Lahoud calls for national solidarity…(1)

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud asserted "the importance of national solidarity and unity, particularly during this crucial phase (we are passing through) and in which the future of our children and grand children is being decided, especially with the presence of an enemy who has evil intentions towards us."

Lahoud went on saying that the solidarity and cooperation between Syria and Lebanon lead to stability, which brings about the envy of others, and that "those unpleased about this situation are trying to disrupt Lebanon internally by inciting internal feuds, and distract us with differences and endless debates".

The Lebanese President, in an interview with the Saudi daily al-Sharq al-Awsat, preferred not to speak a lot about MP Walid Jumblatt's latest stands about him (Lahoud).

Lahoud, however, said that he had nothing to do with his son's (Emile) call for the resignation of Jumblatt's ministers. Lahoud asserted that his son later called him, telling that he precipitated in saying his stand.

PM: ‘war signal’ if Sharon wins
Electing hard-liner rules out ‘strategic option of peace’…(2)

Premier Rafik Hariri said on Sunday that if “Israel” elected Ariel Sharon, the right-wing front-runner in next month’s prime ministerial election, it would be tantamount to a call for war with the Jewish state’s Arab neighbors.
““Israel” would be the first to get hit (affected) if Sharon wins … Picking Sharon means that the “Israeli” people have not yet taken the strategic option of peace with the Arabs,” Hariri told the Reuters news agency.
He made the remarks during a visit to Kuwait, where he secured a pledge from the emirate to fund most of a $500 million project on the Litani River.
The hard-line Likud Party leader is not expected to be as flexible as “Israeli” Prime Minister Ehud Barak in peace negotiations with Lebanon, Syria, and the Palestinians.
Although he also criticized Barak, Hariri appeared to believe that chances of reaching regional peace treaties with the Jewish state would be better under the current premier.
“Maybe he changed a bit these days … (but) Barak is different from Sharon, whose presence is a call for war,” Hariri said.
Sharon, well ahead of Barak in “Israeli” opinion polls, has said the Arab world has a wrong image of him.
“I want to say something about my demonization ­ after all, I am known as someone who eats Arabs for breakfast,” Sharon was quoted as saying by “Israel’s” Yediot Ahronot newspaper last week. “This is baseless. People are killed in wars, but I never allowed the mistreatment of a prisoner and I never humiliated anyone,” added the general, long reviled by many Arabs.
But Hariri said: “Sharon’s inclinations are clear. It is like what one journalist called ‘the best prescription for war.’
“But we also must not forget what Barak has done in Lebanon,” Hariri added. “He destroyed and killed and then withdrew his army because he realized he had reached a situation where the “Israeli” losses in Lebanon became too high.”
Sharon was the main architect of “Israel’s” 1982 invasion of Lebanon. An “Israeli” inquiry found him indirectly responsible for the massacre by militiamen of hundreds of civilians at the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila.
“As observers concerned with peace, we look at people through their history. Without doubt Sharon’s track record in Lebanon is dishonorable,” Hariri said. “Barak’s history too is not brilliant as far as Lebanon is concerned, and the Arabs and what is happening in the Palestinian arena now,” he added in reference to almost four months of clashes in which at least 309 Palestinians, 13 Arab-”Israelis” and 44 “Israelis” have been killed.
The prime minister added that because the Middle East was facing an uncertain future, the presence of Syrian troops in Lebanon was a “necessity.”
“The Lebanese government views the Syrian presence … as a ‘Lebanese necessity’ but this presence is temporary and President Assad has confirmed this recently,” he said. “We still
need the Syrian Army in the
present phase, especially now that the situation in the region
is very critical with the “Israeli” elections … The Syrian presence is strategic and we should preserve it.”

Annan delays UNIFIL decision…(3)

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan will not request a Security Council renewal of UNIFIL’s mandate in the South before discussing the matter with Colin Powell, the new US Secretary of State.
A UN diplomatic report received by the Foreign Ministry said Annan would discuss the matter with the new US administration to determine whether its position contradicted that of its predecessor, which favored extending the mandate.
The Security Council convenes next week to decide whether it will renew the mandate, which ends in February, for an additional six months.
The report said Annan preferred to wait but that this did not mean drastic changes would be introduced.

Syria condemns the Clinton - “Israel” memorandum of understanding…(4)
Syria condemned U.S. President Bill Clinton's signing of a memorandum of understanding with “Israel”, according to which “Israel” will receive more military aid from the United States of America.

Damascus also denounced Clinton's recommendation to allow “Israel” to buy America's most advanced fighter plane, F-22, which the Air Force touts as super-weapon that could decide future battles.

Official Syrian newspaper "Teshreen" in its opening article called on the U.S. to apply a balanced and objective policy which distinguishes the victim from the aggressor.

As to the "Al-Thawrah" Syrian daily, it urged President-elect George Bush to be positive and understanding of the facts, realities, and right Arab demands.

On his last day in office, President Bill Clinton signed an agreement with “Israel”, calling for an increase in U.S. military aids.

According to the agreement, economic assistance (1,2 U.S. billion dollars/year) is to be reduced in return for an increase in military aid.

“Israeli” and U.S. officials said that the military assistance will increase by 60 million U.S. dollars every year until it reaches the amount of 2,4 billion dollars in 2008.

“Israeli” Occupation continue aggressions…(5)
The “Israeli” army said it arrested Saturday three Palestinians in the West Bank town of al-Khalil (Hebron) claiming that they took part in "activities violating order", according to “Israel” Radio.

On Friday, intifadah fighters clashed with “Israeli” occupation troops near the Jewish settlement Gosh Katif.

Three Palestinians were injured, one seriously.

Moreover, the “Israeli” Radio reported that an “Israeli” military force was attacked north of Ramallah, in the West Bank.

Meanwhile, the “Israeli” occupation burned down four houses belonging to Palestinian families and inflamed several fields in the village Mawasi near Khan Younis.

Jewish settlers who rampaged through the Mawasi village following the death of one of theirs, threatened the Palestinian residents to leave their village and go to the Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis.

The settlers spread out flyers saying "Go out of Mawasi... beware of the Jews." 

Footnotes:

1-       Manar TV, 20-1-2001.

2-       The Daily Star, 22-1-2001.

3-       Manar TV, 20-1-2001.

4-       Same source.

5-       Same source.