An Event and Regioanl Trend

The Dialogue is obstructed by Abbas Stand and his Call for an American Pressure on Egypt

The developments on the Palestinian arena are still the center of Arab and international events:
 1. The continuous popular steadfastness in Gaza and the West Bank against the Israeli massacre and the collective punishments generate continuous interactions in the Arab and Islamic and international public opinion that lead to sympathy with the Palestinian people.
 2. Instead of calling Israel to hand the Palestinian authority responsibility for the crossings, Abbas called the US to pressurize Egypt to strangle the Palestinian people and close them.
 3. The tour of the head of Hamas political office reaped some shy aids to support the steadfastness of Gaza and the dialogue initiative is obstructed by Abbas.
 4. It is clear that the Israelis priority nowadays is anticipating the publication of Winograd’s report while the US pressurizes the leaders of Kadima and the rest of the coalition to keep Olmert in office.

An Event and a Lebanese Trend

Investigations into Sunday Massacre and Musa’s Bias threatens the Arab Initiative again

Amid the consequences of the bloody Sunday Event and the interactions of the new statements of the Arab foreign ministers, Arab and international warnings talked about big dangers that threaten the Lebanese condition. The following indicators appear in the Lebanese scene:
 1. The army’s leadership began the investigation into the massacre of Beirut’s southern suburb and the circulation of information about military movements that preceded the events and arresting elements from the Lebanese Forces who have weapons suspected of being used in the sniping operations while the news increased about the soldiers who are involved in opening fire on the demonstrators in the street. All these details should be revealed in the final report of the military investigation committee.
 2. The visit of the army’s leader and head of the intelligence to the house speaker and the secretary general of Hezbollah dealt with the mechanism of the investigation into the events and the necessity of reaching results and announcing them publicly and punishing the criminals who aimed, according to the house speaker, at omitting Suleiman as a consensus candidate, causing confrontation between the army and the resistance, destroying the understanding between Hezbollah and general Aoun through causing a schism between al-Shayyah and Ain al-Rummanah.
 3. The anticipated return of the Arab league secretary general within the framework of the decision made by the Arab foreign ministers was preceded by the Sameer Gagea who announced a negative stand while Musa insisted on his interpretation of the governmental item despite the Arab foreign ministers’ rejection of this interpretation and their decision to authorize Musa to sponsor a dialogue between the loyalists and the opposition. The Arab league secretary general threw the ball in the opposition’s playground then he corrected his stand and talked about waiting for the intervention of the influential forces in Lebanon, meaning Saudi Arabia, Syria and Egypt.
 4. The French and European warning from the danger of the Lebanese condition raised questions on the nature of the Western plan concerning Lebanon which does not serve Lebanon’s stability.

Arab and International Press

The Syrian daily Tichrin said the Palestinian humanitarian tragedy continues under a US cover.
Al-Bayan said in its editorial Sunday events in Lebanon took place in sensitive areas and it seems that there is a “third party” that aims at setting the fire of a new civil war.
The Emirate paper al-Khalij said the Lebanese sides should exercise self-discipline because the condition in Lebanon deteriorates.
Shlomo Gazet said in an article published in al-Qabas that it is necessary to say to the judge Winograd not to solve his committee and to continue investigating into the way in which the decisions were taken on July 2006.
The Iranian magazine Events of the Week said the mutual accusations between the conservatives and the reformists in Iran continue concerning the council of the constitution’s censorship and the Parliamentary elections.

Satellite Stations

The Syrian Satellite Station
Program: The Circle of the Event
Lebanese representative Hussein al-Haj Hasan said the citizens’ demonstrated to achieve legitimate rights but the army retaliated in a brutal way and killed a number of citizens, and we wanta quick investigation into the event.

News
The Syrian satellite station said that president Bashar al-Assad discussed with a British representative latest developments in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian lands.

Lebanese Press

As-Safir said investigations into the events of Sunday continue and all the complications will be revealed as the army’s leader promised.
An-Nahar said the army’s leadership stressed that what happened on last Sunday targeted the homeland and the army and the citizens and served the Israeli enemy.
Al-Akhbar said two committees: one is military and the other is judiciary started the investigation into Sunday events and will take suitable measures against the criminals.

Television Stations’ News in Lebanon

Al-Manar said the bullets of criminals targeted the weak and the poor.
The NTV said hopes are no longer pinned on the Arabs to solve the crisis in Lebanon..
The NBN said the Lebanese authority should resign and leave because it leads the country to the unknown.
The OTV said the loyalists plan to besiege general Aoun in the Christian street in order to destroy him in the elections of 2009.
The LBC said the size of retaliation against the protests in the southern suburbs is planned.
The Future said the stands of the opposition’s sides escalated the political tension after the Dark Sunday.

Television Stations’ Interviews in Lebnon

The NBN
Program: With Maria Maalouf
Secretary General of the popular front for the liberation of Palestine, the general leadership, Ahmed Gibreel said the Palestinian president was invited to the national conference in Damascus but he refused the invitation.
Leader in the Islamic Jihad Ramdan Abdallah al-Shallah said the national conference in Damascus was an opportunity for dialogue but the other side refused this.

Tendencies is a daily political watch newsletter about the Near East, issued by New Orient News agency in Beirut, Lebanon. It is available on Voltairenet.org in Arabic, English, French, German, and Spanish languages. Also worth a read is Indicators, the daily Near East economic watch newsletter, available in Arabic, English and Spanish.