LONDON, 12 May 2008 ? Israel celebrated the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Jewish state last Thursday. Israel?s joy is ?Al-Nakba? for many Palestinians ? a catastrophe that has seen many Palestinians become refugees in their own homeland and in neighboring states such as Lebanon and Jordan. more...
Arab foreign ministers holding crisis talks in Cairo on Sunday were divided over a draft resolution that would implicitly condemn Hizbullah for deadly clashes in Lebanon, delegates said. The draft resolution put before the ministers underlined the Arab League's "rejection of the use of armed violence to achieve political goals outside. more...
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday called the situation in Lebanon "serious" after deadly clashes between pro-government and opposition forces, some of which are backed by Israel's arch-foe, Iran. "Hizbullah's taking of control [in western Beirut] is a serious development," Barak said during the weekly cabinet meeting, public radio reported. more...
The White House on Saturday welcomed steps to defuse the deadly unrest in Lebanon but argued that any long-term resolution required a change in the role Hizbullah plays there."I think that first of all we want to see an end to the violence against the Lebanese people, I think we're beginning to see some of that," said. more...
Resigned Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh denounced on Sunday the "unfortunate situation" in Lebanon, which he said was due to the deepening divide between the different Lebanese parties which had pushed the country away from potential peaceful coexistence. Salloukh warned that expanding the crisis or making unilateral decisions. more...
Syrian official daily Al-Baath said on Sunday that Hizbullah had foiled a US-planned coup to seize control of Lebanon during the deadly gun battles which have recently rocked the country. "The Americans launched a pre-emptive strike against opposition nationalist forces, starting with the [Hizbullah] resistance, and attempted. more...
Embassies and foreign ministries of countries with significant expatriate populations in Lebanon continue to draw up or execute plans to evacuate citizens who have remained in the country since the onset of clashes Tuesday in Beirut. An official with the UAE Embassy told Gulf News on Saturday that everything possible was being done to evacuate Emiratis still in the country. more...
Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir said on Sunday that recent clashes in Lebanon between opposition and pro-government forces served foreign agendas. "We urge all Lebanese groups to sit at at the dialogue table and negotiate peacefully," said Sfeir, who is currently in a visit to South Africa. more...
WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President George W. Bush heads back to the Middle East this week, where his efforts to forge Israeli-Palestinian peace face growing skepticism with barely nine months left in his term. more...
US President George W. Bush steps off Air Force One upon arrival Waco, Texas earlier this week. The US leader heads back to the Middle East this week, where his efforts to forge Israeli-Palestinian peace face growing skepticism with barely nine months left of his term in office. more...
