LCCC ENGLISH
DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
December 31/08
Bible Reading
of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 2,36-40. There was also a
prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was
advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but
worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very
time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting
the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of
the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was
upon him.
Adam of Perseigne (? -1221), Cistercian
abbot
Sermon 4 for the Purification /«The parents of Jesus came to present him in the
Temple »
Let all flesh draw near today to the Word made flesh, there to unlearn what is
of the flesh and learn to pass, little by little from the flesh to the Spirit.
Therefore let us draw near today for a new sun is shining brighter than before.
Enclosed hitherto at Bethlehem in the narrowness of a manger and known only to a
tiny group of people, he comes today to Jerusalem, to the Temple of the Lord and
is presented before more than one person. You, O Bethlehem, until now rejoicing
alone in the light given for all ; proud of a privilege of unheard of newness :
you were able to rival the East itself for light. Even better, unbelievable as
it is, there was a greater light with you in a crib than this world's sun can
radiate as it rises... Today the Sun itself breaks forth to bathe the world in
light. Today the Lord of the Temple is offered in the Temple at Jerusalem.
How blessed are those who offer themselves to God as Christ does, like a dove,
in the solitude of a peaceful heart ! Such as these are mature enough to
celebrate the mystery of the purification with Mary... For is was not the Mother
of God, who had never consented to sin, who was purified on that day. It is man,
sullied by sin, who is purified today by her childbearing and willing
offering... Ours is the purification that has been obtained through Mary... If
we embrace the fruit of her womb with faith, if we offer ourselves with him in
the Temple, the mystery we celebrate will purify us.
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for December
30/08
Hezbollah vows to support Hamas, but holds fire for now-AP
Israel mulls truce offer on Day 4 of Gaza assault-AP
Israel blasts Gaza in 'all-out war' on Hamas-AFP
Israel urged to eliminate Hamas-OneNewsNow
Geagea Warns Against Attempts to Topple Arab Regimes-Naharnet
Israeli Gaza 'massacre' must stop, Syria's Assad tells US senator-AFP
Report: Egypt to warn Israel of Hizbullah attack-Ynetnews
Mubarak: Palestinian Blood Not Cheap-Naharnet
Lebanon on National Mourning Over Gaza, Donates $1 Million in Aid-Naharnet
Gemayel Criticizes Hizbullah-Naharnet
Jumblat Criticizes Nasrallah's Attack on Egypt-Naharnet
Aid Ship to Gaza Arrives in Lebanon after being Rammed by Israeli Boat-Naharnet
Geagea Warns Against Attempts to Topple Arab Regimes-Naharnet
Hizbullah Watches for Now as Israel Unleashes its Rage on Hamas-Naharnet
Egypt Split over Nasrallah Remarks-Naharnet
March 14 for U.N. Resolution on Gaza-Naharnet
Phalange Party Rejects Confrontation with Arabs-Naharnet
Aoun's Bloc for Arab Solidarity with Gaza-Naharnet
Hezbollah watches for now as
Israel hits Hamas
By SAM F. GHATTAS, Associated Press Writer Sam F. Ghattas, Associated Press
Writer 43 mins ago AP A woman shouts anti-Israeli slogans as protesters
carry pictures of President George W. Bush, right,
Play Video Mideast Video: The human cost of the Israeli attacks on Gaza AFP Play
Video Mideast Video: Rockets continue to fly in Gaza, Israel AP Play Video
Mideast Video: Gaza Fighting Enters Fourth Day CNBC BEIRUT, Lebanon Lebanon's
powerful Hezbollah guerrilla movement widely seen as the Arab world's most
effective force against Israel is a staunch Hamas supporter but has so far
held its fire as its Palestinian ally faces down Israel's assault in Gaza.
Hezbollah possesses a formidable arsenal of rockets and missiles that bloodied
Israel during a monthlong war between them in 2006, but is constrained by its
own domestic political goals and fears of Israeli retaliation.
Once considered as just a fighting force backed by Iran and Syria, Hezbollah has
seen its political power in Lebanon grow since 2006. With Israel threatening
massive retaliation if Hezbollah renews its rocket bombardments, that influence
could come into doubt by Lebanese reluctant to be drawn into another war.
So Hezbollah is instead calling for protests in Lebanon and across the Middle
East to pressure Arab governments to act against Israel.
That call hasn't drawn any action for now Egypt on Tuesday said it would not
end its blockade of Gaza as long as Hamas remains in power there, and no Arab
government has offered anything stronger than words and humanitarian assistance
in response to Israel's assault.
Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah drew tens of thousands, waving Palestinian,
Hezbollah and Lebanese flags, for a rally Monday in his south Beirut stronghold.
He professed that Israel's Gaza offensive will ultimately fail. Nasrallah put
his men on alert in southern Lebanon in case Israel attacks and claimed he was
ready to fight back if provoked. He promised not to abandon Hamas. The Islamic
Sunni group is also backed by Hezbollah allies Iran and Syria.
But he made no threat to open fire on northern Israel to relieve Gaza an act
that would certainly provoke another war with Israel.
Hezbollah "cannot afford to enter a full-scale war with Israel, which would be
devastating for Lebanon," said Paul Salem, Beirut-based director of the Carnegie
Middle East Center, an arm of the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace. The 2006 war was sparked when Hezbollah guerrillas snatched
two Israel soldiers from northern Israel. Israel unleashed a massive bombardment
of southern Lebanon and other parts of the country and Hezbollah fired thousands
of rockets into Israel. The violence devastated much of southern Lebanon, and
more than 1,000 Lebanese and about 160 Israelis were killed.
In May, Hezbollah gained significant clout by joining a national unity
government with pro-U.S. rivals in Lebanon. The country is now enjoying an
unusually long stretch of relative calm and prosperity and many Lebanese fear
anything that could disturb the stability.
But Hezbollah has also rebuilt its arsenal and claims to possess more than
30,000 rockets, with far greater range, sophistication and firepower than Hamas'
mostly primitive rockets. For its part, Israel has also been enhancing its
army's capabilities. Israel's top commander on the border with Lebanon, Maj.
Gen. Gadi Eizenkot, warned in October that Israel would reply with
"disproportionate force" if Hezbollah attacks again, adding that any village
used to fire missiles against the Jewish state will be destroyed. Hezbollah also
has to reckon with Lebanese army and a more robust U.N. peacekeeping force in
the south near the border with Israel. Since 2006, thousands of Lebanese troops
have deployed along with 13,000 U.N. peacekeepers in a border zone.
For now, Hezbollah's strategy seems to be to mobilize the Arab masses,
particularly in Egypt, while counting on Hamas holding out until Israel backs
down under outside pressure to end the Gaza offensive. Hezbollah expert Amal
Saad-Ghorayeb describes the conflict as an "existential" one between those
opposed to U.S. and Israeli policy namely, Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria and Iran
and the so-called pro-U.S. Arab states. A Hamas defeat will weaken its backers
and "the moderate axis will reign supreme." But if Hamas survives, it would be a
major victory for them, said Saad-Ghorayeb, author of the book "Hezbollah:
Politics and Religion."
Salem says the Gaza fighting will do little to resolve contentious issues such
as West Bank settlements, the fate of Arab east Jerusalem and the Syrian-Israeli
conflict.
"In a way this is a war that is not going to solve anything. It will kill
hundreds and thousands of people and we still remain where we are," he said.
Israel mulls truce offer on Day 4 of Gaza assault
By IBRAHIM BARZAK and AMY TEIBEL, Associated Press Writers Ibrahim Barzak And
Amy Teibel, Associated Press Writers 30 mins ago Play Video CNBC Gaza
Fighting Enters Fourth Day Slideshow: Israel launches air strikes on Gaza Play
Video Video: Israel pounds Gaza for fourth day BBC Play Video Video: Food
shortages in Gaza as Israeli attacks continue AFP AP A rocket fired by
Palestinians militants in the Gaza Strip flies towards an Israeli target as seen
from
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Israel is considering suspending its Gaza
offensive to give Hamas militants an opening to halt rocket fire on Israel, but
the threat of a ground offensive remains if the cease-fire does not hold, an
Israeli defense official said Tuesday.
Israel's defense minister is to raise the proposal during a meeting of Israel's
security Cabinet on Wednesday, the official said, speaking on condition of
anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. Israel TV's Channel
10 also reported such a proposal.
At the same time, the security Cabinet will also be asked to consider various
plans for a ground invasion, the defense official said. The public rhetoric from
Israeli officials has indicated they expect the operation to continue. Earlier
Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the current, aerial phase of
the operation was just "the first of several" that have been approved, an Olmert
spokesman said.
Palestinian militants, meanwhile, kept up their rocket assaults on Israeli
border communities, despite relentless Israeli air attacks against Gaza's Hamas
rulers and unwelcome word from Egypt that it would not bail them out.
Israeli warplanes smashed a Hamas government complex, the largest one hit so
far, dumping the biggest single load of bombs on the buildings, which had been
evacuated since the bombardment began Saturday. Israel also hit security
installations and the home of a top militant commander.
The question hanging over the Israeli operation is how it can halt rocket fire.
Israel has never found a military solution to the barrage of missiles militants
have fired into southern Israel. Beyond delivering Hamas a deep blow and
protecting border communities, the assault's broader objectives remained cloudy.
Israeli President Shimon Peres acknowledged the challenge, saying the operation
was unavoidable but more difficult than many people anticipated.
"War against terrorists is harder in some aspects than fighting armies," Peres
said.
More than 370 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli air onslaught
against Gaza's Islamic Hamas rulers began Saturday, shortly after a rocky,
six-month truce expired. Most were members of Hamas security forces but the
number included at least 64 civilians, according to U.N. figures. Among those
killed were two sisters, aged 4 and 11, who perished in an airstrike on a rocket
squad in northern Gaza on Tuesday.
Israeli warplanes smashed a Hamas government complex, security installations and
the home of a top militant commander. During brief lulls between airstrikes,
Gazans tentatively ventured into the streets to buy goods and collect belongings
from homes they had abandoned after Israel's aerial onslaught began Saturday.
Rasha Khaldeh, 22, from the central Gaza town of Deir al-Balah, said she dared
go no further than down the block to look for food.
"We just don't know what they are going to shell next. It's not safe," Khaldeh
said. The campaign has brought a new reality to southern Israel, too, where
one-tenth of the country's population of 7 million has suddenly found itself
within rocket range. Militants have pressed on with their rocket and mortar
assaults, killing three Israeli civilians and a soldier and bringing a widening
circle of targets into their sights with an arsenal of more powerful weapons.
The military estimated that close to 700,000 Israelis are now within rocket
range, with the battles shifting closer to Israel's heartland. Of the four
Israelis killed since the operation began Saturday, all but one were in areas
that had not suffered fatalities before. On Tuesday, a Bedouin Arab town became
one of the new targets.
"It's very scary," said Yaacov Pardida, a 55-year-old resident of Ashdod,
southern Israel's largest city, which was hit Monday. "I never imagined that
this could happen, that they could reach us here." By mid-afternoon, gunmen had
launched about a dozen rockets and mortars, down from 80 a day earlier, the
Israeli military said. But the number of firings have fluctuated sharply
throughout the day, and that number could dramatically rise by day's end.
In the 72 hours since the offensive began, militants have fired off more than
250 rockets and mortars all told, they added.
"Zionists, wait for more from the resistance," Hamas spokesman Ismail Radwan
wrote in a text message to reporters, referring to militants' armed struggle
against Israel.
The offensive comes on top of an Israeli blockade of Gaza that has largely kept
all but essential goods from entering the coastal territory since Hamas
violently seized control June 2007 from forces loyal to Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas. At the United Nations on Monday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
demanded an immediate cease-fire and urged Mideast and world leaders to do more
to help end the Israeli-Hamas conflict and promote political dialogue.
He also urged urged Arab foreign ministers, who are holding an emergency meeting
in Cairo on Wednesday, "to act swiftly and decisively to bring an early end to
this impasse." Egypt, which has been blockading Gaza from its southern end, has
come under pressure from the rest of the Arab world to reopen its border with
the territory because of the Israeli campaign. Egypt has pried open the border
to let in some of Gaza's wounded and to allow some humanitarian supplies to
enter the territory. But it quickly sealed the border when Gazans tried to push
through forcefully.
In a televised speech Tuesday, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak responded to
critics, including the leader of the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, who have
accused him of collaborating with Israel. "We tell anybody who seeks political
profits on the account of the Palestinian people: The Palestinian blood is not
cheap," he said, describing such comments as "exploiting the blood of the
Palestinians." Mubarak said his country would not throw open the border crossing
unless Abbas regains control of the border post. Mubarak has been rattled by the
presence of a neighboring Islamic ministate in Gaza, fearing it would fuel more
Islamic dissidence in Egypt.
Israel's air force initially hammered security facilities, then broadened to
weapons-making and storage facilities, the homes of militant field operatives,
and government buildings that are the symbols of Hamas' power. The initial wave
of airstrikes took Gaza by surprise, targeting militants and Hamas security
forces at key installations, often located in the midst of tiny Gaza's densely
populated towns and cities.
But the government buildings targeted later were empty, as Gazans became fearful
of venturing out into the streets. For Ziad Koraz, whose nearby home was damaged
in the attack on the government compound Tuesday, that violence gratuitously put
Gaza civilians at risk.
"More than 17 missiles were directed at an empty government compound, without
regard for civilians who lived nearby," Koraz said. "If someone committed a
crime, they should go after him, not after an entire nation." Israel has allowed
a trickle of aid through its cargo crossings with Gaza despite the military
campaign, agreeing to allow 100 trucks in on Tuesday, defense officials said.
Jordan, the Red Cross and the World Health Organization were also preparing to
send medical supplies.
Israel's navy on Tuesday turned back a boat of pro-Palestinian protesters who
had hoped to enter Gaza to demonstrate against the Israeli blockade.
The Israeli side of the border area was declared a closed military zone on
Monday, obscuring operations in the area. But with thousands of ground troops,
backed by tanks and artillery, massed on the border, and the air force knocking
off target after target, the big question looming over the operation was whether
it would expand to include a land invasion. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak
said the operation would "expand as needed ... to restore tranquility to
(Israel's) south and deliver a blow to Hamas so the rocket fire and other
operations against the citizens and soldiers of Israel stop."
During the six-month truce that expired Dec. 19, gunmen fired 360 rockets and
mortars, the vast majority in the agreement's waning weeks, the military said.
In the year before it took hold, more than 4,300 projectiles were fired, it
added. Over the years, militants have improved the aim and range of the rockets.
On Monday, a missile crashed into a bus stop in Ashdod, a city of 200,000 that
is 23 miles (37 kilometers) from Gaza and only 25 miles (40 kilometers) from
Israel's Tel Aviv heartland.
**Amy Teibel reported from Jerusalem.
Netanyahu Says Israel Must 'Bring Down' Hamas Regime
Israel's right-wing Likud party leader Benjamin Netanyahu, favored by polls to
become the next prime minister in February's election, on Tuesday vowed to
"bring down" the Hamas regime. "Ultimately we'll have to bring down the Hamas
regime because it's a foe," Netanyahu told CNN as Israel pressed its deadly
assault against Islamist targets in Gaza for a fourth day. "It's like an
Al-Qaeda with a base supported by Iran next to New York City. That's more or
less what we have in Gaza," he added. "We have Hamas supported by Iran that is
rocketing as of yesterday a suburb of Tel Aviv. So they are committed to our
destruction," he said.
"They are firing missiles at our civilians. They are hiding behind their
civilians. That's a double war crime right there. We have to get rid of the
regime."
Asked if he supported the notion of sending ground troops into the coastal
territory, Netanyahu deferred to current Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
"I said yesterday to the prime minister, 'I'm the head of the opposition. You're
in charge of taking those decisions but I want you to know that I'll back you in
whatever decisions you make because this reflects right now the unity of the
people of Israel who are united to protect our country,'" he said.
Both frontrunners to become prime minister after February's elections --
Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni -- have vowed to bring down Hamas,
which has run Gaza since seizing control of the territory in June 2007. Since
the massive aerial attack was unleashed on Saturday in a bid to halt persistent
rocket fire from Gaza, at least 363 Palestinians, including 39 children, have
been killed and 1,720 wounded, Gaza medics say.
The four days of intensive bombardment, which have killed several senior Hamas
officials and reduced much of its infrastructure in Gaza to rubble, have failed
to stop rocket fire from the territory. Three Israelis -- two civilians and one
soldier -- were killed on Monday by rockets fired from Gaza, with one slamming
into the southern port city of Ashdod more than 30 kilometres (18 miles) from
the border.(AFP) Beirut, 30 Dec 08, 16:16
Mubarak: Palestinian Blood Not Cheap
Naharnet/President Hosni Mubarak on Tuesday rejected calls to open Egypt's
border with war-battered Gaza and hit back at critics of Cairo's response to the
Israeli offensive, accusing them of playing politics with Palestinian suffering.
He hit out at Arab politicians like Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah who
has slammed his government's stance and called on the Egyptian people to take to
the streets to change it. "We say to those who are trying to make political
capital out of the plight of the Palestinian people that Palestinian blood has a
price," he said. "We say loud and clear that Egypt is above such pettiness and
will not allow anyone to extend their influence over its affairs."Lebanon,
meanwhile, has tightened security around the Egyptian embassy in Beirut. The
roads leading to the building have been blocked and the area surrounded by
cement blocks and barbed wire. A security official told Agence France Presse (AFP)
on condition of anonymity the measures were "preventative" in case of future
protests in the area. Mubarak said that Egypt would only reopen the Rafah
crossing when the Islamist Hamas movement which seized control of Gaza in June
last year reconciled with Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and
allowed him to reassert his authority over the territory.
He said the crossing in the divided border town of Rafah could only be fully
opened to people and goods if an international agreement, which Abbas signed
with Israel when it withdrew its troops and settlers from Gaza in 2005, is
respected. "We in Egypt are not going to contribute to perpetuating the rift
(between Abbas and Gaza's Hamas rulers) by opening the Rafah crossing in the
absence of the Palestinian Authority and EU observers in violation of the 2005
deal," Mubarak said in a televised speech. The deal provided for EU observers to
monitor the border and operate surveillance cameras to allow Israel to keep an
eye on comings and goings.
It fell into abeyance when Hamas ousted forces loyal to Abbas. Egypt has come in
for strong criticism from the Islamists and their sympathizers around the Muslim
world for not fully opening the border in the face of Israel's devastating
four-day-old air blitz. It has allowed a handful of wounded Gazans to leave for
treatment and allowed some medical supplies in. But on Sunday Egyptian police
fired warning shots in the air to prevent large numbers of civilians fleeing
Gaza.
Mubarak held talks with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni just two days
before the start of the offensive, sparking charges of collusion that have seen
Egyptian diplomatic missions attacked in both Beirut and the Yemeni port city of
Aden.
Mubarak insisted that he was totally opposed to the Israeli operation. "We say
to Israel that we reject and condemn its assaults which must cease immediately,"
he said in the speech broadcast on state television. "We say to our Palestinian
brothers: restore your unity. We warned you several times that any refusal to
renew the truce would push Israel to attack Gaza." He was referring to a
six-month truce between Israel and Hamas, which Egypt brokered and which expired
on December 19.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit on Monday accused Nasrallah of
"declaring war on the Egyptian people."
Abul Gheit, responding to Nasrallah's address on Sunday without naming him,
vowed that "the Egyptian people would confront this war."
"Someone yesterday called on the Egyptian people to take to the streets and
create an atmosphere of anarchy. In other words, they want an atmosphere of
anarchy similar to the one they created in their own country," Abul Gheit told a
press conference in Ankara. "This person (Nasrallah) also called on the Egyptian
armed forces, but he is not aware of the situation," Abul Gheit said after talks
with his Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan. "If you do not know, let me tell you
that the Egyptian armed forces are tasked with defending Egypt. If need be, they
will also protect Egypt against people like you," he told
Nasrallah.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 30 Dec 08, 17:41
Gemayel Criticizes Hizbullah
Naharnet/Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel on Tuesday criticized attacks by
Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah against Egypt and said they do not
reflect the opinion of the Lebanese majority. Gemayel also advised President
Michel Suleiman to be "cautious" against attempts by certain powers to hurl
Lebanon into siding with "attempts to split the Arabs." He expressed hope that
the proposed Arab Summit would "succeed" in tackling the Gaza issue.
Gemayel warned against using Lebanon's borders in "adventures that we had
experienced their catastrophic results." That was an apparent reference to
cross-border attacks against Israel.The Phalange Party leader also criticized
certain factions for directing street protests "against an Arab state," in an
apparent reference to Egypt. Beirut, 30 Dec 08, 17:28
Lebanon on National Mourning Over Gaza, Donates $1 Million in Aid
Naharnet/The Lebanese cabinet on Tuesday approved a one million dollar immediate
relief aid to victims of the Israeli aggression on Gaza and called for speeding
up efforts to hold an extraordinary Arab summit conference. Information
Minister Tareq Mitri told reporters after the session presided over by President
Michel Suleiman that the Lebanese government "denounces the Israeli aggression
on Gaza and holds Israel responsible for the tragedy."The government called for
"immediate and unconditional ceasefire and lifting of the blockade imposed on
Gaza," Mitri said. It declared Wednesday a "day of national mourning
in
solidarity with Gaza."
He said President Suleiman briefed the cabinet that convened at the Baabda
Palace on his initial approval to take part in the proposed summit, hoping it
would be the "summit of Arab solidarity." Beirut, 30 Dec 08, 17:06
Jumblat Criticizes Nasrallah's Attack on Egypt
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat on Tuesday criticized verbal
attacks targeting Egypt and other Arab states and called for focusing on uniting
Palestinian factions to confront the Israeli aggression on Gaza. Jumblat, in a
television interview, ruled out the possibility of "escalation from Lebanon (in
line with the Gaza confrontation).""What would such escalation from liberated
south Lebanon produce at a time the Syria regime makes no moves although Israel
occupies its lands. They negotiate with Israel, instead," Jumblat noted.He urged
the "international community and the U.N. Security Council to exert pressure on
Israel to halt its barbaric aggression on Gaza."Jumblat said the settlement is
available in adopting the Arab peace initiative that leads to the creation of a
"viable Palestinian state."
The ongoing violence in Gaza, according to Jumblat, would only result in "more
terror." Beirut, 30 Dec 08, 15:02
Aid Ship to Gaza Arrives in Lebanon after being Rammed by
Israeli Boat
Naharnet/A boat loaded with medical supplies that was trying to break its
blockade of the Gaza Strip arrived in the southern Lebanese port of Tyre on
Tuesday after being rammed by an Israeli patrol boat. The 20-meter Dignity,
which was trying to take 3 tons of medical supplies into Gaza on day four of
Israeli air raids on the Palestinian territory, docked at Tyre port around 2:15
pm. No one was injured in the collision between the patrol boat and the Dignity.
Israeli army radio said the boat -- operated by the Free Gaza Movement --
ignored both orders to turn around and warning shots across its bow before it
was rammed. The Free Gaza Movement, which has ran the blockade six times since
August to take humanitarian supplies into Gaza, said the vessel could still sail
after the ramming. Paul Laurdee, one of the group's founders, told AFP the
Dignity had been "surrounded" in international waters about 70 kilometers off
the Israeli coast and 135 kilometers from Gaza. "It was surrounded by 11 Israeli
naval vessels," he said.
"They ordered the boat to stop, and we didn't. They began firing over our boat
and into the waters next to the boat. When the boat wouldn't turn back, one of
the naval vessels rammed the boat, but not enough to disable the boat." On its
website, the Free Gaza Movement said the Dignity was on a "mission of mercy"
carrying three tons of medical supplies "donated by the people of Cyprus," from
where it set off on Monday. "Our people are communicating with the Israelis as
to what's next," Laurdee told AFP. "We will try to dock in Egypt or in Lebanon,
or all the way back to Cyprus. But there is doubt about fuel on board and
whether they can make it all the way back to Cyprus as normally we refuel in
Gaza."(Naharnet-AFP) Beirut, 30 Dec 08, 14:41
Geagea Warns Against Attempts to Topple Arab Regimes
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Tuesday warned against attempts
to topple Arab regimes instead of exerting efforts to rescue Gaza.
Geagea, talking to reporters at Bkirki after meeting Maronite Patriarch
Nasrallah Sfeir, asked whether "we are trying to rescue Gaza or sparking a major
revolution in the Middle East?""Or are we back to the old slogan that the road
to Tel Aviv goes through Cairo and Amman?" he added in reference to a call by
Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Egyptians to open the Rafah Crossing
allowing the flow of weapons to Gaza. "I urge the Lebanese Army to be on alert
to prevent anyone from hurling Lebanon into the ongoing confrontation in Gaza,"
Geagea said. He also warned against attempts aimed at changing the "Arab-Israeli
conflict into an Arab-Arab conflict." Beirut, 30 Dec 08, 13:52
Hizbullah Watches for Now as Israel Unleashes its Rage on
Hamas
Naharnet/Hizbullah, widely seen as the Arab world's most effective military
force against Israel, is holding its fire for now as Israeli warplanes pummel
Palestinian ally Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Lebanese Shiite group possesses a
formidable arsenal of rockets and missiles that bloodied Israel during a
monthlong war between them in 2006. But now the Iranian- and Syrian-backed party
faces domestic constraints on reopening a fight against Israel.
In particular, the massive retaliation Israel has threatened to unleash in case
of any renewed rocket bombardment could hurt the growing political power
Hizbullah has gained in Lebanon since 2006, if it is seen by Lebanese as drawing
the country into another devastating war. For now, Hizbullah has instead played
a propaganda role, calling for protests in Lebanon and across the Middle East to
pressure Arab governments to act against Israel. Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah drew tens of thousands waving Palestinian, Hizbullah and Lebanese
flags in his south Beirut stronghold on Monday. In his second speech in two
days, he said Israel's Gaza offensive will ultimately fail. On Sunday, he called
on Egyptians to rise up to force their government to open border crossings with
Gaza and help end the siege of the Palestinian territory. Nasrallah put his men
on alert in southern Lebanon in case Israel attacks, said he was ready to fight
back if provoked, and promised not to abandon Hamas, an Islamic Sunni group also
backed by Iran and Syria. But he made no threat to open fire on northern Israel
in order to relieve Gaza, an act that most certainly would provoke another war
with Israel.
"It is clear they (Hizbullah) cannot afford entering in a full-scale war with
Israel, which would be devastating for Lebanon and for their own people, who
haven't completely rebuilt from the last war," said Paul Salem, Beirut-based
director of the Carnegie Middle East Center, an arm of the Washington-based
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The 2006 war was sparked when
Hizbullah fighters snatched two Israel soldiers from northern Israel. Israel
unleashed a massive bombardment of southern Lebanon and other parts of the
country. Hizbullah fired thousands of rockets into Israel.
Israel's assault devastated much of southern Lebanon, and more than 1,200
Lebanese and about 160 Israelis were killed.
But since then, Hizbullah has gained significant political power by joining a
national unity government with its pro-U.S. domestic rivals. The country has
seen an unusually long stretch of relative calm and prosperity since the deal
for the government was reached in May -- and many Lebanese fear anything that
could disturb the stability. Hizbullah's strategy now is to mobilize the Arab
masses, particularly in Egypt, while counting on Hamas holding out until Israel
is forced by outside pressure to end the offensive. Popular demonstrations
against the Israeli offensive can embarrass pro-U.S. Arab governments, while
Hamas' survival ensures the strength of the anti-U.S. bloc in the region.
Hizbullah expert Amal Saad-Ghorayeb describes the conflict as an "existential"
one between those opposed to U.S. and Israeli policy -- namely Hamas, Hizbullah,
Syria and Iran -- and the so-called pro-U.S. Arab states.
A Hamas defeat will weaken the alliance backing it and "the moderate axis will
reign supreme," but if Hamas survives the onslaught, it would be a major victory
for its backers, said Saad-Ghorayeb, author of the book "Hizbullah: Politics and
Religion." Salem says the Gaza fighting will do little to resolve the
contentious issues facing peace, such as West Bank settlements, the fate of Arab
east Jerusalem and the Syrian-Israeli track.
"The game is not Gaza. It is regional," Salem said. "In a way this is a war that
is not going to solve anything. It will kill hundreds and thousands of people
and we still remain where we are." Since the 2006 war, Hizbullah has rebuilt its
arsenal and claims to possess more than 30,000 rockets, with far greater range,
sophistication and firepower than Hamas' mostly primitive rockets. Israel has
been enhancing its army's capabilities as it drew lessons from 2006. In October,
Israel's top commander on the border with Lebanon, Maj. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot, said
Israel will use "disproportionate force" if Hizbullah attacks Israel, adding
that any village used to fire missiles against the Jewish state will be
destroyed. Hizbullah also has to reckon with Lebanese troops and a more robust
U.N. peacekeeping force in the south near the border with Israel. Since 2006,
thousands of Lebanese troops have deployed along with 13,000 U.N. peacekeepers
in a border zone.(AP) Beirut, 30 Dec 08, 11:25
Egypt Split over Nasrallah Remarks
Naharnet/While the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt justified a vehement attack by
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah against Cairo, a senior official with
the ruling National Democratic Party said Nasrallah's words were not his but
that of the Iranian president. Muslim Brotherhood's deputy leader Mohammed Habib
said in remarks published by the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Tuesday that
Nasrallah's Sunday speech was based on his appreciation for Egypt's historic and
pioneer role at the regional level. Rifaat al-Saeed, chairman of the Egyptian
coalition party, however, told the daily Asharq al-Awsat that Nasrallah's words
did not come from him but rather from Iran. "Egyptians do not need Nasrallah's
permission to demonstrate," Saeed said. He was surprised that Nasrallah's speech
was directed at the Egyptian army and asked: "Does he dare calling on the Syrian
or Iranian armies" to confront the war on Gaza. In a televised address on
Sunday, Nasrallah urged Egyptians to take to the streets "in millions" to force
the government to open the Rafah crossing to Gaza, arguing that security forces
could not take actions against such a large turnout. "I am not calling for a
coup in Egypt... but if you (the Egyptian leadership) do not open the Rafah
crossing, if you do not help the Palestinian people, you will be considered
accomplices in the massacre and the blockade," added Nasrallah. For his part,
Jihad Awdeh of the ruling National Democratic Party criticized Nasrallah's
speech, saying he "committed a big mistake." "The person who talked to us is
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad whom Nasrallah works for," Awdeh said,
adding that Egyptian armed forces do not give ear to such "nonsense." Beirut, 30
Dec 08, 10:09
March 14 for U.N. Resolution on Gaza
Naharnet/The March 14 majority alliance on Monday said halting the Israeli
aggression on Gaza can be achieved only by a U.N. Security Council resolution
calling for immediate ceasefire and regaining unity of the legal Palestinian
authority. The March 14 Secretariat General also called for adhering to
Lebanon's constitutional authority and resorting to Arab and international
institutions. The Israeli aggression on Gaza, the statement said, aims at
fragmenting Arabs and targets the Arab peace initiative.
It urged Palestinian factions to regain unity of their institutions and remain
committed to the Arab peace plan. It accused certain powers of "trading with
Palestinian blood and seeking to hold deals, in secret and public, with Israel
while trying to change the nature of the conflict into an inter-Arab dispute."
Beirut, 29 Dec 08, 20:35
Aoun's Bloc for Arab Solidarity with Gaza
Naharnet/Gen. Michel Aoun's Change and Reform bloc on Monday criticized the
indecisive stands of some Arab regimes regarding the Israeli attack on Gaza and
called for speeding up the investigation aimed at exposing the side that had
deployed Katyusha missiles in south Lebanon.
The bloc, in a statement after its weekly meeting, also urged the Army and the
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to tighten security measures in
south Lebanon. It also denounced the "barbaric Israeli aggression on the
Palestinian people in Gaza" and urged the international community to act to
"halt immediately the massacre." It accused some Arab states of "repeating the
scenario of the 2006 war." Beirut, 29 Dec 08, 20:11