Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Adventurer]

Sleiman persists with efforts to ease domestic tensions
hizbullah mp accuses geagea of exploiting special tribunal
By Elias Sakr
Daily Star staff
Thursday, July 22, 2010

Listen to the Article - Powered by



BEIRUT: President Michel Sleiman resumed talks with political leaders of the National Dialogue committee in a bid to contain domestic tensions after Hizbullah�s condemnation of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) as an �Israeli project.�


After meeting Tuesday with leaders of Hizbullah parliamentary bloc, the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and the Future Movement, Sleiman held talks Wednesday with Phalange Party head Amin Gemayel, Marada Movement leader Sleiman Franjieh and March 14 MP Labor Minister Butros Harb.


�President Sleiman resumed his meetings with leaders and officials to strengthen national unity and defend Lebanon against dangers that could result from overlapping regional issues particularly given Israeli intentions to destabilize the Lebanese domestic scene,� the president�s media office said.


But Sleiman�s efforts did not constrain March 14 parties and Hizbullah from trading accusations of seeking to destabilize the security situation.


Hizbullah MP Qassem Hashem accused Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea of seeking to exploit the STL to target Lebanon to serve the interest of a US-Israeli plot.


�Geagea is predicting assassinations and hinting at the outcome of the indictment to confirm the intersection of media reports with the interests of certain parties,� Hashem said, in reference to Western reports and Israeli statements that the STL�s indictment would involve members of Hizbullah and cause major chaos in Lebanon.


In a televised interview Tuesday night, Geagea said political assassinations could potentially resume but added that he had no information on the issue.


While Future Movement officials hailed Sleiman�s efforts to diminish tensions, the March 14 Secretariat General described Hizbullah�s stances as �a threat to resort to violence and a civil strife precursor,� in a high pitched statement.


�The STL was endorsed by all parties during National Dialogue sessions, and let us leave it to work on the issue as we will accept its results regardless of the price and we hold on to this position,� said Future Movement member Amar Houri.



�The STL is on the right track and no one is capable of changing its direction,� he added.


Meanwhile, the March 14 Secretariat General said in their statement that Sayyed Nasrallah�s speech last week was a threat to resort to violence in a continuous attempt to overthrow the Cabinet and the 2008 Doha Accord.


The Doha Accord ended bloody clashes between pro-opposition and government supporters after gunfights almost led to civil strife following the Cabinet�s decision to dismantle Hizbullah�s private telecommunications network.


�The March 14 secretariat condemns the escalatory rhetoric and accusations of treason that Sayyed Nasrallah launched against more than 1.5 million Lebanese that sought truth and justice since Prime Minister Rafik Hariri�s assassination in 2005,� the statement said.


The March 14 Forces also accused FPM leader MP Michel Aoun of provoking Nasrallah to violence and undertaking military action in Christian regions.


Aoun told As-Safir last week that he warned Nasrallah against certain parties arming in Christian regions to instigate strife in parallel with Israeli aggression against Lebanon that would coincide with the STL�s indictment of Hizbullah members. �We call on the state, its political authorities and its security and military forces to assume their responsibilities in protecting civil peace against threats by certain parties drawing various scenarios,� the statement said.


Nasrallah is scheduled to hold a news conference Thursday to address the issue of spying networks and the ongoing debate about the STL�s expected indictment. Hizbullah�s press office described the news conference as an �important one.�


Commenting on the STL�s potential indictment of Hizbullah members, Bouthaina Shaaban the political and media adviser to Syrian President Bashar Assad, said the issue was discussed during Premier Hariri�s visit to Damascus. �We discussed everything though Syria does not interfere in Lebanese affairs. However, regional developments are of interest to Damascus since all developments are related and plans against the region did not and will not stop,� she said.





Read more: http://dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=117318#ixzz0uRCbK7mT
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)

[Adventurer]

It appears that Hezbollah doesn't want that court regarding the killing of Rafiq Al Hariri, a major Sunni leader. The Christians to the Right of Michel Aoun are led generally by former president Amine Gemayel and the Phalangists and Samir Geagea and the Lebanese Forces, and they are allied with the Sunni establishment. Both of them view Syria with suspicion and consider Syria to have the blood of people from their communities, and that Hezbollah as its ally may be implicated. Hezbollah seems to be warning about the use of this court.

That's basically what's going on. The anti-Hezbollah majority wants the court to continue with its work and wants to get the people behind those who killed Hariri. Whoever killed Hariri probably killed the others. Some wonder if Hezbollah had members who committed crimes against those who oppose them. It's not clear.

General Michel Aoun used to oppose Hezbollah many years ago, but made a 360 degree turn and allied with Hezbollah when he was allowed to return to Lebanon. He is complaining that Christians are starting to re-arm themselves like the old days. Of course, they are, they don't trust Hezbollah having a large force, and the Sunni Muslims, their allies, are doing the same. They feel threatened. Hezbollah is viewed not only as a threat to Israel, but also to many Sunnis and Christians, including people who once saw them as heros.

The pro-Syrian axis are accusing the others of favoring Israeli interests or someone helping them through their behavior and to try to reconcile with Hezbollah and come to their senses, come to an understanding, not go with the court in any way.

[Big_Bird]

I find Lebanese politics too depressing. As for Hezbollah, I do not see them going away anytime soon while the Shiites are still otherwise poorly represented. Though everyone's too scared to conduct a proper census, it's estimated that the Shiites now make up more than a third of the population. Who would be the likely successor to Hezbollah? Amal? I doubt that.

The Sunnis and Christians have to face the fact that they can no longer run the country between them to suit themselves, and that the Shiites want some power too. Proportionally, the Shiite population arguably suffered worst of all (well, aside from the Palestinian refugees) during the 70s-90s and they will not agree to any demands for Hezbollah to disarm. They feel too vulnerable.

Shame they can't all be Lebanese first, and Christian, Shiite or whathaveyou as a distant second, eh.

[Big_Bird]

Whether accurate or not, the STL's findings will now lack credibility for many in that region.

Israel's Fingerprints Surface: The Hariri Assassination