Minutes after he left the country , Israeli fighter jets violated the Lebanese airspace when they flew over the western part of the country in violation of 1701.
Israel has been consistently violating the Lebanese airspace ever since 1701 resolution was issued , despite the complaints of the UNIFIL and the Lebanese government
While at the UN Suleiman was planning to promote Lebanon for the temporary UN security council seat because of the prestige such a position will bring to Lebanon . But Lebanon was reportedly advised not to seek this seat because of Iran: The security council is expected on several occasions in the near future to vote on sanctions against Iran and if Lebanon votes for these sanctions it will create domestic trouble with Hezbollah , and it votes against the sanctions it will get in trouble with its Arab and western allies.
Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri is scheduled to return from Saudi Arabia on Thursday, to launch the parliamentary consultations for a new national unity government
According to al-Hayat newspaper, parliament majority leader Hariri intends this time to engage in a meaningful, "lengthy" dialogue rather than negotiation or debate. Parliamentary sources told al-Hayat that Hariri is determined to engage in "open and honest dialogue" that would tackle various issues, including the sensitive ones .
Hariri gave up on the formation of the cabinet during the first round reportedly because of the unreasonable demands of the opposition in general and General Michel Aoun in particular
Deocratic Gathering parliamentary bloc leader MP Walid Jumblat is reportedly annoyed at the stubbornness of some opposition political leaders, particularly Speaker Nabih Berri who failed to convince his allies in the Hezbollah-led March 8 opposition of the need to soften their demands with respect to the formation of a new government.
According to al-Hayat sources within the opposition , Hezbollah could have tried to persuade its ally, Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun to soften his stance and be more reasonable in his demands.
Jumblatt , who has angered his allies when he tried to position himself as a centrist to reduce the political tension in Lebanon , is reportedly extremely disappointed in speaker Berri ‘s failure in assuming a similar role within the opposition and in persuading his allies to soften their stands . Berri was described by the majority as the weakest link within the opposition. “Jumblatt has obviously bet on the wrong horse “ one analyst told Ya Libnan, in reference to Berri
Tuesday
11:45 pm President Suleiman arrived in New York to participate in the UN summit
10:00 pm President Mahmoud Abbas said on Tuesday that Israel must honor agreements on borders and Jerusalem which he says its government made in 2008 talks with the Palestinians if stalled peace negotiations are to resume.
8:30 pm Bulgarian former FM Irina Bokova won as UNESCO’s chief against Egyptian rival Farouk Hosni
8:26 Reports of gunfire between Jabal Mohsen and Qubbah in Tripoli , LAF deploys to contain situation
8:20 MTV : there are 2 theories about the attempt to assassinate Mufti Qabbani : One theory says the planners belong to Alqaeda, the other theory says they are from our northern border ( Syria)
3:32pm "central news agency ": six members of Fatah al-Islam were arrested , Palestinian sources say that terrorist groups are trying to infiltrate the camps
3:30pm Lebanese Banks Association's President Joseph Tarabay: Isolating Lebanon from the global economic crisis is a brilliant achievement and banks have sufficient capabilities to face any development on the financial level.
3:05pm tight security in the vicinity of Dar Al-Fatwa since Sunday following reports of an attempt to assassinate Lebanon's Grand Mufti Qabbani
2:20 PM Al Jazeera : As Barack Obama, the US president, prepares to meet Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, and Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, a recent poll in the Jerusalem Post suggests that just four per cent of Israelis believe the Obama administration supports their country.
2:00 PM Iran's influential former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said on Tuesday that foreign media were using "psychological warfare" to create discord among Iranians, state media reported.
1 :50 minister Aridi to hold an expanded meeting tomorrow with sewage contractors and operators to clean up sewage pipes and rain water drainage to take the necessary measures to avoid repetition of what happened in the past two days
1 :47 MP Harb briefed PM Siniora and Maj. Gen. Raad over the damages due to heavy rains and floods in the villages of Batroun
1 :45pm The Water Authority of Beirut and Mount Lebanon announced that malfunction occurred in the majority of the existing pumps in the Jaita station
1:34pm MP Sami Gemayel in Montreal: We are now at a stage that could lead to either of one of these two situations : a new Lebanon that meets our ambitions or a Lebanon of extremism and war.
1 :27pm Beirut Water Authority : severe rationing in the central towns of Metn due to storms storms and will return to the normal schedule within 48 hours
12:37pm Military Examining Magistrate Fadi Sawan questioned 5 Fatah al-Islam members detained in the south for belonging to an armed group for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activities.
12:32pm Parliament’s secretariat announced the 5-day program of the PM-designate’s consultations with parliamentary blocs starting Thursday.
12:19pm Heavy rains over the weekend polluted fresh water in Dinniyeh because of mud
12:18pm Al-Sheikh Ayyash and Borj al-Arab citizens burned tires on the international highway to protest severe power cuts.
12:02pm Minister Ziad Baroud told OTV: The issue of the prisoners’ escape is unacceptable. We ask for Lebanese unity to prevent such security mishap. Some preliminary arrests were made.
11:15am Former MP Mustafa Alloush told Net TV : The present situation, both at the regional and external political levels, appears to be heading toward lack of agreement. This is what makes everybody worried about the situation.
10:43 Israeli aircraft violated the Lebanese airspace in the western part of the country and broke the sound barrier
10:36 Jabir: We hope the consultations will be launched Thursday with open hearts and the willingness for dialogue
10:33 sunny weather , higher temperature and lower humidity expected today after the heavy rain of the past few days
10:33 President Suleiman left for New York to attend the UN general assembly meeting
10:28 Houry: The objective of blocking the formation of the government is to eliminate the entity of Lebanon
10:07 Aoun told al Binaa ": if the suspicious campaign against me continues , I will revert to the courts
09:37 internal security forces arrested 69 people for committing criminal acts
09:34 Amin Wehbe told Saout al Mada : ask ( Iranian FM ) Manouchehr Mottaki about the fate of the government in Lebanon
09:32 sources for the al Watan : Suleiman will meet in New York a number of international and Arab key political figures
09:12 Al Rai : New cells of "Fatah al-Islam" in several camps are preparing for terrorist acts
09:00 opposition circles told Al Rai : the ball is now in the court of al-Hariri and his team
08:56 sources the majority told Al Rai : Hariri will not give more than he gave the opposition last time and the opposition will not facilitate the formation of the cabinet
08:49 Saad: Some are undermining the Constitution for political reasons
08:48 Sami Gemayel: We reject the bid of some who consider themselves above the Lebanese state , and above the law and the Constitution
08:48 source in the March 8 told al Anbaa : either the 15-10-5 formula or the return to the blocking third and Gebran Bassil
08:42 sources for the majority told al Anbaa : Hariri considers the proposed line up he submitted to Suleiman is no longer a basis for discussion
08:35 Anbaa : Lebanon was tipped not to seek the seat of the Security Council , specially because of the vote on the Iranian sanctions
07:51 STL prosecutor Bellemare met UN special representative for ME Larsen a few weeks ago in the Hague
07:39 "News: tension continues in Akkar region
07:31 a security source s told al Akhbar : the security forces cannot prevent the transfer of prisoners to hospitals
07:20 Geagea, is engaged full-time in the preparation of his speech for memorial day
07:00 a source close to Hariri: One of the opposition partners is only committed to Hezbollah arms but is free to act on other issues
06:48 al Akhbar : ": Abbas Zaki and Sultan Abul-Einein will be removed from Fatah
leadership in Lebanon. Ashraf Dabbour will replace temporarily ambassador Abbas Zaki until a replacement is found while Khaled Arif or Fathi Abu al Ardat will replace Sultan Abul-Einein
06:35 UNICERAMIC has declared bankruptcy and the Beirut stock exchange stopped trading in its stock. UNICERAMIC is the largest ceramic tile factory in Lebanon
06:20 caretaker Finance minister Chatah: the delay in formation of a government will reflect negatively on the economy
06:12 central bank governor Riad Salameh : the delay in forming a government affects the element of trust in Lebanese economy
05:57 a source of security: security is a priority during the holidays due to concern over terrorist attacks
05:50 Mufti Qabbani: The information about the attempt to assassinate me was part of the political disruption
06:13 "collusion" was behind the escape of the two prisoners
05:42 possibility of a meeting between Preside