Archive for December, 2009
Hamas received Israeli offer on prisoner swap
Hamas announced on Wednesday that the German mediator involved in the talks to release kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit had delivered Israel’s offer.
Media outlets in the Gaza Strip reported Wednesday that a Hamas delegation would head from Gaza to Cairo today, and then to Damascus, where they would meet with members of Hamas’ political wing there to discuss their response to what Israel has put on the table.
Al-Hayat has reported that, according to Western diplomatic sources, Israel had agreed to release 443 out of 450 prisoners, on condition that 100 would be expelled to the Gaza Strip or other countries, but will not be allowed to return to the West bank.
Israel reportedly has not agreed to the release of Marwan Barghouti, Ahmed Sa’adat, Ibrahim Hamed, Abdallah Barghouti, Abbas Sayed, Jamal Abu-Hija and Hassan Salameh.
Nasrallah urges supporters not to tamper with electric, water meters
In a speech marking the seventh day of Ashura Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah that al “Dhahiyah has long been demanding the presence of the state “. He was responding to criticism by some politicians who claim that Hezbollah strongholds are not accessible to the state ”
Turning to the subject of water and electricity, he referred to the consensus of the clergy that it is not permissible to obtain these two sources of energy illegally , stressing that accessing the power lines illegally is not permissible religiously , same applies to the water.
He also warned against tampering with electric and water meters
It is a well known fact that bill collectors are scared of going to Hezbollah, Amal stronghold for fear for their lives, because many have been attacked or killed
Saudi King Abdullah met with Egyptian President Mubarak
Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz received in Riyadh Egyptian President Hossni Mubarak who is currently visiting Gulf countries . they both discussed , the regional and international development including the Palestinian issue , Gulf region security, the situation in Iraq, Sudan, Lebanon and Yemen as well as the Iranian Nuclear program.
Lebanon’s drug-producing heartland is back in business
Lebanon’s drug-producing heartland is back in business with a resurgence of marijuana and poppy fields, challenging the country’s underpowered security forces and adding another dimension to Israel’s war with Hezbollah militants.
Associated Press interviews with farmers and Lebanese officials, and documents from international organizations that monitor drugs, show that the drug trade in the Bekaa Valley (a Hezbollah stronghold) has ramped up again since its drop following the 1975-1990 civil war.
Israel’s Anti-Drug Authority claims Hezbollah is behind the flow of cross-border drugs as part of its war on the Jewish state, but Hezbollah denies any involvement in drug trade saying it’s un-Islamic.
Aram Nerguizian, an expert at the U.S.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., says Hezbollah has enough financial support without depending on drug money, but uses the drug trade to gather intelligence on the Israeli military. Source: AP
Lebanon missed deadline on torture prevention
Lebanon has missed a December 22, 2009, deadline for setting up a national institution to prevent torture, a group of Lebanese and international human rights organizations said today. The government should move quickly to consider a proposal commissioned by the Justice Ministry that would address the issue, the groups said.
A year ago, Lebanon signed the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT). The protocol requires the government to set up a mechanism within a year to prevent torture through regular visits to the country’s detention centers.
Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar set up a committee on June 20, including some members of nongovernmental organizations, to draft a proposal to set up the program, and the committee submitted its proposal to the Justice Ministry on September 30. But the government has taken no further steps since then. Reuters, Human Rights Watch
Yemeni rebels willing to withdraw from Saudi Arabia if attacks stop
Yemeni Shiite rebels are willing to withdraw from Saudi territory in exchange for an end to cross-border attacks by the Saudi military, a rebel spokesman said on Wednesday.
“We are prepared to withdraw from sites if… Saudi Arabia does not attack any one of us from its territory,” said the spokesman, Mohammed Abdel Salam.
On Tuesday, Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khaled bin Sultan gave Yemeni rebels 24 hours to withdraw from the border village of Al-Jabiri which they are occupying.
“They have 24 hours to surrender, or we will destroy them,” he said.
According to a statement released by the Houthi rebels , Saudi fighter jets carried out on Wednesday 13 air raids on al-Raqqa, al-Sabbah regions as well as villages in close proximity to al-Malaheet in north Yemen. Agencies
CNA: Talk about Syria’s objection to a Jumblatt visit ‘pure speculation’
Sources close to the leader of the Democratic Gathering bloc MP Walid Jumblatt told Central News Agency that “whatever has been reported in the media about Syria’s objection to receiving Jumblatt are not true ..they all are strictly speculation “, adding: “The timing of the visit will be made public and not confidential, just like PM Saad Hariri did when he announced his visit to Syria. ” The sources said “Jumblatt has always said he will only visit Syria after Hariri “
Geagea: Only the government can decide on UN resolutions
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stressed on Monday during his meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michele Sison at Maarab that Lebanon’s official stance regarding international resolutions is taken by the government only and not by any political side. He added that Resolution 1559 was not raised for discussion by the government and that in case it will be raised, then LF would voice support for all international resolutions related to Lebanon.
LF press office has reported that Sison informed Geagea of her administration’s firm support to the implementation of international resolutions 1559, 1680, and 1701 and her country’s unconditional support for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and for all what it takes to fortify, Lebanon’s independence, freedom, and sovereignty over all its territories.
Syria and its Lebanese allies specially Hezbollah and Amal have been pushing for annulling UNSCR 1559
Aoun defends Hezbollah arms, saying they benefit Lebanon
Following the weekly meeting of Change and Reform bloc , FPM leader MP Michel Aoun said in response to Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea’s criticism of Hezbollah arms : “I defend the resistance arms because I believe they benefit Lebanon. Why does Geagea always imagine that the resistance is coming after him to Maarab ? No one will come to Maarab after him. Aoun said that he is “embarrassed to ask Hezbollah if it would respond with military action against Israel, if Israel attacked Iran,” adding that “Hezbollah may take preemptive measures and fire first at Israel” He also said : “Syria might do the same as well.”
Aoun criticized the Phalange party MP for wanting to challenge article 6 of the the ministerial statement before the Constitutional Council : Such issues have nothing to do with the Constitutional Council …it is against the law.
Aoun praised Hariri’s visit to Syria and said this ” restores positive relations and serves the real interests of the Lebanese and Syrian peoples.”
Aoun has been accused by the majority of providing a Christian cover for Hezbollah arms. Hezbollah triggered a war in 2006 when it kidnapped 2 Israeli soldiers, resulting in the death of over 1200 Lebanese mainly civilians and in the complete devastation of the Lebanese infrastructure
MP Saad: Jumblatt will visit Syria when the time is right
Democratic Gathering MP Antoine Saad said in a statement today that he hopes “the visit of Prime Minister Saad Hariri to Syria is the beginning of a new era of relations between the two countries”
As for the visit of Democratic Gathering leader MP Walid Jumblatt to Syria he said : “He will visit Syria when the time is right and without any preconditions.” After all he added “Jumblatt was the first to call for internal reconciliation specially after the May 7, 2008 events and was the first to call for correcting the relations with Syria in accordance with the Taef accord” . He added:” No one can dictate to Walid Jumblatt what he should do because he is the most concerned about national unity”
The pro-Syrian media has been speculating about various conditions that Syria has reportedly stipulated before Jumblatt can visit Syria , including a public apology to the Syrian people and a visit to his foe former president Emile Lahoud. Many observers think that such demands by Syria are very humiliating to the PSP leader and therefore may forgo such a visit if these conditions are really true
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