By: Elias Bejjani*
The majority of Middle Eastern rulers and politicians are corrupt and deceptive hypocrites. They are experts at formulating empty rhetoric, while declaring illusory and misleading popular slogans, inventing false national stillborn causes and adopting demagogic attitudes, all the while fighting Don Quixote battles and wars.
They are merchants of blood and destruction and thrive and flourish only on miseries and disasters that they purposely inflict on their own people. Their tools and weapons are treachery, deceit, selfishness and opportunism. They worship power, thrive for total influence, and are ready to do any thing to pile more money into their coffers. Dignity, honor, sacrifice and benevolence are all foreign terms to them.
Since the establishment of the state of Israel in the forties, the majority of these Middle Eastern rulers and politicians along with their corrupt parties, militias and religious dictatorships, have been imposing on their people few bitter choices; either mere silence, absolute subservience, and blind, unquestionable loyalty to their oppressive regimes, or the risk of facing pre-fabricated serious accusation and charges of national treason and treachery.
They are specialists in all methods of brutal torture, oppression, persecution and organized crime, and use these to enforce the fabrication of false judicial cases and political assassinations against their own citizens.
For the last 70 years they have been killing their own people's spirit of freedom and peace, while abolishing all avenues of expression. They promote and spread in their own countries the education and culture of fanaticism, terrorism, ignorance and intolerance. These warlords aggressively fight all forms of democracy, freedom and justice, because these are their enemy. Their people have no say in any governance or decision making processes, and when any sort of election takes place, the results are predetermined and tailored to suit the master’s needs.
The most evil, repressive and notorious of all the Middle East regimes is the Syrian Baathist one. For the last thirty years, the rulers of this Stalinist regime have been murdering, persecuting and humiliating their own people and instigating chaos and strife in all neighboring countries; Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Turkey and Israel.
The Syrian Baathist regime rulers are very skilled in deception and in creating false, heroic national slogans. Two of their most popular slogans are that of ‘resistance’ (mukawama) and ‘obstruction’ (momanaa). They allege that their ‘resistance’ is against the state of Israel, and that the obstruction of the ‘resistance’ aims to kill any peace or reconciliation with it. Under these two Mockery tags, the Syrian regime jointly works with the Iranian Mullahs and their proxy terrorist groups to abort any chances or opportunities for peace in the Middle East.
One may wonder against whom do they exercise these two big lies of ‘resistance’ and ‘obstruction’ and to what gain. In reality, the Syrian regime's rulers main target is not Israel, but rather their own people, and the stability and peace in all moderate regimes in the region. They invest much into the proliferation of these two deceiving concepts in order to further their own individual interests of wealth, authority and power.
They resist and obstruct all legal and peaceful efforts that aim to liberate their occupied Golan Heights which they lost to Israel in the 1967 war. Never has even one bullet ever been fired from the Golan Heights on the Israelis during the last 32 years. Instead, they harbor, arm, finance, train and facilitate Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihadistsm and several other Lebanese and Palestinian terrorist groups to spread chaos and destabilization. They do all this under the false pretext of fighting Israel with ‘resistance’ and ‘obstruction’.
Why? The Syrian Baathist regime ‘resists’ and ‘obstructs’ peace with Israel and holds on to the “no peace, no war” status with the Jewish state in order to remain in power and justify the oppressing governance of their own people under marshal law.
Syria's rulers ‘resist’ and ‘obstruct’ peace, security and stability also in neighboring Iraq. They run training camps, provide arms and corridors for Jihadi terrorists and fundamentalists who infiltrate from Syria into Iraq to kill Iraqi civilians, attack American and Iraqi solders, assassinate and kidnap locals and foreigners, destabilize security and blow up religious and public facilities.
The Syrian regime also abuses the Palestinian people, while ‘resisting’ and ‘obstructing’ the unity among their various political factions. They oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state and work jointly with the Iranian Mullahs through HAMAS to abort all global and regional endeavors aimed at erecting an independent Palestinian State in Gaza and the West Bank via an Israeli-Palestinian peace treaty.
Syrian Baathist rulers occupied neighboring Lebanon for almost 30 years. They murdered, oppressed, tortured, imprisoned, kidnapped, displaced, and uprooted hundreds of thousands of Lebanese people, and assassinated tens of Lebanese politicians and intellectuals. They destroyed and impoverished the country and viciously armed numerous Lebanese and Palestinian terrorist militias and organizations; Hezbollah, Amal, Syrian Social National Party (SSNP) and many others. In full coordination and joint cooperation with Iran, they created the Hezbollah mini state and turned the 13 Palestinian refugee camps that are scattered throughout Lebanon into cantons, and a base for regional and global terrorism.
Although they were forced to withdraw their occupation army from Lebanon in 2005, they are still refusing to patrol their borders, or stop the smuggling of weapons and terrorists to Hezbollah and other Lebanese-Palestinian terrorist groups. At the same time and under the Palestinian flag, the Syrian Intelligence Service (Mukhabarat), still fully control and run three militia camps (Naeme near Beirut and Kosayia and Holwa in the Bekaa Valley).
Syria's rulers are ‘obstructing’ and ‘resisting’ the Israeli withdrawal from Shebaa Farms, due to the fact that they have continuously declined to provide the United Nations with appropriate documents that recognize the ownership of these farms as Lebanese.
Syria's rulers are ‘obstructing’ and ‘resisting’ the release of hundreds of innocent Lebanese citizens arbitrarily detained in their Nazi-like prisons for the past 25 years. Meanwhile, Syria ‘obstructs’ Human Rights' organizations from inspecting its jails and refuses to hand over the bodies of dead Lebanese detainees to their families. Syrian rulers are ‘resisting’ and ‘obstructing’ Lebanon from reclaiming its independence, sovereignty and freedom.
Based on all of the above mentioned flagrant atrocities, violations and crimes, there is no doubt that Syria along with Hezbollah, Hamas and the Iranian mullahs are all resisting and obstructing their own people from enjoying a free, peaceful, safe and dignified life. They are at the same time resisting and obstructing the progress of modernization, peace, stability and prosperity in the whole Middle East. Their ‘resistance’ and "obstruction" are targeting the peace, law and order in the whole world.
Time has come for all free world countries, especially the new US Obama administration, to start speaking with the rogue countries and organizations; Syria, Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Qaeda and all other jihadists and terrorists in the only language that they know and understand; the language of strength and force. All other means are futile and a waste of time, especially with the Syrian Baathist regime and Hezbollah.
*Elias BejjaniCanadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator Email phoenicia@hotmail.comWeb sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.comMailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/Face Book LCCC group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17974722934
Monday, January 19, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Hamas Is Perpetrating The death of its People
By: Elias Bejjani*
January 05/09
The genuine sympathy and empathy with the civilian massive casualties, disastrous human sufferings and extensive material loses that are sadly taking place in Gaza, should not by any mean derail or blind the actual focus of the free world countries and Human Rights’advocacy organizations away from the prime causes of the actual problem that led to the current Israeli-Palestinian bloody confrontation.
What has been going on in Gaza for the last two weeks is an unfortunate tragedy that has been instigated by the Axis of Evil countries, Syria and Iran through their terrorist groups, Hamas and Hezbollah. Gaza city, the impoverished Palestinian city has been turned into a theatre for a bloody tragedy.
This tragedy is a scheme planned and orchestrated directly by Syria and Iran. The tool in the implementation is fundamentalist Hamas.
A bloody and criminal tragedy holds the Palestinian people in Gaza and its suburbs mere hostages. The Gaza inhabitants are denied any say in this tragedy. The Axis of Evil countries and organizations are disregarding the security, destiny and livelihood for the people of Gaza.
The entire world knows that Syria and Iran totally control Hamas leadership, finance it directly and in secret, train its fighters, and supply it with weapons and equipment.
Yes, according to all standards, the people of Gaza today are hostages in Hamas' hands who bargain their blood mercilessly under the false slogans of resistance and liberation. Hamas’ conspiracy against its own people has been overt in all its provocative practices.
In reality, Hamas is mimicking Hezbollah, who, back in July 2006, murdered the Lebanese civilians and destroyed their infrastructure when it instigated, perpetrated and started its futile and destructive war with Israel to serve the interests, plans, and conspiracies of Teheran and Damascus, and then claimed the defeat of the Israeli army calling it a divine Victory.
This is precisely what Hamas has been doing and continues to do. It kept on provoking Israel through firing rockets and missiles on Israeli civilians and refused to renew a truce with the Jewish State that had been in effect for six months. It gave Israel all the justifications for waging its destructive and devastating on-going war against Gaza. Hamas has so far caused the death and injury of more than 4000 people and the destruction of hundreds of Palestinian targets in Gaza.
Hamas and Hezbollah’s practices and slogans are directly ordered by Teheran and Damascus. They are nothing but military terrorists and bloody instruments in the hands of Iran and Syria in achieving the expansionist goals of these two countries.
It is crystal clear that Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and all other moderate Arab countries are at the same main targets of the Axis of Evil countries (Syria & Iran) and their terrorist organizations tools (Hamas and Hezbollah).
Pro-Iranian and pro-Syrian demonstrators in Beirut uncovered this plot when they attempted to sack the Egyptian embassy while throwing shoes at it. At the same time and within the context of the same evil strategy, Sayed Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s General Secretary openly and boldly called on the Egyptian people to demonstrate by the millions and open the Gaza-Egyptian crossings with their bare chests.
Nasrallah and other Hezbollah leadership also called for the Egyptian army officers and soldiers to pressure the Egyptian government into helping Hamas. They lashed at all Arab states and accused them of conspiracy against the Palestinian people, and to be sleeping in the same bed with the Israelis and the Americans.
The Iranian-Syrian loud anti-Israel rhetoric of theatrical threats and military boasting to destroy the Jewish state and send its people back to their countries of origin, as Iran's president Ahmad Najad keeps on uttering, has proved during the last two weeks to be just mere rhetoric that is void of any seriousness or actual military capabilities that backs the threats.
Therefore, the obvious question is, where are Iran’s missiles, navies, and bombs?
Why have Iran and Syria refrained from coming to the rescue of their tool, Hamas?
Where is this Syrian army that has destroyed our Lebanon and massacred our people?
Where is Hezbollah’s bravery and threats, and why don’t they rush to the aid of Hamas?
The answer remains as it was since the establishment of the state of Israel. Just mere demagogic empty speeches that are motivated with hatred, fundamentalism, lies, and a poisonous rejection of the other. The leaders of Iran and Syrian like many others in the Middle East, have been addicted to insulting the intelligence of their people. They say one thing and do just the opposite. Their verbal and paper claims of illusionary triumphs and divine victories had led their people into disasters, poverty, ignorance and fundamentalism.
We may have believed the sincerity and nationalism of those Lebanese politicians who made speeches, issued statements, and organized demonstrated in Beirut had they refused to be the stooges and propaganda drums of Iran and Syria. They have instead screamed against Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations, burned Israeli and American flags, and attempted to ransack the Egyptian embassy.
It would have been more productive and honorable for them to witness the truth, and demand that Iran and Syria along with their terrorist instruments Hamas and Hezbollah, have mercy on the Lebanese and Palestinian people. To release them from bondage. To stop using them as hostages. To halt the murder of their young. To quit using Lebanon and Gaza as theatre of action for the wars of others.
It is sad and distressing that some political and religious leaders in Lebanon, and other middle East countries delivered speeches contrary to their convictions. For when they cheered Hamas and blessed its actions, they simply practiced Dhimmitude and committed a crime and a sin. For they surely know the destructive, terrorist, and criminal roles of Hamas and Hezbollah since they call for their disarmament and elimination in secret.
These leaders must honestly declare their stances, break out from the web of fear, and clearly state matters as they are. The only long lasting solution for the Lebanese-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli ongoing bloody conflict is a peace treaty through direct negotiations as already did Egypt and Jordan.
It remains, that Lebanon Gaza, and the whole Middle East will not know peace and security until the destructive Iranian-Syrian role is ended and the terrorist organizations of Hamas and Hezbollah are disarmed and their military teeth extracted.
*Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
Phoenicia/Face Book LCCC group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17974722934
January 05/09
The genuine sympathy and empathy with the civilian massive casualties, disastrous human sufferings and extensive material loses that are sadly taking place in Gaza, should not by any mean derail or blind the actual focus of the free world countries and Human Rights’advocacy organizations away from the prime causes of the actual problem that led to the current Israeli-Palestinian bloody confrontation.
What has been going on in Gaza for the last two weeks is an unfortunate tragedy that has been instigated by the Axis of Evil countries, Syria and Iran through their terrorist groups, Hamas and Hezbollah. Gaza city, the impoverished Palestinian city has been turned into a theatre for a bloody tragedy.
This tragedy is a scheme planned and orchestrated directly by Syria and Iran. The tool in the implementation is fundamentalist Hamas.
A bloody and criminal tragedy holds the Palestinian people in Gaza and its suburbs mere hostages. The Gaza inhabitants are denied any say in this tragedy. The Axis of Evil countries and organizations are disregarding the security, destiny and livelihood for the people of Gaza.
The entire world knows that Syria and Iran totally control Hamas leadership, finance it directly and in secret, train its fighters, and supply it with weapons and equipment.
Yes, according to all standards, the people of Gaza today are hostages in Hamas' hands who bargain their blood mercilessly under the false slogans of resistance and liberation. Hamas’ conspiracy against its own people has been overt in all its provocative practices.
In reality, Hamas is mimicking Hezbollah, who, back in July 2006, murdered the Lebanese civilians and destroyed their infrastructure when it instigated, perpetrated and started its futile and destructive war with Israel to serve the interests, plans, and conspiracies of Teheran and Damascus, and then claimed the defeat of the Israeli army calling it a divine Victory.
This is precisely what Hamas has been doing and continues to do. It kept on provoking Israel through firing rockets and missiles on Israeli civilians and refused to renew a truce with the Jewish State that had been in effect for six months. It gave Israel all the justifications for waging its destructive and devastating on-going war against Gaza. Hamas has so far caused the death and injury of more than 4000 people and the destruction of hundreds of Palestinian targets in Gaza.
Hamas and Hezbollah’s practices and slogans are directly ordered by Teheran and Damascus. They are nothing but military terrorists and bloody instruments in the hands of Iran and Syria in achieving the expansionist goals of these two countries.
It is crystal clear that Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and all other moderate Arab countries are at the same main targets of the Axis of Evil countries (Syria & Iran) and their terrorist organizations tools (Hamas and Hezbollah).
Pro-Iranian and pro-Syrian demonstrators in Beirut uncovered this plot when they attempted to sack the Egyptian embassy while throwing shoes at it. At the same time and within the context of the same evil strategy, Sayed Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s General Secretary openly and boldly called on the Egyptian people to demonstrate by the millions and open the Gaza-Egyptian crossings with their bare chests.
Nasrallah and other Hezbollah leadership also called for the Egyptian army officers and soldiers to pressure the Egyptian government into helping Hamas. They lashed at all Arab states and accused them of conspiracy against the Palestinian people, and to be sleeping in the same bed with the Israelis and the Americans.
The Iranian-Syrian loud anti-Israel rhetoric of theatrical threats and military boasting to destroy the Jewish state and send its people back to their countries of origin, as Iran's president Ahmad Najad keeps on uttering, has proved during the last two weeks to be just mere rhetoric that is void of any seriousness or actual military capabilities that backs the threats.
Therefore, the obvious question is, where are Iran’s missiles, navies, and bombs?
Why have Iran and Syria refrained from coming to the rescue of their tool, Hamas?
Where is this Syrian army that has destroyed our Lebanon and massacred our people?
Where is Hezbollah’s bravery and threats, and why don’t they rush to the aid of Hamas?
The answer remains as it was since the establishment of the state of Israel. Just mere demagogic empty speeches that are motivated with hatred, fundamentalism, lies, and a poisonous rejection of the other. The leaders of Iran and Syrian like many others in the Middle East, have been addicted to insulting the intelligence of their people. They say one thing and do just the opposite. Their verbal and paper claims of illusionary triumphs and divine victories had led their people into disasters, poverty, ignorance and fundamentalism.
We may have believed the sincerity and nationalism of those Lebanese politicians who made speeches, issued statements, and organized demonstrated in Beirut had they refused to be the stooges and propaganda drums of Iran and Syria. They have instead screamed against Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations, burned Israeli and American flags, and attempted to ransack the Egyptian embassy.
It would have been more productive and honorable for them to witness the truth, and demand that Iran and Syria along with their terrorist instruments Hamas and Hezbollah, have mercy on the Lebanese and Palestinian people. To release them from bondage. To stop using them as hostages. To halt the murder of their young. To quit using Lebanon and Gaza as theatre of action for the wars of others.
It is sad and distressing that some political and religious leaders in Lebanon, and other middle East countries delivered speeches contrary to their convictions. For when they cheered Hamas and blessed its actions, they simply practiced Dhimmitude and committed a crime and a sin. For they surely know the destructive, terrorist, and criminal roles of Hamas and Hezbollah since they call for their disarmament and elimination in secret.
These leaders must honestly declare their stances, break out from the web of fear, and clearly state matters as they are. The only long lasting solution for the Lebanese-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli ongoing bloody conflict is a peace treaty through direct negotiations as already did Egypt and Jordan.
It remains, that Lebanon Gaza, and the whole Middle East will not know peace and security until the destructive Iranian-Syrian role is ended and the terrorist organizations of Hamas and Hezbollah are disarmed and their military teeth extracted.
*Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
Phoenicia/Face Book LCCC group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17974722934
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
New Year Wishes & the wickedness of Vengeance
By: Elias Bejjani*
December 31/2008
With the new year, let us all pray to be genuinely positive, hopeful, joyful, and relaxed.Let all put our burdens of pain, sickness, deprivation, persecution, separation, broken hearts,
disappointments, frustrations, bereavements, injustice, abandonment, and anger in the hands of Almighty God and follow the teachings of His Gospel.
God, with his gracious wisdom and abundant generosity, shall definitely see in every way possible that we safely overcome all our hardships and difficulties.
Let us all trust in God and recognize that we are all His beloved children that He has created us in his image. Romans 8:16-19: "The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God."
We should not question or doubt God's deep love for each and every one of us. How could He not, as He sent his only son, Jesus Christ to defeat death, give us the eternal life, suffer and be crucified so we, His children, can become purified from the original sin and be helped to walk safely the path of salvation. John 3:2 : "Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is".
Let us ask Almighty God to help us live in peace and harmony with ourselves and others.
Let us ask Almighty God to lead our steps into the righteous paths and grant us the strength of endurance and hold us back from the sin of hurting or hating others.
Let us ask Almighty God to grant us the graces of love, meekness, humbleness, transparency, honesty and forgiveness.
Let us ask Almighty God to maintain our hearts and minds pure, and free from hatred, grudges and selfishness.
With the new year let us remember that vengeance is evil and forgiveness is a Godly grace. Let us make a resolution that we shall not allow vengeance to take control of our lives.
Being faithful to God's holy teachings, is being loving and forgiving. For when we trust God and believe in His justice, we ought to leave Him punish those who are evil. Matthew 13:43: "Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear".
God's teachings in regards to vengeance is very clear . Romans 12:19-21: "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
This verse frees us from the burden of taking justice into our own hands. It tells us "Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ God will repay those who are righteous"..
Since God is going to take up our cause and see to it that justice is done, we should lay it down, work hard not to succumb to our human destructive instincts of hatred and grudges.
We don’t have to carry anger and bitterness and resentment and revenge no matter what is our burden. Indeed we dare not because Jesus warned that an unforgiving heart will destroy you in the end (Matthew 6:15; 18:35).
Saint Paul says leave it to the wrath of God. ”Then the wrath of God is defined further as God’s vengeance, “Vengeance is mine.” So wrath is connected with God’s response to something that deserves vengeance. And then it says, “I will repay.”
So God’s wrath is treated as a repayment to man for something man has done. This simply means that the wrath of God is God’s settled anger toward sin expressed in the repayment of suitable vengeance on the guilty sinner.
God will and shall see that justice is done on the Day of Judgment. So let us be forgiving and avoid any sort of vengeance. Daniel 12:2-3: "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever".
With this new year, let us pray from the depth of our hearts for all those who hate and hold grudges against us. Let us ask almighty God to cure them from these evil ailments and grant us the grace of forgiveness and the strength with faith to keep loving them.
No one should forget that our live on this earth is too short, and that we must be righteous to deserve the eternal one in Heaven where there will be no pain or fights, but happiness and peace
Corinthians 2:2-10: "But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"--these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the spirit searches everything, even the depths of God".
Happy New Year
*Elias BejjaniCanadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/
Face Book LCCC group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17974722934
By: Elias Bejjani*
December 31/2008
With the new year, let us all pray to be genuinely positive, hopeful, joyful, and relaxed.Let all put our burdens of pain, sickness, deprivation, persecution, separation, broken hearts,
disappointments, frustrations, bereavements, injustice, abandonment, and anger in the hands of Almighty God and follow the teachings of His Gospel.
God, with his gracious wisdom and abundant generosity, shall definitely see in every way possible that we safely overcome all our hardships and difficulties.
Let us all trust in God and recognize that we are all His beloved children that He has created us in his image. Romans 8:16-19: "The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God."
We should not question or doubt God's deep love for each and every one of us. How could He not, as He sent his only son, Jesus Christ to defeat death, give us the eternal life, suffer and be crucified so we, His children, can become purified from the original sin and be helped to walk safely the path of salvation. John 3:2 : "Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is".
Let us ask Almighty God to help us live in peace and harmony with ourselves and others.
Let us ask Almighty God to lead our steps into the righteous paths and grant us the strength of endurance and hold us back from the sin of hurting or hating others.
Let us ask Almighty God to grant us the graces of love, meekness, humbleness, transparency, honesty and forgiveness.
Let us ask Almighty God to maintain our hearts and minds pure, and free from hatred, grudges and selfishness.
With the new year let us remember that vengeance is evil and forgiveness is a Godly grace. Let us make a resolution that we shall not allow vengeance to take control of our lives.
Being faithful to God's holy teachings, is being loving and forgiving. For when we trust God and believe in His justice, we ought to leave Him punish those who are evil. Matthew 13:43: "Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear".
God's teachings in regards to vengeance is very clear . Romans 12:19-21: "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
This verse frees us from the burden of taking justice into our own hands. It tells us "Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ God will repay those who are righteous"..
Since God is going to take up our cause and see to it that justice is done, we should lay it down, work hard not to succumb to our human destructive instincts of hatred and grudges.
We don’t have to carry anger and bitterness and resentment and revenge no matter what is our burden. Indeed we dare not because Jesus warned that an unforgiving heart will destroy you in the end (Matthew 6:15; 18:35).
Saint Paul says leave it to the wrath of God. ”Then the wrath of God is defined further as God’s vengeance, “Vengeance is mine.” So wrath is connected with God’s response to something that deserves vengeance. And then it says, “I will repay.”
So God’s wrath is treated as a repayment to man for something man has done. This simply means that the wrath of God is God’s settled anger toward sin expressed in the repayment of suitable vengeance on the guilty sinner.
God will and shall see that justice is done on the Day of Judgment. So let us be forgiving and avoid any sort of vengeance. Daniel 12:2-3: "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever".
With this new year, let us pray from the depth of our hearts for all those who hate and hold grudges against us. Let us ask almighty God to cure them from these evil ailments and grant us the grace of forgiveness and the strength with faith to keep loving them.
No one should forget that our live on this earth is too short, and that we must be righteous to deserve the eternal one in Heaven where there will be no pain or fights, but happiness and peace
Corinthians 2:2-10: "But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"--these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the spirit searches everything, even the depths of God".
Happy New Year
*Elias BejjaniCanadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/
Face Book LCCC group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17974722934
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
The Lebanese People: Faith, Hope & Perseverance
By Elias Bejjani
General Michel Aoun, the leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, in his strongly Syrian influenced conduct, has become another Lebanese Judas Iscariot. Judas betrayed his master, Jesus Christ and handed him over to his enemies for thirty pieces of silver and Aoun too follows suit in his Dhimmitude to Syria and his cheap price extracted by the Syrians for himself and his political party.
Aoun has become a paid slave to Syria, Iran and Hezbollah's anti-Lebanese schemes and he has become a loud and reliable mouthpiece for their heretical, anti-democratic, anti-human rights, and anti-west propaganda.
This week, the Syrian Baathist regime is arranging an official four to five day visit for Aoun as a reward for his subservience. The Iranian Mullahs made Aoun’s recent official visit to Iran a big deal and tried unsuccessfully through him, to sell themselves as a champion state in protecting religious minorities, to the contrary of the reality of their dismal record of religious and ethnic oppression, even going as far as murdering those who may sway the majority and oppose the current regime. The whole world needs to know that Aoun is an exception in Lebanese history and not the rule. Politicians like Aoun have historically ended their careers and lives in shame, humiliation and disgrace.
Aoun had established his political life and popularity back in 1988 as a fierce Lebanese advocate against the Syrian occupation of his country Lebanon and against terrorists, among which include Palestinian and Iranian militias. He portrayed himself as a hero in this domain for 18 years, but since his return from exile in Paris since 2005, he has changed his skin and drastically shifting his stances. The man, for mere personal gains and a delusional lust for power and authority, has sold himself to the Axis of Evil countries and terrorist organizations!
There should be no doubt that those minority Lebanese, who still believe in Aoun and support his pro Syrian-Iranian platforms, are committing a crime against both their country and their countrymen. They have consciously become blind followers of this man, ignoring the disastrous consequences of his policies. They have forgotten the Lebanese cause of freedom, sovereignty and independence and instead preferred to be an ignorant flock to a man who is driven only by his lust for power and securing his legacy.
Let us remind those Lebanese who have lost their better discretion and have chosen the dark path that history has taught us that few of the world's greatest nations have ever been defeated by their external rivals. All of them were first weakened and destroyed from within even before their enemies were able to bring them to their knees. Science teaches us that when the body loses immunity it becomes vulnerable to disease. This can be seen in the fall of the Ottoman and Roman empires and in this regard, those Lebanese who blindly provide a cover for Aoun's anti-Lebanese policies and alliances are knowingly or otherwise destroying the Lebanese model of coexistence, tolerance and democracy. These mislead Lebanese are destroying the Lebanese communities from within, through their shameless collaboration and subservience to the evil schemes of certain political parties, social and religious groups and individuals who are advocating against the essence and core of what actually is Lebanon and Lebanese.
"Everyone who sins is a slave of sin" (John 8-34), and every Lebanese who betrays his people to advocate the Syrian occupation is also a sinner too.
Leaders like Aoun are mercenaries and Pharisees. They are void of dignity or national honour. They steal, cheat, embezzle, betray, and change their skin for personal gain, all at the expense of the people and the country. They ignore Lebanon's deeply rooted history, unique identity and they have no respect for the sacrifices of the many thousands of Lebanese who offered themselves on the nation's altar to enable us to be proud, prosperous and independent.
These antagonists are thirsty for power and blood. They sold their souls and honour for thirty pieces of silver and they have no respect for Lebanon's 7000 years of civilization, culture and glorious history. They are masters in defeatism, ignorance and cowardice and faithlessness. Their deceptive camouflage, sweet words and cloaked lies are well known to all those who are witnesses to the truth. They have missed the fact that Lebanon's people have never knelt nor hung their heads before any tyrant, invader, occupier or conqueror.
Aoun, Hezbollah and all those revolving in the Iranian-Syrian orbit should, foretell their fate of ultimate failure. They will not be any better off than those, who like them, delude themselves and falsely believe they can destroy Lebanon and subdue its people. They have all left while Lebanon and its free and peace loving people still stand as proud and patriotic as they were 7000 years ago!
We remind the Lebanese Pharisees and Trojans, in particular General Michel Aoun that the people of Sidon in the year 350 BC, chose to burn themselves and their city rather than face defeat after their prolonged heroic resistance failed to safeguard their city against the Persian invader Artechtahta. They preferred to die with dignity rather than live with humiliation!
The people of Tyre also choose this martyrdom in 332 BC, when they resisted Alexander the Great's mighty army for seven months, refusing to surrender or kneel. Alexander, after capturing the city, crucified many of the brave Tyrians, while enslaving others in a bid to revenge his huge loss and demeaning humiliation.
The Maronite Patriarch Gabriel Hgola choose to be burned (1367 AD) in Tripoli in front of the Omari mosque in a bid to save his people from the Mamlouk's humiliation and torture. The same sacrifice was taken by Patriarch Daniel Al-Amshiti in the same place (1282 AD), for almost the same reasons and for the same cause.
We remind those who refuse to takes clear and noble stances in life, change their skin to suit their opportunistic interests and lack the courage to bear witness to the truth, that by doing so, they are committing the worst mortal crime. Imam Ali said in this regard, "He who accepts acts of others is considered their partner. He who is involved in evil acts commits two sins, that of performing the act and that of its acceptance."
My dear misled countrymen, strengthen your faith, repent for your cowardice, and witness the truth! Do not fall into the trap of opportunism and do not be deceived by the golden garments and illustrious schemes of those who have been assigned to divide our nation and communities, while spreading hatred and conflict among its members. To these shepherds of evil, I refer you to great words of our God, "God has blinded their eyes and closed their minds, so that their eyes would not see, and their minds would not understand, and they would not turn to me, says God, for me to help them". (John 12-39).
The coward is a blind man in both sight and discretion whose conscience has turned numb. Shame on our people who live in democratic countries like Canada, where freedom of expression is sacred, yet they are still afraid to be witness for the truth and do not support their Lebanese sacred cause.
Shame on every Lebanese who keeps a blind eye towards their people imprisoned arbitrarily in the Syrian jails.
Shame on every Lebanese who does not support human rights, does not advocate for Lebanon's liberation, and shame on every Lebanese who does not carry with Lebanon's brave youth the flag of sovereignty, freedom and independence!
Shame on all those Lebanese politicians and clergymen who are scared to call for a dignified and honourable return of our refugees living in Israel since May 2000. There is no doubt that these politicians and clergymen have chosen the track of sin rather than that of righteousness. These Pharisees are destroying the country which is our holy temple.
"It was almost time for the Passover festival, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. There in the temple he found men selling cattle, sheep and pigeons, and also the money changers sitting at their tables. So He made a whip from the cords and drove all the animals out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle; he overturned the tables of the moneychangers and scattered their coins; and he ordered the men who sold the pigeons: Take them out of here, stop making my Fathers House a marketplace.” (John 3-13)
We call on those who have accepted slavery and to those who are afraid to be witnesses for the truth and feel defeated inside themselves.
We call on those who have deviated from the righteous track, camouflaging, cheating and betraying Lebanon.
We call on them to wake up and start thoroughly reviewing their dangerous acts!
Forgiveness is always there and Lebanon's open loving arms will embrace them once they repent. If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples, you know the truth, and the truth will set you free". (John 8-13)
*Elias BejjaniCanadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator Email phoenicia@hotmail.comWeb sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.comMailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/Face Book LCCC group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17974722934
General Michel Aoun, the leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, in his strongly Syrian influenced conduct, has become another Lebanese Judas Iscariot. Judas betrayed his master, Jesus Christ and handed him over to his enemies for thirty pieces of silver and Aoun too follows suit in his Dhimmitude to Syria and his cheap price extracted by the Syrians for himself and his political party.
Aoun has become a paid slave to Syria, Iran and Hezbollah's anti-Lebanese schemes and he has become a loud and reliable mouthpiece for their heretical, anti-democratic, anti-human rights, and anti-west propaganda.
This week, the Syrian Baathist regime is arranging an official four to five day visit for Aoun as a reward for his subservience. The Iranian Mullahs made Aoun’s recent official visit to Iran a big deal and tried unsuccessfully through him, to sell themselves as a champion state in protecting religious minorities, to the contrary of the reality of their dismal record of religious and ethnic oppression, even going as far as murdering those who may sway the majority and oppose the current regime. The whole world needs to know that Aoun is an exception in Lebanese history and not the rule. Politicians like Aoun have historically ended their careers and lives in shame, humiliation and disgrace.
Aoun had established his political life and popularity back in 1988 as a fierce Lebanese advocate against the Syrian occupation of his country Lebanon and against terrorists, among which include Palestinian and Iranian militias. He portrayed himself as a hero in this domain for 18 years, but since his return from exile in Paris since 2005, he has changed his skin and drastically shifting his stances. The man, for mere personal gains and a delusional lust for power and authority, has sold himself to the Axis of Evil countries and terrorist organizations!
There should be no doubt that those minority Lebanese, who still believe in Aoun and support his pro Syrian-Iranian platforms, are committing a crime against both their country and their countrymen. They have consciously become blind followers of this man, ignoring the disastrous consequences of his policies. They have forgotten the Lebanese cause of freedom, sovereignty and independence and instead preferred to be an ignorant flock to a man who is driven only by his lust for power and securing his legacy.
Let us remind those Lebanese who have lost their better discretion and have chosen the dark path that history has taught us that few of the world's greatest nations have ever been defeated by their external rivals. All of them were first weakened and destroyed from within even before their enemies were able to bring them to their knees. Science teaches us that when the body loses immunity it becomes vulnerable to disease. This can be seen in the fall of the Ottoman and Roman empires and in this regard, those Lebanese who blindly provide a cover for Aoun's anti-Lebanese policies and alliances are knowingly or otherwise destroying the Lebanese model of coexistence, tolerance and democracy. These mislead Lebanese are destroying the Lebanese communities from within, through their shameless collaboration and subservience to the evil schemes of certain political parties, social and religious groups and individuals who are advocating against the essence and core of what actually is Lebanon and Lebanese.
"Everyone who sins is a slave of sin" (John 8-34), and every Lebanese who betrays his people to advocate the Syrian occupation is also a sinner too.
Leaders like Aoun are mercenaries and Pharisees. They are void of dignity or national honour. They steal, cheat, embezzle, betray, and change their skin for personal gain, all at the expense of the people and the country. They ignore Lebanon's deeply rooted history, unique identity and they have no respect for the sacrifices of the many thousands of Lebanese who offered themselves on the nation's altar to enable us to be proud, prosperous and independent.
These antagonists are thirsty for power and blood. They sold their souls and honour for thirty pieces of silver and they have no respect for Lebanon's 7000 years of civilization, culture and glorious history. They are masters in defeatism, ignorance and cowardice and faithlessness. Their deceptive camouflage, sweet words and cloaked lies are well known to all those who are witnesses to the truth. They have missed the fact that Lebanon's people have never knelt nor hung their heads before any tyrant, invader, occupier or conqueror.
Aoun, Hezbollah and all those revolving in the Iranian-Syrian orbit should, foretell their fate of ultimate failure. They will not be any better off than those, who like them, delude themselves and falsely believe they can destroy Lebanon and subdue its people. They have all left while Lebanon and its free and peace loving people still stand as proud and patriotic as they were 7000 years ago!
We remind the Lebanese Pharisees and Trojans, in particular General Michel Aoun that the people of Sidon in the year 350 BC, chose to burn themselves and their city rather than face defeat after their prolonged heroic resistance failed to safeguard their city against the Persian invader Artechtahta. They preferred to die with dignity rather than live with humiliation!
The people of Tyre also choose this martyrdom in 332 BC, when they resisted Alexander the Great's mighty army for seven months, refusing to surrender or kneel. Alexander, after capturing the city, crucified many of the brave Tyrians, while enslaving others in a bid to revenge his huge loss and demeaning humiliation.
The Maronite Patriarch Gabriel Hgola choose to be burned (1367 AD) in Tripoli in front of the Omari mosque in a bid to save his people from the Mamlouk's humiliation and torture. The same sacrifice was taken by Patriarch Daniel Al-Amshiti in the same place (1282 AD), for almost the same reasons and for the same cause.
We remind those who refuse to takes clear and noble stances in life, change their skin to suit their opportunistic interests and lack the courage to bear witness to the truth, that by doing so, they are committing the worst mortal crime. Imam Ali said in this regard, "He who accepts acts of others is considered their partner. He who is involved in evil acts commits two sins, that of performing the act and that of its acceptance."
My dear misled countrymen, strengthen your faith, repent for your cowardice, and witness the truth! Do not fall into the trap of opportunism and do not be deceived by the golden garments and illustrious schemes of those who have been assigned to divide our nation and communities, while spreading hatred and conflict among its members. To these shepherds of evil, I refer you to great words of our God, "God has blinded their eyes and closed their minds, so that their eyes would not see, and their minds would not understand, and they would not turn to me, says God, for me to help them". (John 12-39).
The coward is a blind man in both sight and discretion whose conscience has turned numb. Shame on our people who live in democratic countries like Canada, where freedom of expression is sacred, yet they are still afraid to be witness for the truth and do not support their Lebanese sacred cause.
Shame on every Lebanese who keeps a blind eye towards their people imprisoned arbitrarily in the Syrian jails.
Shame on every Lebanese who does not support human rights, does not advocate for Lebanon's liberation, and shame on every Lebanese who does not carry with Lebanon's brave youth the flag of sovereignty, freedom and independence!
Shame on all those Lebanese politicians and clergymen who are scared to call for a dignified and honourable return of our refugees living in Israel since May 2000. There is no doubt that these politicians and clergymen have chosen the track of sin rather than that of righteousness. These Pharisees are destroying the country which is our holy temple.
"It was almost time for the Passover festival, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. There in the temple he found men selling cattle, sheep and pigeons, and also the money changers sitting at their tables. So He made a whip from the cords and drove all the animals out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle; he overturned the tables of the moneychangers and scattered their coins; and he ordered the men who sold the pigeons: Take them out of here, stop making my Fathers House a marketplace.” (John 3-13)
We call on those who have accepted slavery and to those who are afraid to be witnesses for the truth and feel defeated inside themselves.
We call on those who have deviated from the righteous track, camouflaging, cheating and betraying Lebanon.
We call on them to wake up and start thoroughly reviewing their dangerous acts!
Forgiveness is always there and Lebanon's open loving arms will embrace them once they repent. If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples, you know the truth, and the truth will set you free". (John 8-13)
*Elias BejjaniCanadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator Email phoenicia@hotmail.comWeb sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.comMailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/Face Book LCCC group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17974722934
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Rogue States & Terrorists Respond Only To Force & Deterrence!!
By: Elias Bejjani*
There have been numerous reports and analysis as well as vague and conflicting official statements issued by Damascus, Washington and Baghdad that have appeared in the regional and international media outlets, in regards to the U.S. helicopter-borne Special Forces raid that recently targeted the Syrian village of Sukkariya in the Abu Kemal region seven kilometers inside Syria on October 26th.A US counterterrorism official stated that the American Special Forces that executed the raid had killed the head of a Syrian terrorist network that funneled fighters, weapons and cash into Iraq. He declared that the raid targeted the home of Abu Ghadiyah, leader of a key cell of foreign Jihadi fighters in Iraq.
Syrian villagers, where the raid took place, told reporters that US forces grabbed two men and took them away by helicopter back to Iraq.It is worth mentioning that this successful raid is the first in its accuracy and nature that US troops executed inside Syria since year 2003, although these troops have carried out several military operations in Iraqi territories just a few miles adjacent to the neighboring Syrian borders in pursuit of terrorist militant groups.
Several official US statements have said that the raid's main target was the home of Abu Ghadiyah, leader of a key cell of foreign fighters in Iraq and that he was killed in the armed confrontation.
According to these US officials, Abu Ghadiyah was centrally involved in smuggling militant terrorist fighters and weapons from Syria to Iraq.
Informed reports have stated that Syria has purposely declined to patrol its boarders with Iraq thus facilitating the infiltration of militants and weapons via its borders to Iraq. In Washington, an unnamed military official told the Associated Press that the raid targeted elements of a "foreign fighter logistics network". It was because of Syrian inaction, the official said, that the US was "taking matters into our own hands".
It is the first known US attack on Syrian soil.Damascus, on its part, alleged that the U.S. helicopters attacked a civilian building under construction and opened fire on the workers inside it causing the death of eight civilians and wounding one. Syrian television was not able to provide any convincing actual footage of these alleged civilian casualties.
It only showed a few scenes of a wounded child which according to many a/v experts were altered and even fabricated. The Syrian newspaper Tishrin called it a US war crime, while Syria summoned the US Charge D'Affaires in Damascus to explain the attack. Also in response, Syria called on the Iraqi government to prevent its airspace from being used in such a way. Sami al-Khiyami, the Syrian ambassador to London, told Reuters, "This is an outrageous raid which is against international law.
It is a terrible crime. We are expecting clarifications from the Americans". Ironically, Syria's outspoken and arrogant foreign minister, Walid al-Moallem, was in London conferring with high ranking US and English officials when the raid occurred and continued his talks afterwards, while uttering on the sidelines empty threats of retaliation.Despite the hostile official statements and angry Syrian media coverage and statements of protest, the Syrian President Bashar Assad and his rogue regime surprisingly did not file any official complaint with the UN and nor did call for an emergency Arab league meeting at any level.
This US raid adds to at least five unexplained serious security incidents and breaches that have occurred in Syria over the last year. This begs to ask the question of ‘why’ has Syria remained relatively silent and ‘why’ have these incidents been hushed and swept under the so-called ‘diplomatic rug’? All these events have shaken the stability of the internal Syrian domestic scene and it has also lifted the air of invincibility and control that the Baathist Stalinist regime struggles to portray and exert.
The Syrian authorities have yet to announce the findings of the police investigations of any of these incidents, which are chronologically listed below:
1. The Israeli bombardment of a secret Syrian military base in Deir Al-Zour on September 6th of 2007, under the pretext that it was a Korean-style nuclear reactor.
2. The assassination of Hezbollah's number two man, the notorious terrorist Imad Mughniyeh on February 13th of 2008, by a car explosion in the middle of the Syrian capital, Damascus.
3. The assassination of Syrian Brigadier General Mohammed Suleiman, security adviser for Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, on August 1st of 2008. Brigadier Suleiman, 49, was shot dead at his chalet in the Rimal al-Zahabieh luxury resort nine miles north of the port city of Tartous on the Mediterranean.
4. The recent killing of a high rank Syrian officer who was extensively involved in Lebanon's late PM, Rafiq Al-Hariri's assassination. The officer was one of 17 other people who were killed and 24 injured by a devastating explosion that took place on the Damascus Airport highway this past September.
5. Bloody clashes in the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp near Damascus between Syrian security officers and what Syrian authorities described as a group of gunmen. Three of the gunmen and one security officer were killed, while another was injured as stated by the Syrian government.Observers questioned the timing of the US raid, speculated on its actual objectives and wondered why now and not before? Answers to this question varied according to their sources.
Many US and European media outlets interpreted the raid to be a fiery personal warning to President Assad saying that Syria's alliance with rogue Iran is no longer acceptable and that its harboring of fundamentalists and terrorists, notably al-Qaeda and Hezbollah, will not continue without a painful price and dire consequences.
Other western observers considered the raid to be a one-time operation that has no political motivation and came in the context of hundreds of similar military operations carried out by U.S. troops on the Syrian-Iraqi border since 2003.
The same observers were also puzzled by the disproportionate and unjustified Syrian media reaction and negative coverage.Some analysts even speculated that the Bush administration and the Pentagon aimed to give leverage to John McCain in his presidential campaign and warn the coming US president that certain restrictions and red lines should not be broken or overlooked if and when US negotiations with Syria and Iran take place.
Syrian and Iranian media as well their mercenary mouthpieces, the terrorists organizations in Lebanon and Gaza, notably Hezbollah and Hamas, alleged that the raid was a kind of psychological support for the US allies in the region. They interpreted it as a sign of weakness and a failure of the US Middle East democracy project!
Some anti-Syrian Lebanese politicians envisioned the entire US operation as a military pre-emptive deterrent for a Syrian plot to invade North Lebanon. This plot in the making was to attack anti-Syrian Lebanese masses and politicians under the guise of fighting Sunni terrorists that Syria alleges have taken refugee in North Lebanon.
In neighboring Israel, the Yediot Aharonot newspaper quoted an unnamed American source as saying: "The American raid was fully coordinated between the Syrian intelligence services and the United States in the realm of Syrian-US coordination in the ongoing war against al-Qaeda and its subsidiaries. The same argument was also adopted during the last few days by many other well known American and British media facilities.
(Sunday, November 02, 2008/News Agencies: BAGHDAD — Despite reports that Syria denounced a violent U.S. Special Operations raid that took place near the Iraq border last week, intelligence officials in Damascus may have approved the attack, the London Times reports. The operation, which was intended to be fast and bloodless, was meant to target Al Qaeda commander Badran Turki Hashim al-Mazidih — also known as Abu Ghadiya — an Iraqi-born terrorist in his late twenties, according to the paper. Syrian officials — who feared Ghadiya as a threat to the secular regime in Damascus — plotted to have U.S. forces kidnap him and take him to Iraq for questioning.
But the U.S.-led raid did not go as planned. A fierce gun battle broke out following the launch of a rocket-propelled grenade from a local American compound, blowing the cover on the covert operation. Eight people were reportedly killed in the raid, which Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem called an act of "criminal and terrorist aggression." Officials could not confirm whether Abu Ghadiya was among the dead.)"Many experts on terrorism in the region applauded the much delayed American military response against the rogue Syria and openly encouraged the US to execute more of such raids.
Personally, we fully agree with this argument and consider that the raid came five years too late and that it was not strong enough. Accordingly, no matter what the raid's military and political motives and objectives, it was a very clear message to the Syrian Baathist regime officials, cautioning them to come to their senses and stop harboring terrorists and fundamentalists or otherwise face the consequences.
We strongly believe that it is time for all the free world governments, Sunni Arab regimes, Israel and the USA in particular, to begin speaking to the Axis of Evil countries and organizations, namely Syria, Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, and Al-Qaeda, with the only language that they comprehend and understand; that being the language of force.
It is time to make the Syrian regime, the Mullahs of Iran, and all their proxy terrorist and fundamentalist organizations, understand very well and without any doubt that there will be dire prices and severe consequences for any criminal acts they commit, among of which is the change of the Syrian and Iranian regimes by force as was the situation with Iraq's dictator, Saddam Hussein.
Had the free world and the Arab Sunni countries adopted and implemented the courageous, straightforward and firm stances in their dealings with Iran, Syria, Hamas, Hezbollah and Al-Qaeda, including the use of strategic military force, the whole world would have been in a much better position of peace, thousands of lives would have been spared and trillions of dollars saved.
In the context of the global war against terrorism, it is worth shedding light on the Middle Eastern press trend of soft condemnation statement releases. These statements appear every time a rogue country, a terrorist group, or a terrorist individual or a leader is hit or captured.
These condemnations are trivial and are merely empty words and accordingly should not by any means be taken seriously by any country that is taking part in the waging of anti-terrorism war. Hundreds of such double standard releases were issued in Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Gaza, Russia and other countries in the aftermath of the US raid on the terrorist camp inside Syria.
They all ignored the fact that Syria is a breeding centre for all kinds of terrorist, Jihadists and fundamentalists among of which are Hezbollah, Hamas, Jund Al-Sham, Fateh Al-Islam, Al-Qaeda and many, many others.
The righteous and ethical condemnation should in fact be targeting the USA administration because of its failure to destroy Iran's nuclear reactors, overthrow the Syrian Baathist regime nor did it eradicate fundamentalist organizations, especially Hezbollah, that has erected a mini Iranian state inside Lebanon, crippling by force all Lebanese efforts to rebuild the country and reclaim its independence, freedom and sovereignty.
The USA, Europe, Israel and all other free world countries, as well as the Sunni Arab countries should once and for all forget their hesitation, fear, procrastination and double standards in regards to Iran, Syrian and all the terrorist organization that revolve in their orbit.
All these countries, specially the new US Obama administration should speak to the Axis of Evil countries and terrorists organizations the only language that they comprehend; the language of power and deterrence. All other means are futile and time-buying especially for the Syrian Baathist regime.
*Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/
Face Book LCCC group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17974722934
There have been numerous reports and analysis as well as vague and conflicting official statements issued by Damascus, Washington and Baghdad that have appeared in the regional and international media outlets, in regards to the U.S. helicopter-borne Special Forces raid that recently targeted the Syrian village of Sukkariya in the Abu Kemal region seven kilometers inside Syria on October 26th.A US counterterrorism official stated that the American Special Forces that executed the raid had killed the head of a Syrian terrorist network that funneled fighters, weapons and cash into Iraq. He declared that the raid targeted the home of Abu Ghadiyah, leader of a key cell of foreign Jihadi fighters in Iraq.
Syrian villagers, where the raid took place, told reporters that US forces grabbed two men and took them away by helicopter back to Iraq.It is worth mentioning that this successful raid is the first in its accuracy and nature that US troops executed inside Syria since year 2003, although these troops have carried out several military operations in Iraqi territories just a few miles adjacent to the neighboring Syrian borders in pursuit of terrorist militant groups.
Several official US statements have said that the raid's main target was the home of Abu Ghadiyah, leader of a key cell of foreign fighters in Iraq and that he was killed in the armed confrontation.
According to these US officials, Abu Ghadiyah was centrally involved in smuggling militant terrorist fighters and weapons from Syria to Iraq.
Informed reports have stated that Syria has purposely declined to patrol its boarders with Iraq thus facilitating the infiltration of militants and weapons via its borders to Iraq. In Washington, an unnamed military official told the Associated Press that the raid targeted elements of a "foreign fighter logistics network". It was because of Syrian inaction, the official said, that the US was "taking matters into our own hands".
It is the first known US attack on Syrian soil.Damascus, on its part, alleged that the U.S. helicopters attacked a civilian building under construction and opened fire on the workers inside it causing the death of eight civilians and wounding one. Syrian television was not able to provide any convincing actual footage of these alleged civilian casualties.
It only showed a few scenes of a wounded child which according to many a/v experts were altered and even fabricated. The Syrian newspaper Tishrin called it a US war crime, while Syria summoned the US Charge D'Affaires in Damascus to explain the attack. Also in response, Syria called on the Iraqi government to prevent its airspace from being used in such a way. Sami al-Khiyami, the Syrian ambassador to London, told Reuters, "This is an outrageous raid which is against international law.
It is a terrible crime. We are expecting clarifications from the Americans". Ironically, Syria's outspoken and arrogant foreign minister, Walid al-Moallem, was in London conferring with high ranking US and English officials when the raid occurred and continued his talks afterwards, while uttering on the sidelines empty threats of retaliation.Despite the hostile official statements and angry Syrian media coverage and statements of protest, the Syrian President Bashar Assad and his rogue regime surprisingly did not file any official complaint with the UN and nor did call for an emergency Arab league meeting at any level.
This US raid adds to at least five unexplained serious security incidents and breaches that have occurred in Syria over the last year. This begs to ask the question of ‘why’ has Syria remained relatively silent and ‘why’ have these incidents been hushed and swept under the so-called ‘diplomatic rug’? All these events have shaken the stability of the internal Syrian domestic scene and it has also lifted the air of invincibility and control that the Baathist Stalinist regime struggles to portray and exert.
The Syrian authorities have yet to announce the findings of the police investigations of any of these incidents, which are chronologically listed below:
1. The Israeli bombardment of a secret Syrian military base in Deir Al-Zour on September 6th of 2007, under the pretext that it was a Korean-style nuclear reactor.
2. The assassination of Hezbollah's number two man, the notorious terrorist Imad Mughniyeh on February 13th of 2008, by a car explosion in the middle of the Syrian capital, Damascus.
3. The assassination of Syrian Brigadier General Mohammed Suleiman, security adviser for Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, on August 1st of 2008. Brigadier Suleiman, 49, was shot dead at his chalet in the Rimal al-Zahabieh luxury resort nine miles north of the port city of Tartous on the Mediterranean.
4. The recent killing of a high rank Syrian officer who was extensively involved in Lebanon's late PM, Rafiq Al-Hariri's assassination. The officer was one of 17 other people who were killed and 24 injured by a devastating explosion that took place on the Damascus Airport highway this past September.
5. Bloody clashes in the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp near Damascus between Syrian security officers and what Syrian authorities described as a group of gunmen. Three of the gunmen and one security officer were killed, while another was injured as stated by the Syrian government.Observers questioned the timing of the US raid, speculated on its actual objectives and wondered why now and not before? Answers to this question varied according to their sources.
Many US and European media outlets interpreted the raid to be a fiery personal warning to President Assad saying that Syria's alliance with rogue Iran is no longer acceptable and that its harboring of fundamentalists and terrorists, notably al-Qaeda and Hezbollah, will not continue without a painful price and dire consequences.
Other western observers considered the raid to be a one-time operation that has no political motivation and came in the context of hundreds of similar military operations carried out by U.S. troops on the Syrian-Iraqi border since 2003.
The same observers were also puzzled by the disproportionate and unjustified Syrian media reaction and negative coverage.Some analysts even speculated that the Bush administration and the Pentagon aimed to give leverage to John McCain in his presidential campaign and warn the coming US president that certain restrictions and red lines should not be broken or overlooked if and when US negotiations with Syria and Iran take place.
Syrian and Iranian media as well their mercenary mouthpieces, the terrorists organizations in Lebanon and Gaza, notably Hezbollah and Hamas, alleged that the raid was a kind of psychological support for the US allies in the region. They interpreted it as a sign of weakness and a failure of the US Middle East democracy project!
Some anti-Syrian Lebanese politicians envisioned the entire US operation as a military pre-emptive deterrent for a Syrian plot to invade North Lebanon. This plot in the making was to attack anti-Syrian Lebanese masses and politicians under the guise of fighting Sunni terrorists that Syria alleges have taken refugee in North Lebanon.
In neighboring Israel, the Yediot Aharonot newspaper quoted an unnamed American source as saying: "The American raid was fully coordinated between the Syrian intelligence services and the United States in the realm of Syrian-US coordination in the ongoing war against al-Qaeda and its subsidiaries. The same argument was also adopted during the last few days by many other well known American and British media facilities.
(Sunday, November 02, 2008/News Agencies: BAGHDAD — Despite reports that Syria denounced a violent U.S. Special Operations raid that took place near the Iraq border last week, intelligence officials in Damascus may have approved the attack, the London Times reports. The operation, which was intended to be fast and bloodless, was meant to target Al Qaeda commander Badran Turki Hashim al-Mazidih — also known as Abu Ghadiya — an Iraqi-born terrorist in his late twenties, according to the paper. Syrian officials — who feared Ghadiya as a threat to the secular regime in Damascus — plotted to have U.S. forces kidnap him and take him to Iraq for questioning.
But the U.S.-led raid did not go as planned. A fierce gun battle broke out following the launch of a rocket-propelled grenade from a local American compound, blowing the cover on the covert operation. Eight people were reportedly killed in the raid, which Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem called an act of "criminal and terrorist aggression." Officials could not confirm whether Abu Ghadiya was among the dead.)"Many experts on terrorism in the region applauded the much delayed American military response against the rogue Syria and openly encouraged the US to execute more of such raids.
Personally, we fully agree with this argument and consider that the raid came five years too late and that it was not strong enough. Accordingly, no matter what the raid's military and political motives and objectives, it was a very clear message to the Syrian Baathist regime officials, cautioning them to come to their senses and stop harboring terrorists and fundamentalists or otherwise face the consequences.
We strongly believe that it is time for all the free world governments, Sunni Arab regimes, Israel and the USA in particular, to begin speaking to the Axis of Evil countries and organizations, namely Syria, Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, and Al-Qaeda, with the only language that they comprehend and understand; that being the language of force.
It is time to make the Syrian regime, the Mullahs of Iran, and all their proxy terrorist and fundamentalist organizations, understand very well and without any doubt that there will be dire prices and severe consequences for any criminal acts they commit, among of which is the change of the Syrian and Iranian regimes by force as was the situation with Iraq's dictator, Saddam Hussein.
Had the free world and the Arab Sunni countries adopted and implemented the courageous, straightforward and firm stances in their dealings with Iran, Syria, Hamas, Hezbollah and Al-Qaeda, including the use of strategic military force, the whole world would have been in a much better position of peace, thousands of lives would have been spared and trillions of dollars saved.
In the context of the global war against terrorism, it is worth shedding light on the Middle Eastern press trend of soft condemnation statement releases. These statements appear every time a rogue country, a terrorist group, or a terrorist individual or a leader is hit or captured.
These condemnations are trivial and are merely empty words and accordingly should not by any means be taken seriously by any country that is taking part in the waging of anti-terrorism war. Hundreds of such double standard releases were issued in Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Gaza, Russia and other countries in the aftermath of the US raid on the terrorist camp inside Syria.
They all ignored the fact that Syria is a breeding centre for all kinds of terrorist, Jihadists and fundamentalists among of which are Hezbollah, Hamas, Jund Al-Sham, Fateh Al-Islam, Al-Qaeda and many, many others.
The righteous and ethical condemnation should in fact be targeting the USA administration because of its failure to destroy Iran's nuclear reactors, overthrow the Syrian Baathist regime nor did it eradicate fundamentalist organizations, especially Hezbollah, that has erected a mini Iranian state inside Lebanon, crippling by force all Lebanese efforts to rebuild the country and reclaim its independence, freedom and sovereignty.
The USA, Europe, Israel and all other free world countries, as well as the Sunni Arab countries should once and for all forget their hesitation, fear, procrastination and double standards in regards to Iran, Syrian and all the terrorist organization that revolve in their orbit.
All these countries, specially the new US Obama administration should speak to the Axis of Evil countries and terrorists organizations the only language that they comprehend; the language of power and deterrence. All other means are futile and time-buying especially for the Syrian Baathist regime.
*Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Mailing phoenicia group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenicia/
Face Book LCCC group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17974722934
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Lebanon's refugees in Israel & the Lebanese Leaders' Questionable Credibility
By: Elias Bejjani*
October 22/08
We call on the Lebanese government and parliament to grant unconditional amnesty to the ex-members of the South Lebanon Army (SLA) who sought refuge in neighboring Israel with their families after the unilateral withdrawal of the Israeli troops from South Lebanon in May 2000 in accordance with the UN Resolution 425.
A grant of amnesty is justified especially in light of the fact that (after Syrian troops were forced to withdraw from Lebanon in accordance with the UN Resolution 1559) the Lebanese parliament passed in 2005 an amnesty law that pardoned numerous leaders and individuals in a bid to pave the way for a comprehensive national milieu of reconciliation among the country's mosaic, multicultural communities that compose Lebanese society?In reality, the other Lebanese people throughout Lebanon have not endured the horrible injustice suffered by those Southern Lebanese citizens (Especially those living in the Southern security zone and Jezzine city).
For the last thirty years Lebanon's Southern citizens were and still are victims of alienation, assaults, persecution, expulsion and impoverishment, not only at the hands of terrorists and fundamentalist foreign and local militias, including the Iranian Army of Hezbollah, but most importantly as a result of complete abandonment by all successive Lebanese governments since 1975.
Lebanon's Southern citizens have been left to face all kinds of oppression alone since 1975. One wonders why the successive Lebanese governments and parliamentarians (since 2005) have declined to assume their national responsibilities regarding our refugees in Israel?
The Israeli government disarmed and forced the SLA militia to dismantle in 2000, just a few days before the withdrawal of its army from South Lebanon. Those SLA members who risked their lives and stayed in Lebanon were subjected to vigilantism and unfair trials, which resulted in harsh sentences and death penalties against more than 70 individuals. Others, who left Lebanon were sentenced in absentia and once they return to Lebanon will be arrested. Many of SLA's militia men are still deprived of their civil rights, while suffering persecution and poverty.With the Israeli pullout in May 2000, nearly 6,500 Lebanese men, along with members of their families, left the South and escaped to Israel and other countries (USA, Australia, Canada, Germany, etc.), forced to leave their homes, villages, and all their properties in fear for their lives.
Before the Israeli withdrawal, Hezbollah waged a merciless and savage media campaign against them. The campaign was aired publicly on all local and international TV and radio stations. The most frightening threats were uttered by Hezbollah's General Secretary Sheik Nasrallah who savagely said, "We will enter their bedrooms, pierce their stomachs, slaughter them and slice their throats."
Since then about 4,000 of them have returned to Lebanon in successive waves during the last eight years. The Lebanese Army arrested the men who returned but let the women and children go. The men were interrogated, humiliated and the majority of them were sentenced to terms of imprisonment on charges of treason, collaboration, contacting an enemy and living in an enemy country. Their trials were a farce, biased and hasty. Many of those sentenced were stripped of their civil rights and forced to abandon their villages and cities. At the present time more than 2,500 remain in Israel, 500 of them have been granted Israeli citizenship and now run the risk of being imprisoned and charged with treason on returning home to Lebanon.
Numerous Lebanese MPs oppose amnesty. They allege, based on their sickening, selfish, psychotic and bizarre criteria--that the ex-SLA members have blood on their hands and should not be involved in any reconciliation process because they have been living in Israel for more than 8 years. They argue that such individuals could be tempted to spy for Israel. Those MPs who are patriotically alienated, hypocrites and Pharisees are sadly members in both, the pro-Lebanon and pro Syria-Iran political blocks (The 8th and the 14th March blocks).
Should former SLA members be pardoned like the rest of the numerous Lebanese militia leaders and members?
Yes, for sure. Not only that, but they should be decorated with medals of honor and welcomed back in their country as heroes. They did not betray Lebanon; they did not abandon their beloved land; they did not succumb to terrorists and terrorism and, in fact, they were the only organized Lebanese Militia that fought terrorists and terrorism since 1975, against the PLO, all the leftists, and Arabists in the early years and afterwards Hezbollah. Their fight was for peace, dignity, human rights and national identity.
The biased and inhumane stance of those against amnesty does not take in consideration that these people, our people of the South, have been forced to flee from their villages in 2000, out of fear that they might be subjected to reprisals on the part of those who accused them of having played the enemy's game.
Sheik Hassan Nasrallah and others deny the fact that SLA was composed of Lebanese citizens from all walks of life, religions and denominations. The Lebanese army helped in its formation in the mid seventies in a bid to defend the southern villages, cities and towns against terrorists and fundamentalists: the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization), leftists and Arabists in the seventies and eighties, and Hezbollah since 1982.
The aim of all these organizations was--and continues to be--the destruction of Lebanon's freedoms, democracy and independence and the waging of a terrorist guerrilla war against Israel.These criminal threats against Lebanon's own were real, clear, unequivocal and are well documented.
Those who are now justifying the threats as legitimate war tactics should not dismiss the fact that during the last thirty years the Lebanese people suffered on the hands of Syria, PLO, Hezbollah and Arabists ugly massacres in many villages and cities, e.g. Ayshiya in the South, Kaa in Bekaa, in the capital Beirut, in Kehali, Ebadiea, Araya, Bmariem, in the Mount, and Damour in AlChouf etc.Addressing the Issue of our refugees in Israel was a taboo imposed by the Syrian occupier, and the fundamentalists before 2005. But now that Syria does not occupy Lebanon any more, this taboo must and should be washed out and the case re-opened.We appeal to the Lebanese parliament and to all the Lebanese leadership, without exception, especially to the Christian parties to assume their national and moral responsibilities in regard to our refugees in Israel. We call for the formation of a judicial-parliamentary commission to study this bleeding issue and shed light on all its aspects.
We wonder about the standards of patriotism, collaboration and treason by which our Southern refugees are judged. We ask to be informed accurately on the destiny of those leaders, clergy men, politicians, officials, individuals and groups, especially Hezbollah, if we are to apply these same standards to them after we dissect their actions and their regional relationships and objectives along with all the atrocities their hands have committed, and they are plenty.Most of those who tag SLA members as traitors are in fact criminals, kidnappers, terrorists and have committed notorious terrorist, anti-human acts of killing, persecution, kidnapping, thievery, bribery, collaboration with foreign powers, beheading and hanging of our fellow citizens. Because a human must take a stand, the national and human duty requires that all Lebanese leaders and groups publicly declare their clear positions on the issues of our refugees in Israel and the Diaspora. Hidden ruses, internalizations, and clever wordings will not fool the Lebanese anymore; as it was stated in the Bible about halfhearted, Laodicean followers of God in the last days of earth's history:
"I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:15-16)Because the tenants of justice presume that one is innocent until proven guilty, we advise those who have appointed themselves as judges, juries and hangmen, and who have started issuing judgments and verdicts according to their standards and beliefs to fear God and repent, because God is patient but not negligent, and with the Nazarene we tell them loudly; "Who amongst you has no sin, throw the first stone".
Lord, save our homeland, Lebanon, from evil and calamities.
Lord, return all our people to the land of the Cedars, proud and welcomed.
Lord, keep away the diseases of blindness and arrogance from our people.'
*Elias BejjaniHuman Rights activist, journalist & political commentator.
E.Mail phoenicia@hotmail.com
Writer's LCCC Web Site: http://www.10452lccc.com
Writers Face Book LCCC group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17974722934
October 22/08
We call on the Lebanese government and parliament to grant unconditional amnesty to the ex-members of the South Lebanon Army (SLA) who sought refuge in neighboring Israel with their families after the unilateral withdrawal of the Israeli troops from South Lebanon in May 2000 in accordance with the UN Resolution 425.
A grant of amnesty is justified especially in light of the fact that (after Syrian troops were forced to withdraw from Lebanon in accordance with the UN Resolution 1559) the Lebanese parliament passed in 2005 an amnesty law that pardoned numerous leaders and individuals in a bid to pave the way for a comprehensive national milieu of reconciliation among the country's mosaic, multicultural communities that compose Lebanese society?In reality, the other Lebanese people throughout Lebanon have not endured the horrible injustice suffered by those Southern Lebanese citizens (Especially those living in the Southern security zone and Jezzine city).
For the last thirty years Lebanon's Southern citizens were and still are victims of alienation, assaults, persecution, expulsion and impoverishment, not only at the hands of terrorists and fundamentalist foreign and local militias, including the Iranian Army of Hezbollah, but most importantly as a result of complete abandonment by all successive Lebanese governments since 1975.
Lebanon's Southern citizens have been left to face all kinds of oppression alone since 1975. One wonders why the successive Lebanese governments and parliamentarians (since 2005) have declined to assume their national responsibilities regarding our refugees in Israel?
The Israeli government disarmed and forced the SLA militia to dismantle in 2000, just a few days before the withdrawal of its army from South Lebanon. Those SLA members who risked their lives and stayed in Lebanon were subjected to vigilantism and unfair trials, which resulted in harsh sentences and death penalties against more than 70 individuals. Others, who left Lebanon were sentenced in absentia and once they return to Lebanon will be arrested. Many of SLA's militia men are still deprived of their civil rights, while suffering persecution and poverty.With the Israeli pullout in May 2000, nearly 6,500 Lebanese men, along with members of their families, left the South and escaped to Israel and other countries (USA, Australia, Canada, Germany, etc.), forced to leave their homes, villages, and all their properties in fear for their lives.
Before the Israeli withdrawal, Hezbollah waged a merciless and savage media campaign against them. The campaign was aired publicly on all local and international TV and radio stations. The most frightening threats were uttered by Hezbollah's General Secretary Sheik Nasrallah who savagely said, "We will enter their bedrooms, pierce their stomachs, slaughter them and slice their throats."
Since then about 4,000 of them have returned to Lebanon in successive waves during the last eight years. The Lebanese Army arrested the men who returned but let the women and children go. The men were interrogated, humiliated and the majority of them were sentenced to terms of imprisonment on charges of treason, collaboration, contacting an enemy and living in an enemy country. Their trials were a farce, biased and hasty. Many of those sentenced were stripped of their civil rights and forced to abandon their villages and cities. At the present time more than 2,500 remain in Israel, 500 of them have been granted Israeli citizenship and now run the risk of being imprisoned and charged with treason on returning home to Lebanon.
Numerous Lebanese MPs oppose amnesty. They allege, based on their sickening, selfish, psychotic and bizarre criteria--that the ex-SLA members have blood on their hands and should not be involved in any reconciliation process because they have been living in Israel for more than 8 years. They argue that such individuals could be tempted to spy for Israel. Those MPs who are patriotically alienated, hypocrites and Pharisees are sadly members in both, the pro-Lebanon and pro Syria-Iran political blocks (The 8th and the 14th March blocks).
Should former SLA members be pardoned like the rest of the numerous Lebanese militia leaders and members?
Yes, for sure. Not only that, but they should be decorated with medals of honor and welcomed back in their country as heroes. They did not betray Lebanon; they did not abandon their beloved land; they did not succumb to terrorists and terrorism and, in fact, they were the only organized Lebanese Militia that fought terrorists and terrorism since 1975, against the PLO, all the leftists, and Arabists in the early years and afterwards Hezbollah. Their fight was for peace, dignity, human rights and national identity.
The biased and inhumane stance of those against amnesty does not take in consideration that these people, our people of the South, have been forced to flee from their villages in 2000, out of fear that they might be subjected to reprisals on the part of those who accused them of having played the enemy's game.
Sheik Hassan Nasrallah and others deny the fact that SLA was composed of Lebanese citizens from all walks of life, religions and denominations. The Lebanese army helped in its formation in the mid seventies in a bid to defend the southern villages, cities and towns against terrorists and fundamentalists: the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization), leftists and Arabists in the seventies and eighties, and Hezbollah since 1982.
The aim of all these organizations was--and continues to be--the destruction of Lebanon's freedoms, democracy and independence and the waging of a terrorist guerrilla war against Israel.These criminal threats against Lebanon's own were real, clear, unequivocal and are well documented.
Those who are now justifying the threats as legitimate war tactics should not dismiss the fact that during the last thirty years the Lebanese people suffered on the hands of Syria, PLO, Hezbollah and Arabists ugly massacres in many villages and cities, e.g. Ayshiya in the South, Kaa in Bekaa, in the capital Beirut, in Kehali, Ebadiea, Araya, Bmariem, in the Mount, and Damour in AlChouf etc.Addressing the Issue of our refugees in Israel was a taboo imposed by the Syrian occupier, and the fundamentalists before 2005. But now that Syria does not occupy Lebanon any more, this taboo must and should be washed out and the case re-opened.We appeal to the Lebanese parliament and to all the Lebanese leadership, without exception, especially to the Christian parties to assume their national and moral responsibilities in regard to our refugees in Israel. We call for the formation of a judicial-parliamentary commission to study this bleeding issue and shed light on all its aspects.
We wonder about the standards of patriotism, collaboration and treason by which our Southern refugees are judged. We ask to be informed accurately on the destiny of those leaders, clergy men, politicians, officials, individuals and groups, especially Hezbollah, if we are to apply these same standards to them after we dissect their actions and their regional relationships and objectives along with all the atrocities their hands have committed, and they are plenty.Most of those who tag SLA members as traitors are in fact criminals, kidnappers, terrorists and have committed notorious terrorist, anti-human acts of killing, persecution, kidnapping, thievery, bribery, collaboration with foreign powers, beheading and hanging of our fellow citizens. Because a human must take a stand, the national and human duty requires that all Lebanese leaders and groups publicly declare their clear positions on the issues of our refugees in Israel and the Diaspora. Hidden ruses, internalizations, and clever wordings will not fool the Lebanese anymore; as it was stated in the Bible about halfhearted, Laodicean followers of God in the last days of earth's history:
"I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:15-16)Because the tenants of justice presume that one is innocent until proven guilty, we advise those who have appointed themselves as judges, juries and hangmen, and who have started issuing judgments and verdicts according to their standards and beliefs to fear God and repent, because God is patient but not negligent, and with the Nazarene we tell them loudly; "Who amongst you has no sin, throw the first stone".
Lord, save our homeland, Lebanon, from evil and calamities.
Lord, return all our people to the land of the Cedars, proud and welcomed.
Lord, keep away the diseases of blindness and arrogance from our people.'
*Elias BejjaniHuman Rights activist, journalist & political commentator.
E.Mail phoenicia@hotmail.com
Writer's LCCC Web Site: http://www.10452lccc.com
Writers Face Book LCCC group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17974722934
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