LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِDecember
16/2010
Bible Of The
Day
Isaiah 6/1-13: "6:1 In the year
that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up;
and his train filled the temple. 6:2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each one had
six wings. With two he covered his face. With two he covered his feet. With two
he flew. 6:3 One called to another, and said, “Holy, holy, holy, is Yahweh of
Armies! The whole earth is full of his glory!” 6:4 The foundations of the
thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with
smoke. 6:5 Then I said, “Woe is me! For I am undone, because I am a man of
unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes
have seen the King, Yahweh of Armies!” 6:6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me,
having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the
altar. 6:7 He touched my mouth with it, and said, “Behold, this has touched your
lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin forgiven.” 6:8 I heard the
Lord’s voice, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said,
“Here I am. Send me!” 6:9 He said, “Go, and tell this people, ‘You hear indeed,
but don’t understand; and you see indeed, but don’t perceive.’ 6:10 Make the
heart of this people fat. Make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they
see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart,
and turn again, and be healed.” 6:11 Then I said, “Lord, how long?” He answered,
“Until cities are waste without inhabitant, and houses without man, and the land
becomes utterly waste, 6:12 And Yahweh has removed men far away, and the
forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. 6:13 If there is a tenth left
in it,
that also will in turn be consumed: as a terebinth, and as an oak, whose stock
remains when they are felled; so the holy seed is its stock.”
Free Opinions, Releases,
letters, Interviews & Special Reports
Interview from the Daily Star with Lebanese MP, Sami Gemayel/December
15/10
Danger of losing hope/Daily
Star/December
15/10
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for December
15/10
Ex-Iraqi MP: Tehran
Ordered al-Maliki to Give Hizbullah Members Refuge in Iraq/Naharnet
As Safir: Israel Could
Invade Lebanon if Hizbullah Alters Balance of Power/Naharnet
March 14 Vows to Confront March 8
Insistence to Reject Legal Solutions to False Witnesses File/Naharnet
Suspect in murder of army personnel
found shot dead in Bekaa/Daily Star
Rift widens ahead of Cabinet
session on false witnesses/Daily Star
Ahmadinejad faces anger in Iran
over firing of FM/AP
Medvedev to visit Beirut in
January/Daily Star
Israel: Next Lebanon strike will
eclipse 2006/Daily Star
Syria, Qatar stress need for
maintaining dialogue in Lebanon/Daily Star
Heavy storm wreaks havoc
on fishing, agriculture industries in Lebanon/Daily Star
Pietton Reiterates French
Commitment to Equip Lebanese Army/Naharnet
Berri, Hariri Offer
Separate Solutions to False Witnesses' Issue, Await Response/Naharnet
March 8 Cabinet Ministers
Likely to Walk Out of Wednesday's Meeting/Naharnet
Asarta: Israel Serious in
Reaching Deal with UNIFIL over Ghajar Pullout/Naharnet
281 Cadets Complete
US-Sponsored Law Enforcement Training/Naharnet
Report Says Israeli
Equipment Used in Hariri's Protection, PM's Office Denies/Naharnet
440 Irish Troops to Deploy
in Southern Lebanon Next Year/Naharnet
Report: Medvedev in
Lebanon Next Month/Naharnet
Jumblat in Damascus on
Private Visit/Naharnet
Qatari Emir Meets Assad:
Syria, Saudi Arabia Keen on Averting Strife in Lebanon/Naharnet
Assiri Meets Hariri: We
Appeal to Everyone to Exercise Wisdom/Naharnet
Aoun on Ongoing Efforts
ahead of Cabinet: Such Maneuvers Can't Save a Country or Individuals/Naharnet
UNIFIL Tanks Replaced by
Light Vehicles to Up Mobility, Intervention Capabilities/Naharnet
Gemayel: Hizbullah wants to assume power
Kataeb MP says resistance may resort to force if Hariri maintains support for
Tribunal
By Elias Sakr /Daily Star staff /Naharnet
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Interview
BIKFAYA: Kataeb (Phalange) Party official MP Sami Gemayel said Tuesday Hizbullah
was more likely to overthrow the Cabinet than resort to force in a bid to end
Lebanon’s cooperation with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), which is
probing the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Though the Kataeb party’s Central Committee coordinator did not rule out the
possibility that Hizbullah might resort to force if Prime Minister Saad Hariri
does not withdraw his support for the UN-backed court, Gemayel said he believed
Hizbullah would attempt to guarantee a parliamentary majority to form a
government tasked with ending cooperation with the STL.
However, Gemayel warned that given divisions among the Lebanese over the STL,
any minor problem could spark dangerous incidents on a larger scale.
“Hizbullah wants to assume power either peacefully or by force, the goal is
one,” the eloquent Metn MP told The Daily Star at his family’s mansion in
Bikfaya.
He added that Hizbullah and its allies likely hold a parliamentary majority
after Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt’s realignment along
Syria and its allies.
Asked whether the Kataeb party would accept to endorse a compromise over the STL
in line with Hizbullah’s demands, Gemayel ruled out the possibility of accepting
a compromise and added that his party would rather take action in such an event.
Gemayel’s older brother Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel was assassinated in
November 2006.
“Political compromises could be discussed but a compromise over the STL and
justice will not be even remotely considered,” Gemayel said. “As a political
authority we have no right to bargain over judicial issues, otherwise, impunity
will continue to exist.”
“We are against any compromise at the expense of justice and we will confront
it. The issue is not a political one to us. We have a martyr. We cannot but
adopt such a position,” Gemayel said.
Speaking ahead of the 75th anniversary of the Kataeb party’s founding Saturday,
Gemayel elaborated on the party’s plan to strengthen state institutions as part
of a comprehensive future plan to develop Lebanon’s political regime.
He said the Kataeb party initiated discussions over the development of the
political regime to pave the way for future serious negotiations among the
Lebanese but only after settling the dispute over major issues like Hizbullah’s
arsenal.
“We cannot wait until major problematic issues are resolved to start considering
the development of Lebanon’s political regime,” he said. “Rather, we have to be
ready to come forward with a proposal and engage in serious dialogue when the
issue of Hizbullah’s weapons is resolved and the dispute over the STL comes to
an end,” he said.
However, Gemayel added that a national conference aimed at reconsidering the
Lebanese Constitution was not possible in the presence of an armed party, a
reference to Hizbullah. “You cannot sit around a dialogue table and negotiate a
new pact with other parties if one is carrying a weapon,” he said.
Gemayel said his party’s vision for a new political regime was not restricted to
federalism, though it remains one of the options that could be adopted.
“We are calling on the Lebanese to examine political regimes adopted in
countries with multicultural communities to learn from their experience and try
to apply what is in Lebanon’s best interests,” he said. “We call for the
consideration of all regimes.”
The 30-year-old MP said a centralized Lebanese state has proved its failure as
the country continues to endure repetitive political crises or wars every few
years.
“The country could not be more divided than it is today as each community in
turn has attempted throughout history to seize control of the largely
centralized state authority by relying on foreign support,” Gemayel said in
reference to the failure of the centralized state model.
Gemayel added that the adoption of a strategy of “positive neutrality while
recognizing Israel as an enemy state” as well as implementing decentralization
would largely diminish the struggle over the centralized state authority in a
bid to put an end to the continuous cycles of violence and political crises.
“Decentralization will allow citizens to hold their local councils accountable,
which is impossible under the current regime that allots power to groups on
confessional basis, groups that will always remain in power irrespective of
whether they meet the citizens’ basic needs or not,” he said.
As Safir:
Israel Could Invade Lebanon if Hizbullah Alters Balance of Power
Naharnet/Officials close to French President Nicolas Sarkozy are warning that
Israel could invade Lebanon if Hizbullah alters the balance of power in Lebanon
and targets the national unity cabinet, As Safir daily said. An Arab diplomatic
source in Paris also told As Safir that efforts to find a solution to the
Lebanese crisis and contain the repercussions of the indictment that will be
issued by the international tribunal would not succeed without Syria's
interference. The source said that Sarkozy has asked Assad about possible
scenarios and what Israel would do in case Special Tribunal for Lebanon
Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare indicts members from Hizbullah. Beirut, 15 Dec 10,
09:13
Ex-Iraqi MP: Tehran Ordered al-Maliki to Give Hizbullah Members Refuge in Iraq
Naharnet/Iraqi Premier-designate Nuri al-Maliki has received orders from Iran to
give the Iraqi nationality to Hizbullah members and protect them against the
indictment of the international tribunal, a former Iraqi lawmaker told the Saudi
daily al-Watan. Al-Maliki "received Iranian orders to give the Iraqi nationality
to members of the Lebanese Hizbullah after formation of the new cabinet," the
former MP said in remarks published on Wednesday. He told al-Watan that the
Hizbullah members could take refuge in an area in the eastern border of Diyala
province where Iraqi militia members that are allied with Iran are active.
Tehran also urged al-Maliki to protect the Shiite party members if the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon indicts them in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination
case. Beirut, 15 Dec 10, 09:50
Justice Palace Evacuated after Bomb Hoax
Naharnet/The Justice Palace in Baabda was evacuated on Wednesday after receiving
a bomb threat. Local media quoted security sources as saying an anonymous person
called shortly after midday to inform there is a bomb planted in the Justice
Palace in Baabda, 11 kilometers east of Beirut. They said explosives experts,
backed by police dogs, rushed to the scene to secure the area and search for the
bombs. Security forces, however, found no trace of bombs after a thorough search
of the Justice Palace. Beirut, 15 Dec 10, 13:19
Army Dismantles Israeli Spy Devices in Sannine, Barouk after Hizbullah Tip
Naharnet/The Lebanese army on Wednesday dismantled what it said were Israeli
espionage devices placed on two of the country's highest mountaintops, an army
spokesman said.
"Earlier today, military intelligence discovered the two devices and dismantled
them," the spokesman told Agence France Presse. The spying devices were found on
Mount Sannine, northeast of Beirut, and the Barouk Mountain, east of the
capital, he added. "Unveiling these two systems came as a result of information
obtained by the Intelligence Directorate from Resistance (Hizbullah) sources,"
said a statement released by the Army Command – Orientation Directorate.
Lebanon's powerful Hizbullah has accused its arch-enemy Israel of having
infiltrated the country's telecom sector. On December 3, the Israeli army
detonated two spy devices in southern Lebanon, slightly injuring two passers-by,
after Hizbullah uncovered their location near the coastal city of Tyre. The
party hailed the discovery as "another achievement" of its counter-espionage
teams. Wednesday's incident came amid high tension in Lebanon over impending
indictments by a U.N.-backed probe into the 2005 assassination of ex-premier
Rafik Hariri. The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) is allegedly set to
implicate high-ranking members of Hizbullah in the killing, a move the party has
repeatedly warned against. Hizbullah, which fought a devastating one-month war
with Israel in 2006, has accused the STL, which has based its indictments on
extensive telecommunications evidence according to reports, of being part of a
U.S.-Israeli plot.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 15 Dec 10, 18:45
March 14 Vows to Confront March 8 Insistence to Reject Legal Solutions to False
Witnesses File
Naharnet/The March 14 general-secretariat defended on Wednesday Premier Saad
Hariri's proposed solution to the controversial issue of false witnesses and
said the March 8 forces' insistence to allegedly reject legal answers to the
problem will be faced by stiff insistence to refuse blackmail. "March 8 forces'
insistence to reject all legal and constitutional solutions" to the false
witnesses issue will be faced by March 14's "insistence to reject blackmail,"
the general-secretariat said following its weekly meeting. Hariri has reportedly
suggested solving the issue by allowing the Cabinet to seek help from the
Supreme Consultative Authority. The statement also blasted the March 8 forces
for rejecting the investigation carried out by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon
in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination case. "Justice is a foundation of
stability and democracy. Giving it up under any circumstance is similar to
giving up moral and political values that Lebanese are holding onto," it said.
The conferees also lauded President Michel Suleiman and Hariri for their efforts
to convene a cabinet session.
Beirut, 15 Dec 10, 14:35
Jundallah Suicide Bomber Kills 39 at Iran Ashoura Procession
Naharnet/A suicide bomber blew himself up at a Shiite religious procession in
the Iranian city of Chabahar on Wednesday killing at least 39 people in an
attack claimed by Sunni rebel group Jundallah. A pathologist cited by the
official IRNA news agency said 38 bodies had been brought to the town's
mortuary, among them women and children. A 39th casualty later succumbed to his
wounds, the pathologist said. The bomber struck in a central square where
worshippers were taking part in a procession marking the eve of the last day of
Ashoura, Red Crescent official Mahmoud Mozafar told the ILNA news agency. "An
individual walked up to some Red Crescent ambulances and blew himself up," he
said.
The governor of Sistan-Baluchestan province, Ali Mohammad Azad, said: "Two
terrorists were killed, one in the explosion and the second by police."
The prefect of Chabahar, Ali Bateni, said a third terrorist was later arrested.
"There were two terrorists who were spotted before they carried out their attack
but one of them managed to detonate his explosive vest," Bateni told IRNA. "The
ringleader of this terrorist action has been arrested."
The attack came on the eve of the final day of Ashoura, one of the high points
of the Shiite calendar when large crowds of worshippers gather in mosques across
predominantly Shiite Iran.
But unlike most of the rest of the country, Sistan-Baluchestan where Chabahar is
situated has a significant Sunni community and has seen persistent unrest in
recent years by the Sunni militants of Jundallah (Soldiers of God). The group
claimed Wednesday's attack, saying it was to avenge the hanging of their leader
Abdolmalek Rigi. It identified the two militants as Saiful Rahman Chabahari and
Hessan Khashi. "This operation was a revenge for the hanging of the head of the
movement Abdolmalek and other members of Jundallah," the group said on its
website junbish.blogspot.com. "In this suicide operation in the city of Chabahar,
tens of guards (members of the elite Revolutionary Guards) and mercenaries have
been killed. The operation was carried out to expose the aggressors in
Baluchestan." Jundallah, which says it is fighting for the rights of the
province's large Sunni ethnic Baluchi community, has claimed many deadly attacks
on Iranian security forces over the past decade as well as assaults that have
led to civilian deaths.
In July, it claimed responsibility for an attack on the Grand Mosque in the
provincial capital Zahedan that targeted members of the Revolutionary Guards and
killed 28 people.
Last month, the United States officially designated Jundallah a foreign
terrorist organization, drawing a cautious welcome from Iran which had
previously accused Washington of supporting the group. Iranian officials renewed
the allegation on Wednesday. The head of parliament's foreign affairs committee,
Alaeddin Borujerdi, accused the "intelligence services of the United States and
Britain" of being behind the attack, the ISNA news agency reported. Deputy
Interior Minister Ali Abdollahi said the "equipment used shows that they are
terrorists supported by the intelligence services of the region and the U.S.,"
IRNA reported. British Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt said he was
"appalled" to hear about the suicide bombing and said London "strongly condemns
this atrocity". "I was appalled to hear of today's horrific bomb attack in Iran
against pilgrims marking Ashoura in the city of Chabahar," the minister for the
Middle East and North Africa said in a statement. "The UK strongly condemns this
atrocity. We deplore terrorism in all its forms. Our thoughts are with all those
injured and their families."
Iranian authorities have cracked down hard on Jundallah, arresting many
suspected members and executing its leader Rigi in June. Rigi was captured in a
dramatic operation while on a flight from Dubai to Kyrgyzstan in February, when
Iranian warplanes forced the aircraft he was on to land in Iran. A month before
his execution, his brother Abdolhamid was also executed on charges of
"terrorism." The 10-day Ashoura rituals, which climax in Iran on Thursday,
commemorate the killing of Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, by
armies of the caliph Yazid in 680 AD. Tradition holds that the revered imam was
decapitated and his body mutilated.(AFP) Beirut, 15 Dec 10, 16:07
Pietton Reiterates French Commitment to Equip Lebanese Army
Naharnet/French Ambassador Denis Pietton said Wednesday that he reiterated to
Premier Saad Hariri French commitment to support and provide equipment to the
Lebanese army. After meeting with Premier Saad Hariri at the Grand Serail,
Pietton said he delivered to the prime minister a letter from his French
counterpart Francois Fillon in which he reiterated Paris' commitment to help the
Lebanese military. In comments to reporters, the ambassador said his visit to
Hariri came as part of French efforts to guarantee stability in Lebanon.
Pietton also lauded the efforts of President Michel Suleiman and Hariri to
invite cabinet ministers for a meeting, after almost a month of standstill.
"This is a courageous decision because it should help re-launch (state)
institutions and hopefully end the paralysis," the ambassador told reporters.He
urged all Lebanese parties to act responsibly and differentiate between the
cabinet and the indictment that will be issued by the international tribunal.
Beirut, 15 Dec 10, 12:27
Michel Aoun
December 15, 2010
The Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) carried the following report on December
14, 2010:
The Change and Reform bloc held its weekly meeting, headed by MP Michel Aoun, in
Rabieh. Following the sit-down, Aoun told reporters that he discussed with his
minister various issues, including Wednesday’s cabinet session to address the
issue of “false witnesses.”
“We did not tackle many issues today, while the most important issue was that of
the cabinet session tomorrow. But what mostly seized our attention was the 13th
resignation from the international tribunal, in light of the resignation of Mrs.
Fatima al-Issawi who made certain allusions. We all know the status of the
tribunal and that the salaries of its employees among judges, lawyers and
journalists are very enticing, at a time when the work conditions in it are not
very tiring. Despite that, they are resigning one after the other, which
confirms that something dubious is happening. This story may be similar to the
story of the investigation that was staged here and during which the
investigator faced a conscience crisis causing his eventual ousting.
There may be numerous crises of conscience inside the international tribunal and
this is extremely significant and dubious, and whoever ignores this issue is
either ignorant or pretending to be so. Back to tomorrow’s session, we can see
that the first item is still that of the false witnesses file. At this point, I
would like to ask a question to the citizens and all those hearing me today. I
would like to address a question to all those who have a living conscience: ‘If
he is the son of the deceased and the avenger of blood, and it turned out that
there were false witnesses who entered the equation during the investigation to
mislead it, and turn it away from the real direction that would lead to the
actual criminals. What should he do? Demand an investigation with the latter
witnesses or protect them?’ I have previously responded to this question and
said I demanded that they be interrogated, because I want to know the truth and
see the prevalence of justice.
As for their protection, it blocks the way leading to the truth and makes me
responsible for contributing to the concealment of the truth. Consequently, as a
deputy and a Lebanese citizen, I accuse all those trying to prevent the transfer
of the latter witnesses to the Judicial Council. I am talking about the Judicial
Council because it was the one assigned to look into the assassination of Prime
Minister [Rafik] Hariri and all the cases related to it based on Lebanese law.
All those who obstruct the transfer of the false witnesses file to the Judicial
Council are now accused of tampering with the investigation and of being
partners in the fabrication of the false witnesses, whether they are deputies,
ministers or politicians. They may constitute the majority and may be able to
prevent the transfer of this file to the Judicial Council, considering that this
is not the first time that the truth about a certain crime is covered up and not
the first time that wrongfulness prevails. However, let it be known to all that
truth will eventually conquer. Wrongfulness might prevail temporarily, but truth
will eventually conquer.
No one can prevent us from following moral and legal logic and say what I am
saying now. This item is still pending and we have started hearing talk saying
we are hindering livelihood affairs and abstaining from ratifying the cabinet’s
agenda. However, it is acceptable to hinder the judiciary and prevent it from
reaching the truth in one of the most important crimes that could subject
Lebanon to strife? They are the ones responsible for justice, so they cannot
take sides. Saad Hariri should resign from the government because he is taking
sides and wants to lead justice in the direction that suits him. He cannot reach
his goal while prime minister, so let him resign and do whatever he wants. The
international tribunal is searching for evidence to implicate Hezbollah, but not
for ones that could exonerate it. It is even ignoring the evidence that
exonerates Hezbollah.
We believe this is utter bias. It is a great political bias to introduce a
victim and search for evidence that would incriminate it while disregarding all
the other courses that could show the innocence of the victim. Regarding the
cabinet’s agenda which featured 300 items, what is this unsystematic agenda? The
main items do not exceed 20 or 30 and these are the priorities. Why so many
items? Assuming that the cabinet convenes for six hours and that the issue of
the false witnesses does not take more than five minutes, the cabinet will not
be able to tackle all the rest. Going through the agenda, we can find that the
important issues are in the end, just as they did when they placed the item
regarding the lowering of the taxes on gasoline at the end and then toppled the
session. The cabinet sessions are not game sessions or ones to stage campaigns
or cast accusations. Shame on them. Each minister must define the key issues he
wishes to tackle because cabinet sessions are for those interested in the living
conditions of the people.
We are demanding real things and urgent priorities, so draw up the agenda on
that basis and convene. You cannot wait until you have free time to meet at the
cabinet. You go missing for one, two or three weeks abroad and then say, ‘We
feel like holding a meeting.’ Moreover, what is this mystery surrounding the
session? Until now, they do not know what they should do in regard to an issue
that was postponed in the past, i.e. the issue of the false witnesses, and are
seeking tricks and problems. All these maneuvers will not save the country or
the people. Let them tackle the priorities inside the cabinet and try to resolve
them in one, two or three sessions. If they hold that many sessions and agree
over the first item, that would be a good thing. If not, the majority is held
fully responsible for the obstruction [end of the statement].”
Israel: Next Lebanon strike will eclipse 2006
By Patrick Galey
Daily Star staff
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
BEIRUT: Israel has warned it will strike Lebanon with “10 times” the force of
its 2006 onslaught in the event of provocation by Hizbullah.
In an interview which was published Tuesday by Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronot,
an unidentified senior Israeli Army northern command officer also alleged that
Hizbullah had continued to receive “all kinds of rockets” from neighboring
Syria.
“Hizbullah is in its deepest crisis in its history,” the officer was quoted as
saying. “Hizbullah knows that if another war breaks, the [2006 summer] war would
look like a picnic.”
The officer warned against any Hizbullah aggression following the issuance of
indictments by the United Nations-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL).
The probe established to find the killers of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri
– who was assassinated in a 2005 car bomb attack which killed 22 others – has
said it will deliver indictments to a pre-trial judge “very soon” and there are
fears of civil unrest if individuals from Hizbullah are named in arrest
warrants.
The party’s Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has vowed to “cut the
hand” of any investigation which targets the resistance. The officer advised
Hizbullah against participating in any assault on Israel in the wake of STL
indictments. “The Israeli [interior] will be hit but the [Israeli Army] has
improved its abilities greatly and the price the other side would pay would be
much more painful [than in 2006],” he said. “Confronting Israel is not at the
organization’s top priority in a time of leadership problems, financial
problems, an internal crisis and lack of training.” The interviewee repeated
Israeli claims that Hizbullah had hidden a vast arsenal of rockets within
Lebanon after receiving clandestine military support from Damascus.
In April, Israeli President Shimon Peres alleged that Hizbullah had in its
stockpile long range Scud-type missiles capable of targeting heavily populated
targets within Israel, including its largest city, Tel Aviv. Although the UN –
including the commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon –
stressed that no evidence of Scud missiles had been found inside the country,
American lawmakers at the time publicly corroborated Peres’ claims. “We
shouldn’t scare the people [Israelis] that a war with Lebanon that may include
missiles over Tel Aviv is the end of the world. I hope that this ability [of
Hizbullah] will not be used against us,” the officer said. “If so, we will
strike back with all force.” Israel routinely submits complaints to the UN
Security Council over what it claims to be Hizbullah’s proliferating arsenal
which, if confirmed, would constitute a grievous violation of international law.
Some analysts have numbered the amount of warheads at Hizbullah’s disposal at
roughly 40,000, although such a figure has neither been confirmed nor denied by
the party.
While Israeli the officer accused Syria of providing Hizbullah with “all kinds
of advanced rockets,” he noted that “so far, there are no signs that Syria has
supplied Hizbullah with chemical weapons.” – With additional reporting by Annie
Slemrod
Suspect in murder of army personnel found shot dead in Bekaa
By The Daily Star /Wednesday, December 15, 2010
BEIRUT: A suspect in the assassination of two Lebanese Army personnel was found
dead in the Bekaa town of Majdel Anjar Tuesday, the state-run National News
Agency (NNA) reported. The body of Mahmoud Mohammad Ajaj, 30, was discovered
near the sugar factory in Majdel Anjar, bearing seven shots in several parts of
the body.
The NNA said Ajaj was wanted by the Lebanese authorities on suspicion of
involvement in the killing of Lieutenant Colonel Abdo Jasser, the head of the
Lebanese Army Intelligence office in the Masnaa Lebnese-Syrian border crossing,
and First Sergeant Ziad Mais, who were gunned down in October. Jasser and Mais
were chasing after an escaped soldier when they were confronted by a group of
armed men trying to hide the deserter in Majdel Anjar. Members from the Lebanese
Army and Internal Security Forces (ISF) cordoned off the area and probes began
to reveal the full details of the incident. Investigative Judge Nicholas Mansour,
Public Prosecutor for the Bekaa Ziad Hmadeh and ISF Head in Bekaa Brigadier
Nabil Mazloum attended the scene. A coroner examined the body and it was then
transported to Elias Hrawi Public Hospital in Zahle as requested by the
judiciary. Another attack on the army took place in November, when a group of
armed men killed Corporal Youssef Qassem Youssef, near the Masnaa
border-crossing. Youssef was critically injured and soon died, according to a
Lebanese Army statement, and a passerby was wounded in the skirmish. Checkpoints
were immediately erected in a bid to arrest the culprits. The perpetrators were
driving two vehicles with tinted windows and no registration plates. The army
later discovered one of the two cars that were used in the ambush. – The Daily
Star
Rift widens ahead of Cabinet session on 'false witnesses'
Government sources rule out the possibility that consensus on issue can be
achieved
By Elias Sakr /Daily Star staff
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
BEIRUT: The gap between rival groups widened ahead of a Cabinet session
scheduled Wednesday to discuss the thorny issue of the so-called “false
witnesses,” threatening to deepen the country’s weeks-old deadlock. Contacts
among rival groups continued until late Tuesday in a bid to find a compromise
solution over the issue of “false witnesses,” who the March 8 coalition accuse
of misleading the probe into the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister
Rafik Hariri. Government sources, however, ruled out the possibility of
Wednesday’s Cabinet session achieving any breakthroughs. The sources said the
session was likely to be postponed similar to previous ones that tackled “false
witnesses.”
The March 8 demand that “false witnesses” be referred to Lebanon’s highest
court, the Judicial Council, but the March 14 coalition says “false witnesses”
ought to be tried by the regular judiciary. The March 14 alliance fears that the
investigation of “false witnesses” by the Judicial Council would eventually
block the work of a UN-backed court probing the Hariri assassination. Ministers
of the March 8 coalition held a meeting at the Parliament Tuesday to discuss a
unified stance ahead of the Cabinet session and put the final touches on a
proposal by Speaker Nabih Berri to solve the quarrel over issue of “false
witnesses.”Berri had proposed to ask the Judicial Council whether dealing with
the issue of “false witnesses” was among its prerogatives. Berri’s adviser MP
Ali Hassan Khalil was tasked with conveying the proposal to Prime Minister Saad
Hariri. “The ball is now in Hariri’s court,” a senior political source from the
March 8 coalition told The Daily Star.
But a government source said Hariri rejected the March 8 proposal and came up
with a “legal and constitutional” means to tackle the issue of “false
witnesses.”
According to the source, Hariri suggested referring the issue to the
government’s Higher Advisory Committee, which comprises six judges including the
head of the Higher Judicial Council Magistrate Ghaleb Ghanem.The government is
allowed to name two judges on the panel, the source said, adding that Hariri
suggested that one is named by President Michel Sleiman and the other by the
March 8 coalition.
Hariri was still waiting for feedback from the March 8 coalition, which is
likely to refuse his proposal, according to the source.
Hariri met Tuesday with Saudi Ambassador Ali Awad al-Osseiri, who called on all
Lebanese groups to “exercise wisdom.”
The March 8 source said Hariri’s rejection of their proposal meant that things
were back to square one, adding that ministers of his group would withdraw from
the Cabinet session if the issue of “false witnesses” was not solved. A source
from Hariri’s Future Movement, meanwhile, said the “stubborn” attitude displayed
by the March 8 camp meant that the country would plunge into “a deeper state of
paralysis.” Last month, President Michel Sleiman adjourned a Cabinet meeting
over the issue of “false witnesses,” avoiding a divisive vote on the issue that
could have threatened the government’s stability. Both Sleiman and Progressive
Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt have been so far opposed to the March 8
coalition’s demands to put the issue of “false witnesses” to vote to decide
whether to refer it to the Judicial Council.
The Future Movement parliamentary bloc said the intimidating discourse adopted
by Hizbullah and the party’s constant threats had sparked tension among the
Lebanese and harmed the country’s security and stability.
Hizbullah has warned the March 14 coalition that a compromise remains possible
only before the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) issues its indictment into
the assassination of Rafik Hariri. Tension has mounted in recent months in
Lebanon over the indictment to be issued by the Netherlands-based court. The STL
is widely believed to be planning to indict Hizbullah in the assassination. Many
fear violence will erupt in Lebanon if the Netherlands-based court points the
finger at Hizbullah, dragging the country to the brink of a civil war.
“The Future bloc reiterates its support to the Lebanese Army and security
forces’ role in protecting citizens against any aggressions that could tamper
with their security and that of private and state institutions,” the bloc said
in a statement released following its meeting headed by MP Fouad Siniora. It
added that “false witnesses” could only be identified by the STL after the
release of the indictment. Echoing the Future Movement, its ally Lebanese Forces
leader Samir Geagea said the so-called “false witnesses” issue was nonexistent
until now. “There is no file under this definition until the release of the
indictment or even after verdicts are issued. Investigative or tribunal judges
are entitled to ask for the trial of false witnesses and then any individual can
file charges on a personal basis,” Geagea said. But Hizbullah’s ally, Free
Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, reiterated accusations against the
March 14 coalition of standing behind “false witnesses,” saying this accounted
for their refusal to refer the issue to the Judicial Council
Medvedev to visit Beirut in January
By The Daily Star /Wednesday, December 15, 2010
BEIRUT: Russia’s President Dimitri Medevdev is set to pay an official visit to
Lebanon in January, media reports said this week.
The purpose of the Russian president’s visit will be to provide Russian military
aid to the Lebanese Army; the Central News Agency (CNA) quoted diplomatic
sources as saying Tuesday.
The sources said that Lebanon would receive 31 T-72 tanks and six MI 24
helicopters. The grant is part of the military assistance that Russia had agreed
to provide to Lebanon during Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s visit to the country
in November. During Hariri’s visit, the prime minister announced that Moscow
would provide Lebanon with six MI 24 helicopters, 31 T-72 tanks, 36 cannons of
130 mm caliber, around half a million different munitions for medium-sized
weapons, and 30,000 artillery shells.
President Michel Sleiman has also discussed military aid to Lebanon during a
visit he paid to Russia as well. The CNA said that Israel had expressed its
reservations on the military aid because it included cannons and half a million
munitions. Lebanon’s army lacks advanced weapons. In a speech earlier this year,
President Michel Sleiman urged the Lebanese to participate in funding the buying
of arms. The United States imposed a short hold on military aid to Lebanon after
the Lebanese army engaged in an armed clash with Israeli troops along the
Lebanese-Israeli borders in August.
Some US officials expressed fears that the Lebanese Army had used US arms in the
confrontation. The altercation killed two Lebanese soldiers, a Lebanese
journalist and a high-ranking Israeli soldier.In November, House Foreign Affairs
Committee Chairman Howard Berman lifted the hold on $100 million in US military
aid, saying he was reassured Lebanese troops would try to prevent flare-ups
along the border with Israel. The United Arab Emirates has provided in September
three Puma IRA 330 Helicopters to the Lebanese Army, with another three
helicopters of the same type to be delivered before the end of the year. – The
Daily Star
Syria, Qatar stress need for maintaining dialogue in Lebanon
By The Daily Star /Wednesday, December 15, 2010
BEIRUT: Syrian President Bashar Assad and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa
al-Thani stressed Tuesday the importance of resorting to dialogue to resolve
Lebanon’s political impasse and avoid the country being dragged into strife.
Following talks in Doha, Assad and Sheikh Hamad reiterated their keenness to
help the Lebanese to preserve the security and stability of the country, Syria’s
state-run National News Agency (SANA) reported. Tensions have mounted in recent
months over the indictment to be issued by a UN-backed court probing the 2005
assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)
is set to indict Hizbullah in the assassination. Many fear violence will erupt
if the Netherlands-based court points the finger at Hizbullah. Assad reiterated
that Syria will only accept an indictment based on clear-cut evidence. “For
Syria in general as a country and as a political leadership, we do not accept
any accusation, in any circumstance, without evidence – not just concerning the
issue of the tribunal … In other countries, it occurred in several previous
situations that accusations were made that may have been political,” the Syrian
president said. Assad said any accusation required evidence, especially if the
case in question was as serious as the assassination of a prime minister. “In a
country like Lebanon that contains divisions that are centuries-old, not
decades-old … there must be evidence in order to avoid divisions,” he said.
Power brokers Syria and Saudi Arabia have led efforts to solve the deadlock but
refused to reveal the content of talks. “I don’t want to talk for the Lebanese
concerning this issue … sometimes announcing ideas in the media can be harmful
to the political work itself,” he said.
“I discussed with [Sheikh Hamad] the proposed ideas, but it’s better for these
to be announced by Lebanon and not by Syria or Qatar.”
Answering a question about the existence of a joint Syrian-Qatari initiative
regarding Lebanon, the Qatari Emir said the issue was still in the hands of
Syria and Saudi Arabia. Sheikh Hamad voiced confidence that Syria and Saudi
Arabia will exert all possible efforts to avoid strife in Lebanon.
Talks between Assad and Sheikh Hamad also dealt with bilateral ties “and the
mutual desire to continue the development of these relations on all levels,”
SANA said.
The two Arab leaders reviewed regional developments, particularly in occupied
Palestine, Iraq, the stalled peace process, and efforts exerted by Syria and
Qatar to establish security and stability in the Middle East. “We discussed many
and various issues including the situation in Iraq and the issue of forming the
government there in addition to bilateral relations and other issues,” Assad
told reporters in Doha. Assad also congratulated Sheikh Hamad and the Qatari
people on the Gulf country winning the right to host the 2022 World Cup. He
expressed his full confidence in Qatar’s ability to succeed in organizing this
sporting event. – The Daily Star
Heavy storm wreaks havoc on fishing, agriculture industries
in Lebanon
Government unlikely to adopt quick measures to compensate those who suffered
losses
By Osama Habib /Daily Star staff
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
BEIRUT: The heavy storm which hit Lebanon over the weekend wreaked havoc and
destruction on the agriculture and fishing industries, with hundreds of families
calling on the government to compensate them for their losses. The tempest also
put some power plants of service at least temporarily, as Electricite du Liban’s
technicians worked in extremely difficult weather conditions to restore power to
some areas. Hundreds of greenhouses throughout the Bekka Valley, Akkar and other
parts of the country were totally or partially destroyed after they were hit by
the storm. Farmers also complain that they lost large quantities of banana and
avocado crops that are grown along the coast south of Beirut.
No official figures were released yet on the actual cost of the losses but it is
widely believed that the next storm will inflict heavier damages if no action is
taken immediately.
Fishermen also had their share of losses from the storm as hundreds of small
boats were crushed by the high tidal waves that hit Lebanese ports.
The government, which has been paralyzed by issues such as the “false witnesses”
file concerning the UN-backed probe into former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s
assassination, is unlikely to adopt quick measures to compensate the losses of
farmers and fishermen.
Anotoine Howaiek, president of the farmers syndicate, told The Daily Star that
greenhouses, bananas and citrus took the brunt of damages in the storm.
“I can say that the blizzards have wiped out nearly 20 percent of Lebanon’s
citrus sector and banana crops saw a similar fate. This scenario is always
repeated in every storm that hits the country. We just wait for the weather to
wash away our crops and there is nothing we can do about it,” Howaiek said
bitterly. He added that initial reports show that some farmers lost all of their
crops in one blow while others sustained fewer material damages. The entire
Lebanese agriculture sector is valued at less than $1.2 billion annually and
part of this produce is exported to Arab states and some European countries.
Lebanon’s agriculture industry represent 5.1 percent of the country’s GDP,
although experts say that close to 30 percent of the population earn their
living from the sector. Howaiek said the storm washed away dozens of tents that
housed grapes in some parts of the country. He stressed that farmers do not have
the means to brace for any bad weather. “We want the government to survey the
damages and compensate the farmers for their huge losses,” Howaiek said. Howaiek
added in some instances the government is too reluctant to provide assistance to
farmers unless the disaster wreaks nationwide destruction. “In 2008 for example
the government at that time decided to compensate the farmers after one of the
worst storms to hit Lebanon in many years. But the security events in May of
that year delayed this assistance and farmers had to adapt to their losses,”
Howaiek said.
Howaiek did not pin much faith on any future government assistance. “They
[politicians] only provide small assistance to farmers before the elections and
to win votes,” he said.
Howaiek and other farmers emphasize that they could do without the assistance if
joint public and private insurance firms dedicated were created for farmers.
“This insurance company which we have proposed was sent to the Parliament for
approval in 2005 but it has been sitting on the shelves since then,” he said. He
argued that this proposal would be the best way to protect the farmers from any
future natural disaster and anything less than that would be a waste of time. He
added that banks are reluctant to provide loans to farmers because they believe
that agriculture is too risky, “That’s why we should have an insurance firm for
farmers,” he repeated.
danger of losing hope
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Listen to the Article - Powered by
Editorial/Daily Star
George Mitchell returned to the region this week following the announcement by
the United States that it has given up on trying to persuade Israel to stop
building settlements in the West Bank. Similarly, it seems the Palestinians have
given up hope of the United States finding a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict. Those concerned with striving for peace in the region would do well to
remember the consequences of a people losing hope in the possibility of a
negotiated solution.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was criticized by many in his own court for
his decision to return to direct talks with Israel while settlements were still
being built in East Jerusalem. It was a concession on behalf of the
Palestinians, and it was rewarded with intransigence on the part of the Israeli
government. That the US has hitherto been unable to persuade Israel to abide by
even the most basic tenets of international law – foremost among these being the
inadmissibility of the acquisition of land through the use of force – is a sign
of how far this process has deteriorated.
Benjamin Netanyahu was keen to express his happiness that the US had “realized”
that settlements were a marginal issue, and that they should not stand in the
way of negotiations for peace. In reality, Netanyahu knows full well that
settlement construction is a sure fire way to torpedo any chance of
negotiations.
With every new settlement house approved, the position of moderates in the
Palestinian camp becomes more untenable. Their assurances that peace can be
reached by reasoning and compromising are damaged considerably when Israel
refuses to reason or compromise. To continue along this path creates a real
danger these moderates will disappear completely, and in their place will stand
a much less palatable “partner for peace.”
The Palestinians have little room to maneuver. After receiving nothing for the
initial compromise of returning to direct talks, it is unlikely Abbas will agree
to do so now the US has given up on pursuing a freeze. Israel on the other hand
has the same choice it has had for decades: expand its territory, or negotiate
for peace.
The United States, whom many have pinned their hopes on solving this conflict,
has a duty to reevaluate its role as a mediator. It has tried asking Israel to
abide by international law, to no avail. Perhaps it is time for the US to do
more than ask, and to start imposing preconditions to the billions of dollars of
military aid it gives Israel each year.
The alternative is inaction, and the preservation of this dangerous status quo.
In the meantime, more settlements will be built on the land of a future
Palestinian state, and more Palestinians will lose hope in the prospect of a
negotiated settlement.
Ahmadinejad faces anger in Iran over firing of FM
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
12/14/2010 19:57
Top lawmakers and media in Islamic Republic say Mottaki's dismissal points to
growing split between president and conservative rivals.
TEHERAN, Iran — President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad faced outrage at home Tuesday over
the ambush-style dismissal of his longtime foreign minister, more evidence of a
growing rift in Iran's conservative leadership just as Teheran reopens talks
with world powers on its disputed nuclear program.Iran's leaders tried to quiet
the rumblings by insisting there was no fundamental policy shifts behind the
surprise decision Monday to dump Manouchehr Mottaki while he was in the middle
of a diplomatic mission to Senegal and appoint nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi
interim foreign minister. But the fallout from some top lawmakers and the media
— even one of Teheran's most hard-line newspapers — pointed to bigger questions
about growing splits between Ahmadinejad and rivals from within the country's
conservative leadership who see the move as a presidential power grab and
cronyism. It also raises the possibility of new friction between
Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate power
in the country and has clashed with the president over political appointments in
the past. "The dismissal of the foreign minister during a foreign mission will
have a heavy price" for Iran's diplomacy, said Mohammad Karamirad, a member of
parliament's influential National Security and Foreign Policy Committee. Mottaki
has made no public comment. But he returned to Iran Tuesday and was greeted at
the foreign ministry by some staff in what appeared to be a show of support and
a protest against his dismissal. Divisions among Iran's conservative blocs have
been evident since Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election last year — which brought
wide-ranging crackdowns on dissidents and marked a sharp rise in the influence
of his main backers, the powerful Revolutionary Guard. But the political dismay
over Mottaki's forced exit suggests the fissures could be widening over
complaints about Ahmadinejad's combative style and his attempts to keep power
among a tight circle of loyalists. It could leave Ahmadinejad more isolated as
the ruling system confronts multiple challenges, including an economy stumbling
under international sanctions and whether to continue defying Western demands to
halt uranium enrichment — the position that brought four rounds of sanctions on.
Uranium enrichment is the most contentious part of Iran's nuclear program.
Uranium enriched to low levels can be used for nuclear power but enriched to
higher levels it can be used to make nuclear weapons. The US and its allies
suspect Iran is aiming to make a nuclear weapon, a charge Iran denies. Talks on
the nuclear program between Iran and world powers, including the United States,
resumed last week after a long hiatus and the next meeting is scheduled for
early 2011.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, Ramin Mehmanparast, said placing nuclear
chief Salehi as the country's top diplomat did not signal a change of course.
"With the change, we will not see any change in Iran's basic policies,"
including the nuclear talks, Mehmanparast told reporters in his weekly briefing.
He also stressed that all critical policy decisions come at "higher levels" than
the foreign ministry — a clear reference to the Supreme Council of National
Security that includes Ahmadinejad and Khamenei, who has final say on all state
matters
Politics
- Hnein from Grand Serail: So-called false witnesses' dossier cannot be
forwarded before Lebanese judiciary
15/12/10 18:40/NNA - Prime Minister, Saad Hariri, received on Wednesday at the
Grand Serail former Minister Salah Hnein who highlighted, in the wake of the
meeting, the importance to return to law in order to find a solution to the
false witnesses' dossier. "The law relevant to the justice court stipulates that
derived proceedings cannot be forwarded to any authority separately from the
main court case which is that of Rafik Hariri assassination," he said. He added
that the so-called false witnesses' dossier is a derived case; therefore, it
cannot be solely transferred before the Lebanese judiciary. Hariri later met
with a delegation of the Lebanese Franchises Association, headed by Charles
Arbid, and the family of the late Mufti Mohammad Dali-Balta.
Politics - Zahra: referring fake witnesses to Judicial
Council is "mercy bullet" on international justice
15/12/10 17:44
NNA - "Lebanese Forces" parliamentary bloc member Deputy Antoine Zahra said that
referring what is so called fake witnesses file to Judicial Council is
tantamount to shooting a mercy bullet on international justice. MP Zahra's words
came in an interview to Television of Lebanon Station. He said "the one who came
up with the file termed as fake witnesses ought to resolve it himself". He also
stressed that the Bloc shall not accept the referral of fake witnesses to the
Judicial Council. Zahra added "the image of Hezbollah as a resistance has
changed on May 7th and we want to get over with any weapon existing outside the
Lebanese legacy. We requested placing Hezbollah weapons in the custody of legacy
and Army and that the decision of arms' use lies in the hands of the Army". On
March 14th options, MP Zahra stressed their adherence to the State and its
institutions, saying that the will of all Lebanese sides is the one that
guarantees the stability of Lebanon and its security.