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For more click here. |
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23/11/07 “Not so independent Lebanon has Independence Day” by Jonathan Wright, 22/11/07: “Lebanese took a day off work on Thursday, 64th anniversary of independence, but with foreign powers hovering over the search for a new president, many Lebanese wonder if they can ever shake off outside intervention.” http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-30640720071122 |
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03/12/07 Read “Terror is a tactic,” an interview by Mike Whitney with journalist Nir Rosen:
(Excerpt) Question: The political turmoil in Lebanon continues even though the war with Israel has been over for more than a year. Tensions are escalating because of the upcoming presidential elections which are being closely monitored by France, Israel and the United States. Do you see Hezbollah's role in the political process as basically constructive or destructive? Is Hezbollah really a "terrorist organization" as the Bush administration claims or a legitimate resistance militia that is necessary for deterring future Israeli attacks?
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03/12/07 Recommended: Stuart Littlewood’s See Gaza and Weep” So I urge the British government: “Go see for yourselves the misery, the human tragedy and the devastation you have heaped on these people. Then amaze us. Lift this cruel siege and end 90 years of betrayal that has so shamed Britain.
http://www.unobserver.com/layout5.php?id=4123&blz=1
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07/12/07 FOL member recommends the following article: LEBANON: Peacekeepers Tread Lightly in a Wounded Land; Inter Press Service - Rome,Italy; By Rebecca Murray; 30th Nov. 2007 "It's known that all the south loves UNIFIL and treats them like members of their own family. If something happens to them, it's not from the south but from the outside," he says. |
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10/12/07 Al Jazeera English Special Report: Lebanon in Crisis Read reports on Lebanon’s political impasse at http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/861E1E4B-316F-4D67-BF18-0B7E472A9814.htm |
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10/12/07 You can access all the speeches given at the World Against War Conference (01/12/07) at http://www.stopwar.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=416&Itemid=27. Of special Lebanese interest : Khaled Hadadah, General Secretary Lebanese Communist Party Ibrahim Mousawi Editor of Al Intiqad newspaper
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10/12/07 Something to think about-- “Why We Resist” by Chris Hedges : “Resistance is about affirming life in a world awash in death.” http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18868.htm |
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16/12/07 Recommended--“Resistance And Hope” by Charles Sullivan: “There has always been strong opposition to the tyranny of unjust government and to the prevailing institutions of oppression and inequality. And where there is resistance to evil, no matter how small or seemingly impotent, there is hope. Resistance, apart from being an act of defiance to illegitimate authority, is also an act of faith akin to planting a seed that has enormous potential to change the world. . . . Resistance creates possibilities, whereas capitulation extinguishes them.” http://www.countercurrents.org/sullivan121207.htm |
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17/12/07 An FOL supporter recommends the following website for the Popular Committee Against Siege. The PCAS states that it “is a popular committee established in Gaza Strip on the 25th October 2007, headed by independent Palestinian MP. Eng. Jamal Naji AL-Khodri. The launch of PCAS comes as a step to face the recent siege imposed by Israeli Occupation. The establishment Chart of the committee assert on serving the Gaza Strip civilians and alleviating siege ramifications and burdens on people's lives. PCAS is a pure popular gathering of thinkers, well-educated, expert people as well as NGO's. We serve and help harmed people far from any political or factional affiliation.” Available in both Arabic and English, the site provides news and information on the plight of Palestinians in Gaza: http://www.freegaza.ps. |
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21/12/07 “Call for investigation of Israeli influence in UK government: Will nobody bring Christmas cheer to besieged and starving Gaza?” Read the letter submitted to the UK Committee on Standards in Public Life formally requesting an investigation of Israeli influence that paralyses the heart of British government. The letter states that “Israel’s deep penetration of our political system apparently prevents Britain from taking a principled stand on Middle East matters, including the violations of Palestinian human rights.” Well documented and referenced. (note: the similarity in names “Friends of Lebanon” and “Friends of Israel” is strictly coincidental.) |
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21/12/07 Recommended reading: “Iran hasn’t a nuclear weapons programme says US intelligence” by David Morrison: “In fact, the President has been preparing the ground for the release of this new intelligence since August 2007, when he was told about it. Since then, he has been careful not to say that Iran has an active nuclear weapons programme. Instead, he has been saying that Iran is dangerous because it possesses the technical knowledge to make nuclear weapons – and he has cranked up the rhetoric about the threat from Iran to compensate for the lack of a programme.” http://www.david-morrison.org.uk/iran/iran-nie-2007dec.htm |
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17/11/07 “Homes in illegal Israeli settlements for sale at London expo” by Haroon Siddique, Guardian Unlimited, Friday November 16, 2007, http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,2212348,00.html “At the Israel Property Exhibition at Brent town hall, North London last Sunday, one company, Anglo-Saxon Real Estate, was offering for sale properties in Maale Adumim and Maccabim. Both West Bank settlements lie on the Palestinian side of the so-called green line, the pre-1967 boundary and often cited as the border between Israel and a future Palestinian state. Gavin Gross, director of public affairs at the Zionist Federation, which organised the Brent fair, said: "While the promotion or sale of houses beyond Israel 's green line is a contentious subject for some, it is not prohibited in Britain ." Properties in illegal settlements were also on offer at a fair at Finchley synagogue, in North London , last month. The poster advertising the exhibition called on investors to "strengthen your portfolio and Israel 's future". Visitors to the fair received a free property guide, The Key to Israel , containing a map that omitted the green line and substituted Hebrew names for Palestinian cities. The Palestinian city of Nablus , labelled as Shechem, was just one example. (Nonetheless) A spokesman for the Israeli embassy in London said: "The issue of settlements will be one of the issues discussed between Israel and the Palestinians in the context of final status negotiations." A UK foreign office spokesman said: "The road map is clear that Israel should freeze all settlement activity. We will continue to raise this issue with the Israeli government." (Don’t hold your breath.) |
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Why is Lebanon special to you? Must Lebanon live in conflict? Where do we go from here? Is there a particular news story that has moved you, irritated you, made you scream or made you cheer? Email Friends of Lebanon and we'll share your thoughts. This section will offer a variety of opinions. This is a forum for public discussion and should not be confused with the stated goals of the Friends of Lebanon organisation (please refer to our section About Us). Although we may refer to other websites, we can not take any responsibility for external sites. |
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17/11/07 Recommended: The Frustrated Arab's Diary a blog of Raja Chemayel, aka Sherlock Hommos aka Eng. Moustafa Rosenbloom. See http://frustratedarabdiary.blogspot.com/ |
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03/12/07 A reader from Australia shares “Ban these evil weapons” http://tasmaniantimes.com/index.php?/weblog/article/cluster-bombs/ |
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03/12/07 A FOL member from Ireland notes: “I read with interest last week on the 23rd November 2007 about a sudden and torrential hail storm in southern Lebanon . After a prolonged extension to the hot summer, the weather finally broke over southern Lebanon and a sudden and torrential hail storm came out of the blue. The ferocity of the hail storm was immense with lumps of ice the size of golf balls catapulting down from the heavens on the ground for about ten minutes. What interest is this to any of you, you might ask, well here it is. The force and size of the hail storm resulted in over 315 undiscovered cluster bombs exploding. Bombs that would have otherwise most likely have injured or killed innocent farmers or children in the fields and this time, all of them exploded with no casualties as people were hiding in sheds, under trees and in their homes from the storm. There is a saying "Every cloud has a silver lining" and this is far more true this time then any other. The next day I was leaving home on a bitterly cold morning, and the sleet was coming down, it was cold, wet and icy, and I looked up to heaven and said "Thank you Lord, thank you !" , and smiled as I headed off into the cold, warm and glowing from within knowing that sometimes, it's nice to get a bit of help from above.” |