Tag Archives: Beirut

Estimation of the current situation in Lebanon

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chemattackPeople on the floor after an alleged gas attack by the Syrian government. (Al Jazeera)

Estimation of the current situation in Lebanon – Part 3 (final)

Today, Sunnites in Lebanon still have no forceful leader with a military background, who could inspire them in a region, where political parties often run militias to promote their cause.

Among the few cards, Lebanese Sunnites could play against Hezbollah, would be an external Sunnite militant leader to take up arms successfully against the Shiite party. But such a man is not in sight.

The last ambitious figure, Sheikh Ahmed al-Assir, was chased away in June in a  combined operation of the Lebanese army and – most likely – Hezbollah.

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Estimation of the current situation in Lebanon

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assir            Sheikh Ahmed al-Assir in a press conference before his escape. (MTV)

Estimation of the current situation in Lebanon – Part 1

Summary
Fears of escalating violence are rising in the Levant, after three car bombs struck Lebanon, the tiny neighbour of Israel and Syria, in just one week. Will that change the current situation in Lebanon basically? We don´t think so –  but several other factors could.

Car bombings in Beirut and Tripoli
Thursday, August 15, a car bomb went off in the Beirut neighbourhood of Dahiyeh, a stronghold of the Lebanese Shiite organisation Hezbollah. At least 24 people were killed and more than 120 wounded. The perpetrators remain at large, though the basic and most rational assumption is, Syria-related Sunni extremists are responsible.

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Estimation and outlook on the situation in Syria and the region

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derserted street in TripoliA deserted street in Tripoli during fighting between Alawites and Sunnites. (Al-Jazeera)

Estimation and outlook on the situation in Syria and the region – Part 2

Not happy with Hezbollah
People in Lebanon – many Shiites among them – are not content and even angry about Hezbollah´s role in Syria. But they can’t or don’t want to get rid of the organization for several reasons.

Many Shiites depend on Hezbollah, and the others just have no serious means to confront the organisation or are bound in political affiliations. Though, the latter may be in flux as some recent moves of Christian leader Michel Aoun suggest, who signed a Memorandung of Understanding with Hezbollah.

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Estimation and outlook on the situation in Syria and the region

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Qusayr snapshotA Syrian army tank firing rounds in the battle for Qusayr. (Al-Jazeera)

Estimation and outlook on the situation in Syria and the region – Part 1

Qusayr
The battlefield situation in Qusayr, Syria, remains unclear. Some circumstantial  conclusion can be drawn from news reports. The recent overall coverage of developments by pro-opposition media outside the country is very telling, just as reactions of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) command.

Realities reloaded for the media
Since some weeks, pro-opposition media in Europe and the US are tuning down their war drums. Western commentators, who tried to push through an agenda of regime change and intervention for two years now, did fall relatively silent when it comes to analysis.

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LEBANON – Huge deployment of security forces around French embassy in case of Georges Abdallah

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Beirut (11:38) Huge deployment of security forces around the French embassy for fears of demonstrations after a likely postponement of the deportation from France of jailed Lebanese national Georges Abdallah. (Lebanese media)

UPDATE (17:04) France has delayed the release of Georges Abdallah until the end of the month. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati told the French envoy in Beirut such a step was not justified.

Demonstrators are currently blocking the road leading to the French embassy in Mathaf, protesting the postponement of Abdallah’s release. (Daily Star/Lebanese media)

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LEBANON – Investigation ordered into business of brother of Hezbollah Minister

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General Prosecutor Judge Hatem Madi has ordered an investigation into the business of Abdul Latif Fneish and Fouad Ahmed Wehbe who both may be involved in a counterfeit medicine scandal. A search warrant has been issued. (An-Nahar/Lebanese media)

Background: Abdul Latif Fneish is the brother of Mohammad Fneish, a state minister in the current government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati, in which Mohammad Fneish represents the Shiite Hezbollah organisation.

Since some time rumours are circulating that involve Hezbollah or people close to the organisation in the production or trafficking of fake drugs.

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LEBANON – Possible terror warning at Beirut airport

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Al-Akhbar: Western intelligence agency did warn Lebanese counterparts of possible impending chemical attack on ventilation system of Rafik Hariri International Airport.

Authorities are searching for suspected perpetrator of Pakistani origin, whose sketch has also been handed to Lebanese authorities.

Maintenance companies urged to be on the watch. (Al-Akhbar/An-Nahar)

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LIBANON – Mehr als 20 kleine Erdbeben über Nacht in den Regionen Bikfaya und Aley

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Mehr als 20 kleine Erdbeben über Nacht in den Regionen Bikfaya und Aley; Stärke maximal 3,5 auf der Richterskala, keine Bedenken hinsichtlich Nachbeben. (VOL)

Bereits in der vergangenen Woche waren kleine Erbeben in Teilen Libanons zu spüren.

Hintergrund: Seismologen im Libanon warnen seit Ende August 2007 regelmäßig vor einem Erdbeben der Stärke 7, das jeder Zeit den Libanon treffen könne.

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LIBANON – Zahl der Toten nach Hauseinsturz in Ashrafieh gegen Mittag auf 17 gestiegen.

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Einordnung: Gegenüber dem aus den 1960er (möglicherweise 1940er) Jahren datierenden Gebäude wurde in letzter Zeit eine neue Baugrube ausgehoben. Zudem war in Jahren zuvor eine sechste Etage dem ursprünglich fünfstöckigen Haus illegalerweise hinzugefügt worden.

Verstöße gegen geltendes Gesetz und Bauverordnungen sind im Libanon an der Tagesordnung und werden von korrupten Beamten in den entsprechenden Behörden gegen Zahlung von Bestechungsgeldern toleriert.

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LIBANON – “Al Hayat”: Entscheidung über Ernennung neuen Sicherheitschefs für Flughafen auf Eis gelegt

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“Al Hayat”: Das Kabinett hat die Entscheidung über die Ernennung eines neuen Sicherheitschefs für den Flughafen auf Eis gelegt.

Innen- und Außenminister (beide Christen) hatten das Dekret schon unterschrieben und zur Ratifizierung an das neue Kabinett gegeben. Der neue Sicherheitschefs des Flughafens sollte Christ sein und einen Schiiten ersetzen, wofür Hisbollah-Verbündeter Michel Aoun (maronitischer Christ/FPM) augenscheinlich auf die Besetzung der General Security Führung mit einem Christen verzichtete.

Laut Al-Hayat ist die Entscheidung nun vertagt worden, nachdem verschiedene Minister vor der Kabinettsabstimmung mit ihren politischen Patronen im Ausland telefoniert hatten.

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