Al-Akhbar daily on Thursday unveiled what it said was a WikiLeaks cable exposing MP Marwan Hamadeh telling former U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman that the Lebanese army would be embarrassed if Hizbullah handed over its weapons to it.
Al-Akhbar published the Arabic translation of the document filed by Feltman dated July 29, 2006, during the Israel-Hizbullah war.
Full StoryUnknown assailants tossed overnight a hand grenade at the Beirut building where Tawhid movement leader Wiam Wahab resides, As Safir daily reported Thursday.
The newspaper said the incident caused material damage only.
Full StoryCaretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Wednesday stressed that "only the project of (building) the State can protect all the Lebanese equally without discrimination."
During a meeting with the Mufti of Tripoli and the North Sheikh Malek al-Shaar and a delegation of Muslim religious scholars, Hariri added: "Some ask why did Saad Hariri suddenly sharpen his political rhetoric. We do not have a problem with anyone, Lebanon has a problem with the intimidation of weapons and their use in the political life."
Full StoryCaretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri began his three-day visit to the northern city of Tripoli on Wednesday by meeting a number of officials from the city, saying before the visiting delegations that the March 14 camp will work on empowering the state.
He said that it aspires for the state to have the decision of war and peace and maintain the people's security and stability.
Full StoryA Wikileaks report revealed that caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri had advised the international community to keep Syria and Iran in a state of "imbalance".
He added, according to the leaked cable published exclusively in Al-Akhbar newspaper on Wednesday, that despite Hizbullah's claims of victory in the July 2006 war, the party was in fact greatly harmed in the war and it is weaker politically and militarily.
Full StoryCaretaker Premier Saad Hariri is scheduled to hold meetings with al-Mustaqbal leaderships and supporters in the northern port city of Tripoli on Wednesday.
As Safir daily said Hariri went to Tripoli on Tuesday night and is expected to reside at the Quality Inn hotel for three days.
Full StoryForeign Minister Walid Muallem has denied Syrian interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs and expressed confidence in the March 8 forces’ ability to form the new Lebanese government.
“We don’t interfere in the formation of the Lebanese cabinet. We have confidence in the majority in Lebanon which has enough awareness and absolute faith in Lebanon’s interests,” Muallem said Tuesday during a joint press conference with his Spanish counterpart Trinidad Jimenez.
Full StoryFree Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun congratulated on Tuesday Beshara Rahi on his election as the new Maronite patriarch, voicing his support to him in his mission.
He said of the March 14 rally after the movement’s weekly meeting: “We tried to understand Sunday’s demonstration and the speeches at the event and we were surprised by the campaign against the arms.”
Full StoryLebanese leaders welcomed the election of Beshara al-Rahi as the new Maronite Patriarch on Tuesday, hoping he would be successful in keeping Bkirki a place of unity among the Lebanese.
Al-Rahi will be “the best successor to the best predecessor,” President Michel Suleiman said in a statement.
Full StoryFree Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun criticized the March 14 rally held on Sunday saying that the movement will be short lived and that its slogans against the resistance’s arms “lack longevity”.
He told As Safir in remarks published on Tuesday: “No matter what caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri does, he will realize that he won’t achieve anything because he is waging a losing battle.”
Full Story