LCCC ENGLISH NEWS BULLETIN
December 15/06Bible Reading For the Day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 11,11-15.
Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come.Whoever has ears ought to hear.Free Opinions, Studies & Reports
Which Beirut/By:Serene Assir-Al-Ahram Weekly 15.12.06
War for the streets-By: Lucy Fielder -Al-Ahram Weekly 15.12.06
Blair's last Arabian expedition needs a new moral compass-Daily Star 15.12.06Latest News from the Daily Star for December 15/06
Brammertz scheduled to brief Security Council on Monday
Moussa says deal is close but requires 'more efforts'
Olmert weighs in on Beirut standoff
Israelis 'conduct brief foray across border'
All sides acknowledge need for compromise, but trust is low
Visiting US senator backs Siniora Cabinet
Hariri: Foreign actors steering opposition
Downtown Beirut moves to salvage holiday season
Think your job is tough? Think again
Protesters make novel pick from array of party options: none of the above
Latest News miscellaneous sources for December 15/06
Lebanese Soldier Killed, Three Wounded-Naharnet
Arab League mediation in Beirut fails: source-Reuters - USA
Progress Reported in Lebanon Mediation-Washington Post
Moussa Sees Hope As Lebanon Political Stalemate Continues-All Headline News
Lebanon's Nasrallah Gate to Government Seat in Beirut-Naharnet -
Lebanese president says he will not bow to pressure to step down-Kuwait News Agency
Talks with Iran and Syria will not be an easy ride-Financial Times
US needs to talk to Iran, Syria-USA Today
UN Security Council Condemns Attempts To Destabilize Lebanon-Washington File
Bush criticizes Syria; US senator meets Assad-Reuters
US urges Syria to free Lebanon prisoners-Ya Libnan
UN Council backs democratically elected Lebanon Government-Ya Libnan -
Power Rationing in the South-NaharnetWhich Beirut?
With uncertainty ahead, Serene Assir witnesses the latest transformation of Lebanon's capital
Al Ahram 14/12/06:
Lebanese wave national flags under a banner of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora reading in Arabic "Thank you for your patience Condi, some of our children are still alive!" during the 10th day of an open-ended protest to bring down the Western-backed government
He must have just finished for the day. Looking irritated, a businessman in an elegant grey suit and shades pushes through hundreds of men, women and children outside the modern yet traditional building that houses his downtown office. Sheer numbers make the path to his ultra- slick car difficult. He tries to remain composed, but the booming slogans blaring out from the PA system installed in Beirut's two main central squares make that difficult too. No one can hear him as he shouts out that he wants to get through, preferably without creasing his Armani jacket. And when he almost makes it, he comes to a wire barricade. He must find another route. Now the irritation builds up. He starts to push harder, like everyone else has to -- participants included -- when they want to get anywhere on the protest's heavier days. Finally he makes it out, breathes a sigh of relief, looking back and wondering just how it is that the area where he works -- the city's newest and most moneyed district -- has been transformed so brusquely.
Welcome to Beirut. Just a fortnight ago, the famed downtown area was unlike any other capital city centre anywhere in the world. For while city centres usually mark a meeting point of rich and poor, tourists and beggars, buskers, lovers and conservatives, all claiming it equally as their own, it has always been clear just who downtown Beirut belongs to: the foreign and local elite. To anyone else, it was socially inaccessible.
"I've never been here before," says Zein, from South Lebanon's Maroun Al-Ras, in the capital to participate in the nearly two- week-old round-the-clock protest calling for the creation of a national unity government. "And I can hardly believe I'm in the same country I was born and raised in."
His feelings are hardly surprising. Glitzy downtown Beirut, first envisaged as it stands today by former prime minister Rafik Al-Hariri and built by the Solidere company, was designed to be expensive. Built from hills of rubble after the Civil War that ended in 1990, the area lay on the miles-long east-west fault-line dividing the city during 15 years of inter-sectarian bloodshed. Reborn, the city centre's re- evaluated mission was to attract international business investment and tourism. Each golden-beige colonnade and perfectly smoothed tile in the pedestrian zones interconnecting the outer limits of the area known as "downtown" or "centre ville", but rarely wasat al-madina -- the Arabic equivalent, were designed to be aesthetically perfect.
Today, that image has been turned on its head. The vast majority of cafés, restaurants and up-market clothing and gift shops are shut, closed since the protests began 1 December. Instead, thousands of people, many of them from the economically deprived and war-damaged south, are camping in tents set up by the movements they pay allegiance to, among them Hizbullah, the Amal movement, the Communist Party and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM).
Depending on the day, rallies start during the early or late afternoon, but by sundown Martyrs' and Riad Al-Sulh squares are filled to the brim with people, barely held in by the barricades set up by the Lebanese army in conjunction with Hizbullah's own security personnel. Participants and journalists are searched -- often more than once -- as they enter the area. Even from a distance, live and recorded speeches interspersed with political songs -- some produced for the occasion and others survivors from the summer war -- are clearly audible, bridges and roads leading in and out of the area permanently lined with protesters taking a rest or heading back to the throng, already draped in one of the opposition's star colours: yellow, orange or green.
While the sea of Lebanese flags has become a permanent fixture of the undeniably vibrant rallies, so too have the regular crowds of young Lebanese dancing dabke to the beat of drums in the streets connecting Riad Al-Sulh and Martyrs' Squares, full of energy, only then to break out into chants in praise of Hizbullah chief Hassan Nasrallah, FPM head and presidential hopeful Michel Aoun, or parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri. Lining the streets are hundreds of people seated on the ground, smoking shisha, chatting, clapping, sleeping.
For downtown purists, and supporters of the government, the sight is shocking. Some have described it as an occupation, others an invasion. "It really irritates me," said one 14 March supporter from Beirut, "that they have decided to vent their cause in our territory. They'd better be prepared to take the consequences of that."
Indeed, following the Western-backed 14 March movement campaign to expel Syrian forces from Lebanon last year, the perception grew among 14 March supporters that the downtown area was theirs. The close affiliation between leading forces of 14 March and big capital in Lebanon makes the sight of downtown Beirut being shut down by the country's poorer citizens all the more difficult to bear. Among the participants in today's protests are dustmen, wives of men killed in the border areas during the summer war, the unemployed, mechanics and farmers. With each day that the protest continues, the country's heavily business and tourism-oriented economy is reported to be making major losses. According to economy correspondent Alphonse Deeb, 75 per cent of tourists who intended to spend their Christmas and Eid Al-Adha holidays in Lebanon have cancelled their trips.
To be sure, this is not the first time that downtown Beirut has provided reason for soul-searching. In the midst of present continuous protests, as yet unanswered questions concerning the core of Lebanon's identity rise to the surface. Is Lebanon the passion of its people or their elegance? Is Beirut a synonym for banking, or is the city what it is for its political earthquakes, sea changes and resilience?
For some, it is tempting to pronounce currently unfolding events as a revolution, but in the Lebanese context it's just another episode along the path of a broader journey whereby this nation understands and comes to terms with its vastly varied but small self. The hope to harbour and nurture is that the journey is a peaceful one.
Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah Naim Qassem Speaking to a Massive Opposition Demonstration in Beirut: Death to America
http://switch5.castup.net/frames/20041020_MemriTV_Popup/video_480x360.asp?ai=214&ar=1337wmv&ak=null
Following are excerpts from an interview with Naim Qassem, deputy secretary-general of Hezbollah, which aired on Al-Manar TV on December 10, 2006. Naim Qassem: I say to those who languish in their palaces: Open your eyes! Hear the cries of the male and female mujahideen, and of the honourable people in this homeland. Stop adhering to the international support. By Allah, it will not help you – not the support of the America, not the support of the Western countries, nor the support of some Arab countries. This people wants its homeland. Leave it, you are homeland robbers! They tried to scare you, and said: “Beware not take to the streets.” They tried to scare you, and said: “Beware not take to the streets.” They began to spread rumours. Yet you did take to the streets. Does Bush want [to hear] the popular voice in Lebanon? Do the West and the Arabs want to hear the voice of the people in Lebanon? Say to them: Death to America!
Crowd: Death to America!
Death to America!
Death to America!
Death to America!
Naim Qassem: Say to them: Death to Israel!
Crowd: Death to Israel!
Death to Israel!
Death to Israel!
Naim Qassem: Say to them: Glory to a free Lebanon.
Crowd: Glory to a free Lebanon!
Glory to a free Lebanon!
Naim Qassem: Oh you, who hole yourself up in your palaces: You can no longer control and influence. You tried to send your militias to harm the demonstrators, but you were put to shame in front of the whole world.President's Statement on the Government of Syria
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/12/20061213-2.html
The United States supports the Syrian people's desire for democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression. Syrians deserve a government whose legitimacy is grounded in the consent of the people, not brute force. The Syrian regime should immediately free all political prisoners, including Aref Dalila, Michel Kilo, Anwar al-Bunni, Mahmoud Issa, and Kamal Labwani. I am deeply troubled by reports that some ailing political prisoners are denied health care while others are held in cells with violent criminals. Syria should disclose the fate and whereabouts of the many missing Lebanese citizens who "disappeared" following their arrest in Lebanon during the decades of Syrian military occupation. The Syrian regime should also cease its efforts to undermine Lebanese sovereignty by denying the Lebanese people their right to participate in the democratic process free of foreign intimidation and interference. The people of Syria hope for a prosperous future with greater opportunities for their children, and for a government that fights corruption, respects the rule of law, guarantees the rights of all
War for the streets
Lebanon's battle of the demos reached new heights this week, reports Lucy Fielder from Beirut
According to the Lebanese army, Hizbullah, together with Christian former general Michel Aoun and allied parties, orchestrated the largest of the mass demonstrations Lebanon has yet seen, though Hizbullah's estimates of two million protestors are almost certainly exaggerated.
Hundreds of thousands of people waving the Lebanese flag flooded into Martyrs Square and surrounding areas on Sunday. It was vast and it was peaceful, with a carnival atmosphere among the demonstrators. At a time when the Lebanese are retreating into sectarian identities and feel uncomfortable straying out of their areas protests have started to provide something of a release, at least for those taking part.
Though underplayed by the media, the presence of Aoun's largely Christian supporters in the demonstrations of the past two weeks, and particularly Sunday, has been striking. Martyrs Square became a sea of orange.
"We support a united nation," said Lamees Chaaya, a well- dressed woman in her forties. "We've been through civil war, we cannot live without the Muslims; they cannot live without us. I'm for a strong Lebanon and I see that in Aoun."
"We didn't fight the Syrians to let Saad Hariri steal from us," protestor Abdo Achkar said. "We want a leadership and will never accept orders from Saudi Arabia." Aoun launched a disastrous war against the Syrians during the final stage of the 1975-1990 civil war and was a staunch opponent of Damascus's post-war military, security and political control of Lebanon.
The opposition is demanding either early elections or a greater role in government. The current administration, they charge, is corrupt, incompetent, and collaborated with Israel during its ferocious bombardment of Lebanon this summer.
On Thursday Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah outlined what he said was evidence of such collaboration in a fiery speech via satellite link to yet another rally of thousands. Members of "14th March" lobbied Washington, he said, to persuade Israel to launch its war on Hizbullah this summer. It also pressured the army to cut the movement's supply lines. The government denies the charges.
An encampment of thousands of protesters has paralysed the centre of Beirut. Sunnis, in Beirut especially, remain squarely behind Saad Al-Hariri's Future Movement, and talk of a deepening Sunni-Shia rift is everywhere. On Friday Sunni preacher Fathi Yakan led prayers at the opposition camp, after Hizbullah urged Shiites to pray behind him in a show of Muslim unity. At the Grand Serail Prime Minister Fouad Al-Seniora and other ministers from the "14th March" anti- Syrian bloc -- named after their own massive rally on that date last year -- are holed up behind a barrier of razor wire and soldiers.
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa flew into Beirut twice in a week to meet leaders of both sides and try to resolve the crisis. Sudanese Arab League envoy and presidential adviser Mustafa Ismail, also in Lebanon this week, said both sides were sticking to their positions on key points but he had obtained initial agreement from each on the proposal, as well as Syria's support.
The key elements appear to be an amalgam of opposition and government demands: a national unity government, agreement to form an international court to try suspects in the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Al-Hariri, early presidential elections to end the government's stand-off with pro- Syrian President Emile Lahoud, and an international donor conference, long in the planning, to help Lebanon rebuild.
Lahoud rejected a draft law this week setting up the international tribunal on the grounds that the cabinet that had passed the law was unconstitutional following the resignation of six ministers, five representing Hizbullah and the Shi'ite Amal movement, and one allied to the pro-Syrian president. Under the constitution two-thirds of the 24- member cabinet would have to resign for decisions to lack a quorum though the opposition argues that because Shias were unrepresented the decision is illegitimate.
Behind the barricades the depleted cabinet voted to forward the draft to parliament for ratification nonetheless. Parliament Speaker and Amal leader Nabih Berri has so far refused to convene parliament while the crisis continues.
Meanwhile, Serge Brammertz released the sixth UN report into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Al-Hariri. The report said the investigation had reached a "critical" stage and had identified suspects and witnesses, as well as possible links between the various bombings since October 2005. Many in Lebanon and abroad have pointed the finger at Syria, which denies any hand in the killing of Hariri and 22 others in a massive bomb blast. Brammertz said Syrian cooperation with the investigation remained "timely and efficient" but complained that 10 other unnamed states had not responded to requests from investigators.
Brammertz made clear that his team was exploring a variety of motives. Hariri could have fallen victim to an extremist group because of his links to other states in the region and the West, the report said. His support for UN Security Council Resolution 1559 -- which called for an end to Syria's presence in Lebanon and the disarming of all remaining "militias", meaning the Palestinians and Hizbullah, may have been a reason, as might the extension of Lahoud's term under Syrian pressure. Hariri voted for the resolution only to promptly resign as prime minister in protest.
Other possible motives under investigation include eliminating Hariri before the May 2005 elections; his involvement with the anti-Syrian newspaper An-Nahar or the possibility that Hariri was about to expose a major fraud concerning funds from Bank Al-Madina. "Another hypothesis under consideration is that apparently obvious motives were used by the perpetrators as a convenient cover, with the real intent being to propel other individuals into the frontline of accusation," said the report.
True to form, Brammertz revealed no names in order not to prejudice the tribunal, which he said his commission still assumed would be created.
Blair's last Arabian expedition needs a new moral compass
Friday, December 15, 2006
Editorial-Daily Star
British Prime Minister Tony Blair plans to visit the Middle East soon on yet another journey billed as being aimed at pushing the parties toward progress on negotiating Israeli-Palestinian peace. This is a worthy endeavor, and we wish him well, but he should prepare for this trip somewhat more energetically than he did for his previous attempts. Blair's dilemma is that he is hobbled by two weaknesses of his own making and a third constraint that emanates from the region. His previous attempts to push peace talks or convince the United States to do so have produced no results. Unfortunately this is not a junior high school swimming contest where young lads and girls get credit for making a good effort. One more media-genic tour without results will only dampen what is left of Blair's legacy as a statesman. His country's policy in the Iraq misadventure also weighs him down in the eyes of most people across the Arab world. Speaking the language of peaceful progress in Palestine-Israel while sending the troops to make mischief in Iraq is not a recipe for credibility, and he suffers the consequences of that dilemma. The constraint that emanates from the region is that public opinion broadly is very skeptical of both Blair's real intent and his capacity to move things forward in a constructive manner. His trip will be a waste of time if he brings with him the attitudes and political dynamics of his previous expeditions.
Yet this time, nearing the end of his incumbency and suffering the weight of the troubles that plague the Middle East, Blair still has the capacity to do things differently, and to redeem himself and his country's place in the region and the world. The Anglo-American approach to Arab-Israeli peace-making and parallel European Union flaccidity have both suffered from a deficit of impartiality. He cannot single-handedly change that. But he can play a constructive role by coming to the issue and the region with a restored emphasis on charting the path toward a balanced diplomatic approach.
Blair should summon that old-fashioned British sense of justice and speak out for an internationally supported process that, for once, treats Palestinians and Israelis as peoples with equal and simultaneous rights. He still has the chance to chart a moral framework of equal rights that does not envisage peace-making by pressing the Palestinians for more concessions while Israel perpetuates its colonialist policies. Rather, he should assert that peace requires a total end to occupation, and fully equal rights to statehood, recognition, and security. That sort of attitude - demanding mutual and equally meaningful concessions from both sides - would not necessarily achieve a breakthrough. But it would show the way to a breakthrough, and it might improve his country's reputation for promising much while delivering little.
Brammertz scheduled to brief Security Council on Monday
By Leila Hatoum -Daily Star staff
Friday, December 15, 2006
BEIRUT: UN chief investigator Serge Brammertz is expected to brief the UN Security Council Monday on his report on the assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri. UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq told The Daily Star in a telephone interview Thursday that the "Security Council will be convening after the briefing in a closed session to further discuss the report."
Brammertz's "technical and procedural report," as it was described by Lebanese officials, does not name new suspects in the crime or present new evidence.A diplomat at the UN told The Daily Star earlier this week that "Brammertz's report is not the final one on the case," adding that he believes that Brammertz "is doing a good job maintaining the secrecy of investigations and keeping information until the trial."
Brammetz's report names 10 UN-member states that did not extend support or aid to the UN probe, in spite of former Security Council resolutions called upon all countries to comply fully and expedite the international investigations.
The UN chief's spokesman told a news conference on Wednesday that "cooperation with Brammertz and his investigation is very important," adding that Brammertz would answer questions "after his Monday briefing."UN Secretary General Kofi Annan "is, of course, extremely supportive of the work of Mr. Brammertz and continues to support him," Annan's spokesman said.
"Brammertz is doing his work according to the relevant Security Council resolutions."
Moussa says deal is close but requires 'more efforts'
Disagreements include who will select 'neutral' minister in unity government
By Nada Bakri and Therese Sfeir - Daily Star staff
Friday, December 15, 2006
BEIRUT: Arab League chief Amr Moussa reported progress in his mediation efforts Thursday to end a standoff between the government and opposition, but said more talks were needed.Moussa told a news conference that he would return to the capital "in a few days" to continue meetings with Lebanese leaders on a package deal to resolve the political deadlock.
"There was progress, and there is good ground for understanding, but matters demand more efforts which could require me to return," Moussa told reporters on the third day of his mediation efforts. He said the principals had agreed on a unity government, but added that various parties were looking for "guarantees.""We want ... a win-win situation," he said. Moussa has proposed expanding the Cabinet of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to 30 ministers from 24. The anti-Syrian coalition would be given 19 ministers, while the opposition would receive 10, short of their demand for veto power, or one third of the body. A "neutral" minister would hold the balance. Sudanese presidential envoy Mustafa Othman Ismail, working with the Arab League to broker a deal, told the same news conference the stumbling block was over who would name the neutral minister.
Ismail, whose country holds the rotating chairmanship of the Arab Summit, added that "difficulties and obstacles" remained in the path of a final agreement.
Moussa, who arrived in Beirut on Tuesday, held talks with Lebanon's leading politicians, including Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Speaker Nabih, President Emile Lahoud, Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and the latter's Christian ally, MP Michel Aoun.
He also met with parliamentary majority leader MP Saad Hariri, Druze leader MP Walid Jumblatt, Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir and former President Amin Gemayel. Moussa said he hoped there would be a cooling-off period that would include an end to street protests, and that the remaining issues could be resolved in the next two weeks.
"Progress is clear and consensus is rising. Please be patient a bit longer," Moussa said. "We hope to finish in the next two weeks."
Ismail said two-week-old opposition demonstrations in Beirut would continue but that there should be no escalation.
The opposition mobilized hundreds of thousands of supporters Sunday in Downtown Beirut in what army sources called the largest demonstration in the history of Lebanon. The government wants any agreement to include the formation of an international tribunal into the 2005 assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri. Moussa proposed creating a joint committee of six members to look into the draft of the international tribunal.
The committee would include two neutral judges, two representatives of the majority and two representatives of the opposition and would submit its report to the unity government. The anti-Syrian coalition also wants an early election to replace the pro-Syrian Lahoud, whose mandate was controversially extended by three years in 2004 under Syrian hegemony.
A senior Lebanese political source told Reuters earlier that Moussa had failed to broker a deal. Moussa said that assessment was inaccurate and that the leak must have come at a time when the talks looked bleak. Sources close to Lahoud told the Central News Agency that the president told Moussa he would not sign a necessary decree to extend the term of the government if all sides failed to agree with him on its makeup. The sources added that Lahoud wanted to name a minimum of two ministers in the new Cabinet, so he would have more say in decisions.
The foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates also shuttled between Lebanese leaders on Thursday. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan held meetings with Lahoud, Berri, Siniora and Gemayel. In comments after his talks with Siniora, Abdullah said: "Efforts in Lebanon are being deployed by all Arab parties and I believe that Lebanon has had more than its share of internal disputes."
Moussa was cooperating with all Arab delegations visiting Lebanon, he added. "All sides have big responsibilities in standing by Lebanon and taking care of its constitutional and legitimate institutions, and the premiership is an important part in this equation," Abdullah said.
The UAE official suggested that Lebanon and relevant Arab countries should "encourage" the holding of an international donor conference on January 25 to help Lebanon rebuild after the July-August war with Israel. "It is necessary for Lebanon to adhere to the international legitimacy which is the basis for stability in the country and the Middle East," he said.
Meanwhile, Siniora left Thursday for Moscow. The premier had been invited to visit the Russian capital by President Vladimir Putin. Siniora's office said the visit was aimed at "consolidating bilateral relations and discussing developments in Lebanon and the region, since Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council."The prime minister was accompanied by acting Foreign Minister Tarek Mitri, Justice Minister Charles Rizk and Information Minister Ghazi Aridi.Siniora will meet Putin on Friday and will hold separate talks with Russian political officials and Arab ambassadors to Moscow. Russia's Kommersant newspaper said Thursday that Russia might seek mediation between Syria and Lebanon. "Russia is being presented with the opportunity to intervene as a mediator in the Near East," the newspaper said. Syrian President Bashar Assad is due in Moscow on December 19. - Additional reporting by Nafez Qawas
Olmert weighs in on Beirut standoff
Compiled by Daily Star staff
Friday, December 15, 2006
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Thursday that he was worried about the current political crisis in Lebanon in an interview with the German publication Der Spiegel. "It is important that democracy in Lebanon is protected and that Hizbullah will not be supported by outside forces like Syria and Iran," Olmert said in response to a question about his view on Lebanon in the interview with Der Spiegel.
The Israeli premier said he must be careful not to sound like he was "defending Siniora," but added he would have "loved" to meet with Siniora for peace negotiations."There isn't much that separates us. In one meeting we could agree on everything," he said. Olmert also said the "weakening of Hizbullah" would help Siniora, adding that "we tried a great deal to defeat the forces that are threatening Siniora." As for the return of the captured Israeli soldiers, the negotiations with Hizbullah are not going well, said Olmert."I am not happy with the reaction of Hizbullah," added the Israeli prime minister.
"They are trying to use the same old techniques: They want everything in advance before they let us know the status of the soldiers."
When asked what concessions Israel was willing to make to get the soldiers back, Olmert said: "Reasonable concessions," but wouldn't comment on the details over the release of Arab prisoners in exchange.
The interview then turned inward, with the focus on Israel, and Olmert was asked if the Israeli Army is experiencing "a leadership crisis."
"This is an exaggeration. In Israel we tend to be carried away by our emotions," he said, adding that while there were certain "failures," "I guarantee you that in every single military confrontation between our fighters and those of Hizbullah we always had the upper hand."
"I have ways of assessing what the Hizbullah leaders think: They know that they suffered terrible damage to their strategic power, which they have been trying to build over the last six years," he said. Regarding the issue of civilian victims, Olmert said "the majority of them belonged to Hizbullah," in response to a question on whether they included women and children.
Olmert also commented on UNIFIL's performance, saying he expected them to prevent the arming of Hizbullah, and if "UN soldiers don't exercise their authority in an appropriate manner, the outcome may be very bad."Asked by Der Spiegel during the interview whether Olmert considered UNIFIL "useless," Olmert wouldn't respond directly, and instead blamed Syria for the arming of Hizbullah.
"The problem is that the Syrian border is not guarded by the international force. It is supposed to be guarded by the Lebanese forces but we have good reason to doubt that the Lebanese are doing this," Olmert said.He concluded by saying that the outcome of the war was "not the one" that Israelis would normally expect. "But we have never had a war against a guerrilla force. In the past we fought against regular armies and it was easier to present the victory so that people could identify with it." - Agencies
Israelis 'conduct brief foray across border'
Army looking into report
By Leila Hatoum -Daily Star staff
Friday, December 15, 2006
BEIRUT: The Israeli Army carried out a brief violation of the UN-demarcated Blue Line on Thursday, Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) said. The NNA said two Israeli tanks and about 60 soldiers penetrated 3 kilometers inside South Lebanon and "opened fire" at two shepherds herding sheep near the disputed Shebaa Farms. The shepherds, identified as Omar and Hicham Abdul Al, took cover at Halta Farm, while some of their livestock were hit by Israeli gunfire. The NNA said Israeli tanks remained near an earthen berm between Bastra Farm and the occupied Zibdine Farm, while the troops entered Lebanese territory before leaving via Shebaa Farms by 3 p.m. "Shortly before leaving, the soldiers combed the area of the Lebanese Shanouh Farm with open fire," the NNA added.
A high-ranking Lebanese Army officer told The Daily Star late Thursday the army was "investigating the reported breach and shooting," and that "the army can neither deny nor confirm the news."UNIFIL political adviser Milos Strugar told The Daily Star that UNIFIL "has no report of any Israeli incursion inside Lebanese territory, or a report of shooting across the Blue Line."
Meanwhile, Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert was quoted as saying Wednesday night that "no request has been issued to withdraw from the Shebaa Farms."
Olmert made the remarks after meeting with his Italian counterpart, Romano Prodi. The Shebaa Farms "are Syrian, not Lebanese," Olmert said.
Prodi was expected to ask Israel to place the disputed territory under UN mandate, diplomatic sources close to the Italian premier said Tuesday.
Meanwhile, one member of the Lebanese Army died and three were wounded Thursday, one critically, when an Israeli land mine near the Southern village of Doheira exploded while the soldiers were attempting to clear it. An army statement said Sergeant Majed Hammoud, 24, died and soldiers Dia Younes, Qassem Zein and Ahmed Bzoun suffered multiple wounds while clearing the area of unexploded ordnance between Yarine and Doheira, near Tyre.
Israeli media reports have said the Israeli Army planted new land mines in the South during the July-August war. Strugar said that Israel had provided the UN "with maps of minefields before their withdrawal in 2000."
"Following the [the July-August war], the Israelis provided maps of areas in which they used cluster bombs south of the Litani River," he added. "We expect them to provide supplementary information about other areas to help the Lebanese Army and the UN to clear the unexploded ordnance and cluster bombs in the South."The reports of additional land mines planted have added to international criticism of Israel's "indiscriminate use of force" - particularly cluster bombs - bombs during the war. In other developments, Italian Deputy Defense Minister Marco Minniti and UNIFIL's commander, Major General Alain Pellegrini, inspected positions manned by Italy's contingent in the South. Security sources said the two men "discussed reports of possible Al-Qaeda threats and the presence of Al-Qaeda cells in Lebanon."
All sides acknowledge need for compromise, but trust is low
By Mira Borji -Daily Star staff
Friday, December 15, 2006
BEIRUT: Politicians of all stripes weighed in on ongoing Arab League efforts to lift the political deadlock in Lebanon on Thursday, voicing rare unity on the severity of the situation and the need for a lasting solution. Education Minister Khaled Qabbani said Arab League chief Amr Moussa was trying to find a solution to Lebanon's political crisis that "guarantees stability in the country and brings life back to normal."
In one of many interviews conducted by Voice of Lebanon radio, Qabbani said it was important that Moussa's initiative be taken seriously, warning: "It might be our last opportunity to get out of the current crisis.""We have to make this initiative succeed and spare Lebanon further problems," he added.
However, expressing confidence that the Arab League boss would succeed, Qabbani said: "Moussa will undoubtedly come up with a solution to all of the country's problems ... It will definitely gain the agreement of all political leaders."Tourism Minister Joe Sarkis told the radio station that the Arab League's attempts to calm tensions in Lebanon were "serious and professional."
"But we should not forget that the main cause of the current crisis is the international tribunal," he added.Sarkis said a solution could be reached if there were "good intentions" on all sides, and if all political leaders "agree to create an international tribunal to try suspects in the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri."Meanwhile, resigned Agriculture Minister Talal Sahili told Voice of Lebanon there was a "dire need to get out of the political deadlock," adding that he hoped Moussa would succeed in his efforts to find a way forward. "Though the government is unconstitutional, it should, along with the parliamentary majority, deal with the opposition and its supporters and take their reactions into consideration," he added.
The vice president of the Higher Shiite Council urged all politicians Wednesday to cooperate with "positive initiatives that serve the country's interest."
"The failure of such initiatives harms the country," Sheikh Abdel-Amir Qabalan said during a meeting with Hizbullah MP Ali Ammar. "The Lebanese should get rid of tense positions for the sake of Lebanon's sovereignty and independence."Qabalan called for the creation of a national unity government, which he said "constitutes the starting point to resolve all problems plaguing the country."His Sunni counterpart, Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani, met Thursday with Future Movement MPs to discuss the latest developments.Speaking to reporters after the meeting, prominent Future member MP Walid Eido called for the resumption of national talks to end what he described as a "severe" crisis. "The solution starts with ending the oppositions' street protests," he said.
Responding to a question about a Hizbullah allegation on Wednesday that MP Saad Hariri sent a letter to Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah during the summer war with Israel asking the resistance leader to disarm his party in exchange for an end to the Israeli offensive, Eido said such developments showed Hizbullah's "bankruptcy."In earlier comments, Sports and Youth Minister Ahmad Fatfat said Wednesday night a "comprehensive" solution to the enduring deadlock was the only guarantee for future stability. Speaking to ANB television, Fatfat said Lebanon was undergoing an attempted coup serving the interests of regional forces. "We tell the [opposition] that you are not alone in this country ... Parliament is the right place to settle political discords," he said."I have the impression that a Hizbullah team, it might be Nasrallah's assistant [Hassan Khalil], is linked to Syrian politics and is trying to undermine any agreement ... I hope I am wrong," he added.
Visiting US senator backs Siniora Cabinet
By Mirella Hodeib -Daily Star staff
Friday, December 15, 2006
BEIRUT: US Senator Bill Nelson arrived in Beirut Thursday to express his government's support for Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and his embattled Cabinet. Nelson traveled to Beirut from Damascus where, in the first visit to Syria by an American lawmaker since January 2005, he met on Wednesday with President Bashar al-Assad. Nelson, who is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, met with Premier Fouad Siniora at the Grand Serail. US Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman attended the meeting. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the senator from Florida said the United States "will not abandon Lebanon if it [the US] starts collaborating with Syria in Iraq."Syria expressed its willingness to cooperate with Washington to control its border with Iraq, he added. Nelson said he was visiting Lebanon as part of a tour of the Middle East and to express "America's strong support of Lebanon and the Siniora government." The senator said that "in critical times like these, Siniora showed to be a courageous and patient person."
Nelson said the US supported Siniora's "determination" to establish an international court to try suspects in the murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. "It is very important that the United Nations follow through with this investigation and wherever that investigation leads, find the perpetrators and bring them to justice," he said.
"Siniora's Cabinet was elected by the majority of the Lebanese, and we don't want to see it undermined by external interferences," Nelson added.
Nelson said he had informed the Syrian president on Wednesday that the US "fully supported Siniora's government.""I also clearly advised President Assad to stop interfering in Lebanese domestic affairs, and to end any attempt to rule Lebanon," Nelson said."However, Assad disagreed with the opinion that I expressed. Assad said he did not support the Siniora government, and on that we had a very sharp exchange of words and a sharp disagreement," he continued."President Assad and I stood at variance on a number of issues concerning Lebanon, and my visit today aims at enlightening Premier Siniora on Syrian stands." - With Agencies
Hariri: Foreign actors steering opposition
'Hizbullah is not the decision-maker'
By Mira Borji -Daily Star staff
Friday, December 15, 2006
BEIRUT: Parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri on Thursday accused Hizbullah of laying siege to the Grand Serail at the request of Iran, while once more calling for an international tribunal to try those accused of his father's assassination. The parliamentary majority leader told Algerian television that he has sent Iranian officials a letter criticizing what he said were attempts by Tehran to "sow divisions" among Muslims in Lebanon.
"Lebanon is based on several sects and political parties ... However, none of the Lebanese political parties can defeat the other because Lebanon is the country of coexistence," the Future Movement leader said. Taking aim at the anti-government coalition, which he said "is in fact led by Hizbullah, which has regional targets rather than internal ones," Hariri charged that "the opposition made up a problem and resorted to the streets."
The opposition began an open-ended demonstration outside the Grand Serail on December 1 to demand a larger say in the decision-making process of the government. "What is the opposition's project for Lebanon?" Hariri asked. "They only care about the creation of a national unity government and getting the blocking third. "Hizbullah is only calling for maintaining good relations with Iran and Syria, while claiming that all other relations do not serve Lebanon."Hariri dismissed as "unfounded accusations" opposition reports that a deal had been reached between all parties to end the political deadlock, but that the deal was abandoned after pressure from the United States.
"Saad Hariri does not get money from the US ... they are the ones who receive money from Iran," Hariri said. "Hizbullah is not the decision-maker ... they accuse us of having a militia; they are the militia."
Hariri said the two-week-old demonstration would not topple the government."Are they going to stage strikes? Let them do so, but they will be paralyzing the country," he said.The MP said he has always supported the resistance. "We were more than open with Hizbullah ... I told leaders all over the world that the issue of Hizbullah's weapons should be solved internally ... I said so in the White House, Elysee Palace and in all Arab countries," he said.
"We made a decision not to be part of any [international] alliance. We know what America and Europe are ... We do not even want to be part of the Iranian-Syrian alliance ... We just want to be Lebanese."The Future Movement leader said he was committed to the establishment of an international court to try his father's killers. "The international tribunal is meant to protect the Lebanese people and political leaders ... we do not intend to seek revenge because none of the assassinated will come back to life," he said. "They [Hizbullah] say that they support such a tribunal, but whenever the issue is discussed in Cabinet their ministers withdraw from session."
Hariri and Premier Fouad Siniora had both given Hizbullah ministers guarantees that the Cabinet would discuss the matter for a few days, the MP said, and promised to negotiate all of the main points concerning the court."Their real problem is that the Syrian regime does not want the international tribunal," Hariri said. He once more called for the resumption of national talks, saying "this way we will find out each party's demands."
Downtown Beirut moves to salvage holiday season
Promotional campaign aims to bring customers back by promising deep discounts
By Lysandra Ohrstrom -Daily Star staff
Friday, December 15, 2006
BEIRUT: As the anti-government demonstrations in Downtown Beirut enter their third week on Friday, embattled businesses from the hospitality, trade, and tourism sectors are striking back with a campaign aimed at boosting consumer spending and luring shoppers back to the commercial centers of the capital. Some of Lebanon's leading luxury retailers convened at the Phoenicia InterContinental Hotel on Thursday morning for the launch of the seasonal print, billboard, and television advertising blitz-"Bhebak bil Chiteh" (I love you in Winter) - conceived by H&C Leo Burnett.
Some stores, especially those in the Beirut Central District (BCD), are also offering discounts at locations in neighborhoods particularly hard-hit by the demonstrations in the hopes that shoppers might loosen their purse strings in honor of Christmas, the New Year, and Eid al-Adha.
Aishti chairman and CEO Tony Salame, Middle East Airlines (MEA) president Mohammad Hout, Lebanese Hotel Syndicate president Pierre Ashkar, and ABC director Robert Fadel each spoke at the event - and each pleaded for a political truce so that the economy could recover.
Merchants will request VAT exemptions from the government, Salame said in his speech, in an attempt to give consumers a stronger reason to spend. Hotels and MEA will be offering package deals to woo foreign visitors back to Lebanon to celebrate the holidays, and the Ministry of Tourism has agreed to exempt foreigners from temporary visa fees.
According to a statement released after the press conference, a delegation of businesspeople will soon meet with President Emile Lahoud, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Speaker Nabih Berri, Finance Minister Jihad Azour and Central Bank Governor Riyadh Salameh to ask that they "live up to their historic responsibilities.""The business operators will also ask all political parties and forces in Lebanon to prevent any negative repercussions on commercial establishments due to their actions and to actually support economic activities in Lebanon," the statement added. "The commercial establishments also plan to give special offers and major economic incentives to Lebanese customers and foreign visitors throughout the duration of the campaign."
The details of the particular incentives will be released later by individual retailers. Indeed, many BCD merchants give every appearance of not being able to sustain poor business for much longer. The owner and manager of the Lina's sandwich franchise, Sammi Hochon, said he will give the situation three or four months to recover before he shuts the Downtown branch.
"None of my locations are doing as well as they should because people just are not spending much right now," Hochon told The Daily Star on the sidelines of the press conference. "But business in Solidere has dropped 80 percent from this time last year. Lunch is just starting to pick, but for the rest of the day we are empty." In 2003 and 2004 consumer traffic was consistent enough to offset the high rents in Solidere, but things have not picked up since their decline two years ago, Hochon explained.
Virgin chairman Jihad Murr told Agence France Presse last week that if the situation persists he may have to close his flagship location in Martyrs Square, which reopened last Monday after more than a week of remaining shut due to the opposition demonstrations. Murr said he has laid off 20 percent of the total staff since the July-August war with Israel, and estimated that each day of closure costs the company $50,000 in losses.
Red streamers now hang from the windows of the former movie theater, presumably in place to offset the coils of barbed wire blocking off access to the site of slain former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's gravesite. Though protesters are still forbidden from erecting tents in the designated demonstration zone of the capital, consumers are welcome to bypass army checkpoints to do some Christmas shopping. Virgin circulated a mass email this week to this effect.
"In an effort to revive our beloved Virgin and all other stores and restaurants at Downtown striving to overcome this dire situation that threatens the very stability of our country's economy, we invite all of you to visit Downtown on the 14th of December starting 5:00 pm and participate in restoring life to the heart of Beirut," the email read. City Mall in Dora hired advertising firm BBDO Impact for an outdoor campaign of its own to promote the mall during the holiday season. Mall manager Rony Aoun insists that the Christmas-themed billboards - depicting a scantily clad, elfish women spraying perfume into an already blazing fireplace, and emblazoned with the slogan, "X-Mas Folly," presumably an ironic take on the current conflagration gripping the country - are part of a purely commercial campaign. "There is nothing political about it," Aoun said of the image in question, which also carries the words, "dreaming of a warm Christmas." "The fireplace gives the feeling of warmth," he said. "We tried to recreate the mood last year by decorating, putting up children's animation, and offering some holiday activities."Think your job is tough? Think again
By Rym Ghazal -Daily Star staff
Friday, December 15, 2006
BEIRUT: Suleiman spends the better part of each day picking up trash in Downtown Beirut. And now that the central district has been turned into a tent city due to the two-week-old opposition protests, he has even more work to do. Each morning, Suleiman, a Syrian national who has been in Lebanon for one year, and 16 other Sukleen employees set out to remove the mountains of trash that one would expect to find at a giant campsite.
"Cigarettes, everywhere you go, cigarettes!" he says when asked the most common piece of refuse in his line of work.
"It never ends. There is always new litter to pick up," he adds quietly. "It is very filthy in the early morning, and it is difficult to clean close to the tents as people are sleeping in them and we don't want to disturb them." Suleiman's workday starts when most people, including those demonstrating, are still dreaming: 4 a.m. By the time he clocks out at 7 p.m., the streets of the capital have ususally calmed and many Lebanese are having dinner. Sukleen employees also have the unenviable task of cleaning up around the 20 or so portable toilets that have been brought to the heart of the capital to accommodate the people inhabiting hundreds of tents erected in the area.
However, when the time came for Suleiman to pose for a quick photo-op for The Daily Star, repeated requests were made by demonstrators that their tents not provide the background for a Sukleen portrait. Repeated questions as to the reasons for their objections went unanswered.
Visibly uncomfortable with the attention his presence had brought, Suleiman made a quiet retreat and resumed his duties, picking up yet another cigarette butt on the way. Protesters make novel pick from array of party options: none of the above'I'm somebody with nobody' campaign grew out of wartime humanitarian movement
By Iman Azzi -Daily Star staff
Friday, December 15, 2006
BEIRUT: As anti-government protesters concluded their second week of camping out in the city center on Thursday, another - albeit smaller and shorter - protest arrived in Beirut. Not only was it a demonstration against the demonstration, but it was also a demonstration against the government, and the 20 people who participated took their anti-status quo sentiment to the streets - or one street. The "I'm somebody with nobody" campaign kicked off Thursday evening on Hamra Street with hopes of uniting Lebanese citizens who feel isolated by the polarized politics plaguing the country.
"We came out to say that we're not supporting any side. Since silence is often related to cowardice we came forward to say that some people are taking a third opinion," said Arwa Saleh, 24, one of 20 students and young professionals to take part in the third-party initiative. "No party in Lebanon expresses my thoughts," said Saleh. "I'm somebody with nobody" was conceived after the start of the anti-government protests on December 1. Most of the participants were former volunteers with the humanitarian aid organization Samidoun, which formed during the July-August war with Israel. After many discussions, these like-minded individuals decided it was necessary to share their opinions with the city.
"I'm not with the left, I'm not with the resistance, I'm not with the authority but I am with freedom," one poster read.
The group of 20 tried to expand their base and spread their message by distributing flyers at the intersection of Hamra Street where Wimpy's restaurant is located. "I'm somebody with nobody. I'm with civil rights. Social justice, canceling privatization, secularism = equality," the flyer read.
Some gathered on the sidewalk, holding signs to assume the role of human advertisements for their message. Others darted between cars and pedestrians, handing out flyers or coaxing others to sign a poster in support for the campaign.
"The idea touched me and I thought 'me too' - I'm just Lebanese and I'm not attached to any party," said Haitam Alwan, 23, a student at Lebanese University. "I'm with negotiations and expressing ideas."
Alwan, who lives near the downtown area and had some difficulty reaching his house during the initial days of the opposition protests, insisted that the country needed "new politicians, especially from the younger generations" to move Lebanon away from the current stalemate. "Today, this is an expression from people who want to say they stand against both sides," he said. "I joined because it's important to think on your own and stand for your interests, not the parties."The "somebodies" were greeted with mixed reactions from passersby. Those stuck in traffic reached out of cars for flyers, more out of curiosity than support. One woman after the reading the flyer exclaimed "impossible" and walked away.
The face of another middle-aged woman lit up, however, when she saw the group. "Bravo, bravo! Thank you," she said, adding that her entire life she had refused to join any Lebanese party. Roula Masri agreed. "I can't see myself under the umbrella of any current party," said Masri, an employee of a civil rights organization. "We're trying to think of alternatives. I think we need new elections, a new government, and change. We need a government willing to tackle social issues. These politicians are not with the people but with themselves."
"You can never predict the future of politics," Saleh said. "But I don't think a unity government will happen. These two sides will never agree. That's why I'm here, the country needs to take a third path." After an hour, the "some-bodies" packed up their flyers and returned to their lives as individuals. Nothing had changed - the traffic continued to be a jam, the opposition remained camped out downtown and the government stayed locked in the Serail - but they had succeeded in reminding some Lebanese that there are more than two sides to every story - even political ones.