar said Saniora's talks with Clinton would be the first since she was appointed Secretary of State almost two months ago. The Lebanese prime minister, who arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh on Sunday, met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Arab League Chief Amr Moussa. "We discussed the conference that will be held tomorrow (Monday). We hope it will be successful," Saniora said, following talks with Abbas. Saniora and Moussa discussed Monday's meeting, during which international donors are expected to pledge billions of dollars to rebuild Gaza. According to Moussa, they discussed the donors' conference, "the situation in Gaza, and joint Arab efforts to rebuild the territory." "We also discussed the situation in Lebanon, Sudan and Palestine," he said. Beirut, 02 Mar 09, 08:34

Suleiman: Lebanon to Issue New Laws to Facilitate Investment
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman announced that Lebanon will soon approve new finance and economic laws to facilitate investment. He said political stability has reflected positively on the security and economic situation in the country. Suleiman's remarks were made prior to his arrival home late Sunday from an official visit to Oman. Suleiman told the Lebanese community in Oman that "progress has been made on the path to reform." Parliamentary elections should work as "an example of integrity," he added.Suleiman and Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said on Saturday called for an improvement of ties between the two countries and stressed the need to continue inter-Arab reconciliation. Beirut, 02 Mar 09, 08:56

Special Tribunal for Lebanon Kicks-Off, Promises Unbiased Justice
Naharnet/An international tribunal created to try the suspected killers of former premier Rafik Hariri was inaugurated Sunday at a special ceremony in The Hague, with the chief prosecutor warning that "no one was immune" from punishment.
"I welcome you to the opening ceremony" of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, registrar Robin Vincent told VIPs, diplomats and journalists gathered for the much-anticipated event at the tribunal's new seat at former Dutch intelligence headquarters in the suburb of Leidschendam.
Guests included the U.N. under-secretary general for legal affairs, Patricia O'Brien, Lebanese ambassador to the Netherlands Zeidan al-Saghir and the tribunal's chief prosecutor Daniel Bellemare. "We must not forget that the main reason why the tribunal came to existence is the sufferings of the victims and their families," Vincent said. "In the end, we are not here today just for the United Nations or the international gathering. We are here for Lebanon," he added.
"We are not here for those who committed these crimes, we are here for the victims of these crimes," he concluded, before requesting a moment of silence in memory of those who were murdered on February 14, 2005. For his part, Bellemare ensured that the tribunal does not fall under any form of external influence. "Our work will be independent. We work according to evidence, the law and our own conscience," he told the ceremony.
The Canadian judge was adamant in his position that official indictments would only be issued based on incriminating evidence. He also made clear that no side or figure would be exempt from answering to the court.
"I will not issue an indictment unless fully convinced with the evidence presented. I will not press charges just to please a certain side," he said, in an indirect warning against political meddling in the trial's proceedings. Bellemare also declined to give a timeframe for when he will start pressing charges, but he confirmed there will be more than one indictment.
"No one is immune," he insisted, adding that the crime was committed "by several individuals, while others people were aware of it."
He again said he will soon be filing a "request to the Lebanese government to hand over all that is related to the tribunal, including the detainees."
Four Lebanese generals have been in held in Lebanon for nearly four years over the killing. Bellemare said any decision to release the four figures "will be up to the tribunal."
As of Sunday, the office of the prosecutor will have 60 days to apply to the Lebanese authorities for the transfer of suspects and evidence files.
In the meantime, the international investigating commission will continue its work "in compliance with international criteria," Bellemare said.
He said so far he has not faced any impediments to his work. "Neither do I expect to face any difficulties in the future. But in case I do, we will take the necessary measures." He also said that Syria's cooperation with the STL has been "satisfactory."
Bellemare has led the international investigation into a series of attacks on Lebanese political and media personalities, notably Hariri's assassination in a car bombing in that also killed 22 other people. There was no indication of a date for its first trial.
Addressing the audience, O'Brian described the STL as a "turning point" in the international community's efforts to end a culture of impunity that has allowed murder in Lebanon to go unpunished.
The tribunal, created by a U.N. Security Council resolution of June 2007, will apply the Lebanese penal code. It has an initial, renewable, three-year mandate, though Vincent has predicted it may need closer to five years.
O'Brian said that one of the traits that distinguishes the STL was that elements of civil law were "more apparent" in comparison with previous international tribunals. The application of civil law and the Lebanese penal code, she explained, guarantees "swift trials, prevents unnecessary delays and allows trials in absentia."
She pointed out that international "interest in the tribunal will definitely increase as it moves forward." She assured the Lebanese public they will be able to follow the tribunal's proceedings and will be able to "access accurate and correct information on the trial's progress."
The U.N. official insisted on the "impartial and independent" nature of the tribunal. She said the STL's formation is a "strong indication that these assassinations and terrorist attacks will not be allowed to continue."
For his part, Lebanese Ambassador Saghir said: "The Lebanese have long waited for this day. Justice will take its course. The Lebanese people have the right to feel safe."Lebanon has been trying "to end the wave of terrorist attacks" on its soil, he said, adding that the tribunal "has come to lift this heavy weight off Lebanon's shoulders." The identities of the tribunal's 11 judges, four of them Lebanese, are being kept under wraps for security reasons.
In its early stages, the UN probe into the murder implicated top officials close to Syrian President Bashar Assad. Damascus has consistently denied any involvement.
Vincent has told reporters that the courtroom, to be erected in what used to be a spies' gymnasium, was unlikely to be completed before November this year.
The tribunal, he added, had a separate wing of holding cells at the Dutch penitentiary in Scheveningen, which "is operational, staffed and ready to receive anyone we get." The budget, $49 million of which will be paid by Lebanon, is $51.4 million (40 million euros) for 2009. (Naharnet-AFP) Beirut, 01 Mar 09, 14:53

Jumblat Thanks Russia for Financing Hariri Tribunal
Naharnet/Progressive Socialist Party leader and MP Walid Jumblat thanked Russia for financing the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, set to prosecute suspects in the 2005 assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri and related crimes. Jumblat ended a three-day visit to Moscow on Sunday, after holding several meetings with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Chairman of the Duma Committee on International Affairs Konstantin Kosachev, as well as other Russian officials.
The Druze leader hailed Moscow's support for Lebanon's independence and sovereignty, and for the Palestinian cause. Shortly after his arrival, Jumblat met with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at his residence in Ain el-Tineh. No statements were made after the talks. Beirut, 02 Mar 09, 08:20

U.S.: Tribunal is Signal that Lebanon's Sovereignty is Non-negotiable
Naharnet/The U.S. State Department said Sunday that the launching of the international tribunal was "an important step toward justice" in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's Feb. 2005 assassination and a "signal that Lebanon's sovereignty is non-negotiable." ""The Special Tribunal for Lebanon represents an important step toward justice" in Hariri's killing, which "was an unsuccessful attempt to undermine Lebanon's sovereignty," the Department said in a press release.
"The Lebanese people answered his assassination with the Cedar Revolution, leading to the withdrawal of Syrian troops and the most democratic Lebanese elections in decades," it said. The Department hoped the Special Tribunal for Lebanon would help end impunity, stressing that the court "is a clear signal that Lebanon's sovereignty is non-negotiable." It also hailed "the brave and tireless work" of Lebanese judicial authorities and the U.N. commission that investigated Hariri's murder.
"We will continue to assist their efforts, and recently pledged another $6 million, pending Congressional approval, towards the tribunal's operations in addition to the $14 million already contributed," the statement added.(AP photo shows the statue of Hariri next to the seafront road in Beirut, where he was killed by a truck bomb four years ago) Beirut, 02 Mar 09, 07:57

Hizbullah Launches Electoral Campaign in Bekaa: "We Have Good Relations with Everybody"
Naharnet/Hizbullah launched its electoral campaign in east Lebanon's Bekaa Valley on Sunday with the group's second-in-command saying Hizbullah has "good relations with everybody." "We consider these elections to be important, but not fateful," Sheikh Naim Qassem told a news conference. Qassem said that the international community would respect the choice of the Lebanese people, no matter which side won the general elections. "Even if the opposition wins, all countries would deal with it in a normal manner," he said. "Let no one frighten you of this matter." Qassem stressed that Syrian-Saudi rapprochement will not affect elections, "but could somewhat lead to media calm."He said Hizbullah "only scares the Israeli enemy and the evidence is our alliance with Gen. Michel Aoun." "The opposition is represented in the government; and the ambassadors are waiting in queue to establish relations with Hizbullah," Qassem pointed. "We have good relations with everybody," he added. Beirut, 01 Mar 09, 19:12

Saniora Attends Donors Conference on Gaza Reconstruction
Naharnet/Prime Minister Fouad Saniora arrived in Egypt on Sunday to take part in a donors' conference on the reconstruction of Gaza.
Major donors are expected at a meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday to pledge billions of dollars to rebuild the Gaza Strip, but only if the enclave's rulers, Hamas, agree to play no role in spending the cash.
The donors are demanding that the money be handled by the Palestinian Authority, which the Islamist Hamas evicted by force from the narrow coastal strip in June 2007. "We expect rapid international aid from all parties to completely rebuild Gaza," Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas told reporters on Saturday.
"We also expect that, as in the past, there will be one mechanism, the Palestinian Authority," he said after meeting EU foreign policy supremo Javier Solana in the West Bank town of Ramallah. The Palestinian Authority and Hamas each want to lead the rebuilding effort, but Western countries -- which blacklist Hamas as a terror group -- have said they will work only with Abbas. "I would like to insist that the mechanism used to deploy the money is the one that represents the Palestinian Authority," Solana said. "I don't think there is a need for new mechanisms."
The star delegate at the aid conference in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh will be U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who will reportedly arrive bearing a check for 900 million U.S. dollars. Saudi Arabia is expected to reaffirm a commitment to provide one billion dollars towards reconstruction, and the European Union has said it will grant 554 million dollars to the Palestinian people in 2009. Donor countries from the January 2008 Paris conference will reiterate a pledge of 7.4 billion dollars in aid to the Palestinians in the three years 2008-2010, of which three billion has so far been distributed.
Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has said he is seeking 2.8 billion dollars to rebuild Gaza. Around 75 delegations are scheduled to attend Monday's conference, which is organized by Egypt and Norway and sponsored by the United Nations, European Union, France, Italy and the Arab League.
The 1.4-million population of the Gaza Strip -- around half of whom depend on United Nations handouts -- are in dire need of whatever help the international community can provide. The Gaza economy was brought to its knees by the blockade imposed by Israel from the time Hamas seized control of the enclave.
This was followed by Israel's 22-day onslaught on the territory in December and January, causing physical devastation, destroying homes, hospitals, schools and other infrastructure as well as killing more than 1,300 Palestinians.
Fayyad says the damage to homes has forced 90,000 people to live in tents now pitched amid the ruins. Neither Israel nor Hamas will be represented at the gathering, but for the aid program to succeed, Israel must lift its blockade and Hamas will have to be reconciled with the secular Fatah, backbone of the Palestinian Authority. The rival Palestinian factions have agreed to start talks aimed at working towards the formation of a "consensus" government. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said his priority is the release of soldier Gilad Shalit from captivity by Hamas, placing this aim above reaching a lasting truce in Gaza or negotiating to lift the blockade. But Egypt is continuing discussions aimed at trying to broker a long-term truce, and the Middle East Peace Quartet will meet on the sidelines of the aid conference to discuss how to revive the peace process. Clinton is expected to attend that event, as is Solana, UN head Ban Ki-moon and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said the aid conference has a double role: economic, to organize humanitarian aid and the reconstruction of Gaza, and political, focused on the peace process. "The mechanism for the reconstruction will be fixed at Sharm el-Sheikh," he said, but whatever is agreed cannot be implemented until Israel agrees to end its blockade and open border crossings into and out of Gaza. (AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 01 Mar 09, 18:02

Iraq Withdrawal Can Work Only With Pressure on Iran and Syria
By WALID PHARES
Middle East Times - Cairo,Egypt
http://www.metimes.com/Opinion/2009/03/02/iraq_withdrawal_can_work_only_with_pressure_on_iran_and_syria/9152/
Published: March 02, 2009
Now that President Barack Obama has announced his plan for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq by Aug. 31, 2010, he must consider what the forces engaged against the coalition and the Iraqi government plan to do. The Iranian and Syrian regimes, as well as al-Qaida and other jihadist groups, can affect the U.S. withdrawal timetable.
Per senior U.S. officials, the Iraq war will unilaterally come to an end on Aug. 31, 2010 unless dramatic developments force another strategy. As former U.S. President George W. Bush declared "mission accomplished" after the removal of Saddam in 2003, Obama has now declared the end of "all counter-insurgency missions," by 2010. After that date, from the 142,000 Marines and army personnel currently in Iraq, some 35,000 to 50,000 will remain and would be ready to deploy in counter-terrorism missions. Under the Status of Forces Agreement with the Iraqi government, all U.S. forces must be removed by Dec. 31, 2011.
After August of next year the mission of U.S. (and possibly some coalition) forces will be to:
1) Train, equip and advise Iraqi security forces.
2) Support civilian operations in Iraq aimed at reconstruction, redevelopment and political reconciliation.
3) Conduct targeted counter-terrorism missions.
At first sight, the plan seems sound and answers a main requirement of U.S. strategy: maintaining political gains made by the Iraqi political process and pursuing the fight against al-Qaida and other terror groups.
But the public and legislators should realize that for the next stage to be successful, Iraq must be able to withstand any future pressures by the "enemy."
If the terrorist forces operating against the coalition and the Iraqi government are to vanish as soon as the United States pulls out, the withdrawal plan (any version of it) will be smooth and successful. It would be merely a question of logistical management.
But any strategist must ask: What if the other side won't cooperate? What if al-Qaida and its Salafist ilk, as well as the Pasdaran, the Quds force, Hezbollah, and the intelligence services of Tehran and Damascus decide otherwise? What if they will continue the operations from now till August 2010, and after that date, endlessly?
A logical U.S. response would be to focus on enabling Iraqis to fight the counter insurgency war against the "foes" and grow their capacity until withdrawal D-Day 18 months from now. By the magical date of Aug. 31, 2010, Iraq's own forces should be able to control their county. The role of the U.S. expeditionary force should be to wage counter terrorism missions in support of the Iraqi armed forces if the insurgency will continue pass that date.
It is very hard to predict what all of the U.S.'s "foes" in Iraq will do. The easiest guess is about al-Qaida and the other jihadis. All their literature and statements, as well as actions on the ground, show that these forces will continue their attacks regardless of both American and Iraqi planning. The Salafist combat groups, despite their containment by the Sahwa campaign and by counter insurgency activities, have the Sunni Triangle in sight for as long as the 'will of Allah' prevails. Hence their aggression against Iraq's population and institutions is expected to last as long as their ideology and ideologues would also last.
Just as important to the jihadis are their strategic lines into Iraq. The jihadis are crossing the Syrian borders constantly and they are backed by ideological and financial circles inside Iraq's southern neighbor, Saudi Arabia. Thus the success of the Obama plan will hinge on the capacity of his administration to stop the flow of jihadism from Syria and Saudi Arabia.
A more complex prediction is about Iran's plan for a post U.S. withdrawal. Many in Washington today are excited to report that realism will prevail in Tehran as soon as the Obama administration will "sit" with the mullahs' regime and "talk" — some even say "listen." In short, somehow the group coined recently as the "Iran Lobby in the U.S." is arguing that withdrawal plans will get no opposition from Iran. Everything will go smoothly and Iraq will be able to control its eastern border, pro-Iranian groups notwithstanding.
I believe otherwise. Iran's leadership will sit down, talk, and sometimes listen — but it will at the same time continue its actions on the ground until it fulfills its own "mission." What is that mission? To penetrate, influence and seize 60 percent of Iraq from Baghdad to Basra as U.S. forces are withdrawing and certainly after the pullout. They will use all the power elements at their disposal: special groups, the Mahdi Army, assassinations, infiltration in government, etc. Ironically, the pro-Iranian action against U.S. presence will intensify further after August 2010 to hasten the final withdrawal of counter insurgency forces left behind. So in a sense the success of the Obama plan will hinge on the American ability to deter Iran — and its ally Syria — from surging against Iraq's democracy while the United States is organizing its departure.
Is the 2010 plan doomed? Not at all: It is actually a challenging one and could be successful but is conditioned by the greater context. Withdrawing the bulk of U.S. forces from Iraq after five years of deployment is long overdue, especially if the troops will be used on other fronts. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden recently said the Iranians may be surprised where many of these forces would be used. The Obama plan can work if his administration will move quickly to deter both Tehran and Damascus from filling the void in Iraq. This is the secret equation hovering over all three plans the president has to choose from. If asked, I would advise the shortest stay for the bulk of U.S. forces in Iraq so that they can be engaged in other spots, not only in Afghanistan.
The worst course of action would be to diminish the force in Iraq while encouraging Iran and Syria — directly or indirectly — to "assume responsibilities" on Iraqi land. This would be known by historians as suicide. In the end, all is in the hands of Obama. If he has a global plan to restlessly wage campaigns against jihadist powers and forces around the world while winning a war of ideas, the 2010 plan for Iraq will be a stunning move. But if all efforts of the administration are to pull out from the confrontation with the jihadis, following the advice of the failed academia of the past, the announced plan will be no more than the beginning of the retreat. I truly hope the vision in the Oval Office will meet the harsh realities of today's world.
**Dr. Walid Phares is the director of the Future Terrorism Project the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and the author of "The Confrontation: Winning the War against Future Jihad."

Next Step After Middle East Talks: A Major War?
By CLAUDE SALHANI -Editor, Middle East Times
http://www.metimes.com/Politics/2009/03/02/next_step_after_middle_east_talks_a_major_war/5151/
Published: March 02, 2009
A senior high-ranking foreign diplomat who is well acquainted with the Middle East said Friday in Washington that "a major regional war is not inconceivable."
Although war in the Middle East is not imminent, the risk of a generalized regional conflagration nevertheless persists. Among the fuses that could ignite the next fire is the continued lack of progress with the all-but-dead peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis, and what many Arab leaders consider to be Iran's interference in Arab affairs.
As one Lebanese official who asked not to be named pointed out, Iran is like an octopus with its tentacles touching every aspect of the multitude of problems plaguing the Middle East today.
Indeed, if U.S. President Barack Obama's administration is unable to revive the Middle East peace talks and to convince the parties concerned to move toward a settlement of the crisis, the 'natural' reaction could be another large-scale regional war. A war that could be precipitated by an attack on Iran by Israel, or an attack by Hezbollah on Israel.
Speaking off the record at a conference in Washington last week the diplomat said he feared that stagnation in the peace talks brought about by mounting extremism in the Middle East risks taking the entire region down a rather perilous road. An extremism that is equally visible on the Arab as well as on the Israeli side.
It is clear that while the question of Palestine remains at the core of the Middle East's problems, other sub-conflicts now command equal attention.
What used to be a single track dispute in the Middle East, basically a dispute over real estate, has evolved into a multiple track conflict and in turn each track, or conflict, has spawned off a number of very complicated sub-conflicts.
Far more worrisome is that the real estate dispute has turned into a conflict driven by religious fervor propelled by the Iranian Islamic revolution. For the first time since its inception 30 years ago the Iranians are finally starting to see some success in their efforts to bridge the Sunni-Shiite schism.
Close cooperation has been established between Iran and Sunni jihadist groups now settled in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, turning Lebanon into a microcosm of the many problems affecting the region today, and which have become inseparable.
For example, solving Lebanon's internal issues such as the question of Hezbollah maintaining its weapons on the grounds that it is a resistance group fighting occupation will remain unsolvable until Israel withdraws from parts of south Lebanon it continues to occupy.
Israel claims these areas belong to Syria while Syria has not officially commented. Therefore, Lebanon's internal issues are unlikely to be solved until an Israeli-Syrian peace accord can be reached.
Will that solve the question of Hezbollah's guns? Not quite.
The Lebanese Shiite group's Secretary General, Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, has already stated that once the question of the south is resolved, there is still Jerusalem to liberate. In other words, there can be no resolution to the Lebanese internal question of Hezbollah's weapons until a peace agreement between Israel and Syria is reached AND a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians is also reached.
That is easier said than done. Iran's meddling in the Arab-Israeli dispute further complicates an already complex series of conflicts. There used to be one conflict in Palestine, there are now two: one involving Hamas and the other the Palestinian Authority. There used to be one conflict between the Arabs and Israel, there are now several: there is an Israeli-Syrian dispute, an Israeli-Lebanese dispute and an Israeli-Hezbollah dispute. There is now also an Israeli-Iranian dispute.
Can each of these conflicts be solved independently of the others? There are two schools of thought. A number of observers think it would be impossible to try and solve any one of these issues independently. Other observers say, all these different issues need to be addressed simultaneously.
Rendering negotiations even more tedious is that most of the groups in conflict with Israel today refuse to hold direct talks with the Jewish state. Hamas, Syria, Lebanon, Iran and Hezbollah refuse to engage Israel in direct talks, insisting instead on having negotiations with Israel conducted through third parties.
The bottom line here is that the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East has changed – and it would be safe to add, not for the better.
There was quasi unanimity among a number of senior diplomats, current and former U.S. State Department officials and leading experts on Lebanese affairs attending a conference in Washington last week that the new danger posed to the region is now clearly emanating from the Islamic Republic.
What makes this situation so much more volatile today is that all these problems have become intricately interwoven and in many instances, with Lebanon caught in its middle much as a fly in a spider's web.
What happens in Lebanon in the upcoming June 7 parliamentary elections will in fact be a good litmus test for the rest of the region. At stake in these elections is the very essence of democracy taking hold in the Middle East. Lebanon's June 7 elections are going to be a major test of Lebanon's stability and its ability to demonstrate that it can hold on to its democracy, tattered as it might be.