Al Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri responded to Syrian President Bashar Assad's comments ( which called on the army to deploy in the north to fight the Islamic fundamentalists ) by saying the side that "exports terror to north Lebanon has no right to fear the spread of fundamentalism in Lebanon." Hariri was referring to the Fatah al Islam terrorists that were reportedly financed , trained and backed by Syria in their 15 week battle against the Lebanese army last year to undermine the state

The Lebanese were also angered that Shaker al Absi , the most wanted man in Lebanon for leading the Fatah al Islam battle last year against the Lebanese army in which hundreds were killed is in Syria. Instead of extraditing him to Lebanon , Assad told French president Sarkozy during the 4 way summit in Damascus that Absi is in Syrian jail. Prior to fighting in Lebanon against the army Absi ( who used to be an officer in the Syrian army ) was also in Syrian jail.

Sunday

23:45 The road in Bakhoun was reopened . Ali Fatfat was handed over for shooting at the security forces and MP Ahmad Fatfat put the issue of the attack in the custody of Mufti Shaar and the judiciary

21:30 Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah: If you want lets start tomorrow with the dialogue without any preconditions. All attempts by the conspirators against us have failed

19:50 National Agency: The car of MP Ahmad Fatfat was attacked in Bakhoun with sticks and stones and gunfire forcing the car occupants to return the fire

19:30 Al manar TV: Shooting in Bakhoun results in the wounding of 6 people

14:47 MP Walid Jumblatt was surprised to note that one of the MPs declared " Tripoli is a Sunnite city". Jumblatt said this statement is not accurate because Tripoli has a well known Arab and national history

13:47 Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem: “We will not be in the position of the accused during the national dialogue roundtable, and Hariri’s initiative in Tripoli is good and we support it.

13:00 Secretary General of the Democratic Arab Party in Jabal Mohsen, Rifaat Ali Eid told LBC: Our sole guarantor is a strong state. Our fears would decrease once our rights are guaranteed. All minorities have the same problem including Alawites and Christians. Once reconciliation is achieved weapons won't be needed. If Syria is part of the problem, then it must be part of the solution too

12:54 Hezbollah MP Ali Ammar told NBN TV: We support reconciliation in the North. I hope that the conciliatory tone of MP Saad Hariri in Tripoli spreads to other Lebanese regions. The dialogue roundtable, headed by President Michel Suleiman, is on the way and it will clearly reveal who truly wants a national defense strategy. There are three elements for preserving Lebanese sovereignty: the population, the Resistance, and the army - all within the same state.
Ammar defended Assad's interference in north Lebanon calling it an act of self defense

12:51 MP Mustafa Allouch told Future TV: Syrian regime considers Lebanon’s Alawites as one of its communities, although they are part of Tripoli’s society. Syria is using the confrontation to return to Lebanon.
The basic issue today is how to reach reconciliation between all the people of Tripoli by giving them hope and solving all the problems that have accumulated since 1986.

12:40 MP Misbah Ahdab told LBC TV : I am happy and relieved because of the attention being given to Tripoli. “We live in a country that does not consider the attacks on Beirut (a reference to the May 7 seizure by Hezbollah) and the helicopter attack ( by Hezbollah) as extremism, yet what happens in Tripoli is considered extremism,” Ahdab said.
Ahdab said he fully supports the reconciliation effort but cautioned that no reconciliation can be achieved as long as arms are being used by some against the citizens of the country

11:55 Maronite Patriarch of Lebanon Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir says that current statements and declarations are problematic, and he called for solidarity and unity to save the country from future problems and catastrophes.

11:30 Carlos Edde: Lebanon will be Syria's prize if It ever signs a peace treaty with Israel

11:17 Salafi leader Hassan Shahhal : The non Muslim MPs in Future bloc ( Al Mustaqbal) are not our allies and we are opposed to their alliance with Samir Geagea . We demand amnesty for all Islamists and call for expanding the dialogue to include the Salafi

11:01 Rifaat Ali Eid: Our only guarantee is the state. It is the one that guarantees our security and rights only. We never received any support from Syria. The Mustaqbal is an important part of the problem

10:35 Mosbajh al Ahdab: if the political cover is removed reconciliation will be achieved. There are militias in Tripoli that cannot be touched because of its relationship with the resistance ( Hezbollah) and the army and security are not doing enough%

Tags: 000 Lebanese in first home concert Face to Face with Beirut's Facebook Pub The Proposed Lebanese Cabinet: A Tower of Babel? The Architecture of an Identity Crisis In No Man's Land Rejoice Lebanon Hubert Fattal: Taking The Words Out Of The Painting Our bea