LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
May 15/08

Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 16,20-23.  Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.  When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. On that day you will not question me about anything. Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
The Lebanon Crisis (2): Hizbullah's Victory and its Regional Implications. By: Y. Carmon AND B. Chernitsky 15/05/08
LEBANON: A hellish experience for journalists-Los Angeles Times 14/05/08
Hezbollah calls campaign of terror in Lebanon 'liberation'-By Charles Malik, -Lebanese Political Journal 15/05/08
Lebanon's New Phase. By: Randa Takieddine 15/05/08
Lost in translation-By: Roee Nahmias 14/05/08
Are There Lebanese in Lebanon?, By: Mostafa Zein .Dar Al-Hayat 14/05/08
Amnesty International: Lebanon: Leaders must prevent human rights abuses. 13 May 2008
 
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for May 14/08
Lebanon death toll rises to 65-AFP
Gillerman: Iran positioning itself on Israel's northern border-Ynetnews
Arab mediators seek to defuse Lebanon conflict-Reuters
Hands Off Lebanon, Saud Tells Iran-Arab News
40 Army Officers Submitted their Resignation, Suleiman Rejected-Naharnet
Calm in Lebanon as Arab Delegation Due in Beirut to Try to Broker Solution-Naharnet
Hariri Sounds Alarm: Sunni-Shiite Conflict On, No Surrender to Iran and Syria-Naharnet
Lebanon calms after army ultimatum-Middle East Times
Airport Road … Hizbullah's New 'Fortress'-Naharnet
Cabinet to Meet after Talks with Arab Delegation-Naharnet
Kouchner Hints at Possible UNSC Resolution on Lebanon-Naharnet
Saniora: Pointing a Weapon at People is 'Serious'-Naharnet
British FM: Hizbullah Uprising 'Unacceptable'-Naharnet
Arslan: Nasrallah is the Guarantee-Naharnet
Gen. Suleiman: Civil War Underway-Naharnet
International Press Condemns Hizbullah Attack on Media-Naharnet
Saniora, The Money Man Facing Armed Hizbullah-Naharnet
Iran, Saudi Row over 'Support of Lebanon Coup'-Naharnet
Mustaqbal News Outlets Resume Services-Naharnet
Kuwait Reduces Diplomats in Lebanon-Naharnet
Bush, Siniora meeting uncertain-United Press International
Police seize documents at Olmert's old ministry -AFP
ISaudi Arabia warns Iran over deadly fighting in Lebanon-Daily Star
Hariri vows March 14 leaders 'will not surrender-Daily Star
Druze spiritual leader asks army to impose order-Daily Star
Deadly internal clashes pose biggest challenge yet to Siniora-AFP
Relative normalcy returns to most of Lebanon after bloodshed-Daily Star
Kuwait cuts diplomats, vows to keep embassy open-AFP
Aley MPs salute army for maintaining peace-Daily Star
French envoy denies new UN resolution in works-Daily Star
Karami urges Cabinet to step down-Daily Star
Hoss calls for removal of Beirut roadblocks-Daily Star
UNIFIL goes on with peacekeeping despite clashes-Daily Star
Hizbullah's Beirut offensive casts pall over Bush's tour-By Inter Press Service
Fighting turns lives of Lebanese upside-down-AFP
In praise of Lebanese television-Daily Star
Future TV returns to airwaves, but not to wrecked headquarters-Daily Star
Crossfire War - Syria Has Been Helping Hezbollah-Threatens Arab League-NewsBlaze

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PRESS RELEASE
http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/lebanon-leaders-must-prevent-human-rights-abuses-20080513
13 May 2008
Lebanon: Leaders must prevent human rights abuses
All political leaders in Lebanon must clearly instruct their supporters to fully respect human rights and to refrain from recklessly carrying out attacks in heavily-populated areas that endanger civilians uninvolved in the clashes, Amnesty International said today.
"They must also ensure that any person within their custody is treated humanely and is not subjected to torture or other ill-treatment."
Amnesty International called on the Lebanese authorities to ensure proper investigations into the killing and any other abuses of those not involved in the armed clashes that broke out last week between members of pro- and anti-government armed groups.
"Political leaders must ensure that anyone within their ranks suspected of having committed human rights abuses is handed over to proper judicial authorities to be investigated and brought to justice in full compliance with international human rights standards," said Amnesty International.
Amnesty International is urging representatives of Arab states who are expected to hold a meeting on the situation in Beirut on Wednesday to press all parties involved to put an end to all human rights abuses and ensure that the civilian population is spared.
Background
According to official figures, at least 62 people have died and 198 have been injured in the fighting which broke out on Wednesday 7 May in the capital Beirut, and gradually spread to other parts of the country. The fighting started when members of Hizbullah-led opposition groups clashed with pro-government forces in Beirut following government decisions to close down the group’s telecommunications network and to dismiss Beirut Airport’s head of security, who was seen as sympathetic to Hizbullah.
On Friday 9 May, whilst attempting to flee the Ras al-Naba'a area in Beirut, a 60-year old woman and her 33-year old son were killed when their car was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade followed by a salvo of bullets fired by armed men. The same day, two other sons of this woman were seriously injured when they were shot in the back by a group of armed men in the al-Nwairi area in Beirut, while on their way to find out what had happened to their mother and brother.
According to news reports, two civilians were killed at a 10 May funeral procession for a killed pro-government supporter, in Tariq al-Jdide, Beirut.
On Sunday 11 May, Hizbullah said that three of its members had been kidnapped in Aley, outside Beirut, by members of the pro-government Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) and that bodies of two of the men had been found. PSP leader Walid Jumblatt acknowledged that three Hizbullah men had been killed and that he would accept responsibility if reports that the men had been tortured before being killed were found to be true.
END/
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For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566 or email: press@amnesty.org
International Secretariat, Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW, UK
www.amnesty.org
 

Calm in Lebanon as Arab Delegation Due in Beirut to Try to Broker Solution
Naharnet: Calm prevailed over Lebanon as an Arab delegation was due in Beirut on Wednesday to try to broker a settlement to the ongoing political crisis that led to the country's worst sectarian fighting since the 1975-90 civil war.
The army stepped up patrols as part of a drive to restore order after a week of gunbattles left at least 62 people killed and 200 wounded.
Press reports said several Beirut roads, blocked with earth mounds and cement blocks since violence erupted May 7, were open to traffic on Wednesday.
Head of Beirut's southern suburbs municipalities Mohammed al-Khansa told the Voice of Lebanon radio station that "most roads leading to Dahiyeh have been re-opened.""Almost all key roads are now open to traffic," Khansa said. VOL said among the re-opened roads was the old highway to Beirut airport. Unrest erupted last Thursday after Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's government said it would investigate a Hizbullah telecommunications network and remove airport security chief Brig. Gen. Wafiq Shoqeir over his alleged links to Hizbullah. Hizbullah considered the cabinet's move as declaration of war and swiftly took over much of west Beirut, defeating pro-government gunmen. Hizbullah then handed over security to the Lebanese army, which stayed neutral in the conflict for fear of fragmenting its ranks.The army on Tuesday took over more positions held by Druze leader Walid Jumblat's Progressive Socialist Party in the mountains east of Beirut after they were attacked by Hizbullah on Sunday. Meanwhile, Lebanon braced for the arrival of an Arab delegation that is expected to discuss ways to end the political stalemate. Airport sources said told VOL th delegation is due to arrive around 12:30 pm.
Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's government will convene on Wednesday after talks with the commission, press reports said.
Saniora's office issued a statement late Tuesday announcing that the cabinet will meet on Wednesday at the Grand Serail. The Arab delegation, headed by Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani, was to assemble in Doha before flying in to Beirut on Wednesday. It will also include the foreign ministers of Algeria, Djibouti, Jordan, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Neither Egypt nor Syria, which back the Lebanese government and opposition respectively, will take part in the mission, a League official said.
The delegation is expected to hold talks with Saniora, Speaker Nabih Berri, army chief Gen. Michel Suleiman, Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, Druze leader Walid Jumblat and parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri. An Nahar said the delegation will start talks by meeting with Berri at his Beirut mansion in Ain el-Tineh. It said Berri will stress to the committee the need for the government to revoke its decisions against Hizbullah before discussing details about implementation of the Arab League initiative. An Nahar quoted Berri as saying that he would be heading dialogue in the event talks resumed, adding that he does not mind holding roundtable discussions outside Lebanon. An official from the Arab League said Monday the League had insisted that the flight land at Beirut's airport, blocked by protesters since Wednesday. Beirut, 14 May 08, 08:46

40 Army Officers Submitted their Resignation, Suleiman Rejected
The Lebanese army's deputy chief intelligence Brig. Gen. Ghassan Balaa and some 40 officers loyal to the government have submitted their resignation in protest of "the way the military handled the latest violence in Lebanon," press reports said Wednesday. They said army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman, however, has rejected their resignation after summoning some of them. This is what prompted Suleiman to tell his officers that no regular force can contain what Lebanon had experienced -- a civil war. Suleiman reportedly made the remarks in messages addressed to all army officers, in the first such practice in the history of the military establishment. "What has happened in the streets of Lebanon is a real civil war that no national army in the world can confront. Major states encountered such wars and its armies could not contain the fight," Suleiman's message said. Such armies had been "disintegrated," Suleiman noted.
"We should not permit outbreak of the civil war," Suleiman told the officers. However, he noted that containing a civil war can be achieved by political efforts.
Suleiman said goodwill efforts exerted both domestically and outside Lebanon could result in "settlements to the crisis. We hope such settlements would be reached soon." Beirut, 14 May 08, 11:11

40 Army Officers Submitted their Resignation, Suleiman Rejected
Naharnet: The Lebanese army's deputy chief intelligence Brig. Gen. Ghassan Balaa and some 40 officers loyal to the government have submitted their resignation in protest of "the way the military handled the latest violence in Lebanon," press reports said Wednesday. They said army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman, however, has rejected their resignation after summoning some of them. This is what prompted Suleiman to tell his officers that no regular force can contain what Lebanon had experienced -- a civil war. Suleiman reportedly made the remarks in messages addressed to all army officers, in the first such practice in the history of the military establishment. "What has happened in the streets of Lebanon is a real civil war that no national army in the world can confront. Major states encountered such wars and its armies could not contain the fight," Suleiman's message said. Such armies had been "disintegrated," Suleiman noted. "We should not permit outbreak of the civil war," Suleiman told the officers. However, he noted that containing a civil war can be achieved by political efforts.
Suleiman said goodwill efforts exerted both domestically and outside Lebanon could result in "settlements to the crisis. We hope such settlements would be reached soon." Beirut, 14 May 08, 11:11

Hariri Sounds Alarm: Sunni-Shiite Conflict On, No Surrender to Iran and Syria
Naharnet: Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri announced that the Majority would not sign a "document of surrender" to Syria and Iran and warned that Hizbullah's attack on Beirut has started a Sunni-Shiite conflict. Hariri, addressing a press conference at his Qoreitem Palace in Beirut Tuesday, said any dialogue with the Hizbullah-led opposition should be topped by one topic, which is the "martyrs" and victims who fell during the offensive that Beirut has faced.
"We were expecting open war on Israel, but the open war was launched on Beirut," Hariri said. "Did Beirut assassinate Imad Mughniyeh?" he asked.
Hariri said Hizbullah launched its attack upon instructions from Iran and Syria. He charged that the Sunni-Shiite confrontation has started and called for containing it before it explodes into all out civil war. The citizens, according to Hariri, "protected the army unity."
Hariri accused Hizbullah and its allies of "committing a crime under the pretext of defending the resistance and now they are using resistance weapons against the people.""History would not have mercy on champions of the Sunni-Shiite confrontation," Hariri declared. "The attack couldn't have happened without an Israeli cover," Hariri charged and asked: "how did thousands of fighters move from the south to Beirut?""This is the first indication to a Syrian-Israeli rapprochement," he added. "They want Saad Hariri, (Progressive Socialist Party leader) Walid Jumblat and all the March 14 forces to approve the return of the Syrian regime to Lebanon, but this would not happen. This is impossible," Hariri declared.
He said: "We did not fight. We are not good at civil wars. This is an honor."
Hariri stressed that "item number one on any dialogue agenda should be the security of Beirut, the mountain, the north and all Lebanese areas."
"Dialogue has no meaning if weapons are pointed at the Lebanese," he added. Hariri reiterated that "we had placed the two (government) decisions in the hands of the Army command and we are committed to the Army Command's statement." He said the Arab ministerial committee is welcome in Lebanon "through Beirut Airport and I hope it would succeed in safeguarding Lebanon the ordeals imposed by the Syrian and Iranian regimes."
He repeated that "the Sunni-Shiite conflict is on."Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman remains the consensus presidential candidate," Hariri added. Beirut, 13 May 08, 19:20

Cabinet to Meet after Talks with Arab Delegation
Naharnet: Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's government will convene on Wednesday after talks with an Arab delegation in Beirut on ways to end the Lebanon crisis which has spilled onto the streets, leaving at least 62 people killed and 200 wounded. Saniora's office late Tuesday issued a statement announcing that the cabinet will meet on Wednesday at the Grand Serail. The delegation, headed by Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani, was to assemble in Doha before flying in to Beirut on Wednesday. It will also include the foreign ministers of Algeria, Djibouti, Jordan, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Neither Egypt nor Syria, which back the Lebanese government and opposition respectively, will take part in the mission, a League official said.
The delegation is expected to hold talks with Saniora, Speaker Nabih Berri, army chief Gen. Michel Suleiman, Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, Druze leader Walid Jumblat and parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri. An official from the Arab League said Monday the League had insisted that the flight land at Beirut's airport, blocked by protesters since Wednesday.(AP photo shows Hizbullah supporters smoking as they sit on the highway leading to Beirut airport)
Beirut, 14 May 08, 07:18

Kouchner Hints at Possible UNSC Resolution on Lebanon
Naharnet: French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said a draft resolution aimed at ending the Lebanon crisis is likely to be presented to the United Nations, the daily An Nahar reported Wednesday. "A draft resolution, which is still not entirely complete, could be proposed to the Security Council," Kouchner said.
He said he was not willing to launch a new effort towards a settlement to the ongoing deadlock before "I see the outcome of the Arab League task."
Kouchner uncovered that he is preparing for a visit to Lebanon upon a request from French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Beirut, 14 May 08, 06:12

Saniora: Pointing a Weapon at People is 'Serious'
Naharnet: Prime Minister Fouad Saniora has congratulated Future television employees after the station, forced off the air by Hizbullah last Friday, resumed broadcasting on Tuesday. "Your work says freedom of speech is against weapons," Saniora told FTV employees in a televised address. "Only the Lebanese Army and security forces should have weapons to protect the society in line with the law," Saniora stressed. Describing as "serious" pointing weapons at Lebanese, Saniora confirmed weapons deployed in Beirut are also deployed elsewhere. "We do not accept and would not accept the deployment of weapons in Beirut," he warned, adding that "we should not allow anyone to drag us into internal confrontation." Beirut, 14 May 08, 06:01

British FM: Hizbullah Uprising 'Unacceptable'
Naharnet: Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Tuesday branded Hizbullah 's uprising in Lebanon "completely unacceptable" as he renewed Britain's support for the country's government. A precarious calm has returned to Lebanon after the army warned it could use force to restore order after six days of sectarian bloodshed between supporters of the Western-backed government and Hizbullah-led opposition fighters. Miliband said in parliament: "The attempt to disrupt the working of the government of the Lebanon, the full frontal challenge to the government from Hizbullah is completely unacceptable, or should be unacceptable, to the whole of the international community." Miliband was asked for assurances that military preparations were being made for the evacuation of 5,000 British citizens and their dependants from the troubled state. He said: "In respect of practical support, that has to be military but also economic and political for the existing government of (Prime Minister) Fouad Saniora. "I will continue to offer that political support, as I did to him personally on Friday."
U.S. President George Bush said Washington would help Saniora by strengthening his armed forces.
The fighting, which has left at least 62 people dead and close to 200 wounded, is the worst sectarian unrest since the 1975-1990 civil war and has stoked fears the country was headed for another all-out conflict.(AFP)

Arslan: Nasrallah is the Guarantee
Naharnet: MP Talal Arslan has described Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah as an "Arab, Islamic and ethical guarantee."
Arslan, addressing a press conference on Tuesday, said Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has assigned Raja Harb to coordinate with the Army its deployment in the mountain region. He called for speeding up the turning over of medium-range weapons to facilitate implementation of his initiative between Hizbullah and the Druze community. Beirut, 13 May 08, 21:19

Gen. Suleiman: Civil War Underway
Naharnet: Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman has reportedly told his officers that Lebanon experienced a civil war that no regular force can contain.
The Central News Agency said Suleiman made the remarks in messages addressed to all army officers, in the first such practice in the history of the military establishment. "What has happened in the streets of Lebanon is a real civil war that no national army in the world can confront. Major states encountered such wars and its armies could not contain the fight," Suleiman's message said. Such armies had been "disintegrated," Suleiman noted. "We should not permit outbreak of the civil war," Suleiman told his officers. However, he noted that containing a civil war can be achieved by political efforts. Suleiman said goodwill efforts exerted both domestically and outside Lebanon could result in "settlements to the crisis. We hope such settlements would be reached soon." Beirut, 13 May 08, 21:16

International Press Condemns Hizbullah Attack on Media
Naharnet: The International Press Institute, a media watchdog, on Tuesday strongly condemned the attacks on media in Lebanon during the past six days of sectarian bloodshed. The recent eruption "of full-fledged armed clashes between pro-government and opposition militiamen in Lebanon included several attacks on both journalists and media outlet offices," the watchdog said in a statement. Hizbullah last Friday forced the shutdown of all media belonging to the family of parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri, amid fierce sectarian clashes in the capital. Six reporters have been injured covering the violence, according to the IPI.
"IPI condemns the recent attacks in the strongest possible terms, and calls on all parties involved to refrain from targeting the media," said its director David Dadge.
"It is vital that the media is able to ensure that the public remains informed of ongoing events, particularly in times of political upheaval."Hariri's Future TV station and its sister news channel resumed broadcasting on Tuesday outside of Beirut. A radio station owned by the Hariri family also resumed broadcasting.(AFP)

Saniora, The Money Man Facing Armed Hizbullah
Naharnet: Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Saniora is a financier turned politician now facing the toughest challenge of his career as he battles to steer his deeply divided nation away from all-out civil war. Described as "tough" and a "good guy" by U.S. President George Bush but a U.S. puppet by his foes, Saniora has so far managed to survive a tumultuous 34 months in power despite being effectively confined to his Beirut headquarters.
He has held on to the reins despite a blistering war between Israel and Hizbullah in 2006, a string of attacks on anti-Syrian critics, a deadly standoff with Islamist militiamen and a paralyzing political feud. But the former right-hand man to slain Premier Rafik Hariri is now grappling with the worst sectarian unrest since the 1975-1990 civil war after the most brazen challenge yet to his rule by the Hizbullah-led opposition. Rumors he could step down spread through the opposition media as the death toll from six days of street battles pitting gunmen from Hizbullah and its Shiite allies against loyalists of the Sunni-led government topped 60. In his first public comments on the violence on Saturday, Saniora said his government would not be cowed by Hizbullah's action after the powerful Shiite group seized control of mainly Muslim west Beirut.
"Your country would not succumb to those behind this coup and the Lebanese people will not allow the return of hegemony and terrorism," he told the nation.
Saniora, who enjoys the backing of Sunni-ruled Arab states such as regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia as well as the West, has largely kept a statesmanlike calm in the rough and tumble of Lebanon's divisive politics and sectarian unrest.
But from the confines of his high-security headquarters, he has a near constant reminder of the crisis wracking Lebanon, as his office windows look out on to the protest tents set up by Hizbullah in late 2006 at the start of its campaign that has all but crippled the government.
"I'd advise the world to maintain backing Saniora. He's a good guy," Bush told a group of Israeli journalists in Washington on the eve of his trip to the region.
"He's tough and he's in a really tough situation. I admire him," said Bush, who also praised Saniora and the Lebanese army for crushing a rebellion in 2007 by Islamists in a Palestinian refugee camp in north Lebanon. Saniora, 64, was thrown into the limelight after five-time prime minister Hariri was killed in a bomb blast in February 2005 that was widely blamed on Syria and was followed by a wave of attacks on prominent Damascus critics.
Hariri's son and heir, the current parliament majority leader Saad Hariri, chose his father's close aide to lead the government, with the post of prime minister reserved for a Sunni Muslim. Saniora formed his cabinet in July 2005 after anti-Syrian MPs swept legislative polls that later saw politicians from the Damascus and Tehran-backed Hizbullah take a seat in the cabinet for the first time.
But ever since, he has faced an uphill battle against the opposition, which pulled out its ministers in November 2006 in a move that set off the latest political crisis.
Hizbullah gained ground after its 34-day war with Israel in which 1,200 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, were killed.
Saniora broke down in tears as he appealed to Arab foreign ministers not to allow his country to remain a "punch bag" for Israel. The episode became a character-revealing moment for his Shiite and Christian detractors who accused him of not standing up to Israeli aggression.
The latest confrontation erupted when the government decided to probe Hizbullah's communication network and to reassign the head of airport security over claims he was close to the group. Saniora has also angered the pro-Syrian opposition over the government's backing of the creation of an international court to try suspects into Hariri's murder.
A fluent English-speaker, Saniora served as finance minister under Hariri. He was a friend of the late tycoon for some 45 years, benefiting from his meteoric rise from rags to riches. Critics have blamed him for the 41-billion-dollar debt Lebanon built up during his terms of office between 1992 and 1998, and 2000 and 2004. He was also accused of mismanagement, corruption and wasting public funds in 1998 but was later acquitted by parliament.
Born into a Sunni Muslim family in the southern port city of Sidon, Saniora is now married with three children and is a practicing Muslim. A devotee of Arabic literature, he writes poetry and is a fan of classical music.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 13 May 08, 20:10

Iran, Saudi Row over 'Support of Lebanon Coup'
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal on Tuesday warned Iran over the crisis in Lebanon and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad responded by saying the chief of Saudi diplomacy may have "spoken in anger.""I hope what you have quoted him as saying is not correct," Ahmadinejad said in response to a question about Faisal's warning that Iranian relations with the Arab world would be affected if Tehran was supporting what he described as a "coup" in Lebanon.
"We think it could have been out of anger and we will wait until his anger has cooled down and then we will talk," Ahmadinejad said.
"We do not know how much his views are in line with King Abdullah's," he said. "We will not respond out of respect for King Abdullah."
The comments from Faisal, whose country is a strong backer of the Western-backed government in Lebanon, came after six days of deadly fighting between Shiite opposition groups led by the Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hizbullah and government allies.
Al-Faisal warned on Tuesday that Iran's relations with the Arab world would be affected if Tehran was supporting what he described as a "coup" in Lebanon.
"Iran's relations with all Arab countries -- if not all Islamic (countries) -- would be affected if Iran was supporting the coup that took place in Lebanon," Faisal told reporters."The kingdom calls again upon all regional parties to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and independence, and to stop meddling in its internal affairs and poking sectarian unrest," he said.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 13 May 08, 19:51

Iran, Saudi Row over 'Support of Lebanon Coup'
Naharnet: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal on Tuesday warned Iran over the crisis in Lebanon and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad responded by saying the chief of Saudi diplomacy may have "spoken in anger."
"I hope what you have quoted him as saying is not correct," Ahmadinejad said in response to a question about Faisal's warning that Iranian relations with the Arab world would be affected if Tehran was supporting what he described as a "coup" in Lebanon.
"We think it could have been out of anger and we will wait until his anger has cooled down and then we will talk," Ahmadinejad said.
"We do not know how much his views are in line with King Abdullah's," he said. "We will not respond out of respect for King Abdullah."
The comments from Faisal, whose country is a strong backer of the Western-backed government in Lebanon, came after six days of deadly fighting between Shiite opposition groups led by the Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hizbullah and government allies.Al-Faisal warned on Tuesday that Iran's relations with the Arab world would be affected if Tehran was supporting what he described as a "coup" in Lebanon. "Iran's relations with all Arab countries -- if not all Islamic (countries) -- would be affected if Iran was supporting the coup that took place in Lebanon," Faisal told reporters.
"The kingdom calls again upon all regional parties to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and independence, and to stop meddling in its internal affairs and poking sectarian unrest," he said.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 13 May 08, 19:51

Mustaqbal News Outlets Resume Services
The Future TV station of Lebanese parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri, forced off the air by Hizbullah last week, resumed broadcasting on Tuesday.
Future TV and its sister news channel went on the air at 4:30 pm (1330 GMT) from studios based in the Christian Sin el-Fil neighborhood, in time for a press conference by Hariri. A radio station owned by the Hariri family also resumed broadcasting from the same location and a newspaper shut down by the militant group was to appear again on Wednesday. Hizbullah, backed by Iran and Syria, opposes the majority government of Premier Fouad Saniora.
Hassan Nasrallah's Hizbullah and allied militias forced the shutdown of all media belonging to Hariri's family amid fierce sectarian clashes in the capital.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 13 May 08, 19:49

Kuwait Reduces Diplomats in Lebanon
Naharnet: Kuwait decided on Tuesday to reduce the number of diplomats in its mission in Beirut but the embassy will remain open, the official KUNA news agency quoted the Kuwaiti ambassador as saying. "Due to the situation in Beirut and the continued blockade of roads and the difficulty of movement... we have decided to reduce the number of Kuwaiti diplomats," Abdulaal al-Qenai said. But Qenai insisted the embassy would remain open and that he would stay in the Lebanese capital despite the deadly fighting that has shaken Beirut and other parts of the country for almost a week. He said the embassy has already evacuated around 800 Kuwaitis and Arabs residing in Kuwait but a "few Kuwaitis decided to stay in Lebanon."(AFP) Beirut, 13 May 08, 14:04

Bush Arrives in Israel, Hails Alliance to Confront Terrorism
U.S. President George Bush on Wednesday opened a celebratory visit to Israel where he'll make a new push for peace in the long-troubled Middle East. "We consider the Holy Land a very special place, and we consider the Israeli people our close friends," Bush said.
The president arrived in Tel Aviv, then flew by helicopter to Jerusalem for events Wednesday and Thursday marking the 60th anniversary of Israel's birth.
"Our two nations both faced great challenges when they were founded," he said. "And our two nations have both relied on the same principles to help us succeed. We built strong democracies to protect the freedoms given to us by an almighty God. ... and we built an enduring alliance to confront terrorists and tyrants."
First on his itinerary were meetings with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who greeted him and first lady Laura Bush at Ben Gurion International Airport. Bush reached in to give a hug to Olmert, the target of a corruption probe.
Olmert, the subject of a campaign finance investigation that could push him from office, gave assurances to a senior U.S. official as Bush arrived in Israel. "Holding on, holding on, don't worry," Olmert told Bush's national security adviser, Stephen Hadley, at the airport. The remarks were picked up by broadcasters' microphones. Bush, who also visited Israel in January, is set to speak Wednesday night at a conference in Jerusalem celebrating Israel's 60th anniversary. The conference, convened by Peres, includes international figures like former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and an array of Jewish Nobel laureates, including writer and Holocaust survivor Eli Wiesel. Both Peres and Olmert thanked Bush as Israel's ally like no other.
"Mr. President, you stood like nobody else on our side in sunny mornings and stormy weather," Peres said. "Your presence here permits us something that we really wanted to do, and that is to celebrate a real thanksgiving party to the United States from the depth of our heart."
Olmert underscored the strength of the U.S.-Israeli relations.
"Throughout the years, the strategic alliance with America has become one of the fundamental pillars of our national security. The bond between our people has grown deeper and stronger with time," Olmert said. "America has been there at each and every important crossroad in the life of our young country and stood by us in times of hope and moments of crisis."The Palestinians are marking a different sort of 60th anniversary, that which they call the "nakba," or catastrophe, the word they use to describe Israel's establishment which resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Hadley suggested that Bush might acknowledge the Palestinian view of the milestone when marking the Jewish state's birthday. "We are going to Israel to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel, and that is a great event," he said. "We also recognize that resulted in hardship for many Palestinian people."
Bush has expressed some optimism that an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement would be struck before his term ends while holding out little hope for a major breakthrough during this trip. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday that reaching such a deal within the next eight months "might be improbable but it's not impossible."
At the Qalandia military checkpoint next to Jerusalem, a few dozen Palestinians threw stones at Israeli police. Police said they responded with riot control tactics, and the force was seen firing tear gas at the crowd.
In the West Bank city of Nablus, soldiers flung tear gas to disperse a small crowd of protesters approaching an Israeli checkpoint on the town's edge.
In the Gaza Strip, the ruling Hamas militant group, which the U.S. and Israel consider a terrorist group, called the Bush visit a "bad omen."
"No greetings to you, Bush, on our holy land," said Hamas strongman Mahmoud Zahar. "Your people will punish you one day."
After Israel, Bush will go to Saudi Arabia where he promises to press King Abdullah to increase oil production to ease soaring costs on consumers. Bush made a similar plea in January but it was ignored.
The president's final stop will be at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, where he will meet over two days with a handful of leaders: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, Jordan's King Abdullah II and Iraqi leaders. Bush also is scheduled to meet with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Saniora.(AP) Beirut, 14 May 08, 13:27

Former Kuwait Emir Passes Away
A former emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Saad Abdullah al-Sabah, has died after a long illness, the royal court announced on Tuesday in a statement broadcast by state television. He was 78. He will be laid to rest on Wednesday morning, the statement said. The already ailing Sheikh Saad succeeded to the throne in 2006 after the death of his predecessor, Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah. He was then deposed by parliament after only nine days on health grounds. Born in 1930, Sheikh Saad was the eldest son of the late Sheikh Abdullah al-Salem al-Sabah, the 11th emir of Kuwait, known as the father of independence and the constitution. He was Kuwait's crown prince between 1977 and 2006. He was also prime minister between 1977 and 2003 when he relinquished the post due to poor health. Sheikh Saad received his basic education in Kuwait before joining Hendon police college in London, where he attended specialist courses in police and security affairs until 1954. He held various posts in the Kuwaiti police and public security services until 1959, when he was appointed deputy director of the police and public security department. He remained in that post until 1961. In January 1962, Sheikh Saad was appointed interior minister in the first Kuwaiti cabinet after independence from Britain the previous year. In 1964, he was also put in charge of defence. In early 1997, he underwent colon surgery. He had since traveled repeatedly to Britain and the United States for tests and treatment as his health deteriorated. He was married to his immediate cousin Sheikha Latifa. He has one son, Fahd, and three surviving daughters. Two other daughters have died.(AFP) Beirut, 13 May 08, 21:13

Are There Lebanese in Lebanon?
Mostafa Zein Al-Hayat - 13/05/08//
Once again, the Lebanese are waging a proxy war. Once again, during more or less than two decades (wars can eliminate or concentrate time), the Arab and international tension is exploding in Lebanon, so that a total confrontation can be deterred. Once again, Lebanon's confessions are ready to play the role of colonies that live in one place, while their feelings, if not loyalties, lie elsewhere. At the end of the 1960s and the beginning of the 1970s, the Arab (and international) failure was the direct reason behind the eruption of the Lebanese civil war. The Arab defeat of June 1967 divided the Arab world into two camps: one calling for peace with Israel, so long as the Arab unity projects were leading nowhere, and another insisting on the priority of continuing the struggle with the Jewish state. Due to reasons of history and geography, the struggle spread to Lebanon.
At the time, the 1967 defeat and quasi-victory in the October 1973 War were a reason for the division in Arab ranks. The Arabs were unable to deal with the victory, even though it was only a partial one. Lebanon turned into an arena where scores were settled among all sides. The national-leftist-Palestinian alliance had ramifications into the Arab and international arenas (the Soviet Union was still powerful at the time), and was facing off against the right-wing alliance, which also had Arab and international extensions, reaching as far as the United States, via Israel.
The civil war erupted and claimed its victims. A class of war profiteers emerged. The conflict ended only with an Arab consensus that was reached with Syria, with America's blessing, and after Israel's occupation of and exit from Beirut, to set up a "security zone" near its borders - this area is now in the custody of United Nations forces as per the UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
The weakness of the Lebanese state and its inability (or reluctance) to pay attention to the occupation of South Lebanon, and the Arab-Arab conflict (especially the Egyptian-Syrian rivalry) during the War of Attrition, the visit by Sadat to Jerusalem and the Camp David peace agreement - all of these factors prolonged the civil war and allowed Iran to extend its influence into Lebanon. These factors produced the phenomenon of Hezbollah, which efficiently took up the cause of defending the South. The resistance became the exclusive province of a single sect, after the parties of the Lebanese National Movement had taken up this task, with limited success.
Today, conditions have changed, in Lebanese and Arab terms. The dispute inside and over Lebanon, with its Arab and international dimensions, has once again divided Lebanon's confessions (or colonies). Certainly, the Iranian dimension is no longer an incidental one. It has deepened division and given the conflict a sectarian cast, instead of a national or political one (left, right, resistance or peace). This is the most dangerous element begot by the current war.
If the 1967 defeat and the 1973 partial victory produced the first civil war, the total Arab defeat and Iran's victory in Iraq are the basis of the current crisis, and particularly following the Saudi-Syrian row, Jordan and Egypt's lining up with Riyadh, and the failure of all attempts, including isolation and temptation, to move Damascus away from Tehran. It is no longer a secret that Iran is using the Palestinian and Lebanese cards in its struggle with the US. Iran's interests coincide with those of Syria, which sees Beirut as its backyard and a principal threat to its security. The proof here, according to a leading Syrian official, is the way in which the country's army exited Lebanon. Also, the Lebanese lobby in Washington, in coordination with AIPAC, sought to issue a congressional resolution for Lebanon's "liberation," while Beirut hosted the Syrian opposition "Damascus Declaration" group.
The Lebanese and Syrians committed a mistake after the end of the civil war because they deepened the phenomenon of sectarian quotas and religious division; today we are paying the price. We will repeat this mistake in any new agreement, even if it takes into consideration the country's new demographic realities, since everyone is still committed to a federal sectarian system. Hence the question: Are there truly any Lebanese left in Lebanon?

Bush, Siniora meeting uncertain
Published: May 13, 2008 at 3:17 PM
Print story Email to a friend Font size:WASHINGTON, May 13 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush would like to meet with embattled Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora but the outlook is uncertain, the White House said Tuesday. Bush wants to meet with Siniora in Egypt later in the week. However, Lebanon has been torn by civil war and the Hezbollah militia and reports say Siniora might not be able to get back into the country if he leaves to meet the U.S. president.
"I think the president would certainly like to meet him while he's there in Egypt but obviously there's considerations that have to be taken into account," White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said. "And so we'll keep you updated as those developments occur." Perino rejected criticism in Lebanon and elsewhere that the United States has avoided taking a strong stand on the fighting in Lebanon.Monday night, "we issued a statement by the president condemning Hezbollah's action and pledging our continued support," Perino said, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has also issued a strong statement of support.

Lost in translation
Hizbullah slams 'Siniora's ties with Israel' after misinterpreting article by Israeli columnist Nahum Barnea
By: Roee Nahmias
Published: 05.13.08, 23:51 / Israel News
Reading comprehension lessons, anyone? Hizbullah's television station rushed to warn its viewers about the close ties between Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and Israel, following a flawed interpretation of an article written by Yedioth Ahronoth columnist Nahum Barnea.
In his article, Barnea was aiming to criticize Israel's domestic political scene and used the situation in Lebanon as a metaphor. The essence of his argument was that the process undergone by Israel in recent years could lead to a situation whereby the government would not be able to exercise its power, as is the case in Lebanon.
"One day we will wake up and discover that our prime minister is Fouad Siniora," Barnea wrote, but then quickly clarified: "Maybe not Siniora himself, but rather, a Siniora-twin: Someone who orders the army to operate, but the army chief ignores him and the troops remain in their barracks…someone who needs to resort to tears, to outside help, or alternately to the mercy of God in order to exercise State authority."
Several Lebanese websites proceeded to translate a summary of the article, and used the first sentence about Siniora as the headline.
This was apparently enough for the editor on shift at al-Manar, Hizbullah's television station, who rushed to post a breaking news bulletin at the bottom of the screen implying that Yedioth's story was an Israeli admission of the close ties between Jerusalem and Siniora.
While the false interpretation of Barnea's article makes for an amusing story, it also serves to demonstrate Hizbullah's keenness to smear Siniora and the anti-Syrian camp in Lebanon at all cost. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3542996,00.html
 

The Lebanon Crisis (2): Hizbullah's Victory and its Regional Implications
By: Y. Carmon AND B. Chernitsky
Introduction
The immediate surrender of the Lebanese government and the March 14 Forces to Hizbullah's demands, after they were taken by surprise by the force and determination of Hizbullah's and Amal's violent actions, has not alleviated the Lebanon crisis. On the contrary: The Hizbullah and Amal victory, which Iran is presenting as its own victory over the U.S. in the region, [1] will step up pressure for regime change in Lebanon. Such a change, when it comes, will have a critical impact on the security of the Arab regimes allied with the U.S. and on the security of Israel, which will then face Iranian forces on its northern border as well as the possibility of a unified front stretching from Iran through Iraq to Syria and Lebanon, all the way to the Mediterranean.
Hizbullah and Amal, which are continuing their violent attacks against the militias of Sa'd Al-Hariri and Walid Jumblatt in northern Lebanon and in the Lebanon Mountains while maintaining their control over most of Beirut, are focusing their political pressure on the Lebanese government in order to force it to resign. A former MP affiliated with the opposition, Wiyam Wahhab, called on the Lebanese Army to seize the government building, the Saraya, from Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Al-Siniora, whom he accused of rebelling against the constitution. [2] The Druze head of the opposition-affiliated Lebanese Democratic Party called on Jumblatt's supporters to immediately surrender their weapons to the Lebanese Army in order to prevent renewed hostilities in the Lebanon Mountains. [3]
In an interview with the London daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi, Jumblatt said that Hizbullah and Iran had triumphed in the Beirut operation, and that "Hizbullah had made its move as soon as it detected a weakness in the U.S. position in the Middle East, thereby effecting a drastic change in the power balance in Lebanon." He continued, "Now we are waiting for Hizbullah, Iran, and Syria to determine the rules of the game." [4]
On May 12, 2008, an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers convened in Cairo. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Mu'allem did not attend, in line with a Syria-Qatar agreement to prevent Arab intervention against Hizbullah by terming events in Lebanon a "domestic issue" in which the Arab League should not interfere. At the meeting, Saudi Arabia and Egypt intended to condemn Hizbullah and to initiate the establishment of an inter-Arab force to be deployed in Lebanon. However, their plans were thwarted by Syria and Qatar.
An Arab source told the London daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that a Syrian representative had bullied the countries supporting this initiative, saying: "Do you think your planes will be [allowed to] land in Beirut if you condemn Hizbullah?" [5] Instead, the Arab ministers decided to establish an inter-Arab committee, headed by Qatar's prime minister and foreign minister, to hold talks with all sides in Lebanon. The fact that Qatar, which is an integral part of the Iran-Syria-Hizbullah axis, was appointed to head this committee attests to the helplessness of Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and points to increased inter-Arab pressure on the Lebanese government and the March 14 Forces.
At the same time, Saudi Arabia and Egypt have continued their media attacks on Hizbullah, Syria, and Iran. Following are excerpts from these attacks:
Criticism by Saudi Government Officials
During the Arab foreign ministers' meeting, Saudi Foreign Minister Sa'ud Al-Faisal compared Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah to former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, saying that "they both had agreed to invade Beirut." He added: "The legitimate government in Lebanon is facing a large-scale war, [and] we cannot stand idly by." He also said that "Iran has undertaken to run that war" and that "Hizbullah intended to forcibly [transform] Lebanon into a state with a 'rule of the jurisprudent.'" He further stated: "We must do everything in our power to end this war and to save Lebanon, even if this would involve forming an Arab force to rapidly deploy throughout Lebanon, to restore its security and defend the current legitimate government." [6]
Saudi MPs likewise harshly criticized Hizbullah, accusing Nasrallah of attempting to drag Lebanon towards civil war, in accordance with Iran's agenda. MP Sa'ud Al-Shammari warned about the consequences of "Iranian expansion in Arab countries, which are evident in Yemen, Iraq, and Lebanon." Another MP, Dr. Khalil Al-Khalil, said, "60 years after the Palestinian Nakba, we are now faced with another Nakba, in Beirut." [7]
Criticism in the Saudi Press
Editor of the London daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat Tariq Al-Homayed wrote that as soon as Hizbullah turned its guns on Lebanon, the myth of Hizbullah came to an end. He added that when Hizbullah declared war on the Lebanese government, Nasrallah's true nature was revealed, and when he captured Beirut, it became clear that all Hizbullah's talk about "resistance" was nothing but crude lies and a cover-up. Al-Homayed further stated that the current situation in Lebanon proved that the disarming of Hizbullah was inevitable, as was the imposition of strict government rule across the country, to replace the rule of Hizbullah, Iran, and Syria. [8]
In another op-ed, Al-Homayed condemned Hizbullah and Amal, arguing that their actions were motivated by foreign interests. He referred to photos released by several news agencies showing Amal and Hizbullah fighters trampling and setting fire to posters of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Al-Hariri and putting up posters of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in their stead. He said that these photos should be a warning to everyone in the Arab world who has not yet woken up to reality - since they symbolize the characteristics of an Iranian state, the representatives of which are toiling to sow them throughout the Arab world. [9]
In yet another op-ed, following the Arab foreign ministers' meeting, [10] Al-Homayed severely criticized what he called "the cowardly Arabs," i.e. the Arab countries which could not decide where to stand in the clash between the axis of the radical countries and the bloc of moderate countries. He wrote: "How long will these countries fear?... Now that Beirut has fallen into the hands of Iran, and Fuad Al-Siniora's government is under siege... the Arabs have no choice but to confront Iran... because [they had better know] that that which they fear today will happen tomorrow. Iran's [influence] is spreading throughout all the Arab countries, and it is imperative that the Arabs stand fast against the collapse of the Arab states and uphold them from being torn apart from within..."
Senior Al-Sharq Al-Awsat columnist Mamoun Fandy dubbed Beirut "Gaza No. 2" and asked: "Shall we wait for a third Arab city to turn into 'Gaza No. 3' - whether in Bahrain, Jordan or Egypt? If Iran traps another Arab country, this could very well precipitate the collapse of the entire Arab system. 'Gaza No. 3' will be the point where the scale tips, when we will be drawn not into a local but into a regional civil war, [i.e.] a war between Sunnis and Shi'ites..." [11]
In his column in the London daily Al-Hayat, Jamil Al-Dhiyabi claimed that there was no difference between the actions of the Taliban in Afghanistan in the 1990s and those of Hizbullah in Lebanon today. He wrote: "Hizbullah's fig leaf fell when Nasrallah's intentions and the Iranian agenda were exposed. Syria is laughing and showing its white teeth, because it has gained a new partner - Qatar. It declares that what is currently going on in Lebanon is a domestic issue, while Hizbullah is flying its banners and putting up posters on roofs and in [government] institutions... The time is ripe to think up a way to disarm Hizbullah, in accordance with U.N. resolutions No. 1559 and 1701 - especially since Hizbullah has aimed its weapons at Lebanon and organized a coup against its government and its people...
"The actions of Nasrallah's militias will transform Lebanon into another Iraq. Security and stability will vanish from the streets of Beirut, and the gates will open for the allies of Al-Qaeda, Fath Al-Islam, and so on to become more powerful... Lebanon urgently needs an Arab or an international defense force... to restore the rule to the government so as to enable it to withstand Syria and Iran." [12]
Criticism in the Egyptian Government Press
The Egyptian government dailies were also harshly critical of Hizbullah. For example, in an article in Al-Gumhouriyya, the paper's editor and MP Muhammad Ali Ibrahim attacked Nasrallah, against the backdrop of Hizbullah's takeover of Lebanon. [13] Ibrahim wrote that Nasrallah was a new example of "Islamic fascism"... whose other representatives are Hamas leader Khaled Mash'al in Gaza and Muslim Brotherhood General Guide Mahdi 'Akef in Egypt, and added that this fascism's main aims were to institute the political agenda of its funders, to topple the "secular" states, and to establish an Islamic Caliphate, even over the dead bodies of the citizens of Lebanon, Egypt, or any other "secular" state.
In another op-ed, [14] Ibrahim wrote that Hizbullah was no longer legitimate, and no longer had a right to exist. He stated that Hizbullah had enjoyed legitimacy in the past due to its resistance to Israel, but that its historic role had played out with the surrender of the Israeli occupation and its forcing of the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000. From that moment, Ibrahim wrote, it would have been appropriate for the militias to become a political party - but instead Hizbullah became a state within a state and an ally of Syria and Iran against Lebanon's interests. Ibrahim added that at the same time, Hassan Nasrallah had lost his legitimacy, and that by 2006, the hero of 2000 had become less heroic, and by 2008 he had become a murderer. [15]
*Y. Carmon is President of MEMRI; B. Chernitsky is a research fellow at MEMRI.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] Iranian Ambassador to Syria Ahmad Moussavi, who is also advisor to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said that the U.S. had finally realized that "their own and Israel's plots in the Middle East are facing a succession of humiliating setbacks" (IRNA, Iran, May 13, 2005). For Iran's position in the crisis, see MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 1924, "Iranian Papers on the Events in Lebanon: 'In the Power Struggle in the Middle East, There Are Only Two Sides - Iran and the U.S.'; As a Result Of Hizbullah's Victory, 'The U.S.'s Influence in the [Middle East] Region Will Stop, and the Regimes Identified With It Will Be Replaced'," May 12, 2008. http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP192408.
[2] Al-Manar TV (Lebanon), May 12, 2008. See MEMRI TV Clip No. 1765, May 13, 2008, http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/1765.htm. Similarly, Radhwan Al-Sayyed, political advisor to Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Al-Siniora, harshly criticized the Lebanese Army, saying: "Since the [Lebanese Army] issued an announcement stating that it feared division if the street fighting were to continue, I said to myself: [How come] the commander of the army fears to confront these gunmen[?]... But the worry that encompassed me over the army's negative neutrality... was replaced by a mighty rage when I heard that the army had accompanied the gunmen of Hizbullah and the Amal movement and the Syrian National Party in conquests and attacks... The army handed the buildings and facilities they were protecting over to its armed companions from Hizbullah." Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, May 12, 2008.
[3] Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), May 13, 2008.
[4] Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), May 13, 2008.
[5] Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), May 13, 2008.
[6] Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), May 12, 2008.
[7] Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), May 12, 2008.
[8] Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), May 9, 2008.
[9] Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), May 11, 2008.
[10] Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), May 12, 2008.
[11] Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), May 12, 2008.
[12] Al-Hayat (London), May 12, 2008.
[13] Al-Gumhouriyya (Egypt), May 11, 2008.
[14] Al-Gumhouriyya (Egypt), May 13, 2008.
[15] In contrast to these articles, which attacked Hizbullah harshly, Al-Azhar's position was the weakest. Senior Al-Azhar officials merely called on the adversarial sides in Lebanon to stop the fighting, because, they said, it was leading to anarchy and civil war. Al-Azhar Sheikh Muhammad Sayyed Tantawi called on the Lebanese to stop the internal struggles, because they helped only the enemies of the Shi'ite Muslim nation. Al-Masri Al-Yawm, Egypt, May 11, 2008.

Following Closure of Future TV by Lebanese Army and Hizbullah, Lebanese TV Presenter Sahar Al-Khatib Blasts Opposition Leaders
MEMRI -May 13, 2008 No. 1927
In an interview with Lebanon's LBC TV, Sahar Al-Khatib, a presenter from Lebanon's Future TV, described how Hizbullah and the Lebanese Army had shut down Future TV, and expressed her sorrow that the army had been involved in the closure. She told the leaders of the opposition that the voice of all Lebanese would not be silenced, and accused the opposition of "killing the people who build this country."
The interview aired on LBC TV on May 9, 2008.
To view the MEMRI TV clip of the interview, go to http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/1765.htm.
"Today, We Should Be Very Objective, And Say Exactly What Happened..."
Sahar Al-Khatib: "I would like to say something personal, even though I am known for being objective, and members of the opposition itself will attest to that. With regard to the conduct of the army - if only it had not intervened at all. It has been said that the army took a neutral stand, but that was not the case.
"Today, we should be very objective, and say exactly what happened. The way I see it, we were driven out of the Future TV building, when all we were doing was making our voice heard. They accept that all we were doing was broadcasting the events. We were doing nothing except making our voice heard. For many wise reasons, Allah made the human voice untouchable, so the hand cannot reach out and strangle it.
"They forced us to leave the Future TV building, while they looked on. Two hours earlier, the army was already there. I was there along with 'Imad 'Asi. The [army officers] said to us: 'Let us stay here today, otherwise they will enter the place. We will protect the premises.'
"We trusted the army to do just that. After more than two, three, or four hours - we lost track of time, because it was so stressful that time stood still for us - the officer returned, and I saw him saying to Hussein: 'Either you stop broadcasting or else they will burn the place down, or move in and wreak havoc inside.' He was delivering this message to us.
"We Had Really Thought Them [i.e. the Army] To Be Neutral... "
"I wish the army had not come. This image will remain engraved in our hearts. We had really thought them to be neutral. One can be neutral only when there is a clash between two rivals, but there wasn't any clash, and there was no need for them to stand outside. One party was the aggressor, and another was watching from the sidelines. They were both on one side, and we were on the other side. That's what I wanted to say about the army.
"Obviously, I am very emotional. Let me tell you something. I hadn't had a minute's sleep for 48 hours. I was at 'Future TV' the entire time. We were trying to broadcast news briefs that presented the pain, and at the same time, we did not want to surrender, because it was very important to deliver our message to all the people.
"The Voice [of All Lebanese] Cannot Be Strangled or Stopped; The Voice Cannot Be Reached By An Evil Hand; You Will See That This Voice Will Not Be Silenced"
"Let me say something personal to the leaders of the opposition, who were my guests and whose voices I made heard for a year and a half. For a year and a half, I have borne this with objectivity, despite all the pain, and despite all the criticism I met from many people, including my family. I have borne the pain, in order to make the voices of all Lebanese heard. Let me tell them: The voice cannot be strangled or stopped. The voice cannot be reached by an evil hand. You will see that this voice will not be silenced.
"Let me tell you something. For a year and a half I used my voice to make your voices heard. I made the voices of the people in the [Shiite] Dhahiya suburb heard, as well as in South Lebanon, in Baalbeq - the voices of the opposition, of [Aoun's] FPM, and of the Al-Marada movement. Who today will make our voices heard? I am asking who represents my own voice, after I represented your voices? My voice, the voices of the people of Beirut, the voices of the people who fled their homes, the voices of the people who said 'There is no god but Allah,' when you were wearing ski masks on the streets of Beirut. What for? People who are proud of their actions do not wear ski masks.
"I want to continue shouting that our voice will not be stopped. Let them know this. That's what objectivity is about. It means not keeping silent in the face of injustice. That's what objectivity is about. When I felt the unity of Lebanese was in danger, I courageously presented your questions. Who represents my voice now? Who represents the voice of Beirut? You tell me. Imagine yourselves in this situation. Right now, I don't want to address the political parties. I am addressing the people whose voices I made heard. Imagine that the people of Beirut, who opened their homes to you during the July [2006 Israeli] invasion... They took you into their hearts.
"We read out the names of each and every martyr on the air. In the Mar Michael area, I read out the names of the martyrs one by one, and tears from my broken heart filled my eyes on the air. Did you read out the names of our martyrs today, one by one? Answer me. Do any of you even know the names of those who fell? Who is responsible for their blood? I was objective, but I'm sad to say, you have made me regret my objectivity. I felt I was a victim of my objectivity, when I was defending you for a year and a half. Is there a conscience out there to defend us?"
"One Victim After Another - You Kill The People Who Build This Country"
"You are silencing our voice - the voice Allah made untouchable. Have you asked yourselves why? You are defying the will of Allah. Allah made only two things in the human body untouchable - the soul and the voice. This is the wisdom of Allah. Did you really think about what you are doing? You did not just break the law, but you also broke with the hearts of the people. You broke with hearts that truly loved you, even when your political leaders kept telling me that we hated you. No! Today, you abandoned people like me, and there are many like me in the Mustaqbal movement. This is the voice whose offices you came to destroy. We prepared food for you with love during the July 2006 aggression, yet you threw it on the ground.
"Why do you hate us? I don't understand. I believe in Allah but not in sectarianism, yet you have awakened sectarianism in me. Look at the victims of your actions. One victim after another - you kill the people who build this country. Your voice cannot be heard alone, nor can our voice be heard alone. In the face of injustice, our voice will be heard, and whoever hears this knows what I am talking about. We will not keep silent.
"Even though a decision was made to evacuate Future TV, I said to them: Let's stay. Let them come in. We will start the cameras rolling and stand still. Let us show the world what they are doing to us. You and we are one and the same. You have shattered this image in me. How will you fix it?"

May 12, 2008 No. 1924
Iranian Papers on the Events in Lebanon: 'In the Power Struggle in the Middle East, There Are Only Two Sides – Iran and the U.S.'; As a Result Of Hizbullah's Victory, 'The U.S.'s Influence in the [Middle East] Region Will Stop, and the Regimes Identified With It Will Be Replaced'
Iran's government newspapers have expressed absolute backing for Hizbullah in the current events in Lebanon, standing behind the organization's demand that Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Al-Siniora rescind his decision to dismantle Hizbullah's communications network and fire the security chief at Beirut's international airport. Calling Hizbullah "one of the regional arms of Iran [in the Middle East]," the newspapers claimed that a Hizbullah victory in Lebanon will be an Iranian victory over the U.S. in the Middle East power struggle, and will directly impact Iraq and Afghanistan, ending in the expulsion of the U.S. and its allies from the Middle East.
The papers also warned against interference by foreign states in the region, which they said would lead to a regional, or even global, conflagration. Furthermore, the Javan daily, which is identified with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), stated that what Hizbullah had done was to take a preventive action against a possible coup by the March 14 Forces.
The following are excerpts from articles in the Iranian government press. For MEMRI's previous report on the events in Lebanon, see MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis No. 436, "A Clean Sweep: Amal, Hizbullah Take Much of Beirut in Redux of Hamas' Gaza Takeover," May 9, 2008, http://www.memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=IA43608.
Kayhan: Iran Will Be the Victor in the Power Struggle with the U.S. in the Middle East
In its May 11, 2008 editorial, the Iranian daily Kayhan, which is close to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, stated that in the power struggle between Iran and the U.S. in the Middle East, Iran had the upper hand. It added that the U.S.'s efforts to "amputate [Iran's] regional arms" in the Middle East had failed. Following are the main points of the editorial: [1]
"In the power struggle in the Middle East, there are only two sides: Iran and the U.S. Throughout the past year or two, efforts have been evident, particularly on the part of the U.S., to involve other [players] in this game, and to turn regional issues into multi-side issues - that is, to shift the balance of power against Iran and in favor of the U.S. by using the Arab card and the Sunni card..."
The paper called the U.S. operations against Iran in the region "an effort to amputate the regional arms of Iran by means of direct intervention." It continued, "The developments in the region in the past month in Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and even Syria must be understood as such...
"The Americans had promised their allies in the region that before Bush leaves office, and before the U.S. is forced to leave the region, Iran would be significantly weakened... [But] now Hizbullah... whose links with Iran are [those of] strategic convergence, and political and spiritual connections, has completely disrupted the game [being played by] the U.S. and Israel."
Jomhouri-e Eslami: A Hizbullah Victory in Lebanon Will Stop U.S. Influence in the Region and Lead to Replacement of the Regimes Identified With It
In a May 10, 2008 editorial titled "Fateful Days in Lebanon," the Iranian daily Jomhouri-e Eslami wrote that the expected Hizbullah victory in the events currently taking place in Lebanon would start a process of change in the balance of power in the Middle East - that is, it would stop the influence of the U.S. in the Middle East and bring about the fall of the regimes identified with it: [2]
"[Hizbullah leader] Hassan Nasrallah's courageous and wise decision-making ability undoubtedly closes the path of the great scheme being woven against Lebanon's independence, and he will be the final victor... Now, the U.S. and Israel are in the worst possible situation, and everything is ready for another defeat for them, which will be fateful for the [Middle East] region...
"Following this defeat, the Zionist regime will begin its slide down the slope. The U.S.'s influence in the [Middle East] region will stop, and the regimes identified with it will be replaced. The fate of Iraq and Afghanistan will pass into the hands of their peoples, and the political balances in the region will change... These are fateful days in Lebanon."
Tehran Times: Al-Siniora's Demands are Likely to Lead to Regional or Even International Conflagration
In an editorial in the Iranian Foreign Ministry organ Tehran Times, editorial writer Hassan Hanizadeh warned that if Al-Siniora did not back down from his demands, "a new crisis, which will eventually drag regional and extra-regional powers into Lebanon's conflict." Following are the main points of the article: [3]
"…Prime Minister Siniora's order to shut down Hizbullah's telecoms network shows that the United States and some other extra-regional powers have formulated a new plot to start an internecine conflict in Lebanon.
"Siniora made the decision in order to make it easier for Mossad and CIA operatives to enter Lebanon in order to assassinate figures allied with the Lebanese resistance movement...
"The Lebanese people view Hizbullah's telecoms network as one of the main factors which contributed to the movement's victory in the 33-day war, since it was used as a tool to neutralize the Zionist military's electronic warfare activities during the conflict…
"If the clashes in Beirut are not ended immediately, and [if] the Siniora government doesn't rescind its order to shut down Hizbullah's telecoms network, the situation will degenerate into a new crisis, which will eventually drag regional and extra-regional powers into Lebanon's conflict." [4]
Javan: Hizbullah Took Preventive Action
The Iranian daily Javan, which is identified with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), backed up Hizbullah's launch of an armed political struggle in Lebanon, saying, "The measure taken by Hizbullah is a kind of preventive action against a possible coup by the March 14 Forces."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] Kayhan (Iran), May 11, 2008.
[2] Jomhouri-e Eslami (Iran), May 10, 2008.
[3] Tehran Times (Iran), May 11, 2008.
[4] Javan (Iran), May 11, 2008.

LEBANON: A hellish experience for journalists
By Raed Rafei in Beirut
The Los Angeles Times
Last week, I became a victim of the violence against the media that has been part and parcel of the recent fighting and unrest in Lebanon.
After taking a photograph of a dying man who was shot during a funeral, I was attacked by an angry mourner.
He was outraged because I was taking photos. I tried to explain that I was a reporter and that I was doing my job, but he grabbed a stick and got ready to hit me. I decided to stop resisting and hand him my camera.
Luckily, more cooler heads were around to calm him down and extricate me from the madness. One of them, Ali, took me by the hand and started running to a "safe place."
It all happened too fast. I had been moving along with mourners at a funeral when shooting erupted. I ran away, ducking with all my energy while the gunfire kept piercing my ears.
Then, suddenly, calm prevailed for less than a second, before the wailing and screaming broke out.
I turned around and saw a lifeless body dragged into an ambulance.
Behind, a motor scooter was lying in the middle of the street drenched in blood. I watched incredulously while fumbling with my digital camera. My shaky hands finally pressed the button, freezing the image of the dead man being shoved into the ambulance. And then I was confronted by the angry mourner with the stick.
I never saw my camera again. And all the images I captured to encapsulate the intensity of that day are probably lost forever.
But my experience seems trivial compared to what media outlets have been subjected to in Lebanon. During the latest break out of violence, covering events got excessively difficult.
Before Friday's incident, I was repeatedly stopped by militiamen, asking for my papers and warning me not to take photos. On Monday, the Arab TV channel, Al-Jazeera, reported that two of its cameramen were slightly injured by armed men while they were doing their job in a Beirut neighborhood Sunday evening.
On Friday morning, Future TV, a pro-government private channel owned by family of Sunni leader Saad Hariri family, was prevented from broadcasting by Hezbollah, the Shiite militia. After warning the employees to evacuate in a well-calculated operation, men entered the station and cut key cables to prevent the channel from broadcasting.
Other media outlets belonging to Hariri, the Future newspaper and the Orient radio station, were also forced into shutting down.
For days, journalists and civil rights activists demonstrated against this attack on the media.
"You don't have the right to stop us from speaking," Najat Charaferddine, a Shiite woman who is a star journalist on Future TV, said in an interview. "It's not Syria or Iran."
Even newspapers strongly supportive of Hezbollah condemned this move.
"We must raise our voices to protest and condemn the unjustified and unacceptable attacks on some of the media and cultural institutions in Beirut and specifically our colleague the Future newspaper and Future television," the editor in chief of Assafir newspaper, Talal Salman, wrote in a fiery editorial.
Finally, Future television decided that despite continuing threats, it would resume broadcasting from its other studios at 4:30 p.m. today.
"We are back," said a news anchor, "and our weapon is the word."
Photo: Men hold a banner that reads, "Future news," during a rally where journalists walked toward the Hariri's Future TV station that was forced to close by Hezbollah guerrillas in Beirut. Credit: Associated Press / Hussein Malla
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Lebanon's New Phase
Randa Takieddine
http://english.daralhayat.com/opinion/OPED/05-2008/Article-20080514-e69ddc1f-c0a8-10ed-01e2-5c73f8e9bc5b/story.html
Al-Hayat - 14/05/08//
Is Lebanon now promised a new phase of oppression and the imposition of a single point of view, after the Mustaqbal (Future Movement) media institutions were stormed, as we saw in the last few days? Is this the new phase that the leader of the resistance spoke about? The storming of these media outlets, whatever their nature, was shameful. It was also shameful to see the closure of the airport and the port, which was an instance of revenge against the civilians of Lebanon, just like the storming of the media outlets.
The occupation of Future TV is part of the "new phase," which began with the killing of our two dear colleagues, Samir Kassir and Gebran Tueni, and when our colleague May Chidiac was subjected to an attempted assassination. If the leader of the resistance wants to "cut the hand" of anyone he thinks threatens the resistance, then what was the crime of the journalists at Future TV? What was the crime of the people of Lebanon, who have been deprived of their airport, port, and roads, and the opportunity to live in dignity in the neighborhoods of their city? Is this the new phase in Lebanon? A phase of a single opinion and shutting off free expression, and rendering the Lebanese people the hostage of a single will, prevented from moving freely, and coming and going from their country?
This is not civil disobedience. It has taken the Lebanese people hostage to a single will, and a single opinion, eliminating the other side in Lebanon. Using intimidation, storming institutions, killing and kidnapping have never succeeded. Since the past of the civil war, it has destroyed Lebanon, impoverished it, and destroyed it. However, it has been unable to eliminate the freedom of the press. The Lebanese political system cannot come to resemble the Iranian regime. The Iranian regime suppresses the media, intellectuals, and other opinions; it deprives the people of their country's natural resources. However, the Iranian system cannot be imposed upon Lebanon's pluralism.
It is true that General Michel Aoun has provided political cover that allows this new phase to come to pass. This is particularly because Aoun, ever since he was in exile in France, has always waged battles against any journalist who did not share his opinion. This is Aoun's temperament, which is well-known to our colleagues in the media. He is continually angry, and attacks any journalist who asks a question he does not like.
General Aoun is someone who believes in the school of "one opinion," and a champion of eliminating his political rivals. Thus, he is the perfect partner for this new phase. However, he is completely aware that harming freedoms and imposing a single opinion is a new recipe for losing his supporters and seeing his popularity drop. At times, Aoun launches campaigns against An-Nahar newspaper, because it does good journalistic work and publishes accurate accounts based on his sources. A professional journalist, contrary to what General Aoun believes, does not reveal his sources. General Aoun criticizes objective articles, such as those written by my colleague Ghassan Charbel, the editor-in-chief of Al-Hayat, because he cannot tolerate the opinions of others.
Suppressing the media, silencing free voices, attacking journalists, and depriving innocent civilians of the airport, the port and the freedom of movement are a policy that is rejected in Lebanon. If this is the new phase that they are promising us, this means that they want to do away with Lebanon and its pluralism, forever.
What kind of national resistance searches for the opportunity to kill its own country, and deprive its people of freedoms, taking steps that are similar to what Israel has done in Lebanon? Closing the airport is the kind of barbarous act that Israel has carried out. They are now doing the same thing. What is the crime of someone who leaves, or wants to leave, to pursue his or her work? This is oppression, and not civil disobedience.
If the new phase is one of oppression and taking the people of Lebanon hostage to a single will, and a single opinion, then this is a new hell that they are promising Lebanon and the Lebanese. No one has the right to eliminate the other. The intoxication of achieving a military victory should not turn into taking others hostage and behaving at odds with the popular desire to live a free and dignified life. Let the Lebanese go, open the port and the airport, and treat people as if they are members of the same country. A military victory should be against the enemy, and not against the people of the same country

Hezbollah calls campaign of terror in Lebanon 'liberation'
http://lebop.blogspot.com/2008/05/hezbollahs-subtle-takeover.html
Published: Friday, 9 May, 2008 @ 6:59 PM in Beirut (GMT+2)
By Charles Malik,
Lebanese Political Journal
Hezbollah has taken control of the media in Lebanon, and their propaganda campaign has already begun.
They are currently presenting themselves as liberators of Lebanon, and allies of the Lebanese Army against a corrupt government supported by pro-government snipers and brigrands.
Hezbollah's militant takeover of Beirut and its systematic destruction of the authority of the state and freedom of the press suggests a sophisticated and planned campaign to take power. There is no hiding the violence Hezbollah used to seize Beirut and cut it off from the rest of the country. But as their media campaign is already showing, Hezbollah is employing subtle and sophisticated mechanisms to take over the rest of Lebanon. All news which could be construed as negative behaviors, such as the blatant destruction and corruption of Lebanese institutions, is hidden beneath a Hezbollah-dominated media blackout.
No one knows if Hezbollah is currently occupying government building, re-routing the telecommunications networks, placing weapons in areas they could not gain access to before, and more. If Hezbollah wins this battle, this information will never be made public.
Attacking the pro-Government Press
Future Television and Future News, both owned by parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri, have been shut down. According to Future CEO Nadim al Munla, Hezbollah militiamen said they would dynamite the multimillion dollar Future buildings, including the brand new and state of the art Future News building and studios, if they continue to broadcast. Al Mustaqbal newsaper, the newspaper paper of the Future Movement, was burned down, and Future radio has gone off the air.
Journalists cannot gain access to the myriad areas of Beirut in which fighting is taking place. Al-Manar television claimed earlier today that Hamra is peaceful and calm, and yet opposition militiamen are positioned on my street corner regularly firing their weapons. They fired off an RPG a few hours ago. Those who try to walk out on the streets are prevented from doing so. This is peace only according to the authoritarian definition of the word.
The Lebanese Broadcasting Channel (LBC), a Christian station based in the northern Christian region of Jounieh (Adma), is not even trying to cover the specifics on the ground, and most likely cannot gain access.
Al Jadid, Arabic for New TV, was granted the interview with Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, has some of the best footage of this conflict. The station is normally pro-Hezbollah and supports the opposition, but seems to be leaning a bit in favor of the government (or at least the Sunni community), now.
Hezbollah's Media Campaign
Hezbollah's Al Manar TV is reporting on events in Lebanon, but much of the information, as I noted about the situation in Hamra, is skewed to make it appear like Hezbollah has liberated Beirut. The station is claiming that the opposition militants who are terrorizing the religiously diverse neighborhoods of Beirut are turning over the territory they have captured to the Lebanese Army. Hezbollah also claims that its forces have arrested the "bad," local militants and snipers and turned them over to the Lebanese Army.
From what I can see out my window, that does not appear to be the case. Hezbollah and Amal militiamen are on my streets firing automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades. According to a friend a few buildings over, Hezbollah and Amal have a sniper positioned on her roof. The Lebanese Army is nowhere in site.
Targeting the Lebanese Christians
Hezbollah seems to be making a concerted effort to placate the Christian population. Ashrafieh was not attacked, and life is relatively normal in the Christian suburbs north of Beirut.
Al Jazeera is claiming that Hezbollah has made a "concession" by opening the airport road. As was told to me by a veteran Lebanese reporter, all of the journalists and news agencies reporting right now have been vetted by Hezbollah. Even if the news is true, it is written to present Hezbollah's actions as gracious.
Michel Aoun just gave an interview claiming that the crisis will be over soon. He even noted that the illegal occupation of Beirut's downtown by opposition militants will end soon. Many who watched his interview are happy to hear this news, despite it coming from a politician who appears to be Hezbollah's Christian spokesman. Once again, this sounds like propaganda that no other Lebanese faction is in a position to challenge.
My Christian friends are all happy to hear the news about the airport road, and are glad to hear the good news from Michel Aoun. The opposition is making themselves appear to be the saviors of the nation, solving all problems at once. The airport road which they closed and Beirut's downtown which they occupied will no longer be points of contention. The government which they froze and whose institutions they actively subverted will now be released from their stranglehold grip. We will now be told that we should be happy that they control everything and that freedom can now reign over this sovereign land that is no longer occupied by the evils of democracy.
Most likely, a president will be elected. Given his recent performances in support of Hezbollah, that president will most likely be Michel Aoun. Another deadlock will be broken. We will be told that this is the will of the people, which the evil and corrupt former government and their scheming American, French, Saudian Arabian allies prevented from occuring.
Depressing Conclusion
At the moment, it feels a bit like fall 2004 when the Syrians bullied all Lebanese factions into voting for a three year extension of Emile Lahoud's term in office. Rafiq al-Hariri resigned from office, and Lebanese parliamentarians and democratic activists kept their mouths shut while Syria appointed a government made up of its Lebanese cronies. When Lebanese politicians began to stir a bit, Druze parliamentarian Marwan Hamade was targetted for assassination, and barely survived.
According to NOW Lebanon online newspaper, pro-government websites are being attacked. So, we'll see what happens to this blog. The government's telecommunications company has probably been fully overrun by Hezbollah, and all of our calls and internet traffic could be monitored. A source in the pro-Hezbollah Syrian Social Nationalist Party claims that everything is being monitored right now. Good luck getting reliable news from Lebanon.
Source: Lebanese Political Journal