Crisis in Lebanon

[FORTUNATO]

...who was himself brought to power by a popular revolution against a Syrian puppet government, of course. If you're waiting for Nasrallah to charge to independence like a new Nasser (with a beard ), then you may be waiting a while.



V

Yes but they did not kept there electoral promises, and they want the president to changed.......

Now the constitution said if the government can not be effective for a period of 7 days, than the president has full right to solve the parliament ,

- Now the French and (US which mean also Israel), Including Mubarak, and Saudi king (not all other the Arabs countries), are talking about disarming armed group in lebanoons, and that democratically elected government should stay

The question is WHY they didn’t said that when Karami has been thrown out?? (You see how Pathetic these democrats are?)

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[nesreen]

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said Saturday he feared continued street demonstrations, especially if they became sectarian, could turn Lebanon into a battlefield.

So now Mubarak is going to teach us demoncracy , says Slimane franjiyeh (christian ) on Al Jazeera . he was brilliant . so were Michel Aoun and Tallal Majid Arslane (druzzes )

22 months ago , when demonstrations brought Karami gov down Condy said it was healthy and should move forward with any foreign interference so why these demonstrations are bothering her . tell Jeffrrey Feltman to keep his Hands OFF lebanon and let the lebanese sort out their problems and issues.

Julia Boutross joined the demonstrations too but i missed her performance .

[Al-khiyal]

New clashes hit Sunni neighborhood in Lebanese capital

[Al-khiyal]

BEIRUT, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Lebanon's Hezbollah-led opposition said on Wednesday it was ready to escalate its campaign to topple the Western-backed government and called for a new mass demonstration on Sunday.

Thousands of flag-waving opposition followers demonstrated for a sixth day near government headquarters, paralysing the commercial and banking heart of Beirut, to demand that Prime Minister Fouad Siniora quit.

Hundreds of thousands of opposition supporters took part in a similar rally on Friday and many have maintained a round-the-clock vigil in a tent camp in the city centre.

"We hope that this day (Sunday) would be a historic and decisive day, a day in which ... the legitimate demands are met and ... a government of national unity replaces the one-sided government," the opposition said in a statement.

It told supporters "to prepare for new methods and forms of peaceful protests" without giving further details.

Siniora earlier urged the opposition to end the street protests and return to the negotiating table, vowing he would not be forced from power.

"The street will not resolve any problem ... there is no other way than to sit down and talk," Siniora told cheering supporters at his downtown offices.

The protests have sparked several sectarian clashes between Shi'ite Muslims who back Hezbollah and Siniora's mainly Sunni supporters, raising fears of large-scale violence in a country that has suffered two civil wars in the last 50 years.

The opposition is demanding the formation of a national unity government and accuses Siniora of failing to stand by pro-Syrian Hezbollah during a summer war with Israel.

Siniora allies accuse their opponents of using the protests to try to derail an international tribunal to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, which many Lebanese blame on Syria - a charge Damascus denies.

The influential council of Maronite Christian bishops demanded the formation of a new government and early elections to replace pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, a Maronite.

Lahoud's term is due to end in November 2007. Parliament, which has an anti-Syrian majority, elects the president.

"The date must be brought closer for electing a person who would be agreed upon who can work on unifying the people within a just state and who launches the process of reform and the rebuilding of state institutions," the bishops said in a statement after a monthly meeting.

Compromises floated by Lebanese politicians and Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa have failed to break the deadlock.

Hezbollah and its allies, among them a populist Christian party, want just over one third of all cabinet seats, handing them effective veto power.

Political sources said Siniora appeared to have accepted a proposal to increase the number of cabinet posts to 30 from 24. Nine or 10 of these posts would go to the opposition, 19 to the anti-Syrian coalition and one or two to neutral ministers.

The opposition indicated this fell short of its demands.

The ruling majority says it will back a government of national unity, but only as part of a broader deal that would ensure parliament's approval of plans for the Hariri tribunal and early presidential elections.

Government and opposition supporters have accused each other of fuelling sectarian divisions. A Shi'ite protester was shot dead on Sunday, and Hezbollah loyalists say this was the work of "militias" loyal to Saad al-Hariri, Rafik's son and head of the anti-Syrian majority.

He has denied the accusation and warned Hezbollah not to turn to its own, well-armed guerrilla force in the stand-off.

Lebanese opposition vows bigger push to topple government

[Al-khiyal]

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed Thursday that the Lebanese opposition will not "surrender" in its mass protests to bring down the Western-backed government.

"At the mass protest on Sunday we will show that those who are betting on our surrender are having an illusion. We will not go out of the streets before we achieve our objective to save Lebanon," he said.

"We insist on our demands, for the formation of a real government of national unity... because it is the only means to prevent any foreign tutelage on Lebanon, so that we have Lebanese decision-making."

"We reject any tutelage, from any party, whether it is the enemy, brother or friend," he said.

But Nasrallah said "the opportunity is still there and the doors of negotiation are still open, let us change the current government into a government of national unity headed by (Prime Minister Fuad) Siniora."

"But if you (ruling majority) remain stubborn... we will not accept any of you to head the next government... we will form an interim government that will hold early elections," he said.

Nasrallah also said that the protest was "peaceful, civil and civilized," and pledged that the death of a 20-year-old Shiite opposition supporter after street fights on Sunday would not prompt the protesters to violence.

"When they killed Ahmed Mahmud, they wanted to push us to clashes... I tell them... we refuse civil war and discord," he said.

Nasrallah's speech was broadcast live on two big screens to thousands of cheering opposition protesters who have been gathering since Friday outside the government's offices in central Beirut.

The influential leader of the Tehran- and Damascus-backed Hezbollah last addressed his followers on the eve of the mass protest that saw hundreds of thousands of flag-waving demonstrators take to the streets.

The opposition called Wednesday on Lebanese to "participate en masse in a demonstration Sunday in central Beirut at 3 pm (1300 GMT) in the hope that this will be a historic day on which our voices are heard".

"Our people do not give up, do not get tired," Nasrallah said.

The Siniora government on Thursday reiterated its appeal for the opposition to return to talks. "However long it takes, the Lebanese will have to sit back down together," Siniora said.

Nasrallah appeared to answer Siniora's appeal.

"We will stay on the streets and whoever wants dialogue knows that the doors of the leaders of the opposition are open," he said.

"Lebanon cannot be ruled by one party that monopolizes" decision-making.

The opposition, made up mainly of Christian and Shiite factions, no longer recognizes the government after six pro-Syrian ministers resigned last month. The government is backed by an anti-Syrian parliament majority elected in 2005.

Nasrallah also asked followers not to fire into the air after the speech, as they did last week, "because it is a bad Lebanese habit... and the only place bullets should be directed is the chests of the Israeli enemy."

Nasrallah also blasted Arab and Western governments that have expressed their support for Lebanon's government.

"You (Siniora government) have been counting on American backing. It will not bring you any benefit," Nasrallah said.

"How can you count on Bush and its army... when they are sinking in the muds of the region, in Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon?"

Nasrallah reiterated accusations against "some members" of the ruling majority who allegedly asked Washington to let Israel launch a war against Hezbollah in the summer to disarm his Shiite militant group.

He also accused Siniora personally of having asked the Lebanese army to confiscate arms for Hezbollah during the war.

But a Lebanese government source denied such an accusation as "baseless."

Nasrallah also urged Arab mediators to stay neutral.

"I call on Arab countries expressing concern for Lebanon not to side with any party against the other - they should extend their hand to all the Lebanese," Nasrallah said.

Hezbollah chief vows not to stop Lebanon protests

[Al-khiyal]

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of chanting protesters swamped Beirut on Sunday in a Hezbollah-led rally that marked a leap forward in the opposition's drive to unseat Lebanon's Western-backed government.

In a huge show of force, crowds waving a forest of red-and-white Lebanese flags crammed into two vast squares to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.

"Siniora out," demonstrators chanted. "Beirut is free," others yelled in what one security force source estimated was the biggest rally in Lebanese history.

Giant loudspeakers blared out nationalist songs and drummers thudded a relentless beat on the 10th day of a round-the-clock protest aimed at getting Siniora and his Sunni-backed majority to set up a government of national unity.

Holed up in his well-protected office, which is ringed by coils of razor wire, Siniora urged his opponents to end their street demonstrations and resume negotiations.

"On this occasion, I call on the protesters to come back to the constitutional institutions to discuss all contested issues and reach real solutions," he said in a statement.

But Sunday's mammoth rally will give pro-Syrian Hezbollah and its disparate partners fresh impetus, strengthening their conviction that Siniora will ultimately have to back down and hand them the power of veto in a broad-based government.

Speakers told the throngs that the government was a puppet of the United States, repeating accusations that Siniora's allies had hoped Israel would crush the Shi'ite militant group Hezbollah in its recent war with Israel.

"I tell you that after the (Israeli) aggression ... there is no place for America in Lebanon," said Hezbollah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Kassem, speaking behind bullet proof-glass.

The crowd responded: "Death to America, death to Israel, long live a dignified Lebanon."

Siniora has accused Hezbollah of trying to stage a coup following its war and commentators have warned the worsening stand-off could degenerate into sectarian violence in a country that is still trying to rebuild after a 1975-90 civil war.

Whereas the last civil war started out primarily as a fight between Christian and Muslim militia, the main faultline now lies between Lebanon's Sunni community and the Shi'ites.

One Shi'ite protester has been killed and several people hurt in shooting incidents, riots and clashes between supporters of both sides over the past week.

The prime minister told a conference earlier in the day that Lebanon's security, economy and political system were at stake, but said its democracy was strong enough to absorb the shock of the protests.

"This challenge covers the vision of Lebanon's future, the future of its system and its place in the region and the world."

Underlining the political passions at play, tens of thousands of pro-government supporters staged a rally on Sunday in the Sunni city of Tripoli in northern Lebanon.

Pope Benedict urged Lebanon on Sunday to back away from political crisis and asked the international community to help find urgent, peaceful solutions at this "grave moment."

Populist Christian leader Michel Aoun, a former general who has forged an unlikely alliance with Hezbollah, told the rally if Siniora did not concede "in the next few days," the opposition would demand early elections.

Siniora's supporters say Hezbollah simply wants to derail plans to set up an international tribunal to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, which many Lebanese blame on Syria - a charge Damascus denies.

In a sign of defiance, a government official said Siniora had called a cabinet meeting for Tuesday, with the international court included on the agenda.

Beirut rally piles pressure on U.S.-backed government

[Al-khiyal]

Mustafa Osman Ismail, a Sudanese Arab League envoy, is due to hold talks with Lebanese leaders based on a proposal to resolve Lebanon's political crisis.

Hundreds of thousands of protesters have attended a rally in central Beirut to press demands for a national unity government that will distribute power across political parties more fairly.

The plan deals with issues that have caused the crisis in Lebanon, including the formation of a national unity government, demand from the opposition for veto power, early elections and an agreement on an international tribunal to try suspects in the murder of former prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri.

Fouad Siniora, the Lebanese prime minister, has previously refused opposition demands, stating that Hezbollah want to place Lebanon under the tutelage of Syria and Iran.

Importantly, however, Siniora has welcomed the proposals contained within the Arab League initiative.

Two significant points within the Arab League are proposed changes in the make up of the Lebanese cabinet and veto power.

The Arab League plan would see the total number of ministers rise to 30. Two-thirds would include the parliamentary majority while one third would represent the opposition.

However, the opposition has reservations about the issue of one-third minority.

One-third of the parliament is not enough to give the minority the veto power they require, so the opposition have placed demands on negotiations for a one-third minority "plus one" to empower them with the veto.

Zeina Khodr, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Beirut, said that there is no confirmation that Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Hezbollah, has agreed to the Arab League initiative, although he has "welcomed the plan and will deal with any initiative in a positive way".

Hezbollah officials are keen to show that they don't have a problem if they are not part of the government.

Officials have remarked that they have no thirst for power. They have said that they are not trying to maximise political power on the back of the war with Israel and that they are ready for seats to be given to their allies, including that of Michel Aoun, leader of the Christian Free Patriotic Movement party.

"Any agreement that includes this proposal, will be a first step towards progress," Khodr said.

Ibrahim Moussawi, the political editor of a Hezbollah magazine, said that the organisation has no problem with the development of an international tribunal, but the detail of such a proposal will have important implications for the country.

"They want to make sure that the mandate of this tribunal didn't extend to some place where it would put the sovereignty of the country at risk," he said.

Intense diplomatic activity will take place on Monday, led by Ismail, and on Tuesday with the arrival Amr Moussa, the Arab League secretary-general. Both will work to mediate between both political camps.

If no agreement is reached, fears remain that protests will escalate.

Lebanon considers Arab League plan