LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِSeptember 30/2010

Bible Of The Day
Matthews 12/22-30: "Then one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. 12:23 All the multitudes were amazed, and said, “Can this be the son of David?” 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.” 12:25 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 12:26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 12:27 If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 12:28 But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. 12:29 Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house. 12:30 “He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn’t gather with me, scatters. 12:31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 12:32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come.

Free Opinions, Releases, letters, Interviews & Special Reports
Lebanese leaders are out of step/By Jamil K. Mroue/September 29/10 

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for September 29/10 
Assad to Ahmadinejad: Don't visit Lebanon/Israeli News
Maronite Bishops Fear Ongoing Tension Could Spill Out into Streets/Naharnet
Bellemare Reportedly Sent Part of Indictment to Fransen to Match it with International Standards/Naharnet
Muallem Says STL to Accuse Hizbullah, Warns of Sectarian Violence over Indictment/Naharnet

Prime Minister Saad Hariri: Giving up on Rafik Hariri’s case is out of question/Now Lebanon
Hezbollah's political council member Ghaleb Abu Zainab: Hezbollah, allies reject financing STL/Now Lebanon

Hezbollah International Relations Officer Ammar Moussawi: International administrations cannot replace national will/Now Lebanon
MP Ahmad Fatfat: Hezbollah’s decision to not finance STL will not affect it/Now Lebanon

Withholding STL Funding Won't Work, Report/Naharnet
March 14: We Look with Much Caution at Ahmadinejad's Lebanon Visit/Naharnet
Lebanese leader ٍSami Gymayel calls on US for support, warns 'we are working today alone/WND
Syrian FM ready to resume peace talks with Israel/J.Post
Ahmadinejad to throw rocks at Israeli border/J.Post
No travel warning for Lebanon, US says/UPI
LEBANON: Efforts made to save Beirut's historic architecture/Los Angeles Times (blog)
Al-Markaziya: Brigadier General Fayez Karam transferred to military police headquarters/Now Lebanon
Suleiman from Mexico: Work is Underway to Bring the Lebanese Diaspora together
/Naharnet
Khreis: Suleiman's Stands are Patriotic and Berri's Positions are Derived from his Silence
/Naharnet
Loyalty to Resistance: Incitement and Tensions will Not Hinder Pursuit of False Witnesses
/Naharnet
MP Hamadeh Denies Requesting French Protection
/Naharnet
Borj Barajneh AMAL Official Killed
/Naharnet
Berri Threatens to Uncover Violations of Law if Political Rhetoric Does Not Stop
/Naharnet
Aoun: Let al-Hasan Investigate Karam's Case on Condition he Does Not Leak Information to Media
/Naharnet
Suleiman Warns from Mexico: Any Mideast Solution Must Take Lebanon's Interests into Account
/Naharnet
Fneish: Resistance Won't Use Weapons Domestically unless Some Wanted to Do Harm
/Naharnet
Yazbek Lauds Suleiman's U.N. Speech: It Reflects Aspirations of All Lebanese towards Liberating Land
/Naharnet
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman: My views are 'clear, consistent, known to all/J.Post


Lebanese leaders are out of step

By Jamil K. Mroue /Daily Star
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
If it is in tough times that the qualities of a leader shine, the tensions that have arisen in several parts of the Middle East over the last year, including in Lebanon, have given leaders of this region a golden opportunity to make their mark. But while a carousel of politicians in every corner of this region have brilliantly met the challenges that have come their way with soothing calls for discussion, the ear-splitting clamor that passes for political debate in this country should, in turn, put our leaders to shame.
In Turkey, as recurring bloody skirmishes between Kurdish separatists and armed forces threaten to re-engulf the country in a costly civil war, the country’s prime minister has made a point of championing a fence-mending dialogue that aims to convince insurgents to lay down arms. Meanwhile, in Syria, authorities have been serving the interests of their population by holding talks with US diplomats over ways to normalize their ties with the West. And only a few hundreds of kilometers south from here, the mother of all dialogues is unfolding as Palestinians and Israelis have reactivated – tentatively, but courageously – a peace process so notorious it needs not to be named.
Among Lebanese politicians, however, the art of the political conversation, as a means to shape ideas and, ultimately, policies, is a long-lost ability.
And its substitute, loudmouth politics, has been a poor alternative. For instance, two cases that have repeatedly made headlines in recent weeks – that of the so-called false witnesses, and that of Beirut’s security – could dangerously weaken the foundations of this country short of a rational and measured debate. In both cases, our politicians have talked plenty – disgracing their opponents with their loud and extravagant remarks – but they have shown little dedication to the substantial exchange of ideas that is the usual modus operandi of their trade. Their posturing may have offered its short-term benefits, delaying contentious decision-making, offering the static comfort of a status quo. But it also threatens to come at a cost.
In the case the false witnesses, the incapacity of our political class to engage in a selfless debate about the suspects’ ulterior motives serves as another pretext for rival factions to clash.
Dialogue has also been lacking with regard to Beirut’s security, as evidenced by the bloody gun battle in the district of Burj Abi Haida that took place last month. Were this to happen again, the resulting loss of confidence of foreign investors would be a hard hit for our already fledgling economy.
Our politicians have shouted for long enough. It is high time they enter the age of dialogue.
**Jamil K. Mroue, Editor-in-Chief of THE DAILY STAR, can be reached at jamil.mroue@dailystar.com.lb

Assad to Ahmadinejad: Don't visit Lebanon

Kuwaiti newspaper al-Anbaa says Syrian president asked his Iranian counterpart to postpone planned trip to southern Lebanon, tone down his statements during visit so as not to harm country's security
Roee Nahmias Published: 09.29.10, 14:14 / Israel News
The Iranian president's planned visit to southern Lebanon is raising fears in Syria of all places. According to reports, Syrian President Bashar Assad has suggested that his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, postpone his trip as "this is not the right time."
Kuwaiti newspaper al-Anbaa on Wednesday quoted diplomatic sources as saying that Ahmadinejad's scheduled visit to Lebanon in about two weeks was raised during his latest meeting with Assad in Damascus, about 10 days ago. According to the report, the Syrian leader asked the Iranian counterpart why he wanted to visit the region, in light of the exchange of diplomatic messages between the two countries. The Iranian president explained that the visit was important due to the strategic significance of the Marjayoun area, adding that he viewed the entire area as Iran's border with Israel. According to the same sources, the Syrian president replied that he believed the visit should not be held at this time. Assad expressed his hope that Ahmadinejad would tone down his statement during the visit, as the Israelis "feel insecure" and Lebanon's security was very important to Syria's security interests.
According to the report, at the end of the meeting the Iranian president promised to "seriously consider" the Syrian president's recommendations

Bellemare Reportedly Sent Part of Indictment to Fransen to Match it with International Standards

Naharnet/Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare has sent part of the materials and evidence in his possession to STL Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen to match them with international standards before issuance of indictment, Al-Akhbar newspaper reported Wednesday, citing well-informed sources. The terse report did not disclose further details.
Beirut, 29 Sep 10,

Borj Barajneh AMAL Official Killed

Naharnet/AMAL Movement official in Beirut's Borj al-Barajneh neighborhood Abbas al-Mustrah was killed as he tried to resolve a dispute between four men, state-run National News Agency reported Wednesday. It said a quarrel between four men near al-Arab mosque in Borj al-Barajneh shortly after midnight quickly developed into a shootout.
Mustrah was shot three times in the chest, NNA said, after he stepped in to prevent the situation from escalating any further. Beirut, 29 Sep 10,

Berri Threatens to Uncover Violations of Law if Political Rhetoric Does Not Stop

Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri warned that he will uncover a set of violations of the law if political rhetoric does not stop. "I will hold a press conference if things go on like this and explain in detail before the Lebanese the violations that are taking place at some (public) departments," he said in remarks published Wednesday by the daily An-Nahar.
"Many in the Government do not respect the simplest rules and they daily violate the law," he added. Berri pointed out that while he is seeking to calm tensions to avoid a civil strife, others are violating laws and regulations "in such a way that we must not stay quiet." He criticized those in the Government who do not want to look into the Council of the South budget "which heals the wounds of residents of this area as a result of Israeli attacks." In a separate interview with Ad-Diyar newspaper, Berri also expressed his deep distress over the current situation in Lebanon, stressing that he continues to work in order to face up to the challenges and attempts to sow discord. "The situation is unbearable in the absence of law implementation," Berri thought, adding that "this is the root of the problem." Beirut, 29 Sep 10,

Maronite Bishops Fear Ongoing Tension Could Spill Out into Streets

Naharnet/The Council of Maronite Bishops on Wednesday expressed fear that ongoing tension could spill out into the streets and called on everybody to rally behind State institutions.
"The difficult circumstances in the region calls for caution and unifying ranks," said a statement read by father Joseph Bwari at the end of the CMB's monthly meeting. The Bishops, who met in Bkirki under Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir, also called on Christians, in particular, to be "one heart and one spirit" for the benefit of the country. Beirut, 29 Sep 10, 11:55

Prime Minister Saad Hariri: Giving up on Rafik Hariri’s case is out of question

September 29, 2010 /Following its Wednesday meeting, the Future Movement issued a statement that Prime Minister Saad Hariri said during the meeting that “giving up on the blood of [his father], late former PM Rafik Hariri, is out of the question.”Hariri reiterated his commitment to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)—which is investigating Rafik Hariri’s 2005 assassination—adding that his support comes through patience and that the Future Movement should not be dragged into turmoil, the statement added. The PM also voiced the importance of maintaining the current Lebanese-Syrian relations, adding that the ties serve the interests of both countries. The Future Movement also rejected any verbal attacks against state institutions, including the judiciary, the Lebanese army and the Internal Security Forces (ISF), the statement alo said. Tension is currently high in Lebanon as some March 8 coalition politicians are calling for the abolition of the STL, while Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun and former head of General Security Jamil as-Sayyed publicly attacked the government.
-NOW Lebanon

MP Ahmad Fatfat: Hezbollah’s decision to not finance STL will not affect it

September 29, 2010/agencies/Lebanon First bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat told AFP on Wednesday that Hezbollah has taken a decision not to finance the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), adding that it will not affect the tribunal’s work. March 14 alliance MPs withdrew from the September 16 evening session of the Parliamentary Budget and Finance Commission to prevent a quorum when March 8 coalition MPs called for voting on a 2010 state budget clause pertaining to Lebanon’s funding of the STL. The MP also predicted that the political campaign against the tribunal will expand. Tension is currently high in Lebanon as some March 8 coalition politicians are calling for the abolition of the STL.-AFP/NOW Lebanon

Hezbollah International Relations Officer Ammar Moussawi : International administrations cannot replace national will

September 29, 2010 /Following his meeting with UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams on Wednesday, Hezbollah International Relations Officer Ammar Moussawi issued a statement that “international administrations cannot replace the national will in a sovereign country.” According to the statement, Williams and Moussawi discussed latest developments particularly those related to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)’s pending indictment. Talks that the tribunal’s indictment are in the hands of the international community represent international domination, Moussawi said, adding that stability and civil peace must be protected. The major challenge is how countries, political parties or judicial teams will deal with the pending indictment, Moussawi added. Tension ran high in Lebanon after reports said that the STL would soon issue its indictment for the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. There are fears that should the court indict Hezbollah members, it could lead to clashes similar to those of May 2008.-NOW Lebanon

Hezbollah's political council member Ghaleb Abu Zainab: Hezbollah, allies reject financing STL

September 29, 2010 /Hezbollah's political council member Ghaleb Abu Zainab told AFP on Wednesday that Hezbollah and its allies have taken the decision of rejecting Lebanese finance to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) probing the investigation into the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. March 14 alliance MPs withdrew from the September 16 evening session of the Parliamentary Budget and Finance Commission to prevent a quorum when March 8 coalition MPs called for voting on a 2010 state budget clause pertaining to Lebanon’s funding of the STL. “The issue is not about financing it or not,” Abu Zainab said, adding that the tribunal has become a US-Israeli tool aimed at creating sedition.
-AFP/NOW Lebanon

March 14: We Look with Much Caution at Ahmadinejad's Lebanon Visit

Naharnet/The majority March 14 alliance on Wednesday expressed fear over the imminent visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Lebanon. "We look in much caution and suspicion to the Iranian President's planned visit to Lebanon due to his anti-peace positions and his insistence on considering Lebanon as an Iranian base in the Mediterranean coast," said a statement issued at the end of March 14's weekly meeting. The coalition renewed its "total support" for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon so that truth and justice can be achieved. It warned against ignoring national consensus and the ministerial statement. March 14 called on Lebanese to consider what they heard from the threats as "means to unite ranks and adhere to coexistence and civil peace and the protection of the State." Beirut, 29 Sep 10,

Suleiman from Mexico: Work is Underway to Bring the Lebanese Diaspora together
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman stressed on Wednesday the importance of the Lebanese diaspora, adding that Lebanon is keen on protecting the interests of its expatriates.
He said before members of the Lebanese community in Mexico: "Lebanon is eager to bring together the diaspora and unite its capabilities."He revealed that efforts are underway with the Foreign Ministry and the committee charged with studying the affairs of the diaspora to bring together the Lebanese communities abroad and follow up on their advancements in a way that would guarantee communications between them and Lebanon. Beirut, 29 Sep 10,

MP Hamadeh Denies Requesting French Protection
Naharnet/Democratic Gathering MP Marwan Hamadeh on Wednesday denied he has requested protection from France. Hamadeh "did not ask for political protection from France or any other country," his office said in a statement. "His protection is provided by his family and his home country, Lebanon, and (State) institutions in charge of such tasks," the statement added. Al-Akhbar newspaper on Tuesday said Hamadeh formally requested French authorities in Paris and the French Embassy in Beirut to provide him with protection for fear of attacks in light of the unstable political situation in Lebanon. Beirut, 29 Sep 10,

Loyalty to Resistance: Incitement and Tensions will Not Hinder Pursuit of False Witnesses

Naharnet/The Loyalty to the Resistance bloc demanded on Wednesday the prosecution of false witnesses and those responsible for them.
It said in a statement after its weekly meeting headed by MP Mohammed Raad: ""The ongoing intimidation and incitement campaigns … will not succeed in diverting attention away from the need to uncover false witnesses who have misled the investigation and caused great damage to Lebanon's regional and international relations."
"The intimidation will not help turn attention away from the need to inspect the evidence that would require turning the accusation towards Israel," the bloc stated.Furthermore, it added that the dispute over the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon will not affect the disagreement among the Lebanese over the mechanisms to reach the truth in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Beirut, 29 Sep 10,

Khreis: Suleiman's Stands are Patriotic and Berri's Positions are Derived from his Silence

Naharnet/Liberation and Development bloc MP Ali Khreis noted Wednesday that President Michel Suleiman's speech at the U.N. General Assembly was patriotic in every sense of the word. He added that the speech affirmed Lebanon's commitment to U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 and rejection of the naturalization of Palestinian, as well as its right to restore its occupied territories. He told the National News Agency that House Speaker Nabih Berris is playing a "constructive and positive role to reach calm and end the tension.""His silence is a position in itself," Khreis said. "We are still banking on the Saudi-Syrian Arab initiative because it is the umbrella of security for stability in Lebanon," he stated. Beirut, 29 Sep 10,

Al-Markaziya: Brigadier General Fayez Karam transferred to military police headquarters

September 29, 2010 /Al-Markaziya news agency quoted an unnamed judicial source on Wednesday as saying that retired Brigadier General Fayez Karam’s – also an FPM official arrested last month for allegedly collaborating with Israel – health condition has improved, adding that Attorney General Said Mirza decided to transfer him from the Hotel Dieu Hospital to a military police headquarters in Horj Tabet in Mount Lebanon. Karam was admitted on Thursday at the Hotel Dieu Hospital for a routine check-up. -NOW Lebanon

Maddening logic

September 27, 2010
Now Lebanon/Hezbollah MP Nawwaf Moussawi threatened violent retribution upon those who back the Special Tribunal. (NOW Lebanon)
On a weekend filled with inflammatory comments on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Nawwaf Moussawi’s statement on Friday in which he clearly threatened violent retribution upon those who supported the international court could not be outdone.
In comments reported by the National News Agency, Moussawi said that any group that backed the decision of the STL (created to bring to justice the killers of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and subsequent victims of political terror) to indict members of Hezbollah for their involvement in the February 2005 assassination, will be “dealt with on the basis that they are one of the tools of US-Israeli aggression” and would “face the same response as the US-Israeli aggressor.” As if that were not enough, he loaded the threat further by saying that “the period after the indictment will not be like the period before,” and that those committed to the tribunal should be “not just worried, but scared.”
Fighting words indeed. Moussawi – who, when he is not threatening his own people with violence, is head of Hezbollah’s office of international relations – has made his party’s position in the tribunal debate unequivocal. His statement formally introduces the third phase of the party’s campaign against international justice and its battle to survive with its weapons to both serve Iran in its standoff with the West and consolidate its own domestic power base within Lebanon.
Phase one was the issue of the false witnesses, that certain individuals had misled the court and that this was enough to destroy its credibility. It was (and still is, given Michel Aoun’s fire-and-brimstone rhetoric on Sunday) a scattergun approach because it eschews any legal argument and hinges upon convincing people that the tribunal is nothing more than a huge conspiracy between Israel, the investigating team (one made up of many nationalities) and a handful of so-called perjurers to frame Hezbollah for a crime that was in fact committed by Israel.
Phase two was the “evidence” of Israeli involvement in the crime presented by Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah on August 9. The material was laughable, but it did two things: It easily shifted the local debate on who killed Hariri, and more importantly, it allowed Hezbollah, which handed its so-called Israeli file to the tribunal investigators, to use the fact that no one has acted on the material (presumably because there is nothing to act on) as proof that the tribunal does not want to consider the Israel theory. Clearly therefore, if we follow this line of reasoning, the tribunal, as former March 14 politician Walid Jumblatt declared on Sunday, is just another attempt, after the passing of UN Security Council Resolution 1559 and the 2006 war, to disarm Hezbollah.
Phase three uses Moussawi’s maddening logic that those who support it are in league with Israel and will suffer the consequences. It posits that if you unconditionally support international justice (is there any other way to support justice?) and at the same time want a country that is predicated on the notion of the state; and if you oppose the open-ended right of Hezbollah to both maintain its weapons and dictate matters of war and peace, while at the same time using the threat of those weapons to promote its domestic agenda, then you are a Zionist.
And how do we deal with Zionists? Well, Hezbollah has used the very words of President Michel Sleiman himself to tell us how. Hezbollah’s number 2, Sheikh Naim Qassem, said on Sunday that his party supported Sleiman’s comments to the UN General Assembly in New York on Friday in which the president said that Lebanon has the right to distinguish between “terrorism and resistance,” as well as “Lebanon’s right to liberate its land with all permissible means.” This, we can extrapolate, means the Resistance is permitted to confront the Israeli enemy, and presumably those who support it. If you don’t support Hezbollah, then you support Israel. If you support Israel, you are the enemy, and the enemy will be dealt with.
Qassem is right about one thing: The Lebanese really do have the right to distinguish between “terrorism and resistance.”

Boutros Harb

September 29, 2010
On September 28, the Lebanese National News Agency carried the following report:
Minister of Labor Boutros Harb responded in a letter today to the report carried by Human Rights Watch in regard to the status of domestic workers in Lebanon under the headline "Without Protection," saying that it featured false information and exaggeration affecting Lebanon's image.
Minister Harb stated: I looked into the recent report published by Human Rights Watch, especially in regard to the status of domestic workers in Lebanon under the headline "Without Protection." Although I do not deny the existence of some violations, I would like to confirm that the Ministry of Labor is following up on these violations and that I am personally looking into them. Still, I was sorry to see the exaggeration featured in the report, let alone the little attention given to the work of the Ministry of Labor at this level, in coordination with national and international civil society associations, the state's relevant institutions, the syndicate of the offices introducing these foreign workers and the embassies and consulates of the states whose nationals are working in Lebanon.
Based on the principle of constructive communication with Human Rights Watch and the committees responsible for following up on the status of female and male domestic workers, and based on my own wish to reveal the truth of the matter and reject any harm which might affect the reputation of the Lebanese people and their state, but also due to my insistence on informing public opinion about the truth, I confirm the following on behalf of the Lebanese state: Lebanon's government is committed to the respect of the rights of all its citizens, both the nationals and the migrants, and especially the male and female workers. It is trying, via its official institutions and especially the Ministry of Labor, which is directly involved in the sector of domestic workers, to fill the legislative, administrative and legal gaps in order to provide better protection for the latter.
Moreover, it is closely following via its inspectors the cases of the latter as soon as a complaint is issued by any of them, by the embassies and consulates to which they are affiliated or by the civil society associations with which the Ministry of Labor is continuously communicating and coordinating for that purpose.
The Ministry of Labor is adopting all the necessary legal measures, including the punishment of those in violation of the laws in place and the drawing up of new systems to activate its role and ability to monitor the breaches and promptly interfere to handle them. It is in this logic that we decided to establish a complaints office and a hotline, in order to follow the incoming complaints on a daily basis and in a direct and accurate way, before transferring them to the relevant authority so that they are properly handled. Moreover, we have activated the work of the National Steering Committee, which includes representatives from the Justice Ministry, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities, the International Labor Organization and civil society associations. The committee has already drawn up the guidebook for female domestic workers in fourteen languages, in order to allow the latter to learn about their rights and obligations, uphold these rights and support the measures to provide them with protection.
Moreover, I launched a special workshop to draw up a special law for female domestic workers, because they are still subjected to the Code of Obligations and Contracts, considering that Article 7 of the Labor Law excludes them from being treated in accordance with this law due to the inability of the inspection apparatus to enter the homes, observe and investigate. On the other hand, I discovered in light of the coordination with the syndicate of the owners of recruitment offices that are introducing more than 95% of the female domestic workers, that the number of legally-certified workers based on the figures of the Ministry of Labor is of 114,000, while the number of illegal workers is estimated at 86,000. This means that they have entered Lebanon illegally and we will closely follow up on this issue in order to control it and prevent it.
I also formed a committee including experts from the Labor Ministry and representatives from these offices in order to look into the organization of this sector and met with the consuls and ambassadors of the states who have nationals working in Lebanon to include them in the effort to tend to the affairs of these nationals in cooperation with the Ministry, proposing restraints which might prevent the exploitation and violation of the rights of domestic workers. This led to several memorandums of understanding based on the principle of rights and obligations.
Moreover, I established an office for social workers at the Ministry of Labor, in order to follow up on the status of the female domestic workers, look into their complaints and communicate with the judiciary to secure the fair and prompt resolution of their problems... Human Rights Watch will show balance in its perception of the status of domestic workers in particular and the foreign workers in general, and especially at the level of the Lebanese government's commitment to the international pacts, agreements and customs to protect them based on the Lebanese laws in force. In this context, we should point out that some foreign workers are also exceeding their rights and committing violations, which sometimes reached the level of murder. This requires us to come together and collaborate in the respect of the rights of the workers and the employers, in order to provide decent working and living conditions for the workers and uphold Lebanon's civilized image, which we are all trying to protect in words and in action.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman: My views are 'clear, consistent, known to all'

By REBECCA ANNA STOIL, TOVAH LAZAROFF AND JPOST.CO
09/29/2010 07:40
FM says Barak called for division of J'lem in potential peace agreement, yet no one blamed him for going against gov't stance.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman responded to criticism leveled against him following the controversial speech he gave to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, stating that as long as there is no breakthrough in negotiations with the Palestinians, nothing prevents him from giving his opinion. Lieberman's comments came in an interview with Israel Radio on Wednesday.
Lieberman responded specifically to Defense Minister Ehud Barak's contention that the foreign minister's comments to the General Assembly did not reflect the stance of the Israeli government. Lieberman said that Barak stated last week that Jerusalem should be divided in a potential peace agreement with the Palestinians, yet he heard no one protest the fact that the defense minister's views did not echo those of the government.
The foreign minister said that his own views are clear, consistent and known to all and they do not contradict the government's fundamental position.
Barak said Tuesday night that Lieberman's comments do not reflect the Israeli government's stance and certainly not the Labor party's attitude.
It's essential to make peace with the Palestinians and not to play into the hands of Israel's enemies, Barak said.
Labor Minister for Minority Affairs Avishay Braverman called on Netanyahu to fire the foreign minister.
"Lieberman undermined the prime minister and Netanyahu should fire him for it. Lieberman's delusional speech was well-planned and was intended to heat up the atmosphere and harm the peace process. This adds to a long list of incidents in which Lieberman tried to undermine the prime minister."
Earlier on Tuesday evening, Lieberman spoke to Channel 2 news and said that the Palestinians are not interested in peace, and the time has come for Israel to stop blaming itself for failing to achieve peace.
The foreign minister also defended comments he made on Tuesday afternoon at the UN General Assembly.
Earlier on Tuesday evening, Lieberman spoke to Channel 2 news and said that the Palestinians are not interested in peace, and the time has come for Israel to stop blaming itself for failing to achieve peace.
The foreign minister also defended comments he made on Tuesday afternoon at the UN General Assembly.
In his speech before the General Assembly, Lieberman told international leaders that he believed that Israel must arrive at an interim agreement with the Palestinians, that peace would only be possible after a number of decades, and that an ultimate agreement would require population and territorial exchanges.
The foreign minister said during the Channel 2 interview that at the UN he talked about the facts and expressed the opinions of "the majority of the Israeli public" on the issue of peace negotiations.
He said that everyone wants peace and "maybe the time has come to change the direction of negotiations."
"Peace needs to come naturally, its like a premature birth - if it comes to early then it can be dangerous," Lieberman said.
Prime Minister Netanyahu's office distanced itself almost immediately from the remarks by informing the media that his speech had not been coordinated with Netanyahu.
Despite Netanyahu’s speedy disassociation from the controversial statements made by Lieberman, Kadima jumped to the bit, accusing the prime minister of failing to maintain a united coalition on issues of foreign policy.
“The “A” Prime Minister Netanyahu talks about a final agreement and two states, Prime Minister “B” Lieberman speaks about an interim agreement and population exchange, while Prime Minister “C” Yishai does not believe in an agreement,” mocked MK Yoel Hasson (Kadima). “The Netanyahu government speaks with a number of voices and it seems as though Prime Minister Netanyahu represents only his own perspective. This shows Netanyahu’s weakness, as he is unable to advance his stance among his ministers and his coalition partners. This is a government without a head, without a leader, and without a direction.”
MK Nahman Shai (Kadima) echoed Hasson’s statements, saying that “the Prime Minister needs to decide if he is running a country or conducting a choir. The foreign minister’s statements are in complete opposition to the declared policies of the government, both regarding the connection between the Iranian problem and the peace process, as well as in his reference to the process as a gesture to the world community rather than as a vital Israeli interest.”
MK Majalee Whbee (Kadima) took his criticism a step further, blasting not simply Lieberman’s comments, but also describing Netanyahu’s response as “flaccid”, saying that it was an “additional proof that Netanyahu prefers coalitional peace over regional peace.”
Kadima was not the only party in the coalition to take the opportunity to attack Lieberman’s statements. “It is known that he who places the mission of peace on the next generation strives for war and not for peace,” complained Meretz Faction Chairman MK Ilan Gilon.
Gilon said that Israel must reach a holistic solution with the Palestinians, but that Lieberman is trying to do harm to any future agreement, leaving Israel as a policy of eternal warfare. “It is clear that the fundamentalist forces are the enemy of democracy, and they must be addressed through a strategic alliance with Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, alongside an agreement with the Palestinians while strengthening the Palestinian Authority against its enemies at home.”

Syrian FM ready to resume peace talks with Israel
By JPOST.COM STAFF /Naharnet
09/28/2010 /Al-Moualem says at UN that talks would only resume if Syria can find "in Israel a partner committed to the terms of reference of peace making." Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said Tuesday that his government is ready to resume peace talks with Israel. Al-Moualem said in an address to the UN General Assembly that the talks would only resume if Syria can find "in Israel a partner committed to the terms of reference of peace making, and if that partner has the political will to achieve peace."The Syrian foreign minister said the talks would take off from the point where they were halted after the IDF Gaza flotilla raid. Al-Moualem said the talks would be mediated by Turkey. According to al-Moualem, the peace talks would include a resolution of the Syrian Golan Heights issue. Syria's position on the issue was reiterated and al-Moualem said that the Golan is 'not negotiable nor is it a bargaining chip.''Recognition of the fact that it must be returned fully is the basis on which peace making arrangements should be made,' he said.

Pro-democracy leaders 'threatened' by Iran
Lebanese leader calls on U.S. for support, warns 'we are working today alone'

Posted: September 27, 2010
© 2010 WorldNetDaily
MIAMI – Pro-democracy leaders in Lebanon were threatened and intimidated into siding with Syria and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia, revealed Lebanese parliamentarian Samy Gemayel in an interview. Gemayel, whose Christian Phalange party is one of the last to criticize Hezbollah and Syria, called on the Obama administration to support the pro-Western forces vying for influence in Lebanon. "We are working today alone, without any back up," stated Gemayel in an interview with WND's Aaron Klein, who hosts an investigative show on New York's WABC Radio. "This is very dangerous for us because we are defending values the U.S. is defending, and we don't have the support that Hezbollah has from Iran. So we think that the U.S. has very important responsibilities toward the democratic parties in Lebanon," he said.
Following the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, which was widely blamed on Syria, pro-democracy forces led mass protests that prompted Syria to remove tens of thousands of its troops from Lebanon, purportedly ending nearly 30 years of Syrian occupation. But with the U.S. and international community seemingly unengaged with the tribunal investigating Hariri's murder – which was reportedly set to blame Hezbollah – and with U.S. support for the pro-Democratic forces in Lebanon nearly nonexistent, the country's traditional pro-Western leaders have been switching allegiances to the Iranian and Syrian axis. Last Month, Prime Minister Saad Hariri, son of Rafiq Hariri, announced to the public he had been wrong to blame Syria for his father's death. Hariri is set to visit Damascus for a second time this month.
"At some point, we made a mistake," Hariri declared. "At one stage, we accused Syria of assassinating the martyred premier. That was a political accusation, and that political accusation is over." Also, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, previously one of the most vocal critics of Hezbollah and Syria, has also publicly changed his tune, visiting Syria and declaring the country an ally.
Gemayel told Klein that Iran and Syria had threatened Jumblatt and Hariri into changing sides.
"Jumblatt was threatened," he said. "That's why he backed off the fight against Hezbollah and its allies and Iran and Syria. Because he was threatened."
Continued Gemayel: "On the 8th of May 2008, Hezbollah used force and weapons against the Lebanese parties, like Jumblatt and Hariri. That is why Jumblatt and Hariri are afraid that Hezbollah could use force one more time to impose its views on all of the Lebanese. That's why you can see some concessions made by Jumblatt and Hariri, just not to be threatened."
Gemayel comes from a historic Lebanese political family. He is a senior member of Lebanon's Phalange party, which is led by his father, Amine Gemayel, the country's former president. The party was founded by Samy Gemayel's grandfather, Pierre. Samy's uncle, Bashir, was a president-elect of Lebanon, but he was assassinated before he took office. Samy's brother, Pierre Amine, was a Lebanese parliamentarian who was assassinated four years ago. Earlier this month, Gemayel was the target of a death threat from a Hezbollah website.
The Hezbollah site, the Islamic Resistance Forum, described Gemayel as an Israeli spy and called for his "crucifixion on a pole in the Pride and Dignity Square in Beirut." Addressing the threat, Gemayel told Klein he is "concerned" and "very conscious" of his security. "But we cannot give up the fight for democracy and freedom. We are doing our best to stand up, but we need support," he said.