LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
June 21/08

Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 6,19-23. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
Know your enemy. By Raymond Ibrahim -American Thinker 20/06/08
Address both the causes and consequences of forced human displacement. By Ban Ki-moon 20/06/08
Unflinching documentary exposes all that was lost.By Alexander Besant  20/06/08
Hizbullah can keep Lebanon's footing solid by reaching out to its rivals-The Daily Star  20/06/08
Whatever Palestinians discuss, the real issue is Iran-By Saul Singer  20/06/08 

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for June 20/08
Hizbullah Will Not Give Up its Arms Even After Liberation of Shebaa-Naharnet
Two Pilots Wounded in Helicopter Emergency Landing-Naharnet
July Time Limit for Cabinet Formation-Naharnet
Suleiman Hails Resistance, Urges Lebanese to Unite Against Unrest-Naharnet
Venezuela Says 'No Terrorists Here' After U.S. Action Against Alleged Hizbullah Supporters-Naharnet
No Government One Month After Doha Accord-Naharnet
Lebanon: Information on Ron Arad to delay swap deal-Ynetnews
Israel tries to scuttle $400 million US-Lebanon arms deal-Ha'aretz
Barak: No Direct Talks with Syria this Year-Naharnet
Sarkozy Signals Support for Israel ahead of Visit-Naharnet
Report: US, Canada warn Hezbollah set to strike Jewish targets-Ha'aretz
ABC: Hezbollah Likely Planning Attack-Post Chronicle
Lebanese official: Samir Kuntar will return to Lebanon on Sunday-Jerusalem Post
Defense officials: No prisoner swap with Hezbollah this weekend-Ha'aretz
Sleiman laments unrest, pays tribute to resistance-Daily Star  
Cabinet assembly shows no sign of early completion-Daily Star  
Iranian speaker heaps praise on Hizbullah, Hamas-Daily Star
Mikati stresses Sunni role, coexistence-Daily Star-Daily Star 
Pope prays for peace, lauds Lebanese accord-AFP
Hizbullah 'needs its arms' beyond Shebaa-AFP
Wrangling over cabinet posts douses Lebanese euphoria following Doha-AFP
Lebanon's trade activity jumps 32.5 percent in first quarter-Daily Star
Bias surfaced-Ottawa Citizen
'Not like drinking tea:' Assad rules out direct talks with Olmert-AFP
Ahmadinejad: West's latest test 'will end in humiliation'-AFP 
Palestinians, Lebanese seek to mend rifts after bloody battle-Daily Star  
Pope Follows With Relief Lebanon Developments
Explosions Reported in Hizbullah Stronghold-Naharnet
Hezbollah sees role beyond Israel leaving Shebaa Farms-AFP
Lebanon still without government month after deal-AFP
No Government One Month After Doha Accord-Naharnet
Hizbullah to Keep Weapons if Israel Abandoned Shebaa Farms-Naharnet
Assad: Direct Talks with Israeli PM Meaningless, Doha Accord 'Positive Change'-Naharnet
Berri Speaks of Interim Cabinet-Naharnet
Saniora: We shouldn't Miss Benefits of the Oil Boom-Naharnet

Hezbollah activating sleeper cells in Canada: report
Module body
New Agencies/The militant group Hezbollah has activated suspected "sleeper cells" in Canada and is poised to launch attacks against "Jewish targets" beyond the Middle East, according to a report. ABC News is reporting that, according to intelligence officials, suspected Hezbollah operatives have conducted recent surveillance on the Israeli embassy in Ottawa and several synagogues in Toronto. Hezbollah is being helped by Iran's elite Revolutionary Group, the officials said.
But they also told ABC News there is no credible information on a specific target. Hezbollah is apparently seeking revenge for the February assassination of one of its military commanders, Imad Mugniyah, in a car-bombing in Damascus, the officials said.
The group's leaders blames Israel. The allegation is denied by Israeli officials.
The officials said that U.S., British and Canadian intelligence agencies picked up information about a possible attack days after Mugniyah's funeral. As many as 20 suspected Hezbollah members have been under surveillance after as many as four suspected "sleeper cells" were activated, the officials told the news network.
As well, they reported that a known Hezbollah weapons expert was followed to Canada, where he was seen at a firing range in the Toronto area.
But Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a former intelligence officer for CSIS, told CBC News that Hezbollah, which has lots of political and financial support in Canada, would alienate its supporters by launching attacks.He also said it's very rare for Hezbollah to launch attacks outside of the Middle East.
"If we simply go by historical trend, that would be going against their usual practice," he said.
Bernie Farber, CEO of the Canadian Jewish Congress, told the Canadian Press that there has been "chatter out there" since the assassination of the Hezbollah leader, but Canadian authorities have said there's nothing to lead them to believe there's any truth to it.
"They've known about this alleged threat for a while, they've investigated it, and they've told me categorically that while the chatter is out there, and it has been for a while, there is nothing to lead them to believe that there's anything imminent or that in fact the chatter is real," Farber said.

Report: Hizbullah Activated 'Sleeper Cells' in Canada
Naharnet/U.S. and Canadian intelligence agencies are reportedly warning of mounting signs that Hizbullah is poised to launch an attack against Jewish targets outside the Middle East. ABC News has said intelligence officials told the network that Hizbullah has activated suspected "sleeper cells" in Canada, and key operatives have been tracked moving outside the group's Lebanon base to Canada, Europe and Africa. There is no credible information on a specific target, the officials told the network, but said Hizbullah is seeking revenge for the February car bomb assassination in Damascus of its top military commander Imad Mughniyeh. Suspected Hizbullah operatives have conducted recent surveillance on the Israeli embassy in Ottawa and on several synagogues in Toronto, the officials told ABC.
When asked about the alleged Hizbullah threats, Stockwell Day, Canada's Public Safety Minister, confirmed that Canadian authorities were keeping an eye on the organization. "It's something that's watched," he said. However, Canada's National Post quoted one of the federal police force's top national security officers in Ontario, Jamie Jagoe, as saying "at the present time there is no known specific threat to any specific location in the city of Toronto or anything like that."
"We have many ongoing investigations involving listed terrorist organizations. I can't get into specifics," he said. Special Agent Richard Kolko of the Federal Bureau of Investigation similarly characterized the report. "Hizbullah remains a threat to security in different parts of the world. The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces conduct investigations into different groups that potentially pose a threat to the U.S. or our interests overseas; however, the FBI and DHS (Department of Homeland Security) have no specific intelligence about any group or so-called sleeper cells planning an attack," Kolko said. Beirut, 20 Jun 08, 06:24

Report: U.S., Canada warn Hezbollah set to strike Jewish targets
By Haaretz Service
Intelligence agencies in Canada and the United States are warning of mounting signs that the Lebanon-based guerilla group Hezbollah is planning to attack Jewish targets in retaliation for the assassination of top Hezbollah man Imad Mughniyah some six months ago, ABC News reported Thursday.
Hezbollah has blamed Israel for the February 12 assassination in Damascus, but Israel has denied any involvement.
The intelligence sources told the American news network that Hezbollah was operating sleeper cells in Canada, and that senior Hezbollah operatives have left Lebanon for Canada as well as Europe and Africa.
According to the sources, ABC reported, there is currently no specific warning of an imminent attack, but they added that Hezbollah operatives have recently carried out surveillance of the Israeli embassy in the Canadian capital, as well as several synagogues in Toronto.
The sources added that Latin America was also a possible target for a Hezbollah strike.
Four suspected sleeper cells have been identified in Canada, ABC reported, and some 20 suspected Hezbollah operatives are currently under surveillance. The members of the cells have received orders to send their family members back to Lebanon.
The network also reported that a Hezbollah weapons expert was spotted at a firing range south of Toronto. According to the intelligence sources, the operatives' moves are being coordinated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard. "They want to kill as many people as they can, they want it to be a big splash," said former CIA intelligence officer Bob Baer, who told ABC he had met with Hezbollah leaders in Beirut last month. "Hezbollah would not carry out an attack in the west, or wherever this attack is going to occur, without approval from Tehran," Baer added. Baer told ABC that his Hezbollah contacts told him an attack against the U.S. was unlikely because Iran and Hezbollah did not want to give the current administration, headed by U.S. President George W. Bush, an excuse to attack

Israel attempting scuttle $400 million U.S.-Lebanon arms deal
Last update - 11:37 20/06/2008
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
Israel is reportedly attempting to block a $400 million arms deal between the United States and Lebanon that would reportedly include hundreds of anti-tank missiles. Israeli authorities have stated that recent events in Lebanon, including Hezbollah's resurgence in the south, have led them to believe that the arms transfer could pose a security threat, namely if future clashes cause government forces to splinter, possibly causing the arms to fall into the hands of the Lebanese Shi'ite militia Hezbollah. The Head of the Defense Ministry's Diplomatic-Security Bureau.Amos Gilad has reportedly held talks recently with officials from the Pentagon, in order to convey Israeli reservations about the deal. The United States is reportedly interested in the deal out of the belief that it will help the Lebanese Army better deal with the range of factions in the country, especially Hezbollah. As a precursor to the weapons deal, the United States has agreed to help train units of the Lebanese Army and has sent military advisors to the country

Lebanon: Information on Ron Arad to delay swap deal
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3558102,00.html
Diplomatic sources in Beirut tell Ad-Diyar newspaper prisoner exchange between Israel, Hizbullah to take place within days. Only thing which may delay deal is Israeli demand to receive information on missing navigator's fate, they say  Roee Nahmias Published: 06.20.08, 11:13 / Israel News
Diplomatic sources in Beirut have said that a prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hizbullah is expected to take place within several days, Lebanese newspaper Ad-Diyar reported Friday. According to the sources, the only thing which may delay the implementation of the deal is if Israel demands to receive information on the fate of missing navigator Ron Arad.

Hizbullah Will Not Give Up its Arms Even After Liberation of Shebaa
Naharnet/Hizbullah has vowed not to give up its arms even if Israel pulled out of the disputed Shebaa Farms area in south Lebanon.
Any withdrawal from Shebaa Farms "will not change the fact that Lebanon needs the resistance," Hizbullah MP Hassan Fadlallah said.
"Any Zionist withdrawal from the Shebaa Farms would be a big achievement for the resistance for this would be the result of its role and its pressure," Fadlallah said.  Hizbullah, which forced Israel's pullout from south Lebanon in May 2000 after two decades of occupation, sees itself as the legitimate 'resistance' to the Jewish state. Fadlallah also accused the international community, particularly the United States, of involving itself recently in the Shebaa Farms issue "for aims linked to the resistance" - a reference to demands for Hizbullah to disarm."
"Those who think that putting the Shebaa Farms under international supervision could put pressure on the resistance...delude themselves," he added.
During a surprise visit to Lebanon Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she believed it was time to resolve the Shebaa Farms dispute in conformity with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701. Meanwhile, the opposition's follow-up committee said in a statement that the "resistance weapons are not subject to bargaining or compromise." Hizbullah arms "have become a part of Lebanon's might even after the liberation of Shebaa Farms and the release of the prisoners." On Thursday, Rice and U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon discussed the Shebaa Farms issue and the situation in the Palestinian territories.
Also Thursday, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner emphasized the importance of addressing the issue of the farms in the framework of the U.N.
"There is a proposal to grant the United Nations the role of mediator, and this is nothing new," Kouchner said.
"I opened the issue of the Lebanese Shebaa Farms with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak yesterday evening over dinner," Kouchner said, adding that "the talks were not easy."
The daily Al Akhbar on Friday said Egypt has also intervened in the Shebaa Farms issue.
Citing well-informed Egyptian sources, Al Akhbar said Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will seek to "convince" Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert during a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh next week "to return Shebaa Farms to Lebanon."
Syria welcomed the possible Israeli pullout from the area.
"We are with the Israeli withdrawal from Arab land, whether it is called Shebaa, Golan (Heights) or Jerusalem," Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said.
Lebanon, supported by Syria, claims sovereignty over Shebaa Farms while Israel says the region is part of the Syrian Golan Heights which the Jewish state seized in 1967 and unilaterally annexed. Meanwhile, State Department Deputy Spokesman Tom Casey said during a press briefing before the Rice-Ban meeting that the U.S. has "not been asked to play a direct role" in any talks between Lebanon and Israel. "We'd be looking to have the U.N. and the Secretary General use his good offices to help resolve" the Shebaa farms issue, he said. Beirut, 20 Jun 08, 08:35

MP Jarrah: We Don't Trust Hizbullah
By Dalia Nehme
MP Jamal Jarrah said Hizbullah should withdraw all its heavy weapons and gunmen from the hills of the eastern Bekaa so that clashes would not break out anew in the Saadnayel-Taanayel area.
Jarrah, in an interview with Naharnet, said "we have no confidence in them (Hizbullah) anymore … but we trust the Lebanese army, even if it had failed."
"Despite the lack of confidence we stretched our hand anew through the Lebanese army that had promised us to supervise reconciliation," Jarrah said.
"But if aggressions persisted and if they maintained, just maintained and not used, their heavy weapons in the hills of Saadnayel and Taalabaya and if they maintained the deployment of a large number of gunmen brought in from other areas, friction would renew and tension would persist," he added.
Jarrah said "we were very clear with the army. We informed the army that there is no need for such heavy weapons in the hills."
He accused Hizbullah of "deceiving the army. They had told the army that heavy weapons and gunmen had been fully pulled out, but it was evident that this is not true."
Jarrah warned that the "citizens of Saadnayel and Taalabaya would not be left alone (if attacked by Hizbullah once again). Citizens of the central, western and even northern Bekaa would rush to their aid."
That, according to the Mustaqbal Bloc member, would expose "Hizbullah's role in a Syrian intelligence scheme to spark inter-factional clashes in the Bekaa."
He explained that Hizbullah has been targeting the Saadnayel-Taalabaya sector because it commands the road that leads from its stronghold in Baalbek to south Lebanon.
Jarrah emphasized that "we do not have a militia, we don't have weapons and capabilities to protect our people."
"It is the army's duty and responsibility to protect the citizens. The Army Command pledged that as of Tuesday its troops would be in charge of security, and anyone who opens fire, from any side, would be punished," Jarrah said.
The clashes, according to Jarrah, were an "attempt by Hizbullah to target President Michel Suleiman's term as well as the state and its institutions.
Hizbullah's leader targeted the president the same day he moved to the Republican Palace."
"Hizbullah has its own army and its own state and has no interest in supporting the state of Lebanon," he concluded.
The Doha Accord, according to Jarrah, is made up of two chapters. "The security chapter is being blocked and the political chapter that is also being blocked by obstructing the cabinet formation."
Hizbullah "went to Doha not to achieve an agreement, but to blame what had happened on the majority and then resume implementing its scheme. But Arab and international pressure forced Hizbullah to facilitate President Suleiman's election," he concluded. Beirut, 18 Jun 08, 20:29

Two Pilots Wounded in Helicopter Emergency Landing
Naharnet/A Gazelle helicopter used by the Lebanese army made an emergency landing in the Bekaa Valley on Friday and two pilots were wounded, an army communiqué said. It said the force landing at mid morning was due to a technical failure, adding that the army command opened an investigation into the incident. News reports said the chopper was completely burnt down, but that the pilots were able to walk away from the wreckage. Beirut, 20 Jun 08, 11:27

July Time Limit for Cabinet Formation
Naharnet/Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has cautioned that if obstacles facing the cabinet line-up persist an interim government could be formed.
But Berri said he was "hopeful regarding the government formation, especially after the (Wednesday) meeting with President Michel Suleiman."
Suleiman, in turn, has stressed that the "government is the doorway to national reconciliation and not to national disputes."
"This is why we are not in a hurry to form it (cabinet)," he said. Meanwhile, Prime Minister-designate Fouad Saniora said he expected obstacles facing formation of the new cabinet "to be eliminated at any moment."On Friday, the daily Al Akhbar, citing well-informed political sources, said the main problem facing the birth of the government was the opposition's rejection to keep Elias Murr as defense minister.
Instead, the opposition wants the defense ministry seat to go to Free Patriotic Movement Michel Aoun's parliamentary bloc, a move rejected by Suleiman, Al Akhbar wrote. It said the president continues to cling to the defense ministry and he wants Murr to keep his post.
Al Akhbar said the "problem" was not with the opposition, particularly not with Aoun, but rather within the ruling March 14 coalition itself "due to differences over the shares of the new cabinet." Fears mounted that the ongoing political standstill over the government formation could have negative repercussions in the event the cabinet was not announced by July 13, the date of the Mediterranean summit in Paris where Saniora will take part. Al Liwaa, for its part, said on-again-off-again violence across Lebanon was "part of a political scheme aimed at preventing the formation of the government and hindering the launch of the new era … until the upcoming parliamentary elections" in 2009. It quoted well-informed sources as saying that the delegations' maneuver between Rabiyeh, Qoreitem and Ain el-Tineh as well as non-stop contacts between Baabda and the Grand Serail have focused on the fate of the telecommunications cabinet post. As to Aoun, Al Liwaa said there were suggestions that his bloc gets either the ministry of education or public works. Beirut, 20 Jun 08, 10:24

Suleiman Hails Resistance, Urges Lebanese to Unite Against Unrest
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman has praised the "resistance in Lebanon," which he said had "the support of all segments of the Lebanese society."
Suleiman's remarks came after a meeting on Thursday with Vice President of the Higher Shiite Council Sheikh Abdel Amir Qabalan.
The president expressed hope that a "period of national reconciliation" would follow the eventual assembly of a consensus national unity government.
Suleiman said that the resistance, which was victorious in "fighting and driving the enemy out" of Lebanon, should now "form a basic pillar of Lebanese democracy."
"The Lebanese Army has stood beside the resistance and its people, just as the resistance continues to stand by the army," Suleiman stressed.
The Lebanese are "a people who resisted and defeated Israel, and deserve much more," Suleiman said.
"They deserve to live safely... The national unity government should serve as a doorway to the protection of national interests, and not additional disputes," he added. Suleiman urged the Lebanese to "unite against the unrest" and maintain the integrity of the Taef agreement.
He also expressed disappointment with the situation in the Bekaa Valley, saying it undermined "the stability and security needed for a service-oriented economy such as ours." "Lebanon remains a base of conventions, tourism, trade and investment, which all require order," Suleiman stressed. Beirut, 20 Jun 08, 10:11

Venezuela Says 'No Terrorists Here' After U.S. Action Against Alleged Hizbullah Supporters
Naharnet/Venezuela's foreign minister on Thursday rejected U.S. government accusations that a Venezuelan diplomat helped finance Hizbullah in Lebanon.
Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro did not specifically refer to Ghazi Nasr al Din, who was targeted Wednesday in a U.S. Treasury Department action ordering any assets he controls in the United States to be frozen and forbidding U.S. citizens from doing business with him. But Maduro told reporters that "there are no terrorists here," and said officials should be going after the assets of U.S. President George Bush. "If they want to search for terrorists, look for them in the White House," he said. Washington considers the Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hizbullah a terrorist group. Wednesday's action accuses Nasr al Din of using his position as a diplomat and a leader of a Caracas-based Shiite Islamic center to help the group. The main Shiite Muslim center in Caracas is the Imam al Hadi Venezuelan Islamic Center, said Mohamad Mtayrek, a 42-year-old Lebanese immigrant who helps manage the small mosque and community center in a two-story house. Mtayrek said the center has no link to Hizbullah and dismissed Washington's allegations as "politics." He said he knows Nasr al Din but declined to speak about him, saying "it's not my business."The Treasury action also targeted Lebanese-born businessman Fawzi Kan'an, the owner of two Caracas-based travel agencies. Kan'an called allegations that he helped finance Hizbullah "pure lies."(AP) Beirut, 20 Jun 08, 09:54

No Government One Month After Doha Accord
Naharnet/One month after a breakthrough deal to end a long-running political crisis, Lebanon remains without a government as rival clans fight it out over key cabinet posts, raising fears of a renewed conflict. The euphoria that greeted the May election of new president Michel Suleiman and promises of a national unity government have been replaced by a growing sense of doom amid continued discord between the majority and the Hizbullah-led opposition over who gets which post in the new cabinet. Even Prime Minister Fouad Saniora and parliament speaker and opposition stalwart Nabih Berri, both of whom had initially said that the formation of the cabinet was a matter of days, are now speaking of obstacles that remain.
"I cannot deny that we are going through a difficult phase but we are deploying all efforts to form a cabinet," Saniora said Wednesday after meeting with Suleiman.
Berri for his part also admitted the make-up of the new 30-member cabinet was hampered by divisions between the parties.
Under the deal struck in the Qatari capital Doha on May 21, the opposition, which is backed by Syria and Iran, will get 11 seats in the new government, the majority will get 16 seats and the president will appoint three ministers.
Negotiations between the various parties however have stumbled over who should head the key defense, interior, finance and foreign affairs ministries.
Opposition Christian leader Michel Aoun is insisting that Suleiman choose a candidate for only one, rather than two, of these so-called sovereign portfolios, a scenario rejected by the majority.
He has also suggested that the prime minister's scope of authority be revised, prompting criticism even from within his own camp.
"The problem is that the Doha accord gave rise to too much optimism but failed to clearly address the divisions of power," said Fadia Kiwan, head of the political science department at Beirut's Saint Joseph University. "Each party is trying to protect its share of power but there are major political differences that are preventing the formation of a government with the minimum homogeneity needed for stability," she added. She said both sides were to blame for the confusion mounting by the day as related to the distribution of the various portfolios. "The majority is made up of various currents and as such needs a larger number of posts it can hand out to its allies ... so that it can influence public opinion and make gains in the upcoming 2009 legislative polls," Kiwan said. "But the clans cannot carve up the country like a cake," she added. "There are common interests for all the Lebanese that are being ignored in the current debate." Nabil Bou Monsif, a political analyst with the daily An-Nahar said the bickering among the parties was not yet at a dangerous stage. "Lebanon's political make-up is similar to that in Somalia," he said. "The confessional and communal system we have renders our political system very fragile. "The struggle over the cabinet posts is taking on a very clannish overtone and as such the delays in forming the government are normal." In a sign of what could be awaiting the Lebanese, Bou Monsif pointed out that the country's constitution sets no deadline for forming a government. "This means that the current caretaker government can continue on indefinitely until the legislative elections," he said.(AFP) Beirut, 19 Jun 08, 20:55

Rice, Ban Discuss Shebaa
Naharnet/U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon have discussed the Shebaa Farms issue and the situation in the Palestinian territories, An Nahar daily reported Friday. It said the meeting took place at the U.N. headquarters in New York on Thursday.
Rice, during a visit to Beirut on Monday, said that it was time for U.N. action on the Shebaa farms, a disputed Lebanese border district occupied by Israel.
"The United States believes that the time has come to deal with the Shebaa farms issue... in accordance with (U.N. Security Council Resolution) 1701," Rice said.
Lebanon, supported by Syria, claims sovereignty over the zone while the Jewish state says it is part of the Syrian Golan Heights which Israel seized in 1967 and unilaterally annexed. Meanwhile, State Department Deputy Spokesman Tom Casey said during a press briefing before the Rice-Ban meeting that the U.S. has "not been asked to play a direct role" in any talks between Lebanon and Israel. "We'd be looking to have the U.N. and the Secretary General use his good offices to help resolve" the Shebaa farms issue, he said. Beirut, 20 Jun 08, 04:42

Explosions Reported in Hizbullah Stronghold
Naharnet/Several explosions were reported in the Jezzine Mountain range, which is a Hizbullah stronghold in south Lebanon, and witnesses reported that Hizbullah ambulances evacuated several casualties. A police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Naharnet at least three explosions were heard in the remote region, about 46 kilometers east of Sidon, provincial capital of south Lebanon. The official said police could not establish the exact nature of the blasts because Hizbullah does not allow security forces into the area. However witnesses reported observing ambulances of Hizbullah's Islamic Health Authority racing into the area and making return trips with sirens wailing. The ambulances, according to several witnesses, did not head to Sidon, where the closest hospitals are located, but drove to south Beirut where Hizbullah operates private hospitals. Beirut, 19 Jun 08, 19:30

Hizbullah 'needs its arms' beyond Shebaa
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Friday, June 20, 2008
BEIRUT: Hizbullah on Thursday said Lebanon would still need its armed presence even if Israel finally quit the disputed Shebaa Farms region in the South. "Any Zionist retreat from the Shebaa Farms would be a big achievement for the resistance for this would be the result of its role and its pressure," Hizbullah MP Hassan Fadlallah was quoted as saying by the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
But any retreat "will not change the fact that Lebanon needs the resistance," he added.
Hizbullah, which forced Israel's pullout from most of South Lebanon in May 2000 after two decades of occupation, sees itself as the legitimate resistance to the Jewish state.
Fadlallah also accused the international community, particularly the United States, of involving itself recently in the Shebaa Farms issue "for aims linked to the resistance" - a reference to demands for Hizbullah to disarm."
"Those who think that putting the Shebaa Farms under international supervision could put pressure on the resistance... delude themselves," he added.
During a surprise visit to Lebanon Monday, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she believed it was time to resolve the Shebaa Farms dispute in conformity with Un Security Council Resolution 1701.
The resolution, which ended the 34-day war with Israel in August 2006, was based on a plan drawn up by Western-backed Lebanese Premier Fouad Siniora.
The plan stipulated putting Shebaa under United Nations supervision pending a resolution between Lebanon, Syria and Israel on its legitimate ownership. Beirut, supported by Damascus, claims sovereignty the territory while the Jewish state says it is part of the Syrian Golan Heights which it seized in the 1967 war.
Rice also said during her visit to Beirut that Washington still considered Hizbullah a terrorist organization. On Thursday, Rice held talks in New York with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon over the Shebaa Farms issue. Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner emphasized the importance of addressing the issue of the Shebaa Farms in the framework of the United Nations. "There is a proposal to grant the United Nations the role of mediator, and this is nothing new," Kouchner said. "I opened the issue of the Lebanese Shebaa Farms with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak yesterday evening over dinner," Kouchner told reporters Thursday. The talks were not easy, he added. Also tackling the issue of the Shebaa Farms, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem welcomed the possible Israeli withdrawal from the region under American pressure.
"We are with the Israeli withdrawal from Arab land, whether it is called Shebaa, Golan or Jerusalem," he said.
In other news, Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea also discussed the Shebaa Farms question on Thursday, saying that he "senses American and European pressure to resolve" the issue of occupied Lebanese territory. The LF chief added that "should Israel withdraw from Lebanon and should the release of Lebanese detainees in Israel is completed, our country will find itself at a new stage."Geagea added that the LF is "against direct peace talks with Israel at the moment - Lebanon is a special case. Once there is peace between Israel and Palestine, Syria and the [Arab world], Lebanon's role may come." - AFP, with The Daily Star

Publication of CLDH Report on Civil and Political Rights in Lebanon
Available in French
http://www.solida.org/rapports/dcp2007fr.pdf
and Arabic http://www.solida.org/rapports/dcp2007lb.pdf
The CLDH (Lebanese Center for Human Rights) publishes today its report on civil and political rights in Lebanon during 2007.
The report is exhaustive in that it addresses the following topics: The right to life, detention and torture, enforced disappearances and incommunicado detention, freedom of association and peaceful assembly, freedom of speech, expression and thought, as well as the provision of justice.
Relying on a close monitoring of the press throughout the year by CLDH, as well as on information received from the field by its team and other organizations of Lebanese civil society, this report recounts the evolution of these topics during the years prior to, and through, 2007.
The report also presents, for each of the topics discussed, a reference bibliography of international and Lebanese legislations displaying exactly what Lebanon is committed to by virtue of its ratification of international texts, as well as under its own constitution and domestic laws.
For CLDH, this is a beginning. First, because this is the first annual report on civil and political rights to be published by this organization since it was established in Beirut in 2006 by the team of the SOLIDA movement (Support of Lebanese Detained Arbitrarily). Second, because it provides a review, as complete as possible, of the status of civil and political rights in Lebanon, which will enable us, objectively over time, to assess the evolution of those rights.
The “Assessment 2007” of civi l and political rights, as established in this report, draws a damning picture, including multiple and repeated violations of Human Rights. As stated by Wadih Al-Asmar, Secretary General of CLDH, in the report’s introduction:
How can one restore the trust of a people in their State and its institutions when the latter, not only refuse to admit their guilt of the years of occupation, but also blatantly and openly continue to carry on with those same practices we had hoped would go away with the occupation?

*Rapport du CLDH sur les droits civils et politiques au Liban
Disponible pour le moment en Français
http://www.solida.org/rapports/dcp2007fr.pdf
et en Arabe http://www.solida.org/rapports/dcp2007lb.pdf
Le CLDH (Centre L ibanais des Droits Humains) sort aujourd’hui son rapport sur les droits civils et politiques au Liban en 2007.
Il s’agit d’un rapport très complet
qui aborde les thématiques suivantes : droit à la vie, détention et torture, disparitions forcées et détention au secret, la liberté d’association et de réunion pacifique, la liberté d’expression, de pensée et d’opinion, ainsi que l’administration de la justice.
Basé sur le monitoring de la presse effectué tout au long de l’année par le CLDH, et sur les informations recueillies sur le terrain par son équipe ou les autres organisations de la société civile libanaise, ce rapport retrace l’évolution de ces thématiques au cours des années précédant 2007, puis au cours de cette année.
Le rapport établit également pour chacun des thèmes abordés un référencement de la législation internationale et libana ise, qui indique précisément ce à quoi le Liban s’est engagé de par sa ratification de textes internationaux, de par sa constitution ou ses lois nationales.
Il s’agit pour le CLDH d’un point de départ. D’abord parce que c’est le premier rapport annuel sur les droits civils et politiques pour l’organisation établie à Beyrouth en 2006 par l’équipe du mouvement SOLIDA (Soutien aux Libanais Détenus Arbitrairement). Ensuite parce qu’il permet de dresser un bilan aussi complet que possible de la situation des droits civils et politiques au Liban, et permettra d’évaluer au fil du temps, avec objectivité, leur évolution.
Le « bilan 2007 » des droits civils et politiques dressé par ce rapport est assez accablant en terme de violations multiples et répétées des droits humains et, comme l’indique Wadih Al Asmar, Secrétaire Général du CLDH dans son introduction : < br />
Comment restaurer la confiance d’un peuple en son Etat et ses institutions, si ces derniers, en plus de ne pas avoir voulu effectuer leur mea culpa sur les années d’occupations, persistent et signent en perpétuant des pratiques que nous espérions révolues ?

Hizbullah can keep Lebanon's footing solid by reaching out to its rivals
By The Daily Star
Friday, June 20, 2008
A long-sought truce began in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, and the fragility of the Egyptian-brokered agreement was made plain by Israel's simultaneous launching of a highly provocative military operation in the Occupied West Bank. Perspectives varied so widely that even as both Israelis and Palestinians were expressing doubt that the cease-fire would hold, other observers were gushing about the resumption of development work in the impoverished coastal enclave, and maybe even the eventual establishment of a United Nations peacekeeping force. Much will depend on how serious the two sides are about having more than a brief lull, and therefore on how determined the United States is to start making demonstrable progress in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.
From the Lebanese perspective, the environment created by the Gaza truce presents both opportunities and risks, especially with regard to this country's hopes for a long-lasting period of political stability and the return of the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms. These two goals are inextricably linked, and as statements attributed to Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem have conveniently reminded all concerned, his government will work to ensure that Lebanon's goals are also tethered to its own, an Israeli pullout from the Golan Heights, and therefore to the situation in Gaza. Whatever the results of the particular processes involved, the fact of these interlocking factors need not be deleterious to Lebanese interests, so long as the right people here understand what is at stake.
Principally, this means Hizbullah. The resistance has made it clear, for instance, that it does not put much stock in US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's assertion that Shebaa is now a priority for Washington. Given the US record in this part of the world, all Lebanese are entitled to more than a little skepticism when it comes to the Americans' intentions - and their willingness to overcome Israeli objections. All the same, it cannot hurt to give diplomacy yet another chance to bring about Israel's long-overdue compliance with international law.
The Syrian angle is more complex. Damascus was a key ally in Hizbullah's long struggle to get Israeli occupation forces out of South Lebanon, and its weight has the potential to help Beirut in any campaign to regain Shebaa. But the resumption of Syria's former role in Lebanon is no longer in the interest of either side, and even the perception that Damascus is trying to direct traffic on the Lebanese track of any Arab-Israeli interaction is liable to stoke fear among Hizbullah's political rivals in the March 14 Forces coalition. To make matters worse, the Israelis might well be hoping for a revival of Syrian control over Lebanon because they associate it with predictability. The only way to make use of Syrian cooperation without inviting Syrian control, therefore, is for the Lebanese to put up a common front.
The bottom line is that despite the agreement reached in Doha last month, the Hizbullah offensive that prompted it has left wounds that have not healed, especially in terms of Sunni-Shiite relations. The remedy requires a concerted effort to rebuild trust, particularly with the Sunni-led Future Movement. If that can be accomplished, Lebanon will stand a much better chance of coming unscathed through whatever happens next.

Whatever Palestinians discuss, the real issue is Iran
By Saul Singer
Friday, June 20, 2008
It is not clear whether Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' recent call for "national and comprehensive dialogue" with Hamas is a significant change of position. Some PA leaders claim that the Hamas coup in Gaza must be reversed before talks can begin; others that such "political conditions" have been dropped.
What is clear is that following the ups and downs of the Hamas-Fatah relationship is a somewhat pointless exercise, since what is most important is not declarations and even talks but the power balance that underlies them.
For example, let's say that Hamas and Fatah were able to reach a modus vivendi and in some way join forces. Would all attacks against Israel cease? Would this joint Palestinian entity meet the Quartet conditions regarding recognition of Israel and ending support for terrorism? The answer to these questions will be a function not of the formal relationship between warring Palestinian entities but rather of which broad camp - the Islamists in Hamas and Hizbullah or the "nationalists" in Fatah - has the upper hand. This, in turn, will be most likely determined by forces arrayed in concentric circles outside the Palestinian-Israeli arena.
The first of these circles is the Arab world. If the Arab states, principally Egypt, exert increased pressure on Hamas - perhaps by ending the flow of weapons across the Egyptian-Gaza border - then Fatah might be willing and able to tip the Palestinian balance toward negotiations rather than aggression. But what determines the stance of the Arab states?
At Annapolis and since, we have seen that the Arab states are not happy about the rise of Iranian power and are willing to make gestures toward an American-led peace process. At the same time, these states will not, despite limited American urging to do so, significantly advance this process by setting an example and taking concrete steps toward Israel.
Egypt's ambivalent position is typical in this regard. Aside from attending Yitzhak Rabin's funeral, President Hosni Mubarak has never visited Israel. Egypt could greatly reduce or end the weapons flow into Gaza but does not. And Egypt is not above pushing for Hamas-Fatah reconciliation on terms that would not meet the Quartet's conditions and would represent a defeat for the pro-negotiations Palestinian camp.
All of this is a function partly of the historic Arab preference for a process over peace itself. But at this time it is even more related to uncertainty regarding the surrounding concentric circle, that of the struggle between Iran and the West.
So long as the Arab states see an approaching Iranian nuclear shadow on the horizon, they will not grant the West a condition that they have fought against and resisted for the past century: ending the war against Israel. The same goes for the Palestinians, whether in Hamas or Fatah.
Rather than attempting to read Palestinian tea leaves, anyone who cares about the prospects for Israeli-Palestinian peace should be looking to European capitals, to the US election in November and perhaps also to the leadership crisis in Israel. If the current too-little-too-late approach toward Iran continues, everyone knows that Iran will get the bomb, radical forces in the region will automatically be strengthened, and current peace efforts will fail - among many other negative consequences for the region and the world.
Fortunately, there is also no doubt that the situation can be changed given a modicum of willingness in the West to act upon its values and interests. While less than 1 percent of Europe's trade is with Iran, 40 percent of Iran's trade is with Europe. The Iranian regime is unpopular and vulnerable to determined economic and diplomatic isolation and, as a last resort, its nuclear program is vulnerable to military measures.
Dealing with Iran may seem like a round-about way to address an Israeli-Palestinian impasse, but the refusal to see the Iranian angle actually reveals other blinders. Granting radical Islamism a nuclear umbrella would not just end any prospects for Arab-Israeli peace but would launch a regional nuclear arms race, jack up the price of oil, spell doom for moderate Lebanese, Iraqis and Palestinians, presage attempts to destabilize Arab regimes and invite a new rash of terrorism in Western countries. No amount of putting out fires will stop a pyromaniac. While dealing with the pyromaniac may be daunting, there is no choice, and it also presents the opportunity, if successful, of advancing many situations at once. If the Iranian regime falls or is forced into a Libyan-style capitulation, the prospects for regional and global peace, freedom and security will be dramatically enhanced. It is not just the future of Israelis and Palestinians that hangs in the balance.
***Saul Singer is editorial page editor of and a columnist for The Jerusalem Post. He is on leave this year while writing a book. This commentary first appeared at bitterlemons.org, an online newsletter.

Pope Follows With Relief Lebanon Developments
Naharnet/Pope Benedict XVI called Thursday on leaders across the Middle East to work for peace, saying he had followed "with gratitude and relief" recent developments in Lebanon. The pope said he is praying "ardently" for the ability to visit the Holy Land in person. In a clear reference to the fragile truce in the Gaza Strip, which began at 0300 GMT, the pope was speaking after meeting with international Roman and Eastern Catholic leaders, including representatives from the region. "I am launching an appeal to national leaders so that the Middle East, and in particular the Land of Jesus, Lebanon and Iraq, can offer themselves peace and social stability, respecting fundamental human rights, including that of a genuine religious freedom," he said. "I am praying ardently that I will be able to visit them in person, just as I am praying that certain signs of peace, which I welcome with great confidence, will come to full fruition," he added. "Peace is the only way to tackle the serious problem of displaced persons and refugees, to put an end to the flight in particular of Christians, which so wounds the Eastern churches." The country finally elected a president and a prime minister last month government after a long stand-off and clashes between rival factions threatened to drag the country into civil war, but remains without a government. "Once again, I express the wish that Lebanon will find the courage to fulfill its vocation as an example to the Middle East and the world at large of peaceful and constructive co-existence between men," he added.(AFP) Beirut, 19 Jun 08, 20:37

Berri Speaks of Interim Cabinet
Naharnet/Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri cautioned Thursday that if obstacles facing the national unity government line-up persist an interim cabinet could be formed. Berri, in a radio interview, said politicians should look after the people's needs and not focus on the 2009 parliamentary elections.Berri said he was "hopeful regarding the government formation, especially after the meeting with President Michel Suleiman yesterday." Beirut, 19 Jun 08, 16:51

Saniora: We shouldn't Miss Benefits of the Oil Boom
Naharnet/Premier-designate Fouad Saniora said the election of President Michel Suleiman was a major step along the march to activate state institutions. Saniora, addressing the second conference of Arab Businessmen and investors, noted that Arab states, especially oil-exporting states, are achieving major economic growth.
Lebanon, due to various challenges in the past three years, has missed the chance to benefit from the Arab economic growth and "we should not miss the benefit of the ongoing boom," Saniora said. He recalled that the cabinet has adopted several measures to help the people cope with soaring prices, despite the chain of security and economic challenges. Saniora expressed hope that domestic solidarity would be achieved to facilitate the formation of a new cabinet.
He paid tribute to Beirut, saying the Lebanese capital is stronger than wounds. Beirut, 19 Jun 08, 21:12

Assad: Direct Talks with Israeli PM Meaningless, Doha Accord "Positive Change"
Naharnet/Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday said Syria-Israel indirect talks and the Arab-brokered agreement last month in the Qatari capital Doha that led to the election of Michel Suleiman as Lebanese president "were positive changes" in the region. The Doha accord ended an 18-month political stalemate between the Western-backed ruling majority and the opposition backed by Syria and Iran, giving the latter the power to veto government decision-making. However, he ruled out holding direct talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on the sidelines of an international summit to be held in Paris next month.
Assad and Olmert will be in Paris as guests of French President Nicolas Sarkozy who is to announce the launch of a new Mediterranean Union on July 13.
Last month, Syria and Israel had announced they had launched indirect peace talks, with Turkey serving as a mediator, after an eight-year freeze.
"This is not like drinking tea," Assad told reporters in New Delhi when asked about the possibility of direct talks between the two.
"The meeting between me and the Israeli prime minister will be meaningless without technocrats, who are the experts, laying the foundation," said Assad who is on a four-day state visit to India. "Only sending signals with no real result is meaningless."
His comments came after Israeli President Shimon Peres called on Syria on Sunday to enter direct talks, citing the example of former Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, who forged a peace deal with the Jewish state. Assad had said direct peace talks with Israel were unlikely before 2009 and depended on the fate of Olmert, who has been dogged by calls for his resignation over a graft scandal. The last round of negotiations broke down in 2000 over the fate of the Golan Heights, the strategic plateau which Israel seized from Syria in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and annexed in 1981 in a move not recognized by the international community.
Meanwhile, Turkey which is mediating between Syria and Israel in the indirect talks, has announced two further rounds of meetings in July after their latest session in Turkey left both sides "extremely satisfied," according to Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan. On ties with the United States, Assad said his country was always looking for good relations with Washington. "But that does not mean we have to be puppets... the role of the U.S. in the (Middle East) peace process is important. This (Bush) administration is not interested in peace. We have to wait for the next administration," he added.(AFP) Beirut, 19 Jun 08, 19:32