LCCC NEWS BULLETIN
JANUARY 16/2006

Below News from Daily Star for 16.1.06
Hezbollah & its allies Slams Welch
Hizbullah takes gloves off in row with Jumblatt
Sfeir expresses concern over Naameh incident, 'hit list' publication
Aoun launches attack on Khaddam
Qassem rejects Welch visit and any 'schemes harmful to Lebanon
War of words heats up between Rizk and Fattoush over quarry issue
Jumblatt: Will not 'reply to insults with insults
Riot police crack down on protest
Does Lebanon really face an Al-Qaeda threat
Can America convince the Lebanese that it has good intentions? Daily Star 16.1.06
Israel can't live with Iran's bomb, and can't stop it. By Ze'ev Schiff 16.1.06
Below News from miscellaneous sources for 16.1.06
Lebanese soldiers wound two near Palestinian camp-AP 16.1.06
Political rows sink Lebanon deeper into crisis - Reuters 16.1.06
A-Qaeda Branching into Lebanon, Hezbollah Unimpressed.By Steve Schippert- Threat Watch 16.1.06
Aoun launches attack on Khaddam-Aljazera 17.1.06
Below news from Naharnet for 15.1.06
Hizbullah Trades Accusations of Betrayal with Jumblat
Lahoud Denies Corruption Allegations
Aoun Blames Khaddam for Assassinations during Lebanon's War
U.S. Envoy Greeted with a Riot in Beirut
Lebanon Cracks Qaida Cell Coming from Syria
Israeli Army Chief of Staff Warns of Possible Israeli Strike on Lebanon Infrastructure
Assad Inner Circle Embezzled $20 Billion, Khaddam Says
Syrian Arrested in Hariri Probe, Bringing Number of Detainees to 12
7-Point Syrian Compromise Meets Stiff Lebanese Resistance
Sheikh Jaber, 78, Emir of Kuwait, Dies, Crown Prince Sheikh Saad Named Emir
Sharon Fails to Wake Up from Coma, Olmert to be Declared Acting Leader
Syria's Ex-Vice President Khaddam Forms Government in Exile
U.S. Military Releases Al-Arabiya Reporter from Prison
Chief Judge in Saddam's Trial Submits Resignation
7 Accused of Recruiting Fighters for Iraq Insurgency Arrested in Spain
Iran's Leader Stands Fast Behind Resuming Uranium Enrichment Research
At Least 17 Killed in U.S. Attack in Pakistan, Zawahri Reportedly Among Dead
Iran Threatens to End Cooperation with IAEA if Referred to Security Council

Aoun launches attack on Khaddam
Kesrouan MP demands explanation for previous assassinations
Compiled by Daily Star staff -Monday, January 16, 2006
MP Michel Aoun lashed out at former Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam Saturday over statements the latter will form a government in exile, while Syria repeated its willingness Sunday to cooperate with UN investigators.
Syria's state-run Al-Thawra newspaper urged the new head of the investigation commission into the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri, Serge Brammertz, to accept Damascus' offer to sign a cooperation agreement. The daily said Damascus was "absolutely keen" on reaching an agreement to define the terms of cooperation. "Talking about the future requires avoiding previous mistakes in assessing cooperation," Al-Thawra said. "Syria and the international investigation commission are required to reach an agreement to define the criteria of cooperation so that this agreement would be the 'honest judge' of the extent of cooperation."
However, during a visit to Lebanon Saturday, U.S. envoy for the Middle East David Welch warned that Syria risks further UN Security Council action unless it steps up its cooperation with the UN probe. A Syrian official quoted by the country's SANA news agency criticized Welch's statements as "increasing pressure on Syria because it adopts a policy of peace and stability against Israel's aggressions."
The source added that Welch was "helplessly trying to support Lebanese figures opposed to Syria and to stability in Lebanon while efforts were being deployed to restore the stability in this Arab country." Meanwhile, an interview published the same day in Germany's Der Spiegel magazine quoted Khaddam as revealing he was preparing a government in exile.
"I would not exclude any political group [from this new government] as long as it respects the democratic process," Khaddam was quoted as saying. According to the former vice president, the current Assad regime has ruled Syria "like a band of gangsters."Khaddam also repeated his assertion that Syrian President Bashar Assad had personally ordered Hariri's assassination.
"The fall [of the Assad regime] has begun. I do not think the regime will survive this year," he said. Khaddam said he was open to including Islamist groups and Baathists in his government, despite his own expulsion from the party earlier this year over his inflammatory comments. In an interview with Dubai television, MP Michel Aoun accused Khaddam of bearing responsibility for a string of assassinations in Lebanon. "For a long time Khaddam was responsible for the Lebanese file, and during the time that he was responsible there were many very unfortunate events which were similar to Hariri's assassination," Aoun said. Long the architect of Syria's military and political domination of Lebanon, Khaddam headed the Lebanese file during Lebanon's 1975-1990 war.
"There were the [assassinations] of two presidents of the republic; Bashir Gemayel and Rene Mouawad, and there was the mufti Sheikh Hassan Khaled, MP Nazem al-Qadri ... and Kamal Jumblatt," Aoun said. The MP called on Khaddam to publicly explain the killings. "We had hoped that he [Khaddam] would recall those days and let us know how these events took place," he said.
Damascus has said it intends to try Khaddam for high treason, investigate him on corruption charges and seize his assets following his allegations against the regime. However, in an earlier interview with the American Sawa Radio Station, Khaddam denied French authorities had demanded he leave the country and move to an Arab state. He said French authorities had asked him to abide by French law and to end his attacks against the Syrian regime through the French media. He also denied having been in contact with any Arab states, particularly, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Khaddam's son Jihad said previously his father would remain in France and that he did not intend to move to Saudi Arabia, adding that the Syrian regime was orchestrating "misleading" campaigns against his father. A statement issued by President Emile Lahoud's press office rejected Khaddam's claims the president was involved in corruption cases.
The statement called Khaddam's allegations "rude," adding that Khaddam himself was "a symbol of corruption."
"It is enough to check Khaddam's and his family's accounts and assets to realize that he is highly corrupt," the statement said, adding that Lahoud had always made fighting corruption and protecting public money a priority.
Meanwhile, judiciary sources quoted Military Investigating Magistrate Rashid Mozher as having said the inspections of the blast site of the Gebran Tueni assassination have been completed. The sources added that the group of six Dutch explosive specialists working on the case is waiting for laboratory tests carried out in Amsterdam to examine samples of explosives found on the scene of the crime.
- Additional reporting by Raed el-Rafei

Sfeir expresses concern over Naameh incident, 'hit list' publication
By Therese Sfeir -Daily Star staff
Monday, January 16, 2006
BEIRUT: Recent events have Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir worried. Speaking Sunday, the Patriarch said several incidents that occurred last week instigated fear among the Lebanese. He added that "the wounding of two citizens in Naameh was aimed at stirring confusion in the country."Sfeir further said he was concerned about the new hit list that included the names of prominent Lebanese politicians and journalists and the smuggling of weapons across the Syrian-Lebanese border.
Meanwhile, intensive meetings were held over the weekend between Lebanese parties, who stressed the need to promote national dialogue in order to resolve the country's pending issues. Sfeir met Saturday with a delegation from the Democratic Gathering, which included Information Minister Ghazi Aridi and MPs Wael Bou Faour and Faysal Sayegh.
In remarks afterward, Aridi criticized "the positions adopted by some Lebanese parties, which tried to convince us that a deal was forged outside Lebanon and is imposed on the Lebanese." "Such claims are definitely untrue and we reiterate our appreciation of the role of Saudi Arabia in supporting the Lebanese," he added. Aridi stressed that all the Lebanese parties "sought the implementation of security and stability in the country, as well as the establishment of good relations with Syria, in line with the Taif Accord."
He also underlined the necessity to "radically" resolve the problems that emerged following the extension of the term of President Emile Lahoud. Aridi said he hoped that the Shiite ministers would end their boycott of the Cabinet sessions "as soon as possible," stressing that dialogue should be based on the ministerial policy statement.
Commenting on the arrest Friday of 13 alleged Al-Qaeda members that were reported to have entered the country from Syria, Aridi said: "This is a very dangerous development; the security bodies are required to assume their role and seize such networks."He added that the security bodies should also implement the decisions made by the Cabinet regarding the Palestinians' weapons. Aridi and Sayegh also paid a visit Saturday to MP Butros Harb. Aridi said Saudi Arabia and Egypt did not launch an initiative to resolve the crisis in Lebanon. "The Saudis received a letter from Syrian officials that included several proposals and delivered it to Prime Minister Fouad Siniora," he said. "Saudi Arabia does not interfere in Lebanon's internal affairs and is keen on the country's security and stability."
Harb said Lebanon's sovereignty "cannot be subject to any compromise," adding that the efforts deployed by Saudi Arabia and Egypt "were not fruitful."Another meeting was held Saturday between former President Amin Gemayel and a delegation from the Future bloc that included MPs Mohammad Qabbani, Riad Rahhal and Mustafa Ali Hussein.
Qabbani emphasized the need to strengthen the alliance of March 14 and promote cooperation between all its parties.
As for the Shiite ministers' boycott of the Cabinet sessions, Qabbani said: "We are keen on the presence of Hizbullah and Amal ministers inside the Cabinet but we also stress our adherence to the Taif Accord."Gemayel emphasized the need for a "political truce and the return of the Shiite ministers to the Cabinet, because the citizens are in need of a Cabinet that takes care of their economic and security issues."
Meanwhile, a meeting was held in Paris between the head of Future bloc, MP Saad Hariri and the secretary general of the Democratic Leftist Movement, MP Elias Atallah. A statement issued by the movement Saturday said both officials stressed the need to strengthen the March 14 alliance in order to "carry on the battle of freedom and truth."
Discussions also tackled "the latest developments in Lebanon and the various Arab initiatives." The statement added both officials agreed on the need to demarcate the borders with Syria and to restore Lebanese-Syrian relations with respect to each country's sovereignty and independence. Discussions also focused on the necessity of full Syrian cooperation with the international investigation committee probing the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. As for the current ministerial crisis, the officials stressed the need to abide by the ministerial policy statement and to refer to the Taif Accord in order to resolve pending problems.

Hezbollah's Demonstrations Slams Welch
By Majdoline Hatoum -Daily Star staff
Monday, January 16, 2006
BEIRUT: A Hizbullah official described U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, David Welch, as a "depraved low employee" in the U.S. administration, and accused the U.S. of interfering in Lebanon's internal affairs. Talking to The Daily Star Sunday, Sayyed Nawaf Musawi, Hizbullah's officer for external relations, said Welch's visit to Beirut Saturday represented the "worst shape of interference in Lebanon's internal affairs.""The price of this visit, which aimed at delivering U.S. instructions for Lebanese officials, was the injury of 15 of Lebanon's students. It was a despicable American step to try and create problems and chaos in Lebanon, and to try and instigate the sectarian feelings and tension in the country," Musawi said. The Hizbullah official added that the U.S. move represented part of the American plan for the region.
"They want to use Lebanon as a bargaining card and instrument of pressure in their plans for the region," Musawi said. Welch, who left Beirut for France Sunday morning to meet with leader of Parliament majority MP Saad Hariri in Paris, denied accusation of interfering in Lebanon's internal affairs Saturday, and said following a meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora: "I doubt that anyone can seriously say that the U.S. is interfering in Lebanese politics ... If anything our motive is to protect Lebanon, not interfere inside Lebanon," he said. After Hariri's meeting with Welch, his press office issued a statement saying the two men discussed the situation in Lebanon and the region, and agreed on the need to find out the truth behind the murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. "The [two men] shared the same point of view on the need to find out the perpetuators of this crime, and asserted that there is no intention of accepting any political deal on this issue," the statement read. Welch had said Saturday that he informed the Lebanese premier of U.S. President George Bush's support for Lebanon's people and government. He also said that the U.S. "remains confident that the discussions being held by the Lebanese people present the promise of a strong, united and democratic Lebanon." Welch lashed out at Syria, echoing what U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had said earlier last week. "Syria must cease obstructing the investigation into the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri, and must cooperate fully and unconditionally with the UN Independent International Investigation Commission."
Welch, who was accompanied by Elliott Abrams, deputy national security advisor in Bush's administration, also discussed implementation of UN Resolution 1559. "The requirements of 1559 are very important, and we believe they should be met. There is a process underway to do that ... We respect that there should be a Lebanese dialogue about how to accomplish that, just as long as there is no compromise about the destination," he said.
Welch also held several meetings with top Lebanese officials Saturday including Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir, Druze leader MP Walid Jumblatt and Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, excluding however, pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud. Talking following his visit to Sfeir, Welch pledged to protect Lebanon's sovereignty as former powerbroker Syria becomes increasingly isolated by the international community. "We will not support any efforts, deals or promises that would trade away the sovereignty of Lebanon in return for something called 'stability' which is in reality foreign interference," Welch said. "I reaffirmed to [Sfeir] the continuity of the commitment of the United States to Lebanon and the people of Lebanon," he added. "We, the American people and the American administration, stand solidly with the people of Lebanon."Welch's visit however, triggered a demonstration by pro-Syrian groups that turned violent following a clash with security forces outside the Grand Serail during Welch's meeting with Siniora.
The protesters, mainly supporters of Hizbullah and the Amal Movement, held anti-American posters while standing in front of riot police, which fired tear gas and used water cannon to disperse them. Barriers prevented the crowd from marching on the building where Welch was to meet Siniora. "The protest was actually a political form of pressure on the government," MP Mohammad Qabbani, member of Hariri's Parliamentary bloc, told The Daily Star Sunday."It is true the protesters had the right to demonstrate anything they don't approve of," he said. "It is something guaranteed by the Constitution."
"But this protest should remain peaceful and should not breach the law," Qabbani said. He added that Welsh's visit did not mean the Lebanese government was accepting U.S. hegemony, something the demonstrators accused Siniora's Cabinet off. "It is very normal for Lebanese officials to meet with foreign officials, whether American or not," Qabbani said. "Diplomatic relations between countries is not hegemony, and we can not isolate ourselves from the rest of the world, whether Arab or western."

Hizbullah takes gloves off in row with Jumblatt
By Adnan El-Ghoul -Daily Star staff
Monday, January 16, 2006
BEIRUT: A growing row between MP Walid Jumblatt and the Hizbullah-Amal alliance threatened to escalate even further over the weekend, urging Premier Fouad Siniora to step in and encourage boycotting Shiite ministers to return to work.
In his efforts to end ongoing wrangling, Siniora contacted Speaker Nabih Berri, Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Jumblatt. Siniora and Berri will be on the same flight to Kuwait Tuesday; President Emile Lahoud will be traveling separately Monday to pay his condolences to Kuwaiti officials on the passing of the country's emir.
Siniora urged both sides to end their inflammatory media campaigns "to save the country more hazards at this sensitive crossroads.""I am sure we are heading toward conciliation," Siniora said, "because the parties involved have demonstrated willingness to ease the tension. Our main concern is to win back our colleagues in the Cabinet to tackle the challenges facing our country together." The premier added that regional conflicts should not drag Lebanon into an "inferno that would jeopardize the country's great potential."Following statements from Jumblatt over the weekend describing Hizbullah's arms as "deceitful," the resistance issued a harsh reply saying, "Such a description has crossed all red lines and breached values. If shame was personified, it would be named Walid Jumblatt."
In response to a later clarification from Jumblatt that his attack was directed at the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, the head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc Mohammed Raad told The Daily Star that Hizbullah would not have slammed Jumblatt's statements without careful examination of his previous comments.
"This is not the first time that Jumblatt and his allies question Hizbullah's loyalty to Leba-non," he said. "If Jumblatt wants us to believe him again, he must reverse his irrational campaign and statements and translate his stances into actions."
Hizbullah also issued a statement in response to Jumblatt's "retracted announcements."The statement said "Jumblatt was not practicing his freedom of opinion or belief; he was rather insulting thousands of martyrs who died in defending Beirut and liberating the South from Israeli occupation."
Concerning a call by Jumblatt for Hizbullah "to apologize to the Druze," the resistance said: "Hizbullah's attack was directed against Jumblatt personally and not against the mountain population, whom we respect. We do not acknowledge that he represents them exclusively."The statement further said it had no problem with Jumblatt's allies, advising him "not to hide behind the forces of March 14." Regarding the Cabinet crisis, Raad reiterated the Shiite bloc's position that their ministers would not return until the majority agreed to their demands, which now go beyond the creation on an international court.
"According to the laws, the Cabinet can still convene and issue decisions, but, politically, it has no legitimacy," Raad said. "The ministers will not resign neither can the premier discharge them." Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan said: "The Shiite ministers want to negotiate while exerting political pressure as they continue boycotting the Cabinet. We refuse to negotiate under pressure. The government can work without them." Raad admitted the Hizbullah and Amal ministers were pressuring the government. "However, we are exerting positive pressure to encourage the majority to solve the problem or resign," he said.
Raad said Jumblatt foiled every agreement Hizbullah had reached with MP Saad Hariri. "The Lebanese people must know the destructive role Jumblatt has played in preventing solving the government crisis."The Amal movement also rejected Jumblatt's statements, questioning his "newly acclaimed loyalty to the Lebanese flag."However, Amal called for unity among all parties.
Meanwhile, government sources said Sunday the Shiite ministers will not attend a Cabinet session to be held on Monday, without the presence of President Emile Lahoud.
The March 14 Forces issued a statement rebuffing Hizbullah's attack on Jumblatt, "who had been supporting the resistance fiercely, and who did not deserve to be called a traitor." It also reiterated the belief that disputes should be "resolved through dialogue."But, according to Health Minister Mohammad Khalifa, "currently, we do not have any reason to resign from the Cabinet. We perform our duties to ensure the citizens' affairs are taken care of without any hindrance."
The Amal movement also rejected Jumblatt's statements, questioning his "newly acclaimed loyalty to the Lebanese flag."
However, Amal's statements called for national unity.Former Premier Salim Hoss issued a statement saying "the row on the political scene has reached painful limits. For the first time, we hear some people disputing whether Israel is our enemy or not, or mocking the Arab-Israeli conflict and that there is no such thing as a Palestinian cause."

Qassem rejects Welch visit and any 'schemes harmful to Lebanon'
Daily Star- Monday, January 16, 2006
BEIRUT: With the visit of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch and the following demonstration in Downtown Beirut, Hizbullah number two Sheikh Naim Qassem said the aim of Saturday's protest was "to reject the visit of the U.S. official Welch and reject whatever harmful thoughts for Lebanon he has."
Qassem was speaking Sunday during preparations for Ashoura organized by the Imam Mehdi Scouts in Beirut.
He said the protest was a "peaceful demonstration called by youth groups." Qassem said he was "surprised with the intended oppression of the peaceful demonstration that was an expression of their viewpoints regarding the U.S. administration." Welch "wanted three things from Lebanon," he said, adding the U.S. official wanted to "convey a harsh message to Syria from Lebanon. He could have done that from the U.S. or anywhere else."
"But he wanted to emphasize that the U.S. considers Lebanon to be its passage," he said.
According to Qassem, Welch wanted to ensure "U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman's moves and the different U.S. messages from the past two weeks have destabilized the potential consensus that was moving on positively until the U.S. administration stepped in."He said Welch wanted to "confirm that Israel is protected and work on implementing Resolution 1559 to fully serve Israel under the difficult circumstances it is going through." Qassem described the security forces' trial to disperse the crowds as a "blatant assault," and asked who the parties that gave orders to the Internal Security Forces to "attack those youth groups" were.Qassem also asked the government who was behind the "deliberate problem."
He rejected the political course in Lebanon that "allows the U.S. to be a caretaker over Lebanon or use it to be a passage to settle accounts with Syria."As for the latest statements made by MP Walid Jumblatt, Qassem said the resistance had chosen not to respond to the statements "except for when those statements affected the resistance." He stressed "MP Jumblatt is the one who is adding tension and stirring up issues."
Qassem described the statements made by the new Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Dan Halutz as "a blatant attack on Lebanon." Qassem said Halutz "had threatened to strike Lebanon's infrastructure and no Lebanese officials commented on them."He asked who would hold Halutz liable for his remarks. "Is it the UN Security Council that conspires with Israel?"
Qassem said Shebaa Farms were Lebanese "since their residents are purely Lebanese and those territories were registered in Sidon's cadastre a long time ago." He said those territories "must be liberated until we reach Palestine."

Jumblatt: Will not 'reply to insults with insults'
Monday, January 16, 2006-Daily Star
CHOUF: MP Walid Jumblatt said Sunday he will not "reply to the insults with insults," in reference to the escalated war of words between the Druze leader and Hizbullah's leadership. Speaking to visitors in Mukhtara, Jumblatt said: "What we meant by the weapon of betrayal is the weapon that tried to kill [Telecommunications Minister] Marwan Hamade and assassinated [former Prime Minister] Rafik Hariri and all the decent and free men, including Gebran Tueni."
"I only hope that they [Hizbullah] apologize to those who joined them in the liberation battle," he added.
On Saturday, Jumblatt said the members of the March 14 coalition were stronger than "the weapons that they [Hizbullah] are keeping - the tools of betrayal - and the arms which they claim are intended for liberation."
Jumblatt added that the March 14 supporters "are stronger than the bandits positioned here and there in Haret Naameh and other tunnels accommodating criminals."
Jumblatt further said Lebanon should not held "hostage by a particular alliance that begins in the Mediterranean coast and ends in Persia," in reference to Syria and Iran.
In swift response, Hizbullah issued a statement saying that Jumblatt's "description of the resistance's weapons as a tool of betrayal is the most dangerous thing he has said so far."
Jumblatt later clarified that "arms of betrayal" was referring to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command headed by Ahmad Jibril. In an interview with Al-Jazeera satellite network, Jumblatt said: "It seems that [Hizbullah] doesn't want to be criticized ... and they don't want the Syrian regime to be criticized."It seems that someone in Hizbullah has lost his mind and does not want to confirm that the Shebaa Farms are Lebanese because he has an agenda different from a Lebanese one." - With Naharnet

Riot police crack down on protest
By Jessy Chahine -Daily Star staff
Monday, January 16, 2006
BEIRUT : The Lebanese riot police had a hard time controlling over 250 Hizbullah and Amal supporters in Downtown Beirut on Saturday ahead of a meeting between Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Welch. The young demonstrators, who carried anti-U.S. banners and chanted anti-U.S. slogans at one point, started to throw stones at the riot police who were preventing them from advancing further toward the Grand Serail, where Welch's and Siniora's meeting was being held. The police started to fire smoke grenades and spray water to disperse the protesters. After that, the demonstrators tried to tear down a barrier set up about 50 meters from the government building. "Welch is not welcome in Lebanon," one placard read. "No to the visit by Welch" and "No to American Interference" some other banners read.
"Death to America," and "Death to Israel," the supporters shouted. "Welch, you are personna non grata in Lebanon. America get out, Beirut is free, free!"
The protesters referred to themselves as "the Lebanese student force lobbying against American interference in Lebanon." Hisham Tabbara, representing the student force, commented after the protest, saying that "while we were holding a very peaceful and symbolic protest, with no weapons at all, the ISF started to spray us with water and fire smoke grenades at us, which caused many people to faint." Strongly condemning the "physical harassments" that the students were subjected to during Saturday's protest, former MP and founder of the People Movement Najah Wakim criticized any foreign interference - especially American - in Lebanese politics. "To us, Syria is a dear part of the Arab world," Wakim said during a ceremony at UNESCO Palace celebrating the People Movement's sixth anniversary.
"In the last couple of years, the Lebanese people were victims of many fraudulent campaigns that made them drift further into the American-Israeli project of dividing the Arab region." MP Gebran Bassil also condemned the ISF's use of force to stop the protesters. "Even if we do not agree with the protesters' point of view, we think the government should respect the freedom of expression and never let the protesters be treated with such violence," Bassil said. Similarly, Hizbullah MP Hassan Fadlallah also strongly opposed holding accountable any of those students who were "peacefully protesting" in front of the Grand Serail.
"The country cannot bear more internal tensions," he said, adding that the "government should do its best to protect the student's freedom of speech instead of attacking them."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, who strongly supported "the students' democratic right to protest," said however, that "the students should consider the ISF members as their own brothers and protectors and should not, in any case, provoke them." Siniora said Lebanon's freedom of speech and expression would never be compromised."But violence should never be an alternative," Siniora said. "I cannot accept to have protesters who brought stones with them - because the Downtown area is free of stones - and tomatoes and eggs," Siniora said.Similarly, Samir Geagea, head of the Lebanese Forces' Executive Committee said that "it was unacceptable that supporters of the former regime protest using sharp tools and violent expressions, which is what caused the clash between them and the ISF."
A statement released on Sunday by the ISF said: "Even though the ISF regrets Saturday's unfortunate events, it was forced to calm down the protesters' violence when they reached an unbearable level, which threatened the safety of a public institution [the Grand Serail]."In response to the anti-American protest, another protest was held at the same time on Saturday in Karantina by March 14 supporters, who set tires on fire and blocked the entire Karantina highway.
According to student sources, Amal and Hizbullah students may hold a one-day strike on Monday in some Lebanese universities. Furthermore, some students of the Human Sciences campus at the Lebanese University will hold an inside-campus sit-in on Tuesday at 11:30 p.m. On Tuesday, as well, the same youth groups that participated in Saturday's protest will head toward the American Embassy in Awkar in order to "reaffirm their condemnation of the American interference in Lebanese internal affairs." - With agencies

Does Lebanon really face an Al-Qaeda threat?
Some say recent reports are false
By Mohammed Zaatari -Daily Star staff
Monday, January 16, 2006
SIDON: Does Al-Qaeda really exist in Lebanon? Are its members and cells ready to carry out attacks? Or are recent reports of the terrorist group's presence here merely rumors and leaks meant to distract attention away from Lebanon's internal situation? On Saturday, a hand grenade exploded near an Army checkpoint outside the western entrance of the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in Sidon. Security sources said no casualties had been reported. The Army opened investigations into the explosion and increased its patrols along the eastern Sidon-Tyre highway and at the western entrance of Ain al-Hilweh. Checkpoints were also set up in Sidon.
On Friday night, Al-Balad newspaper received a telephone call from someone claiming to be Al-Qaeda's spokesperson in Lebanon. The caller threatened, "an operation will be carried out against the Lebanese Army in half an hour." He said the attack would send "a message" to security authorities warning them against "oppressing the devoted youth."
The alleged Al-Qaeda spokesperson also denied any ties to 13 suspects arrested on Friday. Officials said last week the 13 were members of an Al-Qaeda cell in Lebanon and were under arrest on charges of "establishing a gang to carry out terrorist acts, forging official and private documents and possessing unlicensed arms."
The caller warned "other attacks will occur if the Islamists held in Lebanese prisons are not released," but did not identify those it wanted released. Among the 13 suspects being detained are Amer Hallaq, the son of Sheikh Abdullah Hallaq, a member of Association of Muslim Scholars in Beirut. A prominent Muslim religious figure in Sidon, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was "surprised that Al-Qaeda exists in Lebanon." He said the name "Al-Qaeda was created by the U.S. intelligence agencies and the U.S. Embassy in Beirut amid ongoing efforts to reduce the pressure on Syria by accusing Al-Qaeda. That falls under the context of a certain deal between Syria and the U.S."
He added that "the youth who were arrested are just children who aren't able to do things like carry weapons."
When contacted by The Daily Star, Sheikh Abdullah Hallaq said: "Security forces arrested my son and then referred him to the military court." The religious scholar said his son, a 23-year-old university graduate, "will come out innocent."
Meanwhile, Chief Military Investigating Magistrate Rashid Mezher has been assigned the preliminary investigation of the 13 suspects. The alleged Al-Qaeda members include seven Syrians, one Saudi Arabian, one Jordanian, one Palestinian and three Lebanese. Mezher has opened an examination and is scheduled to begin questioning the suspects on Monday.
Separately, Nohad Abu Addas, the mother of Palestinian Ahmad Abu Addas, who appeared last February in a videotape claiming responsibility for the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri, rejected any suggestions that her son was involved with a terrorist group.Reports on Friday said some of the 13 suspects claimed to belong to the Jund al-Sham, the previously unheard of organization that claimed responsibility for the Hariri attack.

Can America convince the Lebanese that it has good intentions?
Monday, January 16, 2006-Editorial- Daily Star
It has become almost a ritual response that whenever an American official visits the Middle East, angry protesters take to the streets to denounce U.S. involvement in their region. The fact that hundreds of youth rallied in Downtown Beirut Saturday to protest against U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Welch's visit to the country therefore came as no surprise. And while it is unfortunate that what started as a peaceful demonstration erupted into a riot, it is understandable that the official's visit prompted such a passionate outburst. The issue of U.S. involvement in the region is indeed a sensitive one that often arouses an angry response. Even the most committed democracy advocates in the region are concerned about the idea of U.S. involvement in their countries. In Iraq, the Americans have proven that although they may have the best of intentions, they are capable of horrible bungling and catastrophic errors. They can be duped by faulty intelligence, they can fail to adequately plan for their military adventures, they can commit egregious human rights abuses and they can refuse to admit their mistakes. While there are many in the region who welcome democracy, there are few who would welcome too much American assistance in this regard. And none would wish for themselves the kind of instability that we see in Iraq. Therefore even those who support vibrant relations with the West are fearful of excessive American meddling.
This is the case throughout the Arab world, but it is particularly true in Lebanon, where fear of America's clumsy involvement is compounded by the problem of proximity to America's closest regional ally, Israel. The Lebanese still recall Israel's bloody 22-year occupation of Lebanon, which ended in 2000. And understandably, many Lebanese worry that American involvement in their country will be geared toward securing Israeli interests.
America will need to do a lot more to improve its reputation in the Arab world. And if America wants to help Lebanon, there are a few important things that can be done to simultaneously bolster its own standing and encourage Lebanon's democratic growth. First and foremost, the U.S. can apply an even-handed approach toward Israel and Lebanon by exerting pressure on its ally Israel to withdraw from the Shebaa Farms, end its military incursions into Lebanese territory and return Lebanese prisoners of war. Second, the U.S. would do well to cultivate ties with a broader range of Lebanese political players, and convey an impartial stance on Lebanon's domestic issues. Welch, who met with leaders of the March 14 alliance, did not meet with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri during his trip to Lebanon. But Berri could prove a useful ally in bridging the sectarian divide that is threatening the Lebanese political arena. Steps such as these would bolster the prospects for a united, democratic Lebanon. They would also go a long way toward convincing the sceptics among the Lebanese that American intervention will serve their interests, and not a hidden Israeli agenda.

Israel can't live with Iran's bomb, and can't stop it
Commentary by: Ze'ev Schiff
Monday, January 16, 2006
For 18 years Iran misled the International Atomic Energy Agency, violated the safeguards agreement and failed to report the full scope of its nuclear activities to the IAEA. Then one day it admitted its deception.
Israel was perhaps the only country that detected what was happening in Iran at an early stage, and it had repeatedly claimed that Iran was deceiving the IAEA. We can recall that regarding Iraq, too, it was Israel that argued in the late 1970s and early 1980s that Saddam Hussein was trying to acquire nuclear weaponry. Washington initially rejected the reports, and ultimately Israel was obliged to invoke a military solution and bomb the Iraqi reactor in 1981 - but only after Iran tried first, and failed.
Israel appears to possess extensive intelligence information on Iranian nuclear activities. While those activities have suffered a variety of delays, there can be no doubt that military nuclear development is the objective of the Tehran regime. Israel views this as a serious threat, frequently defining it as existential in nature. Iran's diplomatic maneuvers - one step back, two steps forward - are intended to play for time until it achieves the status of regional nuclear power. This assessment is now shared by the United States and leading European countries.
The Iranian nuclearization issue should be understood as being not restricted to Iran alone. The problem is far more comprehensive and dangerous because it is obvious that after Iran, additional Middle East states will seek to develop their own nuclear weapons. Why, for example, shouldn't Egypt try? Why shouldn't Saudi Arabia attempt to acquire nuclear weaponry or know-how from Pakistan? Why won't Sunni Arab states fear an extremist Shiite Iran that has acquired nuclear weapons?
Concern over Iran is particularly great because of the nature and behavior of its regime. The negative ramifications are doubled when the finger on the nuclear trigger is that of an extremist Shiite ayatollah. Iran finances organizations like the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hizbullah and supports the use of violence against Israel and Israelis. Washington had good reason to define Iran as a member of the "axis of evil." Most recently, Israel was doubly worried when Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for its destruction and claimed the Holocaust never took place, thereby earning worldwide condemnation. This combination of a nuclear weapons program, calls for the annihilation of Israel and funding for terrorism requires an aggressive response against Iran.
Obviously, Israel has good reason to prepare itself for every contingency, and this it is doing. It refrains from threatening Iran while preparing for the worst. Israel understands that Iran is not like Iraq. It is bigger and its rulers have drawn lessons from the fate of Saddam Hussein. Israel's basic approach holds that the problem of a nuclear Iran is not its problem alone, but that of the broader international community. Iran projects a threat to the entire Middle East and to global stability. The surface-to-surface missiles it is developing reach far beyond Israel. Already they cover Saudi Arabia as well as Turkey, a member of NATO; the next generation of Iranian missiles will cover most of the European subcontinent.
Is there a military option for stopping Iran's military nuclear project? If the question refers only to Israel, the answer is no. If Israel senses a direct threat from the extremist regime in Tehran and feels the need to do so, it can severely punish Iran and cause a significant delay in its military nuclear development project. But I do not believe it can put a complete stop to the project by military means.
Undoubtedly, the U.S. has a far greater military capability. Experts argue that it is not necessary to destroy all nuclear targets in Iran in order to achieve this outcome. But for Washington the issue is not only military; it is political as well, particularly in view of the war in Iraq. In other words, any American response would have to be a military and political option for stopping Iran's military nuclear project. At a broader level the international community, if it shows the determination, possesses a military option for stopping the Iranian nuclear scheme. This could be the outcome if Iran, under the leadership of extremist ayatollahs, violates its international commitments and threatens its neighbors. Yet it is important to note that diplomatic and political maneuvers on this issue have not been exhausted. The Russian proposal that Iran exercise its "right" to enrich uranium on Russian territory is a good opening for an agreement - on condition that Tehran honor it in all respects.Zeev Schiff is defense editor of Israel's Haaretz newspaper. This commentary first appeared at bitterlemons-international.org, an online newsletter that covers Middle Eastern and Muslim issues.

Lebanese soldiers wound two near Palestinian camp
By ASSOCIATED PRESS - Jan. 15, 2006 22:59
Lebanese soldiers stationed outside a Palestinian refugee camp in south Lebanon opened fire late Sunday on a car they suspected of carrying gunmen. Two men in the car were taken for treatment of gunshot wounds, a third was arrested, security officials said. The shooting occurred two days after suspected Palestinian militants used hand grenades to attack a Lebanese army checkpoint on the fringe of the Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp near the southern port city of Sidon.
Officials said the soldiers opened fire when the car refused orders to stop. The army said it was investigating the incident.
The largest of Lebanon's 12 Palestinian refugee camps, Ein el-Hilweh has witnessed years of bombings, assassinations and shootings as rival factions vie for control. The camp is also believed to be a hideout for many fugitives wanted by Lebanese authorities.

Political rows sink Lebanon deeper into crisis
By Lin Noueihed - BEIRUT, Jan 15 (Reuters) - A row between pro-Syrian Hizbollah guerrillas and Druze leader Walid Jumblatt has plunged Lebanon deeper into a political crisis that has paralysed the government and divided the country along sectarian lines.
In an unprecedented attack on Saturday, Jumblatt accused Shi'ite Muslim Hizbollah of hiding behind its "weapons of treachery", capping a month-old campaign against the group that is under pressure to disarm in line with a U.N. resolution.
Hizbollah, close to Syria and Iran, responded with a biting attack against Jumblatt, the most outspoken critic of Syria's domination of Lebanon after the 1975-1990 civil war. "Which are the weapons of treachery, the weapons of the resistance or those of Walid Jumblatt? The arms that liberated and protected Lebanon or those that destroyed, expelled, burned, killed and committed massacres?" it said referring to his role as a warlord during the war. "If treachery was embodied as a man in these bad times, it would be Walid Jumblatt". The standoff spilled over into a public slanging match after a flurry of diplomatic efforts failed last week to reach a compromise over a U.N. inquiry that has implicated Syria in the murder of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri in February. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad flew to Egypt and Saudi Arabia last Sunday for talks on Lebanon, though Damascus has since rejected a U.N. request to question him over the case.
Lebanon's sectarian political system is showing the strains of divisions over Damascus. Renewing pressure on Syria and backing for its opponents in Lebanon, the United States urged Damascus on Saturday to stop obstructing the inquiry or risk further action in the U.N. Security Council. Assistant Secretary of State David Welch was met by dozens of pro-Syrian students protesting against his visit to Beirut and what they see as U.S. interference in Lebanon. The protest, dispersed by riot police using tear gas and water cannons, sparked spontaneous counter-demonstrations against Hizbollah and its pro-Syrian allies and raised fears of a slide into violence.
NO END IN SIGHT
Lebanon has been locked in a political crisis since the five Shi'ite ministers in cabinet suspended their participation after it voted to call for the U.N. inquiry to be expanded to include a series of political killings that have plagued the country.
The Shi'ite ministers, all loyal to Hizbollah and its Shi'ite ally Amal, opposed that call and a demand for an international tribunal to try Hariri's killers, but were outvoted by ministers who had campaigned with him for Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon in April after 29 years. Negotiations to return the Shi'ite ministers to the government have faltered over a Hizbollah demand that its armed wing be considered legitimate and not a militia that must disarm under U.N. resolution 1559.
Hizbollah, the only Lebanese group to keep its weapons after the war, was instrumental in ending Israel's 22-year occupation of southern Lebanon in 2000. But calls for it to disarm have grown louder since its Syrian allies withdrew last year. In its own statement, Amal accused Jumblatt of undermining all efforts to bring the Shi'ite ministers back to the cabinet. "The negotiations have not made any progress so far. The Shi'ite ministers will not resign and it is an open crisis in the government," said Ali Hassan Khalil, an Amal member of parliament and negotiator. (Additional reporting by Laila Bassam)

Syria stresses need to define “criteria of cooperation” with UN
(DPA)15 January 2006 -DAMASCUS - Syria reasserted on Sunday its keenness to fully cooperate with the United Nations commission probing the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, but urged the new head of the commission to accept its offer to sign a ”cooperation agreement” between the two sides.
State newspaper Al-Thawra in an editorial asserted Syria’s willingness for “full cooperation” with the UN commission but called on new commission head Serge Brammertz to sign an agreement defining “the concept of cooperation”.
“Talking about the future requires avoiding previous mistakes in assessing cooperation,” it said.
“Syria and the International Investigation Commission are required to reach an agreement to define the criteria of cooperation,” the paper said, adding that such an agreement would be an “honest judge” of the extent of Syria’s cooperation with the UN probe. Syria, the former powerbroker in Lebanon, is widely accused of complicity in the February 2005 killing of five-time Lebanese premier Hariri. Former head of the UN probe into the killing Detlev Mehlis compiled two reports last year implicating Syrian and Lebanese intelligence officers and casting doubt on Damascus’ cooperation with the investigation. The UN commission is currently seeking to grill President Bashar al-Assad and Foreign Minister Farouk Sharaa, but Damascus has yet to formally respond to the request. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Wednesday appointed 43-year- old Brammertz, a Belgian deputy prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, to lead the next stage of the investigation. Annan said interviewing Assad will be one of the issues Brammertz will have to deal with after he arrives in Beirut next week.

Iran's Ahmadinejad to visit Syria this week
TEHRAN: Iranian President Mahmoud hmadinejad will visit Syria, Iran's closest ally in West Asia this week as international pressure mounts on both countries, the semi-official Fars news agency said today.
The two-day visit will be Ahmadinejad's first bilateral foreign trip since taking office in August. It follows an invitation from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to discuss bilateral, regional and international issues, Fars said. The president's office and foreign ministry officials were not immediately available for comment. Ahmadinejad attended the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September and a summit of Islamic countries in Saudi Arabia in December.
The United States and the European Union's three biggest powers, Britain, France, and Germany, said last week that Iran's resumption of nuclear research meant it should be referred to the UN Security Council, which could impose sanctions. Iran says it has no intention of building nuclear arms and has a clear right as a signatory of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to develop a full nuclear programme for peaceful purposes. Washington yesterday urged Syria to stop obstructing a UN inquiry into the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri or risk action by the Security Council. Syria denies any involvement in the murder but has said it will not allow U N investigators to question Assad. Assad was the first head of a foreign state to visit Iran after Ahmadinejad took office in August.
Iran and Syria have also both been accused by Washington of interfering with efforts to end the Iraqi insurgency and create a democratic Iraq.

Jewish leaders
Rafael Eitan, former IDF chief of General Staff Photo: IDF Spokesman's Office
These days, in the throes of creating a new myth, that of Ariel Sharon, the Ha'aretz Hebrew-language daily ran a fantastic story last week, a story with historic significance. Ofra Meyerson, the widow of the late right-wing politician Rafael Eitan, revealed her husband suffered from terrible nightmares. Every night, a lineup of Eitan's dead friends would appear. And as if that weren't enough, his two dead sons also appeared and even spoke to him. "Dad, I've come to pick up our toys," the younger one would tell him.
Punching the air
Every night, Raful, as he was commonly known, would fight the desperate battle against the Arabs he encountered in wars and other military actions. Meyerson said, "While he was asleep he would struggle and fight with his pillow and his blanket, punching the air, the bed, even me with his fists, whatever was next to him. It was a fight with all the trauma."
According to his wife, Eitan would lie awake at night in a cold sweat from the anguish. Eventually he would fall back asleep and wake up in the morning as if nothing had happened. And so here we have it – a career army officer, chief of staff, Knesset member, government minister and member of the security cabinet – gripped with terror, without telling a soul.
"I told him again and again to get help," says Meyerson. "You try speaking to him."
Post-traumatic stress
This man hid his tortured soul. Inside, he was eaten up. In other words: he had classic symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. If Raful had been a private individual, he would have gotten much sympathy and empathy. But he wasn't a private person. He was one of the executors, even one of the creators, or Israel's security policy. He thought no one knew the Arabs like he did (freakish roaches), and he had clear ideas about how they should be dealt with. And so when former U.S. Secretary of State Kissinger asked him what Israel's policy in south Lebanon was, Eitan said, "We go in, kill them, and leave."
No objective security
Today, every strategy student knows there is no such thing as "objective" security. It is not an external situation. It is the product of a cerebral process, of listening to others, and to a large extent it is also the result of psychological factors influencing the leaders. These thoughts bring to my mind nowadays of creating the new "national father," Ariel Sharon. It is the result of creating collective memories of the last hero. That's the way it is for Sharon, just like it was for Rafael Eitan, the same for Rehavam Zeevi. And yes, yes, don't worry, it was true for Rabin as well. The same motif returns: war, blood, land. Peasantry and heroism. Physical ability, and above all machismo. Securitismo.
Gratitude yes. But emulation?
One can't help but to ask whether these heroes – certainly no one would disdain their contributions to the country, to the fact that we even HAVE a country – whether they are the expression of the Zionist dream's essence?
Are these the images Herzl had in mind when he wrote, "The Jewish State"? Where is Einstein, Freud, or Yeshayahu Berlin? Where are Maimonides and Martin Buber and Rabbi Joseph Dov Ber Soloveitchik?
After the Jewish people endured 2,000 years of wandering, from Lior Blum to Brandeis to Cordoza, with such a tremendous list of leaders and philosophers, thinkers and speakers, terrific scientists and artists – this is the best we can do? Sharon, Raful and Zeevi?
These individuals have indeed made a great contribution, and we are all deeply indebted to them. But the time has come for others, with other backgrounds and different dreams, to run our lives and determine our fate.
*Prof. Yoram Peri is the head of the Herzog Institute for Media, Society and Politics at Tel Aviv University

Aoun launches attack on Khaddam
Sunday 15 January 2006, 3:01 Makka Time, 0:01 GMT
Khaddam insists that al-Assad ordered al-Hariri's murder
Michel Aoun, the Lebanese Christian leader, has launched a scathing attack on Syria's exiled former vice-president, accusing him of bearing responsibility for a string of assassinations. On Saturday, Aoun called on Abdel-Halim Khaddam, an ex-Baath Party stalwart turned whistleblower who last month implicated Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, in the murder of Rafiq al-Hariri, the former Lebanese prime minister, to publicly explain the killings.
Aoun's attack came on the same day Khaddam said he was forming a government in exile and predicted that al-Assad would be forced from power this year.
"Khaddam was for a long time responsible for the Lebanese file, and during the time that he was responsible there were many very unfortunate events which were similar to Hariri's assassination," Aoun told Dubai television.
Long the architect of Syria's military and political domination of neighbouring Lebanon, Khaddam was entrusted with the Lebanese file during Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war.
Assassinations
"There were the (assassinations) of two presidents of the republic, Bashir Gemayel and Rene Moawad, and there was the (Sunni) mufti Sheikh Hassan Khaled, MP Nazem Al-Qadri ... and Kamal Jumblatt," said Aoun.
Aoun, who returned to Lebanon in May 2005 after 15 years in exile in France, added: "We had hoped that he would recall those days and let us know how these events took place."
Aoun himself lived in exile for 15 years in France until last May. Earlier on Saturday, Khaddam, who now lives in Paris, told Germany's weekly Der Spiegel magazine that the Syrian president was facing growing pressure from economic problems at home and the international investigation into the killing of al-Hariri.
Khaddam, who accuses al-Assad of ordering al-Hariri's murder, said: "His fall has already begun. I don't think his regime will last out this year." The former vice-president, for 30 years a confidant of al-Assad's late father, Hafez al-Assad, left the government in June. He has been accused of treason and expelled from the ruling Baath Party after a series of verbal attacks on the president.
Political change
Khaddam told the Associated Press earlier this month he wanted political change in Syria, saying the Damascus government had outlived its time and was unlikely to survive much longer. Asked whether he supported regime change in Syria, Khaddam replied: "Yes." He also said that he had no personal interest in leading the drive to remove al-Assad.
"One should not make the mistake with the Syrian Baath Party that the Americans made with the Iraqi Baath Party"
But when asked by Der Spiegel whether he was seeking to form a government-in-exile, he said: "That is correct."
Khaddam said he would be ready to work with Islamist leaders, whom he called "part of the rich Islamic mosaic that defines the basic character of our country", and the Baath Party. "I would not rule out any political group that sticks to the basic rules of democracy," he said.
"One should not make the mistake with the Syrian Baath Party that the Americans made with the Iraqi Baath Party.
Order to kill "The majority of Baathists in Syria have long ago turned against the regime. They see the government's mistakes every day." Khaddam also repeated the allegation he made earlier this week that al-Assad had ordered the murder of al-Hariri. "I'm convinced: the order came from al-Assad," he said. "He is an extremely impulsive man, he is always losing his cool." Syria has denied any role in the bomb blast that killed al-Hariri and 22 others in Beirut last year.

Cheney travelling to Egypt for talks on Iran, Syria
Sat. 14 Jan 2006
Iran Focus -London, Jan. 14 – United States Vice President Dick Cheney is expected to have Iran and Syria at the top of his agenda as he travels to Egypt to hold talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and other top officials, the Kuwaiti news agency reported on Saturday. Cheney who will start his round of talks on Monday will be focusing on Tehran’s suspected nuclear weapons program and Syrian presence in Lebanon, KUNA said, quoting an Egyptian diplomat.
After the round of talks in Cairo, Cheney will head off to Saudi Arabia. Cheney will also be holding talks with Saudi King Abdullah focusing on Washington’s position on Tehran and Damascus. The White House said on Friday that the visits had originally been scheduled as part of the Vice President's travel to the region in December, but were postponed because of domestic issues

al-Qaeda Branching into Lebanon, Hezbollah Unimpressed
'The enemy of my enemy is cramping my style'
By Steve Schippert
Following al-Qaeda in Iraq’s recent claim of responsibility for late-December rocket attacks on Israel from Lebanon, it appears that Lebanese security is taking steps with some haste to counter al-Qaeda’s ability to establish a foothold in Lebanon. It was reported Friday that Lebanese authorities had arrested 13 Al-Qaeda suspects in a sweep that netted them in different parts of the country. They were charged by a Lebanese military court with “establishing a gang to carry out terrorist acts, forging official and private documents and possessing unlicensed arms.”
Among the thirteen al-Qaeda suspects were seven Syrians, three Lebanese, a Saudi Arabian, a Jordanian and a Palestinian. Their statements under custody have been contradictory, as they appear to shift from claiming al-Qaeda membership to Jund al-Islam (the group claiming responsibility for the assassination of Rafik Hariri and twenty others in a February 2005 Beirut bombing) and vice versa. Their particular membership in one or the other group, at least in principle, should mean little, as neither of the groups issue membership badges, but rather are bonded by a shared ideology without a physical brand.
As al-Qaeda (including Zarqawi’s al-Qaeda in Iraq) has increasingly indicated an intent to directly attack Israel, the leadership has chosen to establish a foothold in Lebanon and Gaza. Beirut’s Daily Star reported of an alleged al-Qaeda statement that warned the Palestinian camps of Sabra and Shatila in Lebanon that they would face attacks from al-Qaeda if they did not conform to their ideology.
“We have been trying hard to enter the Sabra and Shatila camp, which is considered the symbol of Palestinian camps in Lebanon … Since this camp needs reform, you have to take these warnings seriously, because today we warn but tomorrow we will liquidate dozens of people…Our suicide bombings will target all the United Nations buildings inside and outside the camp, as well as agents such as [Palestinian officials] Abbas Zaki and Khaled Aref and several foreign embassies.”
The Palestinian residents of the camps seem to be summarily unimpressed with al-Qaeda’s apparent attempt to take control of reforming the camps in order to instill a Taliban-like rule. Said one Palestinian resident, “Osama bin Laden should go and fight the Zionists before coming here to reform the camps. We don’t live in an extremist Islamic country; Shatila is the camp of the martyrs, the camp of the struggle.” Regarding the direct threat to the UN buildings in the camps (clinics and schools), the man retorted, “Do they want to destroy them too?”
Hezbollah Shias also views the encroachment of Sunni al-Qaeda in Lebanon with wary eyes, quite happy to have another hand in attacking Israel, but quite displeased with the rise of militant Sunni Islam, especially on their own turf.
Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s deputy secretary general, warned al-Qaeda about setting up shop in Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon. Qassem said, “We don’t know how many [al-Qaeda are in Lebanon] and we don’t know their plans or if they intend to do operations here. It’s important to caution everyone not to make Lebanon an arena for settling scores. It will be a dangerous development if that happens.”
Meanwhile, Iraq’s Moqtada Sadr called for a settling of differences between Shi’ite and Sunni terrorist groups in an interview on Saudi Arabia’s al-Arabiya channel. He said, “The Islamic world is being subjected to a strong Western aggression that requires us to join forces…I am with any movement that is dedicated to the principles of Islam and justice and rejects oppression whether it is Hizbullah or Hamas.” Whether or not he would cede control of any territory he may hold dominance over to achieve that, as Hezbollah refuses to do, he did not say.
It is worthy of note the increasing level of Red-on-Red infighting throughout the region: In Iraq, in the West Bank and Gaza, and now, potentially, in Lebanon. As it continues to develop, al-Qaeda’s recent moves to diversify from Iraq and seek new targets appears to include direct moves on Israel, which means establishing and recruiting from areas that are already controlled by other groups, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades (among others) in the Palestinian Territories. Many also expect that the first move by Iran in any hot conflict with the West will be to export terrorist attacks throughout the Middle East and enflame the entire region.
With all of them, the convergence point is Israel. But as diverse Sunni and Shi’ite groups of varying flavors of jihad begin to increasingly share the same battlespace, rather than the widely expected cooperation under the unifying Sun Tzu precept of ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend’, it is more likely that what will be quite commonly heard and seen is ‘The enemy of my enemy is cramping my style.’ Sheikh Naim Qassem revealed as much, tipping Hezbollah’s hand in advance.