An Event and a Regional Trend

Israel Prepares for a New Holocaust in Gaza

The Israeli crimes continue in Gaza while the Israeli war minister talks about implementing the invasion plan which his depputy called as the holocaust, the same name which is used to talk about the Nazi holocaust against the Jews during World War II.
The holocaust started by burning the bodies of the Palestinian children and the Arab, Islamic and international television stations showed the photographs.
The collective punishment against Gaza continues and the killing operations against Palestinians escalate while the invasion of crowded Gaza may change it into a real holocaust.
The world is silent while the Arabs conspire with this silence. This is accompanied with the American military presence off the Lebanese coast which aims at preventing Lebanese resistance from supporting Palestinians or attack Israel in order to stop the holocaust.

An event and a Lebanese Trend

The interactions of the arrival of the destroyer Cole to the Lebanese waters dominated the Lebanese press and political scene:
 1. The US confirmed that the destroyer Cole is the beginning of the US military intervention in Lebanon and more warships will arrive.
 2. US statements which suggest that there is a previous coordination with Al-Siniora and his ruling team. Al-Siniora denied that he knows about the US decision while the opposition said that America promised the loyalists to do this and that is why they rejected any compromise.
 3. The opposition announced its rejection of the US military intervention in Lebanon while the loyalists want to exploit the opportunity and bet on it but this will reflect on them and isolate them as agents for the foreign enemy.
 4. The UN secretary general’s report on the resolution 1701 is biased to Israel and adopts the Israeli stories about smuggling weapons although it said that 70 naval inspection operations did not reveal anything in this respect. A part from talking about Syria’s cooperation and other issues, the report adopts the US description of the speech of secretary general Hasan Nasrullah. It seems this item was worded by the loyal experts and did not condemn the assassination of Emad Mughniyeh.
 5. European condensed communications with Hezbollah which focus on exploring the atmospheres of the possible retaliation against the assassination of Emad Mughniyeh. The European sources talked also about dangerous Israeli retaliations in Lebanon if Hezbollh carries out any vengeful operation anywhere in the world. The available information said the UNIFIL and European states work to neutralize themselves from the possible consequences of the assassination of Emad Mughniyeh.
 6. The continuity of the anticipation of the communications concerning the Arab summit and the arrival of the Arab league secretary general to Damascus. The meetings continue in Cairo and observers are waiting for the Egyptian, Saudi, Jordanian and Gulf stands concerning the summit.

Arab and International Press

The Emirate paper al-Khalij said the US destroyer Cole arrived in the Lebanese waters to protect the security of Israel, which is a part of the US national security.
Al-Khalij quoted European sources as saying that President Bush informed regional sides that Washington will send a strong message to Damascus.
Al-Bayan said in its editorial that Israeli deputy minister of defense threatened Palestinians with a holocaust if they continue firing rockets on Israel.
The Syrian paper Tichrin said Israel is classified in the American dictionary as a country of peace and democracy despite its criminal identity.
The Israeli paper Maariv said that the Israeli military operation in Gaza will not solve the problem.

Satellite Stations’ News

The Syrian satellite station said that Turkey ended its military operation against the PKK.

Lebanese Press

Ad-Diyar said sending US warships to Lebanon in the shadow of the current crisis warns of dangerous possibilities.
Al-Akhbar said that the US decision to send the destroyer Cole added a political material to the political contest and that the US administration coordinated with al-Siniora in this respect.
As-Safir said it will not be easy to hide the Lebanese fingers that participated in covering the decision to send the destroyer Cole to Lebanon because it is impossible to make a decision like this without studying its entire political dimensions.
The paper added that this step targets resistance, Palestine and the Arab summit in Damascus.
An-Nahar said the US decision to send the destroyer Cole filled a vacuum that resulted from a prolonged political crisis.

Television Stations’ News in Lebanon

Al-Manar said sending the destroyer Cole means that the US in convinced that its team in Lebanon is weak. It also aims at protecting Israel’s flank before its expected invasion of Gaza.
The NBN wondered about the motivations and goals for sending the US destroyer to Lebanon.
The OTV said George Bush sent his destroyers to our coasts.
The LBC said what is remarkable is that Damascus kept silent concerning this step and officials and the press in Syria did not comment on sending the destroyer to Lebanon.
The Future said the secret motivations for sending the destroyer Cole to the area raise many questions.

Television Stations’ News in Lebanon

NBN
Secrets for Publishing
The house speaker Nabih Berri said the destroyer Cole threatens Syria but it is in the Lebanese waters. He said this is a real threat and aims at supporting Israel to achieve its goals in Gaza.

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.