LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
November 19/08
Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ
according to Saint Luke 19,1-10. He came to Jericho and intended to pass through
the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and
also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him
because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a
sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he
reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down
quickly, for today I must stay at your house." And he came down quickly and
received him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying,
"He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner." But Zacchaeus stood there and
said to the Lord, "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the
poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times
over." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house because
this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."
Blessed Jan van Ruusbroec (1293-1381), Canon Regular
A Mirror of eternal blessedness (©Classics of Western Spirituality)/"Today I
must stay at your house"
Some people are very like Zacchaeus. They desire to see Jesus as he is. All
power of reason and all natural light are too short and small for this, so they
run ahead of all crowds and all the multiplicity of creatures. Through faith and
love they climb up to the highest part of their mind, where their spirit lives
in its freedom, devoid of images and obstacles. It is there that Jesus is seen,
known, and loved in his divinity, for there he is always present to the free and
exalted spirit which has risen above itself in love of him. Jesus there flows
forth with a fullness of grace and favors. But he says to all: "Come down
quickly, for the exalted freedom of the spirit cannot be maintained except
through lowly obedience of mind. You must know and love me as both God and a
human being, higher than all and lower than all. You will savor me when I raise
you up above all things and above yourself to myself, and when you lower
yourself beneath all things and beneath yourself to me and for my sake. Then I
will have to come to your house and remain living with you and in you, and you
with me and in me." When these persons know, taste, and feel this, they come
down quickly in great disdain of themselves, and with a humble heart and true
displeasure over their life and all their works they say: "Lord, I am not
worthy-but am truly unworthy-that I should receive your glorious body in the
blessed Sacrament into the sinful house of my body and soul. But be gracious to
me, Lord, and have mercy on my poor life and all my transgressions."
Free Opinions,
Releases, letters & Special Reports
Assad ready for peace, if he gets
what he wants- Israel News 18/11/08
Iraqi and American critics of
security pact speak up.By Campbell Robertson
and Steven Lee Myers. International Herald
Tribune 18/11/08
A
defense strategy that all Lebanese can and will defend-By
Marc J. Sirois 18/11/08
Turkey's diplomatic offensive: no time for second thoughts-The
Daily Star 18/11/08
Obama's arrival has provoked concern in Israel-By
Aluf Benn 18/11/08
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for November
18/08
Geagea: Issue of Lebanese Detainees in Syria a Tragedy-Naharnet
Daher Called for Ending Lebanese Forces Breaches at LBC-Naharnet
UK urges Syria to resume Israel talks-Financial
Times
Syrian-Lebanese relations complicated over Fatah
al-Islam feud-Xinhua
Free
Patriotic Movement: March 14 Victories at Attorneys Syndicate Elections a Mirage-Naharnet
Palestinian Factions: We
did not Help Abssi Escape-Naharnet
Berri: Syrian-Saudi
Rapprochement is a Must Now-Naharnet
Report: Suspected Lebanon spy made
frequent visits to IsraelHaaretz
Ahmadinejad Praises Steadfastness
of Lebanese-Naharnet
Report: Suspected Lebanon spy made
frequent visits to Israel-Haaretz
First Contact between March 14
and Obama-Naharnet
War of Magnetic Tapes Continues-Naharnet
Pro-Syrian Akhbar Paper Confirms
Naharnet Report: Abssi in Syrian Jail-Naharnet
Israeli leader: Syria must give up Lebanon
bases-International Herald
Tribune
Suleiman Visits Tehran November
24-Naharnet
Abu Jamra Not Obliged to Declare
His Properties-Naharnet
Qassem: Uncovering Israeli
Espionage Network Could Benefit Mughniyeh Investigation-Naharnet
Pope: I Call on the International
Community to Avoid Turning Lebanon into a Field of Conflicts-Naharnet
Independence Day Address
Might Carry a Surprise….Different Address This Year by Suleiman-Naharnet
Aoun: I inherited All the Bad Situations Made
During Syrian Occupation-Naharnet
Phalange Party: Aoun has Harmed Position of the
Presidency-Naharnet
Sleiman calls for 'culture of peace' in Lebanon-Daily
Star
Detained Tripoli militant reveals details of Fatah al-Islam leader's life on run-Daily
Star
Feud over Fatah al-Islam hampers
Lebanon-Syria ties-Daily Star
Arab states show signs of stepping up to cover Nahr al-Bared reconstruction
costs-Daily
Star
Teachers to strike over 'unfair' wages-Daily
Star
AUB initiative aims to plant thousands of trees-Daily
Star
Workshops teach students about media incitement-Daily
Star
NGO campaign seeks to end violence against women-Daily
Star
Green bean harvest gets under way in Southern Lebanon-Daily
Star
Cedar reserve honors troops slain in Nahr al-Bared-Daily
Star
Girls learn disease prevention through sport-Daily
Star
Annual contest offers Middle Eastern artists opportunity to draw public's
attention to diabetes-Daily
Star
Israeli leader: Syria must give
up Lebanon bases
The Associated Press: November 18, 2008
LONDON: Israeli President Shimon Peres says that making peace with Syria depends
on whether Syria is prepared to give up its bases in Lebanon.
Peres says in a BBC radio interview aired Tuesday that Syria cannot expect
Israel to withdraw from the Golan Heights so long as Syria intends to keep its
bases in Lebanon. Peres says those Lebanese bases are used by Iran, and that
Israel is not prepared to tolerate an Iranian presence on its border.
Peres is in London through Friday for a series of engagements including talks
with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary
David Miliband is in Damascus for talks with senior officials. Miliband told the
BBC that Lebanon was among the issues on his agenda.
First Contact between March 14 and Obama
Naharnet/Democratic Gathering leader Walid Jumblat is expected to hold a meeting
with Barack Obama's Senior Middle East Policy Advisor, Dennis Ross, the first
talks between the new U.S. president and the ruling March 14 alliance. Jumblat
began Monday a three-day visit to Washington during which he met with senior
U.S. government officials and members of Congress, including U.S. Assistant
Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch. On Tuesday, Jumblat
will meet Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and later Vice President Dick
Cheney and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley. Jumblat is accompanied by
his wife Noura and MP Marwan Hamadeh. Beirut, 18 Nov 08, 09:36
Ahmadinejad Praises Steadfastness of Lebanese
Naharnet/Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has lauded the steadfastness of
the Lebanese and their defense of human dignity during the 34-day war with
Israel.
"The day will come God willing when bullying powers will run away from the
region," he told visiting Lebanese who were held captives during the 2006 war.
"As God has promised, those standing by each other and resisting firmly against
bulling powers will overcome them," Ahmadinejad said on Monday.
"The Lebanese people defended the honor and dignity of humanity because it
destroyed the legend of the Jewish entity," he added. Beirut, 18 Nov 08, 06:33
Pro-Syrian Akhbar Paper Confirms Naharnet Report: Abssi in
Syrian Jail
Naharnet/Al-Akhbar daily, which is pro-Syrian and close to the March 8
coalition, on Tuesday confirmed a report by Naharnet that said Fatah al-Islam
leader Shaker Abssi is jailed in Syria. Al-Akhbar said Abssi has made a
"complete" confession about the terrorist group's activities ahead of the Nahr
al-Bared battle, including a terrorist attack carried out by "his loyalists"
against Lebanese army troops. In September, Naharnet revealed that Syria
informed French President Nicolas Sarkozy that it had arrested Abssi who escaped
following the Nahr al-Bared battles in the summer of 2007. Beirut, 18 Nov 08,
09:42
Abu Jamra Not Obliged to Declare His Properties
Naharnet/Deputy Premier Issam Abu Jamra said that he had received a memo from
the prime minister's office informing him of the need to declare his properties.
Abu Jamra told the daily As Safir in remarks published Tuesday that after making
a visit to the Grand Serail he found out that the president, the prime minister
and parliament speaker as well as cabinet ministers and MPs are obliged to
declare their properties. The constitutional document, however, did not mention
the deputy prime minister, Abu Jamra pointed. Nevertheless, he expressed
willingness to declare his properties, adding that President Michel Suleiman
promised him to tackle the issue of the deputy premier's powers at the next
Cabinet meeting to be held after Independence Day which falls on Nov. 22.
Beirut, 18 Nov 08, 10:10
War of Magnetic Tapes Continues
Naharnet/The war of magnetic tapes has escalated with a local television station
broadcasting an audiotape of a phone conversation between Lebanese police chief
Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi and detainee Ahmed Merhi who is known for his links with
Fatah al-Islam. The audiotape was aired Monday night by New TV, while Gen.
Michel Aoun's Orange TV said in turn that a satellite television station would
soon broadcast a similar tape. It did not give the name of the station. Security
sources clarified and explained the details and circumstances behind the
telephone conversation to the daily An Nahar. The sources said Merhi conducted
18 telephone calls the day security forces ringed the residential compound on
Tripoli's Mitein Street which was the scene of some of the heaviest fighting
between Lebanese troops and Fatah al-Islam militants in May 2007. They said 17
of the 18 calls, which focused on lifting the siege of the residential compound,
were made from the Syrian landline number 00963955555205. The first call was
made from Lebanese cell phone number 03-135727. The sources said Rifi tried to
procrastinate until security forces were able to accomplish their mission –
arresting suspects. In the latest call Rifi warned Merhi to surrender or face
all-out battle. Merhi refused, saying: "You are not aware that we have 40 cruel
fighters, are you?" "Let it be war, then," Rifi replied. "We also have 400
trained Fuhood (leopards)." Beirut, 18 Nov 08, 08:45
Iraqi and American critics of security pact speak up
By Campbell Robertson and Steven Lee Myers
International Herald Tribune
Published: November 18, 2008
BAGHDAD: Iraqi and American critics of a security agreement governing American
troops in Iraq voiced their objections on Monday, a day after the Iraqi cabinet
approved the pact and sent it to Parliament for ratification.
In Iraq, opposition has created an unlikely association between the followers of
the anti-American Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr, who rejected the agreement out
of hand, and some Sunni politicians, including ones who support the deal but are
trying to wrest concessions from the Iraqi government.
Ghufran al-Saadi, a Sadrist lawmaker, said opponents had collected 115
signatures, primarily from Sadr supporters and members of the Sunni Iraqi
Islamic Party, demanding that Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki and several
cabinet members appear in Parliament to answer questions about the agreement,
which governs the presence of American troops in Iraq through 2011. Parliament
has 275 members.
The Sadrists argued that the ratification process was unconstitutional and
threatened to take the issue to federal court. They also claimed that the public
reading of the agreement in Parliament on Monday was not legitimate because the
legislative session was too noisy for anyone to hear what was being said.
Among the principal Sunni demands are amnesty for many Sunni detainees in
American custody and a national referendum on the agreement.
Today in Africa & Middle East
Iraqi and American critics of security pact speak upPirates seize Saudi tanker
off KenyaMaliki government dismissing oversight officialsBut while the two
groups may both oppose the pact, leaders of Tawafiq, the largest Sunni bloc in
Parliament, said they would be open to supporting it if some of their demands
were met. "We have our own concerns, mainly because of what is not in there,"
said Ayad al-Sammarai, a Tawafiq leader. "If we get a positive response, then
things will change."
A signing ceremony on Monday morning attended by Ryan C. Crocker, the American
ambassador, and Hoshyar Zebari, the Iraqi foreign minister, marked the end of
the negotiations, which took almost a year; members of Parliament cannot make
further changes to what is now an international agreement.
The vote is scheduled for next Monday. If the agreement passes, it will go to
the three-member presidency council for approval.
In Washington, officials acknowledged on Monday that the agreement still left
some contentious issues vaguely worded, including the extent of Iraqi legal
jurisdiction over crimes against Iraqi civilians in which American soldiers are
accused.
Representative Ike Skelton of Missouri, a Democrat who is chairman of the House
Armed Services Committee, warned that the agreement could subject American
soldiers to Iraqi prosecution and complained that parts of the agreement would
be left for joint committees to resolve in the future.
That, Skelton said, could set the stage for future disputes between Iraq's
increasingly assertive government and American diplomats and commanders.
"I do not believe it was wise to push off major decisions about the legal
protections U.S. troops would have in such cases or the crimes for which they
could be charged," Skelton said. "I am also troubled by vague language in the
agreement that will likely cause misunderstandings and conflict between the U.S.
and Iraq in the future."
Representative Bill Delahunt, a Democrat from Massachusetts who has challenged
the legality of the agreement, has scheduled a hearing this week on the need for
ratification by Congress and Iraq's Parliament.
Dana M. Perino, the White House press secretary, said that the United States had
made concessions but that doing so validated Iraq's progress as a government.
"The Iraqis are now able to see a path where they can govern, sustain and defend
themselves," she said.
The concessions included establishing deadlines for withdrawing combat forces
from Iraqi cities by next June and from the country by the end of 2011, though
officials said the text of the agreement included language that made those dates
less than rigid deadlines.
The Iraqis also insisted on a pledge that American forces would not use Iraqi
territory to attack another country. That has largely been taken as a reference
to an invasion of Iran, where officials on Monday made strikingly positive
remarks on the security agreement after criticizing it for months.
"The Iraqi government has done very well regarding this," the chief of Iran's
judiciary, Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, said on Iranian state television, The
Associated Press reported.
A senior American official in Baghdad said, however, that there had been
"absolutely no softening" of Iran's opposition to the pact. "They have done
everything they possibly could to stop this agreement from happening," said the
official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the delicacy of the
matter.
Although some lawmakers expressed concern about the agreement, the response in
Washington was largely muted. One reason was that because the document was not
widely circulated, few lawmakers or experts were able to read it — including, it
seemed, President-elect Barack Obama.
Obama's transition office released a statement that did not directly address
specific parts of the agreement but welcomed an extension of the legal
authorization for American troops in Iraq beyond the end of the year, when the
United Nations Security Council resolution covering the American-led military
operation expires.
"President-elect Obama believes it is critical that a status-of-forces agreement
that ensures sufficient protections for our men and women in uniform is reached
before the end of the year," the transition office's chief spokeswoman for
national security, Brooke Anderson, said. "We look forward to reviewing the
final text of the agreement."
Given Obama's support, it appeared unlikely that Congress would seek to block an
agreement.
At the Pentagon, Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
sought to defuse concerns about the agreement. He said that he, General David
Petraeus of Central Command and General Ray Odierno, the American commander in
Iraq, had discussed the specifics of the agreement and how they would be put
into effect. "And we're all very comfortable that we have what we need," Mullen
said at a news conference.
**Campbell Robertson reported from Baghdad, and Steven Lee Myers from
Washington. Reporting was contributed from Baghdad by Mohammed Hussein, Abeer
Mohammed, Tariq Maher, Atheer Kakan and Stephen Farrell.
'Assad ready for peace, if he gets what he wants'
Roee Nahmias Published: 11.17.08, 22:03 / Israel News
Military Intelligence chief outlines army's analysis of threats facing Israel in
2009. Speaking at Tel Aviv University, Maj. Gen. Yadlin says probability of war
seen as low, election of Barack Obama provides opportunity to pressure Iran, and
sees a rare chance to change history with Palestinian moderates
"(Syrian) President Assad is willing to reach a peace agreement, if Israel and
the United States give him what he wants," IDF Military Intelligence chief, Maj.
Gen. Amos Yadlin, said on Monday evening.
Speaking at a conference in honor of the late Moshe Dayan at the center named
after the late defense minister at Tel Aviv University, Yadlin presented the key
points of the army's intelligence estimates of the challenges Israel will face
this coming year.
What Assad wants, said Yadlin, "is for Israel to withdraw to the 1967 borders
and a package from the US ensuring his regime's stability, one that will provide
him with economic and military support. The hardest question to predict,
however, is what Assad can give in return."
If Israel seeks an arrangement with Syria, warned Yadlin, it must take into
account the changes that have occurred there over the past eight years. Namely
the change in Syria's military capabilities and the fact that the Lebanese dowry
Assad can bring has decreased.
"Assad will try to reach an agreement wherein he gets more than Egypt got but
pays less than it did," said Yadlin.
The MI chief also addressed the situation with the Palestinians. "We have a
unique opportunity to simultaneously examine the two ways the Palestinians are
trying to realize their national objectives with," he said in speaking of the
differences between the more moderate Fatah and extremist Islamist group Hamas.
"We have an opportunity here to implement a policy that would boost the
moderates and adopt a heavy hand against the extremists, and by doing so have an
impact on the direction the history between the two peoples takes.
Dialogue with Ahmadinejad? Yadlin said the world is waiting to see how the
financial crisis plays out, and how the new US administration under
President-elect Barack Obama deals with the Iran, which he called "a regime with
radical ideology and radical weapons."
Obama's election, he went on to say, has brought with it an opportunity to apply
international pressure on Iran. He said dialogue with Iran "would not
necessarily be negative."Yadlin warned the upcoming Israeli general elections
would be followed by significant threats, and said that in 2009 the Middle East
would find itself making some difficult decisions about Iran, the economic
crisis and the radical axis that does not recognize Israel. However, he said,
the army believes that the probability of a war between Israel and its enemies
over the next year is low. "But the potential for unplanned escalation is high.
Israel's enemies will continue to test Israel's limits through steps they don't
believe will result in a flare-up. Next year could therefore bring isolated
events that may draw an Israeli response "and from there to a broad escalation."
Yadlin stressed that Israel's deterrent capabilities have not been eroded. "It
isn't something you measure like ratings or sms results, but by the enemy's
willingness to engage."
Peres, in U.K.: Syria must give up bases in Lebanon
8/11/2008
By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and News Agencies
President Shimon Peres on Tuesday said that peace with Syria depends on whether
Syria is prepared to give up its bases in Lebanon, speaking during a state visit
to Britain.
Peres said in a BBC radio interview aired Tuesday that Syria cannot expect
Israel to withdraw from the Golan Heights, a key Syrian demand in indirect peace
talks, so long as Syria intends to keep its bases in Lebanon.
The president said those Lebanese bases are used by Iran, and that Israel is not
prepared to tolerate an Iranian presence on its border.
Peres' visit was aimed at marking 60 years of Anglo-Israeli relations. During
his time in Britain, the president is set to meet with Queen Elizabeth II and
Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
He will also deliver an address to both Houses of Parliament in London.
Peres is expected hold discussions with British leaders on economic cooperation,
Israel-Palestinian peace negotiations and Iran's nuclear program.
On Thursday, Peres will visit Buckingham Palace and meet with the Queen, who
will knight him.
The president will also speak at Oxford university to kick off a series of
lectures named after him.
Although Peres was warmly received in the U.K., his visit came at a time of
relative tension between the two countries, following Britain's bid to require
Israel to label all products made in the West Bank.
Britain urges Syria to help Middle East stability
Also Thursday, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said he would use talks
with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday to highlight the potentially
major part Damascus could play in stabilizing the Middle East.
Miliband, whose talks in Damascus are the first by British foreign secretary
since 2000, said Syria had a choice about which path to take.
"It is very important to understand that Syria has a big potential role to play
in stability in the Middle East," he told BBC radio. "It can be a force for
stability or it can be a force for instability.
Relations between the West and Damascus have been strained by U.S. accusations
that Syria turned a blind eye to Islamist fighters infiltrating Iraq, but
diplomatic efforts between Europe - particularly France and Britain - and
Damascus have increased in recent months.
"Over the last 18 months, I have been talking with the Syrian Foreign Minister
about... Syria's responsibilities in the region in respect of counter-terrorism,
in respect of Iraq, in respect of the Middle East peace process," Miliband said.
The outgoing U.S. administration of President George W. Bush imposed sanctions
on Syria in 2004 for its support of Palestinian Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah
militant organization. The European Union has also been urging Damascus to end
its support for Hezbollah.
"Syria certainly has, and has had, some big questions to answer about the flow
of foreign fighters into Iraq, about the situation in the Lebanon, about its
contribution to the stability of the region," said Miliband, whose Middle East
trip has included talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
"We have been taking up those issues, and...there have been some important signs
of Syria understanding a degree of concern and seeking to change some of its
actions." Miliband also said he expected to discuss the issue of human rights
with Damascus. "This is a dialogue that covers a range of issues that are of a
British national interest, of a regional interest and of global interest," he
said.
Report: Suspected Lebanon spy made frequent visits to Israel
18/11/2008
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent A Lebanese citizen who was recently
arrested over espionage charges made frequent visits to Israel during which he
was trained in espionage techniques, the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar reported on
Tuesday.
The suspected spy, who has been identified as Ali Jarrah, was taught on the
trips how to operate surveillance equipment and a radio transmitter, according
to the paper.
The report stated that Jarrah's Mossad espionage agency handler would contact
him via his mobile phone and ask him to travel to neighboring countries such as
Jordan, Egypt and Cyprus. Jarrah would receive there a fake Israeli passport,
which he used to enter Israel.
During the visits, which usually lasted for one or two days, the Mossad would
pay for Jarrah to stay in a hotel, according to the daily.
About two weeks ago, Al-Akhbar reported that Jarrah is suspected of monitoring
the movements of senior Hezbollah officials.
The newspaper also said that he was arrested in July by Hezbollah, before being
transferred to the custody of the Beirut authorities.