Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for November 11/12
Two killed, three wounded in Sidon clashes
Hezbollah MP says U.N. takes side with Israel
Future MP says received new death threat
Vatican fears Levantine Christians at risk
Netanyahu on rocket fire: We won't sit idly by
Israel fires warning Tamuz missile into Syria as Gaza front escalates
Syria opposition sign deal to form new body - delegate
Israel drawn into Syria fighting for first time
Sexual harassment surfaces in Saudi Arabia
Asharq Al-Awsat interview: Tunisian Interior
Poll: Over 85% of US Muslim voters picked Obama
Sexual harassment surfaces in Saudi Arabia

Israel fires warning Tamuz missile into Syria as Gaza front escalates
DEBKAfile Special Report November 11, 2012/Israel’s deteriorating security situation erupted simultaneously on two fronts Sunday, Nov. 11. The IDF fired a Tamuz precision guided missile against a mortar position 4 kilometers inside Syria after a stray mortar hit the IDF Golan defense post at Tel Hazaka. It was the fourth incident of cross-border violence from the Syrian conflict in 10 days and the first time Israel had fired across the Golan border since the 1973 war. The Tamuz was developed by RAFAEL and is operated from specially modified M-113 Hafiz armored personnel carriers.
At the same time, on the southern front, Palestinians fired Grad missiles from Gaza at the city of Beersheba after loosing a barrage of 60 missiles in less than 24 hours against multiple Israeli civilian locations. Iron Dome intercepted one of the missiles. Four Israeli soldiers were wounded Saturday, two seriously by an anti-tank missile which set their jeep on fire. Four civilians were injured in their homes and hospitalized Sunday.
The shot fired at Syria was described by the IDF spokesman as a warning to Damascus, backing up the Defense Minister Ehud Barak warning last week that spillovers from the Syrian war would not be tolerated and would elicit a military response.
Israel’s military command expects the military confrontation on the Gaza front to escalate. Israel’s emergency services have been elevated to maximum C-level preparedness in the South and also further north, in case Hamas expands its rocket offensive to central Israel as well.
The Palestinian Gaza terrorist grades are now firing Multiple-Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) “Katyshas” supplied by the Lebanese Hizballah and 120-mm bunker-busting mortars in their current offensive against Israeli towns, villages and troops, Israeli lawmaker Shay Hermesh revealed Sunday, Nov. 11 after 6 civilians sere hospitalized.
The Knesset member who lives in Kfar Azza spoke after more than 60 assorted rockets hit southern Israel from Saturday. The public radio Kol Israel interrupted the interview with Hermesh at that point to prevent any more disclosures.
debkafile: The civilians injured Sunday in intense rocket fire aimed at Sderot, Shear Hanegev and the Eshkol district were apparently caught by concentrated Katyusha fire rather than the hit-or-miss Qassams or Grads.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu opened the weekly cabinet session by saying: We are set to escalate our response.”
debkafile reported Saturday: Violence spewed out of the Gaza Strip again Saturday night, Nov. 10, with a rocket attack on an IDF Givaty Brigade jeep on a routine task some distance from the border, injuring four Israeli soldiers – one critically, two in moderate condition. This time Hamas’ contractor was the Palestinian Popular Front. After Israeli tanks and helicopters fired back, the Palestinians fired rockets against the Eshkol and Shear Hanegev districts, followed by Grad rockets aimed at Ashkelon, Ashdod and Gan Yavneh. Iron Dome intercepted two. Locations north of Ashdod as far north as Gedera went on missile alert. No more casualties are reported thus far.
Thursday, Nov. 8, Palestinian terrorists detonated by remote a tunnel packed with explosives against a group of Israeli soldiers. None were hurt. The soldiers were searching for bombs rigged as booby-traps for use against their comrades. IDF units in the Gaza sector have been on high alert since before then as Palestinian attacks have kept on coming in an escalating spate – eight from Oct. 8 until this Saturday.
But before that, on Oct. 6, two days after an Iranian stealth drone flew over Israel, Hamas loosed its heaviest barrage ever of 60 rockets and missiles against the Eshkol district. The IDF made no response this this outrage.
On Oct. 13, after an Israeli air strike killed the jihadist Majlis Shura’s commander, Hisham Saidani, Israeli civilians in Beersheba, Netivot and other locations suffered two running days of Palestinian rocket fire on their homes.
On Oct. 19, an IDF patrol was hit by a roadside bomb near Ein Hashlosha.
For three days, Oct. 22-25, rocket salvoes descended on Ashkelon and other locations. This time, the Palestinians began firing for the first time mobile 120mm multiple-firing “Katyusha” systems. Another roadside bomb near Kissufim seriously injured a senior IDF officer, blowing off both his arms.. There was a further escalation after the Israeli bombardment of an Iranian missile plant near Khartoum, one of Hamas’ arms suppliers. On Oct. 28, Palestinian Grad missiles were again fired at Beersheba and the regional area of Dimona where Israel’s nuclear reactor is situated.
Now, once again, more than a million civilians living within the Palestinian terrorists’ ever widening radius of fire are being told to stay close to shelters – those who have them - and mayors worry about opening schools. And once again, they hear that the Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has called an urgent conference with Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz. The people living in an area between Gedera and the southern tip of the Gaza Strip up to Beersheba wait again on tenterhooks for some action to put an end to their long agony as hostages to Hamas.

Vatican fears Levantine Christians at risk
November 10, 2012/By Antoine Ghattas.Saab /The Daily Star
Pope Benedict XVI is concerned Christians in the Middle East are in danger the head of the General Maronite Council said Friday.
During an interview with The Daily Star, Wadih al-Khazen discussed the Vatican’s hopes for the Middle East in light of Cardinal Robert Sarah’s visit to Lebanon.
Following his September visit to Lebanon, the pope has decided to devote further efforts to encourage Levantine Christians to stay in their home countries. He considers this especially important given Christianity’s origins in the region. Benedict sent Sarah as his envoy to consult with senior Catholic officials, primarily Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Beshara Rai. He is tasked with gathering as much information as possible on the situation in Syria and its repercussions on Lebanon. Khazen said that the Vatican was pushing strongly for all concerned states to stop arming groups in Syria, in order to spare the Syrian people further human and material losses. In short, Sarah’s mission is to make inroads toward a political solution to the Syrian crisis.
Earlier this week, the pope called for peace in Syria but admitted that a planned Vatican delegation to the country would not be possible due to the security situation.
Instead, Sarah was sent to Lebanon and was instructed to look into the conditions of Syrian refugees. Khazen added that the Vatican was now in talks with Western states and is urging them to adopt policies that would help achieve stability and security for Levantine Christians. He said that contacts with some prominent Christian figures had indicated there was agreement between the Vatican, Rai and President Michel Sleiman on the importance of the Christian presence in Lebanon, and this would become clearer when Sleiman attends a Vatican ceremony later this month during which Rai will officially become a Cardinal. The Vatican, Bkirki and Sleiman are working on a plan intended to enhance the presence of Christians in Lebanon, especially in public administration. Details of this plan are being kept secret in order to avoid political bickering. According to Khazen, Rai’s insistence that political leaders attend the National Dialogue sessions, which Sleiman is trying to reconvene, is a result of his interest in strengthening intra-Lebanese relations because he considers national unity the best means to confront the dangers that surround the country.

Rai thanks Pope for solidarity with Lebanon, Syria
November 11, 2012 /The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Cardinal Beshara Rai thanked Pope Benedict XVI for his solidarity with Lebanon and Syria amid the difficult circumstances both countries are witnessing, the National News Agency reported. “We thank the pope for sending an envoy to Lebanon and for expressing solidarity with the Syrian people in the ongoing conflict in their country,” said Rai during Sunday Mass.
Earlier this week, the pope called for peace in Syria but admitted that a planned visit by a Vatican delegation to the conflict-torn country would not go ahead because of conditions in Syria.
The pontiff meanwhile, dispatched an envoy, Cardinal Robert Sarah, to Lebanon to discuss the crisis.

Two killed, three wounded in Sidon clashes
November 11, 2012/By Mohammed Zaatari/The Daily Star
SIDON, Lebanon: Two men were killed, and three others wounded, one a Hezbollah official, during clashes in the Taamir Ain al-Hilweh neighborhood on the outskirts of Sidon Sunday.
The Hezbollah official was identified as Zeid Daher. Prime Minister Najib Mikati asked the interior minister to call for an emergency meeting of Sidon’s Central Security Council, a statement by Mikati’s office said. Mikati also asked the Lebanese Army command to take the necessary measures to control the situation and arrest those involved in the incident. “We call on everyone to remain calm and implement restraint in such a delicate situation. The authorities will not tolerate messing with the security of citizens,” Mikati's statement said. Tensions were high in the city after Sheikh Ahmad Assir called over the weekend for his supporters to rally outside the Sidon Mosque of Bilal Bin Rabah. Armored Lebanese Army vehicles deployed Sunday in the town of Haret Saida after the controversial preacher asked his supporters to rally in the southern town via social media networks, Facebook and Twitter. An eye witness told The Daily Star that around armed Assir supporters attacked Taamir and removed a photo of Hezbollah Chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah from the neighborhood. The witness, Abu Ali Dirani, said Assir arrived in a car, while his supporters were walking.
“They didn't have sticks, they had weapons,” said Dirani. The Sunni Salafist sheikh earlier called for the removal of Hezbollah banners from Sidon and gave Sunday as a deadline for such banners to be removed. Almost two weeks before the commemoration of Ashura, Amal movement supporters in Haret Saida were also making preparations for the day, in which Shiites mourn the martyrdom of Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet. Assir has repeatedly voiced fierce criticism of Hezbollah and slammed the party over its stance regarding the uprising in Syria.
“I am not against Shiite, I am against Hezbollah because it supports the Syrian regime and because it killed Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan,” Assir told The Daily Star earlier Sunday.
Asked if he was the decision-maker in the southern city of Sidon, Assir said “I am the decision-maker against Hezbollah and its provocations in Sidon.”

Israel drawn into Syria fighting for first time
November 11, 2012 /By Amy Tiebel/Daily Star
JERUSALEM: Israel was drawn into the Syrian civil war for the first time on Sunday, firing warning shots into the neighboring country after a stray mortar shell fired from Syrian territory hit an Israeli military post. The Israeli military said the mortar fire caused no injuries or damage at the post in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and then annexed. But in recent weeks, incidents of errant fire from Syria have multiplied, leading Israel to warn that it holds Syria responsible for fire on Israeli-held territory.
"A short while ago, a mortar shell targeted an IDF (Israel Defense Forces) post in the Golan Heights," said army spokeswoman Lt. Col. Avital Leibovich. "We answered with a warning shot toward Syrian areas. We understand this was a mistake and was not meant to target Israel and then that is why we fired a warning shot in retaliation."
The Israeli military also said it has filed a complaint through United Nations forces operating in the area, stating that "fire emanating from Syria into Israel will not be tolerated and shall be responded to with severity."Israel and Syria are bitter foes who have fought several wars, but their shared border has been mostly quiet since a 1974 cease-fire. Still, Israel worries that Syria's civil war could spill across into the Golan, and repeated errant fire has intensified that concern. Israel fears that if Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime is toppled, the country could fall into the hands of Islamic extremists or descend into sectarian warfare, destabilizing the region. Israeli officials do not see Assad trying to intentionally draw Israel into the fighting, but have raised the possibility of his targeting Israel in an act of desperation. They also fear that Syria's stockpile of chemical weapons or other weapons could slip into the hands of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group - a close Syrian ally - or reach other militants if Assad loses power.
Israeli officials also worry that the frontier region could turn into a lawless area like Egypt's Sinai desert, which Islamic militants now use as a launching ground for strikes against southern Israel.
Speaking to his Cabinet on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is "closely monitoring" the border with Syria and is "ready for any development."

Hezbollah MP says U.N. takes side with Israel
November 11, 2012 /The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Hezbollah MP Ali Fayyad said Sunday that the United Nations and international resolutions take side with Israel against Lebanon. “The blood of martyrs and their sacrifices are the reality, and not the U.N. reports and international resolutions that are biased to Israel,” said Fayyad in a ceremony held in south Lebanon. His statement came after the U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon's 16th semi-annual report on the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559 said the Iranian-made drone Hezbollah sent over Israel on Oct. 6 was a clear violation of the resolution. Fayyad slammed Ban’s report, saying that Israel constantly violates Lebanon’s sovereignty. He also accused the international community of condemning victims and exculpating offenders. “Our lands in Shabaa and Kfarshouba are still occupied by Israelis. What have the U.N. done to pressure Israel and get us back our land?” asked Fayyad. The Hezbollah MP called on the U.N. chief to confront Israeli violations against Lebanon instead of interfering in Lebanon’s internal affairs and, accused the international body of taking biased positions that widen the rift among the Lebanese.“Hezbollah is a strong force to [guarantee] Lebanon’s stability and defend it against the external enemy,” said Fayyad. Hezbollah’s action in sending the Ayoub drone was criticized both locally and internationally, amid concerns of a potential confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel.

Future MP says received new death threat
November 11, 2012/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Future bloc MP Khaled Daher received a new death threat over the weekend in a call made to the cellphone of one of his bodyguards.
In remarks to An-Nahar daily published Sunday, Daher said the threat was from a caller with a Syrian accent.
According to Daher, the caller told his bodyguard “tell you master you will be both ripped into pieces just like what happened to his friend,” in reference to Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan who was assassinated with his companion on October 19 in a car bombing in Ashrafieh.
“What’s weird is the number we received the phone call from is an untraceable one, unlike the number I have previously received death threats from,” Daher said.
Last month, Future MP Hadi Hobeish told The Daily Star that he and four other Future bloc lawmakers received death threats from Syria via telephone and text messages.
He identified the other lawmakers as Nuhad Mashnouq, Ahmad Fatfat, Khaled Daher, and Ammar Houry.
The MP said that he informed Internal Security Forces Director General Ashraf Rifi of the threat.
“This threat is to terrorize us and paralyze our political activities,” said Daher.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel told An-Nahar nothing new has been reached in the case of death threats against lawmakers.
“It has become clear however that the number sending the threats is part of the Syrian telecommunications network and the messages are being sent from within Syrian territory,” Charbel said in remarks published Sunday. Telecommunications Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui also told the daily that the Syrian number Daher and the four other MPs had received threats from has been barred from making telephone calls or sending messages to a Lebanese phone line. He said the step was implemented at the order of the interior minister.
Hasan’s assassination was the first since a series of car explosions killed at least 12 Lebanese politicians and officers between 2004 and 2008.
The Future Movement-led March 14 coalition blames the Syrian regime for Hasan’s assassination.

A Christian leader of the Syrian opposition
By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat
You can say what you want about the Syrian opposition, and even the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, but what is significant is that they were able to elect a Christian leader for the Syrian National Council. One could argue that this would not have come about without intensive international efforts in Doha, through Arab, regional and global powers, and this is true, but this is exactly what I have been saying ever since the start of the Syrian revolution.
Since the start of this courageous uprising some have argued sincerely, but incorrectly, that the Syrian revolution’s problem is that it lacks a united opposition. I refuted this, as others did later, saying that such talk was not accurate, and that the Syrian opposition would unite once genuine international support was in place, along the lines of what happened with the Iraqi opposition at the London conference before the occupation of Iraq, and with the Libyan opposition before the NATO intervention against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces. If Bashar al-Assad is actually aware of what he is seeing, and what is going on around him, he must pay serious attention to the historic picture circulated by international news agencies from Doha, and published in our newspaper on Friday, depicting the Prime Minister of Qatar and the foreign ministers of both the UAE and Turkey. If al-Assad has one iota of awareness, he will realize that this image is strikingly similar to the one issued after the Friends of Libya conference, which ultimately heralded the downfall of the Gaddafi regime.
The Syrian opposition, and with it of course the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, have realized that the international arena has changed. The current situation requires an earnest and selfless approach in order to prepare for the final moments prior to the end of the al-Assad regime, whether politically or militarily. Now a Christian leader, Mr. George Sabra, has been elected to lead the Syrian National Council, and the truth is that this has come about due to the flexibility of the Syrian opposition, and the insistence of Arab, regional and international sponsors at the Doha conference. This move undermines the “minorities” card played by al-Assad in his recent interview with the television network Russia Today. In fact, through this interview, it is funny to think that al-Assad himself was the one who gave the final strong push for the Syrian opposition to elect a Christian leader, especially when he said that his regime is “the last bastion of secularism, stability and coexistence in the region”. One of the main reasons for the Syrian revolution is al-Assad himself, with his obstinate, erroneous decisions and his criminal actions. The Syrian President, in order to remain in power, has offered concessions that are negligible in comparison with other Arab regimes that have fallen, but he is blind to the reality.
Of course, the election of Sabra does not mean we have achieved our desired hope for reform in our region. Decades ago, specifically before the disastrous military coups that only brought losses and underdevelopment to our region, there were no problems with minorities, Christian or otherwise, assuming public office, or becoming stars in Arab societies whether politically, economically or artistically. This was the same for the Kurds and followers of other religions in the region, even the Jews. The importance of Sabra’s election is that it thwarts al-Assad’s “minorities” card, and likewise it limits the greed of the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization that has burned all its credit within the space of one year due to political foolishness, selfishness and exclusion.
The important thing today is that the Syrian opposition, with the presence of Arab and international supervision, has been able to take a significant step, and this is what I have said over the past two years. This sends a message to al-Assad, namely that his days are numbered.

Al-Assad’s delusions of survival!
by Emad El Din Adeeb/Asharq Alawsat
The Syrian President has pledged that he will “live and die” in Syrian, warning that any military attack on Syria will have major repercussions that will affect the entire world.
This is what the “inspired” leader, Bashar al-Assad, the butcher, said in his interview with a Russian TV channel.
This took place at a time when Lakhdar Brahimi’s mission is on the verge of failure following the collapse of the Eid al-Adha truce that he brokered. President Bashar al-Assad made these statements in the wake of attempts to smuggle Russian, North Korean and Iranian arms into Syria by land, sea and air being uncovered.
So Brahimi’s mediation is on the verge of failure, whilst the fighting is ongoing, and we are seeing more arms deals being signed. The last thing that we heard from Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, was that al-Assad will not be forced to leave and that he remains in control of the country’s affairs. As for the last time that we heard from Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi, he was warning against the “Somalization” of Syria, saying that he fears that the country could “turn into a new Somalia.”
This comes following Obama’s election victory, and the US administration starting its second term in office, with a team of hawks present in the US State and Defense departments.
Yesterday, we heard that Obama was studying new administrative appointments, including appointing Senator John Kerry to the State Department and former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel to the Defense Department. This is not to mention what is being talked about, albeit discretely, regarding changes in the White House’s National Security Council. All of this reflects a strong desire for a more hardline role in Washington’s relations with international crises.
Bashar al-Assad is counting on the world being convinced that there is no military solution in Syria, whether internally or externally, and that the official Syrian regime will survive in spite of everybody. Therefore, according to this scenario, al-Assad and his family, sect and work force believe that they will remain in power forever!
This represents a naïve delusion! This regime will not remain in power for long, and the world will not accept this expensive bill in terms of bloodshed.
There is no international benefit for al-Assad’s survival, with the exception of Tehran and North Korea. As for Russia and China, they are becoming increasingly aware that they cannot continue to bet on this regime for long, indeed this could be the first political deal that they make with the newly re-elected Obama administration.
As for Hezbollah, it is witnessing a state of internal conflict to answer the question: what will happen to us in Lebanon following the fall of the al-Assad regime and the emergence of a new Syrian regime that views us as its greatest enemy?

Asharq Al-Awsat interview: Tunisian Interior Minister Ali Al-Areed
11/11/2012
By Nadia Al-Turki
London, Asharq Al-Awsat - In an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat Tunisian Interior Minister Ali Al-Areed, discusses the current security situation in Tunisia, his country’s fight against corruption and extremism and the role of the media in politicizing events.
The following is the full interview:
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What is your general assessment of the security situation in Tunisia today?
[Al-Areed] In general, it has been progressing for many months, especially since the revolution. However, some incidents get huge media coverage, which makes some think that the security situation has stopped progressing, or is even deteriorating. The fact is that the security organization is achieving continuous progress in imposing the law. With regard to those who have been committing violations or are free to do whatever they want as they break the law, they have been trying to push toward the creation of disturbances, because the law restricts them. Contrary to the media cover up that occurred in the past, now this is exposed in an extensive way.
Generally speaking, I can say that we are progressing in controlling the security situation, and in restoring the dignity of the state, which respects the rights of the citizen.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] When you talk about media coverage, do you believe that the media is adopting a negative slant towards you, or is exaggerating events?
[Al-Areed] The fact is that part of the media is much politicized, adopts a stance that strongly opposes the government and the ministry, and is manipulated by sides and individuals who are in politics. This is only a part of the media, and it is the part that sometimes exaggerates, and focuses in particular only on negative aspects, and it ignores completely all good things, and the manifestations of work, joy, progress, and improvement. This contributes to making the foreign image of the country as if Tunisia is in a disastrous situation, while the Tunisians, despite the existence of some chaos here and there, are working in a normal way, and tourism has reached a level close to the figures of 2010.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] For decades the police dealt with citizens in an oppressive way, but now the police have to deal with the citizens within the framework of the law. Is the Interior Minister in a dilemma with regards to dealing with citizens?
[Al-Areed] It is not a dilemma, but it is the difficulties of administration in a democratic state. We have turned into a democratic state that respects human rights, and it also ought to apply the law to the violators. This process requires a citizen, who is aware of his rights and also of his duties, and who respects the law; this process also requires trained security cadres, who at the same time impose the respect of law.
This process of transformation includes some kind of lack of balance, whether in the behavior of the citizen, or in the behavior of the administrative organization, or even the security organization, because we have been used to manage our affairs under a tyrannical state, and as people, administration, government, and security and media organizations we are not used to manage our affairs under a democratic state in which the citizen is respected, the law is respected, and also the state apparatus is respected. However, we are about to proceed in this direction, and this is the great wager.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do the recent events in Tunisia, which saw confrontations that led to the killing of Salafis and the wounding of members of the police, reflect the perils of the Salafi movement?
[Al-Areed] Yes, there is a religious hard-line phenomenon, which some call Salafism. However, Salafism, as you know, has diverse schools; the violent part of Salafism, which represents excess and hard line, is the one that causes the problem, because it does not recognize the state, and does not recognize the concept of citizenship, freedom, the people's will, the elections, the gains of women, or even the concept of a modern state. This part wants to coerce the others to be similar to it, and hence it represents a danger to the social structure, and even to the religion in its productive centrist concept that is compatible with the era. It also represents a danger to the national unity.
Therefore, the events to which you referred are not unique or isolated, as there are a number of similar events that have taken place, and perhaps are taking place, which indeed are indications of the difficulty and gravity of this phenomenon, and of the need to deal with it. This dealing is not only with the security method alone, which is represented by arrest and confrontation, but also with fair judiciary, Islamic education, thinking, media, and dialog. This is because this phenomenon usually is linked to the youths, who are young, and sometimes to those approaching old age.
I consider that you have a point in so far as this phenomenon is widespread and complicated, i.e. complex, as it has several dimensions. However, its treatment also is multi-dimensional, and cannot be merely a security one, despite the fact that the security treatment is necessary in order to impose the law, and to ease the pressure caused by it on women, men, and the society in general.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you have a clear plan to confront and deal with these violent hard-line groups?
[Al-Areed] Yes, we have plans, and we are about to apply these plans. We are about to confront these violent groups, whether these groups are operating in the name of religion, or they are criminal groups that have been revived or benefited from freedom. We are confronting them, and we have plans and tactics, whose details I do not want to reveal now. However, you can say without fear of contradiction that there will be no truce with these groups and we will not stop until the day these groups either are arrested, or respect the Tunisian citizen; but we always will operate within the framework of respecting the law, and not within the framework of force.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Some individuals are now dealing with government officials in a disrespectful manner? Have you thought of laws to protect the symbols of the state from such "slander?"
[Al-Areed] As far as I know, the Tunisian law includes sufficient provisions to protect the state, its headquarters, its men, and all citizens. As you know, where exactly does freedom end, especially the freedom of expression and of the media, and where does the encroachment upon the state, its symbols, or its headquarters start?! There is not always a clear straight line, and there always is a scope for interpretation. I want to point out that it is not only the Salafis who encroach and slander, but there are others who go to excess and do the same thing. Indeed this relatively encroaches upon the dignity of the state. This used to happen more than it does now; now the situation has become less, and many have been sued for such actions.
I know that when we come out of suppression, and quickly, chaos might ensue, and it would be difficult to return to the balance of combining the dignity and sanctity of the state, and the sanctity and freedom of the citizen. We need some time, and a great deal of effort, and even a great deal of training.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do Tunisians have enough awareness to live within the framework of a democratic state?
[Al-Areed] This is a difficult question, and I have contemplated it a great deal, even before the revolution. However, the building of freedom, of the democratic society, and of the democratic state is not a matter of being, but it is a matter of becoming that includes issues of economics, culture, law, state institutions, and training of the people. When we compare to other experiments, they tell us that they were compelled to a number of five-year plans in order to build a balanced society. The fact is that this is a wager and a challenge over which we have no option other than to proceed forward, and to gain as much time as possible, because it is the road to dignity and progress, and to have a place among the peoples in this era.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] The presence of the army in the Tunisian streets arouses many questions, How do you justify its presence, and is it the result of the inability of security organs to manage the affairs and preserve security in the country?
[Al-Areed] There is something right in what you have said. Indeed the army was present in an intensive way, because after the revolution the security organization on its own was not sufficient, and the army was undertaking a huge security mission, and supporting the security organization. Then the security organization started to regain its strength, role, and mission in a gradual way. Now, the army supports a little and every two or three months the burden is reduced, and the security organization regains control of the street.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Does this mean that you have a clear plan to withdraw the army from the streets?
[Al-Areed]Yes, last summer we nearly lifted the state of emergency completely, which means that the army would withdraw and return to the barracks, but taking into consideration these (hard-line) groups and the push and pull among the parties, we thought that the situation still needed what we have had.
As for 23 October, it is the anniversary of the elections, and a group of parties and societies wanted to put an end to the legitimacy of the state on that day, and we were compelled to pursue the control of the situation with the support of the army; however, the issue ended in a normal way, and no problems occurred. With regard to the term coup d'etat you used, the Tunisian television channels stopped broadcasting due to a technical problem in the broadcasting station, and hence some people linked that to the anniversary of the elections, and some commentators on the social contact websites brought up these rumors. However, all that is happening is that the national army, with our gratitude, is exerting great effort in supporting security according to requirements, and the more the security organization regains its role and its efficiency, the more the army relinquishes this mission, which God willing is taking place.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Is the lack of stability in Tunisia purely due to security reasons, or is the situation being politicized?
[Al-Areed] Part of this is a security issue stemming from the reality of the Tunisian street, as there are those who exploited freedom to commit some types of criminal activities, such as drugs, alcohol, thieving, and other activities. This is purely a criminal part.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Does this mean that the rate of criminal activity has risen recently?
[Al-Areed] It has not risen above the previous rates, but it has risen with regard to the prisoners who had escaped during the revolution; there are a large number of these. We have been able to bring back to prison a large number of them, but there are some who still are at large. We say a real part is a security issue on the basis that it is ordinary criminals, and like in all other countries, they have exploited the freedom, and the weakness of the state at the time of the revolution as the country is recovering gradually.
Another part is due to social reasons, as the people protest because they want development, employment, and projects quickly.
There is another part, which is the political exploitation. Sometimes you find that some social, political, or media sides undertake some kind of mobilization, instigation, and justification of the violent operations, when these operations are hiding under the cover of a social demand, such as a person staging a sit-in demanding employment and then he carries out a violent action, such as highway robbery or setting a security building on fire. As he has been raising the slogan of unemployment, he will find justification, cover, and support from some sides. We say: You can protest by any means, but do not reach the level of violence or anything criminalized by law.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Can we say that some opposition parties are creating security problems, and work to escalate them?
[Al-Areed] I cannot say that they create the problems, but there are some parties that pump into the society an address and practices that contain frightening, incitement, tension, and major political polarization. When you see an individual delivering a speech that defends violence, defends the one who practices violence, calls for releasing him, casts doubt on everything, and says that this is a nihilistic government, such speech contributes to hysteria, but the speech of criticism does not contribute to anything other than construction.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] According to reports, corrupt businessmen from the Ben Ali era are working to overthrow the government. There are also statements by politicians who accuse French Intelligence of helping to fan the fire of the Tunisian situation, and of cooperating with these businessmen. What is your comment?
[Al-Areed] Part of this is true, and it is one of the slogans of the Tunisian revolution against tyranny and corruption. Whenever we advance one step in besieging corruption, there is someone who reacts in various ways, including the incitement of others to act. We receive information about some people who might dispense money to the demonstrators to continue with their rallies, to some people who stage sits-in, and to highway robbers. There are some people, who do not want the combating of corruption to advance, and we know this, and we have expected what will take place, but naturally we are handling the issue gradually.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] The Political Police that operated during the Ben Ali era has been dissolved, how do you do obtain information on the ground?
[Al-Areed]What has been dissolved is the State Security institution, which was known to the Tunisians as the institution that hunted down the politicians, the trade unionists, the artists, the human rights activists, and the journalists, and that made their lives a misery. This organization has been dissolved. As for the information services, which exist in all democratic countries, and which are concerned with the protection of the security of the state so that it is not infiltrated from within or without, and its national security is not threated, such services - the same as in all other countries - are subject to the law and the judiciary, and still are working, but they no longer have anything to do with the personal life of any struggler or partisan work, and are only interested in what affects national security. Because of this, we have been able on many occasions to thwart operations to bring in weapons, or to undertake violent operations, or even terrorist operations. This has been due to the obtaining of information concerned with our national security, and not about the individuals and their personal lives, or the societies and their various activities.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] The state of emergency has been extended for another three years; why is this the case?
[Al-Areed] The principal reason is that we consider that our security situation still requires such state of emergency, according to which the army can come out and help the security. This is because if you lift the state of emergency, the army automatically ought to be in the barracks, but we still need the help of the army, especially in guarding a number of vital installations, and in intervening to support the security forces when this is needed. This is the first reason.
The second reason is the confrontations that take place every now and then against some groups, which are nurtured by the political and even social address, because such interventions require this legal framework to exist in order to be able to deal effectively.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Is there coordination between the security organizations and the army?
[Al-Areed]There is complete integration, joint sessions, and joint planning on a daily basis, and at all central, regional, and local levels. The situation is good.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] How would you explain the continuous tension despite the fact that the government is an elected one?
[Al-Areed] The first reason is that the agenda of the elections date has not been set up in its final draft; it will be set up when it is ratified by the constituent national council. The government has proposed dates, but the constituent national council has not yet ratified the date. There is some ambiguity, which generates some worries.
However, there are three other main reasons. There is the political reason, which is represented by the existence of groups and sides that do not want this government to succeed or work; they want to confuse and exhaust this government, and they want to arrive at the elections and say that the government has not achieved anything.
The second reason is an objective and real reason, namely that the Tunisians would like the development to be achieved quickly, and to find employment, dignity, and prosperity. This is a legitimate reason, but the disagreement is over the time and money required to achieve it. There also are some administrative obstacles, and there is a need to remove the barriers; we have achieved some progress in this field, but the Tunisians want us to progress faster.
The third reason is the groups that commit crimes against the public right. Also there are the hard-line or politicized religious groups, which are considered as criminal as the former groups, but they have a political or religious starting point. This is a phenomenon that exists nearly in all Arab societies, and they were completely suppressed and oppressed before the revolution, but now they are out of control, and we need time to tame them, and also to apply the law to them.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you have anything to add?
[Al-Areed] I would like to reassure all that the overwhelming majority of the people are proceeding on the way to achieve the aims of their revolution, which are freedom, development, and security, and that the Arab Islamic identity of the people is deep-rooted. The people want to open up to all countries, and they want in particular to be integrated with the Arab and Muslim countries. I would like all to know that whatever they hear about situations and conditions - they frequently are portrayed in an exaggerated way - this will not stop us, God willing, from proceeding to achieve these aims.