LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
December 10/2013
Bible Quotation for today/The Example
of Christ's Suffering
01 Peter 02/18 -25: "You
servants must submit yourselves to your masters and show
them complete respect, not only to those who are kind
and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.
God will bless you for this, if you endure the pain of
undeserved suffering because you are conscious of his
will. For what credit is there if you endure the
beatings you deserve for having done wrong? But if you
endure suffering even when you have done right, God will
bless you for it. It was to this that God called you,
for Christ himself suffered for you and left you an
example, so that you would follow in his steps. He
committed no sin, and no one ever heard a lie come from
his lips. When he was insulted, he did not answer
back with an insult; when he suffered, he did not
threaten, but placed his hopes in God, the righteous
Judge. Christ himself carried our sins in his body
to the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for
righteousness. It is by his wounds that you have been
healed. You were like sheep that had lost their
way, but now you have been brought back to follow the
Shepherd and Keeper of your souls.
Pope Francis
If we see someone who needs help, do we
stop? There is so much suffering and poverty, and a
great need for good Samaritans.
Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources For December 10/13
Analysis: A stronger Iran, a weaker America and a region teetering on the
brink /By
ZVI MAZEL/J. Post/December 10/13
Latest News
Reports From Miscellaneous Sources For December 10/13
Lebanese Related News
Sleiman says no reason for Cabinet meeting
Suleiman Urges Formation of Govt. to Hold Presidential Elections Even if it Doesn't Enjoy Confidence
Saudi envoy slams Hezbollah’s accusations as baseless
Aridi Lays Flood Blame on Safadi, Accuses him of Committing Violations
Lebanon to Pay STL Share in Three Installments
Bassil Meets Berri: Oil File Will Only Be Tackled when Mustaqbal Decides so
Rifaat Eid to 'Comply' with Search Warrant when 'Security Circumstances Ripe'
Report: Investigations Reveal Identity of New Suspect in Iranian Embassy Attack
Asiri Shrugs Off Criticism against Riyadh, Praises Suleiman's Rationality
Miqati Seeks to Revive Cabinet, Says Oil Exploration is Top Priority
Berri Supports Decision for Cabinet to Meet to Tackle Vital Issues
Lebanon gearing up for snowfall
Lebanese host breaks world record for on-air time
Maronite Church leading efforts to avoid vacuum
Miscellaneous Reports And News
Iran report: Saudi intelligence chief met Israeli officials in Geneva
Fars report: Saudi intelligence chief met with Israeli counterpart
Hagel says US 'clear-eyed' on Iranian support for terror as Washington tests
Tehran's intentio
Netanyahu says military option 'necessary' on Iran
Israel, Gulf in 'strange alliance' against Iran
Israeli DM, Ya'alon: Every Iranian embassy in the world is a base for terrorism
Israel’s best friend: Stephen Harper
France's Fabius Doubts Breakthrough at Syria Talks
Jihadists Execute Syrian Man for 'Blasphemy'
OPCW: Hard to remove all chemical weapons from Syria by December deadline
Syria Army Secures Damascus-Homs Highway
Syria Opposition Leader Says to Visit Russia
Watchdog Warns of Delay in Moving Syria Chemical Weapons
Palestinians: US ideas for security will lead to 'total failure' of talks
PLO: Palestinians won't accept current proposals from Israel
Analysis: A stronger Iran, a weaker America and a region
teetering on the brink
By ZVI MAZEL 12/09/2013/J. Post
Agreement appears to be another step in America's flight from the Middle East
rather than a genuine effort to stop Iran's rush to nuclear weapons. Three years
ago, in May 2010, the Islamic Republic News Agency of Iran – IRNA – published a
stern, if flowery, warning following a series of incidents involving the Gulf
states. “There is no lion in the region save the one crouching on the shore
opposite the Emirates states,” IRNA said. “He protects his lair, the Persian
Gulf. Those who believe that there is another lion in the area [the United
States], his claws and fangs have been broken in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and
Palestine.
No good can be expected from him or from his hunting forays. He is merely
counting the days until he can find a way to escape when he still can. Iran, the
Emirates and the others countries of the region will forever be neighbors
because of their geographic situation.”Today, those words have become reality.
The Geneva agreement appears to be another step in America’s flight from the
Middle East rather than a genuine effort to stop Iran’s rush to nuclear weapons.
Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries are still reeling.
The special relationship between Washington and Riyadh had been the cornerstone
of America’s policy in the Gulf and the Middle East for nearly a century. The
United States needed Saudi oil and secure export routes through the Gulf. It
supplied the kingdom with sophisticated weapons. The Gulf states believed
themselves safe thanks to this special relationship, which endured for decades.
With the fall of the Shah and the rise of Khomeini in 1979, Iran became the main
threat to the safety of the Gulf while America stood firm against Iranian
subversive activities. That era appears to be coming to an end.
What happened in Geneva came after a series of steps that can only be seen as
demonstrating the overwhelming will of the American president to distance
himself from the region: getting out of Iraq and Afghanistan, with no tangible
success; abandoning Mubarak, backing the Muslim Brothers and even turning his
back on the new Egyptian regime battling radical Islam; zigzagging about Syria;
and recently rumored to be conducting secret talks with Hezbollah and radical
Islamic factions in Syria.Taken together, these steps point to a deliberate
strategy and game changer. The anti-Iranian pragmatic front that united Saudi
Arabia, the Gulf States and Egypt – with Israel as a silent partner – is no
more. It was already seriously weakened when Obama deserted his old ally Mubarak
in January 2011 and hastened his fall.
Geneva was its death knell.
Iran is no longer the enemy of America, which views it as a potential partner in
reshaping the Middle East.
Moreover, the Geneva agreement appears to be the outcome of secret talks between
Teheran and Washington, with the mediation of Oman, leading the Iranians to
grasp that Obama is even more eager to get rid of the issue and distance himself
from the Middle East, something they had long suspected. They were therefore
able to achieve remarkable results. Their nuclear infrastructure remains intact;
the West acknowledges their right to enrich uranium – in stark contradiction
with the six Security Council resolutions in the framework of Article 7 of the
UN Charter – that is, binding resolutions assorted with the threat of sanctions,
including the use of force should they not be acted upon. Considering the spotty
record of Iran in implementing those resolutions, it is doubtful whether it will
do better with the Geneva agreement. That this “preliminary” agreement will be
followed by a final settlement is no less doubtful. In fact, in exchange for
practically no concession from Iran, the United States and the European Union
agreed to unravel the fabric of sanctions that was strangling the Iranian
economy. Had the sanctions been maintained, they might have brought results.
Instead, international companies are eagerly planning their reentry to Iran. It
is a process that will be hard to stop and impossible to reverse.
For Saudi Arabia, the agreement also means that Iran has been given a tacit nod
to pursue its subversive activities in the Gulf. This is a direct threat to the
stability of the kingdom. At home, the opposition that has long been calling for
the establishment of a constitutional monarchy will step up its pressure, while
the Shi’ite minority will clamor for an improved status.
And al-Qaida will renew its attacks.
It must be remembered that Saudi Arabia, being the bulwark of Sunni Islam, is
facing Shi’ite Iran not only in the Gulf states, but in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and
Yemen. This was brought painfully home a few weeks ago when a pro-Iranian
Shi’ite Iraqi militia opened mortar fire on the Saudi border. Riyadh also has
not forgotten the failed assassination attempt of its ambassador to Washington
by Iranian agents.
In addition, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states are no longer sure that America
will maintain its military presence in the area to secure the flow of oil.
Iran is already building on what it sees as a victory of the first order. It
immediately turned to its Gulf neighbors, which are aware of its military and
technological superiority and now feel more exposed than ever.
Teheran hosted the foreign minister of the Emirates while its own foreign
minister, Jawad Zarif, went on a much-publicized tour of the Gulf states. He has
been so far to Kuwait, Qatar, the United Emirates and Oman, and is due to visit
Saudi Arabia. As a peace offering, he stated that his country was ready to
discuss the fate of one of three disputed islands in the Straits of Hormuz, for
years a bone of contention with the Emirates.
However, Zarif did not withdraw another threat, that of invading Bahrain. Nor
did he assuage the fears of the Gulf states concerning its subversive activities
through their Shi’ite minorities. Iran has very much the upper hand in the
area.There could be attempts at dialogue in the coming months, but Saudi Arabia
may be left with no alternative but to start its own nuclear program. At the
same time, the monarchy has had preliminary talks with Russia on the basis of
shared interests, such as fighting the Muslim Brothers and supporting the new
Egyptian regime. Others might develop. As to Egypt, the largest Arab country, it
will in all likelihood also feel it has to develop its own program of nuclear
energy. The new rulers have already stated that they were going to issue a
tender for a first nuclear plant in the Dabaa area, where Mubarak had laid the
cornerstone for four such plants to produce electricity.
The fact that the United States is no longer a stabilizing factor in the Middle
East is preoccupying. It appears to favor subversive radical elements – from
Iran to the Muslim Brotherhood, and even Salafi movements – which detect a
growing Western weakness in this trend. As a result, America’s traditional
allies are deeply worried in spite of US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s efforts
this week in Bahrain to pledge continuing military support.
Russia is making a spectacular comeback in the region while a new race for
nuclear weapons is about to begin.
Israeli DM, Ya'alon: Every Iranian embassy in the world is a base for terrorism
By JPOST.COM STAFF 12/09/2013/Defense Minister says
Iranians have built a terror infrastructure in South America, designed to target
Jews, Israelis; warns that Tehran's ambitions for hegemony in the world make it
doubly important to prevent a nuclear Iran. Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon
warned Monday that every Iranian embassy throughout the world also serves as a
base for gathering intelligence and planning terror activities.
Speaking during a meeting with visiting Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina,
Ya'alon said that Israel was "following with concern all of Iran's activities in
the world, because we have been hit by their terror in Argentina, Bulgaria and
India."Ya'alon accused the Iranians of using the diplomatic mail service to
transfer bombs and weapons. He said that Israel knows of Iranian terror bases in
Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Bolivia, both at their embassies and among the
local Muslim Shi'ite They have built this infrastructure for potential attacks
against Jews, Israelis and Israeli interests, but it is also important to them
as an infrastructure for possible action in the United States, the defense
minister said. Ya'alon charged the Iranians with using drug smuggling channels
to smuggle weapons into the United States, citing the planned assassination of
the Saudi ambassador to Washington two years ago. "This all points to the
intentions of the Iranian regime. The terror infrastructure they are building
throughout the world is giving them ambition for their goal to export their
Shi'ite revolution to the entire world," Ya'alon said.
The defense minister stated the Iranians were involved in every conflict in the
Middle East, as well, and were lending support to every group fighting Israel
and the West. Ya'alon said that the Iranian ambition for hegemony in the region
and in the world makes it doubly important that they not be allowed to obtain a
nuclear weapon. "It's a threat against the stability of the entire world, and
therefore we are insisting that, one way or another, they must never have a
bomb," he added.
Iran report: Saudi intelligence chief met Israeli officials in Geneva
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4462897,00.html
Ynet Published: 12.08.13/Iranian news agency cites reports that Israeli
officials met with director general of Saudi Intelligence Agency in order to
discuss 'containing Iran by any possible means, exercising stronger control over
Syria’s Jihadist forces, sidelining Muslim Brotherhood' Director General of
Saudi Intelligence Agency Bandar bin Sultan met several times with Israeli
officials in Geneva, Iranian news agency Fars reported. The report is based on a
Saudi Twitter account that is "well connected with the inner circles of the
Saudi secret service". According to the tweet, the sides have agreed on a number
of crucial issues, including “containing Iran by any possible means, exercising
stronger control over Syria’s Jihadist forces, sidelining Muslim Brotherhood and
stopping the waves of the Arab spring. Last month, it was reported that Israel
and the Gulf Arab states, led by Saudi Arabia are increasingly finding common
ground – and a common political language – regarding both nations' dismay over
Iran's history-making overtures to Washington and the nuclear talks in Geneva.
"The adage about 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' is playing out over Iran,"
said Theodore Karasik, a security and political affairs analyst at the
Dubai-based Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis. "This situation
opens up some interesting possibilities as it all shakes out." Saudi Arabia,
which generally sets the political tone for the rest of Gulf, also sees Iran as
a dangerous neighbor. The Sunni-ruled Gulf states routinely assail Shiite power
Iran for allegedly backing revolts such as Bahrain's Arab Spring-inspired
uprising or supporting coup plots – although no clear evidence has ever been
made public.
Saudi Arabia and its Gulf partners are deep-pocket customers of US weapons and
aircraft, but also allow the Pentagon extensive footholds in the region,
including the headquarters of the Navy's 5th Fleet in Bahrain. The arrangement
is meant to buy protection from Washington and intimidate Iran.
Israel, Gulf in 'strange alliance' against Iran
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4456175,00.html
Associated Press Published: 11.21.13, 07:/Ynetnews
Talks of emerging deal between Iran, West bring unprecedented public ties
between Israel, Gulf; J'lem sees nuclear Iran as existential threat, Sunni
Persian Gulf find Shiite republic dangerous to region
When US Secretary of State John Kerry made another stop in the Middle East this
month, he received an expected earful over Washington's outreach to Iran: Don't
trust Tehran, tighten sanctions even more, anything short of complete nuclear
concessions is a grave mistake. Kerry's meeting wasn't in Israel, though. It was
in Riyadh, listening to Saudi leaders. In one of the region's oddest pairings,
Israel and the Gulf Arab states led by Saudi Arabia increasingly are finding
common ground – and a common political language – on their mutual dismay over
Iran's history-making overtures to Washington and the prospect of a nuclear deal
in Geneva that could curb Tehran's atomic program but leave the main elements
intact, such as uranium enrichment."The adage about 'the enemy of my enemy is my
friend' is playing out over Iran," said Theodore Karasik, a security and
political affairs analyst at the Dubai-based Institute for Near East and Gulf
Military Analysis. "This situation opens up some interesting possibilities as it
all shakes out."
There seems little chance of major diplomatic breakthroughs between Israel and
the Gulf's array of ruling monarchs and sheiks. But their shared worries over
Iran's influence and ambitions already has brought back-channel contacts and
"intimate relationships" on defense and other strategic interests through forums
such as the UN, said Dan Gillerman, a former Israeli ambassador to the world
body.
The stepped-up anxieties on Iran could bring new space for the Gulf-Israel
overlap.
Egypt's military-backed government, which ousted the Iran-friendly Muslim
Brotherhood, could be an easy fit into a regional bloc standing against Iran and
demanding tougher lines from Washington, which has been roundly criticized by
some for abandoning its longstanding allies in favor of trying to settle the
nuclear standoff with Iran. Egypt's leadership depends on Gulf money as a
lifeline and seeks to rebuild its ties with Israel, whose peace treaty with
Cairo was considered a historical annoyance by the Muslim Brotherhood.
Saudi and other Gulf states are critical money-and-weapons pipelines to Syrian
rebels in a proxy war with Iran, the main Middle East backers of Bashar Assad's
government. Iran's other loyal force, Lebanon's Hezbollah, is also in the mix in
Syria. On Tuesday, an al-Qaeda-linked group claimed it carried out a pair of
suicide bombings at the Iranian Embassy in Beirut that killed 23 people,
including an Iranian diplomat, in an attack that was widely seen as retaliation
against Hezbollah and Lebanon's role in Syria. Israel may now be able to look
more to Saudi assistance and intelligence in efforts to undercut Hezbollah,
which has fired rockets into Israel and waged a 2006 war. Saudi Arabia also gave
important backing the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002 with Israel and could assume
an even greater role in future Israel-Palestinian talks
"A nuclear deal… is likely to intensify behind-the-scene political cooperation
between the Persian Gulf states and Israel, especially when it comes to lobbying
in Washington and in Brussels," said Meir Javedanfar, an Iranian-born political
analyst based in Israel. Already, there have been some curious cross currents by
foes viewing Israel and Saudi Arabia as being on the same page.
After the Beirut bombings, Iran's foreign minister blamed Israel for the
attacks. Hezbollah and Syrian officials, however, indirectly pointed the finger
at Saudi Arabia, which is a leading backer of Syrian rebel factions along with
Gulf ally Qatar. On Monday, the official Saudi Press Agency put out a statement
categorically denying a report in Britain's Sunday Times that the kingdom and
Israel were making "contingencies" for an attack on Iran if diplomacy fails to
make deep cuts in Tehran's nuclear program. It's not difficult, though, for
Middle East commentators to speculate on the meeting of minds between Israel and
Saudi Arabia. The roots of their shared fears over Iran are so similar. Israel
considers a nuclear-armed Iran – or even if it is near that capability – as a
direct threat to its survival after decades of anti-Israel remarks by Iranian
leaders and attacks by Iranian-backed groups such as Hezbollah. Israel also
worries about shifts in the regional balance of power. Israel is believed to
have a nuclear arsenal, but neither confirms nor denies its existence.
Iran denies it seeks nuclear weapons. But any deal with world powers seen as
easing concerns could later be used by Iran to boost calls to ban nuclear arms
across the region – and put pressure on Israel over its presumed nuclear
warheads.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that his country was ready
to "defend itself" if Iran appeared on course to develop a nuclear weapon. Saudi
Arabia, which generally sets the political tone for the rest of Gulf, also sees
Iran as a dangerous neighbor. The Sunni-ruled Gulf states routinely assail
Shiite power Iran for allegedly backing revolts such as Bahrain's Arab
Spring-inspired uprising or supporting coup plots – although no clear evidence
has ever been made public. Saudi Arabia and its Gulf partners are deep-pocket
customers of US weapons and aircraft, but also allow the Pentagon extensive
footholds in the region, including the headquarters of the Navy's 5th Fleet in
Bahrain. The arrangement is meant to buy protection from Washington and
intimidate Iran.
During Kerry's visit this month, he assured Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud
al-Faisal that Washington's "deep relationship" is solid and enduring. But there
was no mistaking Saudi Arabia's lingering anger over the US decision to back off
on possible military strikes on the Iranian-backed Syrian government over its
suspected use of chemical weapons in August. Instead, Washington sided with a
Russian-drafted plan to collect and dismantle Assad's chemical stockpile. Saudi
Arabia is a main backer of the Syrian rebels fighters through aid channels
believed overseen by Saudi intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan. Shortly
before Kerry's trip, Saudi Arabia snubbed a seat on the UN Security Council in
an unprecedented protest mostly aimed at US policies in the Middle East. "We
have a common enemy, Iran, and we have shared disappointments from our allies,
mainly the United States, something that created a somewhat strange alliance
between Israel and the Gulf states," said Gillerman, the former diplomat. Gulf
leaders keep a cool distance in public from Israel, but it's not been a total
separation.
The boldest link so far has been from Qatar – home base of the influential
pan-Arab network Al-Jazeera – that allowed an Israel trade office until it was
closed after Israel's attacks on Gaza beginning in late 2008. Israeli passport
holders are generally banned from entering Gulf countries because of no
diplomatic relations, but exceptions have been made for athletes and selected
international conferences. Still, there are sensitivities. Last month, Israeli
flags were edited from some TV coverage of World Cup swimming competition in
Qatar. Israel's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Yigal Palmor, said Israelis seeking
to travel to the Gulf are likely to rely on a second passport if they are dual
nationals. Uzi Dayan, a former Israeli deputy chief of staff and national
security adviser, said Israel is singled out as the main alarmist over Iran's
nuclear program, but the Sunni Arabs in the Gulf, Egypt and elsewhere are just
as galvanized in opposition. "There are more actors and participants than what
you hear. We choose to do it from the main stage in a loud voice," Dayan told
Israel's Army Radio.
Funeral for top Hezbollah commander marches in Sidon
December 09, 2013/ By Mohammed Zaatari The Daily Star /SIDON,
Lebanon: Hezbollah held a funeral procession in the suburb of the coastal city
of Sidon Monday for a top military commander who was killed in Syria a day
earlier. The procession was led by Hezbollah MP Ali Fayyad, the Imam of Haret
Sayda Sheikh Abdel-Hussein Abdallah and a Hezbollah Commander, Ali Daoun. Ali
Bazzi's coffin was carried on the shoulders of Hezbollah members as the
commander's friends fired shots in the air. The large procession prompted the
Lebanese Army to deploy at the northern entrance of the city and in several
neighborhoods leading to Haret Sayda.
Sidon is the home of fugitive Salafi-labelled Sheikh Ahmad Assir who was a
staunch critic of Hezbollah and its involvement in the Syrian crisis. Assir and
his supporters were engaged in deadly armed clashes against the Army in
June.Bazzi is originally from the southern town of Bint Jbeil but his family
moved to Sidon decades ago. His father owns a shoe shop in the area. A Lebanese
security source told The Daily Star Sunday that Bazzi was killed in a combat
zone. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Hezbollah fighters
were killed during battles in Nabk, one of the last rebel-held areas in the
Qalamoun region bordering Lebanon.
Hezbollah-backed regime forces have launched a military campaign to root out
rebel forces in Qalamoun, near the border with Lebanon. Residents of southern
Lebanon said Sunday that two other Hezbollah fighters – Ali Saleh and Qassem
Ghamloush – were also killed in Syria Sunday and buried.
Lebanon to Pay STL Share in Three
Installments
Naharnet Newsdesk 09 December 2013/Caretaker Prime Minister Najib
Miqati said on Monday that cabinet will pay Lebanon's share to fund the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon in installments. “The exceptional approval came in light of
our commitment to the STL,” Miqati said in comments published in As Safir
newspaper. A ministerial source told the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat that President
of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Sir Judge David Baragwanath agreed with
senior Lebanese officials during his recent visit to Beirut that the state will
pay it's share in three installments. Miqati said in May that his cabinet cannot
pay Lebanon's share of the STL funding. He had continuously argued that a
caretaker cabinet can not take such a decision, however, the funding “
exceptional approval” was taken after talks with President Michel Suleiman.
Miqati told As Safir that “when the STL sent the request, the matter was
referred to the finance ministry that said payments will be met but in
installments.”“The President and I endorsed the finance ministry's request and
it is carrying out the necessary measures to pay Lebanon's share,” Miqati told
the newspaper. The daily quoted him as saying: “The matter is over and took its
normal course.” Lebanon is obligated to pay around $33 million, which is 49
percent of the STL's budget. The tribunal was formed in 2009 to investigate the
suicide attack that killed Hariri and 22 others in Beirut in February 2005. For
his part, Finance Minister Mohammed al-Safadi said in comments published in An
Nahar newspaper on Monday that Lebanon will transfer its share during the
upcoming week. In October, al-Safadi called on Miqati to “exceptionally” approve
the funding of the STL despite the resignation of the cabinet.
Suleiman Urges Formation of Govt. to
Hold Presidential Elections Even if it Doesn't Enjoy Confidence
Naharnet Newsdesk 09 December 2013/President Michel Suleiman
stressed on Monday that the presidential elections will be staged as scheduled
in spring 2014.He therefore demanded the “formation of a government that can
hold the elections, regardless if it does not enjoy parliament's confidence.”He
rejected however the formation of a “de facto government.”Suleiman's six-year
term ends in May, but there are fears that the differences between the March 8
and 14 camps would lead to a vacuum in the country's top post. Addressing
demands to hold a cabinet session to tackle the petroleum file, Suleiman said:
“This issue alone is not enough to convene government.”
“I have not yet received a request from caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati to
call cabinet to session,” he revealed. Moreover, he remarked that convening
parliament to extend the term of any official “is not justified.”
Speaker Nabih Berri expressed on Monday all-out support for the cabinet to hold
a session to tackle the delicate situation in the country and the petroleum
file. Miqati had told several newspaper on Monday that he is mulling to hold a
cabinet session after Lebanon remained without a new government for more than
seven months, and he did not rule out putting two controversial oil decrees on
its agenda. He added that oil and gas exploration was at the top of the
priorities list. Caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil had been urging him to
invite ministers for a session to approve two decrees that call for demarcating
10 maritime oil exploration blocks and setting up a revenue-sharing model.
Delays in issuing the decrees could postpone offshore drilling and exploration.
The main point of contention lied in Miqati who argued that the constitution did
not authorize him to hold a session for that purpose and insisted that it lacked
political consensus.
Sleiman says no reason for Cabinet meeting
December 09, 2013/The Daily Star /BEIRUT: President
Michel Sleiman said Monday there was no reason to hold a Cabinet meeting and
called for the speedy formation of a government to elect a new head of state.
“I don’t yet see a need to convene a Cabinet session,” Sleiman told reporters at
Baabda Palace. Sleiman's remarks come days after caretaker Prime Minister Najib
Mikati said he was mulling the possibility of convening a Cabinet session to
address people's growing needs. A ministerial source told The Daily Star Sunday
that Mikati was consulting with the president over the issue which was staunchly
opposed by the March 14 coalition.
The source also said that it was too early to say whether the resigned Cabinet,
dominated by the March 8 group, would convene. Sleiman also dismissed as
“unconstitutional” a legislative session to extend the mandate of the
president’s term. “Presidential elections will take place and there will be a
new head of state,” the president whose term expires in May 2014 said.
Lebanon has been crippled by a political stalemate linked to the Syrian crisis
as Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam struggle to form a new Cabinet in light
of conditions and counter-conditions. Sleiman also called for the formation of a
government that would oversee presidential elections “even if it [the new
Cabinet] wasn’t granted a vote of confidence."In separate remarks Monday during
a meeting with a delegation from the Press Association, Sleiman stressed the
need for lawmakers to attend a Parliamentary meeting to elect a new head of
state.
Asiri Shrugs Off Criticism against
Riyadh, Praises Suleiman's Rationality
Naharnet Newsdesk 09 December 2013/Saudi Ambassador Ali Awadh
Asiri shrugged off the criticism against Riyadh over its stances from the
region's turmoil, and praised President Michel Suleiman over his keenness on
Lebanon's relations with Arab countries. Suleiman's stances “come out of his
keenness on Lebanon's historic ties with its Arab neighbors and Saudi Arabia,”
Asiri said. Suleiman has on several occasions emphasized the need to distance
Lebanon from the conflict in Syria and halt the involvement of Lebanese fighters
in the unrest due to its heavy repercussions on Lebanon. Asiri described
the president's stances as “patriotic and rational.” “The media campaign and
fabrications that were launched by some sides to attack the kingdom are not
based on political evidence,” Asiri told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat in remarks
published on Monday. “We know that some of them participated in that campaign
out of fear from their allies and not out of conviction,” he said. Asiri
reiterated that Riyadh's ties with Beirut stem from the brotherly relations
between the two countries' peoples. Saudi Arabia is also keen on the stability
and security of Lebanon, he said. “No one can tarnish the truth behind its role
or harm its ties with Lebanon to serve a foreign party." The ambassador was
referring to Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who last week said
militants linked to Riyadh were behind the deadly attack on the Iranian embassy.
Nasrallah said that militants with links to the Saudi intelligence were involved
in the double suicide bombings that targeted the mission in Beirut's southern
suburbs last month. The attack, which was carried out by a Lebanese and a
Palestinian and which left scores of casualties, including an Iranian diplomat,
was linked to Riyadh's hostility to Iran, he said. Asiri regretted that such
accusations were the result of “divisions within the ranks” of certain parties.
He advised them to “avoid the embarrassment” they caused to themselves due to
their campaigns.
Berri Supports Decision for Cabinet to
Meet to Tackle Vital Issues
Naharnet Newsdesk 09 December 2013/Speaker Nabih Berri expressed
all-out support for the cabinet to hold a session to tackle the delicate
situation in the country and the petroleum file.
“I don't want to precede the matter before I hold talks with (Caretaker Prime
Minister Najib) Miqati, but in principle, I support the holding of a cabinet
session,” Berri told As Safir newspaper on Monday.
He noted that any extraordinary cabinet session should tackle the petroleum file
and the security situation in an attempt to eliminate the tension and maintain
stability, in particular, in the northern city of Tripoli. Concerning the
cabinet formation process, Berri told the newspaper that the 6-9-9 formula is in
favor of the March 14 alliance. “It's enough that (Prime Minister-designate
Tammam Salam) sympathizes with them, which is an enough guarantee for them to
convince them to participate in any cabinet line-up,” Berri said.
Premier-designate Tammam Salam was appointed in April but has so far been unable
to put together a government over the conditions and counter conditions set by
the rivals parties. “They have no excuse to reject the this formula unless they
don't have the freedom to take a decision,” Berri added. Asked about Lebanese
Forces leader Samir Geagea's statements that the speaker is demanded to hold a
parliamentary session to ensure that a new president is elected within
constitutional time-frame and to call on his Development and Liberation bloc
lawmakers to attend the session, Berri said that his “MPs participate in all the
session that he calls for.” He wondered why the other blocs don't attend the
sessions that he had called for, expressing hope that they would attend the
session set to be held on December 18. Suleiman's six-year term ends in May but
there are fears that the differences between the March 8 and 14 camps would lead
to a vacuum in the country's top post. The session that Berri has been calling
for for the past few months is set to discuss 45 items on its agenda, the same
session that has been boycotted for six times since July over differences on
whether the parliament can convene amid a resigned government or not.
Miqati Seeks to Revive Cabinet, Says Oil Exploration is Top Priority
Naharnet Newsdesk 09 December 2013/Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati is
mulling to hold a cabinet session after Lebanon remained without a new
government for more than seven months, and did not rule out putting two
controversial oil decrees on its agenda. In remarks to several local newspapers
published on Monday, Miqati said: “A caretaker (cabinet) usually stays for a
short time. But we have entered the eighth month and nothing indicates that we
wouldn't stay in a resigned status for the ninth and 10th month and maybe
more.”“This requires certain steps and initiatives,” he said. Miqati has
launched a series of consultations with top officials to find the appropriate
time to hold a cabinet session in a way that would not provoke any party. The
caretaker PM had been refusing to hold sessions, stressing that such a move was
unconstitutional. But he seems to have shifted from his stance, saying “I am
very serious in reviving cabinet sessions and I don't think that there is any
legal or constitutional hindrance to (exercise) my full authorities.” “Let the
government play its role and take the appropriate decisions on all necessary and
urgent issues pending the formation of a new cabinet,” he said.
Premier-designate Tammam Salam has so far failed to come up with a line-up,
blaming the rival March 8 and 14 camps that are putting conditions and
counter-conditions on his proposals. Miqati also told the newspapers that oil
and gas exploration was at the top of the priorities list. Caretaker Energy
Minister Jebran Bassil had been urging him to invite ministers for a session to
approve two decrees that call for demarcating 10 maritime oil exploration blocks
and setting up a revenue-sharing model. Delays in issuing the decrees could
postpone offshore drilling and exploration.
The main point of contention lied in Miqati who argued that the constitution did
not authorize him to hold a session for that purpose and insisted that it lacked
political consensus. But in his remarks to the dailies, Miqati did not rule out
putting the decrees on the agenda of a session and “hoped for a consensus on the
vital issue” because “it requires more consolations” among the different
parties. “I don't think anyone is against oil (exploration) … but I want to
study the issue from all its aspects because some (parties) have (expressed)
reservations,” he said.
Report: Investigations Reveal Identity of New Suspect in
Iranian Embassy Attack
Naharnet Newsdesk 09 December 2013/Investigations in the double
suicide attack on the Iranian embassy in Bir Hassan in the southern Beirut
suburbs unveiled the identity of a new suspect, who allegedly is said to be the
connection between the suicide bombers and the plotters. According to al-Akhbar
newspaper published on Monday, 24-year-old Sheikh Bahaa Eddine H. is suspected
to be the link between the two suicide bombers and the side that planned the
explosion. The whereabouts of Sheikh Bahaa is unknown and investigators believe
that he has close ties with Sheikh Sirajeddine Zuraiqat, the leader of the
Abdullah Azzam brigades, an al-Qaida affiliate that claimed responsibility for
the suicide attacks. The group said group it was targeting the Iran-backed by
Hizbullah, which is fighting alongside President Bashar Assad's troops against
Sunni-led rebels in neighboring Syria.
The report also said that Sheikh Bahaa had close ties with Moein Abu Dahr, one
of the two suicide attackers behind last month's explosion that hit the Iranian
Embassy. Sheikh Bahaa, hails from the Ain el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp.
Gen. Sobhi Abu Arab, the head of the Palestinian National Security Forces in
Lebanon, expressed surprise in comments published in al-Akhbar that Sheikh Bahaa
is allegedly involved in the attack on the Iranian Embassy. Abou Arab said that
he received phone call s from Lebanese security agencies calling for his
cooperation to hand over Sheikh Bahaa. He stressed that the father of Sheikh
Bahaa stressed that his son is innocent but contacting him to convince him to
hand himself over to the security agencies. Sources told the newspaper that
Sheikh Bahaa is still at the Ain el-Hilweh camp. Lebanese authorities had
identified the two men who launched the double suicide attack on the Iranian
embassy in Bir Hassan in the southern Beirut suburbs in November. The southern
city of Sidon was the home of Moein Abu Dahr, the Lebanese bomber in the deadly
attack in the Bir Hassan neighborhood of Beirut's southern suburbs. Abu Dahr's
father told authorities he believed his son was involved after the army released
a photograph of one of the suicide attackers. A DNA test identified his son as
the bomber. The other is Adnan Mohammed, a Palestinian from the Ain el-Hilweh
refugee camp. Mohammed lived in Zahrani near Sidon. Both men are staunch
supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir.
Rifaat Eid to 'Comply' with Search Warrant when 'Security
Circumstances Ripe'
Naharnet Newsdesk 09 December 2013/Arab Democratic Party
politburo chief Rifaat Eid has said he would comply with a subpoena over recent
warnings he made against members of the Internal Security Forces Intelligence
Branch. In remarks to As Safir daily published on Monday, Eid said he “will
comply” with the search and investigation warrant issued against him and face
the court when the circumstances allow him to do so. “I know that his warrant
has been issued under a very huge political pressure. But when the security
circumstances are ripe, I will head to Beirut to give the judiciary all the
information I have.” First Military Examining Magistrate Riyad Abu Ghida was
handed on Monday the file of charges made against Eid by State Commissioner to
the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr. He will study them to take the appropriate
measures. Eid's party takes the Jabal Mohsen district of the northern city of
Tripoli as its stronghold. During a news conference last month, Eid said the
Information Branch has made the shedding of the blood of the Alawites
permissible, therefore it is also allowed to shed their blood. Lebanese
authorities have arrested several members of the pro-Assad Arab Democratic Party
on suspicion they were involved in the August bombings of Sunni mosques. They
have summoned the group's leader and Rifaat's father, Ali Eid, for questioning.
But he has refused to go to the Intelligence Branch, saying he did not trust it
to be impartial.
Aridi Lays Flood Blame on Safadi,
Accuses him of Committing Violations
Naharnet Newsdesk 09 December 2013/Caretaker Public Works and
Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi accused the caretaker Finance Minister on Monday
of obstructing the allocation of funds for public works throughout the country,
including the cleaning of sewers ahead of the winter season. “I reiterate that I
assume responsibility for anything related to the public works ministry,” Aridi
said during a lengthy press conference he held at his office after being
criticized of neglect when roads were swamped with rainwater last week. “I am in
the service of the people and no matter what is said (about me), I will not
change,” he said. Aridi apologized from the people who spent hours on the roads
when several Beirut neighborhoods and the capital's suburbs were flooded because
drains were not cleared. He also thanked journalists, reporters, photographers
and their media outlets for following up what happened, saying “I accept from
you everything even if they are harmful or are not right.” Aridi apologized for
not answering his phone when roads were blocked with rainwater. But he said that
he hadn't been making appearances for a long time.
He stressed however that the public works ministry had no ties to the latest
floods. Aridi said that he asked caretaker Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi on
May 3 for the appropriation of funds that had already been approved by the
cabinet in 2012, before its resignation. “Safadi reacted positively to my
request,” he said, adding the minister approved them a few days later. But on
Sept. 2, Aridi claimed that he received a notice of non-approval. He showed
reporters at his office the documents proving his claims. “During the period
between May and September, we had already called in contractors” to begin works
throughout Lebanon, he told reporters.
Aridi said his ministry has until now been allocated in 2013 more than LL3
billion only despite its request for LL61 billion. Aridi also said that he had
asked the cabinet for the renewal of contracts to deal with rainwater on the
streets. But during a session, the finance minister objected, saying there had
been a 2 billion embezzlement in the public works ministry. “At that point, I
asked Safadi if he was the thief or he was covering up for the thieves,” Aridi
said. “Safadi later apologized to me,” Aridi added, but he accused him of
committing a series of violations when Safadi was public works minister before
him. But Safadi told al-Jadeed TV that the accusations made against him by Aridi
were not true. The campaign against me is political, he said.
Bassil Meets Berri: Oil File Will Only
Be Tackled when Mustaqbal Decides so
Naharnet Newsdesk 09 December 2013/Caretaker Energy Minister Jebran
Bassil stated on Monday that the possibility of holding a cabinet session to
address the oil and gas exploration file lies in the hands of the Mustaqbal
Movement. He said: “This issue will only be addressed when the March 14 camp,
mainly the Mustaqbal Movement, decides so.”He made his remarks after holding
talks at Ain el-Tineh with Speaker Nabih Berri. Moreover, the minister accused
caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati of seeking to appease the March 14 camp
through refraining from calling cabinet to address the pending issues. “Miqati,
first and foremost, caters to his interests with the Mustaqbal Movement,”
explained Bassil to reporters. “We no longer need President Michel Suleiman and
Miqati to tackle the oil file because it is in the hands of the March 14 camp,”
he lamented. “We have grown bored with repeating these demands and we leave it
up to the people to judge the officials,” he added. “I leave it to the president
and caretaker premier to judge how important it is to tackle the oil and gas
exploration file, which will help ease the burden off the people's shoulders,”
said Bassil. Earlier on Monday, Berri had expressed support for the cabinet to
hold a session to tackle the petroleum file. Miqati had told several newspaper
on Monday that he is mulling to hold a cabinet session after Lebanon remained
without a new government for more than seven months, and he did not rule out
putting two controversial oil decrees on its agenda. He added that oil and gas
exploration was at the top of the priorities list. Bassil had been urging him to
invite ministers for a session to approve two decrees that call for demarcating
10 maritime oil exploration blocks and setting up a revenue-sharing model.
Delays in issuing the decrees could postpone offshore drilling and exploration.
The main point of contention lied in Miqati who argued that the constitution did
not authorize him to hold a session for that purpose and insisted that it lacked
political consensus.
Israel’s best friend: Stephen Harper
The Prime Minister’s support seems less strategic than a
reflection of his deeply held personal beliefs
By Nick Taylor-Vaisey | Maclean's/Stephen Harper looked ever so relaxed,
standing among friends, as he spoke to thousands assembled for a glitzy annual
gala at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Dec. 1. He strode across the
stage in an untucked black shirt and slacks, a wardrobe giveaway that he would
perform with Herringbone, the Harper-led musical act that informally serves as
the Conservative party’s house band. Harper spoke for several minutes without
notes—a relative rarity for the Prime Minister—and the crowd reciprocated with
an immediate, and prolonged, standing ovation. Then, the Prime Minister played a
few tunes. The warmth in the room was palpable as the Jewish National Fund feted
Harper at its Negev Dinner, as thanks for his long-standing and unapologetic
defence of the Israeli cause.
Conservatives won the support of 52 per cent of Jewish voters during the last
federal election, a departure from prior elections stretching back for decades.
Conservative politicians have coalesced behind the Prime Minister, and now stand
in lockstep with his stridently pro-Israel agenda. Tim Hudak, Ontario’s
Opposition leader, leapt to his feet when Harper announced that he would visit
the Middle East in 2014. Julian Fantino, the veterans affairs minister, beamed
as the Prime Minister belted out the words to the Who’s restless hit, The
Seeker. Karen Stintz, a Toronto mayoral candidate set to take on Ford Nation,
soaked in the festivities. Harper, who almost never pours his heart out in
public, acknowledged that the affair was “a show of affection and love,” and
assured the crowd the feeling was mutual. The people behind the gala made one
thing clear: No longer are Jews nervous about voting Conservative.
Palestinians: US ideas for security
will lead to 'total failure' of talks
Published: 12.09.13 / Ynetnews/Senior PLO official slams US
secretary of state's suggestions for Israel's security, claiming Kerry 'only
wants to win over the Israelis and allow settlement expansion at our expense' US
proposals for Israel's security presented by Secretary of State John Kerry will
lead to the "total failure" of peace talks with Israel, a senior Palestinian
official told AFP on Monday. "These ideas will drive Kerry's efforts to an
impasse and to total failure because he is treating our issues with a high
degree of indifference," said Yasser Abed Rabbo, a top official with the
Palestine Liberation Organization, referring to the US diplomat's proposals on
future security arrangements in the Jordan Valley. "(Kerry) only wants to win
over the Israelis and (allow) settlement expansion at our expense, under the
guise of Israel's security by placing the Jordan Valley under Israeli control."
Abed Rabbo charged. "There is also talk of a framework agreement," said
Abed Rabbo, secretary general of the Executive Committee of the Organization for
the Liberation of Palestine (PLO).
"Who said we wanted a framework agreement? We want complete independence and to
resolve all final status issues, under the (previous) agreements and
international law," he said, noting that Kerry is committed reaching a final
agreement.His remarks were made just days after Kerry's latest visit to the
region, which focused squarely on Israel's security needs in any future peace
deal.
Proposals laid out by Kerry and his security adviser General John Allen were
reportedly welcomed by the Israelis but were coldly dismissed by the
Palestinians, with one official describing them as "very bad ideas which we
cannot accept". Acknowledging Israel's concerns that handing over
territory to form part of a Palestinian state could make it vulnerable to
attack, Kerry said at the time he had offered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
"some thoughts about that particular security challenge" but did not elaborate.
Commentators said the proposals would allow Israel to maintain a military
presence in the Jordan Valley, which runs down the eastern flank of the West
Bank, a move completely rejected by the Palestinians. Israel currently has
military control of the West Bank and does not want to give it up. But a
possible part of the US plan could call for stationing international forces
along the West Bank border with Jordan, although officials on all sides have
refused to discuss the details. It's also possible that Israel would be in
control of the international forces, in an uneasy compromise to try to appease
both sides.
Saban Forum: Speaking at the Brookings Institution’s Saban Forum, Kerry said
General John Allen – who is the US Middle East security envoy – was working
closely with Israeli security officials.“He is helping us make sure that the
border on the Jordan River will be as strong as any in the world, so that there
will be no question about the security of the citizens, Israelis and
Palestinians, living to the west of it,” Kerry said.
“Never before has the United States conducted such an in-depth analysis of
Israel’s security requirements that arise from a two-state solution,” Kerry
said. Also speaking at the Saban Forum, US President Barack Obama said that he
and Allen had spoken and agreed that “that it was possible to create a two-state
solution that preserves Israel’s core security needs.” But Obama noted: “That’s
his conclusion, but ultimately he’s not the decision-maker here, Prime Minister
Netanyahu and the Israeli military and intelligence folks have to make that
determination.”Kerry said more than 160 US experts were coordinating with the
Palestinians and the Jordanians as well as Israelis and running multiple
scenarios, including future border issues and terrorism, to pinpoint Israel’s
needs.He described the process as a “critical threading of the needle that needs
to happen. What we put on the table is deadly serious, real.”