LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِSeptember
25/2010
Bible Of The
Day
The Letter from Jude 1/17-23: "But you, beloved, remember the words which have
been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1:18 They said to
you that “In the last time there will be mockers, walking after their own
ungodly lusts.” 1:19 These are they who cause divisions, and are sensual, not
having the Spirit. 1:20 But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your
most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of
God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 1:22 On
some have compassion, making a distinction, 1:23 and some save, snatching them
out of the fire with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh."
Free
Opinions, Releases, letters, Interviews & Special Reports
Lost in
transmission/By: Michael Young/September 24/10
Lebanon
near 'mass suicide'/By:
Ahmed Al-Jaralla/September 24/10
Are our
memories that short/ Now Lebanon/ September 24/10
Michel Sleiman's speech
during his participation in the Security Council session/LNNA/September
24/10
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for
September 24/10
France Seeking Out 'Unclear'
Indictment in Hariri's Murder/Naharnet
Hariri Snaps Back at
Franjieh: There is No Compromise on the Tribunal/Naharnet
Franjieh Warns of 'War' in
the Event Hizbullah Indicted in Hariri Killing/Naharnet
Rifi: Not a Single Patriot
Accepts Airport Invasion/Naharnet
Hizbullah Puts Fighters at
Disposal of Darfur Governor/Naharnet
Syria, Saudi Seek to Calm
Escalating Tension in Lebanon/Naharnet
President tells Iran door for
dialogue still open/AFP
Lebanon between a rock and a
hard place/New York Post (blog)
LF lashes out at Franjieh/Now
Lebanon
Future bloc voices “full support”
for Hariri’s take on STL/Now Lebanon
Hezbollah Arab Affairs official meets with Egyptian consul/Now
Lebanon
LF lashes out at Franjieh/Now
Lebanon
In New York, Sleiman meets with Gul/Now
Lebanon
Adwan fires back at
Franjieh/Now Lebanon
NLP condemns
storming of airport premises/Now Lebanon
After 5 Years, Hariri's
Murder Stokes Dangerous Crisis/Naharnet
Hoss: Wise Leaders from All Sects
Will Prevent Civil War/Naharnet
Berri Says False Witnesses: Open
Sesame/Naharnet
Fneish, Karim Candidates to Head
Airport Security/Naharnet
Hariri Murder Reenactment Oct. 5-6/Naharnet
France Seeking Out 'Unclear'
Indictment in Hariri's Murder/Naharnet
Aoun in Syria Friday/Naharnet
Fatfat: STL Has No Authority to
Charge Hizbullah/Naharnet
Israel Fears Anti-Ship Missiles
Will Fall in Hizbullah Hands/Naharnet
Nasrallah's Next TV Appearance Oct
11/Naharnet
Ahmadinejad: Zionists Committed
Most Horrible Crimes against Lebanon, Gaza/Naharnet
Hizbullah Denounces Attack on
Iranian Military Parade/Naharnet
IAEA
assembly votes against resolution to censure Israel/JPOST
Lebanon
between a rock and a hard place
September 24, 2010/ by Wisse Schachter/New
York Post (blog)
As this editorial explains, Lebanon has made a pact with the devil. Fear of
Hezbollah has pushed Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri into the arms of Syrian
President Bashar Assad the man who probably ordered the assasination of Saad's
father Rafik Hariri. "Hezbollah, through the veiled (and increasingly
not-so-veiled) threat of violence, has hijacked decision-making on issues of
domestic policy and defense. It is currently trying to snuff out debate on the
Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the court established to bring to justice the
killers of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and other victims of subsequent
political violence." In July, Hariri Jr. traveled to Damascus to "embrace" Assad
and open a new era of relations between the two nations. Lebanon fought long and
hard to remove Syria and Syrian influence from Beirut only to have the efforts
of the Cedar Revolution lead to a reembrace of their sworn enemy? But when the
alternative is the terrorist domination of Hezbollah and by extension
Hezbollah's backer Iran, throwing in your lot with Damascus may seem like the
best option. As the editor's complain, it's a terrible bargain. "Lebanon...is
back in the Syrian fold, with Damascus likely to demand a say in who is
appointed to key security posts and to continue to leverage Lebanon for its own
regional agenda? More worrying is the prospect that, with its foot in the door,
it will begin to surreptitiously dismantle the freedoms won at such a dear price
in 2005. "It was only six years ago that Syrian troops were billeted on Lebanese
soil and Brigadier General Rustom Ghazaleh held court at his headquarters in
Aanjar, premises that struck fear into all and from where many dissenting
Lebanese were either tortured or made to disappear. "Are our memories really
that short?"
Hariri
Snaps Back at Franjieh: There is No Compromise on the Tribunal
Naharnet/Prime Minister Saad Hariri snapped back at Marada movement leader
Suleiman Franjieh by stressing there was no compromise on the Special Tribunal
for Lebanon. On Thursday, Franjieh warned that war would erupt in Lebanon if the
tribunal indicts members of Hizbullah. He also told Marcel Ghanem's Kalam al-Nas
talk show on LBC that Hariri was convinced by the point of view of his team
about the Shiite party's involvement in his father's Feb. 2005 assassination.
When asked by An Nahar newspaper to comment on the Marada leader's remarks,
Hariri said: "I could just say that they won't change anything and our stance is
clear." "There is no compromise on the international tribunal," he added.
Beirut, 24 Sep 10, 07:50
Hizbullah, Egypt Agree to Improve Bilateral Ties
Naharnet/Hizbullah and the Egyptian Consul Consul on Friday stressed on the need
to improve bilateral ties and overcome obstacles, in the first move in two years
aimed at reviving relations between the two sides. Relations between Hizbullah
and Cairo worsened after the arrest of the so-called Hizbullah cell in Egypt in
2008. In April, the Egyptian Supreme State Security court sentenced 26
defendants, who had been charged with membership in Hizbullah, for conspiracy
and terrorism charges. Friday's development came after a meeting held between
Hizbullah's Arab relations official, Sheikh Hassan Ezzedine, and Egyptian Consul
General Ahmed Helmi. A statement said the two officials discussed the latest
political developments in Lebanon and the Arab world. The two sides also
stressed the importance of improving bilateral ties to overcome obstacles and
consolidate the Lebanese and Arab stance. Beirut, 24 Sep 10, 13:35
Rifi: Not a Single Patriot Accepts Airport 'Invasion'
Naharnet/Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi said Friday that
not a single patriot would accept Hizbullah's alleged invasion of Rafik Hariri
International Airport the day former General Security Department commander Maj.
Gen. Jamil Sayyed returned from Paris. Pro-March 14 coalition officials have
criticized what they called the invasion of the airport after several vehicles
with armed Hizbullah members welcomed Sayyed at the tarmac and took him to the
VIP lounge. Media reports had said the lounge was ordered open without a prior
permit from the foreign ministry. Following talks with Maronite Patriarch
Nasrallah Sfeir in Bkirki, Rifi said the objective behind the campaign by March
8 officials against the ISF "is now clear to everyone." However, he said the
government was still holding onto state institutions. Beirut, 24 Sep 10, 12:47
Hizbullah
Puts Fighters at Disposal of Darfur Governor
Naharnet/Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has placed a "contingent of
fighters" at the disposal of the Sudanese government to confront what he termed
as "colonial troops" in Darfur, the Sudanese newspaper Alahram Today reported
Friday. It said Lodian Mohammed Saeed, a professor at Berlin University,
conveyed Nasrallah's position to North Darfur Governor Osman Mohammed Yousef
Kibir during a visit to the North Darfur State. "Hizbullah will have the honor
of fighting in Darfur," said the message conveyed by to Kibir from Nasrallah.
Beirut, 24 Sep 10, 11:15
Fneish, Karim Candidates to Head Airport Security
Naharnet/Two names -- Brig. Gen. Mohsen Fneish and Brig. Gen. Hasan Karim -- are
being discussed to head Beirut airport security, An-Nahar newspaper reported
Friday. The candidate, who will be appointed under a decree issued by the
interior minister, would succeed Brig. Gen. Wafiq Shqeir. In July, Shqeir
submitted a request to Interior Minister Ziad Baroud asking him to be relieved
of his duties. The resignation came in the wake of the discovery of human
remains on the rear tires of a Nas Air jet that flew from Beirut to Riyadh. A
government source would not confirm whether the resignation was directly linked
to the accident. Beirut, 24 Sep 10, 09:34
LF lashes out at Franjieh
September 24, 2010 /The Lebanese Forces issued a statement on Friday slamming
Marada Movement leader MP Sleiman Franjieh over the latter’s Thursday statement
that criticized Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar and the LF. Franjieh said on
Thursday that Najjar –who represents the LF in the cabinet—should step down for
“someone moderate” to replace him. The Marada Movement leader also said that the
LF was vandalizing public property by hanging flags on the occasion of “the
Martyrs Day” organized by the LF on Saturday.
“Franjieh dreams of having [former pro-Syria Justice Minister] Adnan Addoum or
the parties behind him to be back in their governmental posts, but that is
impossible,” the LF statement said. It added that the LF received legal
permission to hang its flags, adding, “It is not the first time that this
[annual] event raised Franjieh’s concerns.”
“Franjieh is the last person who has the right to complain about [vandalizing]
public property, since he took over many properties in North Lebanon to carry
out suspicious activity,” the LF statement added.-NOW Lebanon
Future bloc voices “full support” for Hariri’s take on STL
September 24, 2010 /The Future bloc issued a statement following its Friday
meeting, saying that the bloc “fully supports Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s
[Friday] statement that there will be no compromise at the expense of the
Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL).” “Escalating tension will not affect the STL
probe,” the statement added. The bloc also voiced its support for “all [steps
taken to] protect peace and stability in Lebanon.”Tension ran high in Lebanon
after reports said that the tribunal will soon issue its indictment. Hezbollah
Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in July that the STL is an
Israeli project that will indict Hezbollah members.-NOW Lebanon
Hezbollah Arab Affairs official meets with Egyptian consul
September 24, 2010 /Hezbollah Arab Affairs official Hassan Ezzeddine met with
Egyptian Consul to Lebanon Ahmad Hilmi at the former’s office in Beirut,
according to a statement issued by Hezbollah.The two men discussed the current
domestic and regional developments, as well as Hezbollah-Egypt ties, the
statement said. “Both parties agreed to enhance bilateral relations,” the
statement added.-NOW Lebanon
In New York, Sleiman meets with Gul
September 24, 2010 /President Michel Sleiman met with his Turkish counterpart,
Abdullah Gul, at the UN headquarters in New York on Friday, according to a
statement issued by Sleiman’s office. Sleiman and Gul addressed the current
developments in the Middle East as well as Lebanon’s role as a non-permanent
member of the UN Security Council, the statement said. “Both heads of state
agreed to coordinate [their countries’] stances to better serve their national
interests and [to foster] stability [in the region],” the statement added.
Sleiman also took part in the UN General Assembly’s meeting to mobilize support
for Somalia. The meeting took place as Somalia's Al Qaeda-inspired Shebab
militants launched a recent offensive in Mogadishu, sparking clashes that
reportedly killed at least 19 civilians.-NOW Lebanon
Adwan fires back at Franjieh
September 24, 2010 /Lebanese Forces bloc MP George Adwan told LBCI television on
Friday that Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar “respects himself enough to carry
out his convictions.”
The LF MP responded to Marada Movement leader MP Sleiman Franjieh’s Thursday
statement that Adwan asked Najjar – who represents the LF in the cabinet – to
summon former General Security chief Jamil as-Sayyed for questioning. Sayyed,
who had returned from France, was summoned by Attorney General Judge Said Mirza
following the former’s September 12 statement, in which he attacked Prime
Minister Saad Hariri. “Everyone knows that when Najjar assumed his post, he
became a minister for all Lebanese. There was no interference in the judiciary’s
work at any time,” Adwan said. -NOW Lebanon
NLP condemns “storming of airport premises”
September 24, 2010 /“The storming of [Beirut’s Rafik Hariri] International
Airport’s premises was an important indicator of the creeping coup [that has
been in the making] since the end of 2005, and is a taste of what is being
prepared for other state institutions,” the National Liberal Party said in a
statement issued after its weekly meeting on Friday.
This comes after armed Hezbollah bodyguards received former General Security
chief Jamil as-Sayyed at the airport on Saturday without the required permission
from any of the relevant bodies. The statement added that the incident was
political and not sectarian. -NOW Lebanon
Lost in
transmission
Michael Young, September 24, 2010
From a legal and interpretative standpoint, the official position of Hezbollah
on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon has provoked much confusion, not to say
disturbing inconsistencies, even for the party faithful. Here are some of the
reasons why.
Hezbollah’s secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, set the tone in July when he
described the STL as “an Israeli project.” In subsequent speeches he affirmed
that the tribunal was preparing indictments that would, he understood, target
Hezbollah personnel for having allegedly participated in the assassination of
the former prime minister, Rafik al-Hariri. These indictments were an effort to
undermine the Resistance, Nasrallah continued, and the plot was being pushed
forward by what he called “false witnesses.” Hezbollah, which does not recognize
the legitimacy of the Special Tribunal, has pressed for a Lebanese investigation
of such witnesses.
Hardening the party’s position even further, this week one of its
parliamentarians, Nawwaf al-Moussawi, declared that any indictment would
represent “a new May 17,” referring to the accord signed by Lebanon and Israel
in 1983.
The matter of false witnesses is at the heart of Hezbollah’s scattershot attack
against the STL. Technically, those who misled international investigators are
not “false witnesses” at all, since they did not lie under oath before a court
of law. If some witnesses lied, as is entirely possible, then they are guilty of
having obstructed the investigation. Therefore, those worried about the impact
of such testimony, namely Hezbollah, have an interest in signaling to tribunal
investigators that the information in their possession is faulty.
However, that is not what Hezbollah has done. Instead, the party has denounced
the Special Tribunal itself. To fudge over this discrepancy, the party has gone
along with its ally, Jamil as-Sayyed, in contending that the doctoring of
testimony was overseen by the first United Nations investigator, Detlev Mehlis,
and his assistant, Gerhard Lehmann. Hezbollah’s most sympathetic press outlet,
Al-Akhbar, has consistently echoed this line. In other words, both men allowed
or urged witnesses to lie in order to carry their commission’s conclusions in a
specific direction and condemn otherwise innocent parties.
This reasoning poses three problems. First, Mehlis and Lehmann must have had
remarkable powers of persuasion to convince perhaps hundreds of witnesses,
including a large number of experienced Lebanese politicians, to sign on to
statements that would ultimately cast the blame on certain parties while
avoiding naming others.
Second, the UN investigation involved dozens of investigators and analysts from
different countries, loaned by governments each with their own national
interests, agendas and so forth. While some of these governments might have
welcomed biased findings in the investigation, there were doubtless just as
many, if not more, who, for reasons pertaining to their political aims in the
Middle East, would have opposed efforts by Mehlis to bend his evidence to charge
those not guilty. These governments were also in regular contact with their
investigators in the UN commission and knew well what was going on. It is
unlikely – in fact downright impossible – for everyone to have colluded to point
the finger in one direction for Hariri’s killing.
And third, let’s stop speaking in abstract terms: Mehlis, like his predecessor
Peter Fitzgerald, explicitly took his investigation in a Syrian direction. Yet
Hezbollah is now accusing Bellemare of using the false testimony garnered by
Mehlis to indict not Syria, but Hezbollah. There is a profound disconnect here.
If Mehlis fabricated his reports, and by some superhuman effort managed to
induce his many witnesses to sign statements against Syria, how is it that
Daniel Bellemare, the prosecutor of the Special Tribunal, apparently will not be
accusing Syrians in his first round of indictments?
In his desire to focus on “false witnesses,” Nasrallah is assuming that
Bellemare will be relying heavily on witness testimony to build up his case.
Well not quite; there is the alleged Israeli spy Charbel Azzi, who might have
manipulated telephone information at the Alfa company to hide Israeli
involvement in the Hariri crime and blame Hezbollah instead. But in that event,
who is behind this vast manipulation? Is it Bellemare working in cahoots with
Azzi and Israel? Is it Mehlis working in cahoots with the false witnesses? And
if so, why is it that Bellemare and Mehlis went in different investigative
directions? There are other steps Hezbollah has taken that also remain baffling.
Why did the party hand the material it regarded as proof of Israeli
responsibility in the Hariri assassination to Said Mirza, the public prosecutor?
Hezbollah never had any intention of providing the material to the Special
Tribunal directly, but it has also virtually endorsed Jamil as-Sayyed’s view
that Mirza facilitated the accumulation of false testimony. Yet in providing its
evidence to the public prosecutor, it recognized, at least implicitly, that he
was the legal Lebanese reference point on the Special Tribunal, other than the
justice minister. If so, how does this square with Sayyed’s view that Mirza is
largely an illegitimate interlocutor on the tribunal?
These are all questions that need to be clarified by Hezbollah before the party
can make a compelling case against Bellemare, Mehlis, the UN investigation and
now the Special Tribunal. Perhaps that’s one reason why Syria has urged
Hezbollah not to pursue the “false witnesses” argument. In terms of logic, it
can lead to a brick wall.
**Michael Young is opinion editor of the Daily Star newspaper in Beirut. His
book, The Ghosts of Martyrs Square: An Eyewitness Account of Lebanon’s Life
Struggle (Simon & Schuster), was recently published.
Are our memories that short?
September 23, 2010
Now Lebanon
The conventional wisdom that defines the current power struggle within Lebanese
politics and explains away Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s friendly overtures to
Damascus is thus: The priority is to disarm and rein in Hezbollah, a party that
long ago exceeded its mandate as the National Resistance, and which, on May 7,
2008 and recently in Bourj Abi Haidar in August, took its weapons onto the
streets of Beirut and used them against fellow Lebanese.
Furthermore, Hezbollah’s unilateral behavior over matters of war, the continued
offensive posture of its mighty arsenal of ballistic weapons, and its martial
rhetoric toward Israel have rendered the Lebanese state at its mercy and made
the cabinet impotent in the control of such matters.
In short, Hezbollah, through the veiled (and increasingly not-so-veiled) threat
of violence, has hijacked decision-making on issues of domestic policy and
defense. It is currently trying to snuff out debate on the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon, the court established to bring to justice the killers of former Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri and other victims of subsequent political violence.
Such is the apparent weightiness of the Hezbollah issue that Saad Hariri, son of
the slain politician, has had to make his peace with a Syrian regime whom he
initially blamed for his father’s assassination and whose troops were forced out
of Lebanon after a three-decade “presence” as a result of the popular anger the
atrocity inspired.
Many have rationalized this new reality as an unfortunate but necessary
by-product of the shifting sands of regional politics. The summit between King
Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Beirut on July
26 appeared to guarantee the immediate future of Hariri’s faltering government,
solemnizing a deal that had been agreed in December 2009 between the two
regional powers. The price the Lebanese would pay: to mend fences with its
neighbor, a humiliating course of action that will no doubt allow Syria wider
influence in Lebanese affairs and tame Hezbollah, its former service provider.
The late-August Bourj Abi Haidar shoot-out was widely seen as the opening salvos
in the mini power struggle between Hezbollah and Damascus. Many of Hezbollah’s
allies in March 8 who are traditionally close to Syria and who fought on the
streets of Beirut in May 2008 stayed out of the brief but lethal gun battle with
the pro-Syrian al-Ahbash movement, a sure sign, many said, that Hezbollah was on
its own.
This has been borne out in Hezbollah’s bid to scupper the Special Tribunal. It
used laughable evidence to convince us that Israel was behind the Hariri killing
and is currently deploying a disgraced security chief (not to mention suspected
blackmailer) to muddy the tribunal waters with his hysterical claims of being a
victim of perverted justice.
That Hezbollah has few options is the common consensus. It will have to think
twice about taking its guns onto the streets again, while the party’s electorate
in the South and the southern suburbs of Beirut are surely unwilling to endure
another “Divine Victory” over Israel.
It is a nice theory, but we have probably made a pact with the devil, and the
ink on this deal was the public apology made by Saad Hariri to the Assad regime
for accusing it of being involved in his father’s killing.
The power struggle between Syria and Hezbollah is localized and is unlikely to
change the make-up of the wider regional alliance between Damascus and Tehran
and their satellite proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas. In Lebanon, it remains to be
seen, assuming Syria does tame Hezbollah and reasserts its influence over the
party, just what it will demand of it in return. Hezbollah remains a vital
bargaining chip in negotiations with the West and Israel, but it is unlikely
that Syria will, or even can, disarm the Party of God. In any case, both have a
vested interest in making the Special Tribunal go away.
So what are we left with? A Lebanon that is back in the Syrian fold, with
Damascus likely to demand a say in who is appointed to key security posts and to
continue to leverage Lebanon for its own regional agenda? More worrying is the
prospect that, with its foot in the door, it will begin to surreptitiously
dismantle the freedoms won at such a dear price in 2005.
It was only six years ago that Syrian troops were billeted on Lebanese soil and
Brigadier General Rustom Ghazaleh held court at his headquarters in Aanjar,
premises that struck fear into all and from where many dissenting Lebanese were
either tortured or made to disappear.
Are our memories really that short?
Sayyed Renews Campaign against Hariri, Mirza, al-Hasan
Naharnet/Former head of Lebanon's General Security Department Brig. Gen. Jamil
Sayyed on Friday renewed his campaign against Prime Minister Saad Hariri and
State Prosecutor Saeed Mirza and police intelligence chief Col. Wissam al-Hasan.
He called on Hariri to provide "clarifications" to some of his MPs and the
Lebanese public opinion, in general, and to the Islamist Salafi Movement, in
particular, on what his aides – particularly Mirza and al-Hasan -- have done by
distorting and blurring the investigation with the so-called 'cell of 13' which
is headed by detainee Hasan Nabaa. Sayyed noted that members of Nabaa cell
"admitted without pressure that the group hid Ahmed Abu Adas and his comrades,
particularly closest buddy Khaled Taha, at al-Ansar group at Ein el-Hilweh camp
at the end of 2005." Members of the so-called "cell of 13" were found to have
had close operational links to Khaled Taha.
The arrests of the 13-member cell took place in Lebanon in Jan. 2006. The
detainees were also linked to the 2005 assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri.
Khaled Taha, one of the ring members who remains at large, is believed to have
recruited Ahmed Abu Adas, the militant who made a dubious taped confession about
his involvement in the Hariri murder. Mirza and al-Hasan "distorted
investigations with the so-called cell of 13 in harmony with March 14's
political decision," Sayyed claimed. Beirut, 24 Sep 10, 12:05
Berri Says False Witnesses: 'Open Sesame'
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri reiterated on the need for the Lebanese judiciary
to take action against false witnesses in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's
assassination case. "The report prepared by the justice minister on false
witnesses is complete. Eventually, the Lebanese judiciary should move in this
regard and start questioning those false witnesses," Berri told An Nahar daily
in remarks published Friday. "In short, false witnesses: open sesame," the
speaker said. He also expressed comfort at the latest decision of the cabinet to
restore calm in the country. The speaker described the latest crisis as "an
illness that we should battle to preserve the body of the nation and its
structure.""We are heading towards calm … I am in continuous contact with
Premier (Saad) Hariri over the issue," he said. "Some of PM Hariri's allies
harmed him by their statements on Syria and ties with Israel. Such talk creates
tension and does not help (efforts to find) a solution," Berri told As
Safir.When asked by the daily about the French ambassador's latest remarks that
it won't be the end of the world if the STL indicts Hizbullah members, Berri
said: "Denis Pietton's statement that France would keep its ties with Hizbullah
even if some of its members were accused does not comfort Hizbullah." Beirut, 24
Sep 10, 08:31
Hoss: Wise Leaders from All Sects Will Prevent Civil War
Naharnet/Former Prime Minister Salim Hoss on Friday said "wise" political
leaders from the various sects in Lebanon will prevent civil war no matter what
reason. "Media outlets come out with nearly daily warnings fired by some
politicians that the issuance of an indictment by the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon will inevitably lead to a devastating civil war," Hoss said in a
statement. He pointed out that "some people" believe these statements. While
Hoss condemned such language, he said "these warnings sound as though Lebanese
are ready to face off against each other at the first available opportunity."But
those politicians who think this way "forgot that the Lebanese have learned from
their past experience -- that they are one people that will not divide no matter
what," he said. "Lebanese national unity is the strength of the Lebanese
society," Hoss stressed. Beirut, 24 Sep 10, 14:11
Michel Sleiman
September 24, 2010
On September 23, the Lebanese National News Agency carried the following report:
President of the Republic Michel Sleiman delivered a speech during his
participation in the Security Council session this afternoon, upon an invitation
from Turkish President Abdullah Gul, whose country is heading the Council this
month. He said: “Mr. Chairman, I am pleased at first to convey my appreciation
for your initiative to call for a meeting at the level of a summit for the
Security Council, in order to discuss the ways to guarantee its efficient role
in protecting world security and peace. This initiative acquires its full
meaning in light of the pivotal role played by Turkey, the friendly state that
is known for its historic civilization, its enhancement of inter-cultural
dialogue and its development of relations of cooperation and solidarity on the
regional and international levels. I address similar words of appreciation to
the secretary general of the United Nations for his valuable preliminary remarks
and the overall efforts deployed by the international organizations to achieve
the meanings of its charter and enhance the foundations of peace, justice and
social and economic development around the world.
“In its first year, the current century witnessed a destructive terrorist attack
on the World Trade Center, which is located in this city that is hosting the
headquarters of the United Nations. As for its eighth year, it witnessed a
financial crisis whose repercussions affected the economic and social
foundations of the states and the well-being of their people. However, despite
their seriousness, these crises did not cause the full collapse of the global
economy as was seen at the beginning of last century, nor are they heralding the
breaking out of world wars as was seen starting in 1914. This is due to the
consensus of the international group over the adoption of common approaches to
handle these comprehensive crises, through action mechanisms and the solidarity
provided by the institutions of joint regional and international action headed
by the United Nations and its specialized institutions and far away from
individual approaches or the approaches that caused the Cold War and its
consequences. Despite that, the consecutive political and economic crises during
the past decades revealed the flaws of this international system.
“The United Nations and especially the Security Council need reform to become
more democratic, more representative of the new balances of power and more
efficient in the implementation of its resolutions. As for the global financial
order, it needs to become more transparent and humane, and more linked to the
requirements of justice and full and equal participation… The most important,
unjust and painful crisis of all is the one which erupted three years following
the establishment of the United Nations, and crossed centuries without ever
finding a solution based on justice and rightfulness. I am talking about the
Palestinian tragedy which constitutes the core of the conflict in the Middle
East, with all that this conflict carries in terms of tensions and repercussions
affecting the entire world.
“Israel is continuing to occupy Arab territories by force, to deprive the
Palestinian people of their stable rights, to Judaize the city of Jerusalem,
blockade Gaza and hold on to its nuclear arsenal while calling on the Arab
countries to transform the Middle East into a region free of nuclear weapons and
WMDs. Moreover, Israel is proceeding with the occupation of the Lebanese Shebaa
Farms, the Kfar Shouba Hills and the northern part of the village of Al-Ghajar,
while violating Lebanese sovereignty on a daily basis, threatening Lebanon, its
people and civilian facilities, planting espionage networks and recruiting
agents in all regions and sectors. These actions will continue to be followed by
us but they require a stringent and deterring position from the international
community. Mr. Chairman, the Security Council can exercise its responsibilities
in protecting world peace and security by use of different means.
“One of those means is the resolution of the conflicts in a peaceful way in
accordance with Chapter VI, i.e. through preemptive diplomacy and peace
building. However, in order to improve the performance at this level, the United
Nations is required to move from the stage of ‘reactions’ to the state of
‘initiatives,’ especially by enhancing the mediation role and the efforts of its
secretary general and envoys to handle the causes and roots of the conflicts
generated by injustice and poverty before their eruption, and deter the hostile
states from moving forward with their ambitions in the lands and natural wealth
of others... On the other hand, there are other tasks which are not linked to
any negotiations path and only require the adequate pressure means by the
international community and especially the Security Council to see them
implemented. This is true in the case of South Lebanon from which the Israeli
forces should pullout, because they are still occupying Lebanese territories
without any restrictions or conditions.
“This should be done based on the relevant United Nations resolutions, the last
of which being Resolution 1701 to which Lebanon is committed and is trying to
get Israel to implement all its articles. At this level, I would like to praise
the efforts and sacrifices of UNIFIL in South Lebanon, considering that these
forces are carrying out their peacekeeping tasks in coordination and
collaboration with the Lebanese army based on the agreed upon regulations…
Lebanon which participated in the Madrid Peace Conference in 1991 based on
conditions and guarantees upholding its right to restore all its occupied
territories, is still looking forward to seeing a just and comprehensive peace
in the Middle East and on all tracks, on the foundation of the Madrid Conference
references, the relevant decisions of international legitimacy and the Arab
peace initiative with all its articles.
“While it is cautiously watching the efforts deployed to reach partial solutions
or the beginnings of solutions outside of these consensual approaches, [Lebanon]
confirms it will not accept any solution for the Middle East issue if it is
adopted without it or in a way going against its higher national interests, at
the head of which is its sovereign right to reject any form of naturalization
for the Palestinian refugees on its soil… The naturalization of the Palestinian
refugees in Lebanon is at odds with their legitimate and human right to return
to their land and original home, as well as with the Taif agreement ratified by
the Security Council, the introduction of the Lebanese constitution and the
fourth article of the Arab peace initiative which called for the
‘non-naturalization of the Palestinian refugees in the Arab countries whose
situation does not allow such a step.’ Moreover, this would create a state of
injustice and tensions which will eventually fuel violence and undermine the
pillars of stability in Lebanon and the Middle East as a whole.
“At this level, we must mention that the international community has a great
responsibility in enhancing the budget of UNRWA which was expressly established
in 1949 to tend to the human and livelihood affairs of the Palestinian refugees,
while awaiting for a just and final solution for their cause based on their
right to return [to their land]... The oppressed people or the people whose
lands are occupied, often complain about the Security Council’s inability to
implement its decisions or its adoption of double standards in a way which is
making Israel for example appear to be above accountability and international
law, and the United Nations to be a completely impotent and restrained body.
This requires a real study undertaken by the Security Council to look into the
reasons causing this negative image and the ways to handle it, in order to
activate its role and earn the trust of the people so that they do not have to
resort to the resistance and the legitimate means of self-defense…”
Fatfat: STL Has No Authority to Charge Hizbullah
Naharnet/Mustaqbal MP Ahmad Fatfat said Friday that the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon has no authority to charge Hizbullah in the 2005 assassination of former
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The STL has "no power to charge States or
organizations," Fatfat told the Voice of Lebanon radio station. "The Court can
only indict individuals," he explained. "If the indictment was based on legal
facts then everybody has to accept it," Fatfat stressed. "But it the Court
decision was politicized, we will not accept it." Turning to the issue of false
witnesses, Fatfat uncovered that a report will be submitted by Justice Minister
Ibrahim Najjar. He called for patience "since the report is going to deal with
the issue from a legal perspective."
Beirut, 24 Sep 10, 08:01
Obama urges world to back Middle
East peace
President tells Iran door for dialogue still open
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Friday, September 24, 2010
Stephen Collinson
UNITED NATIONS: President Barack Obama warned Thursday the Holy Land was doomed
to perpetual bloodshed, unless the world unites behind his plan for a
Palestinian state and a secure Israel within a year. In a sweeping survey of US
diplomacy at the United Nations General Assembly, Obama also told Iran the door
to nuclear diplomacy was still open, said a global economic depression had been
averted and promised to visit Indonesia. Obama’s speech came at a crucial moment
of his Middle East peace effort with the Palestinians threatening a walkout if
Israel refuses to extend a partial settlement building moratorium which expires
next week. He issued the stark warning that if the US-backed initiative failed,
Palestinians would never get a state and Israel would never know true security.
“The hard realities of demography will take hold. More blood will be shed. This
Holy Land will remain a symbol of our differences, instead of our common
humanity,” Obama said. “I refuse to accept that future and we all have a choice
to make. Each of us must choose the path of peace,” said Obama, wagering a hefty
bet with his own political and diplomatic capital. Obama said he believed that
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas had the courage to make a deal, but needed support, and called especially
for a more proactive role by Arab states. “We can say that this time will be
different – that this time we will not let terror, or turbulence, or posturing,
or petty politics stand in the way,” Obama said, adding key players must lean
tolerance common to Islam, Judaism and Christianity.
“When we come back here next year, we can have an agreement that will lead to a
new member of the United Nations – an independent, sovereign state of Palestine,
living in peace with Israel.” Obama restated his position that the Israeli
settlement moratorium should be extended, but also called on those who want an
independent Palestine to “stop trying to tear down Israel.” As Obama spoke,
Israel’s seat in the hall sat empty because it was a Jewish holiday. Abbas was
present, listening to the president through a translator’s earphone. Obama’s
call for a Palestinian state drew a burst of applause from throughout the hall.
On a day when Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was also to appear on the UN
assembly podium, Obama said the door to diplomacy with Tehran was still open,
but only for genuine dialogue. “Let me be clear once more: the United States and
the international community seek a resolution to our differences with Iran, and
the door remains open to diplomacy should Iran choose to walk through it,” Obama
said. “But the Iranian government must demonstrate a clear and credible
commitment, and confirm to the world the peaceful intent of its nuclear
program,” Obama said. The US president also announced that he would go to
Indonesia in November, after having to twice postpone the visit this year due to
the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and his push to enact major health care reforms.
The trip to the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, where he spent four
years as a boy, will give Obama the chance to speak directly to the Islamic
world. – with AP
Qassem says STL wants
to quiz more Hizbullah members
By The Daily Star and Agence France Presse (AFP)
Friday, September 24, 2010
BEIRUT: Hizbullah’s second in command Naim Qassem has revealed that the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) asked to interview a second group of Hizbullah
supporters as part of its probe into the 2005 killing of former Premier Rafik
Hariri. Qassem told Al-Afkar magazine in remarks to be published Friday that
Hizbullah has not yet taken a decision in response to the request, which he said
was made after the recent Eid al-Fitr holiday. Hizbullah members have already
been called to testify before the STL, which the party has dismissed as an
Israeli project aimed at undermining the resistance in Lebanon.
Political divisions over the STL have stoked tensions in Lebanon, prompting
fears of renewed conflict. Syrian-Saudi efforts to ease tensions between the
March 14 camp and opposition groups over the UN-backed STL succeeded in
softening the tone of political discourse between rival groups on Thursday but
failed to lay the foundations of any resolution to the issue. A meeting between
Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah remains
unlikely under the current circumstances, according to Future Movement MP
Mohammad Qabbani, while a ministerial source denied to the Central News Agency
(CNA) an upcoming visit by Hariri to Syria.
The source also denied that a meeting between Saudi Prince Abdel Aziz bin
Abdallah and Hariri took place in Beirut during a visit by the Saudi king’s son
to Lebanon.
Qabbani said in remarks published by Al-Osbou’ al-Arabi that Hariri rejected
tying the meeting to any pre-conditions, particularly the dismantling of the
March 14 coalition.
Information Minister Tareq Mitri said Thursday that Syria and Saudi Arabia have
stepped up efforts to preserve stability in Lebanon by urging a halt to
provocative political discourse.
“Saudi Arabia and Syria have reminded all the Lebanese political forces that
they still see themselves as guarantors of stability and strongly encouraged
them to put an end to their inflammatory rhetoric and to calm down,” Information
Minister Tareq Mitri told media. Syrian President Bashar Assad contacted Hariri
late Wednesday to discuss developments, the premier’s office said, while Saudi
Arabia’s ambassador to Lebanon met a Hizbullah delegation that same evening.
Lebanese observers said the Saudi and Syrian efforts were clear signs that both
countries were keen on calming tensions in Beirut over reports that the STL was
set to implicate Hizbullah in the murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
There are fears that should the court indict Hizbullah members, this could lead
to a Sunni-Shiite conflict similar to the one that brought the country close to
civil war in May 2008.
A Lebanese official told AFP that while the mediation appears to have cooled
tempers for now, it was not clear whether calm would prevail once the STL issues
its indictments, possibly by year’s end. “It is still premature to know if
Saudi-Syrian understanding can hold the situation after the indictment,” said
the official, who asked not to be identified. “We are talking about stability
holding with the support of Syria and Saudi Arabia in the immediate future.”
Hizbullah has made clear that it would not stand idle should any of its members
be indicted and in recent weeks has upped its campaign to discredit the court.
But March 14 MP and Labor Minister Butros Harb reiterated on Thursday that no
compromises would take place at the expense of the STL. “We are supportive of
those presenting an opportunity to accomplish justice … but it is unnacceptable
to await any efforts to abolish the STL.”Qassem told Kuwaiti Al-Rai that his
party had given time for Saudi efforts to “redress the wrongful course” of the
UN probe, which he said was clearly bent on issuing “an unjust indictment.” “We
are in a test period and in light of the results of the Saudi mediation we will
take a clear-cut position on the tribunal,” Qassem said. Commenting on the
repercussions of the ongoing tensions, Tripoli MP Najib Mikati dismissed the
probability of a change in government after media reports said opposition
parties could bring down the Cabinet if Hariri does not succumb to their
demands. Mikati added that even if consensus is reached among the Lebanese to
abolish the tribunal, such a step “will not be easy since the decision is not in
our hands but at the same time we hope that the court is credible.” Following a
meeting with Hariri Thursday, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael
Williams told reporters that the tribunal is an independent entity whose work
continues. “It cannot be affected by events of one day,” Williams added. As
Hizbullah officials continued Thursday to demand false witnesses to be put on
trial, reports said Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar would submit his
recommendations in the Cabinet’s upcoming session. – The Daily Star, with AFP
Lebanon near ‘mass suicide’
By: Ahmed Al-Jarallah/AlSeyasi
HAS Lebanon entered the collective suicide stage in which all its institutions
are no longer capable of preventing collapse, especially after most of them
admitted their inability to solve the political crisis? Or, is the war declared
by Hezbollah and its alliances against the Special Tribunal for Lebanon the
beginning of a new civil war prepared by those aggrieved by the return of the
state?
The series of crises witnessed in Lebanon has no other explanation. The case is
not only related to attempts to impede court procedures and prevent disclosure
of the identity of those involved in the assassination of the late Lebanese
Prime Minister Rafiq Al-Hariri and other victims, it also enforces a malicious
will on the nation to destabilize its institutions and transform the court into
a tool for Hezbollah to execute its destructive schemes.
When all sides fire at the hands stretched by Sa’ad Al-Hariri - the incumbent
prime minister of Lebanon - for the sake of nation-building and these teams
focus on destabilizing the country with the support of some regional forces,
Lebanon is left with harsh options, the least of which is destruction and
jeopardizing all that has been achieved over the last two decades, in addition
to ending possibilities of overcoming the crises.
Observers are confused. They cannot find the right words to describe the current
situation in Lebanon, especially the uncertainty which engulfs the governing
system, due to the militia’s control over political decisions, breakdown of
institutions, refusal of leaders to exercise their prerogatives, and inability
to implement the law through the Army, which should be a security substitute to
the domineering militia, or at least maintain internal security.
This has led to the spread of armed Lebanese and Palestinian gangs. The
international community continues to express concern over the danger posed by
these gangs, who have been threatening to hold the international peacekeeping
forces in the southern part of the country as hostages. They have freely entered
national institutions, using arms to protect the apostates. They have been
incessantly attacking security forces tasked to confront the Israeli
intelligence agents.
Those who relish lawlessness are not ashamed of raising their voices to deprive
people of their rights, thwart efforts to support the international court, and
impede the development process. They have accused some people of working in
favor of America, as if Lebanon is the backbone of the international economy.
After being consumed by civil war, the country is now wallowing in over $60
million debt and depending on international support to survive. There is no
other way to end the oppression except through justice and national unity.
What awaits Lebanon in this shameful situation is nothing to be happy about,
especially if the people cannot stop those who work for foreign masters. The
latter will continue to spread fear and terror if left unchecked. Hezbollah,
which rejects the voice of reasoning, did not hesitate in destroying Lebanon.
The group has no intention to back out of its plan now. Isn’t this a reason to
determine the cause of the official silence over the unscrupulous activities of
the militia?
Email: ahmed@aljarallah.com
Head of the largest Christian Bloc in Lebanese
Parliament addresses fate of Middle Eastern Christians
Aoun addresses Pope Benedict XVI
National News Agency
230910
In a press conference held on Thursday at Le Royal hotel in Dbayeh, Change and
Reform bloc head, Deputy General Michel Aoun, delivered a letter to Pope
Benedict XVI, the Synod for the Middle East, and the Christians and Muslims
Levantines.
Representatives of Patriarch Marnasrallah Boutros Sfeir, Patriarch of Melkite
Catholic of Antioch and Alexandria and Jerusalem Gregorios III Laham, Druze
Sheikh Akel Sheik Naim Hassan, Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church Aram
I, Catholicos Patriarch of Cilicia of Armenian Catholics Nerses Bedros XIX,
attended the conference along with Ministers Ibrahim Dedeyan, Youssef Saadeh,
and Gibran Bassil, Deputy Sleiman Franjieh and several other ranking
dignitaries.
\"Because the Levant is currently facing a historical U-turn threatening its
underlying national structure and existence, I, as a Levantine citizen, am
deemed responsible to inform you about the bitter reality hampering our path,\"
Deputy General Aoun said in his word delivered during the conference.
\"Whether in culture, education, or knowledge, Levantine Christians role was
forever eminent. They have stood beside Muslims all the way and were the Gnostic
bridge, providing a passage of the Islamic Levant, to the West,\" Aoun added
exclaiming that the current Levantine situation can never be looked at from a
minorities or majorities\' standpoint, for our country has long been the fruit
of the peoples\' cognitive background\'s congregation.
\"This has far been the symbol of our spiritual, educational, and cognitive
enrichment, and ought to be preserved in conformity to respecting others\'
freedom of expression and belief,\" he alleged whereby he said that holding on
to one\'s roots and following Jesus Christ\'s path in peace and love brings our
Levant salvation. \"The more we hate, the more we be insulated, the more we
emigrate,\" Aoun added hoping Pope Benedict XVI would generalize openness,
peace, and love culture between communities.
Beyond what has been stated, Aoun declared that the reason behind Christians\'
emigration from the Levant lies not in religious extremism only but also in the
economic and political deteriorated situation following world wars I and II in
addition to the foundation of Israeli state by means of dividing Palestine,
conducting ethnic cleansing against Arab Christians and Muslims so as to
displace them, and rejecting their right to return.
\"The Palestinian naturalization scheme that falls back to the abovementioned is
highly rejected for it leaves the birthplace of Christianity without Christians.
How can Christ or Christianity exist without Jerusalem, without Bethlehem,
without Tiberius, without Capernaum, and without Nazareth?\" Aoun stated.
Also, Aoun appeared to prove the role of the Vatican, the Supreme Pontiff, and
all Eastern Churches to exert efforts and solicit West world administrations to
stop demonizing Islamic religion and acknowledge it based on its core and
original religious script not according to religious extremists groups\'
terrorist practices. \"Generalizing Islamophobia principle will beyond doubt
increase quarrels and unsteadiness all over the world,\" Aoun uttered.
Aoun went on to say that Christians\' also await on the Pope to take actions and
cease all Judaization practices and bring peace in the Middle-East. On behalf of
the Levantine Christians, Aoun called on East Patriarchs to unite religious
Feasts, encourage youngsters to merge into social and national activities, so as
to help them live and stay in their country.
As for Levantine political authorities, Aoun hoped they would safeguard the
Levant\'s underlying national structure, history, and spiritual heritage whereby
he concluded his letter by promoting openness, spreading kinship, compassion and
citizenship spirits in communities.
___
National Leader Michel Aoun former Army Commander and Prime Minister, once
exiled for 15 years for resisting foreign occupation now leads the largest
Christian Bloc and second largest overall Bloc in Lebanon\'s Parliament
The United Australian Lebanese Movement
www.ualm.org.au
IAEA
assembly votes against resolution to censure Israel
By BY JPOST.COM STAFF AND ASSOCIATED PRESS
09/24/2010
Arab-sponsored resolution urging Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty which would open its nuclear activities to inspection narrowly defeated
at annual assembly of UN's nuclear watchdog.
VIENNA — A 151-nation meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency narrowly
voted against an Arab push to censure Israel for not opening up its nuclear
activities to inspection on Friday. Of nations present, 51 voted against a
resolution called "Israeli Nuclear Capabilities." Fifty-one voted for, and 23
abstained. The rest were absent. The vote was closely watched after last year's
meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency passed the same resolution by
a small margin.
The US and other allies of Israel had argued passage would threaten ongoing
Mideast peace talks and the chances of a planned 2012 conference on a Mideast
nuclear-free zone. Islamic nations and their supporters said the resolution was
meant to move chances of creating such a zone forward.
Prior to the vote, Israel warned the IAEA against accepting the Arab-sponsored
resolution urging Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and to
open its nuclear activities to inspection, Reuters reported on Friday.
During a debate at the annual assembly of the UN's nuclear watchdog in Vienna,
an Israeli delegate, Ehud Azoulay, stated that the resolution could deal a
"fatal blow" to future cooperation on boosting Middle East security.
Egypt accused Israel on Wednesday of displaying "chutzpah" — blatant
shamelessness — in unusually harsh comments at a 151-nation meeting on the issue
of a nuclear-free Mideast.
The remarks at the International Atomic Energy Agency's general conference
reflect the bitterness dividing Arab nations and Israel and its supporters over
whether Israel should open up its nuclear program to the UN watchdog's perusal.
The Egyptians issued the statement Wednesday after Israel accused Egypt of
unfairly singling out the Jewish state while ignoring its own commitments to the
IAEA.
Question: "Is it acceptable to repeatedly pray for the same thing?"
Answer: In Luke 18:1-7, Jesus uses a parable to illustrate the importance of
persevering in prayer. He tells the story of a widow who came to an unjust judge
seeking justice against her adversary. Because of her persistence in prayer, the
judge relented. Jesus’ point is that if an unjust judge will grant the petition
of someone who perseveres in a request for justice, how much more will the God
who loves us—“his chosen ones” (v. 7)—answer our prayer when we keep praying?
The parable does not teach, as is mistakenly thought, that if we pray for
something over and over, God is obligated to give it to us. Rather, God promises
to avenge His own, to vindicate them, right their wrongs, do them justice, and
deliver them from their adversaries. He does this because of His justice, His
holiness, and His hatred of sin; in answering prayer, He keeps His promises and
displays His power.Jesus gives another illustration of prayer in Luke 11:5-12.
Similar to the parable of the unjust judge, Jesus’ message in this passage is
that if a man will inconvenience himself to provide for a needy friend, God will
provide for our needs far more, since no request is an inconvenience to Him.
Here again, the promise is not that we will receive whatever we ask if we just
keep asking. God’s promise to His children is a promise to meet our needs, not
our wants. And He knows our needs better than we do. The same promise is
reiterated in Matthew 7:7-11 and in Luke 11:13, where the “good gift” is further
explained to be the Holy Spirit. Both of these passages encourage us to pray and
to keep praying. There is nothing wrong with repeatedly asking for the same
thing. As long as what you are praying for is within the will of God (1 John
5:14-15), keep asking until God grants your request or removes the desire from
your heart. Sometimes God forces us to wait for an answer to our prayers in
order to teach us patience and perseverance. Sometimes we ask for something when
granting it is not yet in God's timing for our lives. Sometimes we ask for
something that is not God's will for us, and He says “no.” Prayer is not only
our presenting requests to God; it is God’s presenting His will to our hearts.
Keep on asking, keep on knocking, and keep on seeking until God grants your
request or convinces you that your request is not His will for you (question.com)
Recommended Resource: Prayer, The Great Adventure by David Jeremiah