--- In ziadrahbani@yahoogroups.com, badiaa takach <bdtakach@...> wrote:
>
> hello shabeb -sabaya...walla long time ana ma fetet 3l group..anyway
missing u alll..especially C}{E!!!
>
> how r u and hows NADINE???
>
> missing u walla ...anyway i have a link la video 7elo u should check
it:
>
>
>
> http://libanlibre.skyblog.com scroll down, la tshoufo l part li
m5assas la ziad:D
>
hello beddoooooo
how r u shreek?
walla long time also...
hope ur job and ur study is going well
nadine is busy with another forum...ma ba2a tet3annalna bilmarra halla2
bas shway ma3a 7a2 lainno houn khaffet el ni2ashat...
join us in the other group if u want,at least u can hear something
from time to time about ziad
take care of u and talk later
by the way,what file u mean in this link?

hi all...
i want to inform u all that u can discuss subjects about ziad in this
group also...

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/ZIADRAHBANYFANS/

u can also share us with ur opinions,photos,news....

enjoy

welcomed anytime...

http://www.ahewar.org/debat/show.art.asp?aid=100716

any body has the files of biyan ra2m 1,2,3,

plz.

* ASSÉ Against Israeli Apartheid

Call to support the first major student union in Quebec or Canada to back the
international campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions on Israel...

http://tadamon.resist.ca/index.php/post/1538

Montreal May 2008: Across the world grassroots movements struggling in
opposition to Israeli apartheid are marking the 60th year of the Palestinian
Nakba ('catastrophe') - 60 years of dispossession, ethnic cleansing and exile
for Palestinians resulting from the creation of the state of Israel.

A grassroots response in opposition to Israeli apartheid is growing throughout
the world sparked by an appeal launched by Palestinian civil-society
organizations in 2005 for an international campaign directed at the government
in Israel, a campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions. This critical
campaign is modeled on a successful international campaign similar in nature
that played a critical role in bringing an end to the apartheid regime in South
Africa.

Today students in Quebec are now joining the international boycott campaign in
large numbers including L'Association pour une Solidarité Syndicale Étudiante
(ASSÉ), an important Quebec-wide student federation representing over 42,000
students.

ASSÉ voted to support the international campaign against Israeli apartheid at a
Quebec-wide level after several local assemblies at university and Cégep
campuses across the province voted at a local level within general student
assemblies to support the boycott campaign. ASSÉ's boycott resolution marks the
first time that a major student union in Quebec or Canada has voted to support
the international boycott campaign opposing Israeli apartheid.

Throughout the 2007 / 2008 school year ASSÉ in collaboration with Tadamon!
Montreal, with support from Fédération nationale des enseignantes et
enseignants du Québec (FNEEQ) -- Quebec's largest college level teachers union
--
and the Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG) organized multiple
workshops throughout Quebec at Cégep and university campuses bringing together
hundreds of students for popular education workshops outlining the critical
importance for Quebec's student movement to stand against Israeli apartheid.

ASSÉ represents the grassroots face of Quebec's powerful student movement, with
tens-of-thousands of members and a strong position against privatization and
for free post-secondary education in Quebec.

In 2005 ASSÉ launched and lead a historic student strike across Quebec, with
over one-hundred student unions participating at the height of a strike rooted
in a demand for a cancellation on all student debt and free post-secondary
education in Quebec.

Utilizing mass protest, creative direct actions and grassroots campus-based
organizing ASSÉ has successfully fought against neo-liberal economic policies
fronted by the Liberal government of Jean Charest, who upon taking governmental
power moved to make important changes to financial aid program for students in
Quebec, including a $103 million cut. After major protests lead by ASSÉ across
Quebec the Liberal government was forced to reverse their cuts to student
funding, marking one of the only times in Quebec's recent history that
grassroots social mobilization has successfully reversed unpopular government
policy.

ASSÉ represents a grassroots power base within Quebec's student movement, one
that draws parallels between the struggle for accessible and free education in
Quebec to larger movements for social justice in the Americas, the Middle East
and internationally.

ASSÉ has now taken an important and courageous stand to support the
international campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions, as a tangible
step in solidarity with struggles against Israeli apartheid in Palestine and
throughout the Middle East. This resolution marks the growing momentum behind
the international movement against Israeli apartheid and a willingness to take
action at a local level within progressive student networks in Quebec to
challenge Israeli apartheid.

ASSÉ's important stand also marks a critical opportunity for grassroots student
and social movements in Quebec to challenge the Quebec and Canadian government
complicity towards Israeli apartheid and today the outright support towards
Israel's military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza by Canada's Conservative
government.

Today we call on all student and labor unions to join L'Association pour une
Solidarité Syndicale Étudiante in creating a strong and effective boycott
movement against Israeli apartheid!

actions you can take:

* Endorse this statement: send the name of your organization and city to:
tadamon[at]resist.ca

* Send a message of solidarity through an email to the ASSÉ National office
congratulating them on their stand against Israeli apartheid. Please send your
message to: webmestre(at)asse-solidarite.qc.ca

* Ask your local student union, labor union, community group, association or
collective to follow ASSÉ's lead and adopt a position in support of the
international campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israeli
apartheid.

endorsed by:

Tadamon! Montreal (Montreal, Quebec)
Palestinian BDS National Committee (Palestine)
Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (Toronto, Canada)

''''''''''''''''''''''

http://www.ahewar.org/debat/show.art.asp?aid=7428

* Lebanon: Reporter reflections from Beirut.
Interview with Raed Rafei a Lebanese reporter with the LA Times.

Broadcasts from Beirut III
http://tadamon.resist.ca/index.php/post/1425

Broadcasts from Beirut: A Tadamon! interview project aiming to highlight
progressive voices from the ground in Lebanon on the ongoing conflict, voices
independent from major political parties.

On Wednesday, May 14th, Lebanon's government moved to reverse key decisions
taken last week aimed at Hezbollah, including a decision to dismantle
Hezbollah's independent telephone communications system and a controversial
move to replace a head security personal at Beirut's international airport with
sympathies towards the Lebanese opposition. Today's government decision to
reverse these decisions was announced minutes prior to this interview, creating
a backdrop soundtrack of celebratory gunfire from opposition supporters in
Beirut.

Arab media outlets have played a central role on the ground in Lebanon and
throughout the Middle East in shaping popular opinions on the ongoing
conflict. This interview also focuses on the recent Hezbollah orchestrated
shut-down of Future T.V. a television network owned by Saad Hariri, the
son of Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, infamous in Lebanon
for a strongly pro-government stance. Also this interview outlines the
reflections of a Lebanese journalist working in the context of the current
conflict in Lebanon.


Raed Rafei: Can you hear that, the gunfire? Lebanon's government has just
decided to revoke their two recent decisions concerning Hezbollah, the first
regarding the telephone network and the second, their decision to replace the
security head at Beirut's international airport. Hope that the gunfire outside
is only opposition supporters celebrating the government decision tonight, not
anything more!

Stefan Christoff: Alright, to start can you describe the current situation in
Beirut and the importance of the recent decisions taken by the government of
Fouad Sinora concerning Hezbollah.

Raed Rafei: Well what has happened recently in Beirut was a realization of what
many Lebanese have been fearing for the past year, which is not a civil-war but
the beginning of serious civil strife in the country. Death tolls from the
recent fighting aren't clear until now, however in the past days many people
have been killed in fighting, Sunni, Shi'ite, Druze. A situation that is very,
very disturbing for the Lebanese as it brings us back to the very dark days in
the Lebanese civil-war.

Now things in Beirut are much more calm, as we wait on for political solution,
however it's still very, very tense. Now regarding the two government
decisions, now the government trying to minimize the importance of these two
decisions. First they were saying that Hezbollah is building a parallel phone
network in Lebanon, that this phone network and that it isn't only serving the
Lebanese resistance but is being used for other purposes, expanding rapidly
beyond control. Lebanon's government decided that this phone network must be
tossed.

Now the second decision revolves around the security for Beirut's airport,
which the government claims is being monitored by Hezbollah. Lebanon's
government wanted to change the security head at the airport, a person was
basically following directions from Hezbollah. Hezbollah viewed these decisions
as a violation of an agreement within the government to not touch the
resistance in Lebanon, without a collective national dialog.

Stefan Christoff: As we speak gunfire is going off, so can you talk about
what.s happening now outside your home in West Beirut?

Raed Rafei: Well this is a little disturbing, the gunfire, as it sounds similar
to the firefights last week in Beirut. Fighting was very tense at times in West
Beirut late last week. Now that the government has decided to reserve it's two
decisions aimed at Hezbollah, immediately celebratory gunfire is being fired
throughout West Beirut. Now the opposition is declaring victory on the Lebanese
T.V. networks.

Stefan Christoff: Today officials from the Arab League convened in Beirut, can
you talk about this meeting?

Raed Rafei: In general people in Lebanon don't have a very positive image of
the Arab League, as they have been trying unsuccessfully to mediate the
situation in Lebanon for months and months. However it's certainly positive
that the government has decided to reverse their two decisions.

Clearly brokering meaningful negotiations in Lebanon today is very, very
difficult, as it's not clear on which points the two opposing sides will agree
to discuss or negotiate on.

Hezbollah wants to only discuss potentialities for a future government and
Lebanon's electoral laws. Pro-government forces, currently in power, want to
discuss the internal security for the country, meaning Hezbollah's weapons.

Now the question remains if these two political sides will at least find a
common ground for negotiations in Lebanon.

Stefan Christoff: Can you talk about the current situation in Lebanon and it.s
ties to the war between Israel and Lebanon in 2006?

Raed Rafei: During Israel's attack on Lebanon in 2006, the vast majority in
Lebanon rallied behind Hezbollah, as the country was being attacked by an
outside force that was destroying the country.

Since this war tensions between the pro-government forces and the
Hezbollah-backed opposition have been growing. Today we are living through a
direct consequence of the 2006 war, as this war made it clear, despite the
national unity against Israel at the time, that there are two different
directions that the main national political forces are pulling Lebanon toward.

Hezbollah is at one side, the pro-government forces are one the totally
opposite side. So reconciling these differences is extremely difficult.

Stefan Christoff: From a journalistic perspective can you describe the key
differences between pro-government forces and the opposition, also the way that
these differences impact people's daily lives in Lebanon.

Raed Rafei: Prior to the Rafik Hariri's assassination in 2005, Hezbollah wasn't
really a major element within Lebanon's political process. After the
assassination it became clear that Hezbollah's role in Lebanon, their ideology
as a resisting force to Israel was in danger. Since this time all Hezbollah.s
internal moves in Lebanon have been to attempt to increase their power and
influence within the governmental decision making process.

Hezbollah is basically saying that Lebanon's must not become a U.S. friendly
country, a country that backs pro-Israel policies in the Middle East, that
Lebanon must resist U.S. imperialism in the Middle East. Also Hezbollah works
to defend their allies in the region, Syria and Iran, which are coming under
attack for taking anti-U.S. and anti-Israel positions within the Middle East.

On the other side the Lebanese government is claiming that Hezbollah no longer
has a role in Lebanon, as most Lebanese territory is no longer occupied by
Israel. Only Shabba Farms, a small part of Lebanon, is still occupied, which
Lebanon can liberate through diplomatic means. Also the government is claiming
that Hezbollah is trying to implement an Iranian or Syrian vision for Lebanon's
future. Even going so far to claim that Iran is developing a base on the
Mediterranean through Hezbollah. This vision is tied to the pro-government
forces labeling recent events in Lebanon as an Iranian coup.

Stefan Christoff: Now concerning your reporting on the current situation in
Lebanon. You wrote a post on the LA Times website called, Lebanon: A hellish
experience for journalists, in which you detailed the attack on Future T.V. in
Lebanon this past week, could you detail this incident?

Raed Rafei: It's important to outline this event carefully. Hezbollah didn.t
firebomb or launch a military attack on Future T.V., basically Hezbollah
carried out a calculated action against Future T.V.

Hezbollah entered the new studios for Future T.V., cutting all the equipment
cables, effectively stopping the station from broadcasting. Confusion surrounds
this event because Future movement has different offices and media outlets. One
Future T.V. studio that is no longer being used was burned by a pro-Hezbollah
party, supporters of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, fulfilling a
longstanding vendetta between this party and Future T.V. It's important to talk
about this incident clearly.

However the fact that a media outlet in Lebanon was forcefully shut-down by the
opposition, is certainly revolting. This event is one small part within a
larger war between the Hezbollah backed opposition and the western-backed
government. This war also operates through propaganda, as both sides heavily
use media as a tool.

Hezbollah hasn't until now attempted to justify or explain in a major way their
move to shut-down Future T.V. In their calculations surrounding this event,
they most likely thought that despite the denunciations they would receive, it
would be much less costly to have a pro-government propaganda machine operating
during the conflict last week. In Hezbollah's thinking, this incident was
calculated, in that it shut-down a T.V. station propelling sectarian thinking
between Sunni and Shi'ite communities at this critical time.

Stefan Christoff: Can you talk about Future T.V., the critiques towards this
particular station and more generally the role that news media plays in the
conflict in Lebanon today?

Raed Rafei: Basically all T.V. networks in Lebanon are an extension of the
political parties or forces that own them. Independent stations operating in
the country are a minority, in the 1990's there was an active effort to tie
media outlets to the major political forces in the country. Most media outlets
are mouthpieces for major political parties in Lebanon.

Certainly there shouldn.t be any attempt to undermine freedom of expression for
the media in Lebanon, however there needs to be an independent monitoring force
in Lebanon to halt the media's role in spreading rumors and false messages at
sensitive times such as now. Sadly all major media outlets in Lebanon are
strongly influenced by major political parties in the country, they play the
game.

Clearly there is a problem with the messages that Future T.V. broadcasts,
however this problem should be dealt with in another way, in a time of peace.

Stefan Christoff: Now concerning your experiences in Beirut these last week.
Can you describe what people have been saying to you as a journalists this past
week. Now we are hearing consistent gunfire as we speak, so can you describe
your experiences on the streets in Beirut this past week?

Raed Rafei: I live in West Beirut and people are so tired from the events this
past week. Most people at this stage are tired and simply want an end to the
crisis, they are willing to accept almost any political solution that brings
down the violence experienced within the past week.

Now the problem is that in areas such as Tripoli, which is predominantly Sunni,
people are extremely angry about what happened in Beirut. A growing rhetoric
exists in the country that defines Lebanon in sectarian terms, classifying
people or areas as Sunni or Shi'ite, feelings of hatred between religious
communities is growing today in Lebanon. Tripoli is an example, however there
are other areas where these feelings are quickly developing in Lebanon. People
are becoming more irrational in the current context.

In covering recent events, people in Beirut were extremely suspicious, always
asking for my papers, even after explaining that I was a journalists, people
would still ask where I come from in Lebanon, my background. In covering the
conflict in an area where Hezbollah is more powerful, people were generally
suspicious until they feel that I support their cause. This sectarian reality
is very disturbing today in Lebanon.

Stefan Christoff: Let's talk more on the recent events, many people who are
sympathetic to the political goals for the opposition, who are critical towards
U.S. policy in the Middle East or Israel are critical towards the recent
actions from Hezbollah. It could be argued that internal military action in
Lebanon between the opposition and the government will never result in a
compromise, that Hezbollah's actions will never win over the supporters of
Future movement or Walid Jumblat to the ideas that propel the opposition. Can
you offer any critiques towards recent actions by the opposition in Lebanon
from sources or outlets that are generally considered sympathetic to the
opposition for example Al-Akbar newspaper.

Raed Rafei: Clearly Hezbollah realizes that the country is highly polarized.
Hezbollah most likely didn't think that they would loose a great deal of their
support base in pursuing this most recent operation, as the people opposed to
Hezbollah in Lebanon would remain against them, while the very strong popular
base that supports Hezbollah would continue to support the opposition.

Clearly there are ethical questions surrounding Hezbollah's engagement in this
internal fighting in Lebanon. As Hezbollah has repeatedly stated that they
would never turn their weapons to the inside. As Hezbollah has attempted to
maintain an almost holy image in Lebanon for years now. Last week after Hassan
Nasrallah gave a press conference in which he was questioned on the possibility
for Hezbollah to use weapons inside Lebanon, a justification was made by
Nasrallah that the recent events were a utilization of Hezbollah's weapons to
defend their weaponry, which isn.t a convincing argument to many in Lebanon.

Now this debate on Hezbollah using their weapons inside Lebanon is a very big
debate, as many are very worried. Recent events could be viewed as an effort
from one political group to impose their political will on the country, simply
because they are stronger militarily, in this case it's Hezbollah.

Hezbollah on the other hand explains that the recent military actions were
extremely limited, that it was a response to an attack from the government,
that it was self-defense. Hezbollah is saying that the recent events show that
the goal isn't to take over Beirut, or anywhere else in Lebanon, that they want
the political process, or negotiation process to start immediately and that
negotiations are the only way to find a long term solution. For this reason
Hezbollah quickly handed over areas overtaken in Beirut to the Lebanese Army.

Stefan Christoff: Finally can you talk about your work as a journalist working
in Lebanon? You wrote that it's exhausting reporting on this internal conflict,
much more exhausting than reporting on the 2006 Israeli attack on Lebanon. Can
you talk about your work as a journalist in Lebanon within the context of the
current conflict?

Raed Rafei: Clearly it's exhausting, because as a Lebanese journalist you
become involved in the conflict, it consumes you. Apart from covering the
conflict, also I am a citizen sitting at home, hearing all the shooting and
witnessing all the terrible events. Clearly throughout the past week, I was
worried about the safety of my family of all my friends, of everyone in
Lebanon, while trying to report fairly on the recent events. This constant
worry makes working in these conditions very difficult.

* Raed Rafei is a Lebanese reporter and a blogger working for the Los Angeles
Times in Beirut, you can read Raed Rafei's writing at the Los Angeles Times.

Broadcasts from Beirut is broadcast in audio format on CKUT Radio in Montreal:
http://www.ckut.ca

''''''''''''''''''''''

* Lebanon: Currents of Conflict
An interview with Bilal Elamine.

Broadcasts from Beirut: A Tadamon! interview project aiming to highlight
progressive voices from the ground in Lebanon on the ongoing conflict, voices
independent from major political parties...

http://tadamon.resist.ca/index.php/post/1416

Conflict in Lebanon has spread this past week beyond Beirut, to mountain areas
above the capital city, to Tripoli in Northern Lebanon. Throughout Lebanon a
tense political stand-off remains between the U.S.-backed government lead-by
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and a political opposition fronted by the armed
Lebanese political party Hezbollah.

Fear concerning a return to the violence that defined the fifteen year Lebanese
civil-war has spread across Lebanon and the entire Middle East. In recent days
fighting has expanded beyond the capital as the death toll resulting from
internal strife has sharply risen, including a gruesome killing carried out
against Hezbollah supporters by pro-government militias in the mountains above
Beirut. Events in recent days are intensifying fears that Lebanon will once
again fall to the bloody violence common throughout the fifteen year civil
conflict.

Current conflict in Lebanon is intimately tied to recent history, particularly
the 2006 Israeli attack on Lebanon that left over one-thousand Lebanese
civilians dead and wreaked major damage to the civilian infrastructure across
the country. Despite Lebanon's major losses, resistance to Israel's attack lead
by Hezbollah, severely undermined Israel's military image in the Middle East,
after the Israel failed to wipe-out Hezbollah with strong U.S. backing for a
war that ended with a U.N. brokered ceasefire in August 2006.

Disarming Hezbollah is a critical point to U.S. policy in the Middle East, a
goal central to U.S. support for Israel.s attack on Lebanon in 2006 and defined
in writing in the U.S.-French sponsored U.N. Resolution 1559. A recent move by
the current Lebanese government to declare Hezbollah.s telecommunications
network illegal, compliments U.S. aims to disarm Hezbollah in Lebanon. This
government decision sparked the recent violence in Lebanon.

In this interview Bilal Elamine, currently living in Beirut, originally from
Southern Lebanon, the former editor of Left Turn Magazine, offers reflections
on recent events in Lebanon and their relation to the broader U.S.-driven
policies in the Middle East.

Stefan Christoff: Since mid last week there has been fighting in Lebanon, first
in the capital Beirut but now it has spread to other districts in Lebanon.
Could you provide your perspective on the current situation in Lebanon?

Bilal Elamine: Beirut has now calmed down significantly. Fighting in Beirut
created immediate ripples to the north where some ugly incidents took place.
Hariri supporters in the north, who were seeking revenge after loosing the
battle in Beirut, went around burning offices of opposition political parties
in northern Lebanon, attacking an office for the Syrian Social Nationalist
Party, which is involved with the opposition in Lebanon. In this attack eleven
people from the Syrian Social Nationalist Party were killed, a pro-government
militia attack with a high number of deaths.

Then fighting moved into the mountains, up above Beirut, an area that is
heavily populated by Druze in Lebanon, an area traditionally dominated by the
politician Walid Jumblat. Confrontations started in the mountains yesterday,
including some civil-war type atrocities carried out by militias loyal to Walid
Jumblat, when a small group from Hezbollah were kidnapped, then two were killed
execution style, their bodies cut-up with knife blades. After this four
civilians were killed in an attack on an area sympathetic to Hezbollah, carried
out again by pro-government militias, which really ignited a battle up in the
mountains.

This battle in the mountains ended after Druze leaders allied with the
opposition stepped-in, engaging in negotiations with Jumblat and starting to
work to disarm the mountain areas. A call was put out after these negotiations
to halt any fighting within the Druze community split between opposing sides in
this conflict. Although now opposition leaders are claiming that militias
allied with Walid Jumblat still maintain heavy weaponry, that could be used to
further sectarian violence. People in Lebanon are uneasy at the possibility
that militias allied with Jumblat in the mountains maintain heavy weaponry and
worry further if they plan to use this weaponry against the opposition. This
situation in the mountains is much less stable compared to the situation in
Beirut.

Today there was an Arab League meeting which doesn't seem to have resulted in
any new developments. However the Arab League is sending a number of ministers
to Lebanon for Wednesday to hold a marathon type negotiation to attempt to
resolve the political crisis. Now concerning the Lebanese government which is
currently under the lights, the government of Fouad Sinora, most people in
Lebanon expected that the government would reverse their two decisions, which
ignited this entire episode, however the government has postponed a decision on
this until Wednesday. This suggests that the government may not even go back on
these two decisions and that they are certainly not going to resign, however we
will wait until the Arab League arrives to broker discussions.

It is clear that the opposition has now created facts on the ground, which are
going to be difficult to reverse, having tipped the power scales to where they
should have been a long time ago between the government and the opposition.
Clearly the opposition will win political gains from what they have done on the
ground in Lebanon in recent days. If the violence doesn.t become carried away
in the mountains, the opposition will have carried out a rather short and
limited operation that avoided confrontation with the Lebanese army and major
sectarian violence. Certainly sectarian tensions exist however the situation
hasn't broken down into major sectarian violence between Lebanon's religious
communities. Hopefully we will arrive at a political solution very soon,
especially after these last horrible days. Casualties may rest at around sixty
people dead with over one-hundred injuries.

Stefan Christoff: In Lebanon today parallel identities or political visions for
the country exist. First the shadow of the former Lebanese government lead by
Prime Minister Fouad Sinora and then the Hezbollah-lead opposition, which
maintain very different visions for Lebanon. Could you highlight the key
political differences between the two major forces in Lebanon today?

Bilal Elamine: Often the difference between these two political forces is
characterized as being sectarian, however it's really a political disagreement.
The cutting edge for this disagreement is related to the U.S. project in the
Middle East, which began officially after the events of 9/11 in New York. This
U.S. project in the Middle East is met with resistance from both political
movements and government regimes in the region who are opposed to the U.S.
project in the Middle East, who stand to oppose it and have everything to lose
from the U.S. vision for the Middle East. This force includes the governments
of Iran and Syria who have been openly targeted by the U.S., along with Hamas
in Palestine and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Often it's repeated that Hamas and Hezbollah are tools for Iran in the region,
however a more accurate way to view the relationship are than these are all
political forces that have a common opposition to U.S. interference in the
Middle East. Also movements and governments that are opposed to Israel.

In Lebanon we are divided between these two separate visions for the Middle
East, with one side represented by the current government who is attempting to
implement the U.S. project for the region, from the adoption of a neo-liberal
economy, to opening the door for concessions to Israel, or even the possibility
to settle the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon as a
major concession to Israel in order to erase the Palestinian right to return.

So the other political force in Lebanon is openly trying to resist this U.S.
vision for Lebanon and the Middle East, this side is lead by Hezbollah and a
number of other political parties within the Lebanese opposition. It is clear
today that the Lebanese opposition spans all sects in Lebanon and that the
major difference spurring the current fighting in Lebanon is political not
sectarian.

Stefan Christoff: Now concerning the current events in Lebanon there obviously
exists a major fear within the country towards a return to the violence that
defined the Lebanese civil-war between 1975 and 1990. Do you feel that people
in Lebanon today who are politically sympathetic to the ideals represented by
the opposition are also critical towards the recent actions taken by opposition
forces in Beirut?

Bilal Elamine: Certainly it was a very dangerous undertaking, the recent
actions from Hezbollah, a movement that has always had great fear to turning
their weapons towards internal battles in Lebanon. Hezbollah turning their arms
toward internal political battles could lead people to categorize Hezbollah as
another militia and Lebanese are very fearful towards militias due to traumatic
and violent experiences within the civil-war.

Also this recent move from Hezbollah is dangerous because it has the
possibility to create sectarian strife in the country particularly between the
Shi'ite and Sunni Muslim communities in Lebanon. Unfortunately sectarian civil
strife has a long history, so once it starts it's difficult to reverse the
tide.

For these reasons the Lebanese opposition has been reluctant to do anything for
so long, to take any concrete action against the government despite continued
provocations. It's been two years now for the opposition receiving blow after
blow from the government, particularly Hezbollah, even the gunning down of
Hezbollah supporters by the Lebanese army only months ago.

A decision from the Lebanese government last week to attempt to shut-down
Hezbollah's communication network was a qualitative provocation from the
government, in that the decision directly attacked a key element for the
Lebanese resistance. This communication network is very important, it protects
the Hezbollah leadership, it's an attempt from the government to uncover
Hezbollah to an enemy that is dying to attack, which is Israel.

This move to enter Beirut by Hezbollah was taken in this context and this move
from Hezbollah preempted what could have been a serious civil war because
essentially pro-government forces have been using increasingly sectarian
language in Lebanon. Last week the night prior to a major labor strike called
by General Labor Confederation, the grand Mufti in Lebanon, the top Sunni
cleric, delivered an extremely sectarian speech, that to any Lebanese should be
a terrifying speech, which was openly using sectarian language. This speech
illustrates that the pro-government forces were attempting to rally Sunni
communities in Lebanon around the government on a sectarian not political
basis, which is extremely dangerous.

Sectarian strife in Lebanon has been avoided until now due to the methods
behind Hezbollah's recent actions, which did include some serious mistakes
including an attack on a pro-government T.V. station and newspaper by Hezbollah
allies. Although overall the Hezbollah-lead actions were quick, clean, they
avoided the type of sectarian violence that we all fear in Lebanon. Although
clearly things are not settled especially in the mountain areas above Beirut.

Stefan Christoff: Can you comment on the role that media has played in the
recent conflict in Lebanon, you mention that a pro-government T.V. network,
Future T.V. was attacked by opposition forces. In this context could you expand
on the political role that media in Lebanon and internationally has played
concerning recent events in Lebanon?

Bilal Elamine: Most media networks in Lebanon are an extension from the various
political parties, especially in such times this reality becomes more defined.
There is one channel that is sympathetic to the opposition but that doesn.t
belong to a political party, which is New T.V., which you can view for some
semblance of balance. Today political news is passing over the T.V. channels 24
hours a day, without missing a second, even in calm periods there is heavy
political coverage in Lebanon, many talk shows on the various networks debating
political issues with politicians and analysts.

Concerning recent events many networks have been maintaining live coverage
throughout the day, which allows one to follow the events closely, however you
have to view a mix from all the channels to get a sense on what's really going
on, to get a clear picture. One thing that stood out in these recent events, is
that once opposition forces did attack the Future movement media outlets,
Al-Arabia, a Saudi Arabia financed T.V. station attempting to compete with Al
Jazeera T.V., played a nasty, vicious, Fox T.V. type role concerning the events
in Lebanon by propagating rumors that have the potential to create massacres in
Lebanon.

Last week an angry person, who doesn't belong to any political party, attacked
a funeral in Beirut procession for a Sunni person who died in a very sensitive
area in Beirut, killing a number of people at the funeral. After it was was
clear that this person had no connection to the opposition, Al Arabia continued
to broadcast that this person was from the opposition. In a sense Al Arabia was
compensating for the type of broadcasting that is common on Future T.V., which
is often sectarian and rumor based.

Also Al Arabia is currently preparing to air a program framed on the future for
Sunni Muslims in Lebanon. For Lebanese clearly we are aware that sectarian
sensitivities exist, sensitivities that are amplified in the context of the
current political dispute, however Al Arabia is attempting to portray Lebanese
society as more sectarian that it really is, which is extremely provocative.

Clearly the government throughout the past couple years has been attempting to
contain the opposition movement as Shi'ite or Iranian-backed, attempting to tip
the scales against the opposition. This same language is being heavily utilized
by Al Arabia.

Today it's possible that the possibility for sectarian violence in Lebanon has
been possibly thwarted by the recent actions from the opposition, who have
successfully undermined the government that has been propelling sectarian
strife in the country.

Stefan Christoff: Now let's focus on the way that you witnessed recent events.
In Beirut you with friends operate an alternative café in the Hamra district,
Taa Marbuuta, can you describe the recent events in Lebanon as you witnessed
them?

Bilal Elamine: As the fighting started had all just finished watching the
speech from Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary General of Hezbollah, at the café.
Within the hour after the speech, in the area surrounding the café became very
tense. This is an area which is close to where opposition leader Saad Hariri
lives, an area with major security. Despite claims from pro-government parties
that they aren't harboring or creating militia forces it has became apparent
that pro-government parties, mainly the Future movement, have been organizing
groups of young unemployed men into militias throughout West Beirut.

Shortly after the speech from Hassan Nasrallah last week, men appeared in the
area carrying large machine guns, with military vests, then suddenly these men
working in pro-government militias started screaming and yelling then fire
fighting broke out. By the next morning these elements had disappeared, the
Hariri militias, who were completely routed out by Hezbollah, very quickly.
Looking back it's easy to understand, as the Future movement militias were
obviously very disorganized, meaning that they were very easy for Hezbollah and
allies to disperse.

In Hamra, Hezbollah forces did come into the area however along with other
armed groups that are based in the area, including the Syrian Social
Nationalist Party, who in coordination took over the entire area throughout the
night. The next morning in walking around it was clear that there were some
battles that did take place but nothing major, as the death toll after the
first night of fighting in Beirut was below a dozen people, which was
surprising.

In this area, in Hamra, the two sides practically know each other, as we are
talking about the Syrian Social Nationalist Party came from just a few blocks
down the street to take this area. Most likely the people fighting on both
sides had some level of familiarity which most certainly helped to diffuse the
tensions very quickly. Since late last week people are weary, coming out from
the house not often, just to stock-up on supplies, to get some fresh air.

Last week during the days of fighting I did see some armed men driving around
in cars with arms hanging out the windows, a scary image reminiscent of the
Lebanese civil-war, however by yesterday in Beirut most of the armed men were
off the streets although there are still pockets around the city especially in
sensitive areas.

Mainly now it's the military that is present, all around the Hamra area, near
the café, which is very unusual for this area. At night people generally stay
inside, many are waiting for the meetings to start this week, brokered by the
Arab League, hoping that they will bring good news.

Stefan Christoff: Now let's talk about the regional context relating to the
recent events in Lebanon, especially the war between Lebanon and Israel in
2006, especially given that you mentioned that many are awaiting to see the
results from the upcoming visit from the Arab League to Beirut.

Bilal Elamine: Clearly the U.S. has a particular project to change the
political face of the Middle East, a project that is facing some major
opposition, often represented by the governments of Iran and Syria. In Lebanon
resistance to the U.S. project for the Middle East has been lead by Hezbollah,
now a targeted organization or movement.

Hezbollah has been faced with many obstacles in recent years, first U.N.
Resolution 1559 that didn't really develop into anything concrete in Lebanon,
it essentially failed, then after the assassination of former Prime Minister
Rafic Hariri, the U.S. was able to increase the pressure by pressuring the
Syrians to leave Lebanon, hoping to cut-off the links between Syria and
Hezbollah.

Then the most serious attack on Hezbollah came in July 2006 as Israel attacked
Lebanon. At this time it became quickly apparent that Israel after a couple
weeks wanted to halt the attack on Lebanon, however the U.S. insisted, pushing
Israel to continue the war until Hezbollah was finished. This scenario lead
Israel into a military disaster in Lebanon.

Since 2006 pro-U.S. forces have been gathering in Lebanon, bringing together
various parties that cut-across sectarian lines, lead by the Future movement
represented by Saad Hariri and Walid Jumblat from the Progressive Socialist
Party in Lebanon, to undermine Hezbollah internally in Lebanon through various
attempts that until now have been unsuccessful.

For example the tragedy surrounding Nahr el-Bared, when the Lebanese army
virtually destroyed a Palestinian refugee camp in North Lebanon in the past
year, in a battle against the radical Sunni militia Fatah al-Islam. At one
point the government had thought, which was outlined through various research
conducted by journalists internationally, that Fatah al-Islam could be utilized
a shock troops against Hezbollah. Clearly this plan exploded in the
government's face.

Until now the pro-western government has tried many things to undermine
Hezbollah which hasn't worked. Now the government moved to apply pressure on
Hezbollah in declaring their communications network illegal, a move that
provoked the fighting in recent days.

At one point it was clear that the U.S. was pushing to hit Iran with military
strikes, however U.S. allies in the region, particularly the Arab Gulf states,
argued correctly that at strike on Iran would be disastrous for their
economies. The U.S. also moved to attempt to isolate Syria, to put pressures on
the Syrian regime, shortly after the invasion of Iraq, a move toward Syria that
eventually didn't go anywhere.

Also the U.S. has been developing ways with allies in the region and in Lebanon
to apply serious pressure on Hezbollah, within the same campaign. Between the
events in the past week and the 2006 war that Israel lost, the U.S. seems to
have gotten their fingers burnt in Lebanon. Now the U.S. campaign in the Middle
East has gotten another slap in the face.

Hopefully with a new administration in the U.S., some lessons will have been
learned as a result of numerous serious set-backs to U.S. interests in the
region and beyond, from Afghanistan, to Iraq, to Palestine and now in Lebanon.
Despite the failings for U.S. policy in Lebanon, other strategies are being
attempted, now the U.S. has once again sent the USS Cole, a massive U.S.
military ship, to patrol the coastal waters not far from Beirut.

Although I think that the movement from the U.S. to send the USS Cole is most
likely an empty gesture. In a sense I think that the U.S. wasn't ready for the
events that have taken place in Lebanon this past week, in any case the U.S.
isn't reacting quickly, or at least don't know how to respond exactly to the
situation today in Lebanon.

Until now the U.S. hasn't moved to address the current situation in Lebanon at
the United Nations, hasn't threated anything serious in a unilateral sense,
actually in comparison to other situations the U.S. statements have been mild,
which perhaps means that the U.S. didn't expect Hezbollah to sweep Beirut in
the way it did, it has taken the U.S. and their allies off guard.


* Bilal Elamine is currently living in Beirut, originally from Southern
Lebanon, the former editor of Left Turn Magazine. In Beirut, Bilal works with
the alternative café in the Hamra district, Taa Marbuuta...

''''''''''''''''''''''

* Lebanon: Beirut in Crisis
Interview with activist & publisher Samah Idriss in Beirut, Lebanon.

http://tadamon.resist.ca/index.php/post/1397

Lebanon is currently facing a major political crisis, as armed battles have
erupted in multiple districts in Beirut, battles between pro-government forces
and the political opposition backed by the Lebanese movement Hezbollah.
Currently the Lebanese capital is divided, as opposition forces maintain a hold
in West Beirut, having handed control in certain districts to the Lebanese
Army, while the western-backed Lebanese government remains in lock down at the
Lebanese Parliament buildings.

Today Lebanon's government has maintained a contested hold on official state
power in Lebanon without representation from Hezbollah or other opposition
parties for over one year. This week the government announced that Hezbollah's
independent communications network or telephone system operating in Lebanon as
illegal, sparking the current crisis. Hezbollah's independent telephone or
communications system is considered to be a critical element to the success of
the Lebanese resistance to Israel in successfully halting Israel's 2006 attack
on Lebanon.

Lebanon's current crisis revolves around pointed divisions on the future
definition for the country, a division involving countless perspectives in
Lebanon, however a conflict that pits the pro-U.S. government and a Hezbollah
lead opposition which opposes western intervention in the Middle East on
opposite sides. Lebanon's current conflict exists within a broader political
crisis in the Middle East in the context of the U.S.-backed "War on Terror",
spanning from Palestine, to Iraq, to Egypt.

Samah Idriss is a co-founder of the Campaign to Boycott Supporters of Israel, a
lexicographer, a literary critic who earned a PhD from Columbia University in
1991, and is editor-in-chief of al-Adab, a Lebanese arts and culture magazine
based in Beirut. Samah is also deeply involved in Civilian Resistance Campaign
in Lebanon that organized between people in Lebanon and internationals to
provide direct aid at a grassroots level to people impacts by the 2006 Israeli
attack on Lebanon. Samah Idriss spoke with Tadamon!'s Stefan Christoff
concerning the current political crisis in Lebanon.


Stefan Christoff: First can you describe the current situation in Beirut?

Samah Idriss: Now everything is relatively calm. All the offices of the
government-backed Future Movement in West Beirut have surrendered and many of
the pro-government 'fighters', many who were invited to come from Northern
Lebanon, often without even knowing that they were going to fight, have
surrendered to the opposition and the opposition has handed these people and
offices over to the Lebanese Army.

Now that the forces from the March 14th 'movement' have lost this battle,
pro-government forces claim that they weren't preparing for a war, that they
aren't organizing armed militias and that they weren't instigating the
fighting, while claiming that Hezbollah is acting on behalf of Iran and Syria.

It is critical to remember that this current situation started when the
Lebanese government, a couple days ago, decided to declare the Hezbollah
communications system or independent telephone grid as illegal. This is
critical because this communications system was a major reason behind
Hezbollah's victory against Israel in July 2006. Given that the Hezbollah
system isn't wireless it is harder for Israel or the U.S. to crack or decode
this communications network. This communication system was key to Hezbollah
preventing Israeli forces from knowing the positions and movements of Hezbollah
and it's leadership during the war in 2006.

So this current scenario commenced with an instigation from the western-backed
government. Additionally the government wanted to kick-out a person in charge
at the international airport in Beirut who is close to Hezbollah, in order to
replace them with another person who would not be able to assist Hezbollah to
know who travels in and out at the airport.

These two actions from the government, the declaration of Hezbollah's
communication network as illegal and the attempt to oust a Hezbollah
sympathetic person at Beirut's international airport, instigated the attack
from the opposition, lead by Hezbollah.

West Beirut is now under the control of the Lebanese Army, after the opposition
took over the party offices representing the March 14th movement. Currently
it's not clear if things will develop in other areas in Lebanon such as in the
Mountains, this remains unclear.

Stefan Christoff: Now concerning the way that the current situation is being
reported in the western press, we are reading a basic depiction that involves
armed clashes between pro-government militias and Hezbollah supporters
throughout Beirut. Also there is a focus on distilling the current scenario
into sectarian terms, breaking down the division as fought between Sunni and
Shi'ite forces. Also you highlighted that Hezbollah or opposition forces have
handed over certain pro-government offices or Future Movement offices to the
Lebanese Army, which is not being widely reported in the western press.
Mainstream media in North America is reporting that West Beirut is under
Hezbollah's control. In this light could you offer your critiques towards the
mainstream media.s coverage concerning the events in Beirut within the last 48
hours, both western media and media in the Middle East?

Samah Idriss: Media that is allied with the government in Lebanon aims to
present the current situation simply as sectarian strife. Equaling coverage
that claims the Shi'ite are invading the Sunni West Beirut. First it's
important to highlight that Beirut was never strictly Sunni, while the people
who are now fighting for the opposition, many belong to Beirut, live in Beirut,
a city that has never been just Sunni but a mixture of all religious sects in
Lebanon. This is one critical point.

Clearly there is a strategy from the government and pro-government forces to
portray Hezbollah as the outsiders, to try to portray Hezbollah as a force
coming to change the nature of Beirut by bringing in Shi'ite elements, Iranian
elements, Persian elements, barbarian elements, etc. All oriental stereotypes
that mainstream western media and some mainstream Arab media will quickly
adopt. Not certain however that this portrayal for Hezbollah could work in the
Arab media because Hezbollah is widely respected as the major defender for the
Arab cause, for the Palestinian cause.

Across the Middle East the mainstream Sunni populations don't view Hezbollah or
it's leader Hassan Nasrallah as a sectarian leader or simply a Shi'ite leader.
However the mainstream pro-government media in Lebanon attempt to portray
Hezbollah as completely a sectarian movement, in tune with the political lines
fostered by the governments of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, France and the U.S.

Government forces in Lebanon claim they represent a peaceful vision for the
country with their common slogan, "I Love Life", while claiming that Lebanon is
being invaded by the violent Hezbollah now in West Beirut.

Stefan Christoff: Now concerning recent events that lead to the current
situation, there was a call for a general strike put forward by the General
Labor Confederation for May 7th. Clearly there is an economic reality to the
current situation in Lebanon, growing poverty rates, little employment
opportunities in the country, which presents a larger economic context to
recent events. Could you offer a critique within an economic framework in the
context of the current situation in Beirut?

Samah Idriss: Unfortunately the opposition isn't directly connecting the
current situation to Lebanon's economic crisis. A major political defect to the
opposition.

Currently Lebanon is experiencing many major economic problems, the minimum
wage rests very low and the General Labor Confederation called a strike to
demand a rise for the minimum wage in Lebanon. The government conceded just
prior to the strike to slightly raise the minimum wage, not meeting the just
demand put forward by the national union of workers for fair wages in Lebanon.
Still even with the raise to the minimum wage proposed by the government one
could not sustain themselves or their family on this very low wage.

Although the opposition, lead-by Hezbollah, is allied with the General Labor
Confederation, the opposition has not presented a solid economic critique of
the government. Unfortunately Lebanon's economic reality and it's impacts
economically on people don't rank very high in the priorities put forward by
the opposition. This is a major pitfall from the Lebanese opposition today.

Stefan Christoff: It could be argued that the motivation for the youth to take
the streets to participate in the current clashes is directly connected to the
lack of opportunities economically or for employment today in Lebanon today.
Could you comment on this?

Samah Idriss: Clearly the terrible economic situation plays an important role
in the current clashes. However the people who are now fighting for the
opposition are organized, it's not a popular uprising or rebellion in the
traditional sense, the opposition is being lead by organized elements who have
specific goals and a specific agenda. At the same time there are some
unorganized elements who burned things randomly, however they are a minority.
Broadly speaking the opposition forces are a political movement that is
extremely well organized.

Also it is critical to note that many pro-government forces who fought against
the opposition in recent days, were people traveled from extremely impoverished
areas like Akkar in Northern Lebanon, lead by the Future Movement to Beirut who
was offering money to impoverished people to fight against opposition forces in
Beirut. In certain cases people coming from Akkar weren't even aware prior to
arriving in Beirut that they were coming to the capital to fight, thinking that
they were coming to Beirut to fill labor positions, these are people who were
manipulated by the Future Movement.

Many people from Akkar in this context quickly surrendered to opposition forces
in West Beirut, declaring on local T.V. and radio that they weren't aware that
they were being lead by pro-government forces, mainly the Future Movement, to
Beirut to fight the opposition. Also some youth who fought for the opposition
forces were lead to fight with money, however this is a minority. However it's
important to recognize that the terrible economic situation in Lebanon is
leading people to fight in multiple cases.

Unfortunately now people are not speaking about issues facing workers today in
Lebanon, the critical economic issues that the General Labor Confederation put
forward have been lost in the mainstream discussions surrounding the violence
of recent days, while economics played a critical role in creating the current
situation.

Stefan Christoff: Let's focus on the current government in Lebanon. Over one
year has passed since Hezbollah representatives quit the government, the
opposition has declared the current government as illegitimate. Can you present
your perspectives on the current government in Lebanon, lead by Prime Minister
Fouad Siniora, it's alliances to the governments of U.S., France, Canada, but
also it's handling on the current crisis in Lebanon.

Samah Idriss: Lebanon's government today is unconstitutional. A government that
isn't in tune with Lebanon's constitution in the sense that it the government
is suppose to represent all sects and communities in Lebanon. As soon as
Hezbollah's Ministers withdrew from the government it became an illegitimate
government. Now the government maintains that it remains constitutional or
legitimate as it refused to acknowledge the withdrawal of the Hezbollah
ministers, not choosing alternative ministers to represent the Shi'ite
community, however clearly it's an unconstitutional government.

On an international level, obviously this government is allied with the U.S.,
with France, with Saudi Arabia, with Egypt, viewing itself as part of the U.S.
or E.U. political agenda in the Middle East, that they put forward with the
empty slogan, "I Love Life", in Lebanon. Today the government presents itself
to the west as fighting a Syrian and Iranian axis that is based on a culture of
martyrdom or a cultural of death, as the government claims, while the current
government represents western values in Lebanon, values put forward with empty
slogans that utilize words like, 'freedom', 'sovereignty' and 'independence'.

Actually the government also uses language to present Hezbollah as somehow an
external force to Lebanon, using similar language that we use in Lebanon to
describe Israeli forces. While at the time when a real external threat invaded
Lebanon in 2006, the Israeli army, the current government did nothing to
resist, contrary to their slogans about 'sovereignty', 'independence' and
'freedom'.

Stefan Christoff: Want to discuss the current crisis in Lebanon as related to
the war between Lebanon and Israel in 2006. Hassan Nasrallah has made clear the
importance of Hezbollah.s independent telephone network to the resistance
against Israel's invasion in 2006, citing the communications network as a
critical element to Hezbollah.s resistance strategy. In reading western press
reports on the current crisis in Lebanon there are little parallels or
connections drawn between the 2006 Israeli attack on Lebanon and the current
crisis. Could you expand on the ways in which the current crisis and the 2006
Israeli invasion are intertwined?

Samah Idriss: Hezbollah's telecommunication network is an important weapon for
the resistance movement in Lebanon, playing a critical role in 2006 war. It a
sense the communications system is even more important than Hezbollah's rockets
or weaponry. In 2006 the entire weapons arsenal would have done little without
the telecommunications network. Now for the Lebanese government to demand to
control this communications network, or for it to be dismantled, is equivalent
to demanding that Hezbollah hand-over their arms to the government.

Israel and the U.S. first wanted to disarm Hezbollah through U.N. Resolution
1559 politically, with support from western-backed forces in Lebanon. Once this
strategy failed the U.S. and Israel tried to disarm Hezbollah by force in 2006
through an invasion. In a sense it was the U.S. that invaded Lebanon in 2006.
This attempt to disarm Hezbollah failed due to the Lebanese resistance. Now
again the same forces are attempting to disarm Hezbollah, however through a
different strategy, using different titles, this time the focus is on the
telecommunications network of Hezbollah in Lebanon a critical element to
Hezbollah's arms.

Given this context it is clear why Hezbollah, as expressed by a press
conference given the Hassan Nasrallah this week, was outraged by the
government's decision to attempt to dismantle this telecommunications network,
that without a doubt assisted in saving Lebanese lives during the 2006 Israeli
attack.

* Read an interview with Samah Idriss conducted for Electronic Intifada in
2005, on-line at:

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article4155.shtml

-----------------------

http://www.ahewar.org/debat/show.art.asp?t=0&userID=86&aid=133871

Artists Against Apartheid III
bridges from South Africa to Palestine...

------------------------------>
THURSDAY, MAY 8th, 8:30pm
Doors: 8-15$
La Sala Rossa, 4848 St. Laurent
Montreal, Quebec
------------------------------>

http://tadamon.resist.ca/index.php/post/1369

A cultural event organized by Tadamon! Montreal and the Kalmunity Vibe
Collective, the third in a series under the banner Artists Against Apartheid,
uniting Montreal artists in support of the growing international movement to
boycott Israeli apartheid. This evening will draw parallels between the
struggle for freedom and against apartheid in South Africa and the contemporary
struggle against Israeli apartheid today in Palestine. Artists Against
Apartheid III: Brides from South Africa to Palestine takes place within a
context of commemorative events to mark the 60th year of the Palestinian Nakba
('catastrophe'). 60 years of dispossession, ethnic cleansing and exile for
Palestinians resulting from the creation of the state of Israel...

performances from:

* Kalmunity Word Sound System with DJ Andy Williams featuring:

Jason "Blackbird" Selman (poet, trumpet)
Fabrice Koffy (lyricist)
Joel "Jahnice" Janis (vocalist)
Katalyst (lyricist)
Zibz Black Current (lyricist)
Karl Pricot (percussion)
Mohamed Mehdi (guitar, voice)
Empress Deeqa (voice)

* members of Nomadic Massive featuring:

Lou Piensa (lyricist)
Waahli aka Wyzah (lyricist)
Butta Beats (lyricist / beat-box)

* 23 (Tu-Three) with DJ Crook

As a Muslim-American hip-hop artists 23 addresses through beats and rhymes
struggles for social justice from inside the walls of fortress North America.
Recently 23 (Tu-Three) released an album with Abdelkader Belouni, an Algerian
refugee living in sanctuary at St. Gabriel's Church in Point St. Charles, who
has engaged in a protracted struggle for status from the Canadian government
making headlines throughout the local press and throughout the world.
http://www.myspace.com/23andkader

* Featuring a raffle with original art works from Palestinian artist Nidal
Elkhairy (http://www.nidal48.com) and Freda Guttman, raffle will be drawn at
the concert and tickets are two dollars at the door...

information on performers:

* Nomadic Massive is a Montreal based collective of independent Hip-Hop artists
who have come together in an effort to combine their energies and spread their
music across borders. The crew is made up of independent artists who share a
similar vision of music and life as well as a desire to travel and experience
the cultures of the world through their art. Although this collective is new,
its members have been working in the music community for many years as artists
but also as radio show host, organizers, educators, street-workers, producers
and other community oriented roles. WHY Nomadic Massive? Because they are
cultural nomads, all uprooted since birth and latching on to Hip-Hop to express
this disruption. The crew reps a cultural diversity reflective of the city they
evolve in. Musical nomads also, representing an open-minded Hip-Hop which finds
its inspiration in the tradition of the past, combining samplers, turntables
and traditional instruments. Well aware of the contradictions of Hip-Hop.s
globalization process, the massive feels it is vital to be in touch with other
scenes across the world, especially those in less developed economies, to
share, learn, be inspired and spread a message of love, peace and universal
understanding. http://www.nomadicmassive.ca/

* Kalmunity Vibe Collective has caught the minds and consciousness of people
throughout this city, as the cultural network Kalmunity Vibe Collective
presents a groundbreaking cultural space celebrating social justice and
innovative musicality. As A collective of local artists dedicated to promoting
and perpetuating the potential of art as a tool for communication and activism
for social, political and environmental consciousness. Their uplifting 'live
organic improv' every week is at Montreal's Sablo Café.
http://www.kalmunity.com

This event is hosted by Tadamon! Montreal, whose work is directed at building
solidarity between movements for social and economic justice in Montreal and
the Middle East. In Canada, Tadamon works to support the boycott, sanctions &
divestment of Israeli apartheid & to challenge the listing of Hezbollah as a
terrorist organization by the Canadian government.

* Tadamon!: Delisting Hezbollah
http://tadamon.resist.ca/index.php/campaigns/de-listing-hezbollah

* Tadamon!: Boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israeli apartheid
http://tadamon.resist.ca/index.php/campaigns/boycott-divestment-and-sanctions-ag\
ainst-israeli-apartheid

Tadamon! Montreal
514 664 1036 / tadamon[at]resist.ca / http://tadamon.resist.ca

----

* Sixty Years of Nakba: Sixty Years of Resistance!
May Actions Against Israeli Apartheid in Montreal

http://tadamon.resist.ca/index.php/post/1384

Join in actions and events taking place in Montreal throughout the month of May
2008, marking sixty years of struggle against Israeli apartheid.


* Right to remain, Right to migrate, Right to return
Palestinian Solidarity contingent in the STATUS FOR ALL! March

SUNDAY MAY 4th, 12:30am
Gathering point:
corner of Victoria and Van Horne
(metro Plamondon, Van Horne exit)

Tadamon! is calling all allies to join a Palestinian Solidarity Bloc in support
of the Solidarity Across Borders march, "Status for All!". To join the Bloc,
look for the banner, "SOLIDARITY WITH PALESTINIANS: Right to remain, Right to
migrate, Right to return!"

More information about the Status for All! March:
http://solidarityacrossborders.blogspot.com/2008/04/status-for-all.html


* Artists Against Apartheid III
bridges from South Africa to Palestine

THURSDAY, MAY 8th, 8:30pm
La Sala Rossa
4848 St. Laurent
(metro Mont Royal)
Doors: 7-12$

A cultural event organized by Tadamon! Montreal and the Kalmunity Vibe
Collective, the third in a series under the banner Artists Against Apartheid,
which unites Montreal artists in support of the growing international movement
to boycott Israeli apartheid. This evening will emphasize parallels between the
struggle for freedom and against apartheid in South Africa and the contemporary
struggle against Israeli apartheid in Palestine. Featuring members of Kalmunity
Vibe Collective and Nomadic Massive.

More information:
http://tadamon.resist.ca/index.php/post/1369


* Boycott Israeli Apartheid contingent in the
Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine march, 60 years of Nakba

SATURDAY, MAY 10TH, 1pm
Dorchester Square
corner of Peel & René-Lévesque
(Bonaventure metro)

Tadamon! is calling all allies to join a Boycott Israeli Apartheid Bloc in
support of the Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine (CJPP) march. To
join the bloc, look for the "BOYCOTT ISRAELI APARTHEID" banner, where we will
assemble before the march begins.

More information about the Boycott Israeli Apartheid Bloc:
http://tadamon.resist.ca/index.php/post/1365

More information about the overall CJPP march:
http://cjpp.org/


* Palestinian Perspectives, an evening of Palestinian films

THURSDAY, MAY 15TH, 5pm/7pm/9pm
Cinéma du Parc, 3575 Ave. du Parc
(Place des Arts metro)
$10 (sliding scale)

An evening of Palestinian films to commemorate 60 years since the nakba - the
catastrophe of dispossession brought about by the establisment of the state of
Israel - and to celebrate Palestinian voices.

Full details: http://www.cinemaduparc.com


* Picket in support of boycott of Indigo Chapters Bookstores!

SATURDAY, MAY 3rd, 17th and 31st, from 1pm to 3pm
in front of Indigo bookstore, on Ste. Catherine St.
just west of McGill College (Peel metro)

The Coalition against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA)-Montreal calls on all allies to
join a picket of Indigo Bookstore every second Saturday. The majority
shareholders of Chapters and Indigo Bookstores, Heather Reisman and Gerry
Schwartz, established the Heseg Foundation for Lone Soldiers, a program of
financial support for former "lone soldiers' in the Israeli military who stay
in Israel. A Canada-wide boycott of Indigo, Chapters, World's Biggest
Bookstore, SmithBooks, Coles, The Book Company or Indigospirit has been called
until their controlling owners publicly announce that they will cut all
financial ties to Heseg - the Foundation for Lone Soldiers.

More information on the boycott of Indigo-Chapters:
http://caiaweb.org/files/indigo_leaflet_revised_jan_07.pdf



* Silent Vigil at the Israeli Consulate

FRIDAY, MAY 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th, from 12 to 1pm
in front of the Israeli Consulate
NW corner of Peel and Réné-Levèsque
(Bonaventure metro)

Palestinian and Jewish Unity (PAJU) invites everyone to join them in a silent
vigil in front of the Israeli consulate, to support the Palestinian people's
struggle for survival, for national liberation and independence from colonial
and occupation forces. For over seven years, every Friday from noon to one,
good weather, bad weather the vigil takes place in front of the Israeli
consulate. This is the longest vigil ever in the modern history of Quebec.
Info: http://www.pajumontreal.org


NOTE: This calendar does not include all that is taking place in Montreal to
mark the Nakba in the month of May! For related events, see:

* Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine: http://cjpp.org

* Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights: http://www.sphr.org

* Canadians for Justice and Peace in Palestine: http://www.cjpme.ca


----------------------
Tadamon! Montreal
http://tadamon.resist.ca
tadamon@...

Artists Against Apartheid III
bridges from South Africa to Palestine...

------------------------------>
THURSDAY, MAY 8th, 8:30pm
Doors: 8-15$
La Sala Rossa, 4848 St. Laurent
Montreal, Quebec
------------------------------>

http://tadamon.resist.ca/index.php/post/1369

A cultural event organized by Tadamon! Montreal and the Kalmunity Vibe
Collective, the third in a series under the banner Artists Against Apartheid,
uniting Montreal artists in support of the growing international movement to
boycott Israeli apartheid. This evening will draw parallels between the
struggle for freedom and against apartheid in South Africa and the contemporary
struggle against Israeli apartheid today in Palestine. Artists Against
Apartheid III: Brides from South Africa to Palestine takes place within a
context of commemorative events to mark the 60th year of the Palestinian Nakba
('catastrophe'). 60 years of dispossession, ethnic cleansing and exile for
Palestinians resulting from the creation of the state of Israel...

performances from:

* Kalmunity Word Sound System with DJ Andy Williams featuring:

Jason "Blackbird" Selman (poet, trumpet)
Fabrice Koffy (lyricist)
Joel "Jahnice" Janis (vocalist)
Katalyst (lyricist)
Zibz Black Current (lyricist)
Karl Pricot (percussion)
Mohamed Mehdi (guitar, voice)
Empress Deeqa (voice)

* members of Nomadic Massive featuring:

Lou Piensa (lyricist)
Waahli aka Wyzah (lyricist)
Butta Beats (lyricist / beat-box)

information on performers:

* Nomadic Massive is a Montreal based collective of independent Hip-Hop artists
who have come together in an effort to combine their energies and spread their
music across borders. The crew is made up of independent artists who share a
similar vision of music and life as well as a desire to travel and experience
the cultures of the world through their art. Although this collective is new,
its members have been working in the music community for many years as artists
but also as radio show host, organizers, educators, street-workers, producers
and other community oriented roles. WHY Nomadic Massive? Because they are
cultural nomads, all uprooted since birth and latching on to Hip-Hop to express
this disruption. The crew reps a cultural diversity reflective of the city they
evolve in. Musical nomads also, representing an open-minded Hip-Hop which finds
its inspiration in the tradition of the past, combining samplers, turntables
and traditional instruments. Well aware of the contradictions of Hip-Hop.s
globalization process, the massive feels it is vital to be in touch with other
scenes across the world, especially those in less developed economies, to
share, learn, be inspired and spread a message of love, peace and universal
understanding. http://www.nomadicmassive.ca/

* Kalmunity Vibe Collective has caught the minds and consciousness of people
throughout this city, as the cultural network Kalmunity Vibe Collective
presents a groundbreaking cultural space celebrating social justice and
innovative musicality. As A collective of local artists dedicated to promoting
and perpetuating the potential of art as a tool for communication and activism
for social, political and environmental consciousness. Their uplifting 'live
organic improv' every week is at Montreal's Sablo Café.
http://www.kalmunity.com

This event is hosted by Tadamon! Montreal, whose work is directed at building
solidarity between movements for social and economic justice in Montreal and
the Middle East. In Canada, Tadamon works to support the boycott, sanctions &
divestment of Israeli apartheid & to challenge the listing of Hezbollah as a
terrorist organization by the Canadian government.

* Tadamon!: Delisting Hezbollah
http://tadamon.resist.ca/index.php/campaigns/de-listing-hezbollah

* Tadamon!: Boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israeli apartheid
http://tadamon.resist.ca/index.php/campaigns/boycott-divestment-and-sanctions-ag\
ainst-israeli-apartheid

Tadamon! Montreal
514 664 1036 / tadamon[at]resist.ca / http://tadamon.resist.ca

----

áãäÇÓÈÉ ÚíÏ ÇáÚãøÇá

ÓÇãí ÍæøÇØ æÝÑÞÉ ÇáÑÍøÇáÉ
Ýí ÍÝá ÛäÇÆí-ãæÓíÞí
ÇáÓÈÊ 17 ÇíÇÑ 2008 - ÇáËÇãäÉ ãÓÇÁÇ
ÑÕíÝ ãíäÇÁ ãÏíäÉ ÌÈíá- ÓÇÍÉ ÇáØÇÍæäÉ

ÊÈÇÚ ÇáÈØÇÞÇÊ Ýí ÇÐÇÚÉ ÕæÊ ÇáÔÚÈ- ÇáãÕíØÈÉ
5000l.l;10000l.l;15000l.l;20000l.l

7 أيّار

زياد
الرحباني
ما بْعِمرو
كان معاشُن عا
قدّنا

منشِدّ طْلوع
بشدّو عا أدنى

حسَمنا
الأمِر
صمّمنا
وعقدنا

بسبعة أيّار
نمشي
بالإضراب

إنتو رعيان
سابقها قطيعا

خَلقتو ظروف
مش ممكن أطيعا

ودولة بالنصّ
حاكمها قطيعا

لكنِ الفقر
مكتمل النصاب

* Canadian Union of Postal Workers joins the
international campaign against Israeli apartheid

April 2008: Sign on Statement and Appeal for Solidarity

http://tadamon.resist.ca/index.php/post/1356

We the undersigned organizations congratulate the Canadian Union of Postal
Workers (CUPW) for joining the international boycott of Israeli apartheid. We
call on workers and labour unions worldwide to join CUPW in creating a strong
and effective labour movement in solidarity with struggles against Israeli
apartheid and violence.

At the national convention of CUPW, representing over fifty thousand workers
across Canada, a strong majority of delegates voted for a resolution in support
of the international campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions against
Israeli apartheid.

Marking the first time a country-wide labour union in North America has voted
to participate in the global campaign against apartheid in Palestine, CUPW's
resolution represents a critical juncture for the involvement of North American
labour in this campaign. International support for CUPW's resolution - which
recognizes the Palestinian people's inalienable rights, including the right of
return - could prove key to shoring up this victory.

In Canada, CUPW has been at the forefront of campaigns against privatization
and deregulation of postal services in Canada, while maintaining a proud
history of international solidarity. During the South African apartheid years,
CUPW played a lead role in labor solidarity with South African workers,
engaging in concrete actions such as the refusal to handle mail from South
Africa.

CUPW has now joined the international campaign against Israeli apartheid,
committing itself to "support the international campaign of boycott, divestment
and sanctions until Israel meets its obligations to recognize the Palestinian
people's inalienable right to self-determination and fully complies with the
precepts of international law including the right of Palestinian refugees to
return to their homes and lands as stipulated in UN Resolution 194."

Israel's apartheid and colonial policies have resulted in the near collapse of
the Palestinian economy, resulting in massive unemployment and bleak poverty.
In the West Bank, over 51 % of the population is estimated to live under the
poverty line; in Gaza, the figure rises to 81 %. Israel's policies have had a
particularly acute effect on Palestinian postal workers, as the apartheid
regime has ensured that there is no Palestinian-controlled access to other
countries.

As a result, all incoming and outgoing Palestinian mail has to pass through the
Israeli postal service, which routinely delays delivery, often for several
months. In the course of fulfilling their duty, Palestinian postal workers are
forced to travel through Israeli checkpoints at which Israeli soldiers
regularly delay their passage, detaining them for hours under the sun or rain,
or denying them passage altogether. Working under a brutal military occupation,
Palestinian postal workers can risk imprisonment, injury, and death in the
course of a day's work.

CUPW's resolution comes at a time when Israel prepares to celebrate the
sixtieth year since its establishment, a celebration in which many of the most
powerful governments of the world will participate. For sixty years, the
Palestinian people have endured and resisted ongoing displacement, land
confiscation, military violence, institutionalized racism, and political
repression of the minority who managed to remain in their homeland. CUPW's
resolution is a clear statement to the world that when the states of the world
stand behind oppression and apartheid, it is up to the people of the world to
oppose it.

Every passing week demostrates the urgent need for a strong popular movement
against Israeli apartheid. Last week, Israel once more stepped up the violence
of its bloody siege of Gaza, leaving dozens of Palestinian civilians dead.
Israel continues to impose collective punishment on the 1.5 million
Palestinians of Gaza, who live with chronic shortages of electricity, fuel,
food and basic necessities as a result.

We call on all workers and labour unions to join CUPW in creating a strong and
effective boycott movement to help bring an end to this injustice and violence.

---> Actions you can take:

* Endorse this statement: send the name of your organization and city to
tadamon[at]resist.ca

* Send a message of solidarity through email or fax to the CUPW National office
congratulating them on their stand against Israeli apartheid. Please fax your
letter of support to CUPW National Office at:

+ 1 613 563 7861 or email care of tadamon[at]resist.ca.

* Ask your union, community group, association or collective to follow CUPW's
lead and adopt a position in support of the international campaign for boycott,
divestment and sanctions against Israeli apartheid.

* In Montreal, join the "Boycott Apartheid" bloc in the Coalition for Justice
and Peace in Palestine demonstration to mark the 60th year of the Nakba on
Saturday, 10 May 2008, 1pm Dorchester Square (Peel & René-Lévesque). To join
the boycott bloc, look for the 'boycott Israeli apartheid' banner...

---> Endorsed by:

Tadamon! Montreal (Montreal, Quebec)
Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) (Palestine)
Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (Toronto, Canada) Fédération nationale des
enseignantes et enseignants du Québec (Quebec) Association pour une Solidarité
Syndicale Étudiante (ASSÉ) (Quebec) Campaign to boycott Supporters of Israel
(Beirut, Lebanon)
People's Movement (Beirut, Lebanon)
Civil Resistance Campaign (Beirut, Lebanon) Committee Against Normalization of
Relations with "Israel" in Jordan (Jordan)

-------------------------

Tadamon! Montreal
tel: + 1 514 664 1036
email: tadamon[at]resist.ca
web: http://tadamon.resist.ca

keefkon jamee3an
fi nashra 5assa sadaret 3an 7araket sha3eb 3an zekra 13 nisen zekra el
7areb el ahleyeh w 3emleena shabeb lebneneyeen iza bet7ebo ta3rfo
aktar 3anna w to7tofzo feeha 3endkon mawjoodeh hoon:
13 نيسان...
للتذكير لا
للنسيان (نشرة
خاصة بذكرى
الحرب)  ‏
http://www.sawtakonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41317
salam
NadinE

تجديد

زياد
الرحباني
تميّز عهد
الرئيس
العماد ميشال
سليمان في
فترة أشهره
الخمسة
الأولى،
بنزاهة وثبات
قاطعين، وقد
عادت معه هيبة
الرئاسة
الأولى،
رمزية
ومرجعية.
واللافت أن
الرئيس
سليمان عرف
منذ اليوم
الأول لحكمه
كيف يُبعد
شتّى
الخلافات
المستفحلة
بين الموالاة
والمعارضة عن
موقع
الرئاسة،
بعدما
استدرجها
للتوافق على
شخصه بإجماعٍ
غير مسبوق.
وفيما تتلهّى
هذه القوى
بالنزاع على
شرعيتها
التمثيلية
المتبادلة،
يتواصل الدعم
العربي
اليومي
والمتجدّد
لشخص فخامة
الرئيس
ولنزاهته في
تحييد رأس
الدولة،
يواكبه تأييد
دولي بارز
للرئيس
سليمان في
الحفاظ على
هذا المنصب
المسيحي
المصيري في
تحديد هوية
لبنان
التاريخية
المميّزة رغم
صعوبات
المرحلة.
كل ما نتطلّع
إليه اليوم هو
أن تستمر روح
الإجماع هذه
حتى تاريخ 31 من
شهر
آب، كي يتم
تجديد ولاية
ثانية للرئيس
سليمان دونما
تلكّؤ، وذلك
حتى لا
تدخل البلاد
في النفق
المظلم أو
الفراغ لا سمح
الله!

عدد الاربعاء
٢٣ نيسان ٢٠٠٨

* Middle East Popular Education Project: Quebec April 2008
Tadamon! & ASSÉ present...

http://tadamon.resist.ca/index.php/post/1345

A popular education initiative in Montreal emerging from social justice
networks struggling against racism, war and occupation from the Middle East to
Montreal...

* Monday, April 21st, 12Noon, Cégep Bois de Boulogne
student-run café: le Caféinné
10 555 ave du Bois-de-Boulogne, Montréal
Hosted by Comité d'action pour la lutte étudiante boulonnaise (CALEB)

* Tuesday, April 22nd, 12:30, Cégep Drummondville
960 rue St-Georges, Drummondville
Hoted by l'Association générale étudiante du Cégep de Drummondville

* Wednesday, April 23rd, 11am Cégep de St-Jérôme
455 rue Fournier, St-Jérôme
Hosted by l'Association étudiante du Cégep de St-Jérôme (AGES)

* Wednesday, April 23rd, 12Noon Collège de Lionel-Groulx
100 rue Duquet, Ste-Thérèse
Hosted by
l'Association générale étudiante du Collège de Lionel-Groulx (AGECLG)

* Wednesday, April 23rd, 7pm, Sherbrooke
Le Tremplin, 97 rue Wellington Sud, Sherbrooke
Une présentation de l'Association étudiante du Cégep de Sherbrooke (AÉCS)

* Thursday, April 24th, 6pm, QPIRG McGill
3647 University St. (metro McGill)
Hosted by Grassroots Association for Student Power (GRASP)

* Saturday, April 26th, 2:30 - 4:30pm @ MUCS
Hosted by Montreal Freeschool
2000 Northcliffe x. Maisoneuve, #218, Metro Vendome
(enter by the driveway at the north side of the building)


As the military shock of the US-lead "War on Terror" consumes entire nations
across the Middle East, the Canadian government is playing a critical political
and military role.

This popular education initiative aims to build collective knowledge on
Canada's role in the Middle East, while creating spaces within the context of
Quebec's student movement for developing collective strategies to confront war
and racism both at home and abroad.

In Palestine, Canada openly supports Israel's colonial military occupation, in
Lebanon the Conservative government endorsed the 2006 Israeli attack, labeling
the bombardment, in which numerous Canadians died, a "measured response". Today
in the Middle East Canada is not neutral.

Tadamon! Montreal, L'Association pour une Solidarité Syndicale Étudiante (ASSÉ)
with the support of the Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG) and
Fédération nationale des enseignantes et enseignants du Québec (FNEEQ) started
organizing a series of workshops in November 2007 as the world marked the 60th
anniversary of the partition of Palestine, a foundational moment to the ongoing
dispossession of the Palestinian people...

At a time of war this popular education initiative will attempt breakdown the
political, economic and military motivation for Canada's participation in the
"War on Terror", while building solidarity within the Quebec student movement
with anti-colonial struggles in the Middle East, which the Canadian state plays
a role in suppressing.

Canada's political support for Israeli apartheid, silent complicity towards the
US-lead military occupation of Iraq and major military role in southern
Afghanistan, place the Canadian state on the front-lines of an international
war which attacks the self-determination of the people of the Middle East.

* Central points which will be presented within this workshop series are the
following...

1: Introduction from a member of L'Association pour une Solidarité Syndicale
Étudiante (ASSÉ) illustrating the importance / role of Quebec's student
movement within the context of international solidarity struggles, specifically
the struggle for Palestinian self-determination & against Israeli apartheid.

2: Outline on Canada's role in the Middle East historically & currently, from
Canada's support for the creation of the state of Israel in 1948, to the 2006
attack on Lebanon. Drawing connections between the historical / present
realities of Canada as a nation founded on a colonialism.

3: Outline on the realities of Israeli apartheid, it's impacts on the people of
Lebanon and Palestine within the framework of historical & current event.
Drawing links between the historical reality of apartheid in South Africa & the
dominant international neo-liberal economic system which maintains the
separation of the majority of the world's wealth from the majority of the
world's people through a system of global economic apartheid...

4: Outline on the political framework of Tadamon! Montreal's two major
political campaigns aimed at building solidarity with anti-colonial struggles
in the Middle East within Quebec's student movement, full title / links to
campaigns linked below...

* Tadamon!: De-listing Hezbollah
http://tadamon.resist.ca/index.php/campaigns/de-listing-hezbollah

* Tadamon!: Boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israeli apartheid
http://tadamon.resist.ca/index.php/campaigns/boycott-divestment-and-sanctions-ag\
ainst-israeli-apartheid

Tadamon! Montreal:
514 664 1036 / tadamon[at]resist.ca / tadamon.resist.ca

''''''''''''''''''''''

أُسٌّ

زياد
الرحباني
صحيحٌ أن
للبنان
تركيبةً
اجتماعية
فريدة
وخصوصيات ليس
من السهل أن
يجاريه
فيها أحد، لذا
فهو مميّز
جداً عن محيطه
من البلدان.
لكن، ليس في
هذه اللحظة
بالذات.
صحيحٌ أنه
كائناً مَن
كان، الذي «أخذ
أمّي صار
عمّي»، لكن،
ليس في هذه
اللحظة
بالذات. صحيحٌ
أن لبنانَ
بمساحته
الصغيرة
يقرّب البحر
والشمسَ من
الجبلِ
وثلوجه، لكن،
مع كل هذه
الطرقات
المسكّرة
والمداخل
والمخارج
المحوَّلة أو
المسدودة،
يدور المواطن
في الجمّيزة،
يدور في عين
المريسة فيرى
البحر
والجبل معاً،
لكنه يبقى في
مكانه حتى
يقرِّب الوطن
أيضاً، موعدَ
خروجه من موعد
عودته، ففي
هذه اللحظة
بالذات ليس
لبنانُ كذلك
بل كذلك أيضاً.
صحيحٌ أن
الإنسانَ
مهما هاجر
وازدهر
وطوَّر يبقى
بلده بالنسبة
إليه أهمّ
وأغلى
ما على الكرة
الأرضية لكن،
ليس في هذه
اللحظة
بالذات.
وصحيحٌ أن
«الدين للّه
والوطن
للجميع» وأنّ
«الجيش سياج
الوطن» وإنما
«الأمم
الأخلاق...»
وأنّكم «كما
تكونون يولّى
عليكم» لكن،
ليس في هذه
اللحظة أبداً.
في هذه اللحظة
بالذات، لعنَ
الله كلّ مَن
له «أُسٌّ» بين
السابع
والخامس عشر
من
آذار...؟ ماشي!

عدد السبت ٥
نيسان ٢٠٠٨

اقتصادياً

زياد
الرحباني
كانت الساعة
تقارب
الثالثة
والربع فجراً
حين أفاق
المواطن غ. س
على صوت
حرتقة مريب،
مصدره الغرفة
الأخرى. تروّى
وتنصّت
جيّداً
ليتأكد مما
سمعه، فما
لبث أن عاد
الصوت نفسه.
وقف وجال
بهدوء حذر في
غرفته،
متفقّداً
أولاده
الأربعة،
زوجته وأمّه،
فالغرفة ليست
غرفته وحده،
هي غرفة أخرى
هي الاخرى،
أما البيت
كلّه فغرفتان.
الكلّ نيام
وبشدّة
لفائضٍ من
النشويات ومن
حكمة وزير
الاقتصاد
سامي حدّاد،
ولا يمكن أن
يوقظ أيّاً
منهم سوى
عدوان تموز
آخر. توجّه غ. س
برويّة وقرف
نحو
الغرفة
الأخرى. وسط
ظلمة «مدلهمّة»
تامّة، مصباح
يدوي صغير
يبحث داخل
خزانة
ضخمة فيها كل
ما يمكن ألّا
يحتاج إليه
الإنسان إلى
الأبد، وطيف
إنسان من
ظهره، نصفه
داخلها. ما
هذا؟ إنّه لصّ.
تنهّد
المواطن غ. س
بتعب وقرف،
وبادره
قائلاً: «يعطيك
العافية» ـ
فاستدار
اللص
مرعوباً،
بيده آلة
حادّة ـ
«مكانَك!»
فأجابه
المواطن: «أنا
بأمرك لا
تخف. لكن قل لي
عمّ أنت تبحث؟
ماذا تتوقع من
هذه الشقّة
بالضّبط؟» ـ
أطفأ
اللص مصباحه
اليدوي ـ
المواطن:
«بالعكس لا
تطفئه، ليته
دورنا في
الكهرباء
لأريك
الشقّة، واضح
أنك لم ترها في
النهار، هذه
شقّة أنا
أفتّشها
يومياً منذ
ستة عشر عاماً
وما يوماً
وجدت فيها
شيئاً. أنا
مقيم هنا يعني.
ماذا تريد
الآن وفي ظلمة
هذا الليل يا
رجل؟ إنها
الساعة
الثالثة
والنصف فجراً»
ـ
اللص: «أسكت أو
أقتلك» ـ
المواطن: «لا
تقتلني يا
أخي، واتبع
إحساسك! أعد
تفتيشها
بنفسك ربّما
قامت زوجتي
بضبّ شيء قبل
أن تنام.
أتمنّى لو نجد
شيئاً... أيّ
شيء».

عدد الخميس ٣
نيسان ٢٠٠٨

فلنصلِّ

زياد
الرحباني
انتهى الأحد
الفائت أسبوع
الآلام لدى
الطوائف التي
تتبّع
التقويم
الغربي.
وبعد صوم طويل
مبارك، أقيمت
مراسم صلب
المسيح الذي
توّج بآلامه
آلام
المؤمنين
الكاثوليك،
ومنهم
الموارنة على
اختلاف
انتماءاتهم.
وقام في
اليوم الثالث
واطئاً الموت
خاتماً
الجمعة
العظيمة.
وقد بدأ
البارحة أوّل
أيّام أسبوع
الآلام
الثاني لدى
الطوائف التي
تتبّع
التقويم
الشرقي،
وستعاد مراسم
صلب المسيح
الذي سيخلّص
بآلامه بقايا
الغساسنة
والإغريق،
مختصراً آلام
القمّة
العربية
المنعقدة في
دمشق لسائر
المشرق،
وستكون
الجمعة
العظيمة
الثانية.
أما الأسبوع
المقبل،
فستعمّ
الآلام
دياركم
أجمعين
وسيُصلب من
بقي من
الأنبياء
والرسل مع حفظ
ألقابهم وقد
يُسحل عمرو
موسى. فيلفّ
العويل
المواطنين
مسلمين
ومسيحيين
وتحلّ عوارض
الأخوّة
و«صداع اللحمة
النصفي»
وفوقها آلام
العيش
المشترك،
وتكون الجمعة
الفظيعة.
فلنصلِّ.

عدد الثلاثاء
٢٥ أذار ٢٠٠٨

يا ربّ ارْحَم

زياد
الرحباني
أبانا الذي في
السماوات
ليتقدّس
اسمك، ليأتِ
ملكوتك، لتكن
مشيئتك كما في
السماء كذلك
على الأرض،
بالمناسبة
أنا يا سيّد
متوقّفٌ في
سيارتي عند
تقاطعٍ
رئيسي في
العاصمة
بيروت ستّ
الدنيّا، منذ
نحو 20 دقيقة.
أُمرّر
سيارات إخوتي
في الوطن
والمصير، وقد
تسنّى لي،
ربّي وإلهي،
خلال
انتظاري، أن
أتذكّر كيف
أن «هناك فرحاً
أكبر في
العطاء ممّا
هو في الأخذ»
وكيف «أمزّق
معطفي إلى
قطعتين لأكسو
عرياناً
برداناً».
ويبدو لي أن لا
أحد من هؤلاء
العابرين
بسياراتهم
يفكّر في ذلك
غيري. ربّي
وإلهي، اغفر
لي ولتكن
مشيئتك كما في
السماء كذلك
على الأرض، هل
لي بأن
أعتبرهم
يهوداً وتجار
الهيكل،
وأدخل
عليهم
بسيارتي
غاضباً،
علّني أدرك
بيتي؟
فعائلتي
مؤمنة
وبانتظاري،
يا ربّ ارحم.

عدد الخميس ٢٠
آذار ٢٠٠٨

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ما العمل ؟
زياد
الرحباني

لا يُتَرْجَم
لم يرشح أي
معطى عما دار
في اللقاءات
الجانبية في
قمة دكار حول
المساعي
العربية
والإيرانية
الجارية
لإنهاء
الأزمة التي
تعتري
العلاقة
السورية
ـــــ
السعودية بما
يؤدي الى
انفراج قبل
القمة
العربية
المقررة في
دمشق.
وبدا أن
الجميع في
الداخل
والخارج
ينتظرون عودة
الوفود
المشاركة في
القمة
الى بلادها
حتى يظهر الى
العلن ما
أنتجته تلك
اللقاءات وما
سيعقبه من
خطوات في
الأيام
المقبلة بين
العواصم
المعنية
بالمساعي.
وفي انتظار
اتخاذ الرئيس
فؤاد
السنيورة
قراره
النهائي بشأن
المشاركة في
القمة
العربية أو
عدمها، أظهر
ممثلون لقوى 14
آذار في
مؤتمرهم امس
في
بيروت رغبة
واضحة في عدم
تلبية
الدعوة،
باستثناء
الرئيس أمين
الجميّل الذي
رأى وجوب
المشاركة
فيها، فيما
أكد آخرون أن
هذا الأمر
سيدرس في مجلس
الوزراء
لاتخاذ موقف
نهائي وحاسم
في شأنه، ولا
سيما أن هناك
عدة وجهات
نظر، والجميع
ينتظر بصورة
خاصة عودة
النائب سعد
الحريري من
السعودية حيث
يجري مشاورات
تتصل بزيارة
ولي العهد
سلطان الى قطر
ومشاوراته مع
قيادتها
حول ملف لبنان
والعلاقات مع
سوريا.
وكانت لافتةً
دعوة وثيقة
قوى السلطة
التي تُليت في
المؤتمر الى
طيّ صفحة
الماضي مع
سوريا وتطبيع
العلاقات
معها، «وذلك
بعودة النظام
السوري الى
الحظيرة
العربية
بعدما تحول
الى حصان
طروادة
بمواجهة
العالم
العربي».
في هذه
الأثناء
أعادت القمة
الإسلامية
«تأكيد دعم
المبادرة
العربية لحل
الأزمة
اللبنانية
ودعوة
القيادات
السياسية
اللبنانية
الى إنجاز
انتخاب
المرشح
التوافقي في
الموعد
المقرر
والاتفاق على
أسس تأليف
حكومة الوحدة
الوطنية في
أسرع وقت ممكن
بما يمنع
التداعيات
الناجمة عن
عدم انتخاب
رئيس
للجمهورية في
لبنان وبما
يمنع
الانقسامات».
لكن تطورات
أخرى كانت
تجري في
باريس، حيث
أفيد أن ناظر
القرار 1559 تيري
رود لارسن
أجرى مشاورات
مع المسؤولين
الفرنسيين،
وذلك قبل
تقديم تقريره
في شأن تطبيق
القرار 1559 إلى
الأمين العام
للأمم
المتحدة بان
كي مون
المقرر في 24
الجاري،
وجاءت هذه
الزيارة بعد
أيام من عودة
نائب مدير
دائرة الشرق
الأوسط في
الخارجية
الفرنسية
لودفيك بوي من
لبنان، حيث
أجرى
محادثات مع
عدد من
المسؤولين
اللبنانيين
تركزت على
انعكاسات
المأزق
الدستوري على
قوات
«اليونيفيل»
العاملة في
الجنوب
اللبناني.
وقال لارسن
لـ«الأخبار» إن
زيارته
لباريس تهدف
إلى التشاور
قبل تقديم
تقريره،
رافضاً
التعليق على
ما آل إليه
الملف
الرئاسي
وتأثيره على
تقريره.
إلا أن مصادر
متابعة لهذا
الملف أكدت أن
الانتخابات
الرئاسية
اللبنانية
هي في قلب
المحادثات
الدائرة حول
العالم،
مشيرة إلى أن
تقرير الأمين
العام للأمم
المتحدة الذي
أعلن فيه
انطلاق
المحكمة
الدولية،
يصبّ في رزمة
الضغوط
الهادفة إلى
تجاوز عقدة
انتخاب رئيس
للجمهورية.
ورداً على
سؤال
لـ«الأخبار»،
أكدت الناطقة
الرسمية
لوزارة
الخارجية
باسكال
أندرياني أن
باريس «ليس لها
أن تقرر من
يذهب إلى
القمة»، مشيرة
إلى أن
موقف فرنسا
معروف، وهو
مرتبط بموعد 25
آذار المقرر
لانتخاب رئيس
جديد،
مضيفة أن
باريس «تتمنّى
انتخاب
الرئيس في هذا
الموعد»،
وأكدت مصادر
قريبة
من لارسن أن
بان كي مون
«يعمل بقوة
وعزم» في
محاولة أخيرة
«لإجراء
الانتخابات
الرئاسية
خشية انعكاس
فشل القمة
العربية
سلباً على
مجمل
المنطقة بشكل
غير مضبوط
يؤدي إلى فوضى
تمسّ
تداعياتها
اليونيفيل».
وذكرت مصادر
عربية في
باريس أن
النقاط
الثلاث
الواردة في
المبادرة
العربية «لم
تعد تمثِّل
رزمة واحدة
مطلوباً
تنفيذها قبل
الخامس
والعشرين من
هذا الشهر، ما
يعني أن العمل
جارٍ لانتخاب
رئيس بصورة
عاجلة على
أساس
التوافق بعد
القمة
العربية على
تأليف
الحكومة
وقانون
الانتخاب».
ساترفيلد
والى ذلك شكك
كبير مستشاري
وزيرة
الخارجية
الأميركية
ديفيد
ساترفيلد في
إمكان نجاح
القمة
العربية
المقبلة بسبب
ملف لبنان.
وقال «نجد
صعوبة في
رؤية كيف يمكن
أن تكون القمة
العربية
ناجحة في وقت
تعرقل فيه
سوريا
انتخاب رئيس
للبنان، لكن
القرار
المتعلق
بمستوى
التمثيل في
هذه القمة
تقرره
الجامعة
العربية
والدول
الأعضاء».
وعن إرسال
بلاده بوارج
حربية إلى
السواحل
اللبنانية،
قال ساترفيلد
«إن
الولايات
المتحدة تنشر
قواتها حول
العالم ومن
ضمنها منطقة
الشرق الأوسط
للدفاع عن
مصالحنا
وحماية
حلفائنا
وأصدقائنا
والدفاع عن
مصالحهم،
ويجب أن
يُنظر إلى
الانتشار
العسكري من
هذه الزاوية
على أنه إشارة
لحماية وتقدم
مصالح
حلفائنا
وأصدقائنا في
المنطقة
والتصدي
للدول التي
تعارض هذه
المصالح».

عدد السبت ١٥
آذار ٢٠٠٨

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nadine_issa_1980 <smillyface@...>

عادةً

زياد
الرحباني
ربّما وجب
التذكير
أحياناً
بأنّك، في
أثناء بحثك عن
المكان
المثالي الذي
منه
تستطيع أن
تكشف مواقع
جميع
الباقين،
تكون، لحظة
وصولك إليه،
قد وجدت،
عادةً،
المكان الذي
تكون أنتَ فيه
مكشوفاً
لـ«هذا»
الجميع.
فخفِّف يا
عزيزي من
صفير الإعجاب
وأنتَ تلصق
عينيك
بالمنظار.
¶ ¶ ¶
أعجب أحياناً
كيف أنه في
زحمة تكرار
المواقف
السياسية
نفسها
والجمود
السائد
الرتيب في
المشهد
العام، تضيع
بعض المواقف
المختلفة
الإيجابية.
فعندما يقول
فجأة الرئيس
السنيورة: «إن
هاجمتنا
إسرائيل هذه
المرّة
فسنكون
كلّنا صفّاً
واحداً في
الدفاع عن
الوطن»،
عادةً، لا
تدعوا الفرصة
تفوتكم!

عدد الخميس ١٣
آذار ٢٠٠٨