Seniora sends two messages to UN on continuous Israeli threats, cluster bombs

UN Secretary General report calls for full application of resolution 1559 in Lebanon

Lebanese army commander: No place for terrorism in our country

Strong condemnation over Israel's construction of synagogue near al-Aqsa; warning of third Intifada

New Israeli suggestion to establish peace with Syria, Lebanon, Palestinians based on economy

UN chief Ban Ki-moon presented his eighth report on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559, noting several positive developments, like the normalization of Lebanese Syrian-relations, but warning of the dangers of Lebanon's many unresolved security threats.

"Since my last report to the Security Council, Lebanon was taken to the brink of civil war and back," Ban said.

The biannual report, presented to the Security Council, praised the election of President Michel Sleiman following the violence in May and the passage of a new electoral law for the spring parliamentary elections.

It also voiced serious concern over growing extremism in and around Tripoli, the rearmament of Lebanese militias, the escalation of rhetoric between Israel and Hezbollah and the continued presence of Syrian-backed Palestinian factions in east Lebanon.

"Over the past six months, Lebanon has experienced both the ruinous effects of sectarian violence and hope and optimism," Ban said. He expressed gratitude to Qatari leader Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani for helping to facilitate an end to May's violence.

Resolution 1559, adopted in September 2004, called for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon, the disarmament and disbanding of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias and the free, fair and independent administration of a presidential election.

"During this reporting period, a president of the republic was finally elected, consistent with the provisions of the resolution, thus reviving the constitutional institutions of the country," Ban said in the report. He noted past successes in implementation like the withdrawal of Syrian troops and "free and credible parliamentary elections," both in 2005.

Ban also lauded the formalization of diplomatic ties between Lebanon and Syria and the pledge to exchange embassies by year's end as a positive step toward implementing Resolution 1559. "I commend the leaders of Lebanon and Syria for these new significant steps toward the full implementation of resolutions ... and look forward to the opening of embassies in both capitals," he said.

The normalization of relations, Ban suggested, could enable Lebanon and Syria to address other outstanding issues, particularly "the full delineation of their common border, which remains of crucial importance to a number of explicit operational requirements of resolutions 1559, 1680 [2004] and 1701 [2006]." Ban noted a complaint issued by the Lebanese Cabinet in August regarding Syrian citizens allegedly trespassing on Lebanese territory in the Deir al-Ashayer area to dig wells, but added that the official status of that area remains disputed absent a formal border agreement.

He also expressed his concern that the border between Lebanon and Syria remains porous, saying that "a number of member states have also expressed to me their growing concern that weapons and fighters continue to flow across [the border.]"

The potential smuggling of weapons to armed groups in Lebanon directly contravenes Resolution 1559 and Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 summer war with Israel.

Ban condemned Israel's serial violations of Lebanon's airspace and the Jewish state's continued occupation of the northern part of Ghajar as "violation of Lebanon's sovereignty" and international agreements.

He also denounced Hezbollah's (and other armed groups') role in the May fighting and its status as a state within a state as threatening the authority of the Lebanese government and armed forces.

"Hezbollah's maintenance of separate military assets and infrastructure is a fundamental challenge to the government's attempts to consolidate the sovereignty and authority of the Lebanese state," he said.

He also cited the inflammatory rhetoric being exchanged between Israel and Hezbollah. "I am disturbed by the repeated exchanges of threats, through the media, between Israel and Hezbollah. I urge all parties to cease this public discourse which creates anxiety among civilian populations on both sides," Ban said.

Regarding the disputed Sheba Farms area, occupied by Israel, the UN chief said he would continue his "cartographic and diplomatic work" and further report in his upcoming report on the implementation of Resolution 1701.

Chief among the secretary general's concerns was the possibility of renewed domestic violence in Lebanon.

"I am gravely concerned by the emergence and apparent strengthening of extremist elements and foreign fighters based largely in and around Tripoli. This phenomenon is but another challenge to the consolidation of the government's authority," Ban said.

He cited recent attacks aimed at the Lebanese Armed Forces as particularly troubling.

The UN chief added that "the clashes in May and violent incidents since then have raised my concern that groups on all sides of the political spectrum may be re-arming in contravention of both the Tail agreement and Resolution 1559."

He nonetheless expressed his confidence in Sleiman and the future of the national reconciliation and dialogue.

"If Lebanon is to accomplish the process it has started of consolidating its sovereignty and national unity, all Lebanese parties must fully engage in this national process in a spirit of genuine cooperation and commit themselves to achieving meaningful progress," the UN chief said.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora addressed two letters to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, after the UN Security Council (UNSC) released the latest report on the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1559. Seniora requested Ban circulate the letter among the members of the Security Council.

Seniora’s letters touched on Israeli “threats and violations,” and the issue of cluster bombs dropped during the 2006 July War. Seniora denounced continued Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty by air and land, as well as “disrespect” for the Blue Line, which, he said, contributed to increased “incidents” in the border area.

Seniora also denounced recent Israeli threats against Lebanon. “Lebanon is a victim of the Israeli occupation of their territory, and the threats launched by Israeli officials do not exempt Israel from its obligation in implementing resolution 1701,” Seniora said, “Any hostile action carried out by Israel against Lebanon in the future can in no way be justified.”

Seniora’s letter said that there was a lack of funding for the removal of cluster bombs from southern Lebanon, adding that Israel still refused to hand over maps of the areas in which cluster bombs and landmines were located.

Seniora said that he hoped the UN secretary general would urge the international community to provide aid and financial support for the demining and cluster bomb eradication process, and continue to pressure Israel to hand over information and maps on the areas in which the explosives were located.

Seniora included the UN demining force’s detailed study of the problem in all its dimensions with his letter.

The foreign ministers of Syria and Lebanon signed an agreement formalizing diplomatic ties between the two countries for the first time in their turbulent history.

The signing comes a day after Syrian President Bashar Assad issued a decree establishing diplomatic relations with its smaller neighbor — a long-standing demand of the U.S. and Lebanese politicians opposed to Syria's influence in the country.

The two countries have not had formal diplomatic relations since both gained independence from France in the 1940s, which many Lebanese viewed as a result of Syria's refusal to recognize Lebanon's sovereignty.

Recognition of Lebanon could help Syrian aspirations to build trust with the West as it pursues indirect talks with Israel, mediated through Turkey.

The document announcing the start of diplomatic relations was signed in Damascus by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem and his Lebanese counterpart Fawzi Salloukh.

The two nations pledged to strengthen bilateral relations "based on mutual respect for each country's sovereignty and independence," according to the signed document.

"We hope that the exchange of diplomatic representation will be a window to bolster bilateral relations," said al-Moallem at a press conference following the signing.

Embassies will be set up in Damascus and Beirut before the end of the year, he added.

In August, Lebanon and Syria agreed to establish ties and demarcate their contentious border. That landmark agreement, which came during an official visit by Lebanon's president to Damascus, and Assad's formal decree, also mark a final break in Syria's longtime dominance over its smaller neighbor.

Damascus had controlled Lebanon for 30 years before it was forced to withdraw troops in 2005.

Lebanon's Western-backed Prime Minister, Fouad Seniora, praised the development as an "advanced and historic step on the road to confirming Lebanon's independence, sovereignty and its free decision-making."

Some observers believe Syria is more comfortable dealing with Lebanon's government now that its ally Hezbollah has gained veto power in a Lebanese unity government that was formed in July. In May, Lebanon installed a president sympathetic to Syria.

U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack welcomed the development as "a positive step" but said important tasks remain, such as defining the countries' border.

Relations between the two Arab nations have been lopsided in Syria's favor since the 1970s, when Syria sent its army into Lebanon and maintained control there for nearly 30 years. Ties unraveled when former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was killed in a 2005 car bombing that many Lebanese blame on Syria — a charge Syria denies.

After Hariri's assassination, Syria caved to U.S.-led international pressure and withdrew its troops from Lebanon

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea discussed with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak the political situation in Lebanon, particularly the issues of the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms and Syrian troop buildup along the border with Lebanon.

Geagea told reporters in Cairo that he believed the Syrian deployment was aimed at putting "moral pressure on the residents of northern Lebanon with (parliamentary) elections nearing."

Geagea -- accompanied by MP Antoine Zahra, Ex-Minister Joe Sarkis and LF's Foreign Affairs Official Joseph Nehmeh -- traveled to Cairo in a previously unannounced visit that will last several days.

He met with Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit, Arab League chief Amr Moussa and other officials.

The pan-Arab daily al-Hayat, citing well-informed Egyptian sources, pointed that Geagea is a leading figure of the ruling March 14 coalition.

The sources said his visit, the first to Cairo, reflects a new trend by both Geagea and his party to establish contacts with Arab states, the beginning of which will be in the Egyptian capital.

They also pointed to the "importance of this move by the Lebanese Forces in strengthening Lebanese-Arab relations."

The commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, General Jean Kahwaji, said that Lebanon will never be a safe haven for terrorism, adding that the security situation in the country was now "well controlled."

"The security situation is well controlled, especially after the security and armed forces succeeded in arresting some members of the terrorist cell that was behind the recent explosions in Tripoli," Kahwaji said after meeting foreign military officials and representatives from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Six suspects were rounded up but three have since been released.

The cell was said to be behind an attack on a military bus in the northern city of Tripoli on September 29, when four soldiers and three civilians were killed.

It was also allegedly responsible for an attack in the port city in mid-August which killed 14 people, including nine soldiers and a child, and the murder of a soldier in the bombing of an army intelligence post in Abdeh last May.

The army is still chasing the cell's alleged head, Abdel Ghani Ali Jawhar, who is reportedly hiding at the Beddawi Palestinian refugee camp in the North.

Press reports said that the army had taken some measures to prevent Jawhar from fleeing Beddawi to the southern Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh.

Kahwaji also told his visitors that the situation along Lebanon's Southern border was stable despite Israel's non-stop violations of Lebanon's airspace and its continued occupation of the Shebaa Farms, the Kfar Shuba Hills and the Lebanese half of Ghajar village.

Commenting on the situation along Lebanon's northern border, Kahwaji reiterated that the Lebanese Army had prior knowledge of Damascus' decision to deploy troops along the border with the aim of preventing smuggling.

Meanwhile, well-informed sources denied a report that Kahwaji had recently visited Damascus to discuss border control coordination with Syrian military officials, according to El-Nashra news Web site.

However, the sources said that Kahwaji would not hesitate to make such visit if necessary without having to do it secretly.

The local daily Al-Akhbar reported that Lebanon's army chief had met the Syrian military command in Damascus late last month.

Also, Lebanon's Military Court continued trying eight Lebanese and three Palestinians for planning terrorist attacks against UNIFIL.

The Palestinian suspects are being tried in absentia.

All 11 were also accused of firing rockets from Lebanon at northern Israel.

The last such attack occurred on January 8, 2008, when two Katyusha rockets hit the Israeli community of Shlomo in western Galilee.

On the same day, a roadside bomb in the southern coastal town of Rmaileh near Sidon struck a UNIFIL vehicle, leaving two UN peacekeepers lightly wounded.

Tens of thousands of olive trees have been uprooted for the construction of the planned 725 kilometer-long Barrier. The route of the Barrier, 86% inside the West Bank, undermines the olive farming industry as a source of livelihood by separating Palestinian farmers and their families from their olive groves. The IDF has installed gates in the Barrier and implemented an associated permit (or prior coordination) regime to facilitate access for farmers, but the 'visitor' permits are difficult to obtain and do not meet workforce needs. An OCHA/UNRWA survey found that in the northern West Bank, 80% of people who used to work land now isolated to the west of the Barrier do not receive permits.

For this olive harvest, the IDF has announced an allocation of 3,000 extra permits which will go some small way towards addressing these access restrictions. The 59 Barrier gates which are to some degree accessible to Palestinians operate on a daily, seasonal or seasonal-weekly basis.

Although he IDF has announced longer opening hours for the olive harvest, 30 Barrier gates remain closed throughout the year except during the olive harvest. Therefore essential activities such as ploughing, pruning, fertilizing and pest and weed management cannot be carried out, affecting the quantity and quality of the olive oil yield. Limited access to water supplies also hinders the ability of many farmers to provide partial irrigation at critical times, limiting the ability to increase productivity.

Israeli Jews opened the reconstructed Ohel Yitzhak (Tent of Isaac) synagogue in East Jerusalem’s Muslim quarter, 80 meters from the Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound.

Israeli TV Channel 7 said that Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovich and relatives of American billionaire Irwin Moskowitz attended the opening ceremony.

Rabinovich said that Moskowitz, the owner of Ohel Yitzhak who has been active in settling Jews in Muslim areas of East Jerusalem, gave the Western Wall Heritage Foundation the right to manage the synagogue site and the excavations.

The goal of the excavation is “to reveal the Jewish people’s past,” said Rabinovich. He said the heritage foundation has the right to operate throughout the old city, and that he is unaware of a need to ask permission from Muslim quarter residents who live near the excavation site.

The property, located between the Cotton Merchants Gate and the Heavy Chain Gate, was purchased by the Hungarian Jewish community in 1867.

The structure was erected in 1917 and blown up by Jordanian shelling in 1948.

The Al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage said that the Western Wall Heritage Foundation and the Israel Antiquities Authority constructed a network of tunnels and excavations in Jerusalem’s old city to link Ohel Yitzhak in the Muslim quarter with the Western Wall tunnels in the Jewish quarter.

The Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, considered that the actions taken by Israel to construct a synagogue on an endowed Islamic land near the Al-Aqsa mosque an aggression against the Masrah of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), and an aggression against the holy sites of the Islamic nation.

In a statement, the Secretary General condemned Israel for committing this criminal act, placing on Israeli authorities the blame for the consequences of this blatant abusive act which represents a flagrant violation of international law and the Geneva Conventions that prohibit occupying nations from staging any aggression against the holy shrines or the religious and historical monuments in the territories they occupy.

Prof. Ihsanoglu conducted urgent contacts with a number of officials across the world to discuss this heinous crime and sent messages to both the Secretary General of the United Nations, the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Director General of UNESCO, to take a stand against the brutal attacks perpetrated by Israel against the blessed Al- Aqsa Mosque and other holy Muslim shrines in the city of Al Quds.

The Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, considered that the actions taken by Israel to construct a synagogue on an endowed Islamic land near the Al-Aqsa mosque an aggression against the Masrah of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), and an aggression against the holy sites of the Islamic nation.

In a statement, the Secretary General condemned Israel for committing this criminal act, placing on Israeli authorities the blame for the consequences of this blatant abusive act which represents a flagrant violation of international law and the Geneva Conventions that prohibit occupying nations from staging any aggression against the holy shrines or the religious and historical monuments in the territories they occupy.

Prof. Ihsanoglu conducted urgent contacts with a number of officials across the world to discuss this heinous crime and sent messages to both the Secretary General of the United Nations, the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Director General of UNESCO, to take a stand against the brutal attacks perpetrated by Israel against the blessed Al- Aqsa Mosque and other holy Muslim shrines in the city of Al Quds.

GCC Secretary General Abdulrahman Al-Attiyah said the Arab House, which is located in Madrid, is considered a "space" for exchanged knowledge and "joint contemplation" to boost relations between Spain and the Arab world. In a speech he addressed before a seminar on dialogue between Spain and the GCC states, held within the framework of the GCC Days in Madrid, Al-Attiyah said that the Arab House reflects its importance on a political, economic and cultural level internationally and the mutual interests with Spain in all domains. In his speech here, Al-Attiyah stressed that the establishment of the Arab House and the International Institute for the Study of the Arab and Islamic World is an "important step" towards boosting distinctive Arab-Spanish relations, especially GCC-Spanish ties. He praised the international conference which was organized in the Spanish capital last July on the Interfaith Dialogue, which was held under the patronage of Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and the support of King Juan Carlos of Spain, which "succeeded in activating the dialogue among religions and cultures".

In this regard, he indicated the welcome of the GCC states for holding a special session at the UN General Assembly next November to support the Madrid Declaration on the world conference on dialogue. The official shed light on the USD-100-million donation presented by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani of Qatar, Chairman of the GCC Supreme Council, to establish an institution aiming at boosting inter-communication between the youth in the Middle East and North Africa. "The GCC Days in Spain are considered a dialogue model which also helps build bridges in an intellectual and scientific manner, where it also embodies several political implications, such as historic Arab efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, which was launched in Madrid in November 1991," Al-Attiyah remarked.

He said that the Middle East, regarding its security and stability, is closely linked to the security of that of the Mediterranean and European security, adding that the GCC states had adopted stances regarding the crises which were and are still being witnessed, the last being during the Doha GCC summit, in order to defend the sovereignty, independence and unity of all lands of the region. He indicated that the recent GCC summit affirmed the right of states to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and the necessity of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supervision over all the activities according to the international criteria for the protection of regional security and stability.

He noted that the GCC Summit also called for having a region, including the GCC region, free of all kinds of mass-destruction weapons. Al-Attiyah also shed light on the efforts that have been exerted over the past 20 years to assess the developments in the Middle East, including international security and safety, which includes the Arab-Israeli conflict, fighting terrorism, preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, the efforts of national reconciliation in Iraq, Sudan and Lebanon. He added that what made the dialogue between the GCC and EU distinctive is that the political dialogue moved at a faster pace compared to the ongoing negotiations on the free trade zone agreement between the two sides, hoping to overcome obstacles in order to achieve the pursued goals in the shortest time possible. He stressed that regional issues, such as the spread of peace and the prevention of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East and the GCC region, in addition to fighting terrorism, have "remained the main political issues after the expansion of the joint European-Mediterranean partnership to include all the EU nations with the Middle East within a new framework known as the "Union for the Mediterranean", which was launched earlier this year.

"We are well aware that we are taking rapid steps towards a closer and more integrated and interactive world despite the problems and crises, such as energy, food and financial markets, and believe that the developed partnership era between the GCC and EU is the main gateway for building a better future for the interest of the two sides," Al-Attiyah affirmed. The three-day activities comprise seminars with a focus on economic and trade cooperation between the GCC and Spain, women's role in development and dialogue between the GCC and Spain which is entitled "the Arab House", which all aim at enhancing contacts and exchanges between the GCC countries and Spain.

Deputy Israeli premier-Defense Minister Ehud Barak said future peace deals with the Arabs should be of economic nature.

Barak said the "essential condition for future peace accords is to be based on economic principles. Economy is the factor that makes peace stable and convincing to the public."

"There are lots of common factors between Israel and the free world as well as between Israel and the moderate leaders of the Arab world. That is why we would cooperate to achieve peace with them," Barak told Israeli television.

He proposed to Kadima Party leader Premier-designate Tzipi Livni a three-layer plan for peace with the Palestinians, Syria and Lebanon.

The talks with the Palestinians and Syrians would be managed through "two circles and simultaneously."

"After achieving progress in the negotiations with the Syrians, we expect the road to be paved for peace negotiations with Lebanon too," Barak added.