LCCC NEWS BULLETIN
APRIL 7/06

Below news from the Daily Star for 7/04/06
Cabinet votes to cut international calling rates up to 40 percent
Southerners who fled after Israel's withdrawal set to return with promise of fair hearing
'Kenaan used ransom to buy apartment'
Hizbullah takes offense at Rice's latest jibe
Unrecognized change fermenting in dialogue
Diplomatic community holds series of meetings with Lebanese officials
Minister stresses need to combat animal diseases
One small step for the U.S, one giant leap for Lebanon's sovereignty
Youth projects for a better Lebanon
Environment Ministry to administer new regulations for quarries
Warning strike' closes public schools
Venezuelan slayings shock Lebanon
Chinese prepare for UNIFIL role

Below news from miscellaneous sources for 7/04/06
Rice: Lebanon's Biggest Problem is Hizbullah-Naharnrt
Israeli Military Prepares for Possible Attacks in Golan and From Hizbullah-Naharnet
Government Discusses Reform During a Sober Cabinet Session-Naharnet
Le Figaro: Ransom Paid to Free German Hostages Earned Kanaan a Paris Flat-Naharnet
Families of Former SLA Militiamen to Return to Lebanon Soon-Naharnet
Hezbollah Radio Shut Down, Removed From French And Spanish pipeline news
Democracy and Stability in the Middle East-National Ledger
Hezbollah's pioneering Media warriors-Alarab online
Events Try to Make Dent in Anti-Israel Feeling-Jewish Exponent
Salafi-Jihadist movement a new gorce in Lebanon-ISN - Zurich, Switzerland
Jibril in Beirut-By: Abdullah Iskandar Al-Haya
Knesset approves grants to SLA families-Jerusalem Post

Knesset okays grants to SLA families
By JPOST.COM STAFF
Apr. 6, 2006 18:06 | Updated Apr. 6, 2006 20:32
The Knesset Finance Committee approved on Thursday the payment of NIS 40,000 per family to South Lebanese Army veterans, expressing the state's appreciation for the soldiers' service to Israel. A first payment of NIS 11,000 was expected to be granted to 600 families already on Thursday, Israel Radio reported. The complete sum was to be paid over the course of seven years. In addition, the committee approved the payment of three salaries to former SLA soldiers for every year of service. MK Isaac Herzog remarked that by compensating the Lebanese soldiers Israel was doing justice to those who had been its allies during the difficult years [of fighting] in southern Lebanon. During the Lebanon War, the South Lebanese Army, a Christian militia, allied itself with Israel in its fight against Hizbullah. When Israel pulled its forces out of Lebanon in May 2000, SLA fighters and their families' lives were endangered due to their cooperation with Israel. Soon after the Israeli pullout, nearly all the soldiers and their families escaped from Lebanon. Some of them emigrated to Israel, while others relocated to other countries. Upon arriving in Israel, many of the families encountered various hardships, including high unemployment and poor living conditions. Some of them moved back to Lebanon after Hizbullah promised that they would not be harmed.

One small step for the U.S., one giant leap for Lebanon's sovereignty
Friday, April 07, 2006-Editorial- Daily Star
Since assuming the helm at the U.S. State Department, Condoleezza Rice has shown considerable interest in Lebanon, a country whose sovereignty she has many times defended. On Tuesday, Rice told a U.S. congressional committee that Lebanon's biggest problem now is Hizbullah and its ties with Syria and Iran. While defending U.S. plans to finance democracy-promotion operations in Iran, Rice cited the Islamic Republic's backing of Hizbullah as an example of Tehran's interference in another country's sovereign affairs. Rice's expressed concern for Lebanon's sovereignty is welcome. But while the secretary is accurate to point out that both Iran and Syria have meddled in Lebanese affairs, she neglected to mention a third party, whose interference in Lebanon has been far more deadly and costly to the Lebanese. That third party, whose ongoing violations of Lebanese sovereignty U.S. officials have failed to criticize, is Israel.
Indeed it can be argued that Hizbullah, more than being a product of Iranian or Syrian interference, is Israel's own creation. The resistance movement was born out Israel's deadly invasion and even deadlier 22-year occupation of Lebanon. Hizbullah's legitimacy as a resistance movement is currently buttressed by the fact that Israel's occupation and incursions have not yet ended. Israeli troops still patrol the Shebaa Farms and Israeli warplanes still violate Lebanese airspace on nearly a daily basis. As long as Israel has free license to occupy and invade Lebanese territory, the Lebanese resistance remains justifiable.
If U.S. officials really wanted to protect Lebanon's sovereignty, they would defend the Lebanese against unnecessary Israeli aggression. The Lebanese, and even this newspaper, have repeatedly called upon the U.S. to create a diplomatic barrier for the Lebanese in the face of Israeli aggression by urging the Jewish state to halt its illegal and provocative incursions. Israel has won U.S. support for its separation barrier, a 670-kilometer wall of concrete and razor wire that has created considerable hardships for the Palestinians. The Lebanese are not asking for any concrete or barbed wire; rather, they want just a word - even a whisper - of condemnation against Israel's incursions. Such a simple gesture would be a welcome as a genuine show of support for Lebanon's sovereignty.

Diplomatic community holds series of meetings with Lebanese officials
U.S. Embassy slams syria for 'cynical attempt to interfere'
By Karine Raad -Daily Star staff- Friday, April 07, 2006
BEIRUT: Lebanon's diplomatic scene was a beehive of activity Thursday as ambassadors from the United States, Russia, Italy and South Korea held meetings with Lebanese officials and religious leaders on recent political developments. U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman condemned the reported issuance of warrants by a Syrian military court for MP Walid Jumblatt, Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamade and journalist Fares Khashan to appear for questioning. The warrants were said to be based on charges of "inciting the U.S. administration to occupy Syria" and "defaming" Damascus by holding it responsible for the assassinations and bombings in Lebanon last year. A statement released by the U.S. Embassy said "this is yet another cynical attempt by the Syrian government to continue its interference in the Lebanese political process and its crude attempts to intimidate the Lebanese people and their political leaders." "The UN Security Council has repeatedly called for full Syrian cooperation with the investigation [into the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri] in Resolutions 1636 and 1644," it added. "We reiterate the need for Syria to comply with commissioner [Serge] Brammertz's request for interviews with Syrian officials."
Crediting Lebanon for its accomplishments over the past year, the statement said "though much remains to be done, the forces of repression will not stifle the voices of freedom, and the Lebanese people have shown the tenacity to prevail. "The United States and the international community stand with the Lebanese people as they work to reassert their independence and strengthen their democracy, and we support their call for national dignity, truth and justice." The international community should continue to hold the Syrian regime accountable, it continued, until Damascus responds to concerns over its "responsiveness to the UN Investigation Commission, interference in Lebanon, insufficient action on the Iraqi border, sponsorship on Palestinian terrorist groups, and its harsh crackdown on civil society," the statement said. Meanwhile, Russian Ambassador Sergei Boukin met with Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh to request Beirut's support for Russia's candidacy during an election of Human Rights Council members on May 8, in New York. Boukin also used the meeting to reiterate Moscow's full support for the national dialogue, saying Russia hoped the Lebanese community will reach a nationwide consensus on the remaining issues. The meeting also covered the international donor's conference to support economic and political reforms in Lebanon.
Boukin further noted that many of the remaining points in the dialogue are also on the Security Council's agenda, upon Lebanon's request. "Naturally, Russia is compelled to be active in its dialogue with all political groups in Lebanon to be informed about the developments in the country," he said.
However, the Russian ambassador stressed that Moscow did not wish to interfere with Lebanon's internal affairs, especially concerning the Shebaa Farms and the delimitation of the Lebanon-Syrian borders. He also highlighted the need to implement Security Council resolutions and preserve stability, calm and civil peace. Commenting on the level of security in South Lebanon, Boukin said Russia's position was the same as that of the Security Council. "We urge both parties, ie Israel and Lebanon, to exert all efforts to preserve stability along the Blue Line."
In further diplomatic activity, Italian Ambassador Franco Mistretta met with senior Shiite cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, who highlighted the responsibility of the European Union concerning regional issues, particularly the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Fadlallah criticized the "European silence" regarding the recent Israeli attack on the Jericho Prison and the "ongoing repression and killings." He further expressed surprise at the EU's failure to step out of the United States' shadow concerning Israel's actions. Also Wednesday, Minister of State for Administrative Reform Jean Hogassapian met with South Korean Ambassador Xian Jin Park to promote bilateral relations and exchange expertise.
The minister also updated the ambassador on the status of the reform paper in an attempt to rally support for the proposed aid conference. Hogassapian said that the paper will be endorsed after an agreement is reached by the Lebanese, and will then be submitted to donor states. The paper "is expected to lay the foundations of a new economy that will kickstart growth and productivity, which would reduce public deficit and the burdens of citizens," Hogassapian said.

Southerners who fled after Israel's withdrawal set to return with promise of fair hearing
By Rym Ghazal -Daily Star staff-Friday, April 07, 2006
BEIRUT: Some 60 Lebanese who fled to Israel during the Israeli withdrawal from South Lebanon in May 2000 will be returning to Lebanon in accordance with a February understanding between Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement. "The understanding between Hizbullah and the FPM has removed the psychological obstacles that have stalled the return of Lebanese from occupied Palestine," said FPM member Gibran Bassil on Thursday.
Two months ago, Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Michel Aoun announced a 10-point joint statement of cooperation pledging that Lebanese who had fled to Israel in the aftermath of the May 2000 liberation of South Lebanon would be treated "fairly" by the Lebanese judicial system if they chose to come home.
Bassil said that Hizbullah and the FPM have completed all the necessary paperwork and legal procedures required for the return of Lebanese citizens "who have not received any sentences in absentia," mainly the elderly, women and children.
"These people fled to Israel out of fear and should not fear coming back as conditions have changed in Lebanon. Now we have an independent judiciary that functions justly and freely and will assist in the return of those concerned and respect their rights," said Bassil. The first batch of 10 people is expected to arrive in Lebanon before Easter, with a larger group expected to return in mid-May. Most of those set to return are relatives of several hundred former soldiers and officers in the Israeli-allied South Lebanon Army. The SLA fighters fled with their families to Israel in 2000 for fear of reprisal attacks had they remained in Lebanon after Israeli troops ended their 22-year occupation. As for those who were sentenced in absentia by military tribunals for entering "enemy territory" and collaborating with an occupying power, Bassil said it will take time to resolve their case but that it will be settled "eventually."There are some 2,600 Lebanese in Israel, of which 200 who have not been convicted of a crime against their country are scheduled to return to Lebanon before the end of June, according to As-Safir.
The Lebanese daily reported that the cases of nearly 100 former SLA militiamen will not be part of the understanding. - Rym Ghazal

Minister stresses need to combat animal diseases
Daily Star staff-Friday, April 07, 2006
BEIRUT: Agriculture Minister Talal Saheli said on Thursday that animal diseases in the Middle East are restricting the import and export of animals and animal products and negatively affecting international trade, pubic health and food safety. Saheli made the remarks at the official inauguration of the First Gathering of the World Program for the Constant Battle against Trans-boundary Animal Diseases" at the Rotana Hotel in Hazmieh. Saheli was representing Premier Fouad Siniora.
The event was organized by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Saheli stressed the need to work alongside world organizations specializing in animal health, including the OIE and FAO, which have adopted the world program for combatting transboundary animal diseases. "Protecting public health starts with fighting animal diseases, while protecting the national economy starts with providing citizens with healthy food resources," he said. Saheli said the region is passing through a critical phase with the spread of bird flu. "We in Lebanon were pioneers in setting an emergency plan with the participation of all ministers and relevant sectors to stop the spread of this virus into Lebanon and deter contamination affecting citizens' health." Saheli said he regretted the impact that the spread of the virus in neighboring countries has had on Lebanon's economy. But he also expressed pride in turning Lebanon into a regional center to enforce the GF-TAD program (Global Framework for Transboundary Animal Diseases).  Later in the day, Saheli sponsored the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development and the OIE. - The Daily Star

Cabinet votes to cut international calling rates up to 40 percent
By Mira Borji -Special to The Daily Star-Friday, April 07, 2006
BEIRUT: The Cabinet approved a plan to cut international telephone rates by up to 40 percent Thursday in its second session of the week. Rates for both mobile phones and land lines will drop by 35 percent for calls to the Arab world and 40 percent for overseas calls under the plan. Thursday's government meeting was presided over by President Emile Lahoud and held at the Social and Economic Council, one day after a "successful and quiet" session on Wednesday.
In contrast, last week's session witnessed a televised heated debate between Lahoud and Ministers Marwan Hamade and Ahmed Fatfat. For the past week politicians have been careful to keep their tempers in check and focus on the task at hand.
In addition to lowering international call rates, the Cabinet cut fees for phone services needed to support the Internet.
In other business, Brigadier Dalal Rahbani was appointed acting Director General of the General Security Directorate, and a delegation including the interior, information, and culture and education ministers was created to monitor and ameliorate cultural and artistic texts. An item related to the appointment of employees in the National Social Security Fund was postponed till the end of discussions on the premier's reform project, Labor Minister Tarrad Hamade said.
Energy and Water Minister Mohammed Fneish said a session to be dedicated entirely to discussing Lebanon's failing electricity sector has not yet been set.  Fneish added, however, that he has a completed study already on the issue.
Addressing journalists after the session, Information Minister Ghazi Aridi said: "As President Lahoud said, the session was positive due to the discussion of economic issues on Wednesday." Asked about the government's cooperation with Lahoud during this week's sessions, and if such behavior can last for the remainder of his term, Aridi said: "The national dialogue will kick off on the 28th to put an end to the presidential crisis." Next week the Cabinet will convene for an ordinary session, a session dedicated to the NSSF and a third session on the electricity sector, the information minister said.

'Kenaan used ransom to buy apartment'
Daily Star staff-Friday, April 07, 2006
BEIRUT: French daily Le Figaro reported on Wednesday that a ransom paid to free German hostages from captivity in Lebanon was used to buy an apartment in Paris for former Syrian Interior Minister Ghazi Kenaan. In an article titled "From Intelligence to Private Businesses," the French newspaper quoted unsourced intelligence dealings in the Middle East.
The paper said Kenaan, who effectively controlled Lebanon as Syria's intelligence chief for nearly 20 years, bought an apartment in the French capital from ransom money paid to free German hostages. It did not say when the alleged purchase was made or how much ransom was paid. During Lebanon's 1975-1990 Civil War, dozens of Western nationals were kidnapped by various armed groups. In spite of public refusals to pay ransoms, some governments - including Germany - were reported to have made ransom deals in cash or arms. Syria, the powerbroker in Lebanon during that period, used its influence to secure the release of some of the captives. Many were directly turned over to Syrian intelligence.  Kenaan, who fell out of favor with the Syrian leadership after the February 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, was reported by the Syrian media to have committed suicide in his office last October. Le Figaro also reported that a French company in the late 1990s equipped Lebanon's General Security department with high-tech mobile phones capable of eavesdropping and tracing calls. The department at that time was headed by Brigadier General Jamil Sayyed, who is presently in prison for alleged involvement in Hariri's death. Anti-Syrian politicians have accused Sayyed of tapping their telephone calls and general harassment when he was in office. - The Daily Star, with Naharnet

Hizbullah takes offense at Rice's latest jibe
By Nada Bakri - Daily Star staff
Friday, April 07, 2006
BEIRUT: Hizbullah lashed out at Condoleezza Rice Thursday after the U.S. secretary of state described the party - and its ties to Syria and Iran - as "Lebanon's biggest problem." Speaking before a sub-panel of the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, Rice voiced concerns over what she called growing Iranian influence in Lebanon, as well the Iranian-Syrian relationship and its influence on Lebanese affairs. "Hizbullah and its relations with Iran and Syria is probably the biggest problem the Lebanese are facing now," Rice said. The party's leadership accused Rice of attempting to impose American and foreign tutelage on Lebanon. "Rice is emphasizing once again the American and foreign domination over Lebanon and is attempting to derail the achievements of the national dialogue," the party said in a statement issued on Thursday. The statement added that Hizbullah would oppose such domination and underlined the party's continuing commitment to the dialogue process. In recent months, Americans officials have warned of growing Iranian influence in Lebanon after the Syrian withdrawal last April.
"Syria is helping Iran in more than one part of the world and mainly in Lebanon," Rice told the sub-committee.
U.S. officials frequently issue dire warnings about the Iranian-Syrian-Hizbullah issue, citing Tehran's ambitious nuclear program and its refusal to succumb to international pressure and abandon uranium enrichment. They accuse Damascus of interfering in Beirut's internal affairs through its relations with its Lebanese allies - including Hizbullah, which is mainly financed by Iran.
Recent press reports have said that Iran has set up a sophisticated intelligence-gathering operation in Southern Lebanon to identify targets in northern Israel if a military confrontation breaks between the Islamic Republic and the Jewish state.
According to Israeli military officers, Iranian Revolutionary Guards travel regularly to Southern Lebanon to help train Hizbullah fighters. Hizbullah is under international pressure to disarm following UN Security Council resolution. But the party refuses to do so despite growing Lebanese calls to lay down its weapons. Last month, Lebanese leaders initiated a high-level national dialogue to discuss the matter along with other debatable issues - such as the fate of President Emile Lahoud.
Rice said that the U.S. and France are closely cooperating to ensure the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559, but Rice said that Washington is giving the Lebanese government time to resolve internal problems through the national dialogue. "I want to assure you that we are still focused on our goal regarding Iran's role in Lebanon," Rice told the House panel. "This is probably the worst example of Iranian intervention in the internal affairs of a sovereign country."
Rice said the U.S. recognizes that the Lebanese government is going through a transitional phase under the leadership of a "very fragile government formed after parliamentary elections that strengthened Hizbullah's position in Parliament."
Hizbullah occupies 14 seats in the 128-member Parliament and holds two ministries.
Rice's latest attack on Syria and its allies comes amid speculation that Damascus is not keen on receiving Premier Fouad Siniora, who is charged with following up on the decisions of the national dialogue to establish diplomatic relations and demarcate the borders. Political sources participating in the dialogue said the Syrians are not in a hurry to hold talks with Siniora because pressure on Damascus has softened as more focus is given to developments in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and the Palestinian territories. Another reason for Syria's reluctance to receive Siniora is that "he belongs to the anti-Syrian coalition which is leading a crucial media campaign against Syria," added the sources, who wished to remain anonymous.
As-Safir newspaper on Thursday quoted a Syrian official as saying that Damascus doubts the Lebanese intentions behind this visit."We welcome any Lebanese brother, but things should be very clear before any official visit and intentions should be good before discussing such issues," said the official. "But if the reasons behind this visit are to disarm Hizbullah and pressure Syria and pave the way for America's policy of domination over the region, we will not agree to that," he added.

Unrecognized change fermenting in dialogue
By Zeina Abu Rizk - Special to The Daily Star-Friday, April 07, 2006
When the time comes for Lebanon's top leaders to take a final stand on the presidency on April 28, they will likely announce an official deadlock over the issue and leave in office a controversial president to complete the rest of his extended mandate. The participants in the national dialogue will also fail to agree to a solution to the other remaining topic, that of Hizbullah' arms.
In the absence of a unanimous decision concerning the resistance, the political cover that Hizbullah has enjoyed to date will vanish rapidly, leaving the party open to what may turn out to be unprecedented political criticism - a possibility that, until very recently, was strictly taboo. In contrast with last week's stormy Cabinet session, the "successful" government meeting on Wednesday reinforced the quasi-certitude that Emile Lahoud will remain in Baabda until November 2007, and that the March 14 Forces have decided to cope with this reality. Without the constitutional or political means to oust the president, or an Arab initiative with this goal, the chances of the anti-Syrian coalition succeeding are, at best, extremely slim.
Having made toppling Lahoud a priority, the March 14 Forces appear to have suffered a major loss.
But, as Future Movement leader Saad Hariri has repeatedly said, those who made Lahoud's removal impossible - a reference to the March 8 camp - will have to bear the consequences. Hariri seemed to be hinting that when participants in the dialogue tackle the final item on their agenda they will fail to reach a unanimous decision in Hizbullah's favor.
In their latest evaluation, the March 14 Forces said that although Hizbullah's arms have never been used against the Lebanese and remain a means of protection against the Israeli enemy, they have become a tool of internal political pressure against those who do not share the party's convictions, which is no longer acceptable for the March 14 camp.
In a detailed reading of the dialogue's overall results, March 14 Forces sources referred to full- and half-gains scored by this faction.  Among the important political victories realized during the national dialogue was an agreement to establish an international tribunal on the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. This initiative, which had slackened prior to the national dialogue, was nevertheless still latent; it took the March 14 Forces' perseverance to settle this question once and for all. Before the dialogue, the question of Palestinian arms was one of the most difficult issues to sort out, said the sources. Hizbullah in particular was not ready to engage in discussions on this topic, since the resistance considered the Palestinian arms to be the same as their own. The roundtable made it possible to deal with this delicate issue, eventually leading to an agreement that the arms outside the camps should be handed over within a six-month period, after which the question of the arms inside the camps would be tackled.
Another achievement was the recognition of the Shebaa Farms' Lebanese identity, and the agreement to mark the Lebanese-Syrian borders. Both issues had previously been considered Israeli demands by Syria and its allies.
The decision to establish diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Syria was no less of an achievement.
In general, the March 14 camp believes it has succeeded in openly discussing the obstacles regarding Lebanese-Syrian relations, without restrictions, whereas not so long ago any issue involving Syria would have been automatically rejected by the Shiite parties, Hizbullah in particular.
Of course, the biggest loss for the coalition was over the presidential question.
However, the group refuses to see this as a total loss, despite Lahoud staying, as there has been a unanimous recognition of the existence of a governing crisis, more specifically a presidential crisis. Before the dialogue, none of the March 8 Forces were willing to admit that such a crucial problem existed. This in itself gave needed credibility to the March 14 request, albeit unmet, for Lahoud's departure. The major blow, according to the sources, came from Lahoud's overstepping of political boundaries at the Arab summit last month. From Khartoum, Lahoud insisted that the resistance was the honest expression of the Lebanese right to liberate its territory. It became evident following Lahoud's stance and the following rapprochement between Hizbullah and Baabda - a Hizbullah delegation met the president to thank him for his position - that Hizbullah will not let go of Lahoud.
The results - and sometimes lack of results - achieved during the dialogue will inevitably reflect on political life during the rest of Lahoud's term.  Forced into a difficult coexistence for the next year and a half, inevitable frictions are to be expected, but the quasi-general understanding among the various parties in the dialogue will likely keep things under control.

Maronite Church blasts Lebanon's ruling class
By Nada Bakri -Daily Star staff-Thursday, April 06, 2006
BEIRUT: The Maronite Church accused Lebanon's ruling class on Wednesday of neglecting the country's interests and slammed "inefficient" governmental and legislative institutions. This outcry by the Maronite Bishops' Council follows recent remarks by the highest Maronite figure, Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir, who criticized President Emile Lahoud, saying he is incapable of holding the country's top post. "The ongoing political spat among the ruling class between Khartoum and Lebanon, Parliament and Cabinet, is spreading despair among the Lebanese ... while the main task of the leaders is to work on reducing the people's burdens," the statement by the bishops said.
The statement slammed the political leaders' ongoing national dialogue, which is aimed at resolving Lebanon's worst political crisis since the end of the Civil War. "The politicians' national talks, which are at times stumbling upon insurmountable obstacles and at times slowly reaching agreements, would not have been necessary had the governmental and legislative institutions been efficient," it said. The bishops, who issue statements monthly, also criticized the leaders' failure to address economic situation in the country, echoing the complaints of the public.
"The governing system in Lebanon seems inept ... and the country's interests are not sought after and employers and employees are complaining about the economic situation." Anti-Syrian politicians - acknowledging some of the statement's accurate points - blamed the political and economic situation in the country on Lahoud's continued presence in office and Syria's attempts to derail any inter-Lebanese solution.  Earlier this week, Sfeir had told French magazine Le Point that Lahoud is no longer able to fulfill his duties as a president and has tied his "fate with the Syrians."
Sfeir also said it is unlikely that the former army commander would succumb to the public pressure to resign. Sfeir has in recent months joined the anti-Syrian coalition's calls to topple Lahoud, who they consider the last vestige of Syria's domination over Lebanon. "The economic situation is very critical and the Maronite Church has accurately portrayed that in its statement," Future Movement MP Mohammad Qabbani told The Daily Star.  "Lahoud is responsible for this situation and if he remains in office until the end of his term, this will only worsen the case," he added. Commenting on Sfeir's statement about Lahoud, Qabbani said: "Sfeir's blunt comments fortify our campaign against the president." Amal Movement leader and Speaker Nabih Berri, who is sponsoring the national dialogue, has repeatedly said he stands behind the Patriarch on the presidential issue.
Qabbani said Berri is now expected to translate his position into concrete actions. "It is not enough to say we are behind the prelate in the presidential issue. The Amal movement needs to translate its position into concrete actions," Qabbani said.
Amal movement MP Ali Bazzi reiterated his party's stance on the issue but refrained from clarifying whether Berri would join the efforts to oust Lahoud. "We stand behind the patriarch on this issue and we will adopt any decision he will make ... but we are not in a position to overstep the boundaries he has set," Bazzi told The Daily Star. The national dialogue has set April 28 as the deadline to decide the fate of Lahoud. However, there is a new-found conviction among some members of the anti-Syrian ruling class that Lahoud is more likely to serve till the end of his term, on September 2007. "Until now we have not agreed on our strategy but the measures we are considering are all drastic," Progressive Socialist Party MP Wael Bou Faour told The Daily Star. Bou Faour said that there is a firm Syrian decision to derail any Lebanese-Lebanese settlement and hence disrupt the national dialogue. "The question of replacing Lahoud depends on Damascus and the Syrians are asking for a heavy price in return for that from the West and mainly the Americans, who are not ready to pay it," Bou Faour added.

Rice: Lebanon's Biggest Problem is Hizbullah
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said that the biggest problem that Lebanon is facing now is Hizbullah and its relationship with Iran and Syria, An Nahar newspaper reported Thursday.
Rice said although Washington is giving the Lebanese government time to resolve internal problems through national dialogue talks, it is still adamant on its demand for the disarmament of all militias in the country, namely Hizbullah, in abidance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559.
Speaking to the House Appropriations Committee, Rice said the Party of God's ties with Tehran and Damascus "are the biggest problem that the Lebanese are facing at this time."
She said the U.S. is concerned about the role that Iran and Syria are playing in Lebanon and the alliance between the two countries. "Syria is assuming the role of helper to Iran in more than one part of the world, especially in Lebanon," she said. The top U.S. diplomat said Washington is cooperating with Paris to ensure the implementation of Resolution 1559, that not only calls for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon, but also for disbanding all militias.
The first part of the resolution was applied when Syria, the main powerbroker in Lebanon, withdrew its forces from the country in April 2005, ending nearly 30 years of military presence. It pulled out under international pressure and in the aftermath of mass protests that followed the assassination of ex-premier Rafik Hariri in February last year.
However, Damascus is still accused of interfering in the neighboring country through its relations with its Lebanese allies including Hizbullah. The group also enjoys strong ties with Iran, its main financial backer.
Recent press reports have said that Iran has set up a sophisticated intelligence gathering operation in southern Lebanon to identify targets in northern Israel in the event of a military confrontation over its controversial nuclear program. According to Israeli military officers, Iranian Revolutionary Guards travel regularly to southern Lebanon to help train Hizbullah fighters.
Lebanese anti-Syrian politicians have accused Hizbullah of wanting to maintain its weapons in order to serve Iran and Syria's regional interests. The group's disarmament is the next topic of discussion at the dialogue talks, after participants hold their last session regarding the fate of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud on April 28. Rice did not respond to a question about whether there were Iranian Revolutionary Guards in the South. She said that the Lebanese government is going through a transitional phase under the leadership of a "very delicate government formed after elections strengthened Hizbullah's position in parliament."
After legislative elections last year, the Shiite group gained 14 seats in the 128-member parliament. Party members are also heading two ministries for the first time.
Rice said Washington is giving time for the dialogue talks to "strengthen the democratic forces at the expense of those loyal to Syria.""But I want to assure you that we have not lost sight of our goal with regards to what Iran is doing in Lebanon. This is probably the worst example of Iranian intervention in the internal affairs of a sovereign country," Rice said. Beirut, Updated 06 Apr 06, 09:00

Families of Former SLA Militiamen to Return to Lebanon Soon
Around 60 Lebanese who fled to Israel during the Israeli withdrawal of southern Lebanon in May 2000 will return to the country soon in accordance with a February understanding between Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement, As Safir reported on Thursday. The Beirut-based daily said that Hizbullah and the FPM have completed the processing of the papers and took the proper legal procedures for the return of those who have not received any sentences in absentia. They are mainly the elderly, women and children.
The first batch, that is comprised of 10 people, is expected to arrive in Lebanon before Easter in mid-April, the newspaper reported. The other larger batch is expected to return in mid-May.
Most of these people belong to families of several hundred former soldiers and officers of the Israeli-allied South Lebanon Army who fled with their families to Israel fearing reprisal if they remained in Lebanon once the Jewish state pulled out its forces from the south after a 22-year occupation.
Hizbullah and the FPM would then prepare for the return of people who have been handed down sentences in absentia by the military tribunal for entering "the enemy's territory" and collaborating with the occupying power. These are about 200 and have not committed crimes against other people living in the former occupation zone. They are scheduled to return before the end of June, As Safir said.
Sources told the newspaper that the files of nearly 100 former SLA militiamen who have committed grave human rights violations were not under discussion. According to the paper, 90 percent of them have left Israel after being granted political asylum elsewhere. Two months ago, Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Gen. Michel Aoun announced a 10-point joint statement of cooperation pledging that Lebanese who had fled to Israel in the aftermath of the May 2000 liberation of south Lebanon would be treated 'fairly' by the Lebanese justice system if they chose to return home.
The two leaders announced their understanding at a meeting in Mar Mikhael Church in Chiah, once a landmark of the green line that separated Christians and Muslims during the 1975-1990 civil war.
Beirut, Updated 06 Apr 06, 12:30

Coalition Against Terrorist Media Congratulates Satellite Companies for Removing Hezbollah's Terrorist Radio
Move follows Treasury Department's designation as terrorist organization
Washington, D.C. (April 5, 2006) The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), and its Coalition Against Terrorist Media (CATM), congratulates France Telecom's GlobeCast satellite distributor and the Spanish satellite provider Hispasat for removing Hezbollah's al-Nour radio from broadcast over three satellites reaching Latin America, Asia and Europe.
The move followed the designation last week of Hezbollah's al-Manar television station, al-Nour radio, and the parent company of both, the Lebanese Media Group, as Specially Designated Global Terrorist entities by the U.S. Treasury Department.
Once alerted to the problem, GlobeCast and Hispasat have been extraordinarily responsive in removing Hezbollah''s media properties from broadcast and should be congratulated, said Mark Dubowitz, COO of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, which founded CATM. Al-Manar and al-Nour are funded by the Iranian regime and used by Hezbollah to recruit suicide bombers, raise money for terrorist operations, and incite violent attacks. The Treasury Department's recent designation sends an unmistakable signal that their broadcasts must not be tolerated.
Hispasat informed CATM that it had terminated al-Nour's broadcasting to South America. GlobeCast informed CATM that it had removed al-Nour from feeds to AsiaSat, a Hong Kong-based provider that reaches much of Asia, and New Skies Satellite, a Netherlands-based broadcaster reaching much of Europe. The transmission was discovered as part of a mix of radio programs provided by ARABSAT, the majority Saudi-owned provider that reaches the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. Egyptian-owned satellite provider Nilesat also continues to broadcast al-Manar to those locations.
The Coalition Against Terrorist Media was formed by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and brings together Muslim, Christian, Jewish and secular organizations to oppose the proliferation of terrorist controlled and operated media outlets. CATM has worked with lawmakers, security officials, diplomats and private-sector executives in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It has been instrumental in removing Hezbollah's al-Manar television from eight satellite providers -- ending much of al-Manar's global distribution as well as convincing several multinational corporations to end their advertising, denying the terrorist station over two million dollars in advertising revenues. CATM worked closely with the Administration and Congress to encourage the Treasury Department to designate al-Manar as a terrorist organization. For more information, please visit www.stopterroristmedia.org.
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies is a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy institute focused exclusively on promoting pluralism, defending democratic values, and fighting the ideologies that drive terrorism. Formed just weeks after the September 11 terrorist attacks, FDD uniquely combines strategic communications, policy research, democracy and counterterrorism education, and investigative journalism in support of these goals. For more information, please visit www.defenddemocracy.org.

Democracy and Stability in the Middle East
Lucy Stallworthy-Apr 5, 2006
BRISTOL, England, (UPI) -- The inauguration of a new Palestinian Cabinet, formed by the Islamic militant group Hamas, has inspired fresh debate over the Bush administration's drive for democracy in the Middle East. Hamas' capture of 56 percent of the vote in the January 2006 legislative elections is symptomatic of a broader regional elevation of Islamists to political power. Indeed, in the 2005 Egyptian parliamentary elections, Muslim Brotherhood candidates running as independents won 88 seats.
The rise of these democratically elected Islamist parties has raised questions over whether democratization is in fact the route to peace and security that the West envisages. Hamas' refusal to recognize Israel and renounce violence provides a clear case in point, and this belligerence has since provoked the suspension of Canadian aid Yet despite such doubts, a March 2006 article produced by The Foreign Policy Centre contends that support for democratic efforts in the Middle East is the most effective counter-terrorism strategy. In 'Democracy, Terrorism and the Middle East', Chris Forster concludes "Democracy, in all its shades, complexities and depths, remains the best means for any country to tackle the threat of terrorism," but he also calls for a more nuanced approach.
This involves the elimination of numerous false assumptions about democratic processes in the region. Forster cites the notion that "citizens of Middle East countries vote on single issues and that the issue is the United States" as a key misconception.
While U.S. presence in the region continues to inspire inflammatory political rhetoric, health, education and employment concerns also motivate the electorate. The Hamas Covenant states "the Islamic Resistance Movement is a humanistic movement. It takes care of human rights." Hamas devotes a large proportion of its estimated $70 billion annual budget to an extensive network of social services, and according to Forster, "these were the main reasons that Hamas came to power, not for its dedication to destroy Israel."
Dr. Rory Miller, senior lecturer in Mediterranean studies at King's College, London, endorses this. "Hamas has gained political influence because it has provided schools and hospitals. A significant number of Palestinians would not have voted for Hamas if the Palestinian Authority had lived up to its promises," he said
Similarly Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite movement, also maintains a civilian wing. In the aftermath of the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000, Hezbollah has been active in the reconstruction of schools, clinics and hospitals. Such activities are believed to have contributed to Hezbollah's capture of 23 seats at the 2005 general election.
Beyond the issues, Middle Eastern political parties have also been the subject of misconceptions. In the post Sept. 11 climate, Islamist groups are often indiscriminately regarded as radical fundamentalists bent on the establishment of a conservative Islamic caliphate. Indeed, Forster acknowledges that "with the rise of Islamist parties, some are doubting that democratization will bring the security the United States is looking for."
These doubts are fueled by the hostility of some Islamist groups to U.S. policy aims. Hamas, for example, has refused to renounce violence or recognize Israel. This has provoked warnings from the Quartet of the United States, European Union, Russia and the United Nations, and led by U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice to declare, "We cannot give funding to a terrorist organization; it really is that simple." Historically repressed by hostile Arab regimes, Islamist organizations are undergoing transition. Indeed the recent election of Hamas and the existence of legal Islamist parties in Morocco and Jordan are indicative of an increasing political dominance. Within this process, ambiguities persist, particularly concerning the role of violence. Morocco's Parti de la Justice et du Development (PJD) offers a case in point. The group traditionally used the party's Attajdid newspaper to promote violence, yet in the aftermath of the 2003 Casablanca bombings, its stance has softened considerably. Such fluidity has raised questions over the links between Islamists and terrorism. According to Forster, "democratically elected Islamist parties functioning within the context of a real democracy will not necessarily promote violence or tolerate terrorist organizations ... Security and foreign policy interests will prevail in order to remain in power," he wrote.
While Forster champions democratization as the most effective counter-terrorism tactic, other observers have introduced some interesting caveats. Dr. Claire Spencer, head of the Middle East Program at Chatham House, is broadly supportive of the Bush Administration's drive for democracy in the Middle East, but points out that, "the problem is the way they go about doing it ... There is not enough emphasis on even-handedness across the region and some states are more pressured than others," she said. Moreover, whereas Forster states "the overriding approach for dealing with organizations that employ terrorism ... should be one of democratization of the countries that sustain them," others are more cautious. Miller describes the Bush Administration's democratization policy as "something which is more sincere than insincere" but warns that, "in the short term, the freedom that comes with democracy will give people the opportunity to promote their own agenda and this may involve violence."
© Copyright 2006 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Hezbollah Radio Shut Down, Removed From French And Spanish Satellite Broadcasts
April 5, 2006 - Washington, DC - PipeLineNews.org - The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), and its Coalition Against Terrorist Media (CATM), congratulates France Telecom’s GlobeCast satellite distributor and the Spanish satellite provider Hispasat for removing Hezbollah’s al-Nour radio from broadcast over three satellites reaching Latin America, Asia and Europe. The move followed the designation last week of Hezbollah’s al-Manar television station, al-Nour radio, and the parent company of both, the Lebanese Media Group, as Specially Designated Global Terrorist entities by the U.S. Treasury Department.
“Once alerted to the problem, GlobeCast and Hispasat have been extraordinarily responsive in removing Hezbollah’s media properties from broadcast and should be congratulated,” said Mark Dubowitz, COO of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, which founded CATM. “Al-Manar and al-Nour are funded by the Iranian regime and used by Hezbollah to recruit suicide bombers, raise money for terrorist operations, and incite violent attacks. The Treasury Department’s recent designation sends an unmistakable signal that their broadcasts must not be tolerated.” Hispasat informed CATM that it had terminated al-Nour’s broadcasting to South America. GlobeCast informed CATM that it had removed al-Nour from feeds to AsiaSat, a Hong Kong-based provider that reaches much of Asia, and New Skies Satellite, a Netherlands-based broadcaster reaching much of Europe. The transmission was discovered as part of a mix of radio programs provided by ARABSAT, the majority Saudi-owned provider that reaches the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. Egyptian-owned satellite provider Nilesat also continues to broadcast al-Manar to those locations.
The Coalition Against Terrorist Media was formed by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and brings together Muslim, Christian, Jewish and secular organizations to oppose the proliferation of terrorist controlled and operated media outlets. CATM has worked with lawmakers, security officials, diplomats and private-sector executives in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It has been instrumental in removing Hezbollah’s al-Manar television from eight satellite providers -- ending much of al-Manar’s global distribution – as well as convincing several multinational corporations to end their advertising, denying the terrorist station over two million dollars in advertising revenues.
CATM worked closely with the Administration and Congress to encourage the Treasury Department to designate al-Manar as a terrorist organization. For more information, please visit www.stopterroristmedia.org. ©1999-2006

Hezbollah’s pioneering ‘Media warriors’
Lebanon 1982: Under fire, a machine-gun toting Hezbollah fighter ducks for cover in the rubble of a gutted Beirut apartment block. He is not alone. Next to him crouches a comrade filming the entire scene with a rudimentary video camera. That's the image conjured up by the words of Hassan Izz ad-Din. "Whenever our fighters went into combat, they would be flanked by cameramen to document the action," ad-Din, a former chief of Hezbollah's media department, explains. "When one of our soldiers fell in battle, we could show his family the film of his heroic martyrdom," ad-Din, who today leads Hezbollah's political office in southern Lebanon, tells Adnkronos International (AKI). Compared to those crudely-shot reportages from the Lebanese civil war two decades ago, Hezbollah's media capacity today is much more sophisticated.
In 1988 the Shiite group started broadcasting its own radio service, an-Nur (The Light) and in 1990 its television channel al-Manar (The Lighthouse) started beaming images to households across Lebanon, and later, much further afield, via satellite.
"Without our media activities we would never have succeeded in liberating southern Lebanon from Israeli occupation," ad-Din says of Hezbollah's military campaign that led to Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000.
"The images of our military operations against the Israelis played a critical role. On the one hand they showed the Lebanese and the entire Arab-Muslim world that it was possible to defeat the Israeli military, previously considered invincible. On the other hand, our images also arrived via satellite to Israel, and that's when their public began realising the toll, especially in terms of human losses, of continuing the occupation of Lebanon." For ad-Din, Hezbollah's first journalistic 'scoop' dates back to 1992 when Hezbollah fighters drove Israeli forces from the hill of Dabshe near the southern Lebanese town of Nabatiyye."The Israelis claimed they had suffered 'irrelevant losses', until we broadcast images of their destroyed tanks and wounded soldiers. It was a stunning success which led some Israelis to say: 'We have to watch al-Manar to learn the truth about our boys in Lebanon'".Hezbollah's Da'ira al-Ilam al-Harbi was first created in 1987 and today consists of a "dozen expert cameramen, audio technicians and photographers, specially trained to cover miltary operations," ad-Din explains.
In 2004, a French court banned al-Manar, on the grounds that it was inciting racial hatred and created a threat to public order.

Salafi-Jihadists a new force in Lebanon
Some believe the infiltration of militant Islamic ideology in Lebanon comes not only from outside sources, but from social conditions of the area as well.
By Murad Al-Shishani for The Jamestown Foundation (6/4/06)
In July 2005, French scholar Olivier Roy argued that Iraq and Palestine are not factors in the prevalence of the Salafi-Jihadist movement. He based his argument on the fact that there are no Iraqi or Palestinian members in the Salafi-Jihadist organizations. Now, however, this argument must be reconsidered. Afghan authorities have expressed their concern over the "hordes of Iraqi suicide bombers" following the arrest of Noman Eddin Majid, aged 35 years, from Diyala governorate as he was trying to sneak into Afghanistan (al-Hayat, 3 February). In addition, the perpetrators of the Amman bombing on 9 November 2005, and most of those in the recent disbanded terrorist cell in Amman as well, were Iraqis (Terrorism Focus, 7 March). As for the Palestinians, the attention is becoming increasingly focused on Lebanon with its Palestinian refugee camps, particularly Ain El-Hilweh, instead of the West Bank. (Approximately 400,000 Palestinian refugees live in Lebanon.)
While the recruitment of Salafi-Jihadists in Lebanon is not restricted to Palestinians and includes some Lebanese nationals, young men from refugee camps are more fertile material for recruitment. Following the news of the arrest of Salafi-Jihadists in Lebanon and the announcement made by the movement of its responsibility for blowing up a location for the Lebanese army on February 1 (the movement delivered the threat through a phone call to the Sada al-Balad newspaper a day before, according to the paper), Lebanese authorities arrested 31 suspected jihadists. In light of this claim of responsibility and the arrests, it is important to examine the forms of recruitment that the Salafi-Jihadists use in Lebanon (al-Watan, 8 February).
It seems that the activities of the Salafi-Jihadist movement focus on the poor Lebanese and Palestinian communities. The increasing connection with the Iraq factor is due to two reasons: the unattractiveness of the secular Palestinian organizations in the refugee camps compared to the increasing attraction of the Islamist groups, and the waning control of the Future/Hariri Party over the Sunni community.
Palestinian refugee camps
Ain El-Hilweh refugee camp was the base for Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in the 1980s. The camp was a stronghold for the "Palestinian revolution" organizations, and it remains to this day under the power of Palestinians to the extent that the Lebanese army does not venture inside it (al-Hayat, 26 February). The power of the secular organizations, however, is moving to the Islamist organizations, especially since the secular organizations have been implicated in cases of corruption and have not met the demands of the Palestinians. The commander of Fatah's militias in Lebanon, Colonel Mounir Maqdah, proposed "forming a Lebanese-Palestinian military force to eradicate this fundamental group [from Ain El-Hilweh]." This clearly indicates the increase in the power of Islamist groups and the Palestinian organizations' fear of losing their control, especially when newspaper sources talk of "returnees from Iraq" who aim at declaring "Lebanon's loyalty" to the "Foundation of Jihad in Iraq" (al-Sharq al-Awsat, 4 February).
An indication of the spread of the influence of the Salafi-Jihadist movements amidst Palestinians in Lebanon, promoted by the "returnees from Iraq," is what Hazem Amin in al-Hayat calls the "al-Qaida terminology." The volunteers in Iraq are in touch with their parents in a way that connects the parents with information about jihad activities. This terminology is so widespread that Shiites are now described as "heretics" (al-Hayat, 25 January), which is a new feature in the Lebanese sectarian system. In addition, death threats were made by the al-Qaida organization in Bilad al-Sham to Shiite Lebanese figures (al-Sharq al-Awsat, 27 July 2005).
While this is the situation of Palestinians in Lebanon, the influence of the Salafi-Jihadist movement is not restricted to them. There are Sunni Lebanese nationals who have headed to Iraq to volunteer in fighting the Americans (al-Hayat, 26 January). Likewise, there was a transformation in the village of Majdal Anjar, which used to be the stronghold of "traditional Salafism," since the arrival of Abu Muhammad al-Lubnani, who later became a close companion of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi after he reached Iraq with his 16-year-old son, and where they both later died. Abu Muhammad al-Lubnani was Mustafa Ramadan. He began to spread his jihadist ideas since his return from Denmark around 2003 (al-Hayat, 26 January), and was able to form a nucleus for the jihadist movement. The influence of those ideas applies to the Sunnis in Lebanon - not just to the Palestinians.
Sunni Lebanese
Lebanon-based Addiyar newspaper indicated on 7 February, following the burning of the Danish Embassy and the riots in Beirut, that Saad Hariri is losing control over the Sunni scene by eliminating the subsidies for the poor among the Sunnis and making the al-Mustaqbal movement exclusive for the rich and powerful. As a result, Salafi-Jihadist movements (al-Qaida, Usbat al-Ansar, Jund al-Sham) and the Islamic Liberation Party are, according to Addiyar, now controlling 90 percent of the Sunni scene (Addiyar, 7 February).
Despite the reliability of the 90 per cent figure, the Salafi-Jihadist movement is attracting a host of poor Sunnis who were badly affected after the death of Rafiq Hariri. The media always spoke of the role Hariri played in restoring the balance between the Sunnis and the other sects in Lebanon. This becomes evident if we review the backgrounds of the people who volunteered in or returned from Iraq; they were mostly poor who did odd jobs like selling coffee and steamed beans in the street, or were unemployed in the first place.
Hezbollah's role
The developments related to the Salafi-Jihadist presence in Lebanon show that those influenced by the ideology will begin to move out of the Palestinian refugee camps and into southern Lebanon. This development means that Hezbollah will be threatened in its historically-controlled region. For Hezbollah, this development comes at a time when the party is under pressure to disarm and to end ties with Syria. This means that Hezbollah will not allow the Salafi-Jihadists to extend into their influenced region. While Salafi-Jihadists consider Shiites as infidels, on 23 February Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah listed, for the first time, the "Jama'at al-Takfeer" (Excommunication Groups, which is how officials in Arab governments describe Salafi-Jihadists), as one of the three beneficiaries of the bombings of Shiite shrines in Iraq, along with the United States and Israel.
Conclusion
The above factors show that the Salafi-Jihadist presence and movement into Lebanon is facing many obstacles, but is also becoming a new force in the country. At the same time, however, the socio-political developments in Lebanon are creating the conditions for that presence.
While Sunnis in Lebanon were historically led by old families like al-Huss, Karami and al-Sulh, from the 1990s until his assassination in 2005, Rafiq al-Hariri became the most prominent leader of Sunnis and enjoyed their support. That is why he was described as the "most Sunni personality" (al-Jazeera, 13 February). One of the most important factors in the popularity of Hariri among Sunnis was his concentration on the grassroots level by helping poor Lebanese.
Among the implications of the assassination was that Sunnis have become prone to polarization by different ideologies, among which is the Salafi-Jihadist ideology. Due to the positions of the above-mentioned political forces - such as the Palestinian organizations and Hezbollah - there will be conflict between them and Salafi-Jihadists. The result will be that the spread of the Salafi-Jihadist ideology in Lebanon will become a destabilizing factor in the country.
**This article originally appeared in Terrorism Focus, published by The Jamestown Foundation in Washington, DC., at (www.Jamestown.org). The Jamestown Foundation is an independent, nonpartisan organization supported by tax-deductible contributions from corporations, foundations, and individuals.

Jibril in Beirut
Abdullah Iskandar Al-Hayat - 06/04/06//
Most commentators in Lebanon agreed on the meaning of the mission the Secretary General of the "Popular Front- General Command," Ahmad Jibril, pursued in Beirut. The man who holds Damascus as the headquarters for his Command is famous for his role in Lebanon since the beginning of the civil war in 1975. Just as a reminder, the official date of the war started by clashes with supporters of Jibril who were coming from a rally in the Shatilla camp (West Beirut) and heading toward the Dbayeh camp (East Beirut), while passing through Ain Al Remaneh. This happened at the moment when the leader of the Phalange Party at the time, Pierre Gemayel, was attending an opening ceremony at a church. It is known that there were other more secure and less damaging routes the Palestinians could have taken. Perhaps, the date of the first sparkle of civil war would have been delayed for a while.
Jibril is also known fro his many roles he considers to have been in the context of confronting Israel and defending the Palestinian people. Some of the most important roles that he always prides himself with were the battles that he led in Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and the northern city of Tripoli, as well as many other military confrontations in Lebanon, with all the implied violations, atrocities, and displacement.
No one in Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria disagrees on the nature of the alliance that Jibril established with Damascus before Tehran joined the alliance. Analysts agree that the man's roles were always served the interests of that alliance, even if they sometimes targeted other Palestinian factions. Examples are the notorious battles that he led against the leadership of late Yasser Arafat in Tripoli in 1983, driving the latter out of the city in a manner similar to the way he left Beirut months earlier under the pressure of Sharon's troops besieging the Lebanese capital.
Jibril returns to Beirut this time as a participant in the dialogue in the name of the Palestinians in Lebanon. He only confirmed what justify the complaints against the Palestinian arms outside the camps and the rebuff of all the classical excuses of confronting Israel. The man bluntly said with no embarrassment or feelings of contradiction and paradox that he links the arms to changing the way of dealing with the Palestinians in the camps and the Lebanese legislation that would free the Palestinians from the current restrictions with regard to ownership and labor.
These demands must be considered from a human rights perspective that cannot be linked to any other issue, including the right of return. It seems that appointing a ministerial commission, during the national dialogue, to tour the camps in order to lay down a vision for dealing with this issue was seen as the beginning of a Lebanese awareness, even though belated, on Palestinian rights. Nevertheless, when Jibril links the implementation of these demands to military bases, affiliated to him in south Beirut, Bekaa and other parts, he is discarding the pretext he has constantly repeated about the function of these bases, i.e. to confront Israel. Accordingly, these bases and the demands to dismantle them are seeking other functions to assume, knowing that the matter is essentially related to mandatory implementation of UN resolution 1559.
There lies the importance of Jibril's visit at this particular junction. It was agreed in the dialogue conference that Prime Minister Fouad Siniora would visit Damascus to launch the discussions over the agreement on demarcating the borders and establishing diplomatic relations. However, Syrian officials repeatedly declared that a similar agreement can only be reached if the conditions of a sound atmosphere is prevailing in Lebanon, including what is related to the Palestinian issue. Since the legal Palestinian issue might take a long time, hence, the sound atmosphere might not see the light any time soon. In order for Damascus to avoid any direct responsibility for the delay, before the world and the Arab mediators, Jibril came to Lebanon to provide his justifications. Accordingly, the standoff will be transformed from a crisis in which Damascus does not want to fulfill the Lebanese demands to a crisis over the relation with the Palestinians. In this way, the sole breakthrough yielded by the internal dialogue would be overthrown… this time from outside the parties to the dialogue.

Environment Ministry to administer new regulations for quarries
By Raed El Rafei -Daily Star staff-Friday, April 07, 2006
BEIRUT: The Interior Ministry has transferred the authority to manage quarries to the Environment Ministry following an official agreement between the two relevant ministers, the government announced this week. After June the Interior Ministry will no longer have quarry-management power such as granting extensions in approved operating periods.
A decree issued a few weeks ago gave the Environment Ministry, to be overseen by the Higher National Council for Quarries, the exclusive power to grant licenses to quarries. The decree specified where potential quarries can be located, outlawing sites close to natural reserves or rivers where the ecosystem and biodiversity are protected.
In June, the Environment Ministry will conduct surveys on all quarries, requesting new licenses to see whether the operations meet environmental standards. Only after the surveys have been done will a decision be made regarding licensing, according to Daily Star sources. The sources said that the Interior Ministry will come up with a new comprehensive master plan for quarries, as the current decree does not specify a time frame concerning the exploitation of quarries or include restrictions on the number of companies entitled to exploit a certain zone. In 1996, the Cabinet decided to freeze all quarries and crushers until the sector could be appropriately regulated, but in order to meet the country's need for stones it granted the Interior Ministry the authority to issue existing quarries temporary operating extensions to remove their stocks. However, in the absence of any real monitoring, quarries continued to run illegally under the pretext of these administrative delays.
This led to a wave of complaints from environmentalists and civil society groups who were worried about the environmental implications of the continued mining.
Mounir Bou Ghanem, the head of the Association for Forest Development and Conservation, welcomed the new decree, stressing that "any form of organization is better than the chaotic situation of quarries which was prevalent before."
He added that the challenge now facing the Environment Ministry will be to guarantee that it is able to monitor the quarries effectively and ensure environmental standards are met. To meet these goals, Bou Ghanem urged the ministry to delegate these responsibilities to private engineering firms. Furthermore, he said that new quarry sites should have been restricted to the Anti-Lebanon Mountain Range, where fewer quarries have been set in the past years.
He added that, for economic reasons, most quarries will continue to be located in the "overexploited" Mount Lebanon area, causing further environmental damage. Bou Ghanem further said that the location of quarry sites was influenced by "political - and to a larger extent - confessional" factors. "Quarry ownership and control, as well as the benefits they generate, are highly dominated by the political class," he said. This week's decree grants local authorities the power to control and monitor quarries, which according to official sources could be more effective in the fight against illegal, unauthorized mining.
However, the sources noted that the Environment Ministry does not have the capacity to monitor every quarry.
According to Mahmoud Ahmadieh, the head of Nature Without Borders, environmentalists are not against quarries, per se. "What we are pushing is the rehabilitation of old quarries," he said. "In France, there are quarries located a few kilometers outside of the capital, but once work is done in them they are turned into gardens," he added. Lebanon is dappled with over 1,000 quarries established with little consideration for the surrounding environment and settlements. The Environment Ministry is currently working on a rehabilitation plan.