Recent Appearances...

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Recent Appearances...

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

UN says some peacekeepers moving as Israel blasted over fire on UNIFIL posts

2024-10-11

[IsraelTimes] IDF says it told interim force to enter protected spaces before tank fire that injured two Blue Helmets at Naqoura headquarters in southern Lebanon, sparking wide condemnation

Two peacekeepers were injured by Israeli fire, the UN said Thursday, sparking condemnation from the international community and focusing attention on the force’s role along the conflict-strewn border.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, which has some 10,000 peacekeepers charged with keeping arms and militias out of southern Lebanon, said Israel Defense Forces troops opened fire at three positions held by UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon on Thursday.

“This morning, two peacekeepers were injured after an IDF Merkava tank fired its weapon toward an observation tower at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqura, directly hitting it and causing them to fall,” the mission said, using an acronym for the Israeli military.

The two peacekeepers were from Indonesia’s contingent and were in good condition after being treated for light injuries, Indonesia Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in a statement.

Israel acknowledged its forces had been operating in the area. It says fighters from the Hezbollah terror group it is battling have been operating near UN posts. It said it instructed the UN forces in the area to shelter in protected spaces before opening fire.

UNIFIL also accused the IDF of firing on UN position 1-31 in Labbouneh over the past two days. It said Israel had “deliberately fired at” perimeter cameras on Wednesday, and on Thursday had hit “a bunker where peacekeepers were sheltering.”

Various national spokespersons condemning or deploring snipped.

At a UN Security Council meeting, the head of UN peacekeeping Jean-Pierre Lacroix said peacekeepers were at “serious risk.” He noted that 300 Blue Helmets had temporarily relocated to larger bases “with the movement of another 200 planned.”

Good idea.

“The safety and security of peacekeepers is now increasingly in jeopardy,” Lacroix said, adding that UNIFIL peacekeepers are confined to their bases, and that one UNIFIL contractor had already been killed.

UN Ambassador Danny Danon urged peacekeepers to move north Thursday.

”You won’t lead, you won’t follow, and you won’t do your damned job. So please get out of the way, because we will do it for you.”

“Our recommendation is that UNIFIL relocate 5 km (3 miles) north to avoid danger as fighting intensifies and while the situation along the Blue Line remains volatile as a result of Hezbollah’s aggression,” Danon said in a statement.

A spokesperson for UNIFIL told the Walla news site that the multinational force had rejected an Israeli request to evacuate posts along the Israeli-Lebanon border.

”Nyah nyah nya-nyah nyah!”

“We are there because the Security Council has asked us to be there. So we are staying until the situation becomes impossible for us to operate,” UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti told Reuters.

Hint: it’s already impossible.

UNIFIL was created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after the end of the 1978 conflict between the two nations. The UN expanded its mission under Resolution 1701 following the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah,

…which occurred because UNIFIL had failed to keep Hezbollah out of the area, and they were acting out…

allowing peacekeepers to deploy along the Israeli border to help the Lebanese military extend its authority into the country’s south for the first time in decades.

Resolution 1701 calls for southern Lebanon to be free of armed groups aside from the Lebanese Armed Forces. Israel charges that both have been ineffective at keeping Hezbollah from building up arms and other infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

Danon told the Security Council that resolution 1701 must be enforced, along with resolution 1559, which was adopted in 2004, and “calls for the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias.”

Hopefully third time’s the charm.

“We are fulfilling our obligations to ensure this, and the council must support us in our efforts,” he said.

In a letter recent letter to the UN Security Council, Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused UNIFIL of failing to do its job, and included a map illustrating the short distance between a Hezbollah tunnel uncovered by Israeli forces and a UN base some 150 meters away, according to a Channel 12 news report.

“Israel has the right to take all necessary measures to protect itself and its citizens from ongoing hostilities by Hezbollah,” Katz wrote in the letter acquired by the Hebrew language media outlet. “While Israel does not seek full-scale war, it will take all necessary actions to restore security along its northern border and to ensure the safe return of its citizens to their homes and communities.”

Lacroix said it was up to Israel and Lebanon to ensure the resolution is upheld.

“UNIFIL is mandated to support the implementation of resolution 1701, but we must insist that it is for the parties themselves to implement the provisions of this resolution,” he told the Security Council.

In the year before the IDF ground invasion into Lebanon, UNIFIL facilities or vehicles were hit by shelling or gunfire on several occasions. In August, UNIFIL said three peacekeepers were on patrol and were lightly injured when an explosion occurred near their vehicle.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Lebanese FM rejects Gulf nations’ demand that Hezbollah disarm

2022-01-30

[IsraelTimes] ~~Lebanon~~ Hezbollahstan
<del>Lebanon</del> Hezbollahstan

...Formerly inhabited by hardy Phoenecian traders, its official language is now Arabic, with the usual unpleasant side effects. ...
’s foreign minister headed to Kuwait today to deliver answers to a list of policy suggestions made to the country by Persian Gulf nations in an attempt to end an impasse between both sides.

Ahead of his departure, Foreign Minister Abdallah Bouhabib made it clear that Lebanon will not disarm the Iran-funded

Hezbollah terror group, one of 10 confidence-building measures requested from Beirut.

Relations between impoverished Lebanon and the wealthy Gulf states are at their lowest levels in decades, a crisis triggered late last year when a Lebanese politician spoke critically of the Saudi-led war against Iran-backed rebels in Yemen
...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of...
Following Information Minister George Kordahi’s comments, Saudi Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Fifteen of the nineteen WTC hijackers were Saudis, and most major jihadi commanders were Saudis, to include Osama bin Laden. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman quietly folded that tent in 2016, doing terrible things to the guys running it, and has since been dragging the kingdom into the current century...
recalled its ambassador from Beirut and banned all Lebanese imports, affecting hundreds of businesses and cutting off hundreds of millions in foreign currency flows to Lebanon. Several Arab countries followed Saudi Arabia’s step.

Bouhabib will attend an Arab foreign ministers’ meeting in Kuwait tomorrow, during which he will hand his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Ahmed Nasser al-Mohammed al-Sabah official responses to the Gulf nations’ suggestions. al-Sabah had delivered them personally to Beirut earlier this month.

"I am not going to hand over Hezbollah’s weapons nor end Hezbollah’s existence. This is out of the question in Lebanon," Bouhabib told satellite broadcaster al-Jazeera, calling the group a "Lebanese party par excellence" that is active in the government but does not dominate politics in Lebanon.

"We hope to have excellent relations as in the past" with Gulf nations, Bouhabib said, adding that Lebanon had suggestions for solving problems between the two sides, but without elaborating.

The list handed over by Kuwait’s foreign minister and circulated in Lebanese media included calls for implementing US Security Council resolution 1559, which calls for the disarmament of all militias in Lebanon; major anti-corruption reforms; and the cessation of all verbal or real attacks on Gulf nations.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Hizbullah Slams Ban's Report on Resolution 1559

2012-04-26

[An Nahar]

Hizbullah international relations officer Ammar Moussawi slammed United Nations
...an organization whose definition of human rights is interesting, to say the least...
Chief the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon
... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan...
's semi-annual report on the implementation of U.N. Security Council resolution 1559.

Moussawi expressed irritation during a meeting with U.N. Special Coordinator for Leb Derek Plumbly over the language used by Banin his report concerning the arms of the resistance.

Ban's report, issued on April 20, reiterated that the presence of Hizbullah and other gangs on Lebanese territories was impeding the implementation of resolution 1559.

It said Hizbullah's arms posed a key challenge to the safety of Lebanese civilians and to the authority of the government and called on the group to complete the transformation into a solely Lebanese political party.

Moussawi and Plumbly also discussed the local developments and the situation along the border with Israel.

Plumbly toured Nahr al-Bared Paleostinian refugee camp earlier on Wednesday and held talks with Paleostinian factions in northern Leb.

The Paleostinian delegation discussed with the U.N. official the humanitarian rights of the Paleostinian refugees in Leb.

The delegation demanded Plumbly to urge the Lebanese authorities to work swiftly on reconstructing the rest of the damaged houses in Nahr al-Bared.

They hoped that the Lebanese government would end the military and security measures near the refugee camp.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

In Beirut, Ban Slams Israel Violations, Calls for Disarming Hizbullah

2012-01-14

[An Nahar] U.N. Secretary General

the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon
... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan...
on Friday said he was "deeply concerned" about the military prowess of Hizbullah and noted that the frequent Israeli violations of Leb's territory and airspace continue to undermine UNIFIL's credibility and Leb's illusory sovereignty.

"I am deeply concerned about the military capacity of Hizbullah and also concerned about the lack of progress in disarmament," the U.N. chief told a news conference after holding talks with Lebanese leaders.

"All arms outside state authority are not acceptable," he added.

Ban arrived in Beirut on Friday for talks with Lebanese leaders on the controversial U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Leb, the bloodshed in Syria and Hizbullah's arms.

During his three-day visit, Ban is also expected to address the recent attacks against UNIFIL peacekeepers in southern Leb.

Several dozen people gathered in downtown Beirut on his arrival to denounce the visit and express their support for Hizbullah.

Ban is accompanied on his trip by Special Envoy for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1559 Terje Roed-Larsen and U.N. Interim Force in Leb commander Major General Alberto Asarta.

At the presser, Ban said he had urged President Michel Suleiman
...before assuming office as President, he held the position of commander of the Leb Armed Forces. That was after the previous commander, the loathesome Emile Lahoud, took office as president in November of 1998. Likely the next president of Leb will be whoever's commander of the armed forces, too...
to relaunch a national dialogue started in 2006 on defining a defense strategy for the country.

Hizbullah's arsenal has been at the center of the dialogue, stalled since 2010 because of bickering between rival parties.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Syria Slams Ban's Report on 1559, Denies Infiltrating Lebanese Territory

2011-10-29

[An Nahar] Syria slammed United Nations
...an organization whose definition of human rights is interesting, to say the least...
Secretary General

the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon's
... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan...
recent report on the implementation of U.N. Security Council resolution 1559, saying that it has not meddled in Lebanese affairs or infiltrated Lebanese territory, reported the daily An Nahar on Friday.
"No, no! Certainly not!"
Syria's permanent ambassador to the U.N. Bashar al-Jaafari informed Ban in a letter: "The majority of the information on Syria mentioned in the report is based on misleading and fabricated media sources."
"Tut tut, sir! Pish and bosh!"
"Dragging Syria's name into Lebanese internal affairs is part of a campaign against Syria," he added. "Syria is always keen on Leb's illusory sovereignty and independence, which is a matter the secretary general chose to overlook," he continued.

"He is fully aware, as he claims, that weapons are being smuggled from Leb to Syria and the authorities from both countries have thwarted these operations," Jaafari stated.

He also accused Ban of targeting Syria and forging facts by citing matters that have not been reported by the media, including "allegations that Syrian troops had infiltrated Lebanese territory, which were proven to be false."

"Filing false reports to the United Nations on Leb and Syria is a violation of resolution 1559 and the Security Council should hold those responsible for them accountable," the Syrian ambassador stressed.

He repeated Syria's rejection of Ban's report, including the articles on the demarcation of the Lebanese-Syrian border, saying that this is an issue that only concerns the two countries.

"The real obstacle that is obstructing the demarcation is Israel and its occupation of the Golan Heights and Shabaa Farms," he noted.

Meanwhile,
...back at the desert island, Bert was realizing to his horror that he'd had only one bottle for one message, and he'd forgotten to include a return address...
EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule voiced his concern over the reports in Syrian incursions into Leb.

The visiting official held talks on Thursday with President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister

Najib Miqati, Speaker Nabih Knobby Berri
Speaker of the Lebanese parliament, a member of AMAL, a not very subtle Hizbullah sock puppet...
, and Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour.

Jaafari's letter came in light of Syrian troops planting mines along a region bordering the northern Lebanese area of Wadi Khaled, reported Agence La Belle France Presse on Thursday.

"Lebanese officials told us that the Syrians undertook the measure to prevent weapons smuggling," a Lebanese official told AFP.

"A number of Syrian soldiers were also seen deploying on their side of the border, near the Syrian villages of Heet and Buwayt," he added.

Sources told the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in remarks published on Friday that the Syrian army planted the mines in light of reports that defectors had decamped Syria towards Leb.

"A considerable number of defectors had abandoned their weapons and decamped to Leb after refusing to take part in the crackdown against anti-regime protestors in Homs," they added.

The Syrian regime has been waging a bloody crackdown against anti-regime demonstrators since March.

Army defections have been on the rise recently as the crackdown has not relented.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Jumblat Slams Investigators 'Unethical Behavior'

2010-10-31

[An Nahar] Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat condemned on Friday the international investigators' "unethical behavior", voicing his "understanding of the political, security, and moral objections issued by Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah" over the Dahiyeh incident.
He wondered in a statement whether the international investigation "serves justice and stability or aims at sabotaging Saudi-Syrian rapprochement."

The MP reiterated his position towards U.N. Security Council resolution 1559, which he described as a "political and security mandate over Leb," adding that the various developments "confirm that Leb, more than ever, is being exposed on the political and security scenes."

The "infamous" resolution brought tragedies upon Leb and paved the way for political liquidations, Jumblat stated.

Addressing Nasrallah's recent speech, he said: "If the information is true that the West, and therefore, Israel, acquired files on all the Lebanese, and it seems likely, then that completes their total security and political control over upcoming Lebanese generations."

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

UN envoy cautious about blaming Syria for arming Hezbollah

2010-10-29

(KUNA) -- Terje Roed-Larsen, the UN Special Representative concerning the implementation of resolution 1559, on Thursday refused to blame Syria or Iran for providing sophisticated weapons to Hezbullies in Leb, as did US Ambassador Susan Rice earlier in the day, but said these weapons "are not coming from the moon." "I do not find it helpful for the situation in Leb today. What we should try to do is not to inflame the situation, but to de-escalate the situation, (but) these weapons are not coming from the moon," Roed-Larsen told news hounds following a briefing to the Security Council on Secretary-General the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon's report on resolution 1559.

He admitted that the UN has no independent means to look into the issue. "But we have taken note that there is a consistency between allegations we are hearing and statements from Hezbullies itself concerning their capabilities." He warned that the Middle East is at an "extremely critical juncture" and compared the region to a tent in the middle of a hurricane.

"That tent is critically upheld by two poles: the Paleostinian one, the other is the Lebanese. If one of those two poles cracked, the whole tent will go down. If the Lebanese situation is destabilized, I am afraid that we have a rippling effect across the region. I do believe this is the most critical issue of international peace and security today. When I say today, I mean today," he said.

On his part, Syrian Ambassador Bashar Al-Ja'afari told news hounds that Ambassador Rice's statement earlier today implicating Syria in Lebanese affairs is in "full contradiction with a lot of facts related to the positive developments within Leb and the whole area." He said Rice gave "credibility to wrong facts related by those who prepare Ban's report," in an indirect reference to Roed-Larsen, saying these did not even listen to high Lebanese officials who stated repeatedly that there is no smuggling of arms across the Lebanese-Syrian border.

"Those who prepare the report are de-credibilizing the Lebanese Government, " he said.

He recalled that Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri told Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper recently that all the allegations about Syria were lies, meant to harm the Lebanese-Syrian relations.

He said "sometimes we don't see logic in the US position. We find in it a meaningless escalation." Asked if the US escalation is linked to the recent rhetoric in Leb about the Hariri Tribunal, he said ask the Americans.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Loyalty to Resistance Urges Need to Assume National Responsibilities against those Targeting Hizbullah

2010-10-21

[An Nahar] The Loyalty to the Resistance
That'd be the Hezbullies, natch...
bloc noted on Wednesday that U.N. Secretary General the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon latest report on the implementation of resolution 1559 was "blatantly biased towards the Zionist enemy and its violations of international resolutions."
We can take that to mean that the ephemeral Ban's statement didn't echo verbatim the Hizbullah position...
It accused in a statement after its weekly meeting headed by MP Mohammed Raad the United States of supporting division among the Lebanese "under the pretense of international justice."
"After all, nobody in Leb really cares who bumped off poor old Hariri the Elder. That was a long time ago, and we were all so much younger then...
It called for taking "positive local and regional action in thwarting the tensions that are truly threatening Leb as a result of the resistance
... to whit, the Hezbullies...
being targeted through harsh and fabricated accusations." The bloc stressed the need for sides to assume their national responsibility against this "dangerous provocation."

The meeting also addressed Iran's diminutive President Mahmoud Short Round Ahmadinejad's visit to Leb last week, saying that it confirmed Iran's official and popular support for Leb's right to security, independence, and confronting Israeli assaults.

The bloc also repeated its demand that the false witnesses file be referred to the justice council as that is the logical way to reach the truth in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and end tensions in Leb.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

US watches Doha talks fearing Hezbollah may reap political gains

2008-05-17

The United States voiced support Friday for talks in Qatar aimed at ending Lebanon's sectarian clashes while hoping from afar that Hezbollah does not turn its military gains into political ones.

US officials have contacted Qatar's prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani and other Arab mediators to assure them of support for negotiations between Lebanon's pro-Western majority and Hezbollah, backed by Iran and Syria.

"What we are doing is making it clear first of all that we do support this process because there are a lot of people who would like to say that we don't," a senior US State Department official, who requested anonymity, told reporters.

"We are in touch with Lebanese from across the political spectrum ... to note that we are supporting this process, that we will be helpful but not interfering with this process," the official said.

US President George W. Bush's administration does not want Hezbollah, which it brands a terrorist movement, to use any US remarks as a pretext for bolting the negotiations if they are unable to accept concessions, he said.

However, analysts doubt how neutral Washington can be toward a gathering with potentially serious regional consequences.

Paul Salem, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said Friday that the United States and its ally Saudi Arabia had drawn "red lines" for the Lebanese government.

He said the main one is not to allow Hezbollah to gain a "blocking third," which would give it a veto over government decisions.

"Hezbollah has made some real gains on the ground and is likely to make some real gains in politics, in agreements that are made in the next days or weeks," the Beirut-based analyst told a conference call with reporters in Washington.

But the senior State Department official said Washington would not intervene in the negotiations to form a future government.

"In terms of the composition of the cabinet, it really is truly a Lebanese decision, it is not an American decision," said the official.

But he could not stop himself from saying that the question of disarming Hezbollah -- required by UN Security Council resolution 1559 in 2004 -- should be on the agenda of the negotiations in Doha, the Qatari capital.

The conference agenda, announced by the Arab League on Thursday, calls for "launching a dialogue to shore up the authority of the Lebanese state throughout the country and its relations with the different parties in Lebanon in order to guarantee the security of the state and its citizens."

The official said: "That reference in the document of yesterday and the fact that the same participants are in Doha that were in the 2006 dialogue, suggests to me that yes, Hezbollah's arms will be part of this national dialogue.

"Certainly the question of Hezbollah's arms is even more important now that Hezbollah has exposed itself to the Lebanese and to the world for what they would use them for," the senior official said.

Since clashes erupted more than a week ago between supporters of the opposition and the majority, US officials say Hezbollah has lost legitimacy as an anti-Israeli resistance movement by turning its arsenal on fellow Lebanese.

The clashes have claimed the lives of at least 65 people and wounded more than 200 others.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Fate of Hezbollah's arsenal continues to divide Lebanon

2007-11-27

Political wrangling prevailed over Lebanon Monday amidst the absence of serious efforts to deal with the presidential crisis that has dominated the nation since midnight Friday when ex-President Emile Lahoud ended his term in office without the election of a successor.

Ex-President Amin Gemayel, addressing a joint meeting of the Phalange party's politburo and central council, said that disagreement on the nation's defense strategy is the core issue blocking presidential elections. Gemayel urged Parliament speaker Nabih Berri to sponsor talks between the feuding factions on the future of Hizbullah weapons to facilitate the presidential elections set for next Friday. "I plead with Speaker Berri to issue an immediate call to the parties of national dialogue to meet as soon as possible and resume discussion from where it stopped prior to the July (2006) war, which is the defense strategy."

"Reaching an understanding on this issue would provide the needed atmosphere to facilitate the election next Friday," Gemayel added.

He explained that at issue is the difference on future of Hizbullah weapons.

Hizbullah is the only armed political faction in Lebanon, and wants to maintain its weapons.

The March 14 majority coalition calls for placing Hizbullah weapons under the Lebanese government's control to be used in defending Lebanon by a government decision, to avoid starting a war similar to the one which broke out on July 12, 2006 when Hizbullah fighters crossed the Blue Line that separates Lebanon from Israel and kidnapped two Israeli soldiers.

U.N. Security Council resolution 1559 of 2004 has called for disbanding all non-Lebanese and Lebanese militias, including Hizbullah, and the election of a president without foreign intervention.

Worked well, hasn't it.

Gemayel noted that Lebanon is without a president for the third straight day and "our main hope is to avoid missing a chance" scheduled for next Friday to elect a head of state.

He cautioned that the resulting vacuum in the top office threatens the nation's stability and even unity. "I am worried about the possible normalization of this vacuum or getting used to it," Gemayel said. "A republic without a president is a recipe to multi republics if this vacuum persisted," Gemayel warned.

"We should put an end to this vacuum as soon as possible," He stressed, "the responsibility for this should be shouldered by every body, not just the Christians or Maronites."

The problem, Gemayel said, is not in having many Maronite candidates, but in blocking the election process."

Talks between Berri, who represents the Hizbullah-led opposition, and al-Moustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri, who represents the majority, have not been activated, which indicates the lack of efforts to revive talks between the feuding parties on achieving consensus on a presidential candidate.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea also stressed that the Middle East is going through serious developments and Lebanon should have a president to be able avoid repercussions.

In the meantime, Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, held a series of meetings with Christian figures, mainly ex-MPs with the aim of considering ways of rejecting the handling of presidential powers by Premier Fouad Saniora's government. The Aoun-sponsored consultations followed a strongly-worded attack by the FPM leader on Bkirki, saying the seat of Maronite Church is not the political authority in charge of the Christians.

The ongoing consultations that would persist until Wednesday appear aimed at exactly supporting Aoun's pledged steps.

Meanwhile, Geagea received Saudi Ambassador Abdul Aziz Khoja and discussed developments in Lebanon. The Saudi Diplomat refused to talk to reporters after the discussion, but Geagea said later that Khoja did not relay to him a specific Saudi initiative, stressing that Riyadh does not interfere in Lebanon's domestic affairs.

Unlike everyone else.

Responding to the FPM leader's rhetoric, Geagea said Aoun is "a bishop and not a patriarch" indicating that the retired army general is a Christian leader, but not the overall leader of Lebanon's Christians.

Lebanese Forces MP Antoine Zahra criticized Aoun's attacks on Bkirki saying the latter cannot write off a role dating back 1,500 years.

Meanwhile, Sfeir received Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman at his seat in Bkirki, and the Suleiman said he informed the patriarch that efforts exerted by the army to safeguard law and order are aimed at facilitating presidential elections.

The Hizbullah-led opposition warned in a statement against what it regards "continued efforts to usurp power" in reference to handling by the Saniora government of presidential authorities.

Saniora, on his part, contacted spiritual leaders to explain to them that his government did not seek to control presidential powers, but was just sorting out the people's needs pending the election of a new head of state in line with the nation's constitution.

Druze leader Walid Jumblat also called for continued dialogue to agree on a consensus presidential candidate.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Nasrallah: ' The whole world cannot disarm Hezbollah'

2007-11-12

Hezbollah leader sheikh Hassan Nasrallah delivered a speech today via a video link during a rally to mark the Hezbollah martyr day, in the southern suburb of Beirut. As he spoke firearms were heard in Beirut and the Hezbollah stronghold in al Dahia , south of Lebanon's capital . He started his defiant speech by praising Sheikh Ahmad Kassir, who drove a car strapped with explosives right into the headquarters of the Israeli commander in the city of Tyre, south of Lebanon on November 11, 1982, wounding and killing 141 Israeli officers. He called Kassir the prince of all martyrs.

Nasrallah attacked the Lebanese government accusing it of siding with the United States and Israel against the resistance and doing nothing about recovering the Shebaa Farms

He also attacked the United Sates and accused it of meddling in Lebanese presidential elections to make sure that the new president implements UN resolution 1559 which calls for disarming all the militia in Lebanon including Hezbollah. He said " no one can ever disarm Hezbollah....he added " the whole world cannot disarm Hezbollah".

He's got a point: the French can't, the Germans can't, the Spanish wouldn't, the Italians couldn't, the Cypriots can't, but the Americans ...

Nasrallha questioned the worldwide interest in the Lebanese elections and insisted that no election should take place unless the quorum is met. This is in reference to the demand by opposition that 2 thirds of the parliament should be in attendance in order to elect a president.

He lashed out at the parliament majority which is supported by the world community except Syria and Iran and said " they want a president that divides us and disarms us, we want a president that unites us and allows us to keep our arms"

"We want a president that will let us have our state within a state!"

He accused the parliament majority of wanting all the high positions for themselves" They want the presidency , the prime ministerial position and the army chief's position." Nasrallah challenged the majority by calling for early elections of the parliament and "whoever achieves two third majority will be able to elect the new president of the republic"

Lebanon's parliament majority accused Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and Syria of wanting a president that is a clone of outgoing pro-Syrian president Emil Lahoud. Syrian president Bashar el Assad calls Lahoud " my personal representative in Lebanon. The election of a new president was postponed 4 times by Hezbollah ally speaker Nabih Berri . the new date is set for November 21 , or 3 days before the term of Lahoud ends.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Wally: UN resolution 1559 should be basis of presidential elections

2007-10-01

Democratic gathering chief MP Walid Jumblatt sent letters to several heads of state urging their support for completing the presidential elections under UN resolution 1559 .

The letters were sent to Saudi Arabian king Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, Jordanian King Abdullah II,US President George Bush, Russian president Vladimir Putin, French president Nicholas Sarkozy, Chinese president Liu Chimeng , Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Zapatero, Italian Prime minister Romano Prodi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President of the European Parliament, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Mun, political coordinator of the European Union, Javier Solana, Secretary-General of the Arab League, members of the US Senate , the American House of representatives and a number of party leaders and the European Socialist International. In the letter he stated :

Lebanon has once again fallen victim of a heinous crime against a member of the Democratically elected parliament MP Antoine Ghanem and a number of innocent civilians. Ghanem has been a prominent member of the March 14 team and had participated effectively in the " Cedar revolution " which with your support led to the withdrawal of the Syrian army from Lebanon in 2005.

This crime is just one of the numerous efforts to obstruct the pursuit of Lebanon's independence and sovereignty and a desperate attempt by the Syrian regime to prevent the election of a new President of the Republic.

This terrorist attack took place days before the scheduled meeting to elect a new president to replace Emile Lahoud whose term was illegally extended in 2004 under pressure by the Syrian regime .

The Syrian regime is a direct threat to Lebanon and we should not also forget its allies who are determined to destabilize the country and rob it of its " Cedar revolution " achievements . They are in fact preventing the creation of a Democratic, Independent and sovereign nation and have destroyed our sate institutions.

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