LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِNovember 29/2010

Bible Of The Day
Psalm 28:2: "Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.
Today's Inspiring Thought: God is Near
About.com:By now you've probably noticed that I'm a big fan of Brother Lawrence's writings. He had a way of saying things that truly inspires me. I'm always amazed by the timelessness of his words, as he lived and died more than 300 years ago. This humble servant of God had the ability to convey common truth with supernatural clarity.
Here's another favorite quote to encourage us in our crying to God for help: "You need not cry very loud; He is nearer to us than we think." --Brother Lawrence
 

Free Opinions, Releases, letters, Interviews & Special Reports
War in Lebanon depends on Israel/By Zvi Bar'el /Haretz/November 28/10
Ball in Hezbollah’s Court, Feltman Deeply Involved in Lebanon Quagmire/Maariv/November 28/10
In Tehran, the Shark Faces Choppy Waters/By: Amir Taheri/November 28/10
The Purpose behind the Foreign Concern for Lebanon/Walid Choucair/Al Hayat/November 28/10
Talking to Dr. Harry Hagopian/The Middle East’s Christians: Here today, not gone tomorrow/November 28/10

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for November 28/10
Nasrallah: Those Who Believe Indictment will Undermine our Morale are Wrong/Naharnet
Iran Offers Military Help … and a 'Car' to Visiting Hariri/Naharnet
Jumblat: Foreign Powers Using the Tribunal to Ignite Strife in Lebanon/Naharnet
U.S. warns WikiLeaks not to release 'dangerous' report/By Natasha Mozgovaya and News Agencies/Haaretz
Sfeir Makes Landmark Visit to Jbeil, Calls on Maronites to Close Ranks/Naharnet
Inerga-type RPG Hits Jabal Mohsen, Locals Block Road in Protest/Naharnet
Hizbullah's Saheli Says CBC Report Aimed at Fuelling Sectarian Tensions/Naharnet
Lebanon PM: Cooperation with Iran indispensable/DPA
Report: No Meeting Between Hariri, Nasrallah Anytime Soon/Naharnet
Report: Assad, Sarkozy to Discuss Ways to Contribute to Solving Lebanon Crisis/Naharnet
Berri Gearing up for Hariri-Nasrallah Meeting/Naharnet
Report: Hariri to Make 2nd Visit to Iran in Coming Months/Naharnet
Lebanese Waiting to Hear What Nasrallah has to Say about Israel's Infiltration of Mobile Network/Naharnet

Iran Offers Military Help … and a 'Car' to Visiting Hariri
Naharnet/ranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi on Sunday told Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri that Tehran was prepared to help the Lebanese army, state television's website reported. "We have stated on several occasions, and we say it again today, that we stand alongside the Lebanese army and are prepared to cooperate" with it, Vahidi said during a meeting with the visiting premier, the report said. In a symbolic move, Vahidi offered Hariri an Iranian-made sub-machine gun Tondar (Thunder), used in urban warfare. Iranian television showed pictures of the gilded weapon which was placed in a wooden box. Hariri for his part expressed optimism that his visit would enhance cooperation between Iran and Lebanon in the field of defense, according to the report. Hariri, who arrived in Tehran on Saturday for a three-day official visit, made the statement after visiting an exhibition dedicated to the achievements of Iran's defense industry. "The stability, security and unity of Lebanon play a very important role in resolving regional and internal issues. Therefore, I wanted to come to Iran and see your defence achievements, even though it is contrary to the position of our enemies," Hariri was quoted as saying. Later Sunday, Hariri met Chairman of the Islamic consultative assembly Ali Larijani. Following the meeting, Hariri and the accompanying delegation visited the Iranian car production factory "Khodro". After listening to a detailed presentation related to the manufacturing and assembly of "Surin" cars in Iran, the factory manager presented a car as a gift to Hariri. Earlier this month the United States, which accuses Iran of interference in Lebanon, lifted a freeze on 100 million dollars in U.S. military aid to Lebanon. The Iranian minister also criticized a U.N. tribunal probing the 2005 assassination of Hariri's father, former premier Rafik Hariri, while condemning his killers as "enemies of Lebanon." "Today, some from outside Lebanon seek to take the security of Lebanon hostage, in the form of the tribunal," Vahidi said.
The tribunal is expected to implicate high-ranking Hizbullah officials in the murder, but the party has warned against this, prompting fears of sectarian conflict between Hariri's supporters and the Iranian-backed Hizbullah.(Naharnet-AFP) Beirut, 28 Nov 10, 18:06

Iran Offers Military Help … and a 'Car' to Visiting Hariri
Naharnet/Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi on Sunday told Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri that Tehran was prepared to help the Lebanese army, state television's website reported. "We have stated on several occasions, and we say it again today, that we stand alongside the Lebanese army and are prepared to cooperate" with it, Vahidi said during a meeting with the visiting premier, the report said. In a symbolic move, Vahidi offered Hariri an Iranian-made sub-machine gun Tondar (Thunder), used in urban warfare. Iranian television showed pictures of the gilded weapon which was placed in a wooden box. Hariri for his part expressed optimism that his visit would enhance cooperation between Iran and Lebanon in the field of defense, according to the report. Hariri, who arrived in Tehran on Saturday for a three-day official visit, made the statement after visiting an exhibition dedicated to the achievements of Iran's defense industry. "The stability, security and unity of Lebanon play a very important role in resolving regional and internal issues. Therefore, I wanted to come to Iran and see your defence achievements, even though it is contrary to the position of our enemies," Hariri was quoted as saying. Later Sunday, Hariri met Chairman of the Islamic consultative assembly Ali Larijani.
Following the meeting, Hariri and the accompanying delegation visited the Iranian car production factory "Khodro". After listening to a detailed presentation related to the manufacturing and assembly of "Surin" cars in Iran, the factory manager presented a car as a gift to Hariri. Earlier this month the United States, which accuses Iran of interference in Lebanon, lifted a freeze on 100 million dollars in U.S. military aid to Lebanon. The Iranian minister also criticized a U.N. tribunal probing the 2005 assassination of Hariri's father, former premier Rafik Hariri, while condemning his killers as "enemies of Lebanon." "Today, some from outside Lebanon seek to take the security of Lebanon hostage, in the form of the tribunal," Vahidi said.
The tribunal is expected to implicate high-ranking Hizbullah officials in the murder, but the party has warned against this, prompting fears of sectarian conflict between Hariri's supporters and the Iranian-backed Hizbullah.(Naharnet-AFP) Beirut, 28 Nov 10, 18:06

Jumblat: Foreign Powers Using the Tribunal to Ignite Strife in Lebanon
Naharnet/Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said Sunday that some foreign powers were most probably using the international tribunal's upcoming indictment to ignite strife in Lebanon. At a ceremony held by the Scout Association of the PSP on the occasion of the 42nd anniversary of its foundation, Jumblat said that friends in Saudi Arabia, Syria and anywhere else should "ward off" strife and know the truth behind ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination. The Druze leader also said a new tripartite or quadripartite alliance has emerged in 2010. Beirut, 28 Nov 10, 14:34

Lebanon PM: Cooperation with Iran indispensable
By DPA /Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Friday that cooperation with Iran was indispensable for Lebanon, the Iranian agency IRNA reported.
"We consider cooperation (with Iran) as indispensable for the threats endangering both countries," Hariri told official news agency IRNA in Beirut ahead if his visit to Tehran.
Hariri is scheduled to arrive in Tehran on Saturday afternoon and meet with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi and probably also Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Lebanese prime minister said that security among the Arab states in the Middle East was also important for Iran and therefore Tehran would do its best for realizing this security, including in Lebanon. "The visit by President Ahmadinejad (last month) to Beirut was an opportunity for strengthening bilateral ties and God willing, this aim will be further materialized by my visit to Tehran," Hariri said in the exclusive interview with IRNA. Iran supports the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah which however is leading the opposition against Hariri's Western-backed government. The rift between the two factions has deepened after reports said that the United Nations-backed tribunal investigating the killing of Hariri's father was ready to indict Hezbollah members for the murder.

U.S. warns WikiLeaks not to release 'dangerous' report
By Natasha Mozgovaya and News Agencies/Haaretz
Israel braces for publication of cables thought to include private, candid assessments of foreign leaders and governments; State Department: We won't negotiate with dissemination of illegal documents.The United States and Israel were bracing themselves Sunday for the expected release of classified diplomatic cables by the online whistleblower WikiLeaks website, which the Obama administration warned would endanger lives and interests. In a highly unusual step reflecting the administration's grave concerns about the ramifications of the move, the State Department late Saturday released a letter from its top lawyer to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, warning that publication of the documents would be illegal and demanding he stop it. In the letter, State Department legal adviser Harold Koh said the publication of some 250,000 secret diplomatic cables by WikiLeaks will place at risk the lives of countless innocent individuals, place at risk on-going military operations, and place at risk on-going cooperation between countries. The State Department said Koh's message was a response to a letter received on Friday by the U.S. ambassador to Britain, Louis Susman, from Assange and his lawyer, Jennifer Robinson. The department said that letter asked for information regarding individuals who may be 'at significant risk of harm' because of the release of the documents. "Despite your stated desire to protect those lives, you have done the opposite and endangered the lives of countless individuals," Koh wrote in reply. "You have undermined your stated objective by disseminating this material widely, without redaction, and without regard to the security and sanctity of the lives your actions endanger."
He said the U.S government would not deal with WikiLeaks at all in determining what may or may not released. "We will not engage in a negotiation regarding the further release or dissemination of illegally obtained U.S. government classified materials," wrote Koh, who is considered to be one of the world's top experts in international law and was reportedly considered for a seat on the Supreme Court. U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen also urged WikiLeaks to stop its “extremely dangerous” release of documents, a transcript of a CNN interview set to air Sunday revealed. WikiLeaks is expected to post the documents online on Sunday and Koh said the U.S. government had been told that The New York Times, the British newspaper the Guardian and the German news magazine Der Speigel had prior access to them.

Sfeir Makes Landmark Visit to Jbeil, Calls on Maronites to Close Ranks
Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir on Saturday made a landmark trip to the Jbeil District, visiting the historic Our Lady of Ilige Monastery in Maifouq, which had hosted the Maronite patriarchal seat for hundreds of years (1121 to 1440). The patriarch's visit comes on the occasion of the 160th anniversary of the death of Saint Maroun. The trip's first stop was in Amchit, President Michel Suleiman's hometown. Speaking at a rally held in the town in the presence of Change and Reform bloc MP Walid al-Khouri and Suleiman's political aide, ex-MP Nazem al-Khouri, Sfeir noted that Lebanon was going through several dilemmas. However, the patriarch stressed that the Lebanese have become used to overcoming obstacles and emerging stronger than before. He said that Lebanese leaders, topped by President Suleiman, "will know how to rise above obstacles and overcome difficulties," describing the president as "Amchit's devoted son who is steering the nation's ship in rough waters." As Sfeir also visited the areas of Abadat and Lehfed, the fourth stop was in Maifouq, where he presided over a celebratory mass at the Our Lady of Ilige Monastery. In his sermon, the patriarch warned the Maronites against divergence and divides, calling on them to "close ranks."Sfeir's final stop was in the city of Jbeil, where its municipality held a mass rally in honor of the patriarch. Head of Jbeil Municipality Ziad Hawat awarded the patriarch the Key to the City.
Beirut, 27 Nov 10,

Inerga-type RPG Hits Jabal Mohsen, Locals Block Road in Protest
Naharnet/An Inerga-type rocket-propelled grenade hit the Tripoli neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen Saturday night, causing no casualties but prompting angry residents to block the public road with burning tires to protest the recurrent Inerga attacks.On Tuesday one person was slightly injured in Jabal Mohsen when an Inerga-type RPG hit a café.
The mostly Alawite neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen, along with Tripoli's predominantly Sunni Bab al-Tebbaneh quarter, has been hit by deadly sectarian violence and sporadic RPG attacks in recent years. Beirut, 27 Nov 10,

War in Lebanon depends on Israel
By Zvi Bar'el /Haretz
28.11.10
What did the forum of seven senior ministers see that led them to discuss a possible escalation in Lebanon?
The Magnificent Seven were called in for a special session. Once more there is the threat of escalation in the north - Lebanon. This country that likes Turkish coffee, which according to legend should be boiled seven times before serving, is once more threatening to explode. Lebanon is now tensely awaiting the indictment for the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005.
But what did the forum of seven senior ministers see that led them to discuss a possible escalation? After all, this indictment has preoccupied Lebanon for many months. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's threat to consider "changing the structure of Lebanon's system of government" is nothing new, and his accusations that Israel is responsible for the killing are known. Saudi Arabia and Syria are in constant dialogue, in which France, Turkey, Qatar, Iran and the United States are also involved in a bid to reach a compromise that would prevent friction and preserve the country's stability.
The son of the deceased, Lebanon's current prime minister Saad Hariri, has made it clear he will not allow Lebanon to be destroyed, not even to preserve his father's honor. He and Nasrallah agree that the Saudi-Syrian formula, whatever it may be, will be an appropriate framework to respond to the indictment. Turkey has proposed that the publication of the indictment be postponed by a year, and Saudi Arabia tried to prevent its release. It's clear to everyone that its publication may spark a new wave of violence in Lebanon.
Israel and Egypt are probably the only two countries in the region eager to see how the international tribunal will indict Hezbollah and its secretary general. The hell with Lebanon, as long as it's possible to condemn Nasrallah once again. Let justice see the light, despite the cost. We'll be ready. As always. After all, the forum of seven has already discussed, recommended and approved an Israeli response if Hezbollah launches even a single small missile. Four summers have passed without war in Lebanon. Prophecies are not coming true. The situation is intolerable. Maybe this time we'll succeed; maybe the Hariri trial will rescue Israel from the corner it has painted itself into.
But the issue is not the usual question of whether there will be war. It's the blatant lack of interest in domestic political, social and cultural affairs of countries where there is a potential for instability. What does Israel really know about what is going on in Lebanon? What is the personal relationship between Saad Hariri and Hassan Nasrallah? Will the Druze take part in a civil war if one breaks out? Is the Christian community ready to get into another civil war for the sake of a murdered Sunni prime minister? Is there any relation between Beirut's high housing prices and the risk of war?
To what extent is Israel really interested in events in Iran, beyond the question of how many centrifuges are operating? To what extent is Israel aware of the domestic disagreements between the supreme leader and the important religious-law experts in the city of Qom? Or of the strike by the bazaar merchants several weeks ago in response to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's plan to impose a value added tax? Who exactly is following Syria's deteriorating economic situation? Has anyone heard that Jordan held elections last week? That it now has a new government? By the way, what's the name of Jordan's new prime minister?
Today there are parliamentary elections in Egypt and news reports, if any, will probably discuss the "threat posed by the Muslim Brotherhood," anticipating the death of President Hosni Mubarak and speculating about the future of peace with Israel. What do we know about Egypt's education system? What does the new generation think? How much do meat and flour cost in that poor country?
Has anyone heard that Saudi King Abdullah is undergoing tests in the United States for a ruptured disk? How stable is the kingdom? A recent study discussed the number of anti-Semitic texts in the Saudi education system, but what about the battle the king is waging against religious extremism, or about efforts to gain employment for women in various professions?
The number of missiles, Nasrallah's vitriol, incitement by an esoteric preacher, routine statements by Ahmadinejad on the Holocaust - this is the way the Israeli imagination gets its insight into the Middle East. Nuance, variety of opinion, rational voices, internal debates over principles and forms of governance - all these are not picked up on Israel's radar. They only interfere in efforts to imagine a threat.
So will there be war with Lebanon? It depends on Israel.

The Purpose behind the Foreign Concern for Lebanon,
27 November
By: Walid Choucair/Al Hayat
There have been several foreign visits in the direction of Lebanon, and Lebanese visits in the direction of the outside world, the latest being the visit by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Beirut, a visit distinguished by both popular and official embrace.
Such visits hint that there is both a regional and an international agreement on fostering the situation Lebanon, in order to protect it from any explosion or instability. This comes after it became apparent in recent months that the impasse resulting from division over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, might deteriorate into a crisis, possibly spreading to the street and leading to a coup, as the prospect of civil strife has become hard to dismiss.
It has been thus proven that avoiding strife, with regional and international pressure to prevent such an outcome, is possible. Also proven was what was said by Prime Minister Saad Hariri and his team, along with other political leaders, since the outbreak of the “indictment” crisis - which Hezbollah threatened in July, could deteriorate into strife. What Hariri and others have said then, is that the decision of strife is in the hands of none other than the Lebanese leaders: It is them who would permit it to happen, and it is them who can prevent it, meaning that strife was not preordained. Or at least, this is what the state of relative calm for two weeks has hinted at.
The foreign visits to Lebanon might not all be coordinated, although it is no coincidence that the last two weeks have seen this amount of international attention paid to Lebanon. Beginning with the visit of former French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner to Beirut, followed by Hariri’s visit to Moscow, and then Saudi Arabia, the Free Patriotic Movement leader General Michel Aoun then visited France, which will also be the destination of Hariri and other Lebanese leaders in the near future. The Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassem Al Thanialso also visited Lebanon, which was followed by a visit by President Michel Suleiman to Qatar, not to mention Erdogan’s visit to Lebanon. And then tomorrow, Prime Minister Hariri will visit Tehran, and there will be more to come. And although the Lebanese differ over the objective of American involvement in Lebanon, as well as that of the European Union and NATO, this does not cancel out the fact that these are part of the foreign interest in the Lebanese crisis. In fact, Washington places its engagement in Lebanon and that of its allies in the context of its efforts to achieve balance among the pressuring elements of the Lebanese crisis.
However, the common denominator of all these foreign movements, and the coming ones, can be summed up as follows:
1-The implicit, or explicit, acknowledgment that, according to each state or group, there is no way to abolish the STL or influence the indictment that it will issue. Hence, the focus is to deal with its repercussions through steps taken before or after the issuing of the indictment, or both.
2- The support given for the ongoing Saudi-Syrian dialogue away from the spotlight, over the form of a settlement among the Lebanese. At minimum, [the belligerents] are awaiting the results of this dialogue before interacting with its content, and [have decided] not to get ahead of things. Moreover, some groups are wagering on these results, whatever they are, while others are following the dialogue in order to ascertain its broad outlines. Meanwhile, there is heavy secrecy about this topic, with discussions limited to a very small number of high-level officials in Saudi Arabia and Syria.
3-Guaranteeing stability in Lebanon and keeping the country away from the brink to hedge against broader instability in the region, while the international community seeks to find a formula of resuming peace negotiations.
4-Most of these foreign movements are distinguished by endorsing Hariri’s stance, as a central element of any settlement and a symbol of the ability to sustain stability. This is owing to his unwavering commitment to Saudi-Syrian efforts, and also to his embrace of calm, based on the Doha Accord, while rejecting the massive pressures put on him, and which have continued in recent months.
If the regional and international concern regarding the Lebanese situation succeeds in containing the premises for tension until the settlement being prepared by Riyadh and Damascus matures, and safeguards Lebanon in the run-up to some kind of a settlement, this means that many leaders will have to prepare to pay the price of being sensible, as required by any settlement. In recent months, many politicians have crossed the line of sensibility, as their words have taken them to the edge of the abyss, with no regard to the repercussion of pouring oil on the fire.
Amid this foreign interest and regional embrace of the Lebanese situation in the hope of a settlement, the types of escalation that have been threatened in recent months, such as the “false witnesses” issue that has paralyzed the state and halted meetings of the Cabinet, become pointless, in light of what Lebanon is being prepared for. This escalation, which was contrived for the sake of fomenting a crisis, does not serve the purpose of finding a solution.

Ball in Hezbollah’s Court, Feltman Deeply Involved in Lebanon Quagmire
Israeli daily Maariv reported Friday that “there are US-Israeli understandings” on way to counter the repercussions of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) indictment against Hezbollah in the assassination case of former Premier Rafiq Hariri.
(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Israeli daily Maariv reported Friday that “there are US-Israeli understandings” on way to counter the repercussions of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) indictment against Hezbollah in the assassination case of former Premier Rafiq Hariri.
The newspaper’s correspondent in Washington Shmuel Rosner said that the US administration was working on this track more than it was on the Israeli Palestinian track. He added it was surprising to see how busy the US official’s schedule on the Middle East, be it with Saudi or Israeli officials who have been to Washington lately.
Rosner also quoted a “well informed Israeli official on US-Israeli talks on Lebanon” as saying that “between Washington and Tel Aviv are understandings concerning what we will or will not do, in case of escalation in Lebanon.” He added that “Washington had hinted that Israel could attack Lebanon” and that “this was the most efficient threat available, based on the hypothesis that the Americans will not send aircraft carriers to tackle the problem of Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The Maariv correspondent said that “the United States finds it difficult to solve the anticipated crisis in Lebanon; because the ball now is in Hezbollah’s court as the party has pointed out that it will not accept accusations against it and while Washington does not really know where Hezbollah’s counter action would lead; will it settle for a show of power, or will it try to topple the government? Will it content itself with pointing the finger towards Israel, or will it point its missiles towards it?”
Rosner stressed the “ability of the Americans to figure out scenarios, beware of Hezbollah, conduct talks, but eventually they will have to postpone their reactions on the events until the time that Hezbollah sets.”
Maariv also said that US Undersecretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman “is deeply involved in the Lebanese quagmire and hopes to create a coalition that can stand in the face of Hezbollah in the aftermath of the STL indictment. Obama himself made a commitment towards Lebanon, and this underscores his will to do something. However, Obama did not pledge to keep Lebanon free; instead he only vowed to do what he can, as this means: everything that falls under the restraints he has.”
The Israeli newspaper quoted Feltman as saying that everyone working in Lebanon knows that the situation in this country does not allow those working inside or outside it, to control everything that’s happening there. This means, according to Maariv, that “if Lebanon was simply destroyed, the US would not necessarily be able or even be willing to try to save this country; this is what Feltman and Obama have implied. This is also what the Iranians, the Turks, Hezbollah, and Lebanese Cabinet members already know.”
Maariv concluded that “for the Lebanese, a US intervention does not seem a decisive element in the existent conflict. In fact the steps of the closer neighbors, including Israel, are very much more important (to them).”

Berri Gearing up for Hariri-Nasrallah Meeting
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri announced that he was seeking to bring together Premier Saad Hariri and Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah following the prime minister's return. Next week's agenda will be "full," Berri told An Nahar daily in remarks published Sunday. He said there will be a "wide scale political movement" ahead of the indictment that will be issued by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. The speaker "reassured" the Lebanese that he was closely following up the crisis in the country and was working to arrange a meeting between Hariri and Nasrallah soon. Berri also stressed that the Saudi-Syrian initiative aimed at finding a solution to the crisis was still on. Beirut, 28 Nov 10, 07:47

Report: Hariri to Make 2nd Visit to Iran in Coming Months
Naharnet/Prime Minster Saad Hariri will make a second visit to Tehran in the coming months, An Nahar newspaper reported Sunday. Hariri will make his trip within two months to head the Lebanese delegation to the meeting of the Higher Lebanese-Iranian Council, the daily said. The Council will meet to discuss joint projects and ways to implement them. Hariri had accompanied his father to Tehran 14 years ago. Beirut, 28 Nov 10, 08:23

Report: Assad, Sarkozy to Discuss Ways to Contribute to Solving Lebanon Crisis
Naharnet/Informed French sources said Syrian President Bashar Assad will discuss with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy next month ways to limit tension in Lebanon.
The sources told Syria's al-Watan daily that Assad will visit Paris in the first 10 days of December. Assad and Sarkozy will discuss the regional situation, particularly Lebanon, and find ways to limit tension over the indictment of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the sources said. The two leaders will also discuss the regional peace process. Beirut, 28 Nov 10,

The Middle East’s Christians: Here today, not gone tomorrow?
Talking to Dr. Harry Hagopian
Aline Sara, November 28, 2010
Iraqi Christians pray on November 7, 2010 at the Sayidat al-Nejat Catholic Cathedral in Baghdad amidst a recent string of attacks against Christians in Iraq. (AFP/Ahmad al-Rubaye)
Dr. Harry Hagopian is an international lawyer in London, Middle East advisor of the Catholic Bishops' Conference in England & Wales (in London) and Middle East Consultant to the Paris-based Christians in Political Action organization. Hagopian also works closely with the Vatican, the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies in Jordan, the European Parliament and Lambeth Palace. He attended last October’s Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Bishops’ Synod aimed at promoting “communion and witness" in the region. NOW Lebanon sat down with Hagopian to tap into the overall situation of Christians in the Middle East, particularly in light of the recent string of attacks in Iraq.
Can you give us a brief overview of the Synod?
Harry Hagopian: The Synod brought together all the heads of Catholic churches throughout the Middle East—including representatives from Iran and Turkey. It is not an unusual gathering in that it has been taking place since the 1960’s. There was also a special assembly on Lebanon (in 1995). [Last month’s Synod] was much wider and regional, and I think there were two reasons for this Synod taking place… The long term reason is the increased preoccupation of the local churches, but also within the Vatican, about the rising trend of emigration of Christians from the whole Middle East… The short term idea was to try and get these people together and come up with some discussion not only as to why, but also what can be done. I think that the situation in Iraq is what led to the Synod taking place now. It could have happened a little later, but when you look at the number of Christians across all churches in Iraq, it rings a few alarm bells.
Although perhaps a bit limiting/challenging, can you brief us on the situation of Christians in the various countries of the Middle East, or perhaps, stress on those states of greatest concern?
Hagopian: The Middle East is an eclectic region, with different realities, and we are not dealing with a monolithic Christianity. I would say that the situation in Iraq is clearly one of great concern. You look at the number of Christian Iraqis back in the early 90s, approximately 1.2 million. The number has dropped to roughly ½ a million—to a large degree due to the poor economic situation but also to some security concerns. So faced with such factors, many local Iraqi Christians decide to leave for foreign climes. Many rely on their own contacts, but some also rely on the sense of pan-Christian and pan-regional solidarity by asking churches and church-related organizations to help them in some modest way in order to ease them into their new abodes.
Focusing on Iraq, the situation has been pretty volatile since the US-led invasion, and Christians have been attacked in different instances throughout the country. It has unsettled their lives and sense of security. Therefore many have left. There are many displaced within the country as well… All these things indicate a certain lack of security and fear. We must also put things in perspective. Yes, what is happening to Iraq’s Christians is serious, but it is also happening to larger Muslim communities across the board. However the reality is that because Christians are fewer, they get more attention when they are attacked. Besides, there is also a significant link between Christians in Iraq and those abroad, as the latter will often try to support [their fellow Christians in the Middle East].
Palestinian Christians used to be around 25% of the population. Today, they are barely 2%. During the Jordanian rule, relations between Muslims and Christians were very convivial. But today, in my opinion, the Israeli occupation is the one factor nobody can ignore. You speak to Christians across the board there, and many will tell you that there is a sense of discrimination, and fundamental violation of rights that forces them to leave… And every Palestinian has a relative abroad which makes it easier for them to emigrate. But recently, in some parts of the Palestinian territories, one comes across examples of a sense of radicalism within Islam that is manifesting itself politically. However, the occupation in my view remains the main reason [for Palestinian Christians’ fleeing]. I’m only adding that recently, there has been a certain sense of concern, within some communities that there is a radicalization within a narrow pocket of Islam that is politicized, which makes certain Christians a bit uncomfortable within the Palestinian context. But that is an internal matter, and the more overwhelming issue is that of occupation.
In Egypt, just recently we saw some issues between the Coptic Christians and the security forces, so there also the tensions sometimes come to the surface.
Those are the three countries I would emphasize are in most ebullition.
Zooming in on Lebanon, the country ranked well in a recent US report on religious tolerance. What are your thoughts about the fears of certain Christians in Lebanon?
Hagopian: Certainly the number of Christians has declined over time. The beauty of Lebanon however is that if you look from the outside, despite political shortcomings, and when you speak to people, there is a certain element of tolerance, which is why the late John Paul II [in 1997] said that Lebanon is a message for the region and model of co-existence, despite political considerations. And I don’t think getting caught up in the numbers is the most sophisticated way to look at it. You don’t necessarily need a large number to do much.
Of course, I appreciate the fear of any [Arab Christian] community. I feel it in Iraq, Palestine, Iran, Egypt; I even feel it sometimes in relatively stable communities within Syria and Jordan. But Christianity is not only in its institutions, the reality of Christianity is the people - the quality, not only quantity. But for me to say that tomorrow there will be no more Christians [in the region], I would certainly not jump on that bandwagon.
Many Lebanese Christians emigrate but seem to come back fairly regularly to their homeland. However, many say Iraqi Christians that have left their country are less likely to return. Do you agree?
Hagopian: It is a legitimate fear because the violence continues. Those who are refugees abroad might not want to come back. Is there a resistance to going back to Iraq? Yes. It’s a human reaction to seek safety. But if things settled down tomorrow in Iraq, I would guess that many would still want to go back.
What was the overall outcome of the Synod?
Hagopian: There were two things that came out of the Synod, the first was the concluding statement, and then there were the propositions that were submitted to the Pope, who after studying them, comes up with an Apostolic Exhortation, in which he charts the way forward. In my opinion, the proof of the pudding is in the eating… The real work is not to be done in Rome but by those church leaders when they come back home, where they start applying things on a diocesan level, with their own people.
The other point I would make is that it is time to realize that lay people - men as well as women - are as important as priests, bishops, and patriarchs, and that lay people need to become more involved. The third point is that the Christian ecumenical reality is much wider than the Catholic Church and includes for example the Orthodox Church. In order to really have a stronger cooperation together, those older churches should learn to work better together.
If most of the Christians and especially the Lebanese Christians are emigrating for socio-economic reasons, how can the church contribute to help stop the exodus?
Hagopian: The church has a role to play within society but it cannot be a doctor for the society. It cannot necessarily provide all the answers… The way it will happen is that the Church will contribute its help, and I’ve suggested this already in Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq—if you want to keep your people, you cannot clearly provide everyone with income because you are not a public service, you can’t create jobs like Napoleon did in France just for the sake of keeping them in the country… But what you can do is encourage the younger generations of people, who in my opinion are the most important, to stay. And one of these ways is helping them with their housing situation. Many tell me it’s too expensive. So I suggest that the Churches re-double their efforts in order to help provide support for young married couples, who wish to stay and have children. But [any type of support] has to come hand in hand with the Christians’ desire to stay in the region… They need to have their sense of local Arabic and regional identity coupled with facilities for them to stay in the country and the stability to allow it. That, I think, would help.

In Tehran, the “Shark” Faces Choppy Waters
26/11/2010
By Amir Taheri/Asharaq Al Awsat
Until just a year ago, Mehdi Hashemi was a shadowy figure on the margins of politics and business in the Islamic Republic in Iran.
His friends praised his business acumen that, so they claimed, had helped him make several hundred million dollars before his 21st birthday.
They also recalled how, in his late teens, he had visited Washington on a secret diplomatic mission in the 1980s on behalf of the late Ayatollah Khomeini. During that visit, Mehdi had toured the White House and informed his interlocutor, Lt. Colonel Oliver North, that the ayatollah was prepared to become a close ally and partner of the United States. The mission had failed to achieve its goal because American journalists, always looking for another Watergate, had spilled the beans and triggered the so-called Iran-Contra scandal.
Mehdi Hashemi’s detractors have always seen him as a wheeler- dealer acting as front man for his once powerful father Ali-Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
The same detractors claim that Mehdi built his business empire thanks to juicy government contracts and questionable deals with foreign countries, notably China.
Last week, as he was contemplating his future in a luxury hotel in London, Mehdi Hashemi earned that an arrest warrant ahs been issued against him and that he would be picked up as soon as he sets foot in Iran. Among a dozen or so charges levelled against him by the Islamic Revolutionary Prosecutor is “activities against national security.”
The state-owned media have been spreading all sorts of rumours about Mehdi’s alleged contacts with un-named “foreign powers” to undermine and even overthrow the Khomeinist regime.
Whatever the truth about Mehdi Hashemi, one thing is certain: by the late 1990s he had become a symbol of nepotism and corruption in a political system that claims to be whiter than white.
Thus, when he launched his first presidential bid over five years ago, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had his eyes on Mehdi Hashemi as an easy target. Without ever naming him, Ahmadinejad claimed that the Rafsanjanis had tried to cast themselves as a new aristocracy of which Mehdi was the worst example.
With a hint here and a nod there, Ahmadinejad claimed that he would bring the Rafsanjanis to justice on unspecified charges of corruption.
Once he had won the presidency, however, Ahmadinejad realised that the Rafsanjani clan and its network of business and political allies were much stronger than he had thought.
During Ahmadinejad’s first term in office, Rafsanjani managed to retain his position as Chairman of the Expediency Council, a powerful pulpit from which he could counter may of the president’s moves.
Rafsanjani did even better. He managed to get himself elected as the Speaker of the Assembly of Experts, a powerful organ that, in theory at least, could impeach and replace the Supreme Guide.
Over the past five years, Ahmadinejad has developed an alliance with the military-security elites who believe that they have been cheated by the mullahs of their opportunity to get rich. As a result, most of the juiciest government contracts have gone to companies controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The Rafsanjani clan has even lost its 25-year long control of Iran’s trade with China.
Rafsanjani has always played a long game, weathering many a political storm and earning the sobriquet of “the shark”.
This is why he has refused to openly side with the anti-Ahmadinejad coalition formed after last year’s controversial presidential election. Even when Ahmadinejad ordered a cat-and-mouse game against the clan, including briefly arresting Rafsanjani’s wife and daughter, the “shark” managed to keep his cool.
For almost three decades, Rafsanjani’s cautious game has helped him survive where many others lost their political fortunes and, on occasions, even their lives. In fact, Rafsanjani is one of only two close associates of Khomeini to be still alive, in Iran, free, and in power. The other one is Ali Khamenei. All other close associates of Khomeini are either dead, in exile, in prison or, at least, out of power.
This time, however, the strategy that worked for such a long time, may prove ineffective. Ahmadinejad regards it as his mission to break Rafsanjani and, in doing so, break a whole generation of political mullahs who see themselves as the true custodians of the Khomeinist revolution.
And it is in this that Rafsanjani might find a glimmer of hope. If Ahmadinejad succeeds in bringing down Rafsanjani, would he know when and where to stop? Would he not try to undermine Khamenei’s position? After all, it is now clear that the president and the Supreme Guide do not share the same world and have different opinions on a number of key issues.
Ahmadinejad has built his political persona on two claims.
The first is that he has a line of communication with the Hidden Imam, which means that he could receive guidance from an authority far higher than Khomeini let alone Khamenei. Ahmadinejad’s second claim is that the faith that he professes is “the Iranian interpretation of Islam” and thus closer to nationalism than religion.
So far, Ahmadinejad has not succeeded in fully developing his radical reinterpretation of the o-called Islamic revolution in clear ideological terms. However, a number of his aides and allies, including Esfandiar Rahim Masha’i and Muhammad-Ali Ramin are busy concocting a witches’ brew called “the Iranian school of Islam.
In such an ideological concoction, there would be no room for political mullahs, least of all a “Supreme Guide”.
Thus, at first glance, Mehdi Rafsanjani may appear to be a small pawn that is easily jettisoned. However, his downfall could trigger an avalanche that would bury more important figures with him.
Today, the always clever Mehdi is faced with a dire choice: either contemplate a life in exile, which would mean a vote of no confidence in the Khomeinist regime’s judicial system, or return home to an uncertain future.
In exile, he would join hundreds of former Khomeinist officials who gather in the cafes of Paris, London and New York to plot the end of Ahmadinejad.
At home, he would join scores of former Khomeinist officials in the notorious Evin Prison where tens of thousands of people have been executed or have died under torture since 1979.
In the system that the late ayatollah invented, no one is safe.
No one, not even “the shark.”

Lebanon and the STL: Political Deal or Security Breakdown?
27 November 2010
By: Raghida Dergham, New York/Al Hayat
Analyses place Lebanon between a security breakdown and a political deal in the wake of the report of Canadian television network CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), which claimed to reveal documents from the UN Investigation Commission into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, having reached the conclusion that members of Hezbollah had been behind the assassination which took place in 2005 and led to the death of an additional 22 people. The CBC report addresses the process of execution and does not touch upon who was responsible for taking the decision to carry it out. It may seem that the report condemns Hezbollah alone, yet the fact of the matter is that it condemns the second head of the investigation, Belgian Commissioner Serge Brammertz , who had discovered the Hezbollah element in the assassination but had “lost” the relevant documents which had been delivered to the commission by Internal Security Forces (ISF) Captain Wissam Eid, who was later assassinated in 2008. Brammertz today holds a high-ranking position as Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, and had spent two years, from January 2006 to January 2008, being silent about what he was doing when heading the UN commission in charge of investigating the Hariri assassination. The CBC report reveals new elements about Brammertz’s role which UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon should examine carefully. Indeed, Brammertz failed to safeguard the investigation and to protect witnesses, and the decisions he made or his “negligence” regarding the documents may call for a lawsuit being filed against him, because what he did may have contributed to the killing of the man who had actually conducted the investigation, while Brammertz, by negligence or purposely, buried the evidence. The least that Ban Ki-moon should do is start an internal investigation into Serge Brammertz, in order to understand how it might be conceivable for the head of a UN investigation to “neglect”, “lose”, “forget” or “overlook” a report held by the commission for a year and a half. Moreover, the Secretary-General should call for an internal investigation of the UN over the leaking of documents that belong to the investigation. It is not sufficient to denounce and lay the blame on the media for obtaining these documents. What is required is for the current head of the investigation since 2008 and the General Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), Canadian Daniel Bellemare, to be held to account, because the documents were leaked during their mandate. Just as importantly, Bellemare is today required to stop playing the same game adopted by Serge Brammertz of hiding behind the secrecy of the investigation in order to refrain from clarifying its developments. Today, Daniel Bellemare bears the moral responsibility of telling the Lebanese people what he holds, instead of tampering with their emotions, their security and their future. Indeed, if he truly intends to issue an indictment against one or eight individuals, let him clearly say that he has resolved to do so and when. If he truly has witnesses, a case and evidence that would allow him to prosecute before the STL, he must tell the Lebanese and the United Nations that he is ready for such a task. Indeed, there are those who believe that Bellemare’s bankruptcy in this respect has led him to play the game of secrecy, and that he will not issue any indictments, because the UN investigation has failed to work quickly and diligently, wasting around 5 years at the hands of two unprofessional men: Brammertz and Bellemare. Yet on the other hand, there are those from among Security Council members who say that Daniel Bellemare is ready to issue the preliminary indictment, one step at a time, and that he has told major countries at the Security Council that he is resolved to move forward by accusing members of Hezbollah towards revealing everything that took place in the case of the Hariri assassination and in that of the other assassinations, which the investigation has proven to be connected. Which then is the real Bellemare? Perhaps this question is not as important as the questions that currently stand about the formulas of the political deal or security breakdown after the CBC report. Below is an overview of what is taking place in the corridors of the United Nations and of the capitals of the countries concerned.
The clearest of stances is that no one really knows what will happen at the security level if indictments are issued, or what will happen in the framework of political deals being discussed locally, regionally and internationally.
The five permanent members of the Security Council stand at an equal distance from the Special Tribunal to try those involved in the Hariri assassination. The United States, Russia, China, Britain and France will not abandon the STL through a Security Council Resolution, which means that there is absolutely no way to annul the STL. And these countries will not openly enter as parties to any local or regional deals that would make them seem as if bidding or compromising on justice.
France is the country that is most confused, due to the fact that President Nicolas Sarkozy is waging a battle against the diplomatic team in his government because of the STL. He is personally part to the political bargains going through Damascus and Doha, while the Foreign Ministry feels ashamed and concerned as it watches France getting confused and backing away from its traditions and its principles when it comes to its relationship with Lebanon. French diplomats, in Paris as at the United Nations, are trying to elude reproach and blame by pointing to the “weakness” of the Barack Obama Administration and its waning resolve to seriously deal with the issue of Lebanon. They also point to the “dispersal” of Sunni leadership in the Arab World. They say that the lack of available options to “counter” threats of driving Lebanon towards a civil war if indictments are issued against Hezbollah is making France unable to deal with the next step. The reason is that Sarkozy refuses to address an important element in the equation, which is Damascus, for his own reasons, which may be connected to his special relationship with Doha.
The British are pretending to be certain that there is no need to worry about a security breakdown resulting from the indictment. They say that the information they hold from intelligence and diplomacy indicates that Hezbollah will not implement its security threats and will not drive the country to confrontation for several reasons – some connected to Iran and some to Israel, as well as some that concern the reasons and the grounds for Hezbollah incriminating itself before being incriminated by the CBC report or by the STL. They are of the opinion that everyone will retreat into a kind of “status quo”, and that regional and international sorting out of the relationship between Iran and the international community, between Iran and Israel, between Syria and Iran, or between Saudi Arabia and Iran, is not yet complete. The British have decided to move forward with the wager on creating a rift in the relationship between Syria and Iran, and they look exclusively to Hezbollah in this relationship, with its notable implications and corollaries with Israel. Britain thus predicts calm, if not a deal being struck.
The Russians consider that a certain party, a certain country or a certain group, wants to thwart the issuing of the indictment, and this from their point of view explains the appearance of the CBC report. Indeed, publicly condemning Hezbollah in the media and public opinion by way of the CBC report aims at preventing it being condemned at the STL in The Hague. Some Russians suggest that “they” – without naming them – sought by such a leak to obstruct the progress towards a trial that may lead to years of hearings, as well as to other individuals being tried, not only members of Hezbollah.
“They”, in Russia’s thinking, are from within the Barack Obama Administration, regardless of the fact that the person who appears to be behind the leaks is most likely one of the investigators, having lost patience at Daniel Bellemare’s procrastination and pretense at behaving professionally, knowing that he has spent two years threatening to resign at times, ill at times, and suggesting that indictments will be issued at others. The investigator in question is from among those who worked with Serge Brammertz and witnessed the extent of his laxity and neglect of the investigation, being exclusively concerned with himself with the aim of being promoted bureaucratically, while at the same time neglecting to carry out the tasks entrusted to him by the man who recommended him, i.e. the first investigator, Detlev Mehlis.
Indeed, what was mentioned in the CBC report about the telephone communications network and its ties to people in the government was mentioned in Detlev Mehlis’s first report, including the cell of eight people that was monitoring Hariri’s movements. This was in 2005, and what Mehlis’s report had essentially relied on were those telephone communications, as mentioned in his report.
However, returning to the major powers, China has no core concern with the STL, Lebanon or the regional relationships concerned with the assassination. The United States, of course, is at the forefront not of clarity, but of obscurity, in spite of its recent statements and its announcement over funding the STL.
There is a general impression that the US Administration wants to incriminate Hezbollah and remove suspicion and accusations from Syria. However, there is also talk of “factions” within the US Administration that seek dialogue with Iran by accusing Hezbollah. Such dialogue, as usual, comprises two aspects, that of the carrot and that of the stick.
However, the stick would not come through what is held by the STL, but would rather be connected to what is held by US intelligence – in the sense that what was leaked to the CBC is only a sample of what US intelligence holds. Consequently, either cooperation, dialogue and engagement will take place, not at the Lebanese level, but rather at the nuclear and regional levels, or else the information held by intelligence agencies will find its way to Daniel Bellemare, allowing him to truly issue meaningful indictments.
A noteworthy question is: why has Hezbollah taken the initiative to condemn itself before the STL condemns it? Those well-informed about the internal structure of the party say that there is battle taking place between the Syrian side and the Iranian side within Hezbollah – and this is perhaps the most important battle, one that should be closely examined.
Will there be a political deal or a security breakdown? Of course the prime moral responsibility falls on Lebanese leaderships, and in particular on Hezbollah. Yet the moral responsibility also falls to the same extent on the United Nations and on Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who should hold to account two men who have driven Lebanon to the edge of the abyss. And between the two, from the US Administration in Washington to the political leadership in Damascus to mediators from Ankara to Riyadh to Doha, moral responsibility requires the “political deal” to last more than a few days. Indeed, the Lebanese have become emotionally drained. They are as much victims and martyrs as a man named Wissam Eid.

Under Sayyed Nasrallah's Auspices, Hezbollah Honors 2946 University Graduates
28/11/2010/Hezbollah Al Manar Web site
Under the auspices of Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, the Educational Mobilization in the party organized Sunday the 22nd ceremony to honor 2946 university graduates at the Shouhada’ compound in Beirut’s southern suburb.
The graduates pledged loyalty to the resistance path and to the martyrs, many of whom were university students fighting the occupation and receiving education when they gave their lives on the battleground.
Sayyed Nasrallah praised the graduates and felicitated them on their efforts, especially as the country has been passing through difficult times since 2005. “You were determined to continue their education despite the difficulties and their parents’ limited resources,” his eminence said.
Lebanon is passing through a critical stage, as an indictment against Hezbollah is expected to be issued soon by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) in the assassination case of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005. According to media reports, the STL indictment could be issued within days or weeks, and probably before mid December.
Al-Manar Website ran an article by Dr. Franklin Lamb last week relating US Undersecretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffery Feltman’s plan to destroy Hezbollah, and how he told US Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly that destroying the party [through the STL indictment and other means] will be his “gift to Lebanon on Christmas.”
Sayyed Nasrallah addressed the situation in Lebanon.
“I will speak about the occasion, the telecommunications file, the STL question, and the occupied Ghajar issue.”
THE OCCASION
“For us, any movement that claims to be a movement of faith should be a movement of science and knowledge. There cannot be separation between faith and knowledge. Imam Ali peace be upon him said that to begin with religion is to know it…One of the main characteristics of the resistance is that it is a movement that gives great heed to science, knowledge, and development of its material and human capabilities. This is why the Israeli enemy acknowledges that it’s been engaged in a war of brainpowers with the resistance. This specialized resistance will triumph in any future confrontation in case it was imposed on Lebanon…This generation is the generation that will witness the great rise of this ummah and the resounding defeat of the powers that have been controlling our choices, capabilities, and riches.”
THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS FILE
Sayyed Nasrallah praised the efforts by resistance and Lebanese army experts which exposed Israel’s full control of the Lebanese telecommunications sector. Telecommunications Minister Charbel Nahhas held a press conference earlier this week and explained along with telecom experts how Israel has had access to every detail in this sector.
“The result of this Israeli violation is eavesdropping, access to short messages, access to subscribers’ data, location of their geographic positions, cloning SIM cards without the knowledge of the subscribers, thus enabling the Israelis of making calls and sending short messages [without subscribers’ knowledge]. They even can plant a phone number in the subscribers’ devices to make and receive calls. This is what we discovered when three of our brothers in the resistance were accused to be Israeli agents.”
The Hezbollah chief added that Israeli operators have been able to track the resistance fighters through the planted numbers. “Many people have been called in as Israeli agents based on telecommunications data, but after they undergo interrogation, it becomes evident they are not.
“This proves that Israel has full control of our telecommunications sector. The press conference [of minister Nahhas] shows that there is, first, an Israeli violation of our sovereignty. Second, this brings us to the STL issue, which I will not address, because there are people who have this matter mixed up. We have a country, a strong army, institutions, and people who are talking about the cellular phone issue, many of them are experts. They all agree that this violation has taken place and the sector is under full control of Israel, and the scope of advantages [for Israel] is big; doesn’t this deserve to be tackled by the responsible officials in Lebanon? Some officials have lost their tongues as nothing has happened, whereas, beside the revelation by the telecommunications ministry, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) condemned Israel’s violation of this sector, yet politicians in Lebanon remained silent. Those of them who consider Israel an enemy, they could at least condemn this enemy for this violation.”
THE SPECIAL TRIBUNAL FOR LEBANON
Sayyed Nasrallah reminded about the frequent amendments of the laws that govern the STL and the evidence it uses. “This is a legislative and executive authority that does as it pleases and amends whenever it wants to. It is really odd how such authority had been given to this tribunal.”
His eminence said Hezbollah has posed many questions about the tribunal the public opinion must know of. He questioned the STL’s decision to hold trials in absentia, a precedent in international tribunals.
“First, we asked some legal experts if international tribunals have ever conducted trials in absentia. The answer was that this was a precedent. Second, we asked if any international tribunal had ever kept witnesses secret. It seems that this is also a precedent. Third, we asked if any court had ever accepted a written testimony from a witness without appearing in the courtroom, in a sensitive case like this one, when evidence is underrated. We are in front of a sensitive case and a condemnation that could mean the fate of a country. What is this justice? Have five years of investigations yielded any justice? Based on previous experience, this tribunal adjusts its rules and procedures to easily issue a previously prepared political ruling. This is the weakest tribunal in history in terms of law and procedures.”
Sayyed Nasrallah promised to hold a press conference to stand on the legal and constitutional perspective of this issue, based on studies and investigations conducted by a number of legal experts in Lebanon abroad. “In brief, this court has nothing to do with the Lebanese constitutional institutions; indeed it is an international resolution issued by the Security Council, but we all know how it was discussed and passed in Lebanon.”
Hezbollah’s S.G. warned that the “new development” was the Israeli factor “again.”
“I am talking about statements made by senior Israeli officials who confirmed supplying the STL with data. The international investigation panel is making use of Israeli data to continue its investigation instead of interrogating the Israelis. Has this investigation, that ignored the Israeli hypothesis [in the Hariri assassination], ever questioned Israel about the evidence [Hezbollah] presented?”
His eminence stressed that any solution should be based on the fact that “this indictment is dangerous and constitutes a threat to it and to its resistance.”
“There are some who believe that this indictment is an opportunity to get rid of Hezbollah the enemy or the rival in Lebanon. We regard the indictment and its repercussions as a threat to Lebanon’s security; eventually this will affect our performance and conduct. This is why we regard those who adhere to the success of the Syrian-Saudi efforts also adhering to justice and stability in this country. In this context, we support the Syrian-Saudi track and we call on all other sides, Iranians, Turks, Qataris, or others, to help in this effort that represents the only way out of this crisis. There is great hope that a solution can be reached.”
Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out that “instigation” had already started against those who would be targeted in the STL indictment. He warned against the “wrong indictment” that the Americans and the Israelis are rushing.
"We all know that the Israelis are bargaining on the indictment and its repercussion. Those who are speaking about a post-indictment solution, I can tell them that by then, it will be too late and we would all have lost the initiative. This is the difference between what’s before the indictment and what’s after it; we still have a chance to sit down and talk. We should not waste time; this is not the way to find a solution."
His eminence stressed that time was of essence and that “all the evidence which the indictment will be based on have already been published in the Der Speigel magazine, Le Figaro, and the recent report on the Canadian television CBC, knowing that Canadian [prosecutor Daniel] Bellemare has control on the whole file.”
THE PULLOUT FROM THE TOWN OF GHAJAR
Sayyed Nasrallah lashed out at the Israeli plan to pullout from the town of Ghajar as “mere public relations game aimed at giving the international community a fine image of Israel.”
“Their step is incomplete; they are playing a game with regards to Ghajar while they continue to build settlements. Barack Obama’s administration, with all its gravitas, asked Netanyahu to stop building settlements for three months and offered ample military grants in return, but he turned them down, and the US expressed disappointment. They did not condemn it. But if any small incident happens to even an Israeli cow, we see showers of condemnations from across the globe. The Lebanese part of Ghajar [northern part is Lebanese while southern part is Syrian] should return to Lebanon’s sovereignty. The government is free to send the Lebanese army or the Internal Security Forces there; Israel does not dictate who goes in and who does not. The UNIFIL is here to assist the Lebanese army. Its presence where the Lebanese army is not, is meaningless. We consider UNIFIL forces replacing Israeli occupation forces in Ghajar as an unaccepted occupation in disguise.”