Syria to be accountable for any use of chemical arms: Obama

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (unseen) in Jerusalem on Wednesday. (AFP)

US President Barack Obama warned Wednesday that if Syria let the "genie out of the bottle" by using chemical weapons in its civil war, it would unleash a serious international response.

Obama said in Israel that he was investigating reports that chemical weapons had been used in the vicious conflict in recent days – following claims by each side that the other had fired off the deadly munitions.

But he said in his most expansive comments on the issue yet, that he was "deeply skeptical" that opposition forces had used such arms, saying it was well known that the government had control over chemical weapons stocks.

The president said at a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he did not yet have the facts on the alleged use of the weapons.

"Once, we establish the facts, I have made clear that the use of chemical weapons is a game-changer," Obama said, warning that the use of such arms by Bashar al-Assad's forces would be a "grave and tragic" mistake.

"I won't make an announcement today about next steps because I think we have to gather the facts."

"But I do think that when you start seeing weapons that can cause potential devastation and mass casualties, and you let that genie out of the bottle, then you are looking potentially at even more horrific scenes than we've already seen in Syria."

"And the international community has to act on that additional information."

Obama has been reluctant to get the United States militarily involved in the Syrian conflict, and has blocked the dispatch of US lethal weapons and ammunition to rebels, despite fierce political pressure at home.

But Obama Wednesday denied Washington had done nothing, saying the United States had sent hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, and had worked with international partners to try and foster a political transition.

"This is not easy. When you start seeing a civil war that has sectarian elements to it, and you've got a repressive government that is intent on maintaining power... you end up seeing some of the devastation that you've been seeing."

Earlier, as Obama arrived in Israel on his first visit since moving into the White House in 2009, Israeli President Shimon Peres also warned of the danger posed by Syria's chemical weapons.

"Fortunately the Syrian nuclear capacity was destroyed but unfortunately the arsenal of chemical weapons remain. We cannot allow those weapons to fall into terrorists' hands -- it could lead to an epic tragedy," Peres said.

Syrian forces said that chemical weapons were used Tuesday in Khan al-Assal near Aleppo and the opposition has accused government forces of using chemical weapons.

Washington has said there is so far no evidence that rebels had fired chemical weapons, but said it would consult its allies on claims that the regime had used them.

Israel has consistently raised the alarm over Damascus's stockpiles of chemical weapons, raising fears they could fall into the hands of Lebanon's Hezbollah militia or other radical militant groups operating in Syria.

21 Mar, 2013

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Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/2013/03/21/Syria-to-be-accountable-for-any-use-of-chemical-arms-Obama-.html
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EU tells Egypt to do better on reforms, or face aid cuts

Riot policemen beat a protester opposing Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi during clashes along Qasr Al Nil bridge, which leads to Tahrir Square in Cairo, in this January 28, 2013 file photo. (Reuters)

The European Union warned Egypt on Wednesday it could lose funds from its 5 billion euro($6.5 billion) aid package if democratic reforms fail to satisfy Brussels, and said Cairo has already lost some additional funding.

In a report on reforms in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, the European Commission said Cairo has shown in sufficient progress since the 2011 revolt that overthrew President Hosni Mubarak and handed power to the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood movement.

It listed "serious setbacks" in areas such as human rights, and criticized Egypt's President Mohamed Mursi for pushing through constitutional changes that have plunged the country into "a deeply divisive political crisis".

Failure to address EU concerns could result in cutbacks in aid for Mursi's cash-strapped government, the EU's commissioner for enlargement, Stefan Fuele, told a news conference.

"Egypt has to deliver for those up to 5 billion euros this year and next," he said. "This is the way how we could strengthen our point."

Fuele said the EU has already stopped payments from an aid fund that makes specific links to democratic reforms, known as "more for more". The fund was set up in the aftermath of uprisings in North Africa in 2011, when the EU overhauled it said policies to correct past failures in promoting democracy.

"Egypt has not been one of those countries benefiting from the 'more-for-more' principle and extra resources," Fuele said.

The Commission, the EU executive, said Mursi needs to improve dialogue with opposition parties and religious groups to "ensure that the Constitution is co-owned by all Egyptians".

It wants to see Egypt abandon the practice of using military courts to judge civilians and create conditions for non-governmental institutions to function according to international standards, the Commission said in the report.

It also urged Mursi's government to put in place a social safety net, ensure macroeconomic stability and strengthen public finances, as well as work towards a free-trade deal with the EU.

Addressing Mursi's achievements, the Commission listed the lifting of the state of emergency in Egypt, and an "orderly" organization of elections.

EU diplomats say Brussels' relationship with Cairo is complicated by the desire to maintain good relations with the government, in part because of its role in regional diplomacy, particularly relations between Israel and the Palestinians.
 

21 Mar, 2013

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Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2013/03/20/EU-tells-Egypt-to-do-better-on-reforms-or-face-aid-cuts.html
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Germany offers to take in 5,000 more Syrian refugees

Syrians are fleeing to camps such as this one in Idlib, near the border with Turkey. (AFP)

Germany said Wednesday it was prepared to take in another 5,000 Syrian refugees in the coming months in response to deteriorating conditions in the war-ravaged country.

Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said Berlin would grant asylum to 3,000 Syrians from June at the latest, followed by another 2,000 later this year in response to an "increasingly difficult" situation.

The offer would bring to about 13,000 the number of Syrian refugees taken in by Germany since the start of 2012.

"We want to take quick action," Friedrich told reporters.

He said a German delegation would soon tour refugee camps in countries neighboring Syria to choose candidates among those who have fled the two-year-old war.

He said families with several children and minors living alone in the camps would be given priority, adding that Christians would likely also be given preferential treatment because "they are under particular threat of persecution".

Refugees with relatives already living in Germany would also have priority, he added.

Friedrich said Germany had already taken in about 8,000 Syrian refugees in the last 14 months and expressed hope that other European Union countries would follow suit.

"I hope that we will be the icebreakers," he said, adding that Europe's top economy would solicit EU assistance to cover the cost of a fresh influx of refugees.

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom welcomed Germany's move, calling it "a striking example of solidarity in a moment when Syrian people are suffering the consequences of a devastating situation" and urging other member states to help.

The United Nations says the conflict between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime and rebels fighting to overthrow him has killed more than 70,000 people and forced more than one million to flee to neighboring countries.

Humanitarian agencies last week pleaded with governments to make good on pledges of aid for the refugees, saying they were swamped by demand.
 

21 Mar, 2013

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Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2013/03/20/Germany-offers-to-take-in-5-000-more-Syrian-refugees-.html
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Syria’s Assad makes surprise public appearance at education center

A handout picture shows Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (L) speaking with Syrian women during his surprise visit to the Educational Centre for Fine Arts in the capital Damascus on March 20, 2013. (AFP)

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad paid a surprise visit to an educational center in the capital Damascus on Wednesday, the presidency said on its official Facebook page.

"President Assad made a surprise visit to the Educational Center for Fine Arts where the education ministry was honoring the families of students who were martyred as a result of terrorist acts, to honor the parents himself," the presidency wrote, alongside photos of Assad at the center.

The visit appeared to be Assad's first public appearance since he attended prayers at a mosque in a northern district of Damascus to mark Prophet Mohammed's birthday on January 24th.

Before that he had not been seen in public since a rare speech to supporters on January 6, in which he dismissed calls for his removal and said he had no partners with whom to negotiate for an end to the conflict.

In photos posted on the presidency page, Assad is shown meeting with relatives of those killed in the violence that has enveloped his country, killing more than 70,000 people according to United Nations estimates.

In one, he is shown looking at a poster featuring photos of victims, and in another, talking to a group of women, one of whom is clutching his hand.

The education center specializes in training teachers of the fine arts, and is in the Tijara neighborhood of eastern Damascus, near Jawbar district, where fighting has raged for months between regime and rebel forces.

The visit came a day after the regime accused opposition forces of using chemical weapons in their battle to oust Assad, a charge the rebels denied.

Regime, opposition demands investigation into chemical use

Syria's regime and rebels on Wednesday called for international investigations into an alleged chemical weapons attack in the country's north.

The U.S. ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford said there was no evidence that rebels had fired chemical weapons. Washington said it would consult its allies on claims that the regime had used the arms.

Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari told reporters Wednesday morning that he had just requested U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to appoint an independent mission to investigate the attack.

Ja'afari requested Ban on behalf of the Syrian government "to form a specialized, independent and neutral technical mission to investigate the use by the terrorist groups operating in Syria of chemical weapons yesterday against civilians in the town of Khan al-Assad in Aleppo." The Syrian government refers to the rebels as "terrorists."

Ja'afari said Syria asked the secretary-general for assistance "in a sign of good faith, good will, good intentions" to the international community, international public opinion and the Syrian people.

He recalled that the Syrian government had sent a letter to the secretary-general and the U.N. Security Council in December warning of the possible use of chemical weapons and chemicals by rebel groups who would then accuse the government of a chemical weapons attack.

"The Syrian government, if it has such weapons, will never use it against its own population," Ja'afari said.

The opposition National Coalition, meanwhile, urged a "full international investigation" into the attack on the village in Aleppo.

"The Coalition demands a full international investigation, and asks for a delegation to be sent to inquire and visit the site," the group said in a statement.

"All evidence now indicates that the Assad regime is using these weapons against its own people. Testimonies and images from the attacks today demonstrate that these banned weapons have been used in what amounts to a crime against humanity."

Dissidents leave coalition grouping

Meanwhile, at least 12 key members of Syria's National Coalition said Wednesday they had suspended their membership in the SNC, a day after the election of the first rebel prime minister.

The group of 12 included the Coalition's deputy Soheir Atassi and spokesman Walid al-Bunni.

Their decision came amid bitter disagreement over the election of Ghassan al-Hitto as the first opposition premier.

Other members who said they had "frozen" their membership in the Coalition included Kamal Labwani, Marwan Hajj Rifai, Yehia al-Kurdi and Ahmad al-Assi Jarba, with sources saying more such announcements were expected.

Though the dissenting members said they had different reasons for their decisions, some expressed their opposition to Hitto's election, and the process by which he was chosen.

"The Coalition is a non-elected body, and as such it does not have a right to choose a prime minister on a majority vote. There should have been consensus," Labwani told AFP.

Hitto was elected Tuesday by 35 of approximately 50 Coalition members present in Istanbul, after some 14 hours of consultation. Some members who opposed his election walked out before the vote.

"We Coalition members weren't elected to represent the Syrians. So the only person Hitto represents is the 35 Coalition members who voted for him. This government is a gift to [President] Bashar al-Assad's regime, " Labwani said.

"The key issue is the timing and way in which the voting took place. The Coalition pushed for a majority in a group that was not elected, " Bunni told AFP. "Each of us had different reasons for freezing our membership. We will release a statement that represents us all in the coming days."

Atassi announced her decision on her Facebook page: "Because I am a Syrian citizen, I refuse to blindly follow and to be an accessory. I announce I am freezing my membership in the National Coalition."

Atassi could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

Atassi, a secular female activist, was praised for her key role in the Coalition when the group was formed in Doha in November, amid concerns the opposition was dominated by men and Islamists.

Hitto, a former IT executive who has lived in the United States for decades, is expected to name a technocratic government that will move inside Syria, attempting to bring rule of law and basic services to large swathes of rebel-held territory.

20 Mar, 2013

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Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/2013/03/20/Syria-s-Assad-makes-surprise-public-appearance-at-education-center-in-Damascus.html
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Slapped Egyptian activist to file case against Brotherhood member

Mervat Mousa said she was taking part in a Facebook event to draw "the names of martyrs" on the street when she was strongly slapped by an alleged member of the Brotherhood. (Photo courtesy dostorasly.com)

Egyptian activist Mervat Mousa, who was slapped by a member of the Muslim Brotherhood for participating in a graffiti event, told Al Arabiya that she will file a case against the perpetrator with the public prosecutor.

In a video that went viral on social media sites this week, Mousa fell to the ground after being slapped. She was among a crowd of activists and Brotherhood members clashing near the movement's headquarters in Muqattam earlier this week.

What happened?

Mousa said she and her fellow activists were taking part in a Facebook event to draw "the names of martyrs" on the street and to condemn the Brotherhood's rule in Egypt.

"I sat on my knees and drew Jeeka's name," Mousa said, referring to Jaber Salah, an activist who was killed in clashes in Mohamed Mahmoud Street last November.

Although they were drawing about 200 meters away from the headquarters, Brotherhood members started physically attacking and verbally insulting them, demanding that they leave, Mousa said.

A photo was widely circulated on social media sites showing activist Ahmed Douma writing "the sheep's barn" on the floor, in reference to the Brotherhood headquarters.

"A man came up to us and started putting sand on Douma's writing," Mousa said. "I told him this is unacceptable... this is a form of free expression."

Clashes erupted later when more Brotherhood members approached the activists and told them to leave. Verbal and physical abuse were used to force the activists to do so, Mousa said.

"Three men started beating Douma, and I refused to leave him," she said, adding that his face was covered with blood. "As a human and as a mother, I couldn't leave Douma. I tried lifting the man who was beating him."

The man then turned on Mousa and started verbally insulting her, she said.

"He shouted at me, asking: 'Why are you still here'?" Mousa said. "I told him I won't run...and then he slapped me. I didn't want to shed a tear in front of that man. I immediately stood up."

Reaction

Violence is unacceptable and the perpetrator should be punished, el-Watan News website quoted Saad el-Katatni, head of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, as saying on Sunday.

However, Brotherhood supporters condemned the activists' presence outside the headquarters, saying their drawings and slogans were "insulting." Mousa denied the accusations.
 

21 Mar, 2013

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Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/2013/03/20/Slapped-Egyptian-activist-to-file-case-against-Brotherhood-member.html
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Saudi prince flown home to serve rest of sentence for murder

A British court gave Prince Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Nasir al-Saud a life sentence for murdering his manservant in 2010. (Photo courtesy The Times)

A Saudi prince jailed in Britain for murdering his servant was flown back to his home country on Monday to serve the rest of his life sentence, The Times reported on Wednesday.

Prince Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Nasir al-Saud, a grandson of King Abdullah, was convicted in 2010 of murdering Bandar Abdulaziz in a hotel in London after weeks of attacks.

The 36-year-old prince was filmed kicking and hitting the 32-year-old Somali 37 times in the Landmark hotel's elevator.

Abdulaziz was later strangled to death.

The prince needs to serve a minimum of 20 years in prison in Saudi Arabia before he can be released.

Ten Saudi nationals in British jails, and six Britons in Saudi prisons, can apply to serve their sentences in their home countries, the newspaper reported.

21 Mar, 2013

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Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2013/03/20/Saudi-prince-flies-home-.html
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Observers prepare to monitor border: Sudan minister

South Sudan says the north has supported insurgents on its territory. (AFP)

The first observers are preparing to monitor a demilitarized buffer zone between Sudan and South Sudan, Khartoum's defense minister said on Wednesday, a move which aims to curb cross-border rebel support.

Analysts say both countries will face a major challenge to effectively implement the zone along their demarcated and disputed frontier.

"The mechanism we agreed on has begun working," Defense Minister Abdelrahim Mohammed Hussein told reporters after returning from Addis Ababa.

For the first time, he also said his country was ready to engage in talks with the rebels who have been fighting for almost two years in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

Hussein said Sudanese monitors have since Tuesday been in the South Kordofan state capital, Kadugli, which will serve as temporary headquarters for the joint border monitoring teams.

"South Sudanese observers arrived today in Kadugli," he said.

The monitors, who will include United Nations peacekeepers, are to verify the withdrawal of Sudanese and South Sudanese forces from the buffer zone, 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) on each side of the 1956 border.

At talks in the Ethiopian capital this month, Sudan and South Sudan -- which have engaged in months of intermittent clashes -- finally settled on detailed timetables to ease tensions by implementing the buffer zone and key economic pacts.

The deals had remained dormant after their signing in September as Khartoum pushed for guarantees that South Sudan would no longer back rebels of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N).

At the African Union-led talks in Addis Ababa, Sudan softened its stance on the security guarantees, helping the buffer zone and eight other agreements to go ahead, observers said.

The two countries have a history of signing pacts with each other but not following through.

South Sudan armed and trained SPLM-N when it was part of the south's rebel force but says it cut military ties before the South's independence in July 2011, following a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

Analysts and diplomats say there is no doubt that South Sudan continued to back the rebels.

South Sudan says the north has supported insurgents on its territory, too.

The United Nations and the African Union (AU) have for months called on the SPLM-N and Khartoum to reach a negotiated settlement.

"We are ready to meet them," Hussein said in the first such statement by a government official.

But he said talks must occur "under the umbrella" of the CPA which, among other measures, called for a popular consultation in South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

SPLM-N has reiterated its readiness for direct negotiations with the government.

In a statement last Sunday, the US embassy in Khartoum said it welcomed a reported decision by the Sudanese government "to engage in AU-brokered talks with the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N)".

It urged both parties to meet for those talks as soon as possible.

The war in South Kordofan and Blue Nile has forced more than 200,000 people to become refugees in South Sudan and Ethiopia.

An estimated one million more have been affected inside the two states.
 

21 Mar, 2013

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Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2013/03/20/Observers-prepare-to-monitor-border-Sudan-minister-.html
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Khamenei urges Iran to stand up to sanctions

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said economic sanctions had failed to "cripple" Iran. (AFP)

Iran began the Persian New Year on Wednesday with its most senior leader asking the people to stand up to piling Western economic sanctions and also warning that the pressure was unlikely to ease.

If Iranians show more "readiness" to face Western pressure, the next 12 months will be a "political and economic epoch" for the country, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a recorded message on state television.

The year will be filled with "development, activity and dexterity," Khamenei vowed in the message aired shortly after Iranians celebrated the Persian New Year, or Nowruz, marking the transition of winter to spring.

But, he warned, "it does not mean that the enmity of enemies will subside," alluding to Western opposition to Iran's nuclear program and harsh sanctions against the economy of the Islamic republic.

Western powers and Israel suspect Iran's atomic activities have military objectives, despite repeated denials.

Coupled with unilateral sanctions by the United States and the European Union, UN Security Council punitive measures have been implemented to all but coerce Iran into curbing its nuclear work.

Final decisions on the nuclear drive rest with Khamenei, and Iran has vowed to continue with its program of uranium enrichment.

On Wednesday, Khamenei said economic sanctions had failed to "cripple" Iran, while also noting an increase in pressure.

"It appeared that the enemy was toughening up against Iran" in the past 12 months, he said. "They said and insisted they wanted to cripple the Iranian nation with sanctions. But they failed."

The ailing economy, which has long struggled with high inflation and unemployment, was further buffeted in 2012 by increasingly severe US and EU sanctions targeting its vital oil and financial sectors.

Iran's currency, the rial, has lost nearly two thirds of its value since late 2011.

"Economic pressure was exerted on the people and problems arose," Khamenei said, while implicitly criticizing the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for its "negligence" in handling the economy.

However, Khamenei said that those problems had let Iran gain "dexterity" in battling the sanctions, and also claimed the nation was making progress despite these woes.

Six world powers -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany -- have engaged with Tehran to seek a diplomatic solution to the nuclear stand-off.

Iran's next round of talks with the so-called group of P5+1 is scheduled for April 5 and 6 in the Kazakh city of Almaty.
 

20 Mar, 2013

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Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2013/03/20/Khamenei-urges-Iran-to-stand-up-to-sanctions.html
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Israel treats four Syrians wounded in civil war: Israeli army

A picture taken from the Israeli side in the Golan Heights shows smoke after shells exploded in the Syrian village of al-Jamlah, close to the ceasefire line between Israel and Syria, on March 7, 2013. (AFP)

Four Syrians wounded in fighting were transferred to an Israeli hospital on Wednesday by Israeli soldiers, the Israeli army has said.

The Syrians were taken from an area near the ceasefire line on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, the army said.

"Early this morning four wounded Syrians came to the Israel-Syria border and received medical treatment from soldiers. Two... were taken to Israeli hospitals," an army statement said.

It was the second time Israel has treated wounded Syrians, according to Reuters news agency. Last month seven Syrians received Israeli hospital treatment.

The Golan Heights, a strategic plateau captured by Israel from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war, has seen fighting on its eastern slopes between forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and rebels trying to topple him, with occasional fire straying into Israeli-held territory.
Israel and Syria are technically at war, and some anti-Assad rebels are Islamist militants hostile to the Jewish state.

Chemical weapons

Israel's Intelligence Minister Youval Steinitz said on Wednesday that either Syrian opposition fighters or the Damascus regime have used chemical weapons in the country's two-year civil war.

"It's clear that chemical weapons have been used against civilians by the rebels or by the government," Steinitz told Israeli army radio.

"This is very concerning for us and we must deal with it urgently."

Syrian rebels and the regime exchanged accusations of chemical weapons use on Tuesday for the first time in the conflict that started as a peaceful uprising in March 2011.
 

20 Mar, 2013

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Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2013/03/20/Chemical-weapons-used-in-Syria-Israel-intelligence-minister.html
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Pakistan’s Malala in school for first time since shooting

Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai is pictured holding a backpack in Birmingham, central England. (AFP)

Pakistani teenager Malala Yousafzai returned to school for the first time since October when she was shot in the head by the Taliban for campaigning for girls' education.

The 15-year-old said she had "achieved her dream" and was looking forward to meeting new friends at the independent Edgbaston High School for Girls in Birmingham, central England, where she is now living.

Malala was flown to Britain after the attack for surgery for her head injuries and underwent several operations as recently as last month.

"I am excited that today I have achieved my dream of going back to school," she said in a statement. "I want all girls in the world to have this basic opportunity."

She added: "I miss my classmates from Pakistan very much but I am looking forward to meeting my teachers and making new friends here in Birmingham."

Pictures showed her going to school carrying a pink backpack and wearing a black headscarf over a green sweater.

She will be studying a full curriculum in preparation for selecting subjects for GCSEs, the standard exams that English schoolchildren typically sit at 16.

Malala was shot at point-blank range by a Taliban gunman as her school bus travelled through northwest Pakistan's Swat Valley on October 9, in an attack that drew worldwide condemnation.

She has since become a global symbol of the campaign for girls' right to an education and has been nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

United Nations education envoy and former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who has backed Malala's cause, said it was a "great day."

"This is a great day for Malala, for her family -- and for the cause of education worldwide," Brown said in a statement.

"By her courage, Malala shows that nothing -- not even bullets, intimidation or death threats -- can stand in the way of the right of every girl to an education.

"I wish Malala and her family well as her courageous recovery continues."

Doctors say the bullet fired by her Taliban attacker grazed her brain and travelled through her head and neck before lodging in her left shoulder.

Malala was discharged from hospital in early February after surgery to fit a custom-made piece of titanium to her skull and an electronic implant to help restore hearing to her left ear.

Her father Ziauddin Yousafzai is serving as Brown's special adviser on education and her family have temporarily moved to Birmingham, Britain's second city which has a large Pakistani population.

Malala first rose to prominence aged 11 with a blog for the BBC's Urdu-language service charting her life under the Taliban.

Since her attempted murder, millions of people have signed petitions supporting her cause for education.
 

20 Mar, 2013

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Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2013/03/20/Pakistan-s-Malala-in-school-for-first-time-since-shooting.html
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Syrian shells land in Lebanon despite warning from Suleiman

On Tuesday Lebanese President Michel Suleiman warned that Syrian strikes on its neighbor were an unacceptable violation of its sovereignty. (Reuters)

Five shells fired from Syria landed in Lebanon on Wednesday, one day after Lebanese President Michel Suleiman warned that Syrian strikes on its neighbor were an unacceptable violation of its sovereignty.

Witnesses said the shells landed in fields near al-Qasr, a village less than a mile (1.6 km) from the border, but no one was hurt.

The Syrian government, battling a two-year-old revolt against four decades of rule by the Assad family, has warned it may strike at Syrian rebels taking refuge across the frontier.

Lebanon, which fought its own civil war from 1975 to 1990,has tried to maintain a policy of "dissociation" from Syria's conflict.

But many citizens fear their country is increasingly at risk of being dragged into the neighboring conflict, in which more than 70,000 people have been killed.

Syria once dominated Lebanon and had troops garrisoned in the Mediterranean country until 2005.

Lebanese politicians are divided over Syria, with some supporting the uprising spearheaded by the majority Sunni Muslim. Lebanon's Shi'ite Hezbollah group backs its supporter, President Bashar al-Assad.

Hebollah-run al-Manar television said that five missiles landed in Lebanon from areas where there are "armed Syrian groups," referring to rebels fighting Assad, indicating that Assad's foes were responsible for the attack.

Syrian forces regularly fire mortar rounds at areas in Lebanon where rebel fighters are thought to take refuge. On Monday, Syrian air force jets fired four rockets at a remote section of the border with Lebanon.

France also said on Monday President Bashar al-Assad's forces had seriously violated the sovereignty of Lebanon after the air raids carried out by Syrian warplanes against targets inside Lebanese territory.

"The air raid carried out by the armed forces of the Syrian regime in Lebanese territory, in the Ersal area, constitutes anew and serious violation of Lebanon's sovereignty," foreign ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot said in a statement.

France, which has troops in Lebanon as part of a U.N. peace keeping force, is pushing its EU partners to lift an arms embargo on Syrian rebels.

The U.S. denounced the move as "a significant escalation" of the Syrian conflict.

"We can confirm... that regime jets and helicopters did fire rockets into northern Lebanon, impacting Wadi al-Khayl, near the border town of Arsal," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters.

"This constitutes a significant escalation in the violations of Lebanese sovereignty that the Syrian regime has been guilty of. These kinds of violations of sovereignty are absolutely unacceptable."

She reminded Damascus that U.N. resolutions called for the strict respect of the sovereignty and territory of Lebanon.

20 Mar, 2013

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Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2013/03/20/Syrian-shells-land-in-Lebanon-despite-warning-from-Suleiman.html
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Egyptian women take a virtual stand against harassment

The two year celebration of Egypt's revolution was marked by severe infringements against women's rights in Tahrir square, at least 19 women were officially recorded to have been sexually assaulted. (Reuters)

 An online initiative aimed at countering sexual harassment in Egypt has been launched via Facebook, reported local media site Al-Bawaba on Wednesday.

The idea was born when the female creator of the Facebook page was verbally harassed by an elderly driver whilst stuck in traffic, instead of shying away she decided to expose him by taking his photo and uploading it to the website.

The victim, who goes by the name 'M,' then created a page called 'Efdah Motaharish,' or 'Expose Harassers.' She proceeded to post his picture along with a description of how he harassed her.

Her post went viral and reached around half a million viewers.

The method proved effective as she succeeded in exposing her harasser's identity, he has since contacted her and threatened to file a slander case against her pending the removal of the photo.

Due to these complications, M believes it is better for victims of harassment to shoot video footage of the assault as it is more solid proof of their behavior.

"I asked all the page members to record short video clips of their harassers so there is no chance to wrongfully defame or slander anyone," explained M.

Since its creation, the membership of the group has grown to 8,000 people.

The efficiency of social media platforms, such as Facebook, in politically mobilizing Egyptian youth was proven during the 25 January revolution which toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

This particular Facebook page is gaining popularity as it is often difficult for a woman to prove that she was harassed; Egyptian law states that any accusation of such activity must be supported by at least two witnesses.

Preventative measures

M espouses additional ideas for the protection of women in Egypt's society.

"The presence of security forces must be reinforced especially during rush hours and in crowded places; effective surveillance systems should exist to keep an eye on harassers and the amendment of the law is essential to guarantee suitable deterrent and punishment for those who pester women."

She aims to raise awareness regarding the verbal and physical abuse women are subjected to on a daily basis.

In fact, the two year celebration of Egypt's revolution was marked by severe infringements against women's rights in Tahrir square, at least 19 women were officially recorded to have been sexually assaulted by gangs of men.

20 Mar, 2013

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Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2013/03/20/Egyptian-women-take-a-virtual-stand-against-harassment-.html
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Kabul, U.S. ‘reach deal’ on forces pullout

Kabul, U.S. 'reach deal' on forces pullout

U.S. commander of ISAF, General Joseph Dunford said that they have reached an agreement on a plan for Wardak. (AFP)

The United States and Kabul appeared Wednesday to reach an agreement on the pullout of coalition forces from a strategic province, nearly a month after an ultimatum from Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Karzai on February 24 gave American Special Forces two weeks to leave Wardak, a hotbed of Taliban activity on the doorstep of Kabul, accusing Afghans they work with of torture and murder that has incited local hatred.

The issue has been a source of rising tensions between Kabul and the United States with a series of astonishing outbursts against the international coalition from Karzai's palace in recent weeks.

Just hours before the agreement was announced by the U.S. led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), the presidency branded the NATO-led military operation in the country "aimless and unwise."

"I am pleased to announce that following a very constructive series of talks... we have come to agreement on a plan for Wardak," said General Joseph Dunford, the U.S. commander of ISAF, following talks with Karzai.

ISAF said that Afghan forces would "soon" move into the district of Nerkh, which "will preclude" the need for Afghan Local Police and coalition forces to remain in the area.

Nerkh is one of eight districts in Wardak. The statement said the "remainder of the province will transition over time" but no dates were announced.

Dawlat Waziri, a spokesman for the defense ministry, told AFP that US Special Forces would leave Nerkh "within a few days" but declined to provide any details.

The agreement will be seen as a compromise for Karzai. The U.S. military said it found no evidence to back the allegations that Afghan militia working with US forces had tortured and murdered civilians.

Neither did the statement make any specific mention of U.S. Special Forces.

Relations between Karzai and Washington have become increasingly troubled with the bulk of NATO's 100,000 combat soldiers due to leave by the end of next year.

But a deputy spokesman for Karzai welcomed the agreement.

"This has been the true demand of Afghan people and president. We welcome the agreement and we expect that it will be finalized as agreed," Adela Raz told AFP.
 

20 Mar, 2013

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Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2013/03/20/Kabul-U-S-reach-deal-on-forces-pullout-.html
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NATO mulls plans to intervene, end Syria civil war: official

Admiral James Stavridis, the commander of U.S. European Command, says several member countries of NATO are considering ending the two-year civil war ravaging Syria by giving support to opposition forces. (Reuters)

A number of NATO countries are looking at several military contingency plans to intervene in the two-year civil war ravaging Syria, a newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Commander of U.S. European Command, Admiral James Stavridis, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that several NATO countries are looking at a variety of military operations to arm and assist the opposition fighters, according to UK based The Independent.

"The Syrian situation continues to become worse and worse and worse," Stavridis said, adding "no end is in sight to a vicious civil war."

However, to end the deadlock between embattled President Bashar al-Assad's regime forces and the opposition, the admiral said NATO must assist the latter group by using aircraft to impose a no-fly zone, providing military aid and imposing arms embargoes.

"We are prepared, if called upon, to be engaged as we were in Libya," he added.

NATO intervened in Libya to implement a U.N. Security Council resolution that called for the backing of opposition fighters against the late Libyan strongman Muammar Qaddafi and his supporters in 2011.

The military official said it is "necessary" to get U.N. approval before NATO assumes any military role in Syria.

While the U.N.-Arab League envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Ibrahimi, had hinted previously at the failure of finding a political solution to the Syrian conflict that has killed more than 70,000 people, he warned of the "Somalization" of the country.

He was referencing the aborted U.N. mission to Somalia which ran from 1992-95, the international community failed to revise the Somali civil war which began in 1991.

Regarding Syria, Brahimi said, "this is the gravest crisis that haunts the world…There must be a peaceful solution or Syria will become even worse than Somalia."

The admiral's statements came after Assad's regime and the opposition exchanged accusations over the use of chemical weapons in Aleppo.

The United States and the organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), an international anti-chemical weapons body, both said that there was no evidence that either Assad's forces or the opposition had used chemical weapons in any attacks in northern Syria.
 

20 Mar, 2013

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Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/2013/03/20/NATO-mulls-plans-to-intervene-end-Syria-civil-war-official-.html
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Erdogan says comments on Zionism ‘misunderstood’

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has often attacked Israeli policies, triggered a storm of protest about his comments on Zionism at a U.N. forum in Vienna last month. (Reuters)

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in remarks published Wednesday that his controversial comments branding Zionism a crime against humanity had been misunderstood.

Erdogan, who has often attacked Israeli policies, triggered a storm of protest about his comments on Zionism at a U.N. forum in Vienna last month.

"I understand that my statement in Vienna led to some debate. But no one should misunderstand what I said," Erdogan said in an interview with Danish newspaper Politiken ahead of a visit to Copenhagen.

"Everyone should know that my criticisms on certain issues, especially Gaza and the settlements, are directed at Israeli policies," he said.

"It's entirely natural for us to continue to criticize Israel, as long as it will not give up its approach of denying the right to exist of the Palestinian state.

"In several statements I openly condemned anti-Semitism, and it clearly displays my position on this issue. In this context, I stand behind my remarks in Vienna."

Erdogan faced stinging criticism from Israel, the United States and the United Nations after telling the Vienna forum: "As is the case for Zionism, anti-Semitism and fascism, it is inevitable that Islamophobia be considered a crime against humanity."

The Turkish prime minister has often attacked Israeli policies in blistering language over the past few years, sending relations between the once close allies into free-fall.

20 Mar, 2013

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Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2013/03/20/Eerdogan-says-comments-on-Zionism-misunderstood-.html
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Al Arabiya first TV station to enter city that sparked Syria’s uprising

Al Arabiya crew entered the city of Daraa with the help of the rebel Free Syria Army (FSA). (Al Arabiya)

Correspondent Rima Maktabi headed to Daraa, making Al Arabiya the first television station to enter the southwestern city of Syria.

The uprising against President Bashar al-Assad was sparked in Daraa, where authorities arrested and tortured a number of children for spray painting graffiti on the walls of their school demanding freedom in the country.

Maktabi, along with a camera crew, entered the city with the help of the rebel Free Syria Army (FSA).

Heavy clashes between the rebel fighters and forces loyal to the Assad regime are still ongoing in the city, making Daraa an open front in which scores die every day.

"We are six brothers and three sisters. We fight whoever kills children. We fight people who violated and abused [us]. We lived a lifetime serving those oppressive people," Mohammed Mousallama, an FSA fighter, said, referring to the Assad regime.

Abu Shareef al-Mohameed, a rebel commander, said that regime forces do not want to let go of Daraa.

"The regime is attached to Daraa because it knows that the fall of Damascus begins in Daraa, and [the city] is the cradle and stronghold of the uprising," Mohameed told Al Arabiya.

The rebels built secret passages between houses in an area known as Houran – close to the city of Daraa, the rebels said, adding such measures were taken to deter any attack by Assad forces.

And, as they fight, opposition forces reiterate the same slogan. "We prefer death over humiliation."

20 Mar, 2013

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Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/2013/03/20/Al-Arabiya-first-channel-to-enter-city-that-sparked-Syria-s-uprising-.html
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