Archive for the ‘Qatar’ Category

Qatar Grants Egypt Extra $3Bn Financial Aid

April 11, 2013
 
Local Editor
 
Qatar Prime Minister announced on Wednesday it will grant Egypt an extra $3bn in financial aid.Bin Jassem with Qandil
The announcement came after an unexpected trip this week by most of the Egyptian cabinet to the Qatari capital, Doha, after signs of discord emerged between the two countries, partly over a stalled banking deal.

Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani spoke of “the importance of relations between Egypt and Qatar continuing at the same pace and at the same momentum” during a press conference announcing the aid package.

Bin Jassem said the latest round of financial support would be provided within days either as a deposit in Egypt’s central bank or purchases of Treasury bonds. Egypt’s main stock index remained flat on the news, dipping slightly after falling 5.7 per cent so far this year.

The announcement followed talks with visiting Egyptian Prime Minister Hesham Qandil.
Qatar has already given Egypt $5bn in financial aid since the 2011 revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak. Amid signs of frustration with the competence of Cairo’s new leaders, (Muslim Brotherhood) the Qatari finance minister, Youssef Kamal, said a month ago that no new aid for Egypt was imminent.

Egypt’s public finances have deteriorated significantly since the revolution which began an era of political turmoil. Foreign currency reserves have fallen 63 per cent, from $36bn, before the uprising to $13.4bn at the end of March. The country’s budget deficit is widening and its credit rating continues to drop.

The government of Mohamed Morsi, the president, has been trying to secure a $4.8bn loan from the International Monetary Fund as well as financial aid from other oil-rich Arab countries. The loan would unlock budget support and aid from other countries and international organizations.

However, many commentators doubted over Qatar’s intentions to give aid to Egypt, with the public minds see Doha’s support as suspicious outside meddling in the affairs of other states.

Source: Agencies
11-04-2013 – 10:21 Last updated 11-04-2013 – 10:21

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

LEBANON, ARABS AND SYRIA

April 11, 2013
541380_451803638232829_2076269518_n[1]

The Peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis have been set on track and HAMAS is to join these talks . But the collapse of the Syrian regime – expected in order to involve Syria in the peace process after setting aside the Lebanese Resistance- has not happened and the Syrian new government – headed by Ghassan Hitto- does not qualify for representing Syria and engaging in these talks . Some are even expecting this new government to resign. This has caused KSA to disengage itself a little bit from the Syrian involvement especially after the losses the opposition has witnessed on the ground and after the rising of the Qatari influence- – whether in the Arab League or in Tunisia or in Egypt where it is reaping almost all the fruits of the revolutionary spring .

KSA is shunning now the Muslim brothers in Egypt while Qatar has already poured 8 billions in the Egyptian banks to support the Egyptian government of the Brothers . Same goes for other countries where the Saudi role has been somehow marginalized in favor of the Qatari role . For this reason the rush to Lebanon to sponsor a new government to bring the country under Saudi custody and keep away the Qataris who are supposed to start manipulating again their puppet in Saida called Ahmed al Aseer.

On the ground, in Syria, the Syrian army has greatly improved its tactics and now is choosing its own battles and has brought the elite troops to protect Damascus . The Syrians succeeded also in spotting the headquarters of the opposition – where decisions are taken- and many of the officers who have defected, and whose names have been kept secret, have returned to Syria to play an Intelligence role which has boosted the Intelligence capacities of the Syrian Army .

The opposition is losing its support on the ground , and most people who opposed the regime and supported the opposition want order and peace to be restored which the opposition- with its many factions and conflicts- cannot guarantee. The undecided people which still form a majority are now standing with the legal state. .It is worthwhile mentioning that almost a million and half a million Syrians from the country side- mostly working the land- have been displaced , some of them have taken refuge in neighboring countries under very difficult conditions .

The true legal political opposition is not in linked to any fighting group on the ground and is exposing greatly the Muslim Brothers and Nusrat al Qa’ida and the Russians at a loss as whom to address from the opposition to set on the negotiations with the Syrian regime by gathering a group of the opposition who agree on starting unconditional talks with the Syrian authorities as wished by the US administration lately .

Escalation is expected on the Syrian front until the talks scheduled for June between Russia and US. Meanwhile the Jabhat al Nusra in the form of its leader – Abu Muhammad al Joulani – has recognized Ayman al Zawahiri as a leader . Heavy weapons are reaching the opposition among them anti air craft missiles and long ranged missiles .Car explosions are thus expected in major cities arranged by Jabhat al Nusra who coordinates closely with the CIA and was responsible for hitting the Security Syrian Head Quarters last year .

Turkey and Erdogan seem to be the major losers – until now – whereby the understanding with the PKK and Ocalan does not seem to stand and the Kurdish fighters in Turkey have not withdrawn to Kandeel Mountains, in Kurdistan Iraq, as agreed, after giving them freedom to move in the regions on the borders with Turkey in coordination with the opposition.

Information from Journalist Sami Kleib
River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian   T
he views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

Sectarianism, Saudi-Qatar Jostling Prevail in Syrian Opposition

April 6, 2013

صراع السلطة داخل «الائتلاف» السوري المعارض: تجاذب قطري ـ سعودي والغلبة بخيارات طائفية

 
Syrians dragging cart during their escape from the neighborhood of Sheikh Maksoud in Aleppo
By: Mohammad Ballout Translated from As-Safir (Lebanon).
اقرا المقال الأصلي باللغة العربية
The Syrian opposition finds itself at a standstill, following the moment of rapture when the National Coalition appropriated Syria’s seat at the Arab League.

The pace of consultations within the coalition points to a lack of urgency in moving forward toward the next step of forming an “interim government,” following the appointment of Ghassan Hito as its head. The task of forming the government is hindered by an American and Qatari insistence on nominating people who would help restructure and expand its level of representation and legitimacy, so that posts and ministries are more equitably divided. It also awaits a Qatari-Saudi consensus on the manner in which Hito’s government would be run, and the nature of that government: technocratic or political.

The Saudis have put all their media and financial potential at the service of the Syrian opposition, with the aim of reducing Qatar’s monopoly over the opposition, to the point of encouraging and enlisting secularists in their fight with Doha. Furthermore, the Americans, in the last few days, have also requested that the formation process be put on hold, as a result of it becoming a great point of contention between the different political and military Syrian opposition factions.

The delay in forming the government is not solely caused by the lack of answers to these issues; the coalition itself, which is considered the reference point for the government, will not be able to survive much longer if the Qataris continue running it in the same confrontational manner they used to force the appointment of Ghassan Hito as prime minister, and them imposing, with the help of their Muslim Brotherhood allies, on the Syrian opposition.

Additionally, the faction that endorses the quick formation of a government and calls for the northern part of Syria to be put under its control is nothing more now than an effective minority alliance comprising the Brotherhood and Doha. The Qataris, along with the Mustafa Al-Sabbagh and Brotherhood blocs, now possess approximately 40 votes, giving them the majority needed to impose their will on the coalition.

The list of oppositionists is composed of various factions, the most important of which being the Unified Military Councils, which rejected Hito’s appointment, and still refuse to move forward in the formation of any government until the coalition is properly expanded. The president of the coalition, Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib, and his vice president, Riad Seif, are also among them, along with a group of nine who froze their memberships in the coalition. These include Kamal al-Labwani, Walid al-Bunni, Marwan Hajj Rifai and Mohammed al-Assi al-Jarba. But this group of people lacks a common vision on contentious issues.

While Khatib espouses a forceful, nationalistic discourse and possesses a great deal of independence, allowing him to revolt against the Qataris to the point of demanding that a negotiated settlement be reached [for the Syrian crisis], and criticizing Qatari meddling in the opposition’s affairs; he seems reluctant to translate his positions into a real break with the coalition, the Brotherhood and the Qataris. Such a break would free the opposition from their domination, allowing him to form an alliance with internal opposition factions that support a negotiated settlement.

The aforementioned list of dissenters also includes newcomers representing different sectarian and ethnic agendas, which is unheard of in the Syrian political scene. For, in the past few weeks, many factions, both Western and Arab, have strived to include representatives of sectarian communities in conferences held in Cairo and Istanbul, purportedly representing Alawite, Christian or Turkmen interests, so that they may be included in the coalition and increase its legitimacy.

This gathering of sects represents the Western perception of what a solution for Syria might be. That perception assumes that toppling the regime requires that minorities desert it, and those afraid be reassured, by giving them important roles to play inside the coalition, without that affecting the situation on the ground — at least in relation to the level of influence and power that each of them would possess based on the assumptions being made at the British, French and American foreign ministries. Those supervising the Syrian issue at all three ministries have believed, ever since they created the coalition, that giving it legitimacy requires the inclusion of religious sects and minorities in its makeup. This notion was clearly expressed by former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, when she criticized and proclaimed the death of the National Council for its failure to attract minorities.

Opponents of Qatari and Brotherhood domination have no avenue but to try and infiltrate the coalition, overwhelming it from the inside with a new opposition bloc formed of minorities, women and representatives of civil society, while betting on those groups’ intrinsic animosity toward the Brotherhood. It is worth noting, however, that the Brotherhood was the first group to exploit political piety and hide behind secular facades such as Burhan Ghalioun, or Christian ones such as Georges Sabra, allowing them to assume the presidency of the National Council. As a result, those trying to contain the Brotherhood espoused the slogan of expanding the coalition and raising its membership from 66 to 100, thus putting on the back burner the issue of the formation of the government in order to prevent the Brotherhood from spreading its political and administrative control over the areas that would be administered by such an interim government. This would result in those areas being transformed into a Brotherhood entity.

The opposition says that the Brotherhood couldn’t care less about Syria being partitioned. They cite the deputy head of the group, Mohammed Farouk Tayfour, who said that he backs the establishment of a state in northern Syria with Aleppo as its capital, and the administration of whatever land can be conquered, without waiting for a military takeover of Damascus.

One Syrian opposition figure attributed the current state of affairs to the conflict mutating from a revolution to a struggle for power. He said that the coalition’s stance seems to emanate from the probability that Syria will be indefinitely ruled by two different governments, or maybe even partitioned. He stated that the peril lies in the fact that it might be difficult to reunite the different ensuing states. He conveyed Khatib’s belief that the real danger was not in separating the country’s north from its south, but in the refusal of some regions controlled by the opposition to submit to the authority of any new government.

But the condition of expanding the coalition before forming the “governmen, while it serves as a lifeline for those opposing the Brotherhood from the inside, is a crude and illogical tactic. Expanding the coalition based on sectarian affiliations would change nothing in its function, since the latter is defined by the countries that sponsored the coalition’s formation — and are still financing it, and refuse to change their agendas.
According to Syrian opposition sources, next week will witness meetings by experts on Syrian affairs at the foreign ministries of eleven countries that attended the Friends of Syria conference. These include Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy. They will all study the future of the coalition, the formation of a government, its funding and the ongoing armament efforts.
The international and Arab envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, warned that recognizing the coalition and attempts to surrender Syria’s seat to the coalition at the Organization of the Islamic Conference, among others, will only lead to the failure of any political solution. He stated, “Any further steps toward recognizing the Syrian opposition might lead to added intransigence on the part of the Syrian regime, which still is endowed with superior military might in the face of the Syrian revolution; ultimately resulting in the failure of any political solution.”

 

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

The Syrian coalition Ambassador in Qarar seeking renewal of his Passport at Syria Embassy in Abu Dhabi

April 4, 2013

سفير الائتلاف في قطر الذي يسعى لتجديد جواز سفره في سفارة سورية في ابو ظبي




 
‏الخميس‏، 04‏ نيسان‏، 2013

أوقات الشام

استطاع الائتلاف الوطني لقوى الثورة والمعارضة، أو أريد له أن يحصل على مقعد سوريا في القمة العربية التي عقدت في الدوحة أواخر شهر آذار. وقد يحسب هذا الاستحواذ على المقعد إنجازاً للائتلاف أو لدولة قطر التي وضعت كل ثقلها لتحقيقه، ولا ننسى أن قطر عملت على تفريغ استقالة معاذ الخطيب من منصبه كرئيس الائتلاف من مضمونها وأقنعت الرجل بالعدول عن الاستقالة التي كان من شأنها أن تطيح بمخططات قطر لتسليم مقعد سوريا إلى الائتلاف المعارض.

وقد تولَّد عن هذا الانجاز الكبير إنجاز آخر وهو قيام قطر بتسليم سفارة الجمهورية العربية السورية إلى سفير الائتلاف نزار الحراكي. وقد تم التسليم ضمن طقوس احتفالية بحضور قيادة الائتلاف المعارض ووزير خارجية قطر وجرى رفع علم الانتداب بدلاً عن العلم السوري على سارية السفارة، ويجري حالياً التعامل مع نزار الحراكي من قبل قناة الجزيرة القطرية باعتباره السفير الذي يمثل الشعب السوري في قطر…. ويؤمن مصالحه!!!.

أية مصالح؟ ما هي المصالح التي يقوم سفير الائتلاف بتأمينها للجالية السورية في قطر؟ ومتى يقصد أحد ابناء الجالية مبنى السفارة؟

الحالة الأبرز التي تتبادر إلى الذهن عند الإجابة على هذا السؤال، هي حالة تجديد جواز السفر، ولكن هل يستطيع سفير الائتلاف أن يقوم بذلك؟ هل لديه صلاحيات تمكنه من تجديد جوازات أفراد الجالية السورية؟

بل أكثر من ذلك هل يستطيع أن يقوم بتجديد جواز سفره الخاص باعتباره لا يملك بعد جوازاً دبلوماسياً رغم منصبه الجديد؟.
نبدأ بأقارب السفير الحراكي فقد علم عربي برس من مصادر قريبة منه أن أشقاءه يحملون جوازات سفر ممهورة بختم السفارة السورية في جدة السعودية لذلك هم حالياً ليسوا بحاجة إلى خدماته. وكذلك الأمر بشأن صديقه المقرب نصر أبو نبوت فهو أيضاً يحمل جوازاً غير ثوري وعليه نفس الختم الذي تحمله جوازات أشقائه الأربعة.

وهنا علينا أن نذكر أن الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد قد أصدر قراراً يسمح بتجديد جوازات السوريين المغتربين لمدة سنتين وجرى التعميم على البعثات الدبلوماسية السورية للعمل على تحقيق ذلك.

وبما أن جواز سفر نزار الحراكي قد انتهت مدة صلاحيته منذ فترة وفق معلومات موثوقة أفادتنا بها مصادر معارضة، فإنه وجد نفسه في حيص وبيص كيف يمكنه تجديد جواز سفره؟ وهل ستقبل البعثة الدبلوماسية السورية في أبو ظبي أن تشمله بعداد المستفيدين من قرار الرئيس السوري وتقوم بتجديد جواز سفره؟
 
ولكن لماذا يحتاج إلى البعثة الدبلوماسية في أبو ظبي لتجديد جواز سفره، وهو سفير بكامل الصلاحيات كما قال عبر قناة الجزيرة القطرية إبان تعيينه في منصبه؟
 
أصبح الحراكي سجيناً في قطر ولا يستطيع السفر خارجها إلا إذا تدخل وزير خارجية قطر وأخذه معه ضمن الوفد المرافق له في أسفاره، ما عدا ذلك فإنه سيبقى يطرق أبواب البعثة الدبلوماسية في أبو ظبي ولن يجد جواباً لأنه بحسب المصادر فإن الحراكي حاول التوسط حيناً والاحتيال حيناً آخر كي يجد وسيلة يجدد بها جوازه من بعثة أبو ظبي لكنه لم ينجح حتى الآن ولن ينجح على ما يبدو، ليس لأنه سفير بلا صلاحيات وحسب بل لأنه محكوم أيضاً بأحكام قضائية في سورية بتهم النصب والاحتيال.
عربي برس

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

Hamas Re-Elects Meshaal For a Fourth Term

April 4, 2013

 

Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal (R) and Mohammad Nazzal, a member of the Hamas leadership, speak to media after their meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah at the Royal Palace in Amman, Jan. 28, 2013. (photo by REUTERS/Majed Jaber)



The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, has re-elected Khaled Meshaal for a new term as the head of the group’s political bureau. The election occurred during a secret meeting of the Shura Council representatives in Cairo on Monday [April 1].

On Tuesday, Hamas announced in an official statement that Meshaal was re-elected for a new term in an atmosphere of “genuine democracy.”In the statement, the Islamist group said that “after completing all electoral preparations abroad and at home, which were based on ‘genuine consensus and democracy,’ the Shura Council held its ordinary session in Cairo to elect the head and members of its political bureau.” The session was named after commander Ahmed Jabari, who was assassinated in November.The statement added that “the meeting’s atmosphere was positive and fraternal. There has been a consensus among the members of the Shura Council with all its components in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and abroad.”Informed sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Al-Monitor that the Shura Council meetings in Cairo were limited to electing the head of the group’s political bureau, as the deputies were elected about three months ago.

The sources added that the re-election of Meshaal as the head of the political bureau resulted from a deal between the various forces within the movement, after Meshaal expressed his intention not to run for a new term. The sources said that Meshaal insisted numerous times that he did not wish to run for a new term, but the movement’s leaders asked him to reconsider and re-elected him as head of Hamas’ political bureau for another four-year term.Arab and Islamic countries — namely Egypt, Qatar and Turkey — have been pushing for the re-election of Meshaal in light of the political tension prevailing in the Arab region following the Arab Spring revolutions. These countries believe that Meshaal is a charismatic leader with a great deal of political savvy, which equips him to deal with the changes taking place in the regional political arena. According to the sources, these countries did not want to see a new leader with a new vision.

Hamas’ Shura Council is made up of three main political offices — one in the Gaza Strip, one in the West Bank and the third in exile. Each bureau includes 15 members, in addition to other representatives, some of whom are appointed by the international Muslim Brotherhood movement, bringing the total number of members to 55.

The sources added that during the meeting in Cairo, the Shura Council also elected Ismail Haniyeh, head of the movement in Gaza, as deputy head of the political bureau in Gaza and Moussa Abu Marzouk to be responsible for the movement’s exiled branch. Saleh al-Aruri, who lives abroad, was elected as deputy head in the West Bank. These leaders held the same positions during the previous term.The Shura Council meeting in Cairo, which was inaugurated by the Muslim Brotherhood’s Supreme Guide, Mohamed Badie, was attended by only a few members, as usual, in addition to Hamas’ representatives in the West Bank, who were represented by released prisoners exiled to Qatar and Turkey.Sources added that Hamas completed the by-elections of the Shura Council and the political bureau in the Gaza Strip in April, where Haniyeh won the highest number of votes. Meshaal, on the other hand, was elected earlier during the election of Hamas’ political bureau abroad. In the West Bank, the movement’s members were appointed without elections due to the difficult security conditions.


O Hamas guys …Hamas needs a revolution .. Vedio added

In 1997, Israel tried to assassinate Meshaal in Jordan, shortly after he was elected head of Hamas’ political bureau. The hope was to extend the term of Marzouk, who was arrested in the US and who is now Hamas’ current deputy head.Pursuant to Hamas’ electoral law, the head of the political bureau can stay in office for a maximum of two terms. However, Hamas didn’t counted Meshaal’s first term, since he came to office to complete the remaining time of Marzouk’s mandate. Meshaal’s term officially started in 2000 and was recently renewed from the Egyptian capital for an unusual fourth term as a result of the exceptional conditions plaguing the region.Meshaal is believed to be a charismatic leader, with a great deal of political savvy that could allow him to make a breakthrough in the world of politics. In addition, he maintains good personal relations with Arab and Islamic leaders, including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.In 2006, Hamas won a landslide majority in the Palestinian general elections and took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007.

The movement has faced frequent military confrontations with Israel, most notably Operation Cast Lead and Pillar of Defense. All parties are now anticipating the changes that could occur in light of the tension and chaos gripping the region following the Arab revolutions and the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood movements to power in many countries. They hope that Meshaal will be able to achieve internal Palestinian reconciliation.

Hazem Balousha is a Palestinian journalist based in Gaza City. 

  • The Third Birth (updated)
  • River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
    The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

    Syrian newspaper berates Hamas for fallout with Assad

    April 4, 2013

    In case you missed it

    Published Wednesday, April 3, 2013
     
    A pro-government Syrian newspaper on Wednesday slammed Palestinian movement Hamas and its leader Khaled Meshaal for breaking ties with Damascus, accusing them of giving up on resistance against Israel.

    The report comes two days after Meshaal’s re-election as head of Hamas for another four-year term.
    Hamas has shifted “the gun from the shoulder of resistance (against Israel) to the shoulder of compromise,” al-Thawra daily said.

    “Today, as Meshaal becomes the head of Hamas for the fifth time… the West Bank, Gaza and the whole of occupied Pal
    estine have no reason to celebrate.”

    Meshaal “cannot believe his luck. After an acclaimed history of struggle, he has returned to the safe Qatari embrace, wealthy and fattened in the age of the Arab Spring’s storms,” the newspaper added.
    After years of alignment with Damascus, during which he used Damascus as a base, Meshaal relocated in 2012 to Doha, severing ties with President Bashar al-Assad and declaring his support for the Syrian rebellion.

    This is not the first time state media has condemned Hamas’ change of alliance. In October, Syrian state TV called Meshaal “ungrateful and traitorous” for turning his back on Assad.

    The Syrian government maintains that it is the last Arab bastion of anti-Israeli resistance.
    It has fiercely criticized Meshaal’s decision to break with the regime, recalling Damascus’s willingness to host the Hamas leader when other regional capitals refused to do so.

    Throughout the two-year conflict in Syria, which the UN says has cost more than 70,000 lives, the government has also accused Turkey, the West and several Arab states of conspiring to topple Assad because of its opposition to Israel.

    (AFP, Al-Akhbar)

     

    River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
    The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

    Comparing the beginning and the endings .. From the first summit in Cairo to Doha summit

    April 3, 2013

    مقارنة بين البداية والنهايات .. من قمة القاهرة الأولى إلى قمة الدوحة

    طلال سلمان
    هل وصلنا إلى القعر؟ اختفت ملامح «العدو» عن الكيان الصهيوني. صار لكل دولة ما يكفي من الأخوة ـ الأعداء. الجامعة العربية باتت في عهدة قطر بتفويض عربي، لأنها الأغنى، وصارت «المرجعية العربية» الأولى وصاحبة القرار في الأمور العربية جميعاً
    تستحيل المقارنة بين القمة العربية الأولى التي انعقدت بدعوة من الرئيس المصري الراحل جمال عبد الناصر، في مقر جامعة الدول العربية في القاهرة، وبين القمة العربية التي انعقدت قبل أيام في الدوحة وبرئاسة أميرها الشيخ حمد بن خليفة.
    كان الهدف المعلن من الدعوة لعقد القمة الأولى: حماية الأمن القومي العربي، وتعزيز قدرات «دول الطوق»، في المشرق، للدفاع عن حدودها وبالذات عن أجوائها التي كانت مفتوحة كلها، أمام الطيران الحربي للعدو الإسرائيلي، ومنع هذا العدو من تحويل روافد نهر الأردن، بما يحرم دول حوض هذا النهر من الإفادة من مياهه الشحيحة أصلاً.
    ولقد أعقبت القمة الأولى قمة عربية ثانية في العام ذاته أقرت إقامة قيادة عربية موحدة لجيوش الدول العربية، المحيطة بفلسطين عقد لواؤها للفريق علي علي عامر، وإقرار موازنة للتسليح نال منها لبنان (والأردن) حصة ممتازة، لا سيما في مجال حماية أجوائه من غارات الطيران الحربي الإسرائيلي، وقد كان يتجول في سماء مفتوحة… (كان بين ما قدمته هذه القيادة المنبثقة عن القمة شبكة رادار متطورة ومعها صواريخ كروتال وطائرات حربية فرنسية من طراز ميراج، ما كان ممكناً الحصول عليها لو لم يكن الجنرال ديغول رئيساً لفرنسا).
    أما قمة الدوحة فقد كان هدفها المباشر: استكمال الحشد السياسي وتعزيز قدرات المعارضات السورية المدنية والعسكرية، بعد إجبارها على التوحد، بالإغراءات المختلفة والتهديدات المعلنة، من اجل التعجيل بإسقاط سوريا ورئيسها بشار الأسد، بأي ثمن، بعد تحميله مسؤولية المذابح الفظيعة التي تتوالى منذ عامين طويلين، فضلاً عن تدمير هذه الدولة التي طالما وصفت بأنها «قلب العروبة النابض».
    لكم اختلفت صورة «العرب» اليوم عنها قبل نصف قرن، فمن قمة فرضها الواجب القومي بالاستعداد لموجهة العدو الإسرائيلي في مشاريعه التوسعية (قبل أن يستكمل احتلال فلسطين جميعاً وأراضي بعض الدول العربية الأخرى في هزيمة 1967)، إلى قمة تتجرأ على «طرد» دولة مؤسسة للجامعة، هي سوريا، وتقديم مقعدها لمعارضة تختلف فصائلها في ما بينها على من هو صاحب الحق بأن يشغل المقعد المفرغ من صاحبها الأصلي.
    لقد سجل الشيخ حمد «السابقة»: استطاع أن يفرض «رئيساً مفترضاً لسوريا الجديدة غير رئيسها القائم بالأمر حتى الساعة،… كما استطاع من قبل أن يشكل «حكومة» للمعارضات المختلفة، سياسياً وعقائدياً وفكريا!
    ثم استطاع أن يفرض على «الحكومة» رئيساً من خارجها تماماً، لا يعرفه «قدامى المعارضين» الذين تصدروا الواجهة الباريسية لفترة، كما لا يعرفه الشعب السوري لأنه مقيم في الولايات المتحدة الاميركية منذ أكثر من ربع قرن… وبعد ذلك، وربما لأسباب خارجة عن إرادته، اضطر إلى التسليم برئيس جديد ثم تنصيبه فوق الحكومة ورئيسها المجهول.
    وهكذا تقدم الشيخ معاذ الخطيب، وهو إمام مسجد وابن إمام المسجد الأموي في دمشق، بخطى ثابتة، وشق صفوف الملوك والرؤساء إلى حيث المقعد الفارغ، فاحتله وسط موجة من التصفيق، وتم تبديل علم الدولة المعنية، ببساطة، وكأن هذا الأمر يمكن حسمه، هكذا، بإشارة من الشيخ الذي كان في تلك اللحظة رئيس القمة، و«رئيس» العديد من الرؤساء والمشاركين فيها والذين كان يصعب عليهم القدوم لولا أن تيسر من يؤمن لهم الانتقال والعودة والمصاريف اللازمة والهدايا المناسبة والمكافآت التي تعوض جهودهم.
    حصل كل ذلك أمام العالم كله: منح مقعد سوريا لقادة قوى معارضة، مختلفين في ما بينهم، لا يعرف السوريون معظمهم لطول استقرارهم في الخارج، قد يكون بعضهم عظيم الأهلية، وقد يكون لبعضهم تاريخ مضيء في النضال الوطني، لكنهم بمجموعهم لا يشكلون «وحدة» ولا «جبهة» وخلافاتهم علنية، وارتباطات بعضهم بالخارج أوضح من أن تخفى.
    تحفظت قلة من الدول العربية، أبرزها الجزائر والعراق، ولاذ لبنان بالصمت متبعاً شعاره الأثير»النأي بالنفس»، وانشغل الرئيس المصري بالهجوم على من يحاول التدخل في الشؤون الداخلية لمصر.
    أما الأمين العام لجامعة الدول العربية فقد حاول تبرير الوضع الشاذ الذي انتهت إليه الجامعة بأنه نتيجة لرفض الدول العظمى إحالة موضوع سوريا إلى مجلس الأمن الدولي، لعلها إن تدخلت تنجح في ما عجزت عنه الجامعة فتوقف الحرب المروعة في سوريا بين نظامها والمعارضات المختلفة ، باستثناء تلك المجموعات من المثقفين وأصحاب الرأي الذين دفعوا مرات ومرات الثمن الباهظ لمحاولات نصحهم النظام بإصلاح ما فسد فيه وترشيده إلى تجنب الحرب في ضرورة التغيير.
    الأمر لا يتصل بالنظام السوري ومعارضاته وجدارتها بتمثيل الشعب الذي يتعرض إلى مذبحة هائلة منذ سنتين طويلتين، بل العجز الفاضح لجامعة الدول العربية، والهيمنة الفاضحة لدولة صغيرة جداً ولكنها هائلة الغنى في أن تسيطر على القرار في هذه المؤسسة العريقة التي كانت تشكل المرجعية الصالحة لتسوية الخلافات العربية ـ العربية، والتي لم تكن لتسجل على نفسها القصور والتقصير، بل الاستقالة من واجبها، والتحول إلى دائرة تصديق على «القرار القطري» بإحالة كل من يخالف قرار الدوحة إلى مجلس الأمن الدولي.
    السؤال عن الدول العربية الأخرى، المؤسسة للجامعة، وبالذات مصر، ثم الدول العربية الكبرى وصاحبة النفوذ، والتي تخلت عن دورها، فصارت تبدو وكأنها فوضت قطر و«الحَمَديْن» بأمور الأمة جميعاً.
    لقد كان موقف الرئيس المصري دفاعياً وإن اعتمد لهجة الهجوم محذراً «الآخرين» من التدخل في شؤون مصر الداخلية… ولقد فهم كثيرون في كلماته إشارة إلى قطر وطموحاتها غير المحدودة، وربما أراد آخرون أن يفهموها رسالة غير مباشرة إلى السعودية،
    وإن كان ثمة من فهم ان التهديد موجه إلى المعارضة في الداخل المصري، ولو من الخارج.
    في أي حال، فليست هذه المرة الأولى التي تتبدى قطر وكأنها «المرجعية العربية» الأولى وصاحبة القرار في الشؤون العربية جميعاً.
    ومفهوم أن الانقسام داخل السلطة في العراق يضعف موقف بغداد وقرارها المحاصر بالضغوط الاميركية والضغوط الإيرانية المضادة، وربما لهذا تبرعت بدور «الوسيط» فلما لم تحظ بقبول واسع من الطرفين توقفت عنه، وإن ظل يطاردها الاتهام بأنها تجنبت موقفاًُ يستفز إيران.
    ومفهوم أيضاً أن الجزائر تحاول، في الآونة الأخيرة، أن تتجنب المواقف الحادة وتفضل دور «الوسيط»، وإن ظلت متهمة بالانحياز إلى النظام السوري، اخذاً بالاعتبار تاريخ العون الذي قدمه الشعب السوري خلال الثورة، ثم بعد انتصارها وقيام الدولة المستقلة، لا سيما في تعريب المناهج والكتب المدرسية والتدريس.
    خلاصة الكلام أن القمة العربية في الدوحة قد قدمت صورة مبكرة لعورات النظام العربي ومباذله، فالإمرة للأغنى وليس للأعرق والأكبر، والقرار للأقرب إلى الإدارة الاميركية والأبعد عن معاداة إسرائيل.
    وثمة من يتندر فيقول إن علاقات قيادة قطر سوف تتأثر سلباً بإسرائيل بعد شهر العسل الطويل، نتيجة لاكتشاف الكميات الهائلة من الغاز في المياه الإقليمية الفلسطينية المحتلة، والتي ستجعل إسرائيل مُصدراً منافساً لقطر، وإن كان ذلك سوف يتم على حساب لبنان وسوريا ومصر، فضلاً عن فلسطين المحتلة ذاتها… ومعروف أن إسرائيل «تصادر» شاطئ غزه والمياه الإقليمية أمامه، وتلحقها ببحرها المصادر بدوره.
    السؤال: هل تبقى للقمة العربية، فضلاً عن جامعة الدول العربية، أي دور في السياسة العربية، أم صار القرار فيها لأغنى أعضائها حتى لو كانت اصغر دولها؟
    لقد اختفت ملامح «العدو» عن الكيان الصهيوني، ولم يعد كثير من المسؤولين العرب يستغربون المزاح الإسرائيلي الثقيل عن احتمال التقدم بطلب انتساب إلى جامعة الدول العربية، لا سيما أن أكثرية هذه الدول قد أسقطت عنه صفة «العدو».
    صار لكل دولة عربية ما يكفي من الإخوة ـ الأعداء،
    وقد غادرت الجامعة دورها العتيد منذ زمن بعيد، وصار قرارها للأغنى وليس للأكبر أو لصاحب التاريخ والدور والتضحيات من اجل حفظ هوية الأمة وقدرتها على حفظ حقوق شعوبها.
    وها ان القمة الأخيرة لا تجد ما تقدمه لشعب فلسطين إلا التذكير بالمبادرة السعودية لمناسبة تجاوزها سن العاشرة (أقرت في قمة بيروت في العام 2002)، مشفوعة بهدية قطرية تشكل تحدياً لسائر أعضائها الفقراء: إذ قدمت قطر، فوراً، مبلغ مئتين وخمسين مليون دولار من اصل مليار دولار قررتها القمة (والمعنيون يعرفون أن المال لن يصل إلى الذين يحتاجونه في الأرض الفلسطينية المحتلة).
    هذا بينما إسرائيل تواصل الضغط على أهل الضفة الغربية الذين يعيشون على «صدقة» تدفعها بعض الدول الغربية، وهبات هيئات تقدمها بعض الدول العربية، في حين تمضي قطر في تحويل غزة من قاعدة لحماس إلى مشروع مونتي كارلو تفيد في اجتذاب السياح، بعد تدجين الإسلام السياسي بالدولار المعزز بالحصار، وألف رحمة على شهداء التحرير.
    مع كل قمة يتساءل المواطن العربي: هل وصلنا إلى القعر، أم ما زال علينا أن نقدم المزيد من التنازلات، لإثبات جدارة دولنا بأن تكون دولاً حقاً، وجدارة هذه القيادات بان تقودنا إلى مكان ما غير فقدان المكانة والدور… والهوية الجامعة؟
    السفير

    River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
    The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

    ORIENT TENDENCIES: THE DISGRACE OF THE ARABS

    April 3, 2013

    Posted on April 1, 2013 by
    Monday April 1, 2013, no125
    Weekly information and analysis bulletin specialized in Arab Middle Eastern affairs prepared by neworientnews.com
    Editor in chief Wassim Raad
    wassimraad73@gmail.com
    New Orient Center for Strategic policies

    US meddling in Lebanon

    By Ghaleb Kandil

    The resignation of Prime Minister Najib Mikati is mainly due to the positions of the United States and the West vis-à-vis the Lebanese internal balance and its relationship with the new electoral law. This is a response to 8-March and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), which torpedoed the 1960 Act by preventing the formation of the Supervisory Commission elections.

    The United States ambassador, Maura Connelly, gave the kickoff of escalation three weeks ago, insisting on the need to hold elections as scheduled, regardless of the electoral law.

    Washington and the West are aware that any law other than that 1960 on will be subject to the determination of the Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai and General Michel Aoun to put an end to the injustice suffered by Christians in electoral matters since the Taif agreement. The U.S. and Western policy makers are convinced that the proportional electoral system and the Orthodox project (each community elects its own members) would put an end to the hegemony of their allies: a third of the seats would go to Sunni opponents of the Hariri clan; Christian representation would essentially goes to FPM. And if the blocks of the Lebanese Forces and Kataeb will increase, it will be at the expense of Christians elected on the lists of Saad Hariri and Walid Jumblatt.

    The decline of the Western presence in Parliament will result in an automatic decline of its influence in the choice of the future President of the Republic, who is elected by the Chamber of Deputies.
    All these issues are entangled with the determination of General Michel Aoun to reject all extension of the Parliament mandate, which expires in June, the President of the Republic mandate, which ends in May 2014.

    Consultations for the selection of a new Prime Minister and for the formation of the next government are related to these political issues. Thus, despite discreet contacts made between the different political forces to try to reach acceptable scenario, the situation remains unclear. Political circles say that the Lebanese have to get used to the idea of ​​a long period of current affairs government, as it is difficult for the various actors to reach agreement on a new electoral law. And if the American auxiliaries in Lebanon try to attempt a move on the ground, it will result in a new balance that will certainly not be in their favor.

    U.S. limits and divides opposition

    The latest developments have proved that the U.S. plan which is to mobilize and send terrorists in Syria and weapons to rebel groups has reached its peak. The decision of the Arab League arming terrorists has retroactive effect, which seeks to justify actions already undertaken. It is no longer a secret that 3500 tons of weapons, transported aboard 130 aircrafts were sent to Syria in the last three months. And despite all forms of support, Syrian opposition is undermined by divergences and traversed by outside influence. France-Press Agency sheds light on this aspect:

    Divisions within the Syrian opposition have brought to light the extent of a regional struggle led to blows money, media propaganda and weapons between the Qatar-Turkey axis and Saudi Arabia, close to American politics. “Our people refuse any supervision. Regional and international disputes have complicated the situation”, said the president of the opposition coalition, Moaz Ahmed Al-Khatib, in a speech to the Arab summit in Doha.

    Simultaneously, some 70 opposition figures denounced in a message to the Arab summit a policy of “exclusion” followed by the Coalition, referring to the Muslim Brotherhood, and a “scandalous Arab and regional hegemony ” on opposition, referring to Qatar.
    “There is a struggle between two main axis that do not represent the entire opposition but are essential for material aid and military aids. Qatar/Turkey axis supports the Muslim Brotherhood and the Saudi axis in harmony with the United States”, said Ziad Majed, a political science professor at the American University of Paris. “This has an impact on the internal composition of the political opposition and the affiliation of various military groups”, he added.

    At the meeting of the Coalition in Istanbul, the participants expressed their divisions between supporters and opponents of an “interim government” to manage the “liberated zones”.

    Some critics have denounced Ghassan Hitto, elected head of the government, as “Qatar’s candidate,” and others have suspended their group membership.

    For Mr. Majed, “Saudi-American axis preferred to postpone the formation of the interim government and the axis Qatar/Turkey wanted to form it quickly and would have pushed to choose Hitto.” 

    The rivalry between the rich oil monarchies of the Gulf and neighboring Turkey, seeking a regional power, is also reflected in the military.

    After the meeting in Istanbul, Riyadh has hinted that it was “unhappy with the choice of Hitto, leading the Free Syrian Army (SLA) to reject this choice”, told AFP an opponent who requested the anonymity.

    Daraya rebel fighters in the province of Damascus tell AFP that because the lack of arms and ammunition, they were on the verge of losing the city, besieged by the regime for more than three months. But, says one of them, “when Mr. Khatib made his offer of dialogue with the regime, weapons flowed quickly. This means that the weapons were stored at the border”.

    According to an Arab specialist, weapons sent by Qatar are arriving to groups close to the Muslim Brotherhood via Turkey.

    However, he adds, the Saudis prefer to fund and arm the military councils led by army dissidents “for fear of the increasing role of radical Islamists”, an approach supported by the United States. Saudi deliveries now arrive by the Jordanian border.
    As for Salafi, including Al-Nosra Front they are funded based NGOs including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, according to the specialist on Syria, who does not want to be named.

    Regional rivalry is also played in the media, especially television Al-Jazeera in Qatar and Al-Arabiya, a Saudi-owned chain, competing to provide a forum for various opposition groups (AFP).

    Statements

    Michel Sleiman, Lebanese president
    «We agreed with Patriarch Rai that elections should be held as scheduled at any price. The duty of government is to organize elections, to ensure peace and security in Lebanon and reduce the impact of the Syrian crisis on the country. Most Lebanese do not want the 1960 Electoral Act, but all the Lebanese want the elections to take place on time. Not organizing elections is a great sin and come to a political vacuum is a mortal sin. I will not sign the extension of Parliament mandate. Political parties are responsible for the current situation. They must agree on a new electoral law as soon as possible.»

    Bashar al-Assad, Syrian president
    «I called Brics leaders to work together to stop immediately the violence in Syria to ensure the success of the political solution. This requires a clear international commitment to dry up the sources of terrorism, to stop its funding and its equipment. You who seek to bring peace, security and justice in today’s troubled world, put all your efforts to stop the suffering of the Syrian people, caused by unfair economic sanctions, contrary to international law, and which affect directly the lives and daily needs of our citizens. I express the desire of the Syrian people to work with Brics countries as a force just trying to bring peace, security and cooperation between countries, away from the hegemony and injustice imposed on our peoples and our nations for decades.»

    Michel Aoun, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement

    «The Electoral Orthodox project is the only legitimate one. This is our only chance to ensure a fair and balanced representation of the Christian community. The Taif Agreement provides a balanced representation of all communities. Lebanon has already gone through a similar situation. We want a new electoral law before the formation of a new government, it is our priority. Mikati did his best and he was very cooperative. I would participate in a meeting of the dialogue if the discussion focuses on the electoral law. »

    Samir Geagea, Leader of the Lebanese Forces
    «One government can save Lebanon, a government formed from Mars-14 personalities and centrists. Thus, we could adopt a new electoral law in Parliament. Hezbollah has tried his luck in trying to govern, and then we were opponents. He should do the same today. The proposal to form a national unity government is not possible.»

    Sergei Lavrov, Russian minister of Foreign Affairs
    «We received with deep regret the outcome of the Arab League summit in the capital of Qatar. Decisions adopted at Doha mean that the League has waived the peaceful solution. Recognizing the Syrian opposition coalition as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people destroyed all settlement efforts, including Arab League. The mediator of the UN and the League for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, will no longer pursue its mission. There will be no possible negotiation between the government and the opposition in Syria, I really do not see how Mr. Brahimi will be able to fulfill its mandate as a mediator.»

    François Hollande, French president
    «Paris will not send any weapons to the Syrian opposition fighters until it has a tangible proof that these weapons will not fall in the hands of any terrorist group.»
    Events

    Ø A British report indicates that hundreds of Muslims, with British, French and other countries of the European Union passports, are participating in hostilities in Syria in the ranks of radical groups, and may return to Europe. According to the document, the radical extremists are able to carry out terrorist attacks and acts of sabotage. “It would be foolish to believe that radical Islamists decide one day that Europeans are their friends, says Sergei Demidenko, a Russian political analyst. The West will always be their potential target”. Sources give different figures – from 3-10000 mercenaries. All agree that they are part of al-Nosra Front linked to Al-Qaeda.

    Ø A delegation of national and Islamic parties, led by the head of international relations at Hezbollah, Ammar Moussawi, visited China at the invitation of the Chinese Association for International Understanding. The members of the delegation met with officials of the Chinese Communist Party and parliamentary personalities.

    Ø Turkey has expelled hundreds of Syrians refugees after clashes with military police, said a Turkish official. “These people were involved in violence. They were seen by surveillance cameras in the camp”, the official said. “From 600 to 700 people were expelled. Security forces continue to review video footage and if they discover other people, they will be deported”, he added.

    Press review

    As Safir (Lebanese daily, close to the majority, March 29, 2013)

    Dialogue between the President of the Chamber, Nabih Berry, and the head of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) Michel Aoun is blocked due to differences relating to the convening of a Parliament plenary to vote the electoral law and the extension of the mandate of the security institutions. Hezbollah has not lost hope. In a final attempt, the political assistant of the secretary general of Hezbollah, Hajj Hussein Khalil, met with president Nabih Berry in the presence of Minister Ali Hassan Khalil. There were reports of a possible intervention of Marada leader, MP Sleiman Franjieh, to mediate between the two ” forced allies.”

    The last hours of consultations show that the former prime minister, Saad Hariri, has not yet decided over the issue of his candidacy to succeed Najib Mikati, although Saudi Arabia is not enthusiastic about the idea, while Qatar, Turkey and Britain, as well as other capitals, would support the continuation of the outgoing Prime Minister. The position of these countries aroused reserves of the Future Movement who believes that if we had a process of elimination, it should start with the name of Mikati which should be deleted of the list of potential prime ministers, because the “man is undesirable.”

    At this point, MP Walid Jumblatt is embarrassed after he had provided guarantees to President Nabih Berry and Hezbollah. The leader of the Progressive Socialist Party now arises the following questions: How will I do if Saad Hariri is a candidate? Can I deceive him again? What price should I pay? What will be my attitude if he proposes another candidate? How do I act with Najib Mikati to whom I promised to stay with him? Could I disappoint Hezbollah and Nabih Berry in consultations for the choice of prime minister?

    An Nahar (Lebanese Daily, close to march-14 coalition)

    Sabine Oueiss (March 25, 2013)

    The Syrian crisis will worsen and pressure against Hezbollah will intensify. Which would have deprived the Lebanese government of the international recognition, under the pretext that the distinction is no more possible between its president and the Hezbollah. As well as the assumption that the government is guaranteeing the stability of Lebanon lapses, especially that Lebanon is in the eye of the Syrian storm and warnings about the need to keep it away from this crisis are now ineffective. At the same time, the countdown began for constitutional deadlines.

    Najib Mikati’s resignation is a way out for all, including Hezbollah. A current affairs government, where the minister is the only master on board of his ministry, is preferable to an cabinet that has become a burden for the party, especially since it lost productivity and became the hostage of external commitments of the Prime Minister.

    Government sources give a reading at the post-resignation. They said the resignation came at the right time after the government had reached the limit of what he could do and that the need for change has become more urgent. The slogans of yesterday are no longer valid.

    These sources draw the following scenario: In a first step, Najib Mikati is reappointed as prime minister after parliamentary consultations. Then the Speaker Nabih Berry convene a parliamentary session to discuss the electoral law. In the proposed agenda are the Orthodox project and other drafts. Consultations for the formation of the government will take time and go through shocks.

    Al Akhbar (Lebanese Daily close to the Resistance, March 29, 2013)

    Jamal al-Ghorabi

    To get to the Sayyida Zainab shrine from central Damascus, one must take the Airport Road. Until recently, this route was considered too dangerous because of flying rebel roadblocks and falling mortar shells. Yet following an army offensive into the capital’s suburbs, access has become easier.
    Once you pass the army checkpoints and fortified military positions, you are almost to the gold-domed shrine that is the burial place of Zainab Bint-Ali, granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammad and a revered figure for Shia Muslims.

    At the entrance to the nearby market is a checkpoint manned by members of the local Popular Committees. Once inside, the alleys are lined with signs in Farsi. Many of the shops cater to the busloads of Iranian pilgrims who used to make pilgrimages to this area on the southern outskirts of Damascus.

    In the market, business does not seem booming. Trade has dwindled since pilgrims have become targets of kidnappers. Unsold goods are piled up in the stores. Most shops display portraits of Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah alongside Bashar al-Assad. Shia religious slogans are plastered on all surfaces. Banners call for the shrine to be defended until martyrdom.
    To enter the actual shrine, you must first undergo a search conducted by the Abul-Fadl al-Abbas Brigade, the main protectors of the site. Young men, their badges identifying them as members, smile before searching visitors, and apologize to them afterwards, explaining that it is due to the security situation.

    Inside, calm prevails. Three young boys converse in a language that turns out to be Baluchi. They have come from Pakistan with their parents to visit the shrine, explained their father Hassan. His niqab-covered wife refused to speak, but when asked why they chose to make the journey at this time, Hassan explained that he made a vow and is fulfilling it.

    Elsewhere, a man in his sixties from Bint Jbeil, Lebanon clasped the silver lattice-work that encloses Zainab’s tomb. He kissed it and recited religious entreaties for the well-being of his family, he said, and for Syria to overcome its crisis.

    Barely half a kilometer to the west of the shrine lies the small village of Jiera, where rebel groups operate. They sometimes trade fire with members of the Abul-Fadl al-Abbas Brigade, mostly at night. Recently the gunmen have become less active thanks to the brigade, and the area has become relatively safer, but not entirely.

    When the muezzin belts out the call to prayer, the shrine is transformed into a beehive. It is as though the entire neighborhood has congregated. At nightfall, the shrine is locked, security is heightened, and the adjoining streets become a virtual military zone. Brigade members are deployed in substantial numbers since clashes occasionally break out.

    One member explained that gunmen take advantage of the densely built-up neighborhoods to the west of the shrine to stage hit-and-run attacks and fire mortars. They are invariably beaten back, he said, and have failed to reach the shrine itself, although they managed to damage an outer wall with a mortar shell.

    Al Akhbar (March 29, 2013)

    Hassan Illeik

    With the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt has become Lebanon’s political kingmaker once again. He reveals to Al-Akhbar his conditions for the next government.

    Walid Jumblatt rejects the idea that he has regained his role as a kingmaker, a figure who is able to both shape the next government and determine which election law will be adopted for the parliamentary elections. “I cannot accept any side being left out,” he says, suggesting that he does not plan to back a particular bloc as he did in 2011 with the previous government. “This is a very dangerous period.”

    He’s pleased that Hezbollah is not pressuring him this time around, adding that the situation has changed since then, particularly when it comes to Syria. He maintains that Lebanon’s policy of dissociation from the crisis next door has collapsed, blaming Hezbollah, Lebanese Sunni armed groups, and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) of violating it.

    So what do you think should be done? “The return to dialogue,” he answers. “We really should stay away from the kind of criticisms that the Future Movement directed against the National Dialogue Roundtable. We’ve made a lot of progress on how to benefit from Hezbollah’s arms in confronting the Israeli enemy, so let’s use it to get them out of Syria.”

    He refuses to name his candidate to head up the next government, insisting that the selection be made collectively by the main political forces. If it is going to be a government of technocrats, as some are proposing, then he would name businessman and head of the Arab Chamber of Commerce Adnan Kassar.

    Jumblatt denies reports that he had already proposed the return of Mikati to head up a national unity government. He reaches for a piece of paper on which he wrote his main conditions: a return to disassociation from the Syrian crisis, making sure Lebanon’s sources of wealth are not “controlled by destructive political forces,” and administrative reform.

    His second condition stands out most. Jumblatt doesn’t want Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement to control the lucrative energy and telecom ministries as they have in previous governments, thus firing the first salvo in the ministerial selection process.

    He insists that Mikati’s resignation had nothing to do with external pressures as many had suggested – “he was barred from appointing a first-category civil servant,” he says, referring to the refusal of the previous cabinet to endorse Mikati’s proposal to extend the term of the commander of the Internal Security Forces (ISF), Ashraf Rifi.

    He refuses any quid pro quo between extending for Rifi and the new election law, particularly the Orthodox Gathering proposal which he strongly opposes, denouncing the Christian political leaders who are supporting it.

    Jumblatt says categorically that his MPs will not participate in any parliamentary session that will consider the Orthodox law. He is only willing to consider what is being called a “mixed law” that combines both proportional and majority representation.

    Al Akhbar (March 28, 2013)

    Nicolas Nassif
    The three Lebanese governments formed during President Michel Suleiman’s five-year term have all been forced into existence due to external pressures.

    The 2008 Fouad Siniora government was the result of the Doha Agreement. The 2009 Saad Hariri government saw the light of day due to a Saudi-Syrian reconciliation. The 2011 Najib Mikati government emerged after the collapse of this regional understanding.

    After Mikati’s recent resignation, however, it is unclear what circumstances will force the formation of a new government, particularly given the fact that the constitution does not impose time limits on either the president to name a new prime minister, or the prime minister to form a government.
    It seems clear that most of the political parties, which are divided between March 8 and 14, are not in any rush to form a new cabinet for a variety of reasons.

    First, the president prefers to wait until the contending political forces come to some sort of agreement on the shape and role of the new government before initiating consultations to name a prime minister.

    It doesn’t matter that there is a majority that supports a particular candidate – without the agreement of both March 8 and 14, the new prime minister will hit a wall and be forced to step down.
    Since the Taif Agreement, presidents have generally moved rather quickly to name a prime minister as soon as a government collapsed. Suleiman has decided to break this practice this time around, particularly as the political parties have come to play a role in the formation of recent governments that is equal to the designated prime minister.

    Second, given that the preparations for parliamentary elections are due to begin on April 20 (two months before its term expires), no prime minister alone is capable of dealing with the contradictory demands that will be placed on any new government. The likely result will be an extension for parliament before the formation of a new government.

    Third, both March 8 and 14 will not rush the formation of a government before determining what role it is meant to play internally and externally, in addition to what their position will be within it.
    It is telling that neither side has put forward any names despite the fact that it has become customary since the time of Syrian rule to designate a prime minister almost immediately before or after the government resigns.

    Even if a cabinet is formed, it cannot last long as it will expire with the onset of the March 2014 presidential elections, thus making any new government a transitional one at best.
    Fourth, both sides are now dealing with Mikati’s resignation cooly after some initial negative reactions from March 8 and celebration on the part of March 14.

    His resignation does not appear to have changed the balance of power between the majority and minority in parliament. Rather, it appears that there will be two large minority blocs – March 8 and 14 – with a much smaller group of MPs headed by Mikati, and Druze leader Walid Jumblatt standing in the middle.

    Al Akhbar (March 27, 2013)

    Ibrahim al-Amine

    Suddenly, the Arabs became men. They awoke to the fact that they possess military capabilities ready for use. But where? In an Arab land. And against whom? An Arab people. Their rationale is that there are killings and death in Syria. They decided that the culprit is a segment of the Syrian population, and it must be fought with every means at their disposal.

    Suddenly, the Arabs became men. But instead of feeling disgraced by the constant sight of death in Palestine, they decided to kick up as much dust as possible in the name of Palestinian reconciliation. They resolved to hold summits to ensure Palestinian reconciliation. They hope the dust-cloud will be thick enough to conceal their big crime in Syria. Suddenly, the Arabs have all been exposed. There are no major countries left in the Arab world.

    In Egypt, the government is busy ingratiating itself with the whole world in search of loans to exchange for what is left of the public sector. Algeria faces daily threats of it being added to the list of Arab countries in urgent need of an Arab Spring.

    There is no need to even mention Tunisia, Libya, or Yemen. They have become centers for the production of terrorist groups to fight beyond their borders, while takfiris terrorize the folks back home.

    In Lebanon, all contracted services are being delivered on demand. The government resigns, and courts chaos and civil war, to keep the plunderers of Arab wealth happy.
    In Jordan, meanwhile, they are told they have two choices: civil war, or signing up for the global alliance against the Syrian regime.

    As for Palestine, it can continue to be ignored, as there’s no tragedy there that merits action.

    This has left the institution of the Arab League under the control of the madmen of the Gulf, and transformed Qatar, from one moment to the next, into a megalomaniac that thinks it is the leader of the Arab nation.

    Thus, without shame, Qatar wants to persuade the world that the cause of Syria is top priority. They want to persuade us that they are qualified to champion a people, while they shackle their own peoples, and their wretched ruling families indulge in the theft of an entire nation’s resources.

    America’s Gulf clients found that Palestine warrants no more than a few million dollars and some reconciliation efforts. They have never heard of a popular uprising going on in Bahrain for the past two years. And they certainly face no protests at home for a fair distribution of wealth. All that really troubles them is Syria.

    Once again, these people seem confident that they are all-powerful. They are equally confident that American and Western armies will forever protect them..

    The one thing that preoccupies them is an obsession that has become very personal. What they worry about the most is being caught vulnerable as they stand transfixed before their TV screens, waiting for just one item of news: the announcement that Bashar al-Assad has fallen.
     

    Al Akhbar (March 28, 2013)

    Yehia Dbouk

    An Israeli decision to transfer its military brigades from the Syrian border to the Lebanese suggests that Israel is preparing for a new war in the north.

    Israeli military sources told Haaretz that war exercises are currently focused on its northern front. With a Syrian army weakened, claimed Haaretz, the Lebanese border preparations are informed by a “redefinition of the real threat represented currently in Hezbollah.”

    The newspaper reported that Yair Golan, head of the Israeli Northern Command, has stressed the need to work on dismantling the aura that has developed around Hezbollah in order to highlight the possibility of its defeat in the next war.

    Golan emphasized that Hezbollah is creating a strategic balance with Israel and “part of it is trying to get surface-to-sea missiles to eliminate our naval superiority, surface-to-air missiles to eliminate our aerial supremacy, and perhaps even trying to acquire chemical weapons to eliminate Israel’s supreme strategic capabilities.”

    Golan pointed out that “the pressure faced by Hezbollah as a result of Syria’s disintegration is quite evident and it is expressed not only through its support for Assad, but also through developments in Lebanon.”

    Golan said, “It is believed that instability in this country will further take root, but that Hezbollah will succeed in facing it with Iran’s help. I have a feeling that Hezbollah will overcome this challenge, but its control over Lebanon will be more obvious than before.”

    This, according to Golan, means that “we will have a Hezbollah state, but it will be behind the Alawite state expected to emerge in Syria. In other words, Iran is here.”

    AL Joumhouria (Lebanese daily, close to March 14 Coalition) (March 27, 2013)

    Military sources reported that the plan of the army to control the situation on the ground in Tripoli is still in force, but a possible explosion is not excluded. These sources mention a well studied plan by the militia, including Salafists and supporters of the Free Syrian Army to transform the city into a center for operation and logistics.

    The same sources added that Al-Qaeda, in cooperation with the Salafists in Tripoli, want a sanctuary. The organization works to route militants from Syria, Mali, Iraq, Sudan and Jordan towards Lebanon. To ensure the success of his plan, the Emir of Al-Qaeda in Lebanon, Houssam Sabbagh, strives to undergo brainwashing to Sunni sheikhs in the city, and pushes them to proclaim an Islamic emirate in Tripoli. This option had been already considered by the Group of Mohammad Zein al-Abidine Ben Nayef Ben Srour, who arrived in Lebanon on the eve of Nahr al-Bared war, in 2007.

    Military sources add: “The Srour affiliated groups are present today in the streets of Tripoli. They include Libyans, Algerians, Syrians, Kuwaitis and Palestinians. They coordinate their action directly with Houssam Sabbagh and Kuwaiti Yaacoub Choummari. Their goal is to create a broad Salafi Religious Council, which attract other Salafist groups to unify the gun and put the Salafist plan to proclaim an Islamic emirate in North Lebanon. In addition to the religious council, these groups want to form a council of war.”

    The Lebanese security services are aware of these plans and know that these ideas are deeply rooted in the minds of Salafists and their supporters.

    Yediot Aharonot (Israeli Daily, March 29, 2013)

    According to former Mossad chief Shabtai Shavit (1989-1996), Qatar played a “historic role in Israel’s favor larger than Great Britain.” Referring to the role of Doha in the implementation of policies of the United States and Israel in the Middle East, Shavit added that the services rendered by the Qatar to Tel Aviv are “more decisive than the services rendered to Israel for many years in other countries. “

    According to former Mossad chief, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, had always sided with the U.S. and “Israel” in regional issues. “The foreign policy of Qatar as Arab political lever in Tel Aviv and Washington,” said Shavit.

    Haaretz (Israeli Daily, March 30, 2013)

    Home Front Command, Maj. Gen. Eyal Eisenberg expected for future conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that the latter will rain down 10 more times rockets than those dropped on the central of Israel during July war. “Hezbollah is able today to rain down on the central of Israel 10 more times rockets than those dropped in 2006. It will be massive rockets and missile fire”, Eisenberg said. “Before 2006, Hezbollah was able to launch 500 rockets but this did not happen because Israel destroyed the rockets during the war first nights”, he pointed out.

    “Now Hezbollah has around 5 thousand rockets, of 300kgs to 880kgs. First days will be very difficult and I am preparing myself for a scenario when the interior front will be rained down by more than one thousand rockets every day”, he added.

    However, Eisenberg considered that Israel is not looking for such military confrontation. “This war is useless also for the second party and Israel’s know how to harm widely its enemy, far much more than the latter could do thanks to our Air weapons”, he stated.

    Ria Novosti (Russian press Agency, March 30, 2013)

    The Russian Foreign Ministry on Saturday posted a statement on its website slamming the US State Department’s stated intent to continue funding non-governmental organizations in Russia as “interfering.”

    “We view the declaration made by the official representative of the State Department, Victoria Nuland, that the United States will continue financing individual NGOs within Russia via intermediaries in third countries, bypassing Russian law, as open interference in our internal affairs” the statements reads.

    This statement responds to comments Nuland made during Thursday’s State Department presse briefing in which she highlighted US concern that the latest wave of spot-checks on NGOs in Russia was “some kind of witch hunt.” The Russian Foreign Ministry statement singles out the use of that term in particular as “nothing other than cynical and provocative.”

    On Thursday, Nuland also said “we are providing funding through platforms outside of Russia for those organizations that continue to want to work with us, understanding that they have to report that work now to their own government.”

    Russia’s Foreign Ministry criticized Nuland as inciting Russian NGOs and public bodies to violate Russian regulations.

    On Thursday, President Vladimir Putin warned the Kremlin’s human rights ombudsman Vladimir Lukin that the raids should be monitored to ensure there were no “excesses” by the officials carrying out these spot checks.

    Earlier this week, Russian NGO Agora, which has provided legal support to numerous political activists and which itself was also subject to a spot check, said that this latest wave of inspections has affected over 80 organizations across Russia.

    Reuters (British press agency, March 30, 2013)

    Saudi Arabia may try to end anonymity for Twitter users in the country by limiting access to the site to people who register their identification documents, the Arab News daily reported on Saturday.
    Last week, local media reported the government had asked telecom companies to look at ways they could monitor, or block, free internet phone services such as Skype.

    Twitter is highly popular with Saudis and has stirred broad debate on subjects ranging from religion to politics in a country where such public discussion had been considered at best unseemly and sometimes illegal.

    Early this month, the security spokesman for Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry described social networking, particularly Twitter, as a tool used by militants to stir social unrest.
    The country’s Grand Mufti, Saudi Arabia’s top cleric, last week described users of the microblogging site as “clowns” wasting time with frivolous and even harmful discussions, local newspapers reported.

    “A source at (the regulator) described the move as a natural result of the successful implementation of (its) decision to add a user’s identification numbers while topping up mobile phone credit,” Arab News reported.

    That would not necessarily make a user’s identity visible to other users of the site, but it would mean the Saudi government could monitor the tweets of individual Saudis.

    The English-language news outlet did not explain how the authorities might be able to restrict ability to post on Twitter. The newspaper belongs to a publishing group owned by the ruling family and run by a son of Crown Prince Salman.

    Internet service providers are legally obliged to block websites showing content deemed pornographic.

    One of the big investors in Twitter is Saudi Arabian billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a nephew of King Abdullah who also holds significant stakes in Citi Group, News Corp and Apple through his Kingdom Holding Company.

    The country’s telecom regulator, Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) did not immediately responded to requests for comment on the report. Last week it did not comment on the report it was seeking to restrict Skype use.

    A spokeswoman for Kingdom Holding said Prince Alwaleed was not available to comment.
    “There are people who misuse the social networking and try to send false information and false evaluation of the situation in the kingdom and the way the policemen in the kingdom are dealing with these situations,” said Major General Mansour Turki, the security spokesman, at a news conference on March 8.

    In a separate interview with Reuters this month, Turki argued that a small number of supporters of al-Qaeda and activists from Saudi Arabia’s Shia minority used social media to stir wider sympathy for their goals and social unrest.

    Two weeks ago one of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent clerics, Salman al-Awdah, who has 2.4 million followers on the site, used Twitter to attack the government’s security policy as too harsh and call for better services. He warned it might otherwise face “the spark of violence.” Two leading Saudi human rights activists were sentenced to long prison terms this month for a variety of offenses including “internet crimes” because they had used Twitter and other sites to attack the government.
    Some top princes in the monarchy now use Twitter themselves and Crown Prince Salman, King Abdullah’s designated heir and also defense minister, recently opened an official account
     

    River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
    The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

    In defiance of her kidnappers the Ukrainian journalist returning to Syria

    April 2, 2013
     
     
    By documents … Qatar has blackmailed Ukraine for the journalist Anhar
     

    Section: Leaks
    Ramy Mansour

    March 13, 2013

     
    These documents, which will be published today, would not see the light without the releasing the Ukrainian Journalist Ankhar Kochneva, where Breaking News Network has impounded on publishing these documents for the whole las period for the safety of the Ukrainian Journalist that is kidnapped by Free Army militia.

    The negotiation on the territory of Qatar

    These documents, which Breaking News Network has got form Syrian Electronic Army after being able to hack the Electronic E-mail of Qatar Foreign Ministry, show the blackmailing that is carried out by the regime of Qatar toward the humanized cases just to take Ukraine’s recognition of the Syrian Opposition Coalition, which is made by Hamad.
    After that the Ukrainian government reached to a formula
     to negotiate with the group, which kidnapped journalist Kochwina and led by a person named Ammar Biqai, spend transfer talks press release to the territory of another State, where the terrorist group has suggested Qatar as a position for the mentioned talks.

    The Government of Ukraine has requested from Qatar to examine the possibility of making negotiations on the territory of Qatar.

    Blackmail

    The Qatari regime was waiting for so an opportunity to show its carelessness to such humanitarian issues, then it asked from the Government of Ukraine to express its attitude from the Syrian opposition Coalition in order to blackmail Ukraine by its hijacked citizen, despite the insistence of Ukrainians to expedite answers to preserve the life of the press, but the system Hamad blackmailed opportunity calves will not be ordered.

    Principled position

    Ukraine has responded directly to Qatar’s inquire about knowledge of its attitude toward the coalition of Muaz, but Ukrainian respond came clear and explicit “As part of the exerted efforts for the recognition of the Syrian opposition coalition is necessary to take into account that the organization that resort to mass terror to achieve their political goals cannot look to obtain international recognition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people”.

    Ukrainians adds:

    “The Ukrainian side condemns strongly all types of terrorism and violence against civilians and take a principled stand active in this matter in the international arena.”

    Qatari collusion and Syrian decision

    After this correspondence – published below full – that were traded between the Government of Ukraine and the regime of Hamad, the Qataris have ignored the issue the kidnapped journalist in light of the Ukrainian rejecting for the coalition of Muaz, leaving the journalist Kouchnava facing her destiny because of her government’s principled attitude against dealing with the organizations that sponsor terrorism Kalaitlav Syrian opposition, and in that a clear reference to the role of Qatar in the kidnapping of journalist Ukrainian private and group Ammar Biqai of the militia army free had demanded the State of Qatar for talks, to play Qatar role applied for recognition a coalition of Muaz, but the Syrian Arab army could release the journalist Ukrainian yesterday without any need for the use of Qatar Regime .
    The documents

    The first document:

    Qatar Embassy
    Abu Dabi
    The ambassador office
    No: 8/1/1/_3911
    Date: 12/11/2013
    Secret
    Important and Urgent

    The Excellency of Ali Bin Fahd al-Hajery
    The assistant of Foreign Affairs minister
    The Foreign Ministry
    Al-Doha

    Greetness … and yet…
    I am pleased to enclose to you herewith the Ukraine Embassy’s note: 6169/22_500_1905, which is dated in 11.11.2012 about the request of the Ukrainian side the possibility of holding negotiations on the territory of Qatar country between Ukrainian citizenship kidnapers in Syria and the social organizations commissioner representing the Ukrainian side.

    Taking into consideration that the charge of Ukrainian affairs, who has attended today to deliver the warrant, has said that Mr. Ivegn Mikitenko the deputy of Ukrainian Foreign minister and the Ukraine’s special representative for the affairs of the Middle East and Africa, where he has delivered your highness a previous note about the same topic.
    Honors access and guidance as you see fit,

    Asking your Excellency to accept the assurance of highest consideration.

    Abdullah Bin Muhammad Othman
    The ambassador

    The second document.

    Ukraine Embassy to United Arab Emirates

    Very Urgent

    The Embassy of Ukraine to the United Arab Emirates presents its greetness to Qatar Foreign Ministry
    Referring to the warrant of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine No. 71 / A, T / 23-500-2096 dated 07/11/2012 about the kidnapping of Ukrainian citizenship Ms. Ankhar Kouchnava in October of this year by a group led by Amar Biqai (the battalion, which is linked to Free Syrian Army),
    The embassy gets honored to inform the esteemed ministry that the government of Ukraine is taking measures to free the Kidnapped Ukrainian citizenship.

    In the framework of the talks with the armed group, which is capturing the Ukrainian Hostage, where an agreement took place to move the position of the talks about releasing her to the territory of another country.

    Due to the recent calls between the staff of the Ukrainian embassy to Syrian Arab Republic and the representative person on the behalf of the kidnapping group, where the last part has suggested Qatar country as a location for the mentioned talks.
    Hence, we ask the esteemed ministry to study the possibility of holding aforementioned negotiations in the territory of Qatar.

    As we hope taking in to consideration the following:

    • The Ukrainian side will be represented in the talks by the authorized social organization not the Ukrainian government.
    • – The kidnappers agreed to send their delegates to Qatar on bail the country side provided that these guarantees by the representatives of the State of Qatar through a personal call via the Internet ((Skype which will provide the required data to the Ukrainian side to establish contact later.
    • asking not to disclose the mentioned information as one of the conditions of the kidnaping group.
    Due to the urgency of this issue and the threatening the life of the kidnapped Ukrainian citizenship, the embassy would be grateful if the esteemed minister could respond to this note as soon as possible.
    The embassy takes this opportunity to renew to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar for assurances of its highest consideration and respect.
    Qatar Foreign Ministry
    Al-Doha

    The third document

    Qatar Embassy
    Abu Dhabi
    The ambassador’s office
    Reference: 8/1/1_2972
    Date: 18/11/2013
    Please/ important and urgent
    The Excellency of the honored brother Ali Bin Fahd al-Hajri.
    The assessment of the Foreign Affairs Ministry
    The Foreign Ministry
    Al-Doha
    Greetness … and yet…

    Further to our book No. 8/1/1-3911 on 11/12/2012 about the kidnapped Ukrainian citizenship in Syrian territory and our book No. 8/1/1-3839, which is dated in 11/08/2012 addressed to the Arab Affairs Department about the same subject (copy attached)

    I am pleased to enclose to you herewith a copy of the warrant of the Embassy of Ukraine in Abu Dhabi 6169/22-012-1950 Number on 16.11.2012, which describes the position of Ukraine about the recognition of Syrian opposition coalition, and condemns strongly all kinds of terrorism and violence against civilians, (which is obviousstand-alone).

    Honors access and guidance as you see fit
    Asking your Excellency to accept the assurance of highest consideration.
    Abdullah Bin Muhammad Othman
    The ambassador

    The fourth document

    Ukrainian Embassy to United Arab Emirates

    Very urgent

    Ukraine’s Embassy to the United Arab Emirates presents its greetness of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar.

     And referring to the warrant of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine No. 71 / A, T / 23-500-2096 dated in 07/11/2012 about the kidnapping of Ukrainian citizenship Mrs. Ankhar Kouchnava in October of this year by a group led by Amar Biqai (Koutoubia of the Free Syrian Army) ,
    The embassy gets honored to inform the esteemed ministry that the government of Ukraine is taking measures to free the Kidnapped Ukrainian citizenship.

    In the framework of the talks with the armed group, which is capturing the Ukrainian Hostage, where an agreement took place to move the position of the talks about releasing her to the territory of another country.

    Due to the recent calls between the staff of the Ukrainian embassy to Syrian Arab Republic and the representative person on the behalf of the kidnapping group, where the last part has suggested Qatar country as a location for the mentioned talks.

    Hence, we ask the esteemed ministry to study the possibility of holding aforementioned negotiations in the territory of Qatar.

    We also hope to take into account the following:

    • The Ukrainian side will be represented in the talks by the authorized social organization not the Ukrainian government.

      – The kidnappers agreed to send their delegates to Qatar on bail the country side provided that these guarantees by the representatives Qatar through a personal call via the Internet ((Skype which will provide the required data to the Ukrainian side to establish contact later.
      – asking not to disclose the mentioned information as one of the conditions of the kidnaping group.

    • Due to the urgency of this issue and the threatening the life of the kidnapped Ukrainian citizenship, the embassy would be grateful if the esteemed minister could respond to this note as soon as possible.
    • The embassy takes this opportunity to renew to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar for assurances of its highest consideration and respect.

    Qatar Foreign Ministry
    Al-Doha

    The Fifth document:

     

    Qatar Embassy
    Abu Dhabi

    The ambassador’s office
    Reference: 8/1/1-3839
    Date: 08/11/2012
    Urgent kinder

     HE Brother / Ibrahim Abdul Aziz Sahlawi esteemed
    Administration to Arab affairs manager
    Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Al-Doha

    Greetness … and yet…

    I am pleased to enclose a copy of the warrant of the Ukraine Embassy in Abu Dhabi 6169/22-012-1881 Number on 07.11.2012, on request to assist the Government of the State of Qatar in the release of the Ukrainian citizenship Mrs. Ankhar Kouchnava, kidnapped in Syria (and the obvious stand-alone).

     Honors access and take whatever action you deem appropriate.
    Yours sincerely,

     Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Othman
    Ambassador

    The Sixth document:

    Ukrainian Embassy to United Arab Emirates
    Date 07/11/2013
    No: 6169/22-012-1881

    Ukraine’s Embassy to the United Arab Emirates presents its greetness to Qatar Embassy to the United Arab Emirates

    Very urgent

    The Embassy has the honor to enclose herewith a warrant from Ukraine Foreign Affairs Ministry addressed to Qatar Foreign Ministry about the request for assistance to release of the kidnapped Ukrainian citizenship in Syria please transmit her to her destination.

    Annex: the above-mentioned p 2

    Embassy takes this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the State of Qatar’s esteemed UAE for assurances of its highest consideration and respect.
    Qatar Embassy to United Arab Emirates

    Abu Dhabi

    The Seventh document:

    Ukrainian Foreign Ministry
    No: 71/AR/23-500-2096

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine presents its greetness to the Ministry of Qatar Foreign Affairs and has the honor to ask it the following urgent request.

    Ukraine is deeply concerned about the fate of her citizen Mrs. Ankhar Kouchnava that was kidnapped in October of this year, which is still being captured forcibly in the Syrian territory by an armed group, which is led by Amar Biqai and self-styled battalion as belonging to the Free Syrian Army.
    Mrs. Ankhar Kouchnava has visited Syrian in a special visiting and has worked as translator for the Russian journalists’ delegations and the correspondents of the Russian Satellite channels.

    The armed group, which has abducted Mrs. Ankhar Kouchnava, threatens by killing her and demands the government of Ukraine a ransom versus releasing her.

    The Ukrainian side was grateful if Qatar presents graciously possible assistance for the release of Mrs. Ankhar Kouchnava and ensures her security, in addition to put an end to the above-mentioned subject to the participants of the General Assembly meeting of the Syrian National Council held in Doha in November 4-8-2012.

    The Ukraine side, just like Qatar country condemns strongly all the kinds of terrorism and violence against the civilians and takes an active principled attitude in this matter in the international arena.
    The Ministry of Ukraine Foreign Affairs takes this opportunity to express its highest consideration and respect to the Ministry of Qatar Foreign Affairs.
    7 November 2012. Kiev city /the signature/
    Qatar Foreign Ministry
    Al-Doha

    لم تبصر هذه الوثائق التي ستنشر اليوم النور لولا تحرير الصحفية الأوكرانية أنهار كوشنيفا بالأمس، فقد تحفظت شبكة عاجل الإخبارية على نشر هذه الوثائق طوال الفترة الماضية حفاظاً على حياة الصحفية الأوكرانية المختطفة من قبل ميليشيا الجيش الحر.

    تفاوض على أرض قطر

    في هذه الوثائق التي حصلت عليها شبكة عاجل الإخبارية من الجيش السوري الالكتروني بعد تمكنهم من قرصنة البريد الالكتروني لوزارة خارجية قطر يظهر حجم الابتزاز الذي يمارسه نظام قطر تجاه قضية إنسانية بغية الحصول على اعتراف أوكرانيا بإئتلاف سوريا المعارض والذي صنعه نظام حمد.

    فبعد أن توصلت الحكومة الأوكرانية إلى صيغة للتفاوض مع المجموعة التي اختطفت الصحفية كوشفينا والتي يقودها شخص اسمه عمار البقاعي تقضي بنقل موقع محادثات اطلاق سراح الصحفية إلى أراضي دولة أخرى. حيث اقترحت المجموعة الإرهابية دولة قطر موقعاً للمحادثات المذكورة، فقد طلبت حكومة أوكرانيا من قطر دراسة إمكانية إجراء المفاوضات على أراضيها أي قطر.

    ابتزاز

    النظام القطري كان بانتظار هكذا فرصة ليظهر لا مبالاته بمثل هذه القضايا الإنسانية فما كان منه إلا أن طلب من حكومة أوكرانيا إبداء موقفها من الإئتلاف السوري المعارض بغية ابتزاز أوكرانيا بمواطنتها المختطفة، رغم إصرار الأوكرانيين على الإسراع بالجواب حفاظاً على حياة الصحفية، ولكن لدى نظام حمد فرصة للابتزاز فلن يكون عجولاً من أمره.

    موقف مبدئي

    أوكرانيا ردت مباشرة على الاستفسار القطري بشأن معرفة موقفها من ائتلاف معاذ، ولكن الرد الأوكراني جاء واضحاً وصريحاً: “في اطار الجهود المبذولة من أجل الاعتراف بائتلاف المعارضة السورية من الضروري الأخذ بعين الاعتبار أن المنظمة التي تلجأ الى وسائل الارهاب لتحقيق أهدافها السياسية لا تستطيع أن تتطلع إلى الحصول على الإعتراف الدولي كالممثل الشرعي للشعب السوري”.

    وأضاف الأوكرانيون:

    “إن الجانب الأوكراني يدين بشدة كل أنواع الارهاب والعنف ضد المدنيين ويأخذ موقفا مبدئيا نشيطا في هذا الأمر على الساحة الدولية . “

    تواطؤ قطري وحسم سوري

    بعد هذه المراسلات – المنشورة أدناه كاملةً – التي تم تداولها بين حكومة أوكرانيا ونظام حمد، تجاهل القطريون قضية الصحفية المختطفة في ظل الموقف الأوكراني الرافض لإئتلاف معاذ، تاركين الصحفية كوشنيفا لمصيرها كون حكومتها كانت صاحبة موقف مبدأي بالتعامل مع المنظمات الراعية للإرهاب كالإئتلاف السوري المعارض، وفي ذلك إشارة واضحة إلى دور قطر في إختطاف الصحفية الأوكرانية خاصة وأن مجموعة عمار البقاعي التابعة لميليشيا الجيش الحر قد اشترطت دولة قطر للمحادثات، لتلعب دولة قطر دورها بطلب الحصول على اعتراف بإئتلاف معاذ، ولكن الجيش العربي السوري استطاع تحرير الصحفية الأوكرانية بالأمس دون أي حاجة للاستعانة بنظام قطر.

    الوثائق

    سفارة دولة قطر

    أبو ظبي

    مكتب السفير

    الرقم: 8/ 1/ 1/ _ 3911

    التاريخ: 12/ 11/ 2012 م

    سري

    لطفاً هام وعاجل

    سعادة السيد / علي بن فهد الهاجري المحترم

    مساعد الوزير للشؤون الخارجية

    وزارة الخارجية

    الدوحة.

    تحية طيبة… وبعد،،،

    يسرني أن ارفق لسعادتكم طيه مذكرة سفارة أوكرانيا رقم : 6169/22_500_1905

    والمؤرخة في 11/11/2012 م بشأن طلب الجانب الأوكراني امكانية اجراء مفاوضات على اراضي دولة قطر بين مختطفي مواطنة أوكرانية في سوريا وبين منظمات اجتماعية مفوضة تمثل الجانب الأوكراني.

    علماً بأن القائم بالأعمال الأوكراني الذي حضر اليوم لإيصال المذكرة أفادنا بأن سعادة السيد/إفجين ميكيتينو، نائب وزير خارجية أوكرانيا ومندوب أوكرانيا الخاص لشؤون الشرق الأوسط وأفريقيا قام بتسليم سعادتكم مذكرة سابقة حول نفس الموضوع.

    للتكرم بالاطلاع والتوجيه بما ترونه مناسباً،،

    وتفضلوا سعادتكم بقبول فائق الاحترام،،،

    عبدالله بن محمد العثمان

    السفير

    سفارة أوكرانيا

    لدى دولة

    الإمارات العربية المتحدة

    عاجلاً جداً

    تهدى سفارة أوكرانيا لدى دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة أطيب تحياتها لوزراة خارجية دولة قطر.

    واشارة الى مذكرة وزارة خارجية أوكرانيا رقم 71/أ ر/23-500-2096 بتاريخ 7/11/2012 م حول اختطاف المواطنة الأوكرانية السيدة/ أنهار كوشنيفا في أكتوبر من العام الجاري من قبل المجموعة بقيادة عمار البقاعي (الكتبية التابعة للجيش السوري الحر)،

    تتشرف السفارة بإفادة الوزارة الموقرة بأن حكومة أوكرانيا تتخذ حالياً تدابير لازمة للافراج عن المواطنة الأوكرانية المختطفة. وفي اطار المحادثات مع المجموعة التي تحتجز رهينة أوكرانية تم التوصل الى الاتفاق على نقل موقع المحادثات حول اطلاق سراحها إلى أراضي دولة أخرى. ونتيجة الاتصالات الأخيرة بين موظفي سفارة أوكرانيا في الجمهورية العربية السورية والشخص المفوض بالمجموعة الخاطفة اقترحت هي الأخيرة دولة قطر موقعاً للمحادثات المذكورة.

    وعليه نرجو من الوزراة الموقرة دراسة امكانية اجراء المفاوضات الآنف الذكر في أراضي دولة قطر.

    كما نرجو أخذ بعين الاعتبار مايلي:

    • سوف يتمثل الجانب الأوكراني في المحادثات بمنظمة اجتماعية مفوضة وليس بجهات حكومية أوكرانية.
    • وافق الخاطفون على إيفاد مندوبيهم الى قطر بكفالة الجانب القطري شريطة تقديم هذه الضمانات من قبل ممثلي دولة قطر خلال مكالمة شخصية عبر شبكة انترنيت ((Skype حيث سيوافي الجانب الأوكراني بالبيانات المطلوبة لإقامة الاتصال لاحقا.
    • يرجى عدم افشاء المعلومات المذكورة وذلك أحد شروط المجموعة الخاطفة.

    ونظرا إلى عاجلية هذه المسألة والتهديد بحياة المواطنة الأوكرانية المختطفة تكون السفارة ممتنة لو تفضلت الورزاة الموقرة بالرد على هذه المذكرة بالسرعة الممكنة.

    تنتهز السفارة هذه الفرصة لتعرب لوزراة خارجية دولة قطر عن فائق تقديرها واحترامها.

    وزارة خارجية دولة قطر

    الدوحة

    سفارة دولة قطر

    أبو ظبي

    مكتب السفير

    الإشارة: 8/1/1_2972

    التاريخ: 18/11/2012 م

    لطفاً/ هام وعاجل

    سعادة الأخ الفاضل/ علي بن فهد الهاجري المحترم

    مساعد الوزير للشؤون الخارجية

    وزارة الخارجية

    الدوحة

    تحية طيبة وبعد،،،

    الحاقا لكتابنا رقم 8/1/1-3911 بتاريخ 12/11/2012 بشأن المواطنة الأوكرانية المختطفه في الأراضي السورية.

    وكتابنا رقم 8/1/1-3839 بتاريخ 8/11/2012 الموجه إلى إدارة الشؤون العربية حول نفس الموضوع (مرفق نسخة)

    يسرني ان أرفق لسعادتكم طيه نسخة من مذكرة سفارة أوكرانيا في أبو ظبي رقم 6169/22-012-1950 بتاريخ 16/11/2012 ، والتي توضح فيها موقف أوكرانيا بشأن الاعتراف بائتلاف المعارضة السورية ، وتدين بشدة كل انواع الارهاب والعنف ضد المدنيين، (والواضحة بذاتها).

    للتكرم بالاطلاع والتوجيه بما ترونه مناسبا،،،

    وتفضلوا سعادتكم بقبول فائق الاحترام،،،

    عبدالله بن محمد العثمان

    السفير

    سفارة أوكرانيا

    لدى دولة

    الإمارات العربية المتحدة

    تاريخ: 16/11/2012 م

    رقم: 6169/22-012-1950

    تهدي سفارة أوكرانيا لدى دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة أطيب تحياتها لسفارة دولة قطر لدى دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة

    عاجلا جدا

    بالإشارة الى مذكرتي السفارة رقم 6169/22-012-1881 بتاريخ 7/11/2012 م ورقم 6169/22-500-1905 بتاريخ 11/11/2012 م

    تتشرف السفارة بإفادة موقف أوكرانيا التالي:

    “في اطار الجهود المبذولة من أجل الاعتراف بائتلاف المعارضة السورية من الضروري الأخذ بعين الاعتبار أن المنظمة التي تلجأ الى وسائل الارهاب لتحقيق اهدافها السياسية لا تستطيع أن تطلع الى الحصول على الاعتراف الدولي كالممثل الشرعي للشعب السوري.

    تعبر أوكرانيا مرة أخرى عن قلقها العميق بشأن مصير مواطنتها السيدة / أنهار كوشنيفا التي تم اختطافها في أكتوبر من العام الجاري والتي مازالت محتجزة قسرا في الأراضي السورية من قبل المجموعة التي تسمي نفسها بكتيبة تابعة للجيش السوري الحر وتهدد بقتلها مطالبة حكومة أوكرانيا بفدية مالية لتحريرها.

    إن الجانب الأوكراني يدين بشدة كل أنواع الارهاب والعنف ضد المدنيين ويأخذ موقفا مبدئيا نشيطا في هذا الأمر على الساحة الدولية . “

    للتفضل بالاطلاع وإفادة الجهات المختصة في دولة قطر.

    تنتهز السفارة هذه الفرصة لتعرب لسفارة دولة قطر الموقرة لدى دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة عن فائق تقديرها واحترامها.

    سفارة دولة قطر لدى دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة

    أبو ظبي

    سفارة دولة قطر

    أبو ظبي

    مكتب السفير

    الإشارة: 8/1/1-3839

    التاريخ: 8/11/2012

    لطفا عاجل

    سعادة الاخ /ابراهيم عبد العزيز السهلاوي المحترم

    مدير ادراة الشؤون العربية

    وزارة الخارجية

    الدوحة

    تحية طيبة وبعد ،،،

    يسرني أن أرفق طيه نسخة من مذكرة سفارة أوكرانيا في أبو ظبي رقم 6169/22-012-1881 بتاريخ 7/11/2012 ، بشأن طلب مساعدة حكومة دولة قطر في الافراج عن المواطنة الأوكرانية / أنهار كوشنيفا، المخطوفة في سوريا (والواضحة بذاتها).

    للتكرم بالاطلاع واتخاذ ما ترونه مناسبا.

    وتفضلوا بقبول فائق الاحترام،،،

    عبدالله بن محمد العثمان

    السفير

    سفارة أوكرانيا

    لدى دولة

    الإمارات العربية المتحدة

    تاريخ: 07/11/2012 م

    رقم: 6169/22-012-1881

    تهدى سفارة أوكرانيا لدى دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة أطيب تحياتها لسفارة دولة قطر لدى دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة

    عاجلا جدا

    وتتشرف السفارة بأن ترفق بطيه مذكرة وزارة خارجية أوكرانيا الموجهة الى وزارة خارجية دولة قطر بخصوص طلب المساعدة للإفراج عن المواطنة الأوكرانية المخطوفة في سوريا برجاء إحالتها الى وجهتها.

    المرفق: المذكور أعلاه على ص 2

    تنتهز السفارة هذه الفرصة لتعرب لسفارة دولة قطر الموقرة لدى دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة عن فائق تقديرها وإحترامها.

    سفارة دولة قطر لدى دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة

    أبو ظبي

    وزارة خارجية أوكرانيا

    رقم: 71/أ ر/23-500-2096

    تهدى وزارة خارجية أوكرانيا أطيب تحياتها لوزارة خارجية دولة قطر وتتشرف بأن تتوجه اليها بالطلب العاجل التالي.

    تشعر أوكرانيا بقلق عميق بشأن مصير مواطنتها السيدة/ أنهار كوشنيفا التي تم اختطافها في أكتوبر من العام الجاري والتي ما زالت محتجزة قسرا في الأراضي السورية من قبل المجموعة بقيادة عمار البقاعي والتي تسمي نفسها بكتيبة تابعة للجيش السوري الحر.

    قامت السيدة/ أنهار كوشنيفا بزيارة خاصة الى سوريا وعملت كمترجمة لوفود الصحفيين الروس ومراسلي القنوات الفضائية الروسية.

    تهدد المجموعة التي اختطفت السيدة/ أنهار كوشنيفا بقتلها وتطالب حكومة أوكرانيا بفدية مالية لتحريرها.

    وكان الجانب الأوكراني ممتنا لو تكرمت دولة قطر بتقديم المساعدة الممكنة من أجل الإفراج عن السيدة/ أنهار كوشنيفا وتأمين الأمن لها بالإضافة الى إنهاء الموضوع المذكور اعلاه الى مشاركي اجتماع الهيئة العامة للمجلس الوطني السوري المنعقد في الدوحة في 4-8 نوفمبر 2012م.

    إن الجانب الأوكراني مثل دولة قطر يدين بشدة كل أنواع الارهاب والعنف ضد المدنيين ويأخذ موقفا مبدئيا نشيطا في هذا الأمر على الساحة الدولية.

    تنتهز وزارة خارجية أوكرانيا هذه الفرصة لتعرب لوزارة خارجية دولة قطر عن فائق تقديرها وإحترامها.

    7 نوفمبر 2012م، مدينة كييف /إمضاء/

    وزارة خارجية دولة قطر

    الدوحة

    الوثيقة الثامنة – مكتوبة باللغة الروسية ولم يتمكن فريق عمل شبكة عاجل الإخبارية من تفريغها لعدم وجود مختصين باللغة الروسية، وعليه يمكن تحميل الوثيقة باللغة الروسية عبر هذا الرابط

    لقراءة المادة باللغة الإنكليزية على هذا الرابط

    River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
    The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!

    Qatar and Egypt … Tipping the balance Meshaal in Hamas elections

    April 2, 2013
    

     قطر ومصر بإنتخابات حماس… ترجيح لكفة مشعل

     
     In case you missed it
     

     

    ‏الإثنين‏، 01‏ نيسان‏، 2013
    أوقات الشام
    عقدت قيادات “حماس”، بقيادة رئيس المكتب السياسي للحركة خالد مشعل ، ورئيس حكومة غزة المقال إسماعيل هنية، اجتماعات مغلقة في القاهرة، لبحث إجراء انتخابات المكتب السياسي المؤجلة منذ تشرين الثاني الفائت.
    وكشفت مصادر مطلعة عن اتفاق جميع أعضاء المكتب ومجلس شورى “حماس” على إجراء الإستحقاق الإنتخابي خلال هذا الأسبوع، مشيرة إلى أن التسريبات السابقة، التي رشحت موسى أبو مرزوق، المقيم بشكل دائم في القاهرة، ليخلف رئيس المكتب، باتت غير دقيقة، بعد تدخلات قطرية ومصرية تطالب باستمرار مشعل على رأس الحركة. وفي تعليق له على ما يتم الحديث عنه عن دور قطريمصري في انتخابات حماس إعتبر المحلل السياسي الفلسطيني بسام رجا في تصريح لوكالة أنباء آسيا أنه “في حال صحة هذه المعلومات فإن ذلك يعني فرضاً لأجندة سياسية معينة لكي يبقى الملف الفلسطيني خاضعاً لرؤيتهما معينة ، خصوصاً في ظل حديث مشعل سابقاً أنه ليس بوارد الترشح مجدداً لرئاسة المكتب السياسي للحركة، ولفت الى أن الملف الفلسطيني الآن هو بحاجة الى رؤية وحدوية بين الضفة وغزة بحال وجود مشعل على رأس حماس أو عدمه“.

    كما أشار الى العلاقة الطيبة بين حماس وتنظيم الإخوان المسلمين في مصر، والذي تُرجم على أرض الواقع وفي حال ثبوت التدخل المصري في تعيين رئيس للمكتب السياسي لحماس فإن هذا سيؤثر على استقلالية القرار الفلسطيني ما يعني خضوعاً لحسابات ضيقة بعيداً عن المجال العروبي والإسلامي الأوسع للقضية الفلسطينية، وهذا ما يحتم الحؤول دون تدخل أي دولة أو جهة خدمة لأجندتها السياسية الخاصة. كما تطرق الى كلام قائد شرطة دبي ضاحي خلفان الذي قال “إن الإخوان المسلمون هدفهم حماية إسرائيل وبالتالي فإن حماس لن تطلق صاروخاً باتجاه إسرائيل”، ورأى رجا أن “حماس ليست كتلة واحدة ولا يمكنها بالتالي أن تعلن وقف المقاومة ضد إسرائيل ، واعتبر ان المقاومة هي حالة وطنية لها جذورها وأبعادها في المجتمع الفلسطيني ولا يمكن لأحد أن يقصيه عن لعب دوره في المقاومة“. واعتبر أن ما تحدث عنه خلفان يأتي على خلفية المعلومات التي لديه عن دور الإخوان في مصر الذين بدأوا يعبثون بالملف الفلسطيني، وما حصل بالقاهرة أتى ليقول أن السيد مرسي إستطاع أن يطلق سراح شاليط،

    وهذا التدخل يجب مراقبته بحذر فهو يؤدي الى شرذمة القضية الفلسطينية، وتمنى أن “لا يكون هناك أي دور لقطر والسعودية في تعيين القيادات الفلسطينية لأن ذلك يعتبر كارثة بحيث تصبح الدول هي من تعين القادة الفلسطينيين، ويؤدي الى مزيد من البعثرة للجهود الفلسطينية“. كذلك أشار أنه ومنذ إتفاق مكة وحتى الآن فقد ثبت أن السعودية وقطر لا تريدان الخير للشعب الفلسطيني، واعتبر أن الأيدي القطرية والسعودية في المنطقة أصبحت واضحة، وفي ما يتعلق بالملف الفلسطيني حاولت مصر والسعودية أن تعبثا بالقضية الفلسطينية، واشار الى دور قطر في تثبيت بعض الأجندات المرتبطة برؤيتها للعلاقات الفلسطينية – الفلسطينية، ولفت الى ميول قطرية – سعودية لـ “مغمغة” الحلول الفلسطينية، واعتبر ان الحلول التي قدمت للشعب الفلسطيني من قطر والسعودية تضيع الحق الفلسطيني وتلغي حق العودة

    . وفي سياق متصل كانت مصادر فلسطينية مطلعة أشارت أن “سبب التأخير في انعقاد مجلس الشورى في حركة “حماس” إلى رغبة غالبية أعضائه ببقاء رئيس المكتب السياسي خالد مشعل في منصبه لولاية أخرى رغم إعلانه الرغبة في التنحي، وإصرار مشعل على أنه لن يقبل بالتراجع عن موقفه والبقاء في هذا المنصب، إلا إذا كان هناك إجماع داخل الحركة على ذلك”.ورجحت المصادر “أن يحصل مشعل على مراده ويبقى في منصبه لولاية خامسة وأخيرة مدتها أربع سنوات“. كما أكدت مصادر عسكرية مصرية أنه لا دخل للمؤسسة العسكرية في زيارة قيادات “حماسللقاهرة، لافتا إلى أن لقاءات الحركة تكون مع مؤسسة الرئاسة وجهاز المخابرات“. وتنتخب “حماس” قياداتها في ثلاثة أقاليم، هي غزة والضفة والشتات، كل أربعة أعوام، وتبدأ من المناطق المحلية، وصولا إلى قيادة المكتب السياسي، أما أسرى الحركة في سجون الاحتلال فينتخبون هيئة قيادية عليا خاصة بهم.

     

    River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
    The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!