LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِDecember 08/2010

Bible Of The Day
The Good News According to Matthew 10/24-28/No Secrets
10:24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. 10:25 It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household! 10:26 Therefore don’t be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that will not be known. 10:27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops. 10:28 Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

Free Opinions, Releases, letters, Interviews & Special Reports
Time to stand with our Iraqi Christian neighbors/By Ahmed K. Fahad/December 07/10
Lebanon tribunal on Hariri assassination set to issue first indictments/By: By Nicholas Blanford/Christian Science Monitor/ December 07/10

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for December 07/10
Sfeir Hopes Justice Would Take its Course in Alleged Spies Case/Naharnet
Report: Sarkozy will Urge Assad to Exert Pressure on Allies to Deal Responsibly with Indictment/Naharnet
New York Times: Hizbullah has 50,000 Rockets/Naharnet
Wikileaks: Syria gave Hizbullah Scud-D missiles/J. Post
WikiLeaks: Syria 'continued selling missiles to Hizbollah'/Telegraph.co.uk
Hezbollah had own telecom network in Lebanon/Haaretz
Lebanon: Iran installed secret telecom network for Hezbollah/Ynetnews
US used Israel intelligence to stifle arms trade: WikiLeaks/The Hindu
Lebanon on the brink/Ahram online
Turkish planes depart Israel to fight Lebanese fires/J.Post
Geagea vows Lebanon will never again ask Syria to send troops/Daily Star
Sleiman urges unity to avert strife, says Israel undermining stability/Daily Star staff
Argentina and Uruguay recognize state of Palestine/AFP
US lawmakers press for Syria nuclear checks/AFP
Future parliamentary bloc slams attacks targeting ISF/Daily Star
Rain helps douse fires across country/Daily Star
Hariri Mulling Consultations Ahead of Setting Cabinet Session Date/Naharnet
Report: Mossad Tried to Kill Ahmadinejad During Visit to Lebanon/Naharnet
Cable: Jumblat told Sison Tribunal Wasn't Enough to Intimidate Syria/Naharnet
WikiLeaks: U.S. Worked Discreetly to Block Supply of Iranian, Syrian Arms to Hamas and Hizbullah/Naharnet
Raad to Clarify Hizbullah's Constitutional View, March 8 Rejects Attempts to Thwart Cabinet Session on False Witnesses/Naharnet
Sayyed Hussein: More Suleiman-Hariri Contacts to Activate Cabinet/Naharnet
Suleiman Calls on Judges to Be 'Protectors of State'/Naharnet
Geagea Hits Back at Berri, Syria's Miqdad: Lebanon Won't Return to Syria, Not Vise Versa/Naharnet
Mottaki: Resistance the Only Thing Israel Understands/Naharnet
Sfeir: Indictment is an Opportunity to Test the Lebanese in Confronting its Repercussions/Naharnet
The Hague Sources to Naharnet: Bellemare Has Not Yet Submitted a Draft Indictment to Fransen/Naharnet
Hariri Heads Meeting on Managing Forest Fires/Naharnet
Bellemare to Fransen: Disclosing Documents to Sayyed Compromises Ongoing Investigation, National-International Security/Naharnet
Gemayel after Meeting King Abdullah II: We Value Jordan's Stands towards Lebanon, Especially in Aiding us Douse the Fires/Naharnet
Connelly Visits Hariri: No Justification for Threats of Violence in Relation to STL's Activities/Naharnet
March 14 to Launch Initiative to Consolidate Stability Following Indictment/Naharnet

New York Times: Hizbullah has 50,000 Rockets
Naharnet/U.S. officials believe Hizbullah has acquired an arsenal of some 50,000 rockets and missiles, raising fears of an enlarged conflict with Israel, the New York Times reported Tuesday. The Times quoted a Pentagon official expressing concern over the Hizbullah arsenal, in response to a series of leaked diplomatic cables on the issue. The cables highlighted U.S. concerns about proliferation of weapons, especially from Syria, the daily said. The Pentagon official indicated Hizbullah's arsenal now includes up to 50,000 rockets and missiles, including 40 to 50 Fateh-110 missiles capable of reaching Tel Aviv and most of Israel, and 10 Scud-D missiles. The arsenal acquisition by Hizbullah has raised fears that any future conflict with Israel could erupt into a full-scale regional war, the Times said. The cables indicated that a senior Syrian Foreign Ministry official denied supplying Hizbullah with the weapons, echoing comments from President Bashar Assad, but that U.S. diplomats maintained that the flow of arms had continued to Hizbullah.(AFP) Beirut, 07 Dec 10, 12:45

Sfeir Hopes Justice Would Take its Course in Alleged Spies Case
Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir hoped on Tuesday that justice would take its course in the case of those accused of collaborating with Israel. During a meeting with a delegation from the families of alleged spies, Sfeir called for prosecuting the detainees according to rules and regulations and setting them free if their innocence was proved. The delegation briefed Sfeir about the suffering of those detained and violations of their rights. Beirut, 07 Dec 10, 13:10

Hariri Mulling Consultations Ahead of Setting Cabinet Session Date
Naharnet/Prime Minister Saad Hariri will not call for a cabinet session before making some consultations to avoid deterioration in the political situation, ministerial sources told An Nahar newspaper. The possibility of holding a cabinet meeting was part of the discussions that Hariri held with President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace on Monday, the daily said.
The two leaders met after attending the launching of the new judicial year along with Speaker Nabih Berri. The sources told An Nahar that Hariri wants to make the consultations ahead of setting a date for the cabinet session because the March 8 forces insist on their stance that the council of ministers should have the final say on the issue of false witnesses.
Beirut, 07 Dec 10, 08:10

March 14 to Launch Initiative to Consolidate Stability Following Indictment
Naharnet/A group of March 14 officials and intellectuals will launch an initiative on Tuesday on ways to use the indictment that will be issued by the international tribunal to consolidate stability in Lebanon, March 14 general-secretariat coordinator Fares Soaid told Voice of Lebanon radio station. The initiative, which will be in the form of a political document, will be announced at hotel Le Gabriel on Tuesday afternoon, he said. It will be aimed at consolidating stability and justice and paving the way for consensus among Lebanese. Soaid warned that if appropriate measures are not taken, the indictment would lead to a political earthquake whose repercussions would be similar to those of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination. The March 14 official also warned March 8 forces not to put sticks in the wheels of state institutions, including the cabinet. Beirut, 07 Dec 10, 10:11

Raad to Clarify Hizbullah's Constitutional View, March 8 Rejects Attempts to Thwart Cabinet Session on False Witnesses
Naharnet/Hizbullah MP Mohammed Raad will hold a press conference at 10:30am Wednesday to discuss the upcoming indictment of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
Sources close to Hizbullah told An Nahar daily that Raad will unveil the party's "constitutional vision" about the tribunal.
Meanwhile, March 8 sources told the newspaper that the alliance's leaders have informed all officials that it won't accept any attempt to torpedo a cabinet session to discuss the issue of false witnesses. They said March 8 will not stand idle if the March 14 forces sought to prevent the cabinet to deal with the issue. Beirut, 07 Dec 10, 09:09

Future parliamentary bloc slams attacks targeting ISF
By The Daily Star /Tuesday, December 07, 2010
BEIRUT: The Future bloc condemned Monday attacks targeting the Internal Security Forces (ISF), as it reiterated its support for the Lebanese Army and security forces.
“The bloc stresses its full support and trust in the army and security forces and it denounces the accusations targeting the Internal Security Forces, especially after it succeeded in uncovering several [Israeli spy] networks,” said a statement issued by the bloc after it held its weekly meeting under its head, Sidon MP Fouad Siniora at Qoreitem.
“The bloc considers that the attempt by some to fabricate false facts will not yield any benefits and will not change the need to support the army and security forces and congratulate for their achievements,” added the statement. The ISF’s Information Branch had been subject to fierce criticism recently by MP Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement over the arrest of former General Fayez Karam, a senior FPM official who was arrested in August on suspicion of spying for Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency.
Aoun argues that Karam was innocent and subjected to torture during probes, while the Information Branch says it possesses documents proving that Karam has confessed to ties with Mossad. Also, Interior Minister Ziyad Baroud took last week a disciplinary measure against ISF director general Major General Ashraf Rifi.
Baroud said that Rifi had exceeded his prerogatives when he responded to a parliamentary inquiry which the interior minister alone is qualified to answer.
Rifi received Monday a delegation from the Future bloc that visited him at ISF’s main headquarters in Achrafieh to express support and appreciation to the ISF.
The delegation included Beirut lawmakers Atef Majdalani, Nabil De Freij, Ammar Houri along with former Deputy Salim Deyab and other figures.
The visitors praised the ISF’s efforts to preserve security and stability in the country, commending the Information Branch’s achievements, manifested in dismantling Israeli espionage networks. In other news, Future bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat said that Baroud’s stance against Rifi was purely “political,” adding that Baroud should defend the ISF against the wave of campaigns targeting it. Fatfat told OTV that “when Baroud fails to defend the ISF, he shall not be surprised that the ISF will defend itself.”
“To us, the ISF and the Lebanese Army represent a red line, and any attack against them through media shall be confronted, and the interior minister shall do so” he added.
Baroud told The Daily Star Sunday he would not respond to criticism, adding that he had behaved in line with his duties and convictions. – The Daily Star

Sleiman urges unity to avert strife, says Israel undermining stability
By Hussein Dakroub /Daily Star staff
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
BEIRUT: President Michel Sleiman called on the Lebanese Monday to close ranks in order to ward off the threat of sectarian strife hanging over the country as a result of an impending indictment into former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s 2005 assassination.
Speaking at a ceremony kicking off the judicial year at Beirut’s Justice Palace, Sleiman accused Israel of attempts to undermine stability and national unity in Lebanon.
“The [Israeli] enemy is waiting for opportunities to concoct plots, spread rumors and incite sentiments in a bid to undermine national unity, strike stability and fabricate excuses with the aim of destroying Lebanon,” Sleiman said.
Referring to the arrest by Lebanese authorities of “hundreds” of people suspected of spying for Israel and the Israeli infiltration of the Lebanese telecommunications network, he said, “Let’s be vigilant so that we can nip the strife in the bud before it breaks out.”
He added that the Lebanese should not go down in the annals of history as a people who have allowed the outbreak of strife in “a self-destructive process.”
“We have paid a heavy price for our national unity. Let’s preserve it,” Sleiman said at the ceremony attended by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Cabinet members, MPs and other dignitaries.
Sleiman said the Lebanese are capable of resolving their differences through dialogue, tolerance and the respect of the Constitution and state institutions.
The president’s unity plea came as Lebanon is facing the threat of sectarian strife and instability over the upcoming indictment, which is widely expected to implicate some Hizbullah members in Hariri’s assassination.
It came amid media reports that the indictment would be released this month, further heightening political tension in the country. The indictment will be issued by the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), which is investigating Hariri’s assassination.
The unity appeal also came against the backdrop of a Cabinet paralysis, mainly as a result of a deepening split between the March 8 and March 14 camps over the STL’s work and its indictment.
The Cabinet has not met since November 10 due to a dispute between the two camps over the issue of “false witnesses” linked to the UN probe in Hariri’s assassination. Saad Hariri, who returned to Beirut Monday, said last week he would call for a Cabinet session immediately upon his return. Hariri met with Sleiman Monday evening to discuss the possibility of convening a Cabinet session.
Earlier Monday, Sleiman met with MP Walid Jumblatt, concluding five days of consultations with leaders and politicians from the March 8 and March 14 camps aimed at ending the state of paralysis in the country and resuming the Cabinet’s sessions.
However, no major breakthrough was reported in these consultations as the two camps remain at loggerheads over how to handle the controversial issue of “false witnesses” who allegedly misled the UN probe into Hariri’s assassination.
The March 8 camp insists that the Cabinet act on this issue by a vote or any other means. Both Sleiman and Hariri are staunchly opposed to a Cabinet vote on this issue to avoid a further split among the ministers.
The consultations included the 19 leaders and politicians who make up the National Dialogue Committee. The split has also stalled the committee’s meetings. The committee has been meeting under Sleiman since last year to discuss a defense strategy.
In his speech, Sleiman warned that the Middle East is passing through an “extremely delicate phase,” saying that Lebanon is in the eye of the storm. “The scale of justice has been tilted since the creation of Israel, which has been founded on aggression and the displacement of the Palestinians from their land,” he said.
Both Sleiman and Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar underlined the need for the judiciary to be independent and free of the influence of politicians.
“Since my swearing-in speech, I have expressed my belief that independence of the judicial authority is essential to consecrate justice,” Sleiman said, adding that the Higher Justice Council is preparing a draft law guaranteeing the judiciary’s independence. Sleiman called on the Cabinet and Parliament to approve this law as soon as possible.
“The need seems to be more urgent for the judiciary to protect itself against political favoritism, personal interests and other incentives,” Sleiman said. He also voiced his support for improving the conditions of Lebanese prisons as well as the rehabilitation of inmates.
Addressing the ceremony, Najjar renewed his call for keeping the judiciary away from political influence. Referring to the recent appointments within the judiciary, Najjar said: “We sought [in these appointments], to keep, to a large extent, the judiciary away from politics and to discourage some judges from drifting toward politics.”
“Therefore, we call again today for a firm separation between politics and justice,” Najjar said.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly reiterated her country’s support for the STL. “The US reaffirms its view of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon as an independent judicial entity that must continue to remain free from political interference. The STL’s work is legitimate and necessary,” she said after meeting Hariri Monday. “The [STL’s] goal is to end impunity for political assassinations,” she added.
“Without justice, it will be impossible to achieve the future of peace and stability – the normal life that the Lebanese people deserve. Thus, presenting justice and stability as a choice is wrong. Lebanon, like any country, needs both,” Connelly said.
But a senior Hizbullah official warned that the STL indictment will change the situation in Lebanon. “The indictment will put Lebanon in a new stage that will go down in the annals of history that the post-indictment phase will not be the same as before,” Sheikh Nabil Qaouk, vice chairman of Hizbullah’s Executive Council, told a rally in the southern village of Sowana.
He hinted at Hizbullah’s reaction to any indictment that would implicate some of its members in Hariri’s assassination.
“The Resistance possesses plenty of choices and the capability to protect its dignity and the dignity of the fighters and protect its achievements which were made as a result of the martyrs’ sacrifices,” Qaouk said in his remarks, which were carried by the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
He said that the Saudi-Syrian efforts seeking to find a solution for the Lebanese crisis over the indictment provided “the only chance for confronting the American scheme to stir up strife” in Lebanon. But the “American veto” is hindering the Arab solution for the Lebanese crisis, he said.
Meanwhile, Speaker Berri’s remarks accusing the March 14 camp of obstructing the Cabinet’s work have sparked quick responses from this camp.
As-Safir newspaper quoted Berri, part of the March 8 camp, as saying that the March 14 coalition is responsible for the Cabinet paralysis. He also said that the ball is now in Sleiman’s and Hariri’s court to call a Cabinet session.
Hariri’s parliamentary Future bloc accused the March 8 factions of obstructing the Cabinet’s work by insisting on the issue of “false witnesses” to be included on the Cabinet’s agenda.
“This a frank call for violating the Constitution and clear laws. It is also an interference in the Cabinet’s agenda and amounts to an infringement on the prime minister’s prerogatives in setting the Cabinet’s agenda,” said a statement issued after the bloc’s meeting chaired by former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.
MP Atef Majdalani, a member of the Future bloc, rejected Berri’s accusation and instead accused the March 8 factions of crippling the Cabinet’s work. “The one who is obstructing is the one who is putting conditions on including the issue of false witnesses on the Cabinet’s agenda as a sole item,” he told Voice of Lebanon radio station.

Geagea vows Lebanon will never again ask Syria to send troops
By The Daily Star
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=122296#axzz17NQJhOJA
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
BEIRUT: Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea said Monday that recent remarks made by Syria’s Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad were “irrelevant,” adding that Lebanon would not seek Syria’s help
“It is Lebanon that will not return to Syria and his [Miqdad] remarks are irrelevant,” Geagea told Free Lebanon radio station.
Geagea stressed that strife would not erupt in Lebanon over the disputed Special Tribunal for Lebanon, probing the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
“Contrary to what Mr. Miqdad said, we do not see that fires will erupt in Lebanon due to the awareness of Lebanese leaders from various factions, and due to the presence of the state represented by the president, the prime minister along with the army command and security forces that are determined to assume their responsibilities,” said the LF leader.
“Despite the fact that divisions are deep, they will remain within political and democratic frames,” he added. Speaking to Kuwaiti-daily Al-Rai over the weekend, Miqdad said Lebanon was “vulnerable” but gave assurances that “Syria will not return to Lebanon militarily no matter how difficult the situation becomes.”
He said his country refuses to interfere in Lebanon’s domestic affairs, adding its politicians were capable of running their own country. “Syria will not interfere in Lebanon in the interest of any side and Lebanese officials are responsible for their country,” Miqdad said.
Syrian forces entered Lebanon in June 1976, one year after the country plunged into its 1975-1990 Civil War, and remained there until April 2005, when they evacuated the country in the wake of Hariri’s assassination. “Is the return of Syria to Lebanon raised?” asked Geagea. “Lebanon is a sovereign, free and independent state in the full sense of the term.” – The Daily Star

Hariri presides over emergency meeting to discuss management of similar crises
By The Daily Star /Tuesday, December 07, 2010
BEIRUT: Showers that poured heavily Monday morning after a month of drought helped contain fires that raged across Lebanon over the weekend. Rains put out a major fire in the Jbeil town of Fitri, which came over swathes of woodland and threatened residences. The Lebanese government sought the help of Turkey and Jordan to extinguish the 120 fires that broke out over the weekend. But after Monday morning’s showers, the country’s helicopters did not fly to Lebanon, according to a security source. The much-awaited rains flooded streets and caused heavy congestion. Meteorological reports Monday, however, said showers would not resume over the course of the week. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Saad Hariri headed a meeting at the Grand Serail to discuss the management of forest fires. The meeting was by Interior Minister Ziyad Baroud, Agriculture Minister Hussein Hajj Environment Mohammad Rahhal, the Secretary General of the Higher Council of Defense Major General Adnan Merheb, the Director General of Civil Defense General Darwish Hobeika, head of Beirut Fire Brigade general Mounir Mkhalalati, the prime minister’s adviser for developmental affairs Fadi Fawwaz, and Head of the disaster risk reduction Unit at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers Nathalie Zaarour. According to a statement by Hariri’s press office, discussions tackled weekend fires, and a national strategy approved by Cabinet in May 2009 to fight fires. The meeting discussed implementation mechanisms. Hariri reminded attendees of his decision issued to establish a national committee that includes all concerned administrations, tasked to prepare a comprehensive national plan for disaster management.
Hariri also stressed the need to detail sub-plans for each type of disaster as well as plans for individual governorates. Another meeting headed by Merheb is expected to take place Thursday to discuss an integrated plan for the management of forest fires fighting and to discuss the needs of the relevant bodies including the army, the civil defense, the internal security forces and Beirut fire brigade, said the statement by Hariri’s office. “We stressed during the meeting the need to recruit more members for civil defense and update the equipment,” Hajj Hassan told reporters. “There are elements included in the 2010 budget, such as the recruitment of new members for the civil defense, but in the end we must secure the necessary funding for these issues,” the agriculture minister added. The eastern-Mediterranean region has witnessed unseasonably high temperatures over the past two months, threatening crops and heralding serious water shortages. Thermometers scored a high of 28 degrees Celsius in Lebanon over the weekend, a temperature rarely if ever witnessed in the country during the month of December.
Lebanon’s southern neighbor Israel succeeded Sunday in containing fires that erupted in the Carmel hills above the Mediterranean port of Haifa. Aircraft were brought in from several countries, including Greece, Britain, Cyprus, Turkey, Russia and France to help contain the deadly blazes which claimed the lives of at least 42 people. – The Daily Star

Lebanon on the brink
Ahram Online, Monday 6 Dec 2010
A report in a French daily stirs panic with its claim that STL head, Bellemare, has finished drafting the indictment
(Reuters)A man tours with a donkey wearing a U.N. sign, to express opposition to the international Special Tribunal for Lebanon, in Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold 4 November 2010 (Reuters).ICG warns of Lebanon's fragmentation An item published in the French daily Le Figaro on Sunday insinuated that the probe’s head, Daniel Bellemare, is either finished drafting the Special Tribunal for Lebanon's (STL) indictment or is finalising it Le Figaro’s report reverberated through the Lebanese media like a herald of woe. The anticipated indictment from the STL, probing the assassination of prominent Lebanese premier Rafiq Al-Harir, edged the country closer to uncertainty. Georges Malbrunot, Le Figaro’s senior reporter wrote on Sunday that Bellemare was finished writing up the indictment according to a source close to the STL and that he has sent his report to pre-trial Judge Daniel Fransen. According to Lebanese daily Assafir, tribunal official Wajd Ramadan denied the French paper's allegations, claiming that Bellemare has yet to submit anything to the pre-trial judge. The judge is supposed to assess the indictment and has the authority to overturn it all together. “Fransen may be concerned that a compromise is being sought between different parties [in Lebanon], to avoid recourse to violence by those who may be affected, that is to say Hezbollah,” the source told the French publication as quoted in the Lebanese Daily Star.
In 2006, Le Figaro published the initial indications pointing to the tribunal’s likelihood of indicting Hezbollah affiliates. Lebanon has been battered by speculation over the past two weeks on the issuance date of the troubling indictment. Tensions escalated between the 14 March alliance, led by Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri, who strongly support the tribunal, and Hezbollah who have called for its abolishment. Shia group Hezbollah warned that it would not stand still if the group’s affiliates are implicated, denouncing the tribunal as an Israeli-project.
Many fear Lebanon might yield to sectarian tendencies if members of Hezbollah are accused and descend further into political crisis.
 

Lebanon tribunal on Hariri assassination set to issue first indictments
An international tribunal investigating the 2005 Hariri assassination in Lebanon will focus on Hezbollah in its first indictments this month. But it still sees Syria as playing a key role.
By Nicholas Blanford, Correspondent / December 6, 2010
Christian Science Monitor
Beirut, Lebanon
A murder mystery that has gripped Lebanon and much of the Middle East for nearly six years is nearing a climax. This month a Netherlands-based international tribunal is expected to issue the first set of indictments in its investigation into the 2005 murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was killed in a massive bomb blast that rattled Beirut and shook Middle East politics. While some Lebanese believe the tribunal is necessary to end the era of assassinations and bloodshed, others fear that laying blame for Mr. Hariri's murder on Hezbollah could end the relative calm of the past two years and return Lebanon to political paralysis and possible violence. How focus shifted from Syria to Hezbollah
Lebanon, despite being a small country of some 4 million people, punches well above its weight in the region. It is strategically placed between enemies Syria and Israel, and its multitude of diverse religious sects draws regional powers – including heavyweights Iran and Saudi Arabia – to vie for influence here. Hezbollah emerged as a potential suspect in the Hariri assassination last year. Originally, all fingers pointed to Syria, which dominated Lebanon at the time of Hariri's death. Relations between Hariri and the Syrian leadership deteriorated badly in the months before the February 2005 assassination. Syria was widely suspected of having ordered his murder to protect its dominant status in Lebanon.
The suspected Syria connection, however, was overshadowed when reports emerged in 2009 alleging Hezbollah's involvement in the crime. The investigation has uncovered evidence to suggest that the assassination plot was multi-tiered and involved a large network of people. The extent of Hezbollah's alleged role remains unclear, although it has been reported that Hezbollah members had monitored Hariri's movements in the weeks before his death. Diplomats say that Syria is not off the hook, however; while the first indictments are expected to focus on Hezbollah, investigators still consider Syria has having played a lead role.
Diplomats: Three people to be indicted initially
Diplomats briefed on aspects of the tribunal's activities say that indictments are being prepared against approximately three people initially, but more could be issued in the months and years ahead as fresh evidence emerges. Hezbollah, which views the tribunal as politically tainted and a judicial weapon wielded by its enemies, has hinted that it could take action in the streets if its members are indicted. Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's leader, warned that the hand of anyone attempting to arrest his cadres would be "cut off" and declared that any Lebanese cooperating with the tribunal is working against the "resistance," a term used to describe the party's formidable military wing. Hezbollah's deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Qassem, told Lebanon's Al Balad newspaper on Dec. 1, that, "We are not discussing the issue of an indictment, but rather a conspiratorial step against Hezbollah. We cannot deal with the matter naively as some are attempting."
Hezbollah pressuring PM Hariri
Residents of Hezbollah-controlled southern Beirut say that the atmosphere is tense. "The expectations are very bad. Hezbollah people are holding meetings constantly. It's no secret that they have prepared many plans to deal with the indictments," said one resident. Hezbollah has steadily increased pressure on Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, son of the slain Rafik, to formally declare the tribunal as "politicized" and to cease all cooperation with it. The tribunal includes Lebanese judges, is conducted under Lebanese law, and the Lebanese government pays 49 percent of the costs, the rest coming from international contributions. But even if Lebanon stops supporting the tribunal, the UN Security Council has the option of continuing the judicial process. So far, however, Prime Minister Hariri has shown no sign of reversing Lebanon's course on the tribunal.
Regional players look for a solution
In an attempt to head off a potential political deadlock and possible violence as a result of the indictments, some of the key regional players in Lebanon – Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar, and Turkey – are attempting to find a solution to preserve stability. "It is very clear that Lebanon is on the agenda of regional powers … based on the formation of a regional conflict management mechanism. I think the energy of all these five or six states will probably lead to something," says Ousama Safa, an independent Lebanese political consultant. Details of the possible compromise are scarce, although some Arab diplomats and Lebanese politicians recently have expressed optimism. "The situation is heading toward a major breakthrough, and we will see the Lebanese closing ranks," Ali Awadh Assiri, the Saudi ambassador to Lebanon, told Lebanon's NBN television last week.
Potential options include delaying indictments or having Hariri publicly absolve Hezbollah of blame for his father's assassination and blame it instead on a few "rogue" members of the party. Still, it is unclear whether any of the proposals under consideration can simultaneously satisfy the demands of both sides.
Syria not off the hook
While initial indictments are expected to focus on Hezbollah, diplomats say that the tribunal has not absolved Syria of culpability. On the contrary, they say the working assumption of the investigators remains that Syria played a lead role in the Hariri assassination even if hard evidence has been slow to materialize. Although Hezbollah probably has the capacity to carry out an assassination of such magnitude, the party had little motive to want the elder Hariri dead. Furthermore, some analysts say that Hezbollah was not in a position to independently assassinate someone of his stature except under the instructions of its Iranian and Syrian backers. The diplomatic sources say they expect the focus of the investigation to return to Syria once the Hezbollah lead has been exhausted.

Wikileaks: Syria transferred $50 million to Aoun’s OTV
December 6, 2010 ⋅ 6:01 pm ⋅ Post a comment
Filed Under Aoun, corruption, Lebanon, Syria, Wikileaks
http://www.yalibnan.com/2010/12/06/wikileaks-syria-transferred-50-million-to-aouns-otv/
A US diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks last week cited Prime Minister Saad Hariri and his advisor, Ghattas Khoury, as telling a US official on February 11, 2008 that Syrian Director of Military Intelligence Asaf Shawkat helped transfer $50 million for OTV television in Qatar under the names of Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun’s daughters.
Hariri and Khoury also “alleged that Rami Makhlouf, first cousin of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had assisted the Syrian president in moving funds out of Syria to Dubai.”
According to the cable, Hariri and Khoury also asked for the US to designate Makhlouf and Shawkat (as regime insiders who improperly benefits from and aids the public corruption of Syrian officials) “as a means of punishing Syria for its interference in Lebanon and because their activities in promoting corruption.” Now Lebanon

Leaders idle as Lebanon burns
Monday, December 06, 2010
Daily Star/Clergymen in Lebanon Friday were leading prayers for rain. Perhaps the country’s politicians and officials took notice, and perhaps not. Even if they found the exercise quaint, they could have at least noticed that down in Israel, a deadly forest fire was wreaking havoc, whether in human, material, economic or political terms.
The Daily Star began the month of December by chiding Lebanese officials for having ignored the menace of fires, despite all the weeks of dry weather, despite all of the environmental costs, and despite the all the signs that the threat had yet to disappear.
This weekend, the Lebanese took a break from the usual rhetoric from politicians, about the possibility that the Special Tribunal indictment would set Lebanon “ablaze.” Unfortunately, the news that replaced the STL stalemate was that the country was actually on fire.
According to Sunday’s count (120 separate blazes), the issue is obviously tantamount to a national emergency. What has happened? The president inspected the site of one fire, and the prime minister is securing foreign assistance. The interior minister has said he suspects arson to be at least partially responsible. But the most intensive action has been taken by the public, as people plead with Electricite du Liban to cut off power supplies and prevent even more damage. Just as Ziyad Baroud is unable to ensure – by himself – that the country’s roads are safe, no one person can fight Lebanon’s fires. Other officials and figures can step forward, whether they’re in other ministries, or municipalities, or even civic or business associations.Most people suspect what’s behind Lebanon’s susceptibility to fire. Some fires are deliberately set, in order to reap a “harvest” of wood to be used in heating homes during the winter. But these malevolent entrepreneurs aren’t naturally inclined to destroying the environment for profit. The problem is that the liquid fuel used to heat homes is too expensive for many people living in rural areas. The economic logic is brutal, but it’s understandable. Government officials can do the following calculation: if fuel prices are reduced, this will mean less revenue for the government. But if fuel prices are reduced, this will mean fewer costs for the government, whether in terms of the environment or public health. It also would also bolster tourism revenues.
Or, politicians can simply remember Lebanon’s two prime sources of capital: its people, and its scenery. In Israel, the entire country has mobilized to fight the threat. In Lebanon, most of our politicians seemed to be enjoying their weekend. In Israel, people were arrested for allegedly starting the blaze. In Lebanon, by the time someone is arrested for arson, all of the country’s green space might be gone. In Israel, there are calls for the resignation of top politicians. In Lebanon, the clergymen pray.

Argentina and Uruguay recognize state of Palestine
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
BUENOS AIRES: Argentina and Uruguay said Monday they were joining Brazil in recognizing an independent Palestinian state, earning an immediate sharp rebuke from Israel and causing unease in the United States. Israel called the announcement by Buenos Aires “regrettable” and said it went against an Israeli-Palestinian agreement that such a state should only be recognized with Israeli approval. The criticism echoed that Israel made after Brazil started the South American movement Friday by saying it recognized a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, before Israel seized and occupied Gaza and the West Bank. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reached out to the governments as part of an effort to win UN recognition of a Palestinian state. His strategy followed the suspension of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations because of Israel’s renewed construction of settlements on Palestinian land after a temporary ban.
“The Argentine government recognizes Palestine as a free and independent state within the borders defined in 1967,” Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman said, reading a letter sent by Argentine President Cristina Kirchner wrote to Abbas. Timerman added that the recognition reflected a general consensus among members of Mercosur, the South American trade bloc.
Uruguay announced soon afterward it will recognize a Palestinian state next year. “Uruguay will surely follow the same path as Argentina in 2011,” Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Conde told AFP. “We are working toward opening a diplomatic representation in Palestine, most likely in Ramallah,” he said. Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay all make up Mercosur. Venezuela’s membership is pending. Argentina was making the move based on its “deep desire to see a definitive advance in the negotiation process leading to the establishment of a just and durable peace in the Middle East,” Timerman said. The Palestinian ambassador in Argentina reacted with “joy and enthusiasm” to the announcement and said he expected other South American countries to follow suit. In Turkey, Abbas reiterated Monday that his government would push for international recognition of the Palestinian state if deadlocked talks with Israel fail. – AFP

US lawmakers press for Syria nuclear checks
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
WASHINGTON: US lawmakers urged President Barack Obama in a letter out Monday to press the UN nuclear watchdog agency for stepped-up “special inspections” of suspected Syrian atomic program sites. “We write urging you to call on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to immediately conduct on-site ‘special inspections’ in Syria,” they wrote, citing “alarmingly inadequate” cooperation by Syria with the IAEA. The goal would be to “ensure that Syria has not engaged and is not engaging in undeclared nuclear activities, especially those that could contribute to a nuclear weapons program,” the lawmakers said.They also called for sanctions against any Syrian officials or entities that found to have “received illicit nuclear assistance from North Korea and other proliferators.” Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s office made the letter public and said it had been sent on December 2.
Number-two Republican Senator Jon Kyl, Republican Senator John Ensign, Independent Senator Joe Lieberman, Democratic Representatives Ed Markey, Ed Royce, and Brad Sherman as well as Republican Representative Jeff Fortenberry signed the letter. “Special inspections” are a rarely used tool that allows UN inspectors to request more intrusive access to sites.
The UN agency has expressed increasing impatience with Syria over gaining access to information and locations connected to an alleged nuclear site, but stopped short thus far of seeking such new inspections. Damascus is accused of having been in the process of building an undeclared reactor at a remote desert site called Dair Alzour until it was bombed by Israeli planes in September 2007. – AFP

Rain helps douse fires across country
Hariri presides over emergency meeting to discuss management of similar crises
By The Daily Star
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
BEIRUT: Showers that poured heavily Monday morning after a month of drought helped contain fires that raged across Lebanon over the weekend.
Rains put out a major fire in the Jbeil town of Fitri, which came over swathes of woodland and threatened residences. The Lebanese government sought the help of Turkey and Jordan to extinguish the 120 fires that broke out over the weekend.
But after Monday morning’s showers, the country’s helicopters did not fly to Lebanon, according to a security source.
The much-awaited rains flooded streets and caused heavy congestion. Meteorological reports Monday, however, said showers would not resume over the course of the week.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Saad Hariri headed a meeting at the Grand Serail to discuss the management of forest fires.
The meeting was by Interior Minister Ziyad Baroud, Agriculture Minister Hussein Hajj Environment Mohammad Rahhal, the Secretary General of the Higher Council of Defense Major General Adnan Merheb, the Director General of Civil Defense General Darwish Hobeika, head of Beirut Fire Brigade general Mounir Mkhalalati, the prime minister’s adviser for developmental affairs Fadi Fawwaz, and Head of the disaster risk reduction Unit at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers Nathalie Zaarour.
According to a statement by Hariri’s press office, discussions tackled weekend fires, and a national strategy approved by Cabinet in May 2009 to fight fires. The meeting discussed implementation mechanisms. Hariri reminded attendees of his decision issued to establish a national committee that includes all concerned administrations, tasked to prepare a comprehensive national plan for disaster management.
Hariri also stressed the need to detail sub-plans for each type of disaster as well as plans for individual governorates.
Another meeting headed by Merheb is expected to take place Thursday to discuss an integrated plan for the management of forest fires fighting and to discuss the needs of the relevant bodies including the army, the civil defense, the internal security forces and Beirut fire brigade, said the statement by Hariri’s office.
“We stressed during the meeting the need to recruit more members for civil defense and update the equipment,” Hajj Hassan told reporters.
“There are elements included in the 2010 budget, such as the recruitment of new members for the civil defense, but in the end we must secure the necessary funding for these issues,” the agriculture minister added.
The eastern-Mediterranean region has witnessed unseasonably high temperatures over the past two months, threatening crops and heralding serious water shortages. Thermometers scored a high of 28 degrees Celsius in Lebanon over the weekend, a temperature rarely if ever witnessed in the country during the month of December.
Lebanon’s southern neighbor Israel succeeded Sunday in containing fires that erupted in the Carmel hills above the Mediterranean port of Haifa. Aircraft were brought in from several countries, including Greece, Britain, Cyprus, Turkey, Russia and France to help contain the deadly blazes which claimed the lives of at least 42 people. – The Daily Star

Time to stand with our Iraqi Christian neighbors
By Ahmed K. Fahad
Daily Star/Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Christians in Iraq are being exposed to a series of high-profile attacks, including the hostage situation and shootings at the Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad at the end of October, as well as separate attacks on Christian homes in the Al-Mansour quarter in Baghdad more recently.
Pope Benedict XVI brought the world’s attention to the plight of Christians in Iraq the week before last, saying “ecclesial communities are praying for Christians who suffer persecution and discrimination, especially in Iraq.’ He added that he hoped “religious freedom may be guaranteed to everyone all over the world.”
Yet given the increase in attacks against Christians, questions are being raised about their future in Iraq.
These attacks have instilled fear and terror in the Christian community and led many of its members to seriously consider fleeing the country. Encouragement from the government for Christians to remain and international calls also to convince Iraqi Christians not to leave have failed due to the lack of security in some areas of the country. According to the Iraqi Christians, the message is clear that the Islamic State of Iraq, an insurgent group linked to Al-Qaeda, considers all Christians in the country legitimate targets.
Christians are not newcomers to Iraq. Their history can be traced back to the Assyrians and the Chaldeans, the original founders of modern-day Iraq. They have been – and still are – an integral part of the fabric of Iraqi society, and have coexisted peacefully with the Muslim communities and other religious groups for years. These communities suffered alongside one another during the hardships that Iraq suffered from throughout its history, and Christians have been able to practice their religious traditions without incident.
Since 2003, however, a large number of Christians have left those parts of Iraq characterized by especially poor security, such as the cities of Mosul and Baghdad, for neighboring Jordan and Syria. Christians deserve to live in peace in Iraq, and to enjoy the same rights and protections as their fellow Muslim citizens.
There are calls from inside Iraq, especially from the new Iraqi Parliament that recently formed a parliamentary committee for the protection of Christians, to safeguard the Christian presence in the country through the deployment of special security forces. These same voices are also calling for financial compensation for those Christians who have already been affected by the recent attacks. And more recently, on November 9, the Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, met with senior church leaders in a televised event. The objective was to make it clear that top Iraqi officials are concerned about the protection of Christians in Iraq.
The high priority focus of Iraqi parliamentarians on the safety of the Christian community is a good sign and sends a clear message to Christians that the government stands behind all its citizens.
Government officials in the provinces of Najaf and Irbil have also invited Christians to come and settle temporarily in these safe havens while the government continues to battle insurgent groups, like the Islamic State of Iraq and others, that are perpetrating attacks in areas of Iraq where security concerns still run high.
Average Sunni and Shiite Iraqis are also standing in solidarity with their fellow citizens, and have been appalled by the anti-Christian attacks. In addition to the support of neighbors, some academic institutions are doing their part. For example, the University of Kufa in the city of Najaf has invited Christian professors and students to come and study, and the Kurdistan government has officially offered to host Christian students and professors in their institutions as well.
Iraqi Christians are known for their patriotic spirit and their love for their country. As a Muslim compatriot, I am dismayed to see their lives and homes threatened and to watch them leave Iraq. I hope that together, Christian and Muslim Iraqis will overcome this hurdle, as they have overcome the many hardships that Iraq has had to face throughout its long history.
Ahmed K. Fahad is an instructor in the department of media at the University of Dhi Qar in Iraq.
THE DAILY STAR publishes this commentary in collaboration with the Common Ground News Service (www.commongroundnews.org).

WikiLeaks: Syria gave Hizbullah Scud-D missiles
By LAHAV HARKOV /J.Post
12/07/2010 10:22
Clinton asks Arab and Western nations to help stop Syria from continuing to transfer ballistic missiles, weapons to Hizbullah. The US lodged a complaint against Syria for providing "advanced ballistic missiles and other weaponry" to Hizbullah, shortly after Syrian President Bashar Assad denied doing so, according to documents released by WikiLeaks on Tuesday.
"We are concerned about Syria's provision of increasingly sophisticated weapons to Hizbullah," US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton wrote in a February 2010 diplomatic cable classified as "secret." "In our meetings last week it was stated that Syria is not transferring any 'new' missiles to Lebanese Hizbullah," Clinton wrote. Assad also said that "Syria could not be Israel's policeman." In that meeting, the US expressed concern that Hizbullah had been given Fateh-110 missiles, which can reach Tel Aviv. A US government official told The New York Times last week that these missiles are highly accurate and especially threatening. "We are aware, however, of current Syrian efforts to supply Hizbullah with ballistic missiles," Clinton explained. These missiles include Scud-D missiles, based on North Korean technology. "I must stress that...we strongly caution [Syria] against such a serious escalation." Leaked cables from 2009 also reveal that North Korea has provided missile technology to Iran and Syria and supported Hamas and Hizbullah, using Chinese banks "as the main access point into the international financial system." Clinton also wrote in to Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad in February that she is "concerned that Hizbullah is still planning an operation to avenge the death of Imad Mughniyeh," but added that, although Hizbullah seeks "a renewal of the 2006 conflict, it does not seem to be in Syria's interest" to do so.
Clinton warned that "Iran and Hizbullah both have interests that are not in Syria's own strategic interest," adding that Syria's "operational support for Hizbullah is a strategic miscalculation."
On the following day, the Secretary of State told diplomats to raise the issue of Syria's weapons transfers in Arab capitals, specifically Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar. She also discussed her concerns with Britain, France and Turkey, all of which "pledged to raise their concern with Syrian officials." Clinton explained that "the Syrian leadership views military support to Hizbullah as integral to Syria's security and as a bargaining chip in its negotiations with Israel over the return of the Golan Heights, as well as a possible stick to bring the Israelis back to the table."

U.S. used Israel intelligence to stifle arms trade: WikiLeaks
Guardian News Service
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article936132.ece
Pressure on Arab states over weapons sent to militants by Iran and Syria. The U.S has worked discreetly to block the supply of Iranian and Syrian weapons to the Palestinian movement Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, pressuring Arab governments not to co-operate -- in many cases its requests based on secret intelligence provided by Israel.
State department cables show that Sudan was warned by the U.S. in January 2009 not to allow the delivery of unspecified Iranian arms that were expected to be passed to Hamas in the Gaza Strip around the time of Israel’s Operation Cast Lead offensive, in which 1,400 Palestinians were killed.
U.S. diplomats were instructed to express “exceptional concern” to the Khartoum authorities. Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Chad were informed of the alleged Iranian plans and warned that any weapons deliveries would be in breach of UN resolutions banning Iranian arms exports.
Sudan’s foreign minister told a U.S. official his government’s formal response would be that it was not permitting the import of weapons from Iran, only to be told that “a simple regurgitation of Sudan’s previous denial would be unfortunate”.
Months later the media reported that in mid-January, Israeli planes mounted a long-range bombing attack on an arms convoy in Sudan’s Red Sea province. The Sharq al-Awsat newspaper quoted a US official as saying Sudan had been warned in advance about the shipment.
State department documents record that Khartoum then privately accused the U.S. of carrying out two air attacks in eastern Sudan: one in January 2009, with 43 dead and 17 vehicles destroyed, and another on 20 February, with 45 dead and 14 vehicles destroyed. “We assume that the planes that attacked us are your planes,” a senior Sudanese official said. The U.S. embassy in Khartoum then sought clarification from Washington.
“Should this potentially explosive story somehow leak to the sensationalistic Sudanese press,” the cable said, “it could very well turn our security situation here from bad to worse.” Explaining the political background to the confrontation, the head of Sudan’s intelligence and security service, Salah Ghosh, told U.S. diplomats of his government’s frustration over Washington’s support for Israel during the Gaza war. U.S. actions would “calamitously increase support for violent extremism and [push] Hamas into an alliance with Iran”, he warned.
In March 2009 Jordan and Egypt were informed by the U.S. of new Iranian plans to ship a cargo of “lethal military equipment” to Syria with onward transfer to Sudan and then to Hamas. Host nations were requested to require that the flights land for inspection, or deny them over flight rights. It is not known whether any deliveries went ahead.
In April Egypt’s interior minister, General Habib al-Adly, was described in U.S. cables as being behind the dismantling of a Hezbollah cell in Sinai as well as “steps to disrupt the flow of Iranian-supplied arms from Sudan through Egypt to Gaza”.
At the end of that month Egypt’s intelligence chief, General Omar Soleiman, told U.S. officials Egypt was “succeeding” in preventing Iran from funnelling financial support to Hamas. “Egypt had sent a clear message to Iran that if they interfere in Egypt, Egypt will interfere in Iran, adding that EGIS [the Egyptian intelligence service] had already begun recruiting agents in Iraq and Syria,” Soleiman said.
In June Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, told US officials there was “a steady flow of Iranian weapons to Gaza through Sudan or Syria and then by sea”, though “Egypt’s performance in stopping the tunnels [into Gaza] improved after Cairo understood that the Iranian arms pipeline is a direct threat to Egypt as well”.
Iran, a Mossad representative told a U.S. delegation in late 2009, “is very creative in finding ways to transfer weapons systems to its proxies”. It was widely reported in February 2010 that Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a senior Hamas official who was assassinated in Dubai by suspected Mossad agents, had been the key weapons procurement link between the Palestinian organisation and Iran.
Only rarely do the U.S. cables show evidence of direct Israeli requests to the U.S. to block arms deliveries, probably because they would be highly classified.
But in one bilateral meeting in Tel Aviv in 2009 a senior state department official noted “most requests to third countries to deny arms transfer over flights are based on Israeli intelligence. Additional information/intelligence from the government of Israel would ensure greater co-operation.” In February 2010, Israeli military intelligence informed the U.S. that Syria “intended to imminently transfer” Scud-D ballistic missiles to Hezbollah, warning of a “new level of concern” on the northern border if the transfer went ahead. Israel requested that any demarche be delivered before the arrival in Washington of their defence minister, Ehud Barak, to avoid the impression “that the U.S. and Israel collaborated to uncover and thwart the transfer”. Three days later the US warned Syria that it would be a “strategic miscalculation” to provide Hezbollah with these weapons.
President Assad was informed of US concerns by the undersecretary of state, William Burns. But the Syrian leader “bluntly stated that he knew of no new weapons systems going to Hezbollah ... despite disturbing and weighty evidence to the contrary”.
Syria’s deputy foreign minister, Faisal Miqdad, countered that the message showed that “the U.S. has not come to a mature position [that would enable it] to differentiate between its own interests and Israel’s”.
But U.S. allies in the west and the Arab world were told bluntly: “These are U.S. concerns. We are not carrying somebody else’s ‘water’ on this issue” -- a clear reference to Israel.
Keywords: U.S. Secret cables, WikiLeaks, cablegate, State Department