Lebanon Opposition Okays Unity Govt

BEIRUT – Lebanon’s opposition has agreed to a proposed national unity government line-up, paving the way to end five moths of political deadlock in the country. "We hope that this step will be beneficial for Lebanon and its people," Hizbullah said in a statement cited by Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Friday, November 6.

The move came following a meeting of Hizbullah leadership on joining a unity government led by Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri.

"Those who took part in the meeting agreed to join a national unity government based on the agreements reached during negotiations."

An official from Hariri's camp said they were awaiting official notification before announcing the new government, possibly on Saturday.

An official with the presidency said the stalemate was over and an announcement was imminent.

The proposed 30-member cab calls for 15 seats for the majority alliance and 10 for the opposition.

The remaining five posts would be appointed by President Michel Sleiman.

Hariri was tasked with forming a government after his coalition won a June 7 general election.

However since then he has struggled to bridge differences between his own bloc and the Hizbullah-led opposition.

Among the major points of contention were demands by Christian leader Michel Aoun, whose Free Patriotic Movement has more seats in parliament than any other Christian party.

Aoun had insisted on retaining the sensitive telecommunications ministry previously headed by his son-in-law Gibran Bassil.

Hariri initially rejected that demand but finally agreed. It was unclear on Saturday, however, whether Bassil would still be appointed to the post.

Aoun's party was also expected to be given the energy, industry and tourism ministries, while Hizbullah would get two cab posts.

Final Touches

Final touches are being put on the cab line-up.

"The government is as good as formed," MP Okab Sakr, who is close to Hariri, told New TV station.

"It's all about the final touches now and its formation will be completed this weekend."

Incumbents Ziad Baroud and Elias al-Murr, loyal to the Lebanese president, are set to keep their interior and defence portfolios, according to Reuters.

The new line-up is expected to feature new foreign and finance ministers.

Hariri had named Raya Hassan for finance minister, responsible for managing Lebanon's public debt burden, in an earlier proposal that was rejected by the opposition.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a close ally to Hizbullah, is set to name the new foreign minister, who was likely to be retired university professor Ali al-Shami.

The agreement has spared Lebanon a new paralyzing political crisis.

A political crisis erupted in 2006 when all Shiite cab ministers resigned. It climaxed on May 7, 2008 when more than 100 people were killed in the country’s worst bloodshed since the 1975-1990 civil war.

A Qatari-brokered deal led to the formation of a national unity government in which Hizbullah and its allies had veto power over key decisions.

But that cab has not met since the June 7 election. It is an acting government only and cannot make administrative appointments or decisions.

Source: IslamOnline

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Saudis Battle Yemeni Shiite Rebels

CAIRO — Saudi forces battled Yemeni Shiite rebels for a fifth day straight on Saturday, November 7, 2009, while the insurgents claimed capturing several Saudi troops. "Saudi military aircrafts have been carrying out intensified strikes on Al-Houthi rebels' bases in Saada and Al-Malahiz cities in northern Yemen since 2:00 AM local time (11:00 PM GMT)," Saudi Jazan newspaper said on its website Saturday, November 7.

Aircraft and artillery also pounded rebel positions on Jebel al-Dukhan, a 2,000-metre (6,600-foot) peak on borders, with air strikes and mortar fire overnight.

A number of Shiite rebels were reportedly killed in the Saudi attacks.

Clashes were also reported between Saudi troops and Yemeni rebels in the southern province of Ohod and Al-Aghader border city.

Some 40 Yemeni rebels surrendered to Saudi forces, the paper said, citing witnesses.

Saudi sources said over 123 rebels have so far surrendered and handed in their weapons to Saudi forces.

Saudi Arabia, the birth place of Islam, on Friday vowed to protect its territories and crush Yemeni “infiltrators”.

"The entry of the gunmen to Saudi territory, the aggression against border patrols...and presence on Saudi soil is a violation of sovereignty that gives the kingdom every right to take all measures to end this illegitimate presence," an official source was quoted as saying by Saudi News Agency (SPA).

"The operations will continue until all sites within Saudi territory are cleansed of any hostile element."

Riyadh was dragged into the long-running conflict between Shiite Houthi rebels and the Yemeni government on Wednesday after a Saudi border guard was killed and 11 others were injured an attack blamed on the Yemeni rebels.

The rebels have previously accused Saudi Arabia of backing Yemen's armed forces in the conflict, a claim denies by Sanaa.

Capture

But Shiite rebels said that they confronted the Saudi attacks and captured several soldiers.

"With Allah's help, the Saudi tyrannical advance into Yemen's territory has been defeated," the rebels said on their website.

"A number of its troops have been captured and several military vehicles and supplies been seized."

According to the Saudi paper Jazan, six Saudi border guards and their two hummer vehicles were missing.

The Houthi rebels urged Riyadh to end their “aggression” and stop Yemeni forces from using bases inside Saudi territory to attack them.

Yemen's army launched a deadly offensive against the Houthis in August to crush their rebellion.

Yemeni officials say the rebels have been fighting to restore the Zaidi imamate, which was overthrown in a 1962 republican coup in Yemen.

The rebels, known as Houthis, say they are defending their villages against what they call government aggression.

One of the poorest countries outside of Africa, Yemen has been struggling with several conflicts in addition to its significant economic challenges.

Source: IslamOnline

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Obama Urges Calm Over Muslim Backlash

CAIRO — As fears of a backlash are going high among US Muslims, President Barack Obama urged Americans Saturday, November 7, not to jump into conclusions over a deadly attack on a military base in Texas, stressing the diversity of the US army. "I would caution against jumping to conclusions until we have all facts," Obama said in his weekly address.

He said investigations are still underway into the cause of Thursday’s attack on Fort Hood military base.

"We cannot fully know what leads a man to do such a thing," he said.

"On Friday, I met with FBI Director Mueller, Defense Secretary Gates, and representatives of the relevant agencies to discuss their ongoing investigation into what led to this terrible crime."

At least 13 people were killed and 30 wounded when a US Muslim major went into a shooting rampage in the military.

The attacker, an army psychiatrist of Palestinian origin, was shot and taken into custody after the attack.

American Muslim leaders have vehemently denounced the attack, saying it runs counter to the teachings of Islam.

Speculation swirled around the attack whether the attacker had snapped under the pressure of his job counseling thousands of war-weary troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan or was motivated by deeper convictions.

“Our thoughts are with every one of the men and women who were injured at Fort Hood,” Obama said.

“Our thoughts are with all the families who've lost a loved one in this national tragedy.”

Diversity

Obama said the attack has displayed “the best of America”.

"Thursday's shooting was one of the most devastating ever committed on an American military base," he said.

"And yet, even as we saw the worst of human nature on full display, we also saw the best of America."

Obama noted that Americans had seen soldiers and civilians alike rushing to help injured soldiers, tearing off bullet-riddled clothes to treat the wounded, using blouses as tourniquets and taking down the shooter even when injured themselves.

Obama said the US army groups member of the different faiths.

“They are Americans of every race, faith, and station,” he said.

“They are Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and nonbelievers."

American Muslims have voiced fear of a backlash after the attack.

The American leader said that servicepersons of every religious affiliations and different origins have greatly contributed to the US military.

"They are descendents of immigrants and immigrants themselves," he said.

"They reflect the diversity that makes this America."

US Muslim soldiers have condemned the attack on the army base.

"What Maj. Hasan did does not represent us," Robert Salaam, a former Marine who reverted to Islam after 9/11, told IslamOnline.

There is no official count of Muslims serving in the 1.4 million-strong US armed forces because recruits are not required to state their religion.

But according to the American Muslim Armed Forces and Veterans Affair Council, there are more than 20,000 Muslims serving in the military.

Source: IslamOnline

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U.S. Muslims condemn Fort Hood attack, fear Backlash

WASHIGTON – American Muslims were united Friday, November 6, in condemning an attack at a U.S. military base as indiscriminate violence unjustified by any religious or political ideology, fearing a backlash over the incident.

“We make it clearly that the American Muslim community condemns the attack in the strongest possible words,” Nihad Awad, Executive Director of the Council on American Muslim Relations (CAIR), told IslamOnline.net.

"No political or religious ideology could ever justify or excuse such wanton and indiscriminate violence.”

Some 13 people were killed and 30 wounded late Thursday in Fort Hood military base in Texas when army psychiatrist, Major Nidal M. Hasan, opened fire at fellow soldiers.

“The incident is horrific,” said imam Shaker Elsayyed, of Dar Al-Hijrah mosque in Falls Church, Virginia.

“This is a very unfortunate incident and we feel it is very sad that it took the lives of those who protect us and our country,” added Khaled Iqbal, deputy director of ADAMS Islamic center in Virginia.

Hasan, who was born in the US to Palestinian parents, was shot and taken into custody after the attack.

During his army service, he counseled many US soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Having counseled the traumatized soldiers, Hasan, who was to be deployed to Iraq this month, knew all too well the terrifying realities of the war.

“We are deeply shocked of the random killing of service people and civilians who protect us and our country and we are sending our condolences to all families of the victims,” said Ibrahim Ramey of the Muslim American Society (MAS) Freedom Foundation.

“We think it is tragic and we condemn it. There is nothing in Islam that tolerates violence.”

* Backlash

Fearing a backlash, Muslim leaders warn that the attack should not be used to target the Muslim community.

“We reject the idea that this incident is motivated by a terrorist ideology of a religious community, which is Islam,” asserted Ramey.

He fears that there would be a possible backlash reaction for the incident and the Muslim community will bear the brunt of it.

“We are deeply concerned about that. We ask the government to stand vigilant and protect the community.”

The anti-Muslim reaction for the Fort Hood rampage emerged fast in Texas.

"Jihad at Fort Hood?" read the headline of a post on the Jihad Watch blog, just moments after Hasan was identified as the perpetrator of the attack.

The Arab-American Institute said it received one threatening call from an unidentified male, shortly after reports of the incident surfaced, and the group, which condemned the attack, said it was expecting more.

CAIR scheduled a Capitol Hill news conference Thursday night to urge calm and said it would be announcing publicly any threats they receive as they occurred - in hopes of dissuading people from making them in the first place.

“We are urging the community leaders to take extra precautions to protect their families and institutions from a possible backlash,” Awad, CAIR Executive Director, said.

American Muslims, estimated at between six to seven million, have been in the eye of storm since the 9/11 attacks, having their faith widely stereotyped and their civil rights eroded by anti-terror laws.

“We are also calling for calm and unity,” Award urged.

“We urge national political and leaders and media professionals to help setting that tone in a time of crisis.”
Source: IslamOnline

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