LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
November 03/08

Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 25,31-46. When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'
Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'  And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.' Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,  a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.' Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?'He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.' And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Letter 19; PL 80, 665/«When the Lord saw her... he said to her: 'Do not weep'» (Lk 7,13)
Christ, hope of the believer, does not call those who leave this world 'dead' but 'sleeping' when he says: «Our friend Lazarus is asleep» (Jn 11,11).
 The apostle Paul, likewise, does not want us to be grieved «about those who have fallen asleep» (1Thes 4,13). By this, if our faith holds that «everyone who believes» in Christ, according to his word in the Gospel, «will never die» (Jn 11,26), we know that he himself is not dead and we too will not die. Because «the Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven and the dead will rise» (1Thes 4,16). May hope in the resurrection encourage us, then, since we shall see then all those we have lost. It matters that we should firmly believe in him, that is to say that we obey his precepts, since he applies his mighty power to raising the dead with more ease than we rouse those who are asleep.
This is what we say; and yet, I don't know through what feeling, we take refuge in tears and a feeling of regret compromises our faith. Alas! How pitiable man's condition is, and without Christ how empty our life is! But you, O death, who are cruel enough to break the union between spouses and separate those whom friendship unites, from henceforth your power has been shattered. From now on your pitiless yoke has been crushed by him who threatened you through the words of the prophet Hosea: «O death, I will be your death» (Hos 13,14 Vulg.). That is why we hurl our challenge together with the apostle Paul: «Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?» (1Cor 15,55). He who vanquished you has redeemed us; he has delivered his beloved soul into the hands of sinners that he might make them his beloved friends. It would take too long to call to mind everything in Holy Scripture that should bring us all consolation. It is enough to hope in the resurrection and raise our eyes to the glory of our Redeemer since it is in him that we are already raised, as our faith gives us to believe, according to the apostle Paul's words: «If we have died with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him» (Rom 6,8).

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
Syria .. What about Your Sovereignty?By Tariq Alhomayed Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Al-Awsat,02/11/08
Times of Reconciliation-By: Elias Harfoush. Dar Al-Hayat 02/11/08
Duplicity in Damascus.by David Schenker /The Weekly Standard 02/11/08
Syria and `the law of the jungle'-Toronto Star 02/11/08

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for November 02/08
Israeli attorney-general greenlights Olmert's bid of talks with Syria-Xinhua -
Barak: Syria Smuggling More Weapons to Hizbullah-Naharnet
Syrian Troops Entrenched Off Lebanon's Eastern Borders-Naharnet
Syrian Deployment Stretches 335 Km on Lebanon's Eastern Front-Naharnet
Khamenei Fatwa Allowed Nasrallah to Keep his Position as Hizbullah Leader-Naharnet
Hizbullah: Roed-Larsen is Well Known for Supporting Israel-Naharnet
Hariri: Hizbullah has a Will to Contain Repercussions of May 7-Naharnet
Questions raised over Syrian complicity in US raid-Times Online
Recent US moves show Syria that supporting jihadists comes at a price-Sunday Herald
SYRIA: Harsh crackdown on dissidents-Los Angeles Times
Syria's Assad informs Israel he wants to renew indirect talks ...Ha'aretz
Israeli Ministers conflicted over renewing talks with Syria-Ynetnews
Syria rejects Israel's calls to pursue Saudi peace plan-Ha'aretz
Syria's human rights record has become a major liability ...guardian.co.uk

Syria .. What about Your Sovereignty?
02/11/2008
By Tariq Alhomayed
Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Al-Awsat,
Among the reactions in Damascus to the recent U.S. raid on the village of Sukkariyeh in the Abu Kamal region along its border with Iraq, were the images broadcast by a Syrian television channel that showed Syrian troops dismantling their positions on the Iraqi border for redeployment along its border with Lebanon.
Damascus has denied this news despite that fact that a Syrian-affiliated news site published a report supporting this, based on eye-witness accounts of troops withdrawing from the region. Therefore the television channel broadcast can only be taken seriously.
The withdrawal of Syrian troops is a condemnation of Damascus, and a breach in the concept of sovereignty.
The withdrawal of Syrian troops from the Iraqi border has a significance which cannot be ignored; firstly that the relative calm with regards to the security situation in Iraq and the recent decline in suicide attacks is proof that the Syrians have control of the border which had previously been a crossing point for the terrorists, without sufficient observers, as the Americans and Iraqis claim.
When Syria began patrolling its border with Iraq recently, terrorist operations decreased significantly, so know this border no longer being under complete Syrian control will mean a return of terrorists using it as an open highway between Syria and Iraq which would draw condemnation down onto Syria. Especially following the reaction of Syria's foreign minister Walid al Muallem's to the Iraqi government's position on the raid when he said that nobody with a single drop of Arab blood would justify the US raid, an obvious jab at the Iraqis.
The reduction in the number of Syrian troops stationed along the border with Iraq, or simply removing them all, will draw condemnation to the Syrians, and will exasperate the crisis both internally and externally. Of course Damascus has the right to be angry and to defend itself, but there is a big difference between self-defense and committing a grave mistake, especially since Washington is in the middle of critical elections and it is not in Syria's best interest to widen its estrangement in its relationship with Washington with regards to the next four years. This is especially true since Damascus, at its highest levels, is always talking about renewing its relationship with Washington.
The other issue is one which affects Syria internally, Damascus must worry about the safety and security of its borders from possible infiltration by terrorists, or drug traffickers smuggling drugs from Iraq into Syria. The question here then is how can Syria be worried about its borders with Lebanon, but not its boarders with Iraq?
There is also a key issue which cannot be ignored; one of the key political provisions of a country is its regional security, which is part of its sovereignty and falls under its protection, the protection of one's borders is a political right even to the point of using force.
So how can Syria decide to ignore their borders allowing terrorists to use them as a gateway between Syria and Iraq, thus putting their national security at risk, not to mention abandoning an inherent sovereign right, which lies at the heart of any government, and an integral part of the contract between the government and its leader to maintain and protect the nation.
Some expressed surprise when I previously said that Syria is in trouble both internally and externally following the US raid, but what would they say today about the news of Syrian troops being withdrawn from the Iraqi border, and its denial of the story… Is Damascus facing an even bigger dilemma now?

Press Release: Midde East, African and South Asians for McCain
Nov. 1, 2008
From: Middle East Americans For McCain (mea4mccain@gmail.com)
You may not know this sender. Mark as safe | Mark as unsafe
Sent:November 2, 2008 12:54:59 AM
To: mea4mccain@gmail.com
Midde East, African and South Asians for McCain
Written by MEA4McCain
Saturday, 01 November 2008
We, the undersigned, call upon our friends and family to support the election of John McCain for President of the United States of America. We believe that President McCain will be the more ardent promoter of the legacy of freedom in the Near East. It is our ardent belief that:
* We believe that President McCain understands that creating truly democratic societies in the Greater Middle East depends upon advancing principles of individual freedom for all persons. Preserving the integrity of ethnic and religious minority communities, many dating back thousands of years, is an integral component of moderating the forces of extremism.
· We know President McCain will be a partner with reformers from Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Libya, the Emirates, Qatar, Yemen, Arabia, Algeria, Morocco, the Sahel countries, Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan, Palestine, Tunisia, Jordan, Oman, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Afghanistan and central Asia and other countries to fulfill their aspirations of free and democratic societies. He will reject any accommodation with Jihadist or the regimes that support them.
* We know President McCain will stress on a just comprehensive peace between Israelis and Palestinians respecting the rights of states and peoples to live side by side, and a two states solution for Palestinians and Israelis enjoying normal neighborly relations.
· President McCain will be committed to the establishment of a sovereign and independent Lebanon whose borders are respected by its neighbors. He will oppose Iranian interference in its domestic political affairs, work with the international community to disarm Hezbollah, and ensure that all parties abide by UN Resolutions 1559 and 1701.
· President McCain will oppose actions that reinforce the oppressive Syrian regime of Bashar Assad and he will support that country's democratic reformers.
· We hope President McCain will do everything in his power to secure democracy and freedom in Iraq to all its ethnic groups, including Sunnis, Shia, Kurds and Christians. We hope he will protect the viability of the ancient Chaldean, Assyrian, Syriac, Mandeaen and Yezidi communities in Iraq. We hope he will support the aspirations for security and equality for these minorities. We strongly hope his Administration is determined not to preside over the "exodus" of Christians from their Middle Eastern homelands. His call for victory in Iraq over the Jihadists of al Qaeda and the Iranian-backed terrorists is a pledge for the future success or a new Iraq at peace with itself.
· We hope President McCain will advocate freedom and democracy in Egypt for all its citizens, Muslims and Christians alike. We strongly hope he will defend the ancient Coptic community of Christian in Egypt. We know he will be an advocate to promote respect for religious freedom and the full inclusion of Coptic Christians into the mainstream of Egyptian political and social life.
· President McCain opposes the reckless suggestion that the US sit down unilaterally and without preconditions with the Iranian regime nor will he enter into any agreement that is contrary to the interests of the Iranian people. He will support the human dignity of those who have suffered under the hands of the repressive regime, women, students and religious minorities, including Christians, Ba'hai, Sunnis and Zorastians
· President McCain will work to ensure the success of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Sudan, end the violent conflict in Darfur, and support efforts to free and rehabilitate the thousands of slaves who remain in bondage in northern Sudan.
· President McCain will give integrity to the ethnic identities of many North Africans who struggle to preserve their cultural heritage, such as the Berbers.
* President McCain will work towards encouraging democracy and stability in Pakistan and will suppor the people and Government of Pakistan against terrorism.
· President McCain will counter Jihadi movements that have terrorized Hindus, Christians and Muslims alike in India and Bangladesh. He will work with the Indian government against all extremist elements which destabilize Indian society.
* We believe that the best course for the future of our country and for our freedom lover friends and family abroad will be set by John McCain. Democratic reformers, ethnic and religious minorities understand perhaps better than anyone else what stakes are on the table with this election. If the United States abandons its legacy of being the beacon of freedom and champion of human dignity a terrible void will be created into which extremists and despots will fill.
* We believe President McCain will defend the uplifting and hopeful character of American foreign policy more stridently than his opponent. To this end we encourage our communities to work intensely to get its members out to vote on November 5. Hundreds or perhaps tens of votes will likely determine the results of this election in the key precincts of the battleground states. Your votes are the contribution to America and the best help you can provide to your brothers and sisters suffering in your mother countries.
Respectfully,
John Hajjar, Coordinator
Middle East, African and South Asians For McCain
hajjlaw@aol.com
Eblan Farris, Coordinator
Middle East Americans For McCain
mea4mccain@gmail.com

Khamenei Fatwa Allowed Nasrallah to Keep his Position as Hizbullah Leader
Naharnet/Hizbullah's General Conference ended speculations regarding keeping its Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in his current position, following a Fatwa (religious decree) by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei allowing him to maintain his top post.
The Kuwaiti daily al-Rai said that the conference is mulling naming senior Hizbullah commander Mustapha Shehadeh to succeed the late military leader Imad Mughniyeh, who was assassinated in Damascus last February. Hizbullah's internal system does not allow the extension of Nasrallah's current term. The party's secretary-general, under the system, can only be elected for two, not more, consecutive terms. Khamenei's Fatwa, however, came in his favor.
Al-Rai said that circles within Hizbullah displayed their disappointment regarding news by an Iranian daily naming Nasrallah's expected successor, Hashem Safieddine who heads the party's Shura Council. The paper said Safieddine, who is Nasrallah's maternal cousin, is far removed from the spotlight, describing him as an individual occupied with "managing" the party's wide and complex executive "government." Safieddine is being treated by Hizbullah as the party's expected successor to Nasrallah in case of any emergency, according to al-Rai. It said Hizbullah began its conference a few weeks ago, and will end its work soon. The conference, which is held every four years, is expected to produce a new vision concerning changes on the political and military levels. Beirut, 01 Nov 08, 14:19

Syrian Troops Entrenched Off Lebanon's Eastern Borders
Naharnet/The Syrian Army has beefed up troops deployed off Lebanon's eastern borders with tanks and artillery batteries dug-in in apparent combat formation.
The daily al-Mustaqbal also reported that Syrian troops were seen digging trenches and fox holes in four Lebanese villages of the Hasbaya province on foothills of the Biblical Mount Hermon where the Lebanese-Syrian-Israeli borders meet on the western flank of the eastern Bekaa Valley.
The Syrian Army's deployment off Lebanon's eastern borders started Thursday and the Lebanese Army command was informed in advance of the move which is said to fall in line with UNSCR 1701 that bans smuggling and infiltration in Lebanon.
The Syrian Army had also deployed troops off Lebanon's northern borders across the Grand River Canyon, sparking fears that Syria would try to make a military comeback to Lebanon with the declared objective of combating fundamentalists allegedly based in the northern Akkar province. Beirut, 02 Nov 08, 11:22

Barak: Syria Smuggling More Weapons to Hizbullah
Naharnet/Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday urged the cabinet to take a decision regarding Syria's alleged involvement in smuggling weapons to Hizbullah in Lebanon. Barak told Israel Radio: "I repeat, Syria is turning over lots of weapons to Hizbullah. Israel should take decisions if some of these weapon shipments pose a threat to the fragile balance of powers." Barak did not disclose further details regarding nature of the Syrian arm shipments to Hizbullah.
Beirut, 02 Nov 08, 14:18

Army Arrests Two People Linked to Israeli Espionage Network
Naharnet/The Lebanese army said Saturday it has arrested two people in the Bekaa Valley linked to an Israeli espionage network.
A Lebanese army communiqué said that the intelligence bureau, which made the arrests, also confiscated sophisticated cameras and radio sets.
It said the detainees have confessed to "collecting information about (political) party centers and monitoring the movements of the party leaders for the sake of the enemy."
The daily As-Safir earlier reported that the Lebanese army had discovered a cell working for the Israeli Mossad spy agency and arrested the network's leader and his relative.
Quoting judicial and security sources, As-Safir said the two men confessed to the army's intelligence service that they were collaborating with the Mossad.
It said the army arrested the cell's leader in the Western Bekaa valley after closely watching his moves in Lebanon and between Lebanon and Syria during security developments in the Bekaa which led many to believe that the suspect was kidnapped.
But later it was revealed that the man was in the custody of the army's intelligence.
While the judicial and security sources refused to give details, citizens of the town in which the arrest took place told As Safir that security forces raided his home and confiscated his four-wheel Mitsubishi Pajero which had a camera capable of taking clear pictures of faces and license plates.
The eyewitnesses told As Safir that the man is the head of the network. They said he didn't have any particular job and he used to sometimes park his vehicle on the international highway between the Bekaa town of Chtaura and the Masnaa border crossing.
Sources close to the investigation said the suspect was recruited by the Mossad in the 1980s. He has also recruited several people and documents seized from his house and vehicle proved his use of high-tech equipment to monitor or contact the Israelis.
The same sources said security forces have also arrested the man's relative who confessed to monitoring the moves of personalities, convoys and observing sensitive sites particularly in the central Bekaa.
The newspaper said the network has been entrusted in the past 20 years with monitoring several security spots, including Lebanese and Syrian army outposts and Palestinian bases in the Bekaa. However, the cell has in the past few years concentrated on observing Hizbullah posts, members and convoys.
Investigation also revealed that the cell has been monitoring sensitive security areas in Damascus, including the area of Kfar Sousa where Hizbullah commander Imad Mughniyeh was killed in a car bombing last February.
Investigators are reportedly trying to find a link between the network and the assassination of Mughniyeh and other personalities whether in Lebanon or Syria.
The ongoing probe is also focusing on the role the network played during the Israeli offensive on the country in July-August 2006.
Many people have previously been arrested in Lebanon on suspicion of spying for Israel.
In June 2006, the Lebanese army captured Mahmoud Rafeh, a 59-year-old Lebanese citizen and retired police officer, for a car bombing that killed Mahmoud Majzoub, a senior Islamic Jihad official, and his brother in front of their home in the southern city of Sidon.
The army had said that Rafeh was a member of a terrorist network allegedly working for the Israeli Mossad.
He later confessed to his role in killing the Majzoub brothers, and to other operations -- including bombings that killed two Hizbullah officials in 1999 and 2003 and the 2002 killing of Jihad Jibril, the son of Ahmed Jibril, leader of the radical Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC).
Rafeh's associate, Hussein Khattab, was able to escape and it was said that the Mossad helped him enter into the Palestinian territories during the July war.
In 2004, a Tunisian woman of Palestinian origin and four accomplices were indicted on charges of plotting with Israel to assassinate Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Beirut, 01 Nov 08, 06:46

Syrian Deployment Stretches 335 Km on Lebanon's Eastern Front
Naharnet/The process of Syrian deployment on the eastern frontier of Lebanon is almost over as it comes to complete a previous Syrian deployment on the northern borders. Lebanese security sources told the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Saturday that "the operation covers the internal border region inside Syria facing the eastern Lebanese frontier that stretches from Hermel to Rashaya." They said that this comes to complete a similar Syrian deployment off the northern province of Akkar.
The sources told al-Hayat that the deployment stretches 335 Kilometers or the entire Lebanese-Syrian border from the north to the Bekaa, or 90 km facing Akkar and 245 km facing the Bekaa. Al-Hayat said that Damascus has via its ministry of foreign affairs informed international parties of its intent to widen the deployment of its forces from Akkar to the eastern frontier adding that this measure comes as part of its commitment to implement U.N. Security Council resolution 1701.
According to information obtained by al-Hayat, Russian ambassador to Beirut Sergei Boukin had conveyed the Syrian position to Lebanese officials he met recently. Boukin affirmed that this aims at controlling the borders to prevent smuggling and infiltration.
Military sources indicated on Friday that the Syrian deployment stretched from Ersal to the heights of the frontier town of Deir al-Ashayer through the wilderness east of Baalbek, adding the deployment is heavily backed by tanks and field artillery.
The operation commenced on Thursday evening with the deployment of the 4th division of the Syrian army along the border town of al-Qaa all the way to Jabal al-Sheikh mountain. The Lebanese army command was officially informed of this move by a telephone call on Thursday made to army commander Gen. Jean Qahwaji by his Syrian counterpart Gen. Ali Habib, according to a military press communiqué. "This deployment comes in the framework of measures taken to stop border smuggling and the illegal infiltration of the borders of the two brotherly states," the army statement said.
Coinciding with the Syrian deployment, United Nations Special Envoy for the Implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559 Terje Roed-Larsen told the Security Council on Thursday that the U.N. Secretary-General has continued his efforts in encouraging Syria and Lebanon to conduct a joint and full border demarcation. However, he noted no progress in this regard. Syria responded to Roed-Larsen's statement saying "there will be no border demarcation with Lebanon prior to the liberation of the Golan Heights, Shebaa Farms and the occupied part of the Ghajar village."
Syria's envoy to the United Nations Bashar al-Jaafari sent a letter to U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon and China, which currently presides over the Security Council, stating that "the real reason for the delay in border demarcation lies in the continued Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights, Shebaa Farms and the (occupied portion) of Ghajar. Regarding the deployment of Syrian forces on the common Syrian-Lebanese border, Jaafari confirmed the move "is strictly on the Syrian side of the border and that it is limited to 800 troops in implementation of a signed bilateral agreement. He went on to explain that the purpose of this deployment is to monitor the borders and prevent any smuggling and to equally keep Syrian-Lebanese security." Beirut, 01 Nov 08, 11:15

Times of Reconciliation
Elias Harfoush
Al-Hayat - 02/11/08//
The Lebanese can only rejoice during times of reconciliation. Crowds from every side meet and embrace. The slogans of national unity are floating everywhere. It is as if Parliament had never been closed, the tents never erected; as if there had been no March 14 or March 8, nor even a May 7; no boycotts, no accusations of treason here and there... It is as if nothing had ever happened. A sudden wave of overwhelming love is sweeping the country, to the point where one might think that the "others", those who initiated the past civil war, were the same ones who almost drove the country to a new war a few months ago - without it having a say or being able to do anything about it!
To dispel any misunderstanding, we are not against such love, as it helps pump warmth in the veins during these cold times. Our sole concern is to understand what it was that occurred overnight, without anyone noticing, and resulted in such a change of heart. One person has become an honored guest in Beirut's southern suburb, while another visits the other side of Martyrs' Square. The different parts of the country have become open to one another, as if the apprehension of assassinations moving from place to place has vanished from memory and political concern. What has changed, for political quarrels to become symptoms of health that do not call for killing those who disagree with you or refuse to follow your leader's vision? Just like the symptoms that affect other countries, where people differ in their opinions and stances, and then go to what they call a ballot box to input their choices and then go home.
Have we reached such a state? "We disagree on politics but we will not become enemies", as the Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah Naim Qassem stated. If that indeed is the case, then who will from now on define the standards of patriotism, and the measure of the extent which such political disagreement is "allowed" to reach? Who will decide where political stances end and "treason" begins? If that indeed is the case, then why are there still certain strategic choices (such as the weapons of the Resistance) that are not allowed to be discussed, as such discussion would not serve the "national interest"?
Lebanon has been through long periods of civil war, separated by brief periods of cordiality and rapprochement. Contrary to popular belief, setbacks did not occur abruptly and for no reason. In fact, they took place because falsehood ruled over reconciliations. Each side would be waiting for the right occasion to suddenly attack again, having felt that the present occasion was only good for… reconciliation.
The present situation in Lebanon does not offer great opportunities for optimism. Neither have the diverging stances on essential matters been reduced, nor have the regional repercussions on the domestic situation regressed. If there is a glimpse of hope, in these times of reconciliation, it is that there may be a period of truce, in preparation for next spring's parliamentary elections, to allow each side to take all measures needed before then, especially given the overwhelming feeling that the period following the elections will represent a crucial turning point for the country, from one strategic choice to another.
Nevertheless, it is unfortunate for MP Michel Aoun to be oblivious of these times of reconciliation. Neither neutrality nor divergence of opinion is allowed in his book. If only he would be infected by the virus of reconciliation, at least in parallel with his "strategic ally". If only his "understanding" could include his political rivals on the Christian scene, emulating his partner, Hezbollah, which seemingly no longer minds "the monopoly of one party at the expense of others". Can Aoun finally be convinced that the Christian arena has enough room for all, and that his stances may be correct at times, but also incorrect at other times?

Spotlight on SyriaSyria's human rights record has become a major liability –
especially now it finds itself having to worry about world opinionComments (11)
Malik al-Abdeh
guardian.co.uk,
Sunday November 02 2008
A Damascus court has sentenced 12 leaders of the pro-democracy movement in Syria to two-and-a-half years' imprisonment. While still regrettable, the punishment was lenient by Ba'athist standards. In its desperate attempt to emerge from isolation, the Syrian regime appears to have moderated its treatment of oppositionists to avoid further escalation with the west. A rare opportunity now presents itself to give democracy a big boost in Syria – and help regain some moral authority.
Since inheriting his father's position, President Bashar al-Assad has cynically toyed with the goodwill of western governments. Despite being courted by the leaders of France and Britain in the naive belief that he could be relied on to deliver the reforms expected of him, it was business as usual from day one. "Reform" made way for "stability" in the young president's vocabulary and western democracy was rejected in favour of the Chinese "economy first" model.
Bashar al-Assad's reluctance to reform was encouraged by western apologists who propagated the myth of the "old guard". Bashar's reforms, it is argued, are checked at every turn by a powerful and entrenched cabal of corrupt military and intelligence officials who constitute an independent sphere of authority. Eight years on, the so-called "reformists" and the "old guard" have been shown to be one and the same. The desire to repress remains unchanged. To expect the Syrian regime to reform on its own accord is little more than self-delusional.
But something has changed in the last three years which has limited the regime's capacity for repression: it now finds itself having to worry about world opinion. That was not a problem for Assad senior, who possessed enough "strategic cards" not to care about the negative headlines, but loss of superpower patronage, the humiliating withdrawal from Lebanon and the breakdown of relations with Saudi Arabia and Egypt have made the regime weak and vulnerable. But it was the policy of international isolation which hurt the most.
For a dictatorship like Syria's, external legitimacy is the only form of legitimacy it can have. The boycott of Damascus by world leaders following the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri was a crunching blow which risked bringing down the entire regime from within. Until he was temporarily reprieved by President Sarkozy, Assad's fate looked sealed.
With the spotlight firmly on Syria for all the wrong reasons, the regime's atrocious human rights record has become a major liability. In the past, the regime had banked on the principle of stability trumping even the most appalling human rights abuses. That is not necessarily the case any longer. Western diplomats and politicians are taking note of stories like that of young blogger Tariq Bayasi, imprisoned for three years for posting comments critical of the secret police, or that of oppositionist Kamal al-Labwani, his existing 12-year sentence extended by a further three years for allegedly insulting the president in prison. Even incidents involving lesser-known figures are attracting attention, like that of Sami Ma'touq and Joni Suleiman, both human rights activists, who were shot dead in cold blood by security forces last month near the city of Homs.
The last three years has also seen the rise of a unified opposition in Syria. The Damascus Declaration for National Democratic Change is the largest opposition coalition assembled to date, led by the charismatic former independent MP Riad Seif. He, and the 11 other leaders found guilty three days ago, are likely to be released within one-and-a-half years at the latest. They are likely to renew their assault on the regime with added vigour, buoyed by the international support which they have received in abundance.
Despite its defiant rhetoric, the Syrian regime has still not fully emerged from isolation. It is very keen to get back in favour with the west and to avoid the UN-sponsored Hariri tribunal. Its lenient sentencing of the Damascus declaration leaders, as well as its handling of the Sednaya prison siege in July which ended peacefully in a negotiated surrender, has shown that it has been shaken by three years of isolation, and that it does respond to pressure if it senses seriousness and unity on the part of the international community.
Now is the time for the west to press home the advantage by insisting on only conditional engagement with Syria, engagement which is made provisional on tangible improvements in human rights and political freedoms. So far, the US and Germany have led the way with consistently strong positions which have earned them credit; Britain, France and the EU all have important roles to play. For those who call for reform in Syria, reform will not take place any other way.

Israeli Ministers conflicted over renewing talks with Syria
While sources from Prime Minister's Office say Turkish mediated talks to resume in a few weeks, some cabinet members oppose idea, saying 'Olmert has no mandate to continue process'
Roni Sofer Published: 11.02.08,
Israel News
Can an interim government continue to hold talks with Syria? Cabinet ministers hold different opinions on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert continuing negotiations with general elections only three months away.
Yedioth Ahronoth daily's Friday edition featured a report that Olmert sent a message to the Syrians informing them that the Turkish mediated talks would be renewed.
Peace Talks
MKs says Olmert has no mandate for Syria negotiations / Roni Sofer
Right-wing politicians infuriated by prime minister's plan to resume unofficial negotiations with Damascus in coming months, saying he has 'no moral authority' to do so. Sources close to Kadima Chairwoman Livni say move has not been coordinated with her
The Prime Minister's Office has already made it clear that talks would continue. "Nonetheless, don't put the cart before the horse, the prime minister does not plan on giving the Syrians a deposit – the commitment to retreat completely from the Golan Heights," an announcement said.
Shas ministers oppose the interim government continuing talks with Syria, and Minister Eli Yishai said on Sunday that "the prime minister doesn't have the mandate or the legitimacy to continue this process. The prime minister has resigned and he is not eligible to deal with returning the Golan until a new government is set up."
Communication Minister Ariel Atias added, "The prime minister has resigned, maybe (Syrian President Bashar) Assad doesn't know this and we should fill him in. In a country where we can't even appoint judges, we certainly cannot give up the Golan. " On the other hand, Education Minister Yuli Tamir of the Labor Party said she supported the continued talks. "I believe every opportunity and every way should be taken, certainly on the Syrian channel. It is vital to the State of Israel," she said. "There is a difference between giving (Syrian President Bashar) Assad a deposit and continuing talks with Syria. I support talks being held in their current formula. An interim government is still a government and its work is not put on hold," Tamir added. On Sunday Dr. Yoram Turbowicz is expected to get the final authorization to act as the prime minister's envoy in the fifth round of Turkish mediated talks with Syria. Turbowicz's authorization will come after bureaucratic obstacles that initially prevented him from continuing his work. The Prime Minister's Office believe talks with the Syrians will be renewed within a few weeks.

Hizbullah chooses successor for Mugniyah
Kuwaiti newspaper reports Mustafa Shehada to be appointed Shiite organization's new operations officer following death of legendary Mugniyah, but some believe eliminating 'unnecessary' position would render assassination of top commanders irrelevant to stability of military branch
Roee Nahmias Published: 11.01.08,
Israel News
Hizbullah's leadership is leaning towards appointing a successor to its late operations officer, Imad Mugniyah, who was assassinated last February, Kuwaiti daily 'al-Rai' reported on Saturday.
Just In Case
Nasrallah replacement chosen / Dudi Cohen
Iranian newspaper reports Safi al-Din elected chairman of Hizbullah executive council, to take over if Nasrallah assassinated
The paper named Mustafa Shehada as the heir to the notorious Mugniyah, who was assassinated by a car bomb in a Damascus neighborhood last February.
According to the report, the organization's leadership is keen on Shehada's candidacy for a number of reasons – he is one of the founding members of the Shiite group, has extensive military experience and is well-trusted by Hizbullah brass.
Perhaps most importantly, however, is the fact that as a backstage player, he has had limited media exposure.
But the report also quotes a number of Hizbullah officials who say that through the years the organization as managed to establish a firm command over its military branch, and no longer needs a point-man like Mugniyah.
According to the sources, experience has shown that this way the assassination of a top commander would have limited impact on the military branch.
Mugniyah, who had been in hiding for years prior to his death at the age of 45, was believed to have
masterminded a string of attacks in the 1980s and 1990s that killed hundreds of Americans and targeted US, Israeli and Jewish interests in Lebanon and elsewhere.
He was also on an FBI wanted list with a $25 million bounty on his head, equal to al-Qaeda leader Osama bin-Laden
The United States considered Mugniyah to be the man behind the bombing at the American embassy in Beirut and the attack against the US Marines' headquarters in Lebanon in 1983, which killed over 200 Americans. Mugniyah was indicted in the US for the 1985 hijacking of a TWA airliner.

Obama's Israeli adviser: Next White House chief of staff?
US Congressman Rahm Emanuel, who served as Clinton's adviser after volunteering for IDF service during Gulf War, may be appointed chief of staff if Democratic presidential candidate wins elections
Orly Azoulay Published: 11.02.08, 11:25 / Israel News
Israel may earn more White House representation than it bargained for, in the event that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama emerges victorious from the November 4 elections. Congressman Rahm Emanuel, who has served in the Israel Defense Forces and even speaks a little Hebrew, could be appointed the White House's next chief of staff.
Who Would You Vote For?
Poll: Israel votes McCain in US elections / Roni Sofer
Survey finds 46% of Israelis would vote for Republican nominee if given chance to elect US president; Democrat Barack Obama receives 34% of votes. Almost half of those polled believe McCain would better impact Jewish state
Chicago-born Emanuel, 49, is currently representing the state of Illinois in the House of Representatives. He is also one of Obama's most trusted advisors, and the presidential candidate has called him a friend as well as a political associate. Emanuel's father, Benjamin, is an Israeli-born doctor. His mother, Martha, is an American Jew who works for a Chicago civil rights organization. As a child, Emanuel received a Jewish education at a conservative school and spoke Hebrew with his father at home. When Bill Clinton began his campaign for presidency, he appointed Rahm Emanuel to direct the campaign's finance committee. But Emanuel left when the Gulf War broke out, in order to volunteer in the IDF. He served in one of Israel's northern bases until the war ended, and upon his return to the US became Clinton's advisor in the White House for almost eight years. In 2003 Emanuel decided to embark on his own political career, and was elected representative of the state of Illinois. In 2006 he was elected chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and assisted the party in gaining a majority in the House of Representatives. Emanuel joined the Obama campaign during its dawning stages, after turning down an offer from Bill Clinton asking him to join his wife Hillary's campaign for the Democratic nomination to presidential candidacy. The congressman's wife, Amy, converted to Judaism a short time before they were married. They have two children, both of whom study at a Jewish school in Chicago. Obama has already announced that if he becomes the next US president, he would take Emanuel with him to the White House, possibly to serve as chief of staff.

Duplicity in Damascus
The complicated relationship between Syria and al Qaeda.
by David Schenker /The Weekly Standard
10/31/2008 12:00:00 AM
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/015/766wqadi.asp?pg=2
When it comes to al Qaeda, Syria gets it coming and going. This past Sunday, U.S. helicopters targeted an al Qaeda operative on Syrian territory who shuttled terrorists into Iraq. Syria condemned the strike as a violation of its sovereignty and a "serious aggression." Earlier in October, a massive car bomb detonated in Damascus, killing 17. Even before the smoke cleared, Syria's Assad regime accused Sunni Muslim fundamentalists from abroad--i.e., al Qaeda--of perpetrating the attack. Meanwhile, regime spokesmen described Syria as a "victim" of international terrorism.
The characterization of Syria as "victim" was ironic not only because Damascus has been a proactive member of the State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism since 1979--sponsoring Hamas and Hezbollah, among others--but because just one day before the attack, the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia levied a mammoth civil judgment against Syria for "providing material support and resources to Zarqawi and Al Qaeda in Iraq."
The verdict awarded $414 million to the families of two U.S. contractors--Jack Armstrong and Jack Hensley--beheaded in Iraq in September 2004.
Due to the opaque nature of the authoritarian Assad regime, it will likely never be clear who was actually responsible for the bombing. Syria routinely engages in conspiracies, so it's no surprise that conspiracy theories have proliferated regarding the culprit, with explanations alternately implicating the Iranians, the Israelis, and even the Assad regime itself. Adding to the uncertainty, some Western-based al Qaeda analysts say the assault lacked many of the organization's signature traits.
Notwithstanding the speculation, let's
assume for the moment that al Qaeda did sponsor the attack. If so, it should have come as no surprise to Damascus: As the experiences of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan demonstrate, al Qaeda has a track record of attacking its sponsors.
Since 2002, the Assad regime has facilitated the movement through its territory of al Qaeda fighters bound for Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon. It has allowed these insurgents to train in Syria and has provided sanctuary to al Qaeda-affiliated killers of Americans. By and large, this policy purchased Syria immunity from attacks. Along the way, however, these terrorists appear to have planted local roots.
In the lead up to the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, when it became clear that Syria was helping shuttle Islamist insurgents to Iraq, Washington warned Damascus of the folly of this policy. U.S. diplomats in Damascus repeatedly told the Syrian government that Islamists posed a threat to the secular nationalist regime.
Damascus's logic was based on its opposition to the establishment of a pro-Western government in Baghdad. As then Foreign Minister Farouq Shara said in 2003, "Syria's interest is to see the invaders defeated in Iraq." But the Assad regime failed to take into account the dynamic of the al Qaeda's relations with its "friends." In Pakistan, for example, the intelligence service long supported al Qaeda, but the state nonetheless remained a high value target of the organization.
In al Qaeda's evolving strategy, targeting is not contingent on a state's political orientation or on the assistance it receives from governments. Basically, the organization has no qualms about biting the hand that feeds it, whether the patron is Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, or Syria. In this regard, if the Syrians are telling the truth about who perpetrated the attack, it is a clear case of the chickens coming home to roost.
Ultimately, Damascus's newfound problem with al Qaeda may change the Assad regime's permissive attitude toward the group, but it's unlikely to have any impact on Syrian support for Hezbollah and Hamas. These longstanding relationships with Islamist terrorist organizations are closely linked to the 30-year strategic alliance between Damascus and Tehran.
For the next U.S. administration, Syrian support for al Qaeda should prove a cautionary tale about the limits of diplomatic engagement in curtailing Syrian support for terrorism. The Assad regime has trucked with Islamist terrorists for decades, and provides no indication that it would be willing to sever these relationships. Senior Israeli officials--including likely incoming prime minister Tzipi Livni--have stated that a peace deal is contingent on Syria's abandoning Tehran, forsaking terror, and joining the Western camp. Syria has responded emphatically and repeatedly that this kind of strategic reorientation is not in the cards.
During the presidential debates, there were sharp disagreements as to how Washington should best treat rogue states. Regardless of whether the next administration is led by Barack Obama or John McCain, however, many observers believe that Washington will look to reengage in high-level diplomacy with Damascus and perhaps even consent to mediate Israeli-Syrian peace negotiations. Indeed, there are some indications that the Bush administration is already pursuing this tack.
Changing Syria's orientation would be of great benefit, but experience suggests it's not a realistic hope. While many excuse Syrian ties to Hamas and Hezbollah as "cards" that will someday be traded during negotiations, the revelations about the ties to al Qaeda
highlight just how inimical the Assad regime's worldview is to U.S. interests. Support for terrorism appears to be intrinsic to the regime. Given this dynamic, U.S. diplomacy with Damascus stands little chance of success.
**David Schenker is the director of the Program on Arab Politics at the Washington Institute

Syria and `the law of the jungle'
In `serving the interest of all parties,' `People misuse their authority to do ugly things'
Nov 02, 2008
By: Olivia Ward
FOREIGN AFFAIRS WRITER/Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/News/Ideas/article/528935
Canadians Abdullah Almalki, Ahmad El Maati and Muayyed Nureddin are seized in transit and shipped to a Syrian detention centre – the same notorious prison where Canadian engineer Maher Arar was brutalized – interrogated and tortured.
The three, and Arar, then suspected by Ottawa and Washington of plotting terrorism, are later released and returned to Canada – collateral damage of the "war on terror" launched by the United States after 9/11.
Meanwhile, President George W. Bush lashes out against Syria as a "state sponsor of terrorism," and the American Congress ratchets up sanctions against Damascus. The U.S. warns Israel against peace moves with an enemy it considers an adjunct to the axis of evil.
Last Sunday, the U.S. launches a helicopter attack on a Syrian border village near Iraq, killing eight.
The contradiction glares: How can Syria, a country earmarked as an ally of terrorists – and noted for its violations of human rights – end up as a dumping ground for people Washington wants interrogated to assist in the war on terror?
The release of former justice Frank Iacobucci's report last month on the "rendition" of the three Canadians has thrown the dilemma once more into the public domain, highlighting the disconnect between Washington's co-operation with Syria in violations of human rights and its fierce public opposition to the autocratic Damascus regime.
Canada, too, has condemned Syria's human-rights record, though less stridently. But Ottawa's criticism of Damascus pales beside that of its closest ally.
A 2003 U.S. State Department report written around the time the Canadians were held in Syria details some of the practices of Syrian intelligence services: beatings, electric shocks, rape, pulling out fingernails, and whipping prisoners bent onto a wheel-like frame. It's a gamut of torture that tallies with widely available reports by international human-rights organizations.
"The only reason why you would deliver someone to Syria is because your country doesn't have a record of torturing suspects, and Syria does," says David Cole, a Georgetown University law professor and co-counsel for Maher Arar in his suit against U.S. officials.
"It's the law of the jungle," says Moshe Ma'oz, an emeritus professor at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and an expert on Syria. "Strange as it seems, people misuse their authority to do ugly things. They look on it as serving the interest of all parties."
That was true till 2003, when the U.S. invaded Iraq, to the chagrin of neighbouring Syria, which worried about a domino effect in the region, an American attempt to reconfigure the Middle East, and the possibility that it might be next on the U.S. hit list.
But the period between Sept. 11, 2001 and the March 20, 2003 invasion was a fertile one for Washington-Damascus co-operation, experts say. It was then that many of the "renditions" of terrorism suspects occurred.
"Right after 9/11, there was tremendous intelligence-sharing between Syria and the U.S.," says Murhaf Jouejati, a Syrian-born professor of Middle East Studies at the National Defense University in Washington. "Syria may have been one of the U.S.'s closest partners in the war against al Qaeda."
It was a period of strange bedfellows and common interests. The U.S. needed ears in the Middle East. Syria, a moderate Muslim country looked on as an enemy by radical Islamists, needed support in its efforts against al Qaeda.
And with its own Middle Eastern interests to defend – including occupation of Lebanon and backing of the Lebanese militant faction Hezbollah – it had much to gain by joining the U.S-led "war." "It was a matter of preserving its own interests by fighting fundamentalism, and at the same time trying to show the U.S. the distinctions it makes between al Qaeda as an international terrorist organization and others which are fighting Israel – like Hezbollah and Hamas – and which Syria considers national liberation movements," Jouejati says.
Washington turned a blind eye to those distinctions. But it, too, benefited from the Syrian intelligence partnership: among other things, getting early warning of a pending al Qaeda attack on the headquarters of its Bahrain-based fifth fleet, and information that helped to bust the Hamburg terror cell that was the base for the 9/11 attacks. The FBI was also given approval to open a station in Aleppo, where mastermind Mohammed Atta once lived.
It was at that time when Syria opened its arms – and torture cells – to suspects delivered by Washington's "rendition" program for interrogation – a program so secret that no dates, numbers of suspects or results are known.
But the cozy relationship chilled with the 2003 Iraq invasion.
"When America attacked Iraq, the Syrians were very displeased," says Joshua Landis, an authority on Syria.
"They started supporting the opposition. But they were relieved to see that the opposition was quite healthy inside Iraq, and that America would be bogged down there. That allowed them to move back toward America, and they tried to resume intelligence-sharing."
The turnabout suited Washington's beleaguered security services, which badly needed information on the ground. But the Bush administration gave a cold shoulder to Syrian overtures.
"It was very different from the days of George Bush senior and (President) Bashar Assad's father, Hafez," says Landis. "In the first Gulf War, they came to a happy understanding. They divided up the Middle East, with Hafez agreeing to support the effort to liberate Kuwait from Saddam Hussein and saying, `You can have the Gulf if we get Lebanon.' So a deal was struck."
The deal included American tolerance for Syria's occupation of Lebanon, where it supports the Shiite Islamist faction Hezbollah, a sworn enemy of Israel. As a result, Washington avoided using the "o" word, and spoke of a Syrian "presence" in Lebanon. It regarded the country as Damascus's sphere of influence.
Syrian-American co-operation survived Hafez Assad's death in 2000, and the ascendancy of his son. "In his father's time, Syria sent troops to the first Gulf War coalition and participants to the Madrid conference," says David Lesch, a professor of Middle East history at Trinity University in Texas, and author of a Bashar Assad biography, The New Lion of Damascus. At the 1991 conference, Israel was in face-to-face talks with Syria for the first time.
But although the younger Assad signed up for the "war on terror," he would not follow his father's example by joining a new war against Iraq. And when insurgents began to infiltrate the Iraqi border from Syria, relations with Washington skidded to their lowest point.
"By 2005 and 2006, relations had deteriorated so much that the Bush administration was trying to isolate, if not overthrow, the Syrian regime," says Lesch.
The 2005 assassination of pro-Western former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri brought new accusations against Syria. And the 2006 war between Syrian-backed Hezbollah and Israel in Lebanon boosted tensions – while Damascus saw the result as victory for Hezbollah.
The kind of co-operation that had oiled the wheels of Washington's rendition program was long gone. But in the dying days of the Bush administration, there have been tentative attempts to revive the diplomatic relationship – in spite of last week's helicopter raid.
"There was some communication at the UN General Assembly meeting between (Secretary of State) Condoleezza Rice and the Syrian foreign minister," says Lesch.
With other Western countries interested in normalizing relations with Syria – including France, whose President Nicolas Sarkozy travelled to Syria – "Bashar Assad has successfully broken out of his isolation," Lesch says.
Turkish-mediated, indirect talks with Israel have also begun, without the encouragement of the U.S. But, Lesch adds, with a new American president in office next year, there is a potential for Syria to once again play "a more central role" in the international community.
Whether the new chapter in American politics will lead to a rethink of the war on terror – and its widely publicized violations of human rights – is still to be decided.
As is the role that Syria might play in it.

Syria rejects Israel's calls to pursue Saudi peace plan
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent
Syria has rejected calls by President Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Ehud Barak to pursue the 2002 Saudi peace initiative, a plan touted by the moderate Arab elements across the Middle East.
The initiative, a broad proposal for a comprehensive solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, calls for Israel's withdrawal from territories captured in 1967 in return from normalized relations with the Arab world.
Syrian embassy spokesman in London Jihad Makdissi called Israel's recent revival of the initiative "another attempt to bluff and evade peace."
Makdissi made his remarks in a letter to leading Syrian blog Syria comment. In his letter, he said that any pan-Arab initiative would not let anyone but Syria negotiate with Israel over the fate of the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War.
"As for the notion of weakening Syria and its allies simply by reviving the Arab peace initiative," the Syrian official wrote, "it is not consistent at all because any Pan Arab initiative will not enable any Arab country to negotiate on the Golan on behalf of Syria because comprehensiveness is the broader political umbrella for all tracks and not the substitution."
"All Israeli leaders negotiated with Syria starting with Shamir, until Olmert (whether directly or indirectly), none of them had a clear vision for peace with Syria or genuine conviction of peace per se, except maybe Rabin" Makdissi went on to say.

The Beirut Declaration - The Arab Peace Initiative
Haaretz/ Last update - 21:00 13/05/2002
The Council of the League of Arab States at the Summit Level, at its 14th Ordinary Session:
Reaffirming the resolution taken in June 1996 at the Cairo extraordinary Arab Summit that a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East is the strategic option of the Arab countries, to be achieved in accordance with international legality, and which would require a comparable commitment on the part of the Israeli Government; Having listened to the statement made by His Royal Highness Prince Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in which His Highness presented his initiative, calling for full Israeli withdrawal from all the Arab territories occupied since June 1967, in implementation of Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, reaffirmed by the Madrid Conference of 1991 and the land for peace principle; and for Israel's acceptance of an independent Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in return for the establishment of normal relations in the context of a comprehensive peace with Israel;
Emanating from the conviction of the Arab countries that a military solution to the conflict will not achieve peace or provide security for the parties, the Council:
1. Requests Israel to reconsider its policies and declare that a just peace is its strategic option as well.
2. Further calls upon Israel to affirm:
a. Full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights to the lines of June 4, 1967, as well as the remaining occupied Lebanese territories in the south of Lebanon.
b. Achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian Refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolution 194.
c. The acceptance of the establishment of a Sovereign Independent Palestinian State on the Palestinian territories occupied since the 4th of June 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
3. Consequently, the Arab Countries affirm the following:
a. Consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel, and provide security for all the states of the region.
b. Establish normal relations with Israel in the context of this comprehensive peace.
4. Assures the rejection of all forms of Palestinian patriation which conflict with the special circumstances of the Arab host countries.
5. Calls upon the Government of Israel and all Israelis to accept this initiative in order to safeguard the prospects for peace and stop the further shedding of blood, enabling the Arab countries and Israel to live in peace and good neighborliness and provide future generations with security, stability, and prosperity.
6. Invites the international community and all countries and organizations to support this initiative.
7. Requests the Chairman of the Summit to form a special committee composed of some of its concerned member states and the Secretary General of the League of Arab States to pursue the necessary contacts to gain support for this initiative at all levels, particularly from the United Nations, the Security Council, the United States of America, the Russian Federation, the Muslim States and the European Union

Draft text of the Saudi initiative
By Reuters
Last update - 01:02 26/03/2002
Following is a translation of the draft text obtained by Reuters of the Saudi-initiated peace plan, due to be presented for approval at the Arab summit in Beirut tomorrow and Thursday:
The Council of the Arab League, which convenes at the level of a summit on March 27-28, 2002 in Beirut, affirms the Arab position that achieving just and comprehensive peace is a strategic choice and goal for the Arab states.
After the Council heard the statement of Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz in which he called for the establishment of normal relations in the context of a comprehensive peace with Israel, and that Israel declares its readiness to withdraw from the occupied Arab territories in compliance with UN resolutions 242 and 338 and Security Council resolution 1397, enhanced by the Madrid (peace) conference and the land-for-peace principle, and the acceptance of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state with al-Quds al-Sharif (Jerusalem) as its capital, the Council calls on the Israeli government to review its policy and to resort to peace while declaring that just peace is its strategic option.
The Council also calls on Israel to assert the following:
l Complete withdrawal from the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including full withdrawal from the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and the remaining occupied parts of south Lebanon to the June 4, 1967 lines.
l To accept to find an agreed, just solution to the problem of Palestinian refugees in conformity with Resolution 194.
l To accept an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the Palestinian lands occupied since June 4, 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and with Jerusalem (al-Quds al-Sharif) as its capital in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1397.
In return, the Arab states assert the following:
l To consider the Arab-Israeli conflict over and to enter into a peace treaty with Israel to consolidate this.
l To achieve comprehensive peace for all the states of the region.
l To establish normal relations within the context of comprehensive peace with Israel.
The Council calls on the Israeli government and the Israelis as a whole to accept this initiative to protect the prospects of peace and to spare bloodshed so as to enable the Arab states and Israel to coexist side by side and to provide for the coming generations a secure, stable and prosperous future.
It calls on the international community with all its organizations and states to support the initiative.
The Council calls on its presidency, its secretary general and its follow-up committee to follow up on the special contacts related to this initiative and to support it on all levels, including the United Nations, the United States, Russia, the European Union and the Security Council.

The Saudi initiative - normal relations for 1967 borders
Haaretz/ - 09:40 04/03/2007
In setting out a broad proposal for a comprehensive solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah effectively resuscitated long-moribund hopes for a return to Middle East diplomacy.
The plan, first made public in a February interview with the New York Times, proposes that the Arab world would fully recognize and normalize relations with Israel in exchange for a withdrawal to the borders that existed before the 1967 Six Day war, when Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan, the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, and the Golan Heights from Syria.
The plan rapidly garnered wide support in the Arab world, and has won guarded praise from traditional Mideast mediator Washington. Israel, meanwhile, has generally welcomed the Saudi initiative, but rightists have ruled out any concession on the stipulation that the Jewish state return to its pre-war borders.
Palestinian and Lebanese figures have also voiced reservations, noting that the Saudi incentive fails to address the plight of large numbers of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world.