LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِOctober
22/2010
Bible Of The
Day
Mark 4/21-25: "He said to
them, “Is the lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it put
on a stand? 4:22 For there is nothing hidden, except that it should be made
known; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light. 4:23
If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.” 4:24 He said to them, “Take heed
what you hear. With whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you,
and more will be given to you who hear. 4:25 For whoever has, to him will more
be given, and he who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away
from him.”
Free
Opinions, Releases, letters, Interviews & Special Reports
Amnesty International Syria urged to release or
charge Lebanese Shi'a cleric Sheikh Hassan Mchaymech/October 21/10
Iranian déjà-vu in Lebanon/By: Tony
Badran/October 21/10
March 14: Ahmadinejad ‘envisioned
Lebanon as the front line of the Islamic resistance/Daily Star/October 21/10
On peace, Lebanon, Iran and Gilad
Schalit/By MERON REUBEN/Jerusalem Post/October 21/10
'Iranian power has swung from
mullahs to Ahmadinejad/By
HERB KEINON /Jerusalem Post/October 21/10
Ahmadinejad in Beirut:
Reasserting the Islamic Republic’s Influence in Lebanon/By
Benedetta Berti/October 21/10
Are Syrian – Lebanese Relations
Okay?/By Tariq Alhomayed/October 21/10
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for
October 21/10
US deploys second air carrier in
Persian Gulf with 60 warplanes/DEBKAfile Special Report
Clinton
Phones Suleiman, Voices Concern over Mounting Lebanon Tension
/Naharnet
Ahmadinejad, King Abdullah Discuss
Politics Again /Naharnet
Hariri in Cyprus on Official Visit
/Naharnet
Lebanese Shiite Cleric Detained Incommunicado in Syria
/Naharnet
STL Reality in The Hague
Contradicts Beirut Wishes to Eliminate Tribunal /Naharnet
Lebanese Army Officer Killed in
Operation against Deserter /Naharnet
As-Safir: Hariri-Khalil meeting did
not provide crisis solutions/Now Lebanon
French ambassador, Greek minister voice need for stability/Daily Star
Cabinet postpones discussions on false witnesses/Daily Star
Hezbollah blasts U.N. report/UPI.com
Clinton Voices Support For UN Tribunal
In Lebanon/NPR
Chavez visits Syria on tour to
counter US sway/Washington Post
Syria urged to release or charge
Lebanese Shi'a cleric/Canada Views
Israel:
Can Only Announce Hizbullah's Defeat When it is Destroyed
/Naharnet
Hariri in Cyprus on
Official Visit
/Naharnet
Assiri: Kingdom Wants to
Maintain Lebanese Stability, but There is No Better than a Pure Lebanese
Solution
/Naharnet
Gemayel Meets Iranian
Ambassador
/Naharnet
Berri: I am Reassured by
All the Saudi King and Syrian President's Efforts
/Naharnet
Al-Watan: Revealing Truth
Will End Negative Impacts Accusing Syria of the Crime has had on Lebanese-Syrian
Ties
/Naharnet
Army Beat Police Colonel,
Arrest his Son
/Naharnet
Press Freedom Rankings:
Lebanon Tops List in Arab World at 78th Place
/Naharnet
4 Wounded in Rocket Attack
in north Lebanon
/Naharnet
Cabinet Postpones
Discussing 'False Witnesses' to Later Session
/Naharnet
Sayyed Says Riachy
Involved in His Arrest, Asks Cassese to Disqualify Him
/Naharnet
Loyalty to Resistance
Urges Need to Assume National Responsibilities against those Targeting Hizbullah
/Naharnet
March 14: We Call on Aoun
to Lift Bank Secrecy Off his Accounts and Those of his Family
/Naharnet
Court Action Begins in The
Hague: International Media Forum Accompanied by STL 'Explosive Experiment'
/Naharnet
US deploys second
air carrier in Persian Gulf with 60 warplanes
DEBKAfile Special Report October 20, 2010,
The United States has posted a second aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln,
in the Persian Gulf and northern Arabian Sea. The announcement came from the
Pentagon Tuesday, Oct. 19, two days after the vessel put into port at Fifth
Fleet headquarters in Manama, Bahrain. debkafile's sources note that this is the
first time in two years that Washington had deployed two aircraft carriers at
same time - not just one - in waters opposite Iran and Afghanistan. Facing Iran
at the moment therefore is the USS Harry S. Truman which has four squadrons of
Hornet and Super Hornet fighter-bombers plus Squadron 116 of early warning,
surveillance and command craft, Squadron 131 of electronic warfare craft, two
more squadrons of helicopters and one of transports. The Abraham Lincoln's
arrival has raised the number of US fighter-bombers in Iran's neighborhood to
120. The carrier was accompanied by the guided missile cruiser USS Cape St.
George. The Pentagon announcement was careful to avoid mentioning Iran: US
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates approved the presence of a second carrier… to
provide surge support for coalition forces in Afghanistan "and to support
existing maritime security operations." But the significance of two massive
American naval-aerial strike forces opposite Iranian shores was not lost on
Tehran, our sources report. Wednesday, Oct. 20, Brig. Gen. Hussein Salami,
Deputy Commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, came out with this
statement: "The enemies of Iran should know the Islamic establishment's red
lines and not trespass them."
Are Syrian – Lebanese Relations Okay?
21/10/2010
By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat
http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=2&id=22745
An atmosphere of suspense continues to surround the future of the situation in
Lebanon, and particularly Syrian – Lebanese relations, however what is striking
is the sheer volume of media leaks to Lebanese newspapers that belong to
Hezbollah or Syria. The most prominent of these newspapers is the Lebanese "Al-Akhbar"
newspaper which publishes articles by journalists writing from Damascus who leak
information, including Syrian instructions to Lebanon and Saad Hariri, in an
unprecedented manner.
Remarkably, there has been no Syrian denial from so far regarding this
information. It may be beneficial at this point to publish some of these
statements here in order to show the reader the situation in Lebanon, and
analyze the rhetoric being used in this crisis. This will help the reader to
understand the mentality and the manner in which things are moving, internally
and externally, in Lebanon and therefore understand whether Syrian – Lebanese
relations are okay or not!
The following are some excerpts from the Lebanese newspaper "Al-Akhbar" taken
over several days, quoting whom they describe as being "Syrian sources."
- "The Syrian leadership is dissatisfied that Hariri continued to appear tense
during his stay in Damascus. The true nature of his [Hariri's] position is clear
to President al-Assad who is known in Damascus as a good reader of people."
- Hariri has appeared inflexible, during his stay in Damascus. "He has not
revealed the truth, his eyes do not smile, and his facial features have not
changed since he set foot in Syria. Most importantly, he does not feel that
Syria is his second home."
- An official Syrian source said that there must be a radical change in Lebanon,
with Lebanon reconciling with [Lebanese singer] Fairouz [after a Beirut court
banned her from performing songs over a royalties dispute] and the Syrians
reconciling with Lebanon."
What is meant here by radical change is the change in the composition of the
Lebanese leadership with regards to the position of Saad Hariri, and him being
portrayed as the only real obstacle to this reconciliation.
- Official Syrian sources also said that what Hariri must do is very clear, and
most prominently this is committing to the rules of the game and recognizing
that nobody - and this includes him personally – can cross certain lines. Hariri
can discuss amending his agreements with Syria, and demand a parliamentary seat
here or there, or demand support to change the makeup of his cabinet. However he
is forbidden of even thinking of asking the Syrians to participate in vilifying
Hezbollah in the same manner that his party does. If Hariri is aware of this,
then he must reveal the true nature of the international tribunal that is
seeking to undermine the resistance and take practical steps to abolish this.
- It is up to Hariri to know that secular Syria differs in many aspects from
Hezbollah, as Hezbollah has an ideological background with a religious
dimension. However Syrian's stance upon the resistance, and its support of all
forms of resistance, is linked to the fate of the region. Until the liberation
of the occupied Golan Heights, the Shebaa farms, and the Kafr Shuba hills,
nobody has the right to question Syria's relationship with the resistance.
- It is up to Hariri to take the initiative and take positive steps towards
Syria, moving closer towards Syria following the tragedies that took place over
the past years. We recommend that he establish a charitable organization to
advise him in the event of tension between his country and Damascus. We also
suggest that he bring in new security, political and media advisers.
And so in light of the above, the question that must be asked here is: Are
Syrian – Lebanese relations okay?
Amnesty International Syria urged to release or charge Lebanese Shi'a cleric
Sheikh Hassan Mchaymech
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/syria-
urged-release-or-charge-lebanese-shia-cleric-2010-10-20
Amnesty International has urged the Syrian authorities to release or charge
Lebanese Shi'a cleric held incommunicado for more than three months after he was
arrested while on his way to make the pilgrimage to Mecca.
Former Hezbollah member Sheikh Hassan Mchaymech was travelling by car to Saudi
Arabia with his wife and mother, when he was arrested by Syrian Political
Security on the Syrian side of the Jdeidet Yabous border crossing with Lebanon
on 7 July.
The Syrian authorities have not publicly given a reason for his arrest or
revealed where he is being held or whether any charges have been brought against
him. The Syrian security services are well known for carrying out acts of
torture and other ill-treatment.
"The Syrian authorities must immediately reveal the whereabouts of Hassan
Mchaymech and either release him or charge him with a recognizable criminal
offence," said Philip Luther, Deputy Director of Amnesty International's Middle
East and North Africa Programme.
"While he remains in detention, the authorities must take steps to ensure that
he is not tortured or otherwise ill-treated, that he is allowed visits from his
family and that he is granted access to a lawyer of his choosing."
According to Hassan Mchaymech's family, since his arrest the Lebanese Ministry
of Foreign Affairs has written to the Syrian authorities several times to
request clarifications of the reason for his arrest. They are yet to receive any
response to the requests.
Hassan Mchaymech's family has also published three appeals in Lebanese
newspapers calling on Lebanese President Michele Suleiman, Prime Minister Sa’ad
al-Hariri and Speaker of the National Assembly Nabih Berri to pressure the
authorities to reveal his fate
The family met with representatives of the three officials addressed in the
appeals, who told them that the Syrian authorities had not responded to their
demands for information.
Hassan Mchaymech was a member of Hizbullah, an influential Shi'a political and
military organization in Lebanon that is supported by Syria and Iran, but left
in 1998 following internal disagreements.
He then created and edited the monthly online magazine http://difaf.org, in
which he wrote articles calling for tolerance of differences between religious
sects in Lebanon and for the separation of religion and politics.
In August 2009, he co-founded, along with a group of other Lebanese Shi'a
religious figures, the Independent Scientists' Forum, an NGO calling for the
respect of intellectual and religious diversity.
Political Security is one of several branches of the Syrian security forces, all
of which regularly detain people on the slightest suspicion of opposition to the
government.
In 2009, at least seven people were reported to have died as a result of abuses
in custody in Syria. The authorities have taken no action to investigate these
allegations.
"Confessions" extracted under duress are systematically used as evidence in
Syrian courts, and the defendants' claims that they have been tortured or
otherwise ill-treated are almost never investigated.
-------------------------------------
East Mediterranean Team
Amnesty International, International Secretariat
Peter Benenson House, 1 Easton Street
London WC1X 0DW
United Kingdom
E-mail: Eastmed@amnesty.org
Tel: +44 (0)20 7413 5500
Fax: +44 (0)20 7413 5719
March 14: Iran sought to set up forward base
Ahmadinejad ‘envisioned Lebanon as the front line of the Islamic resistance to
liberate Palestine’
By Elias Sakr
Daily Star staff
Thursday, October 21, 2010
BEIRUT: The March 14 Secretariat General described Wednesday Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s recent visit to Lebanon as an attempt to set up an Iranian
forward base against Israel on the shores of the Mediterranean.
In a statement, the secretariat said Ahmadinejad had arrogated the right to
incorporate Lebanon into “the axis of resistance and defiance led by Iran.”
“He also envisioned Lebanon as the front line of the Islamic resistance to
liberate Palestine and [redraw the map of the region] as well as vanquish global
arrogance,” it said.
“His visit resembled an inspection tour of an Iranian forward base on the
Mediterranean,” the statement added.
March 14 activists added that Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun sought
through his latest statements against Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s financial
policies to divert attention away from the Iranian president’s visit by
provoking a “fictitious battle under the pretext of reform.”
The attendees called on Aoun, “who positions himself above corruption while
accusing others of it,” to lift secrecy from his bank accounts and those of his
family.”
But Aoun’s ally Hizbullah hailed Ahmadinejad’s visit as supportive of Lebanon’s
right to resist Israeli aggression and praised his “call to promote unity and
understanding among the Lebanese.”
A statement released following a meeting of Hizbullah’s Loyalty to the
Resistance bloc slammed the US for seeking to provoke strife among the Lebanese
under the pretext of promoting “what is being publicized as international
justice.”
The comments were made in reference to a visit Sunday by US Assistant Secretary
of State for Middle Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman to Lebanon to reiterate the
US support for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) investigating former
Premier Rafik Hariri’s murder.
Hizbullah has condemned the UN-backed court as an Israeli project aimed against
the resistance in Lebanon, saying the impending STL indictment was already
fabricated and is set to implicate Hizbullah members.
The statement added that “regional and Lebanese contacts were ongoing in a bid
to ease tensions raised due to the unjust campaign against the resistance
through fabricated accusations.”
The past few days have seen Saudi-Syrian talks and inter-Lebanese contacts to
reach a compromise between the March 14 coalition and Hizbullah over the
disputed issue of the STL.
“The bloc stresses the need to assume national responsibility in confronting and
rejecting attempts against the resistance,” the statement said.
However, progress has yet to be made with regard to the STL-related
controversies, particularly the issue of false witnesses as Hizbullah, and its
allies insist on referring the case of witnesses to the Justice Council.
“The normal path for arriving at the truth and preventing tensions among the
Lebanese is to refer the issue of false witnesses to the Justice Council to
uncover those who stood behind them and funded them,” the statement said.
Hizbullah MPs described UN chief Ban Ki-moon’s report on the implementation of
Resolution 1559 as biased toward Israel and supportive of Israel’s state
“terrorism.”
“The report demonstrated bias toward Israel’s terrorism and its violation of
international resolutions, and campaigned against the resistance and Hizbullah
in a bid to camouflage the racist nature of Zionists threatening Lebanon as well
as the region’s stability,” it added.
Hariri in
Cyprus on Official Visit
Naharnet/Prime Minister Saad Hariri arrived in Cyprus Thursday for talks with
President Dimitris Christofias. An official welcoming ceremony will be held at
the presidential palace for Hariri and the accompanying delegation -- Foreign
Minister Ali al-Shami, Information Minister Tareq Mitri and advisor Hani Hammoud.
Talks between Hariri and the Cypriot President will focus on the latest regional
and international developments as well as bilateral relations between the two
countries and ways to develop them in various areas, Hariri's office said.
It said Hariri will hold a joint press conference with Christofias at the end of
their talks to be followed by luncheon hosted in Hariri's honor. Later Thursday,
Hariri will meet the President of the Parliament Marios Garoyan in a protocol
visit. Beirut, 21 Oct 10, 14:09
Israel:
Can Only Announce Hizbullah's Defeat When it is Destroyed
Naharnet/Commander of the Galilee unit in the Israeli army Yossi Bachar revealed
on Thursday that that the Israeli army has prepared a plan to invade southern
Lebanon and "destroy Hizbullah."He told the Israeli Yediot Ahronot newspaper
that the Jewish state is now convinced that defeating the party lies in
destroying it, adding that such a party should be removed from existence.
Beirut, 21 Oct 10, 14:47
STL Reality in The Hague Contradicts Beirut Wishes to Eliminate Tribunal
Naharnet Special Report - The Hague
The International Media Forum agenda, organized by the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon in The Hague, reflects a completely different view on the Court from
what is going on in Beirut.
Those in charge of the STL in The Hague simply refuse to discuss the majority
March 14 coalition's or March 8's approaches to the Tribunal.
While March 14 is committed to the STL as part of its political strategy adopted
five years ago without having sufficient means to provide local protection for
the Court, the Opposition March 8 alliance has launched a relentless campaign
against the Tribunal, accusing it of politicization. On this basis, it seems
that the International Media Forum -- which includes visits to three
headquarters: Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the International Criminal Tribunal
for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Court – is a message in
itself to the Lebanese who are divided in their outlook on the SLT, set to try
killers of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The March 14 coalition which
appears to be making reactions on the dynamism of Hizbullah and its allies who
reject the Court and demand that the Tribunal be shut down "should be more
confident in the future of the Tribunal and its work and stop doubting
themselves and the Court and its the ability to reach results. March 8 forces,
which seek to bypass the Court, also "should be less ambitious and more modest
in their quest to topple the Special Tribunal for Lebanon." The Special Tribunal
for Lebanon, at least from the standpoint of the International Media Forum, is
part of the international justice system alongside the Criminal Court for the
former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Court. It seemed that those in
charge of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon wanted through the first episode of
the first day under the title: "The evolution of International Justice," to send
a message to the Lebanese via the vice president of the International Criminal
Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia that there has been no precedents in
international justice where a court has been stopped or suspended. Beirut, 21
Oct 10, 09:16
International Media Forum: Indictments to be Issued against Individuals, Not
Entities
Naharnet/Naharnet Special Report – The Hague:
The first day of the International Media Forum organized by the Special Tribunal
for Lebanon at its headquarters in the Dutch city of The Hague was characterized
by the impression the participating journalists had after eight hours of
seminars -- the indictment in the investigation into the murder of ex-PM Rafik
Hariri and his companions is likely to be issued soon.
Despite the fact that the meetings, lectures and seminars were dedicated to the
legal and technical aspects that govern the work of the STL, the participants'
attention was drawn to a presentation about the anticipated indictment made by
the head of the Prosecution Division of the Office of the Prosecutor.
He elaborately explained the indictment's characteristics in a manner signifying
that its issuance has become imminent.
The participants at the International Media Forum in The Hague believe that the
aforementioned presentation reflected the main points of the indictment's
content, despite the fact that it was focused on the indictment's structure and
apart from the details related to events, names and other facts.
They note that it is almost impossible for anyone to give such specifications
without the other details being ready and almost finalized in terms of
formulation.
The highlights of the presentation made by STL Prosecutor Danielle Bellemare's
aide about the indictment include:
1. It will be different than indictments usually issued by Lebanon's
investigative judges.
2. It will include detailed and extensive explanations regarding the crime's
stages and modus operandi.
3. It will surpass in terms of facts and explanations the indictment issued
regarding war crimes investigated by the International Criminal Tribunal for the
former Yugoslavia.
4. It will be based on a mixture of both circumstantial and material evidences.
5. It will not include a lot of legal theorems since the judges are proficient
in such cases and they do not need someone to explain for them.
6. It will be limited to the murder of ex-PM Rafik Hariri and his companions on
February 14, 2005, while indictments in other crimes that the investigation may
unveil their links to the Hariri murder will be left to a later stage.
7- Indictments will be issued against individuals and not political, partisan or
organizational entities of any form. It will also not bring charges against
States or Systems.
What supports the belief that the indictment is looming on the horizon is the
fact that several STL officials announced in many appearances during the first
day of the IMF that Bellemare had started since some time to put Pre-Trial Judge
Daniel Fransen in the picture of some of the data, evidences, facts and
documents he will base his indictment on.
Thus, Fransen would not need much time to verify Bellemare's indictment as a
preliminary step toward starting the trials. Beirut, 20 Oct 10, 23:15
Lebanese Army Officer Killed in Operation against Deserter
Naharnet/A Lebanese army officer was killed and a soldier wounded Thursday when
their vehicle came under gunfire during an operation against an army deserter in
eastern Lebanon, an army spokesman said. "A major was martyred and one of our
soldiers injured during a raid in the town of Majdal Anjar (in the Bekaa Valley)
in an attempt to find a deserter who had sought refuge there," the spokesman
told AFP, declining to disclose their names. Information obtained by
Naharnet, however, identified the dead officer as Maj. Abdo Jasser. An AFP
correspondent said an exchange of gunfire was heard in the town around 10:00 am
(0700 GMT). The eastern Bekaa Valley has historically been known as a safe haven
for fugitives and gained particular notoriety during the 1975-1990 civil war as
a fertile hashish-growing region run by tribes. Three soldiers were killed in an
ambush on an army patrol in the Bekaa in April when a prominent clan sought
revenge for the killing of one of their members, a drug baron who refused to
stop at an army checkpoint.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 21 Oct 10, 12:03
Assiri: Kingdom Wants to Maintain Lebanese Stability, but There is No Better
than a Pure Lebanese Solution
Naharnet/Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Assiri stressed that the Kingdom
is eager to maintain Lebanon's stability and that King Abdullah is keen on the
Lebanese political powers' unity, he told As Safir Thursday. "This is the
starting point of all our efforts, but in the end there is nothing better than a
purely Lebanese solution and we are ready to help them reach it," he said. On
Wednesday, the ambassador had met with Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel
Aoun during which he voiced Saudi Arabia's appreciation for the MP's positions.
Beirut, 21 Oct 10, 13:42
Gemayel Meets Iranian Ambassador
Naharnet/Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel met late Wednesday Iranian
Ambassador Ghadanfar Roken Abadi at the Iranian embassy in Beirut. Local media
on Thursday said Gemayel discussed with Abadi outcome of Iranian leader
President Mahmoud Ahhmadinejad's Lebanon visit. The two men also discussed
developments in Lebanon and the region. They agreed on the need to preserve
Lebanon unity. Beirut, 21 Oct 10, 13:11
Al-Watan: Revealing Truth Will End Negative Impacts Accusing Syria of the Crime
has had on Lebanese-Syrian Ties
Naharnet/The Syrian al-Watan newspaper reported on Thursday that revealing the
truth in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri will serve to
end the negative repercussions accusing it of the crime has had on
Lebanese-Syrian relations. It said that claims that the truth will result in
unrest in Lebanon "is misleading as the truth will instill trust among the
Lebanese political powers." Furthermore, it noted that Prime Minister Saad
Hariri's acknowledgement that the false witnesses have harmed Lebanese-Syrian
ties "is half the truth," which would be complete by revealing the political
powers they are affiliated with. "The opposition and its allies are working on
reaching the second half so that the truth would be complete as it alone can
restore unity, stability, and security," the paper added. Beirut, 21 Oct 10,
14:06
Berri: I am Reassured by All the Saudi King and Syrian President's Efforts
Naharnet/House Speaker Nabih Berri stressed on Thursday the ongoing cooperation
between Saudi Arabia and Syria, voicing his concern however with claims that
contacts between the two sides had subsided. He told the daily An Nahar Thursday
that he is comforted with the efforts of Saudi King Abdullah and Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad, saying that they wish Lebanon well. As Safir
meanwhile reported on Thursday that Berri's meeting with Assad on Wednesday was
"very positive". It reported sources close to Berri as saying that the
Saudi-Syrian ties are solid and are in constant development. The debates in
Lebanon do not reflect the current state of affairs between Riyadh and Damascus
and here lies the Lebanese responsibility to take advantage of the regional
situation to fortify their internal scene and protect it from impending dangers,
they added. Beirut, 21 Oct 10, 13:30
Ahmadinejad, King Abdullah Discuss Politics Again
Naharnet/Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Saudi King Abdullah have had
telephonic discussions on regional affairs for a second time within a fortnight,
Iran's state news agency IRNA reported Thursday. The Wednesday evening
conversation comes at a time when the two regional arch-rivals are at odds over
what is perceived as rising Iranian influence in Lebanese politics and
protracted efforts to form a government in Iraq. "In this telephone call, the
heads of the two states discussed boosting bilateral cooperation, as well as
recent developments in the region and in the international scene," IRNA
reported. Ahmadinejad and Abdullah last spoke to each other by telephone on
October 12, one day before the Iranian leader went to Lebanon for a
groundbreaking visit during which he was giving a hero's welcome by Shiite
militant group Hezbollah, which fought a devastating 2006 war with Israel.
The United States and Israel criticized the visit as a provocation and a threat
to regional stability. Washington labels Hezbollah, which is known as Iran's
Shiite proxy in Lebanon, a terrorist organization. On Iraq, Saudi Arabia is
widely believed to have supported former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi in
elections held in March. Analysts believe Riyadh see Allawi's rival, Prime
Minister Nuri al-Maliki, as being too close to Iran. Maliki was on Monday in
Tehran where he urged the Islamic republic to help rebuild his war-battered
country. In the election, Allawi's Iraqiya bloc earned 91 seats, two seats ahead
of Maliki's State of Law alliance, in the battle for control of the 325-member
Council of Representatives.
But since then neither has been able to demonstrate enough support to assume the
premiership. At a meeting of regional interior ministers last month in Manama,
Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz called for a swift
resolution of the stalemate. "We are closely following the situation in Iraq and
we clearly see gross interference in its internal affairs," Prince Nayef said,
without elaborating.(AFP) Beirut, 21 Oct 10, 12:14
'Iranian power has swung from mullahs to Ahmadinejad'
By HERB KEINON
10/21/2010 01:44 /J.Post
Conference of Presidents head Malcolm Hoenlein says many now waking up to Iran’s
drive for regional power.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to Lebanon last week was a
“watershed” that rammed home for many in the Arab world the realization that the
Iranian leader does indeed have hegemonic designs in the region, Malcolm
Hoenlein told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.
Hoenlein, the executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major
Jewish Organizations, said at a briefing with the Post’s editorial staff that
Ahmadinejad’s Lebanon visit was a “game changer” because it gave Iran a foothold
in the Mediterranean, something it had sought and failed to achieve for
centuries.
This, along with Teheran’s ties with Syria and Gaza, the infrastructure it is
building in Iraq and its presence in certain eastern provinces in Saudi Arabia,
said Hoenlein, is all bringing home to many the reality of Iran’s drive for
regional dominance. Hoenlein said one indication of the degree to which the Arab
world is taking notice is the recent resumption of commercial air traffic
between Egypt and Iran, cut off following the 1979 Iranian revolution.
“The relationship between the two countries has been terrible,” he said. “But
Egypt is looking at the situation and doesn’t have confidence that Iran will be
stopped. They are hedging their bets, and this is the first step.” Breaking with
conventional wisdom that the mullahs – not Ahmadinejad – are the real power
behind the Iranian throne, Hoenlein said that Ahmadinejad and his supporters are
very much in control in the country, and pointed out that after the violent
protests in the summer of 2009, Ahmadinejad replaced mayors across the country.
“He has manipulated the system,” Hoenlein said. “The balance of power has
shifted; he is a key force – the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which backs him,
is in control of the army, navy and air force.”Hoenlein said that his
organization has had an impact in reframing the way the Iranian threat is
perceived in the US, and that if a couple years ago some 80 percent of Americans
saw Iran as an Israeli issue, and only 20 percent viewed it in terms of a threat
to the world, now those numbers have been reversed.
On other matters, Hoenlein said the Conference – which is very active at the UN
– is concerned about recent talk that the Palestinians will try to get a UN
resolution supportive of their positions.
“One of our concerns is that the Palestinians not utilize the UN as a vehicle
for bypassing negotiations,” he said. “Even though it won’t be recognition of a
state, this would put Israel into a more disadvantageous position, and would
make a return to negotiations much more difficult.”
There is increasing concern in Jerusalem that if the current negotiations with
the Palestinians break down completely, the Palestinians may go to the UN and
ask for recognition of a Palestinian state within the 1967 lines, or for a
resolution declaring the settlements illegal.
The Palestinians have an automatic majority in the General Assembly and, at the
drop of a hat, could muster some 140 states – members of the Non- Aligned
Movement – to pass these types of resolutions. Arab League Secretary General Amr
Moussa is believed to be advocating such a move.
Hoenlein said what was needed now was to work to ensure that the Americans,
Europeans and others realize that a knee-jerk response to this type of proposal
– voting for it because it would be voting with the majority – would be
counterproductive.
This was not necessarily an impossible mission, he said, noting there were a
“lot of countries that get it.”
Pointing to Greece, which will be the focus of the Conference’s upcoming annual
meeting, and India, Hoenlein said Israel “is not as isolated as people think.”
Regarding the US-Israel relationship, Hoenlein said it is often better than
portrayed, and that the military component – in terms of joint exercises and
coordination – is better than it was under former president George W. Bush.
As for the political component, which Hoenlein described in diplomatic terms as
“challenged” at times, he said no one knows what the impact of the November
midterm elections will be.
But, he said, “Fundamental policy won’t change,” even if – as expected – the
Democrats take a beating at the polls.
Hoenlein warned that, “disorderly change,” something he defined as huge
“pendulum shifts” in societies in one direction or the other, is generally not
good for the Jews.
He added, however that this shouldn’t be interpreted as concern about the Tea
Party movement, which is poised to make huge gains in the elections, and that
the movement is “by and large very pro-Israel and sympathetic.”
Rather, he said, he was speaking of “when you have disruptions in society, tidal
wave shifts instead of the normal transitions; not just in America but in Europe
as well. When you have these types of disruptions in the fabric of society,
dissatisfaction and frustration, they can be manifest in many ways, and they are
often in ways that are hostile to us.
“Jews thrive in stability, and I believe instability works against us,” he said.
Hoenlein did say he was worried that the model of delegitimization of Israel
that has been evident in Britain, where it starts with the elites and trickles
downward, is beginning to be seen in the US as well.
“We are seeing it in the US,” he said. “In academia, in the arts, in the media
and other area, things are said today that were not heard in the past. It is
subtle, not cataclysmic, but you see it on campus, and in the media.”
Hoenlein likened this type of delegitimization to a tumor that “grows quietly,
and that by the time you notice, it is too late.”
On peace, Lebanon, Iran and Gilad Schalit
By MERON REUBEN
10/21/2010 07:32 /J.Post
The new Israeli ambassador to the UN gives his first speech at the Security
Council.
Excerpted from the speech the ambassador gave on Monday
I wish to state the profound and enduring wish of my nation to establish peace
with the Palestinians. A peace based on security and mutual recognition. A peace
that will ensure prosperity for our two peoples. Peace can only be achieved
through direct negotiations and compromise from both sides. Israel has continued
to show that it is willing to take bold measures and make difficult decisions in
pursuit of peace. To this end, Israel helped encourage impressive growth in the
Palestinian economy, removing hundreds of roadblocks and checkpoints in the West
Bank. We took this action despite legitimate security concerns and continued
terrorism. With a heavy heart, Israel put in place a self-imposed and
unprecedented 10-month moratorium on settlement construction. We are hopeful
that the Palestinians will take the measures necessary for peace. After refusing
to engage in direct negotiations for nine months during the moratorium, the
Palestinians – who at first belittled the gesture – now demand its extension as
a precondition for continuing talks.
Settlements are one of many issues that need to be resolved in final status
negotiations. History has shown that they do not stand in the way of making
peace – as seen by peace agreements that were achieved with Egypt and Jordan.
Furthermore, when Israel dismantled all of its settlements in the Gaza Strip, it
received terrorism and rocket fire on towns and communities in return.
Israel welcomes the extremely important efforts of the US administration to
promote peace and security in the region.
In this regard, the US is closely engaged with Israel and other parties to get
direct talks back on track.
In looking for a way forward, we must build any future agreement on the
principles of mutual recognition and security.
A request that Israel recognize a Palestinian state as the nation-state of the
Palestinian people must be met with an acknowledgement that Israel is the
nation-state of the Jewish people. After generations of conflict, mutual
recognition will be essential in overcoming a long history of incitement,
combating terrorism and establishing peaceful coexistence between our two
peoples.
Any peace agreement must also clearly address Israel’s security concerns with
strong arrangements in the field. The diverse and dangerous threats facing
Israel remain significant.
With support from the Iranian and Syrian regimes, extremist terrorist
organizations in the region continue to rearm and stage attacks on Israeli
civilians. The Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip remains an epicenter for terror and a
launching ground for continuous rocket attacks against Israel. In Lebanon, the
Hizbullah terrorist organization serves as a constant obstacle to peace and
security for all in the region.
Establishing peace will require more than declarations or signatures on a piece
of paper, it will necessitate concrete actions on the ground. With this in mind,
the wider Arab world must also show Israelis and people around the globe that
its declarations of peace will extend beyond words – and translate into deeds.
THE UNSC will discuss in detail the implementation of Resolution 1701 in a few
weeks, but in advance of that discussion I would like to share a few thoughts
about the continued challenges emanating from Lebanon, where radical forces
continue to pose a threat to stability in the region.
As we approach the upcoming report on Resolution 1701, it remains clear that
Hizbullah continues to build up its military capabilities and armaments,
acquiring sophisticated weaponry and missiles from its Iranian and Syrian
patrons.
Its deadly rearmament endangers Lebanon itself as well as the wider Middle East.
This terrorist organization continues to deploy weapons and builds its military
infrastructure throughout the civilian villages of southern Lebanon, adjacent to
schools, hospitals, houses of worship and residential buildings. Evidence of
this phenomenon can be found in a series of explosions of Hizbullah weapons
caches south of the Litani River over the past 15 months. The last such
explosion took place in the Lebanese village of Sheabiyya on September 3.
Unfortunately, despite having real-time information about all of these
incidents, the Lebanese Armed Forces did not intervene in a timely or robust
manner. Furthermore, there is clear proof that Hizbullah removed evidence from
all of these sites. Its provocations and continued rearmament must not go
unanswered by the Security Council, which has repeatedly and clearly stipulated
that this terrorist organization must disarm and disband as a key issue
addressed in Resolution 1701.
We also call on the Syrian government to refrain from engaging in actions that
destabilize the region. While Syria claims to seek peace, it continues to
support terror. There are numerous indications that the Syrian regime is hosting
Hizbullah training camps inside of its territory, including locations where
operatives receive training on missiles and other weapons. This reflects just
the tip of the iceberg in terms of Syria’s extensive support for terrorism in
the region. If Syria truthfully wants to embrace the full spirit of peace, it
must completely abandon its support for terror. LET ME now turn to the greatest
danger facing the Middle East and the world: Iran. The visit last week of Iran’s
president to Lebanon underscores the destabilizing impact of this extremist
regime in our region. A leader that denies the Holocaust, promotes conspiracy
theories about the September 11 terrorist attacks and calls for Israel to be
wiped off the map, Iran’s president only advances the causes of destruction and
instability.
His regime’s support provides a lifeline to the terrorist organizations of
Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hizbullah, which could not exist without Iran. Relying
on these proxies, Iran seeks to foil any movement toward rapprochement between
Israel and the Palestinians as well as other parties in the region. Thus, in
searching for a durable agreement with the Palestinians we must also confront
this threat with firm resolve.
I would like to note that while Iran’s president and his extremist allies seek
to impose fear, bloodshed and jihad on the population of Lebanon, there are many
other voices in the region. An open letter to President Ahmadinejad that was
recently published in the Lebanese media offers an example of one such voice.
One passage reads: “You are attempting to interfere, just like others that came
before you, in our affairs, where foreign interference was just to use Lebanon
internally; the big slogans and the good intentions could not decorate or block
the actual truth of this use.”Even more alarming than its continued support of
terror is Iran’s continued pursuit of nuclear weapons capabilities. Such
behavior endangers not only our region, nor merely a specific group of
countries. It endangers us all – and must continue to be met by strong and
effective action. My comments would be incomplete without expressing our ongoing
deep concern that for more than four years our kidnapped soldier, Gilad Schalit,
has remained deprived of his most basic human rights, including any visit from
the Red Cross. Israel expects the international community to do all in its
power, and more than has been done thus far, to bring about his swift release.
Cabinet postpones discussions on false witnesses
By Nafez Qawas /Daily Star staff/Thursday, October 21, 2010
BEIRUT: Cabinet postponed Wednesday talks over the issue of false witnesses in
the case of the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri after brief talks
among its members in order to leave President Michel Sleiman room to broker an
agreement among rival parties over the disputed issue.
During a session held at Baabda Palace, Sleiman said “rival political parties
agreed to put false witnesses on trial,” but they should discuss the different
legal opinions over the issue to reach a joint position.
March 14 coalition ministers insist the Justice Council lacks the jurisdiction
to look into the case of false witnesses as described in Justice Minister
Ibrahim Najjar’s report, which noted the judiciary should address the case. But
March 8 groups have repeatedly said the Justice Council should probe false
witnesses since the issue has threatened national security and caused divisions
among Lebanese, a case which falls under the council’s jurisdiction.
A political source told The Daily Star that the Cabinet could resume its talks
over the issue next Wednesday but added that the date was not cast in stone.
On another note, ministers tackled the rise in prices of consumer goods and
agreed to take the necessary steps to counter it. The Cabinet also discussed a
dispute that broke out between Internal Security Forces Colonel Hussein Saleh
and a Lebanese Army patrol in the Beirut suburb of Shiyah. The personal quarrel
took place after Saleh arrived at the scene to intervene in an incident that
broke out between his son and the army patrol, a security source told The Daily
Star.
Sleiman to Switzerland on Friday
Naharnet/October 21, 2010 /President Michel Sleiman will travel to Montreux in
Switzerland on Friday along with Defense Minister Elias al-Murr and Minister of
Foreign Affairs Ali Shami to participate in the 2010 Francophonie summit to be
held over the weekend, according to a statement issued by Sleiman’s press
office. According to the statement, Culture Minister Salim Wardeh will also join
the ministerial delegation.-NOW Lebanon
As-Safir: Hariri-Khalil meeting did not provide crisis solutions
October 21, 2010 /As-Safir newspaper on Thursday quoted an unnamed source as
saying that the Tuesday meeting between Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Hezbollah
Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah's political advisor, Hajj Hussein Khalil,
helped re-launch dialogue between the two parties but did not provide any
solutions to the current crisis.
Tension are high in Lebanon amid reports that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)
could soon issue its indictment in the 2005 assassination of former PM Rafik
Hariri. March 8 politicians have called for the tribunal’s abolition and there
are fears that should the court indict Hezbollah members, it could lead to
clashes similar to those of the 2008 May Events.
The source ruled out the possibility that Khalil and Hariri’s sit-down would set
up a meeting between the PM and Nasrallah. However, the source added that the
latter does not mind meeting with Hariri if invited to do so. The daily also
quoted the source as saying that the PM informed Khalil that he rejects
transferring the false witnesses’ file to the Justice Council and that he is
ready to cooperate with Hezbollah to overcome the current crisis. The cabinet
delegated Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar on August 18 to follow up on the issue
of the witnesses who gave false testimonies in the investigation probing the
Rafik Hariri murder. March 8 politicians have called for the issue to be
transferred to the Justice Council.
-NOW Lebanon
Iranian déjà-vu in Lebanon
Tony Badran, October 21, 2010
Former Iranian Interior Minister Ali Akbar Mohtashami, a founder of Hezbollah,
used Lebanon in a power struggle with former Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi
Rafsanjani. (AFP Photo/Ramzi Haidar)
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s controversial visit to Lebanon last week
has been analyzed from several angles. Some commentary focused on the Iranian
domestic angle and Ahmadinejad’s use of Lebanon to counter popular charges of
illegitimacy and economic woes at home. In this way Ahmadinejad is hardly
unique. There is a tradition of Iranian presidents using the Lebanese theater to
settle accounts in Teheran and chart out their own foreign policy visions.
However, one thing in this dynamic has remained constant throughout it all: the
centrality and primacy of Hezbollah.
The Lebanese theater was always seen as an integral extension of its Iranian
counterpart, where the line between domestic and foreign policies was often
blurred. This was the case in the mid-1970s through to the first three years of
the new Islamic regime in Iran, when two main factions of the revolutionary
cadres fought a bitter domestic battle, in which Lebanon was a central arena.
The outcome of this battle, which resulted in the consolidation of power by the
prevailing Islamic Republic Party (IRP), also had direct consequences in Beirut,
with the IRP as the progenitor of Hezbollah, its counterpart and namesake in
Lebanon. Meanwhile, the allies of Imam Moussa Sadr, and supporters of the Amal
movement’s equivalent in Tehran, the Liberation Movement of Iran, were all
either sidelined or killed.
After the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989, the shape of the various factions
was modified, but the rivalries remained. As Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
assumed the presidency, he was involved in a struggle with Hezbollah’s
godfather, Ali Akbar Mohtashami and his faction. In order to try and create more
latitude for himself, Rafsanjani briefly initiated an opening to Amal. The move
was interpreted as an attempted by Rafasanjani to create his own policy in
Lebanon – he even appointed his brother as head of the Lebanon desk at the
Foreign Affairs Ministry – and circumvent the Mohtashami faction, which had its
power base in Hezbollah, and which could frustrate Rafsanjani’s policy in
Lebanon.
However, the ploy came to naught, as Amal was unwilling to play the game and was
already beholden to Damascus. But more importantly, Hezbollah was simply
stronger in the balance of power with Amal. As a result, even though Mohtashami
was sidelined in Iran, Hezbollah persisted as a constant feature of Iranian
foreign policy.
Rafsanjani’s successor, Mohammad Khatami, would also use Lebanon for his own
domestic purposes. Khatami ran on a reformist platform, and in 1996, before
winning the presidential election, paid a visit to Lebanon, where a number of
his close advisors had worked and lived. It seemed as though Khatami, who is
married to a niece of Moussa Sadr, and had ties in Lebanon outside of
Hezbollah’s circles, was consciously reviving and appropriating Sadr’s persona,
by emphasizing Muslim-Christian ecumenism, coexistence and “civilizational
dialogue.”
This was also reflected in his schedule in Beirut, where he deliberately met
with the Maronite Patriarch and a host of Christian figures. He also met with a
senior Shia cleric, Muhammad Mahdi Shamseddin, a close associate of Sadr, who
had had tense relations with Hezbollah’s backers in Iran in the 1980s.
In so doing, Khatami was using Lebanon to project his own political vision in
Iran. Nonetheless, Khatami’s platform and his broader ties in Lebanon had no
impact on the centrality of Hezbollah in the Iranian-Lebanese relationship and
in Teheran’s foreign policy.
This point was articulated in an interesting billboard erected by Hezbollah in
the town of Qana during its extravagant reception of Ahmadinejad. The board
displayed the pictures of Khomeini, Iran’s Supreme Guide Ali Khamenei, and
Ahmadinejad on the right; Moussa Sadr, the late former Iranian defense minister
Mostafa Chamran, Hezbollah’s secretary general Hassan Nasrallah, on the left;
and Amal’s chief, Nabih Berri in the middle. Underneath, the caption read: “From
Lebanon to Iran… A single destiny.”
The symbolism conveyed the message that Ahmadinejad represented the authentic
heir of the Khomeini school of thought (what in Hezbollah parlance is referred
to as khatt al-imam – the Imam’s line), a point Nasrallah made explicit in his
speech when he welcomed the Iranian president by telling him “we smell in you
the aroma of the holy Imam Khomeini.”
In so doing, Nasrallah aimed to bestow legitimacy on Ahmadinejad as the true
embodiment of Khomeini’s original vision for the Islamic Republic. Nasrallah’s
statement was followed a few days later by a speech from Khamenei before massive
crowds in Qom, urging Iranians to rally and unite around Ahmadinejad.
On the other hand, by including Sadr as well as his close aide and co-founder of
Amal, Chamran, in the poster, Nasrallah is projecting a revisionist narrative of
continuity and unity, subsuming the Sadr and Amal legacy in a unitary trajectory
that culminates in the primacy of Hezbollah, both in Lebanon and in Iran.
Of course, the reality was never quite so harmonious. Khomeini’s relationship
with Sadr was tense, and there are reasons to believe that his lieutenants in
the Islamic Republic Party, Hezbollah’s creators, were complicit in his
disappearance. The same goes for Chamran, whom Hezbollah’s architects in Iran
despised and distrusted until he died in “mysterious circumstances.” Meanwhile,
Ahmadinejad’s legitimacy continues to be challenged internally.
However, it is equally a reality that the Revolutionary Guards have seized power
both in Iran and in Lebanon, and have shown that they are willing to use brute
force to secure it. Perhaps then, underneath the ritual we witnessed in Lebanon,
that is the bottom line message.
**Tony Badran is a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
French ambassador, Greek minister voice need for stability
By Patrick Galey /Daily Star staff
Thursday, October 21, 2010
BEIRUT: The French ambassador to Lebanon joined the Greek foreign minister in
voicing concern Wednesday that current debate surrounding the United Nations
probe into former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s death could endanger Lebanon’s
fraught calm.
Dimitris Droutsas voiced his country’s willingness to help maintain stability
following talks with President Michel Sleiman and Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
“Discussions also focused on the developments in the Middle East and the peace
process in the region,” the National News Agency quoted Droutsas as saying.
He added that Greece was ready to offer its assistance in maintaining Lebanon’s
frayed stability, which some parties believe to be at breaking point following
fearsome verbal exchanges between those in favor of the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon (STL) and those who would rather see the court scrapped.
Foreign Minister Ali Shami, who was present during Droustas’ meeting with
Hariri, reiterated the role Greece had to play in establishing lasting regional
peace.
“The Middle East peace process can be developed with the help and support of all
[of the region’s] countries,” Shami said, adding that “Greece can also play a
role in contributing to this process.”
Separately, French Ambassador Dennis Pietton expressed his support for the STL
and echoed comments from UN Security Council representatives in warning against
external meddling with court affairs. He met with Hariri at the Grand Serail.
“It was an opportunity for me to reiterate the fundamentals of the French
position vis-à-vis Lebanon – that is to say, of course, support for Lebanon’s
stability – support for its institutions which must continue to function,
support for the enforcement of Lebanese law and of course the support of France
for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which must be able to complete its mission
independently,” Pietton told reporters after the meeting.
Asked whether an STL indictment could spark unrest in Lebanon, the French
ambassador responded that “dialogue and mutual respect should prevail.”
UN representatives have repeatedly said that the court in The Hague be allowed
to issue indictments, something which critics argue could usher in a fresh round
of civil unrest.
“The country cannot live in a state of constant tension awaiting the indictments
to be issued, nobody knows when. I think we should take a step back and let the
tribunal work,” Pietton said.
“We do not know when the probe of the STL will be over, and we do not know when
the court’s indictment will be issued. The country cannot be in constant turmoil
waiting for the STL indictment,” he added.
Déjà vu in Beirut
Middle East Online
Sami Moubayed
First Published: 2010-10-20
Back in May 2003, Khatami was given a massive welcome by tens of thousands of
Lebanese when he landed in Beirut for a three-day visit. Khatami, back then, was
no less committed to Hezbollah than Ahmadinejad is today. The US and Israel were
no less hostile to Khatami - who is only now described by the US media as a
reformer - than they are to Ahmadinejad today, notes Sami Moubayed.
Middle East Online
During his visit to Beirut last week, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad met
with Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, who presented him with a
rifle captured from an Israeli soldier during the war of 2006, as a token of
appreciation for Iran's support for the Lebanese resistance. The Lebanese
University, for its part, presented Ahmadinejad with an honorary PhD. The two
presents, packed in the Iranian president's suitcase as he headed back to
Tehran, sum up what the two faces of Lebanon are all about.
Ahmadinejad's visit to Lebanon has sparked off loud debate within Lebanon and
clearly provoked the United States, although this is not the first time an
Iranian president has visited Beirut and come so close to its borders with
Israel.
Back in May 2003, his predecessor Mohammad Khatami was given a massive welcome
by tens of thousands of Lebanese when he landed in Beirut for a three-day visit.
Khatami, back then, was no less committed to Hezbollah than Ahmadinejad is
today. The US and Israel were no less hostile to Khatami — who is only now
described by the US media as a reformer — than they are to Ahmadinejad today.
The Lebanese press back then hailed the visit — being the first in bilateral
relations — as a milestone towards improving Iranian-Lebanese relations. The
crowds cheered at Khatami's entourage as he drove through the suburbs of Beirut,
being the Hezbollah stronghold, on his way to the Phoenicia Intercontinental
Hotel.
Lebanon's three leaders, President Emile Lahoud, Speaker Nabih Berri, and the
late Rafik Hariri hailed Khatami's visit, which they hoped, would "cement
Lebanon's role as a hub for resistance against Israel".
Lahoud famously said that Lebanon "was proud of Khatami's friendship".
The highlight of the visit was a meeting between Khatami and Maronite Patriarch
Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir — followed by the Lebanese University granting the
Iranian President an honorary PhD.
If all of this is déjà vu, why is the world furious over Ahmadinejad's visit to
Beirut?
When he was elected to power in the summer of 2005, the Iranian president, no
doubt, was a breath of fresh air for Hezbollah, coming into office only six
months after the Hariri assassination. They bet tremendously on Ahmadinejad to
uphold resistance in Lebanon, as debate over Hezbollah's arms began to surface
in Lebanon, and sided with Syria as it engaged in an all-out ‘cold war' with the
George W. Bush administration.
Over the past five years, Ahmadinejad has done exactly that, explaining why
Hezbollah was keen on showing how grateful it was. Precisely because of that
strong bond between Ahmadinejad and Hezbollah, members of the March 14 Coalition
were worried — to say the least — by the Iranian leader's visit to Beirut.
It comes, after all, amidst speculation that the upcoming Special Tribunal for
Lebanon (STL) will soon blame members of Hezbollah for Hariri's assassination.
Although Iran has been remarkably quiet about Lebanese domestic politics, it
will eventually put its full weight behind drowning the STL, either through
official channels, via the Lebanese government in which Hezbollah and its allies
are strongly represented, or through the Lebanese streets.
Protest rumours
There were rumours in Beirut that Hezbollah was planning to take to the streets
shortly after Ahmadinejad's visit, to force Sa'ad Hariri into calling for the
scrapping of the STL, both in his capacity as son of the slain premier, and as
the current prime minister of Lebanon.
Hariri, apparently, was clearly not getting the message, being that Hezbollah
will not wait for the indictments to be issued in late 2010 for Hariri to take
action — by then it will be too late.
To date, Hezbollah has tried pushing him into just that by blocking state funds
for the STL, claiming that they are unconstitutional, while leading a publicity
campaign aimed at branding the STL as an "Israeli project." The March 14
Coalition fears that Hezbollah has gotten its "go ahead signal" from
Ahmadinejad, to come out in full grandeur against the STL. If the Lebanese prime
minister does not take action immediately, Hezbollah and its allies, making use
of the 11 seats they have in government, will push for "no confidence" vote of
the Hariri administration.
If that was worrying for the March 14 Coalition, what is more worrying is the
fact that apparently Hariri has gotten the message loud and clear and will soon
be acting accordingly, in order to keep his job as prime minister. On Sunday,
Hariri informed his team that he will visit Tehran soon, at the invitation of
Ahmadinejad. This visit is expected to coincide with a trip by Nasrallah to
Riyadh. Hariri understands the significance of a phone conversation between
Ahmadinejad and Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, only hours before the Beirut
visit.
The Saudis, who have approved the visit, want peace and quiet in Lebanon — at
any cost — warning Hariri that nothing should be allowed to spark off "another
May 7" as Nasrallah had previously threatened. They want to maintain the status
quo that prevailed in 1990-2005, where Hariri — whether father or son — will
command all of Lebanon, heralding economic reform, investment, and education,
while standing as the ultimate leader of the Sunnis, only if he accepts that he
has to "protect and embrace" the arms of Hezbollah.
The young prime minister carefully incorporated that statement into his cabinet
policy statement and will work on upholding it, in light of the Iran-Saudi
Arabia understanding over Lebanon.
**Sami Moubayed is editor-in-chief of Forward Magazine in Syria
Ahmadinejad in Beirut: Reasserting the Islamic Republic’s Influence in Lebanon
By INSS Wednesday, October 20, 2010
By Benedetta Berti,
Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently concluded a two-day trip to
Lebanon (October 14 and 15, 2010). While there he paid a visit both to high
officials of the Lebanese state, as well as to leaders and grassroots supporters
of the Islamic Republic’s main local ally, Hizbollah. This trip, the first
official visit by the Iranian president to Lebanon since 2005, provided the
occasion for the Lebanese and the Iranian governments to sign seventeen
documents on bilateral cooperation, strengthening the Lebanese-Iranian economic
partnership on topics such as energy, gas and oil policy, commerce, agriculture,
and joint investments.
Although Ahmadinejad was very careful in portraying his decision to travel to
Lebanon as a desire to enhance the “good diplomatic relations” between the two
countries, the political and geo-strategic implications of his visit go well
beyond the realm of institutional state-to-state cooperation and diplomacy.
First, Ahmadinejad’s presence in Lebanon was designed to emphasize Tehran’s
continued interest in playing a leading role in domestic Lebanese politics,
mostly through its support of the Lebanese-Shia group Hizbollah, but also
through the attempt to increase its direct influence upon the Lebanese state. In
this context, the Iranian president’s visit to southern Lebanon provided him
with the opportunity to pledge his support for Hizbollah and to praise the
group’s “resistance” against Israel and the other “bullying countries” that he
cast as attempting to dominate the region.
Tehran’s full support for Hizbollah – a central part of Iranian foreign policy
since the group’s founding – acquires a much greater significance given the
timing chosen to deliver this message. Ahmadinejad’s visit came only weeks
before the expected release of the findings of the United Nations Special
Tribunal for Lebanon, tasked with investigating the assassination of former
prime minister Rafiq Hariri in February 2005. After five years of
investigations, the Tribunal is finally preparing to release its preliminary
conclusions, which will allegedly link Hizbollah officials, including senior
ones, to the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister.
In the past few months, Hizbollah’s reactions to these accusations have ranged
from mounting a fierce campaign to discredit the tribunal to urging the
government to revoke its mandate and dismiss its findings. In addition,
Hizbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah has downplayed any links that may
emerge between the organization and the murder of the former prime minister,
specifying that any connection would at most amount to “undisciplined members”
with whom the group has no relations. Yet regardless of this intense campaign
against the UN Tribunal, an official implication of the Lebanese-Shia group in
the Hariri murder could have strong repercussions for the organization’s
domestic popularity and legitimacy, and could drastically raise the level of
confrontation between Hizbollah and the majority March 14 coalition. In turn,
this could lead to a new wave of domestic instability, with the potential of
producing a paralyzing political crisis and collapse of the national unity
government, or even of escalating into a full-fledged renewal of inter-sectarian
hostilities.
In this context, Ahmadinejad’s presence in Lebanon and his declared support for
Hizbollah, along with his open questioning of the international tribunal, must
be read as a powerful signal to the March 14 government to refrain from
prosecuting or openly implicating Tehran’s local ally in the Hariri murder.
Moreover, until now Saudi Arabia and Syria have been the two most involved
regional actors, attempting to find a compromise between the parties on the
issue of the UN Special Tribunal. The Iranian visit served to make Tehran and
its stance on this issue more prominent, defusing any theory that Iranian
influence in Lebanon would be in decline.
The United States also likely interpreted the Iranian president’s visit and his
remarks in this light, since a few days after Ahmadinejad’s departure, Assistant
Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, also visited
Beirut, stressing the importance of the UN Tribunal and urging Lebanon to
respect its mandate and findings.
Likewise with the objective of strengthening Iranian influence on Lebanon,
President Ahmadinejad reiterated Tehran’s offer to supply and train the Lebanese
armed forces, a proposal openly endorsed by Nasrallah. On a speech on October 9,
2010 Nasrallah stated: “The brethrens in Iran are ready to participate in
projects and in financing projects [to help] in equipping the Lebanese army…We
have [a] lack of equipment and armament. Well there is a country which is
affectionate to Lebanon which is saying I am ready [to] help.” Despite the
Lebanese government’s refusal to accept Iranian military aid, Ahmadinejad’s
offer to assist the Lebanese army and to eventually replace the military aid
coming from Western countries seems to further convey Tehran’s decision to
remain a crucial player within Lebanon.
Even more importantly, this message strengthens the idea that Iran wants this
visit to be interpreted as a sign of the imminent accession of Lebanon into the
“resistance axis,” which at the moment includes Iran and Syria. Domestically,
this idea is extremely destabilizing and divisive, as it is eagerly accepted by
the Hizbollah-led opposition forces while adamantly rejected by most of the
ruling March 14 coalition. Members of the March 14 coalition published a letter
on the eve of Ahmadinejad’s visit accusing Iran of interfering too much in
Lebanese domestic affairs and accusing the leader of the Islamic Republic of
visiting Lebanon with the attitude “of a high commander to his front line.”
In sum, despite the Iranian president’s conciliatory and diplomatic tone during
his meetings with members of the Lebanese government, his statements and
attitude when addressing Iran’s local ally, Hizbollah, revealed a different,
much less nuanced, agenda. Thus, in expressing his support for Hizbollah while
criticizing the ongoing UN investigations, Ahmadinejad aimed at pressuring the
Lebanese government to forgo the option of acting against the Lebanese-Shia
organization. By backing Hizbollah, Iran also clarified its continued interest
in playing a central role in Lebanon and its hope to increase its power and
influence in the Mediterranean country.
INSS Bio
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<a >Institute for National Securities Studies</a>, INSS is an independent
academic institute.
The Institute is non-partisan, independent, and autonomous in its fields of
research and expressed opinions. As an external institute of Tel Aviv
University, it maintains a strong association with the academic environment. In
addition, it has a strong association with the political and military
establishment.
The Umpire of God
October 21, 2010
2 Thessalonians 3:13
As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.
Today's Inspiring Thought: Do All the Good You Can
John Wesley, the great evangelist and founder of the Methodist faith, understood
what it meant not to grow weary in doing good. He wrote this as his rule:
"Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can."
This is the day we recognize God has given us the power and the ability to
gather wealth. Why? To establish His covenant in the land. One of the tools that
He gives us to have the ability to have success in our lives is the peace that
comes from His Holy Spirit. It's the peace that Jesus has brought to us. He is
the Prince of Peace and He said He would give peace to those who would believe
Him and follow Him. We've learned this week that as we follow peace we walk into
success and victory. When we follow peace we're able to withstand the storms of
time. When we follow peace we're able to overcome the circumstances that we have
found ourselves surrounded with by the enemy or things that others have brought
into our lives. We've learned that when we allow peace to have control, there is
nothing impossible to us.
Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you
were called in one body; and be thankful.
The word ‘rule' here is that it shall UMPIRE in your hearts. Let the peace of
God be the umpire in your decisions and of your actions, and your words. You
have been called into the body of Christ, and the way the body of Christ
operates is through the peace of God. See, God knows the answers of every
question that you will ever encounter. God has the direction of every situation
in which you should take for success and victory. God is all-knowing. God has
gone before you to make the crooked paths straight. God will give you streams in
the deserts IF you allow peace to rule in your lives, allowing peace to be the
decision maker. Let it be the umpire; let it be the final decision of everything
that you do in life. If you do this, then you will walk in success. If you learn
to follow peace, the enemy cannot stop you!
God Loves You, I Love You and that's enough!
Bishop Rick Thomas
Declare: God's peace rules in my heart. He settles all my problems and answers
all my questions. I listen with expectancy to what God the Lord will say because
He will speak peace to me. Today as I sow my seed, Father, I release the power
of the Kingdom of God and I understand that the power of the Kingdom is
available to me. I ask that by Your Holy Spirit You will teach me how to operate
in peace; how to operate in harmony. Let there be nothing in my life, in my
family, in my church and with those I'm involved with that will disrupt Your
peace causing me to separate from Your Presence, for in Your Presence I have
Your Peace and in Your Peace I have the answers to every question I will ever
encounter. I have the insight and wisdom to overcome every obstacle. Fill my
life with understanding and with Your Peace today, in Jesus Name, AMEN.
www.abundantlife.tv