Lebanon
Latest stories
WikiLeaks: Hariri Afraid Next Israel War Would Kill March 14

Prime Minister Saad Hariri told former U.S. Ambassador Michele Sison he feared another war with Israel would mean the "death" of his pro-Western March 14 alliance, leaked cables showed Monday.

A document reportedly obtained by whistleblowing website WikiLeaks and published on the website of local daily al-Akhbar quoted Hariri as saying he believed Hizbullah would rise again should there be another round of violence.

Full Story
US Diplomat: STL Not Solely For Hariri … Indictment Won't Lead to Violence

A U.S. diplomatic source said the Special Tribunal for Lebanon was not just created for Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

"In the midst of the controversy over the indictment, we have forgotten that there was more than one victim," the source told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in remarks published Monday.

Full Story
Oghassabian: False Witnesses Aim at Torpedoing STL

State Minister Jean Oghassabian on Monday accused the Hizbullah-led March 8 coalition of crippling the Government.

"We always call for separation between everything related to the International Tribunal and the political and day-to-day life of citizens," Oghassabian told LBC television station.

Full Story
Hashem: Indictment Before Dec. 15

MP Qassem Hashem of Speaker Nabih Berri's AMAL Movement on Monday said the indictment by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon has been "completed."

"The indictment has been completed and semi-finalized," he told al-Jadid television channel, adding that media leaks confirm that it will be issued before Dec. 15.

Full Story
Miqdad: Hizbullah Does Not Fear Indictment

Hizbullah MP Ali al-Miqdad said leaks that the indictment in the Hariri murder case will be issued soon "aim at creating confusion in Lebanon."

Such leaks are an "attempt to explore how the situation will be dealt with after issuance of the indictment," Miqdad told al-Manar TV.

Full Story
Qaouq: Indictment's Goals Have Failed before Resistance's Unity, So What are they Bargaining on?

Hizbullah official Nabil Qaouq stated on Monday that the release of the indictment in the investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri will mark a new phase in Lebanon.

He said: "History will note that the phase after the indictment is not the same as the phase preceding it."

W140 Full Story
Harb: Trying False Witnesses is Achieved through Lebanese Judiciary

Labor Minister Butros Harb stressed on Monday that Hizbullah and its allies' demands to uncover the truth in the false witnesses case can be achieved through the Lebanese judiciary.

He said after holding talks with the Swiss Ambassador to Lebanon Ruth Flint that these demands can be achieved through the normal judiciary, and not the justice council.

Full Story
Geagea Hits Back at Berri, Syria's Miqdad: Lebanon Won't Return to Syria, Not Vise Versa

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Monday hit back at Speaker Nabih Berri and Syria's deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad.

"Lebanon will not return to Syrian hands," and not vise versa, Geagea told Radio Free Lebanon.

Full Story
WikiLeaks: Hariri Afraid Next Israel War Would Kill March 14

Prime Minister Saad Hariri told former U.S. Ambassador Michele Sison he feared another war with Israel would mean the "death" of his pro-Western March 14 alliance, leaked cables showed Monday.

A document reportedly obtained by whistleblowing website WikiLeaks and published on the website of local daily al-Akhbar quoted Hariri as saying he believed Hizbullah would rise again should there be another round of violence.

Full Story
Top 3 Leaders Meet as Talks Among Officials Gather Pace

President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri and Premier Saad Hariri will meet on Monday on the occasion of the launching of the judicial year, ministerial sources told An Nahar newspaper.

Meetings among officials will gather pace with the return of Hariri to Beirut, they said.

Full Story