LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
February 12/08
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."
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
End silence on Lebanon polls.By Ahmed Al-Jarallah. February 11/08
Threats and the politicians who
make them are imperiling all Lebanese-The
Daily Star-February 11/08
Maronites honor founder of Church
with Feast of Saint Maroun-Daily
Star- February 11/08
Vindicating February 14: Lebanon's
wake-up call for truth and democracy-By
Chibli Mallat-February 11/08
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for February 11/08-Naharnet
2 People Wounded in Clashes between Rival Druze Parties in
Aley-Naharnet
Berri: Hariri's Assassination Anniversary Should 'Unite' Lebanese-Naharnet
Jumblat Downplays War Threat against Hizbullah-Naharnet
Hizbullah Hits Back at Jumblat, Some Describing his Remarks as
'Madness'-Naharnet
Hariri Makes $52
Million Donation for Projects in the North-Naharnet
Moussa's parting advice to
Lebanese:Cling to hope
-Daily Star
Jumblatt welcomes return to 'war and chaos' in
Lebanon -Daily Star
King Abdullah II says 'all obstacles' need
discussion -Daily Star
Sfeir uses sermon to weigh in on politicians'
failure to elect presiden -Daily Star
Israeli minister raps Olmert, Peretz, Halutz over
war -Daily Star
Israelis fret new threat from Hizbullah
-Daily Star
Beirut bourse stands pat, awaits political
progress -Daily Star
Political bickering holding up privatization of
cell networks -Daily Star
'Careful planning' needed for Arab summit -
Jordanian king -Daily Star
Khomeini's heir speaks out ahead of vote-AFP
Kuwaiti MPs seek to ban Valentine's Day
celebrations-AFP
2 People Wounded in Clashes between Rival Druze Parties in
Aley
Naharnet/Two people were wounded in clashes late
Sunday between members of Druze leader Walid Jumblat's Progressive Socialist
Party and rivals from the Lebanese Democratic Party, security officials said.
They said the fight occurred when a convoy of PSP supporters came under fire as
it drove past the offices of the rival LDP, headed by Talal Arslan, in the
mountainous town of Aley, 15 kilometers southeast of Beirut. "Shots were heard
and a passer-by was wounded by a stray bullet," one security official told AFP,
describing his condition as serious. He said a girl who was traveling in the
party convoy was slightly injured.
An official from Jumblat's party -- which is part of the ruling anti-Syrian
March 14 coalition -- said that the convoy came under fire and that four people
were injured. Several similar incidents have occurred recently in Beirut, with
tensions running high because of a long-running political crisis in Lebanon. The
incident came hours after Jumblat warned the opposition that March 14 was ready
to go to war if Hizbullah was after disorder. Shots were also fired around 9 pm
Sunday in a quarrel between supporters of Mustaqbal leader Saad Hariri and
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri's security guards in Beirut's Ein el-Tineh
neighborhood, the security official said. "A convoy from the Future movement was
driving by Berri's residence. Apparently some heated words were exchanged with
Berri's security service and shots were fired." He said there did not appear to
be any injuries. Sunday's clashes come just days before Lebanon marks the third
anniversary of the assassination of Hariri's father Rafik Hariri in a massive
Beirut bomb blast on February 14, 2005. "It is very strange to see that the
trend is to escalate the situation at a time when the Arab League is trying to
resolve the standoff over the presidency," said one official close to the
opposition. Saad Hariri's Future movement is at loggerheads with the
Syrian-backed opposition -- of which Berri is a leading member -- over the
choice of a new president. Lebanon has been without a head of state since
November when the pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud stood down and the rival factions have
been unable to agree on a successor, with 14 planned parliamentary votes
cancelled because of the deadlock.(Naharnet-AFP) Beirut, 11 Feb 08, 00:36
Jumblat Downplays War Threat against Hizbullah
Naharnet/Druze leader Walid Jumblat has downplayed threats of war against
Hizbullah, saying the ruling March 14 coalition was an "advocate of a
settlement."
"March 14 Forces do not want war or a confrontation," Jumblat told the daily As
Safir late Sunday. His remarks were published on Monday.
"It is March 14 that is being subject to an intimidation campaign," Jumblat
explained. "That's why it is time we achieve balance, not confrontation," he
added.
"We are advocates of an honorable and courageous settlement and not a solution
at any cost," Jumblat said, adding that the opposition and Hizbullah chief
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah "are aware that we are not American or Israeli agents as
they always accuse us." Jumblat said it was time that accusations of treason are
stopped.
His remarks came hours after he warned Hizbullah that March 14 was ready to go
to war if the Iranian and Syrian backed group was after disorder.
"You want chaos? It will be welcomed. If the others want war, then March 14 is
ready. And if they want peace, March 14 is also ready," Jumblat said at a press
conference at Beiteddine palace in the Chouf mountains. "War does not scare us.
We have no problem with weapons or rockets," Jumblat said in reference to
Hizullah's possession of thousands of missiles. Nasrallah had said his group
increased its stock of rockets since the 2006 summer war with Israel ended,
despite attempts to keep arms from being smuggled into southern Lebanon. In a
speech last October, Nasrallah said his group had 33,000 rockets — up from the
22,000 he said they had on Sept. 22.
"We will seize them (rockets) from you because we don't fear martyrdom," Jumblat
vowed. He also warned against "armed groups planning to carry out terrorist
attacks against the army in the mountains." Jumblat pointed out that the problem
today is between the "Hizbullah militia and the government, which is the only
one that can take a decision to go to war or peace." He challenged Nasrallah,
telling him: "Join us if you dare (in our drive) to build a free, independent
Lebanon."
Jumblat said the entire country will turn into "Security Squares," a reference
to the so-called "Security Square" which is part of the Hizbullah-controlled
southern suburbs of Beirut. "We tell those who want to return the Syrian
tutelage to Lebanon that we will not succumb," Jumblat threatened. "Don't you
think we will accept return of this tutelage." On the international tribunal to
prosecute suspects in the 2005 assassination of former five-time Prime Minister
Rafik Hariri and related crimes, Jumblat said that Saudi Arabia pledged to
provide the money needed to set up the court. "Punishment will come, so will the
noose," Jumblat warned.
Jumblat called on everybody to carry the Lebanese flag and take part quietly in
the Feb. 14 rally to commemorate the third anniversary of Hariri's murder.
Beirut, 11 Feb 08, 09:36
Hizbullah Hits Back at Jumblat, Some Describing his Remarks
as 'Madness'
Naharnet/Deputy head of Hizbullah's political bureau Mahmoud Qomati has
dismissed fiery remarks by Druze leader Walid Jumblat in which he warned that
the March 14 alliance was ready to go to war if the Iranian and Syrian backed
group wants disorder. Qomati described Jumblat's comments as "madness" and
amounted to an "ant threatening the lion." "They say they are ready for a
confrontation and ready for war … We are the strongest. We are the wisest, the
most capable and the most patient," Qomati said Sunday. "We tell those, we will
remain to be patient. But there is a limit for patience," Qomati warned. "You
have to be aware from our moment of fury." "Snipers will not prevent us from
going to the streets when we decide on that," Qomati added. "You want chaos? It
will be welcomed. If the others want war, then March 14 is ready. And if they
want peace, March 14 is also ready," Jumblat said at a press conference on
Sunday. Also responding to Jumblat's comments was Hizbullah MP Mohammad Raad,
saying the opposition remains steadfast despite the insults and intimidation by
March 14 Forces. "Every time we reach a solution that ensures real partnership,
the U.S. intervenes to scuttle it," Raad said. Hizbullah's resigned Labor
Minister Trad Hamadeh, in turn, said the "right and eloquent" response to
Jumblat's comments is to remind everyone of the opposition's principles:
national accord, civil peace, stability, partnership in government, and using
democratic means to resolve crises to avoid strife. "This kind of speech is
designed to mobilize their supporters, but it's dangerous for the country,"
Hamadeh told The Daily Star. He urged March 14 to resort to more sensible and
reasonable language. "At last year's commemoration (of Hariri's assassination)
they used such fiery speeches during the rally, not before. You can never build
a country by threatening to go to war," Hamadeh said. Meanwhile, MP Ibrahim
Kanaan of Gen. Michel Aoun's Change and Reform Bloc said: "What does Jumblat
want? Wage war? Are these the words of Rafik Hariri and is this a speech that
unites the Lebanese to commemorate what united the Lebanese?" Beirut, 11 Feb 08,
08:28
Maronites honor founder of
Church with Feast of Saint Maroun
Daily Star staff
Monday, February 11, 2008
BEIRUT: Thousands of Maronite Christians from all across Lebanon marked the
annual Feast of Saint Maroun, founder of the Maronite Church, over the weekend
Saint Maroun was a 4th-century Christian monk who founded the Maronite spiritual
movement, from which the Maronite Church grew. The saint was known for his
missionary work, healing and miracles, and teachings of a monastic devotion to
God.
Saint Maroun, who was born in the middle of the 4th century, was a priest who
later became a hermit, retiring to a mountain in modern-day Syria, near Antioch.
His holiness and miracles attracted many followers, and drew attention
throughout the region.
Maroun attracted hundreds of monks and priests who came to live with him and
become his disciples and followers. Maroun's disciples preached the Bible in the
Antiochan Empire (known at the present time as Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq,
Jordan and Palestine). They built hundreds of churches and abbeys, as well as
schools, and were known for their faith, devotion and perseverance.
Maroun is considered the father of the spiritual and monastic movement now
called the Maronite Catholic Church, which has had a profound influence on
Lebanon. Saint Maroun spent most of his life on a mountain in Syria, making it
the cradle of the Maronite faith.
The Maronite movement spread in Lebanon thanks to Saint Maroun's first disciple,
Abraham of Cyrrhus. He is said to have realized that paganism was thriving in
Lebanon, so he set out to convert the pagans to Christians by introducing them
to the ways of Maroun.
Maroun's teachings were deeply monastic with emphasis on the spiritual and
ascetic aspects of living. For him, all was connected to God and God was
connected to all. He did not separate the physical and spiritual world and
actually used the physical world to deepen his faith and spiritual experience
with God.
Today, the head of the Maronite Church is the Maronite patriarch of antioch, who
is elected by the bishops of the Maronite church and now resides in Bkirki,
north of Beirut. The current patriarch, since 1986, is Nasrallah Butros Sfeir.
When a new patriarch is elected and enthroned, he requests ecclesiastic
communion from the pope in Rome, thus maintaining their communion with the
Catholic Church. The exact worldwide Maronite population is not known, although
it is at least 8 million according to the Catholic Near East Welfare
Association. It is estimated that 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 remain in Lebanon where
they constitute up to 25 percent of the population. - The Daily Star
Sfeir uses sermon to weigh in on politicians' failure to elect president
Patriarch calls on UN to intervene, saying it 'might appoint a ruler'
By Maroun Khoury
Daily Star correspondent
Monday, February 11, 2008
BKIRKI: Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir said on Sunday that the
Lebanese people no longer trust maneuvers employed by certain politicians to
plunge the country into more paralysis "and extend the state of vacuum." "The
Lebanese have grown sick of the tense political rhetoric and the state of
neglect and irresponsibility prevailing on the political scene," Sfeir said in
his Sunday sermon at the Notre Dame Church in Bkirki.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri postponed until February 26 a session to elect a
new president that was scheduled for Monday, the 14th such delay in three
months. Lebanon has been without a president since Emile Lahoud's term ended on
midnight November 23, plunging the country into the worst political crisis since
the end of the 1975-90 Civil War. "The presidential election has been postponed
for the 14th time and some politicians still can't assess the seriousness of the
situation or realize the dangers that threaten our country," Sfeir said. On
Saturday, Sfeir said that Hizbullah was a "true problem" in Lebanon.
"The state cannot bear two armies because that leads to a proxy state in
Lebanon," the patriarch told the weekly magazine Al-Massira.
In the same interview, the prelate stressed that it was it the duty of the
United Nations "to impose restraints on the chaotic situation in Lebanon."
"The United Nations is obliged to introduce restraints if the situation remains
loose. They might appoint a ruler for Lebanon," Sfeir said.
Sfeir also sounded the alarm about the possible goals of Damascus, saying that
"Syria's return to Lebanon could be made possible through its Lebanese allies."
"Well-known political figures are likely to allow Syria to spread its control in
Lebanon once again ... and Syria is known for its ability to hit back at all its
enemies," Sfeir said
The patriarch also launched a vehement attack against "tools of foreign powers"
without identifying them by name, and accused them of seeking to "divide the
nation.""There is no president, Parliament and government are absent ... and now
they want to make the Lebanese Army go through the same and become inefficient,"
the prelate said. "They say they are keen on preserving the army but in reality
they want it stripped of any powers so they can divide the country with ease,"
he added, in reference to the Hizbullah-led opposition. Seven Shiite protesters
were killed and scores others wounded during clashes with the Lebanese Army on
January 27 that broke out during protests over extensive power cutoffs in
Beirut's southern suburbs. Hizbullah extended its support to the army in
statements last week, and Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah demanded that
a "swift and serious" investigation into the incident be undertaken.
"There are deep polarizations on the Lebanese political scene: one group aligns
itself with the West, especially the United States and France, while the other
works on achieving Syrian and Iranian interests in Lebanon," Sfeir said. The
prelate added that all forms of foreign interference in Lebanon's internal
issues are to be condemned. "Some foreign forces might lure the Lebanese by
expressing strong support to them while others might provide them with money,
weapons and authority," Sfeir said. The head of the Maronite church also denied
reports that he intended to resign from his post. Former Cabinet Minister and
key opposition figure Suleiman Franjieh had lashed out at Sfeir on Thursday,
accusing him of "distorting facts and exercising favoritism." Franjieh accused
him of being a tool in the hands of foreign powers and urged him to step down.
"The truth of the matter is that you will do whatever the West tells you to do
... If they tell you become friends with Syria you will do so and as soon as the
West changes its stance concerning Syria you changed yours too," Franjieh said
in his statement last Thursday.
Moussa's parting advice to Lebanese: 'Cling to hope'
Compiled by Daily Star staff
Monday, February 11, 2008
With the failure of yet another round of Arab diplomacy, Speaker Nabih Berri on
Saturday announced the postponement of Monday's parliamentary session to elect a
new president until February 26. The delay is the 14th postponement since former
President Emile Lahoud's term in office expired on November 24, leaving the top
office vacant. Berri's announcement came after Arab League boss Amr Moussa left
Beirut early Saturday morning after his mediation failed to secure a last-minute
breakthrough. Moussa said, however, there was still "some hope" the Arab plan
could still work to resolve Lebanon's deepening political crisis. Moussa
promised to return to resume his mediation but did not set a date.
"The Arab initiative is continuing, and as I said, there is some hope and we
should cling to it and invest it," Moussa told reporters at Beirut's Rafik
Hariri International Airport before heading back to Egypt after two days of
mediation with rival Lebanese politicians, during which he brought together
majority and opposition leaders for four hours of talks on Friday.
The meeting in Parliament Friday, which grouped Moussa, parliamentary majority
leader MP Saad HaririSaad-Hariri-Profile Sep-07 , former President Amin Gemayel
and Change and Reform Bloc leader MP Michel Aoun, failed to secure agreement on
the shape of a new national unity government.
An-Nahar newspaper, quoting anonymous sources, said that Aoun had clung to the
opposition's demand for 11 Cabinet posts in a new government during the meeting.
The paper said Moussa then suggested a three-way equal split, giving the
majority, the opposition and the president an equal number of ministers in a
30-member Cabinet. Aoun's response to Moussa was reportedly to tell him that "he
was not aware of the suggestion."
Moussa replied the formula in question - giving each side ten ministers - was
Berri's idea. Aoun then accepted the formula as the "basis for discussion" but
only as part of a "basket of conditions, which include agreeing over the
identity of the prime minister and the army commander as well as ministers'
portfolios and other appointments." Asked by reporters before his departure if
he had indeed placed the 10+10+10 formula on the table during the meeting and
what reaction he got from the participants, Moussa declinded to answer. Moussa
voiced hope that neither side resort to mobilizing their followers in the
street: "I hope we can deal with this sensitive matter in Lebanon with the
required composure."
Once again the Arab League chief called on rival politicians to tone down their
sharp rhetoric, which he said includes "cursing" and "oversteps the bounds of
decency." "The situation in Lebanon requires calm," Moussa said. He added that
the vital and central Lebanese role in the matter is resolving the crisis.
Asked about alleged US objection to the Arab plan, Moussa said he did not know
of any. "However, this initiative is purely Arab and has no non-Arab component,"
he said. After meeting Moussa late Friday, Berri dispatched MP Ali Hassan Khalil
to talk with Aoun. Senior sources in Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) told
An-Nahar "no joint vision" on the shape of the next cabinet had been reached.
The sources said a suggestion to convene another quadripartite meeting had been
made and been welcomed but no exact date had been set for security reasons.
While one part of the Lebanese opposition is calling on the majority to accept a
national unity government in line with the principle of "no victor and no
vanquished," the opposition's Christian component, 22 MPs strong, has pushed
several demands.
Liberation and Development Bloc MP Ali Khreiss, said Sunday that the
opposition's stance remains to elect the Lebanese Armed Forces commander,
General Michel Suleiman, as a consensus president and form a national unity
government, in accordance with the Arab League plan. Khreiss also stressed the
passing of a just and fair electoral law that ensures equitable representation.
"What hinders Parliament and closes state institutions is the continued
monopolization of power by one group and its reliance on outside assistance
instead of cooperating with their national partners and accepting true
partnership," Khreiss said. The MP added, however that Parliament would not open
its doors to an illegitimate government nor to a "governing group" that hindered
political life in the country. - With Agencies
Israelis fret new threat from Hizbullah
Officials say resistance has moved more rockets into south
Compiled by Daily Star staff
Monday, February 11, 2008
Hizbullah has smuggled hundreds, if not thousands, of rockets and anti-tank
missiles into South Lebanon without being detected by UN observers, senior
Israeli security officials say. Beefed-up UN forces were stationed in South
Lebanon after the month-long war between Israel and Lebanon in 2006, partially
to keep Hizbullah from smuggling weapons into the area. But despite the UN
presence, rockets and anti-tank missiles numbering in the high hundreds or low
thousands have been smuggled into Shiite villages since the war ended, the
Israeli officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because
they were not authorized to discuss confidential military assessments. They
offered no evidence to back up their claims, which were based on classified
intelligence reports.
In Beirut on Sunday, a Hizbullah spokesman said, "We don't comment on security
and military affairs."
Yasmina Bouziane, spokeswoman for the 13,000-strong UN peacekeeping force, known
as UNIFIL, would not comment on the report Sunday.
The UN troops patrol a buffer zone near the border with Israel with the help of
15,000 Lebanese soldiers. The force was deployed after the month-long war to
help the Lebanese extend their authority into the South for the first time in
decades and create a buffer zone free of Hizbullah fighters.
Hizbullah fighters have maintained a low profile in South Lebanon since the war,
but Israel says that the quiet has masked a concerted rearmament effort. Israel
claims Hizbullah has smuggled arms in shipments marked as civilian, with most
thought to have arrived from Iran through Syria. Some of the group's new
missiles are capable of striking south of Tel Aviv, security officials have
said. Syria and Iran have denied moving weapons into Lebanon.
But last year, the UN Security Council expressed "grave concern" about the
reports of arms smuggling to Hizbullah.
The Israeli security officials estimate that more than 20,000 rockets are
deployed in Lebanon, including north of the Litani River - outside the
jurisdiction of the UN forces. Before the war, Hizbullah had 13,000 rockets
deployed, Israel estimates. During the 34-day war, Hizbullah hit Israel with
nearly 4,000 rockets. The rockets struck as far south as Hadera, 45 kilometers
north of Tel Aviv. It has launched no rockets at Israel since the war ended in
August 2006.
Approximately 1,200 Lebanese, the majority of them civilians, were killed during
the conflict, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers, died, according to official
figures from both sides. A member of Hizbullah's shura council, Sheikh Mohammad
Yazbek, said on Sunday that his party was full prepared to defend Lebanon and
the Lebanese at any moment.
Yazbek stressed that Lebanon's stability was in its unity "away from
infighting."Seven Shiite protesters were killed and scores wounded during
clashes with the Lebanese Army on January 27 to protest uneven power rationing
in Beirut's southern suburbs.
While Hizbullah extended its support to the army, Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah demanded that a "swift and serious" investigation into the incident be
undertaken. On Friday, a high-ranking Syrian official told the pan-Arab daily
Al-Hayat that his country was preventing arms from being smuggled through its
territory into Lebanon. "Syria controls the border," Al-Hayat quoted the
official as telling Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik during her visit
to Damascus last week. "Weapons smuggling to Lebanon is not conducted through
the Syria-Lebanon border, but rather [from] the sea."
According to the report in the London-based newspaper, Plassnik expressed
concern over Syria's control of the border, and was given firm assurances by
senior members of the Syrian government that the border was secure. Also, the
paper reported that the Syrian officials rejected the idea of stationing EU
monitors on the border, saying the move was unnecessary as "Syria and Lebanon
are not enemies." - The Daily Star, with agencies
Jumblatt welcomes return to 'war and chaos' in Lebanon
Gunfire reported near berri's home in ain al-tineh
Compiled by Daily Star staff
Monday, February 11, 2008
Democratic Gathering leader MP Walid Jumblatt launched a scathing verbal barrage
at the opposition Sunday, targeting both Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah and his political ally, Change and Reform Bloc leader MP Michel Aoun.
Jumblatt welcomed "war and chaos" if the opposition desires it, dubbing the
rival camp "tools" in the hands of the "most despicable people" in reference to
the Syrian regime. He warned the opposition that the parliamentary majority
"will not remain arms crossed" if the presidential vacuum and political
assassinations continued.
He added, however, that "if they [the opposition] want peace, the March 14
Forces are ready for that as well."
Parliamentary majority leader MP Saad HaririSaad-Hariri-Profile Sep-07 struck a
similar note in an interview on Future TV late Saturday, stating that while
March 14 does not desire confrontation, "we will not stay hands tied." Jumblatt
accused both Hizbullah and Aoun of preparing the ground for Syria's return to
Lebanon by using "false nationalist and pan-Arab slogans." "Whatever your
potency and whatever mercenaries you protect, train and fund, we will not be
afraid, we will not kneel and never think for once we will allow the return of
[Syrian] tutelage," Jumblatt said.
"You are tools in the hands of the most despicable people, Bashar and his gang,"
Jumblatt said, referring to Nasrallah as the leader of the "Hizbullah militia."
Addressing his Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) general assembly meeting Sunday
in the Chouf, Jumblatt warned that if the presidential vacuum remained, if
arming and training among opposition parties and assassinations continued, chaos
would overwhelm everyone.
"If you think we will stand arms crossed, you are imagining things," Jumblatt
said. "If you want chaos, we welcome chaos. If you want war, we welcome war. We
have no problem with weapons and no problem with rockets, we can take the
rockets from you," Jumblatt said. "We may have to burn everything, but our
existence, our honor, our survival and Lebanon are more important," he added.
Referring to opposition leaders, Jumblatt said that all the "dwarfs" who are
assailing Bkirki and Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir with their
"spiteful arrows," will emerge empty-handed. "They are students of the great
resentful killer in Damascus, so little wonder at what they do, but Bkirki will
remain above all those mercenaries," he added.
Hours after Jumblatt spoke, heavy shooting was reported near Speaker Nabih
Berri's residence in the Beirut neighborhood of Ain al-Tineh. Witnesses said two
assailants on a motorcycle fired into the air. Shortly thereafter, shots were
also reported near an office of the opposition Democratic Party in Aley. No
further details were available when The Daily Star went to press.
Regarding the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon to try suspects in the slaying of
former Premier Rafik Hariri, Jumblatt said Saudi Arabia had pledged to provide
the money still needed to create the court. He added that the tribunal was
coming and justice would be done.
"As for the mothers, sisters, fathers and relatives of the gang of four
officers," Jumblatt said, referring to the four former security chiefs who have
been detained without charge over their possible involvement in the Hariri
killing, "they will cry tears of blood when the hangman's rope is put up for
this gang."
During a visit to Tripoli, Hariri called on the Lebanese to go to Martyrs Square
in Beirut on Thursday to honor the memory of all the fallen martyrs of Lebanon
and to affirm that the Lebanese will adhere to the path taken by his father.
"Our road ahead is clear and the challenges before us are many. We will face
them and we will continue on despite the obstacles that they introduce day after
day and we will continue to build the state, its institutions and restore
confidence in our economy," Hariri said.
He also announced a donation of $52 million from his family in the name of his
father for development, education and healthcare projects in the North.
In an interview on Future Television Saturday to mark the third anniversary of
his father's assassination, Hariri said that if there is national will, the
political crisis can be resolved without foreign interference.
"We don't want a confrontation. But if we are dragged into one, we will not stay
hands tied," Hariri warned, adding that Israel and Syria alone benefit from such
a confrontation. "Is this what the opposition wants?" Hariri asked.
Gunfire rang out in Beirut and elsewhere in Lebanon as soon as Hariri's
interview began. Supporters brandishing posters of Hariri cheered and danced in
the streets of Tripoli. Hariri called on both Christians and Muslims to go to
Martyrs Square on Thursday "to defend Lebanon so it is not assassinated again."
Hariri accused Syrian President Bashar Assad and his regime of attempting to
assassinate Lebanon. He pledged to foil such a plot and insisted that the
pro-government March 14 alliance is a "silent majority" that does not desire a
confrontation with the opposition.
"The March 14 forces can attract Arab and foreign investment as well as get
international help for Lebanon. What can [the opposition] do for their country?"
Hariri asked. The majority leader described Sfeir as "Lebanon's conscience,"
adding that attacking spiritual leaders was "disgraceful."
Hariri said the United Nations "was doing an honest and transparent job" in
setting up the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon to try suspects in the slaying of
his father. Hariri added that "a ruling will be issued. I expect to get justice
from the international tribunal." He also said that he was certain of Syria's
involvement in his father's killing. "We will continue rebuilding Lebanon and we
will achieve our goal of a free, independent Lebanon despite the obstacles,"
Hariri vowed.
Responding to Jumblatt's diatribe, Hizbullah's MP Mohammad Raad said the
opposition remains steadfast despite the insults and fear-mongering by the
ruling coalition and the "great lies" with which the March 14 forces were making
baseless political accusations.
"Every time we reach a solution that ensures real partnership, the US intervenes
to scuttle it," Raad said.
Also responding to Jumblatt's speech, Hizbullah's resigned Labor Minister Trad
Hamadeh told The Daily Star Sunday that the "right and eloquent" response to
such a speech is to remind everyone of the opposition's principles: national
accord, civil peace, stability, partnership in government, and using democratic
means to resolve crises to avoid strife. "This kind of speech is designed to
mobilize their supporters, but it's dangerous for the country," Hamadeh said,
urging the ruling coalition to resort to more sensible and reasonable language.
"At last year's commemoration [of Hariri's assassination] they used such fiery
speeches during the rally, not before. You can never build a country by
threatening to go to war," Hamadeh said. Change and Reform Bloc leader MP
Ibrahim Kanaan, in a televised interview Sunday, asked: "What does Jumblatt
want, to launch a war? Are these the words of Rafik Hariri and is this a speech
that unites the Lebanese to come together to commemorate what united the
Lebanese?"
Kanaan said that Hariri had previously announced his support for allowing the
resistance to keep its weapons until a "comprehensive settlement is reached in
the region," but said that Jumblatt's speech scuttled all that Hariri said in
the past. - The Daily Star, with agencies
End silence on Lebanon polls
By Ahmed Al-Jarallah
Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times
http://www.arabtimesonline.com/kuwaitnews/faqdetails.asp?faid=894&faqid=9
ARAB League General Secretary Amr Moussa should reveal the actual reasons behind
the postponement of the presidential elections in Lebanon. Without resorting to
rhetoric, Moussa should bluntly tell the world what is really happening in
Lebanon. The clock is ticking continuously and Lebanon is on the brink of
destruction. There is no point in shedding tears for Lebanon once it has turned
into total chaos. The Arab League should give up its stance on remaining silent
over the issue as one of its members is heading towards destruction. Syrian
Foreign Affairs Minister Waleed Al-Moallem had earlier said “Syria will not host
the Arab League meeting at the expense of its interest.” Similarly, Arab
countries should not sacrifice their common interests for Syria, which has
instigated sectarian violence and has no relevance to the Arab League.
With regional violence being used as a trick to support Iran’s nuclear and
expansion policies, Moussa should come out with the truth. He should be
responsible enough as Arabs face the greatest challenge in history. Five months
is enough for Arabs to tolerate these political games aimed at serving the
interests of Syria through its influences in Lebanon. Moussa fully understands
the rules of these games without consulting any politician in Lebanon. There is
a huge difference among those who defend national integrity and the interest of
Lebanon, those who want to implement the law, and those who follow orders from
outsiders for financial gains. The principled groups in Lebanon operate based on
the tenets of democracy while the crooked act like a mafia — discreetly wreaking
havoc in the country.
The next Arab League meeting will be held in Syria while Lebanon is left to
perish. Once organized, the meeting will never be completed on the Syrian stage.
The time has come for Moussa to reveal the truth as agreed upon in a meeting
held by the Arab foreign ministers. Since Syria controlled Lebanon for over 25
years, it looks like it will not surrender its victim easily just to get its
demands. Syria dominated Lebanon without taking any step to solve its problems.
We can then deduce that its recent efforts toward the so-called solutions are
merely schemes to achieve its actual objective in Lebanon — for Muslims to kill
each other and terror to reign on the streets of Lebanon.
Moussa should bravely come forward and tell the truth before a disaster happens
in Lebanon. He should ask the Arab League to unite the Lebanese who have
outrightly rejected sectarian wars. In spite of the presence of a minority group
serving the interests of Iran and Syria, the Lebanese want peace and
development. Considering how Syria plays with the blood of the innocent in
Lebanon, Moussa should come out with the truth to prove that the Arab League can
still protect the interests of Arab nations. He should act before the world
interferes with the internal affairs not only of Lebanon but also the whole Arab
region.
Email: ahmedjarallah@hotmail.com