Showing posts with label Lebanon’s military tribunal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lebanon’s military tribunal. Show all posts

Sunday, 22 March 2020

أدوارٌ كبيرة للسعوديّة ولبنان في الانتخابات الأميركيّة!





كان المواطن العربي يأمل بأن تتعاون دول جامعة الدول العربية ومجلس التعاون الخليجي على مجابهة وباء كورونا القاتل، الذي وصفته منظمة الصحة العالميّة بعدوّ البشرية، لأن هذا الفيروس القابل للانتشار بسرعة صاروخيّة، يجتاح العالم بأسره فاتكاً حتى الآن بتسعة آلاف شخص من دون أي تمييز لعرق وطائفة ولون، ومهدداً أكثر من مئتين وخمسين ألفاً مصابين به بمصير مشابه وملوّحاً بقدرته على إصابة ملايين البشر.
لذلك فكان على الدول العربية أن تضع برنامجاً من طبقتين: الأولى داخلية ضمن كياناتها تنشر فيها آليات تعقيم وعنايات طبية ومعالجات، والثانية عربية إقليمية في إطار الجامعة العربية لصاحبها وأمينها العام أبو الغيظ وذلك لتنسيق عمليات عبور الناس والبضائع من الحدود المشتركة، وإغاثة الدول الأعضاء ذات الإمكانات المحدودة في الأردن وتونس ولبنان ومصر والسودان والمغرب وغيرها، فلدى «الشقيقات» من دول النفط والغاز فوائض بالإمكان استخدامها ولو لمرة واحدة، في إطار دعم الأشقاء وليس «لإذلالهم» كما يحدث دائماً لدى إرسال مساعدات مالية يتبين آنفاً أنها للاستثمار السياسي وفي طرف ثالث هو الأميركي.
لكن ما يجري اليوم أكثر خطورة من النمط القديم، فإلى جانب الكورونا المخيف، هناك ركود اقتصادي نتيجة تداعيات هذا الوباء الذي يفرض مرابطة الناس في منازلها وتوقف الأعمال وكل انواع التفاعلات الادارية الرسمية والخاصة، ما أدى الى تراجع كبير في اوضاع الدول العربية المتواضعة، وتدهور في إمكانات الدول النفطية.
ما يؤسف له هنا، أن هذه الدول العربية التي كان معتقداً ان الكورونا يدفعها لمعالجة أخطاره في أراضيها والامتداد العربي المجاور، تهتم شكلياً باقتفاء أثر هذا الفيروس الكوني في الانصياع لمرجعياتها الدولية في شؤون سياسية لا تعكس خطورة المرحلة.
هناك نموذجان سريعان يختصران ضحالة المشهد العربي وانحطاطه ويتجسّدان في تصريحات حديثة للرئيس الاميركي دونالد ترامب، وجه في إحداها شكراً حميماً للحكومة اللبنانية على مساعدتها في إطلاق سراح العميل «اللبناني» المتصهين عامر الفاخوري الذي تعاون مع المخابرات الإسرائيلية في مرحلة احتلال جنوب لبنان ونكل بالجنوبيين قتلاً وتعذيباً لاكثر من عقدين وهرب الى «اسرائيل» ومنها الى اميركا بعد تحرير لبنان من قبل المقاومة في 2000.
وقرّر بعد عشرين عاماً نال فيها الجنسية الاميركية زيارة لبنان، حيث اعتقلته الاجهزة الامنية وأحالته الى المحكمة العسكرية بتهم واضحة ومكشوفة لا يمكن التلاعب بها.
لكنّ ضغوطاً اميركية على «لبنان السياسي» هددت بعقوبات وحصار، أرغمت القضاء العسكري على تبرئته بذريعة سقوط التهم بمرور الزمن.
لذلك يحقّ لترامب شكر «لبنان السياسيّ» على تعاونه لإطلاق سراح «مواطن أميركي»، على حد تعبيره. وهو يريد بذلك توجيه رسالة الى كل مواطني بلاده بأنه حريص على سلامتهم في أي مكان، وكيف لا يكون مهتماً بهم بشكل إضافي والانتخابات الرئاسية الاميركية التي يعمل ترامب على النجاح فيها بولاية ثانية، أصبحت على بعد ثمانية اشهر فقط، فيكون لبنان السياسي «المعجزة الكونية»، قدّم لصديقه ترامب خدمة انتخابية هامة يتباهى بها امام طبقات شعبية اميركية لا تهتم عادة بالسياسة ولا تعرف إلا أن رئيسها ترامب حريص على أمن مواطنيه حتى في اقصى الارض.
هناك نقاط اكثر عمقاً تذهب الى ان اللوبيات اليهودية الاميركية النافذة هي عالمي الإعلام والمصارف هي التي ضغطت على ترامب لتحرير الفاخوري العميل لدى «اسرائيل»، وذلك لتشجيع كل العملاء بأنهم محميون من الدولة الأميركية والكيان المحتل، وبذلك تتعمّق المعادلة التالية: بأن ترامب وطد علاقته بمعادلات انتخابية اميركية قوية هي اللوبيات اليهودية وذلك في الخدمة التي أسداها له «لبنان السياسي» وتستفيد منها أيضاً «اسرائيل».
هذا هو الدور اللبناني، في دعم ترامب الذي لا يقلّ خطورة عن الكورونا، فماذا عن الدور السعودي الذي يتناسب مع الحجم الاقتصادي لبلد له امكانات السعودية النفطية؟
وبما ان العلاقة بين ترامب ومحمد بن سلمان اصبحت بنيوية وكل طرف فيها يحتاج الى الآخر، فقد ارتأى سيد البيت الابيض خفض اسعار النفط لتهبط اسعار وقود الاستخدام الشعبي في البنزين ومشتقاته لسبب وحيد يتعلق بإرضاء الناخبين الأميركيين من الفئات الشعبية لكسب اصواتهم، وذلك لمدة تنتهي بانتهاء الانتخابات الرئاسية مباشرة، وترامب يعرف ان النفط الصخري الأميركي العالي الكلفة لاستخراجه لا يستطيع تسويق منتجاته في مرحلة انتشار كورونا.
الامر الذي دفعه الى تبني سياسات خفض اسعار النفط لتنفع الاستهلاك الشعبي ولا تضر النفط الصخري شبه المتوقف حالياً.
فمَن يستطيع تنفيذ هذه الرغبات الترامبية؟
هما طرفان: الأول محمد بن سلمان ولي العهد السعودي والرأسمالية الاميركية، صاحبة شركات النفط الصخري، والتي ينتمي اليها ترامب اقتصادياً.
لذلك وافق رأس المال الاميركي على الخطة فيما ذهب ابن سلمان الى تطبيقها بمغالاة متعمدة، صحيح انها تخدم ترامب لكنها تحميه أيضاً في مشروعه لاحتكار السلطة في السعودية.
فاندفع لتفجير اتفاق معقود مع الروس منذ خمس سنوات لتأمين استقرار السوق النفطية رافعاً إنتاج بلاده من تسعة ملايين برميل الى ثلاثة عشر مليوناً متسبباً بذلك بانهيار الأسعار الى 25 دولاراً للبرميل الواحد ما انقص عائدات السعودية أكثر من عشرة في المئة دفعة واحدة. وهذا لا يهم بالنسبة اليه مقابل حماية مشروعه السياسي من قبل ترامب.
اما المثير للسخرية الذي يكشف ان مملكة آل سعود ليست أكثر من آلية أميركية، فهو اقتراح أرسله ترامب اعلامياً الى القادة الروس يعرض عليهم التفاوض مجدداً حول أسعار النفط لتهدئة الاسواق، على حد تعبيره.
لذلك لا تجوز الاستهانة بترامب الذي يريد افهام الجميع، ان السعودية و»لبنان السياسي» هما بلدان تابعان للجيوبوليتيك الاميركي وينفذان أوامره حرفياً من دون اي اعتراض.
هذه هي الأدوار العربية في الانتخابات الاميركية، التي تؤكد مجدداً ان التحرر من المستعمرين يحتاج الى مقاومات كبيرة بدأت في لبنان ولم تنتقل بعد الى أمكنة أخرى.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian   
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Blog!

From Facing the Death Penalty to a Fugitive: US Assists Criminal Al-Fakhoury Out of Lebanon

From Facing the Death Penalty to a Fugitive: US Assists Criminal Al-Fakhoury Out of Lebanon
Beirut – On Monday March 16, the Lebanese military court decided to drop the charges against the “Israeli” agent Amer al-Fakhoury, known as the “Butcher of Khiam”, who was accused of overseeing the torture of thousands of people at a notorious “Israeli” detention center located in south Lebanon decades ago.
The court’s decision came in the form of accepting formal defenses submitted by al-Fakhoury’s attorneys on the pretext that the statute of limitations had expired. The Lebanese newspaper al-Akhbar reported that the military court, in the person of its president, Brigadier General Hussein Abdullah, and its attorney general, Judge Peter Germanos, implemented a political decision “as per the orders of the United States.”
Amer al-Fakhoury is the former commander of the Khiam Detention Center who belonged to the gangs of Antoine Lahd, which was loyal to “Israel” during the occupation of South Lebanon. He worked as the head of the Lahd gangs in the Khiam detention center, under the command of the “Israeli” Intelligence, until 1998. He moved about two years before the liberation of south Lebanon from the detention center to the security apparatus directly affiliated to the “Israeli” Military Intelligence [AMAN]. He continued in his “position” until the liberation of the south in 2000, spying on Lebanese southerners and arresting suspects, in addition to recruiting agents for “Israel” in the liberated areas.
More than a decade has passed since Fakhoury’s crimes of kidnapping, imprisoning and torturing Lebanese people were committed in 1998, yet the graves of the people he killed while torturing are still there. Their families and loved ones still mourn them. The wounds of the Lebanese citizens he personally tortured as per the orders of his “Israeli” masters are imprinted on their bodies and in the souls and they were not even given the chance to testify against this criminal.
What happened earlier this week in the Lebanese military court is nothing sort of a shame and a disgrace. The court referred the Public Prosecution to the request of the defense attorneys of al-Fakhoury, so Judge Germanos left the order of appreciation to the court. Germanos set the court free from any moral burden, and from his right to appeal any reduced decision. The court session on Monday was conducted in a very confidential manner, at a time when the country was in lockdown due to the Corona virus. It appears that the American decision-maker in the case of Fakhoury intentionally made sure that al-Fakhoury is freed before the closing of Rafic Hariri International Airport on Wednesday, so that the criminal can be aided out of the country immediately.
Later on Tuesday, a request made by the Attorney General for Cassation, Ghassan Aouidat, to distinguish the ruling of the military court, to stipulate the cessation of the track record of the criminal, Amer al-Fakhoury. However, according to Lebanese law, this request cannot stop the implementation of the court’s ruling. Which means that Amer al-Fakhoury can remain without arrest pending the issuance of the discriminatory ruling but is not allowed to travel.
Nonetheless, the empire smuggled the criminal on the morning of Thursday March 18, since all flights have been halted at the Rafic Hariri International Airport due to the coronavirus outbreak. Adding insult to the injury, the Lebanese public watched in awe on all social media sites an American plane landing Thursday morning at the American Embassy in Awkar, near Beirut, for a few minutes, before it took off again and returned to Cyprus, where it came from. The plane’s rapid landing and takeoff raised many questions about whether it removed the criminal, Amer al-Fakhoury.
The plane that landed at the American embassy is a V22, which means that its size allows it to be shifted to a hospital, in a way that allows Fakhoury to be pulled out from the embassy like a fugitive.
Whoever allowed the plane to land at the American embassy in Lebanon violated the court’s decision to ban al-Fakhoury’s travel, and whoever participated and colluded in the process of his release and smuggling out of Lebanon, will not be forgiven by the Lebanese public. The least that the government should be doing now is prosecuting them all.
It is worth noting that the American “Fox News” news network had said prior to the release of criminal Fakhoury that “Lebanon is under threat of sanctions because of its continued detention” of the former military commander of the Khiam detention center.
Robert O’Brien, the US national security adviser who was appointed to succeed John Bolton, was responsible for the files of Americans arrested, missing or kidnapped around the world. According to Lebanese daily al-Akhbar newspaper, he was the one who undertook negotiations with Syria via Lebanon, in order to secure the release of one of the Americans arrested in Syria while fighting with ISIS.
Ten days after the arrest of Amer al-Fakhoury in Lebanon, O’Brien contacted Lebanese mediators informing them that the file was in his possession, and that he had a green light from “high places” to make all efforts to achieve al-Fakhoury’s “removal” blatantly claiming that al-Fakhoury, the butcher of Khiam, was “an American citizen pursued on political charges that have no legal basis” against him.
Within days, relevant authorities in the United States of America were all mobilized. Foreign Minister Pompeo and his aides, from David Hale to David Schenker to the embassy employees in Beirut, worked continuously, and the instructions were that calling for the release of al-Fakhoury was a “permanent item” on the agenda of any meeting with any Lebanese officials.
Meanwhile, the American security services were moving in Beirut away from diplomatic channels. They decided to have side contacts with Lebanese personalities with strong ties to Hezbollah. The purpose was to seek to drop the party’s reservations after the Americans were informed by officials in Lebanon that the decision is not possible without Hezbollah’s approval.
The Americans worked day and night plannig on three levels to make sure their asset is removed from Lebanon.
They worked at the official level, and it was assumed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and it relies on direct contacts with President of the Republic Michel Aoun, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Gubran Bassil and presidential advisor Salim Jreissati.
The second level was a security-military one. It was assumed by the American embassy in Beirut and representatives of the American security services, and it included the leadership of the army, the Directorate of Intelligence and the Military Judiciary, and the government commissioner at the Military Court.
The third was a security-political level. It was undertaken by US intelligence in cooperation with American diplomats. Meetings took place in Beirut, Paris, and Washington with Lebanese figures believed to be talking to Hezbollah for the sake of releasing the criminal while Hezbollah refused to accept anything below justice being served.
This goes to show that when the prosecution claimed al-Fakhoury and the judiciary was forced to arrest him, the American side was prompted to search for other means, including possible fabricated reports on a complex health situation that al-Fakhoury suffers from, to ensure special protection for him. Then it became clear later that the aim was to prevent him from appearing before the civil court on cases brought by former detainees, who were tortured by al-Fakhoury at the Khiam detention center.
During the past week, meetings and phone calls between all parties hastened, and the head of the military court, Judge Hussein al-Abdullah, who is ironically from Khiam village, informed Hezbollah that there is a tendency amongst the military court judges to accept the defenses submitted by al-Fakhoury’s attorneys, and that four of the judges will agree to his release. However, the position of Hezbollah, which was reported to the head of the military Court Judge Hussein al-Abdullah, said that the party respects and supports the accusation made by Judge Najat Abu Shakra against al-Fakhoury when he entered Lebanon, and that the party does not see any logic in considering that the statute of limitations had expired.
Abdullah heard directly from Hezbollah officials: “If you are under pressure and cannot resist it, then postpone the session until the matter is handled, instead of making a decision that will have its toll on you in this life and the hereafter.” Communication between Hezbollah and the head of the court ended with the latter saying that he would not release al-Fakhoury.
But the head of the court released him and the Americans made a fugitive out of the criminal who was supposed to face the death penalty for being a disgrace for his country at the time of occupation and for killing and torturing his own fellow citizens while being at service for our archenemy “Israel”. The Lebanese public shall not forgive and forget. Khiam will not forget.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian   
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Blog!

Saturday, 21 March 2020

Sayyed Nasrallah: Our Resistance The Most Honorable One in Modern History



Sayyed Nasrallah

Stressing that accusations of treason against Hezbollah in the case of Israeli collaborator Amer Fakhoury can’t be accepted anymore, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah described the Resistance as the most honorable one in the modern history.
In a televised speech on Friday night via Al-Manar TV, Sayyed Nasrallah hit back at all those who accused Hezbollah in the case of Fakhoury, who was acquitted by Lebanon’s military tribunal and then released and airlifted outside Lebanon to the United States.
His eminence said that the Resistance party didn’t know of the acquittal in advance, stressing that Hezbollah’s stance in this regard is known and out of moral principles that refuses acquittal of those who took part in murdering and torturing Lebanese people and Resistance fighters.
On the coronavirus crisis, Sayyed Nasrallah called on people to stay home in a bid to prevent the outbreak of the deadly virus, as he slammed the sectarian dealing with the matter.
Facts about Fakhoury Case
Sayyed Nasrallah started his speech by saying that he would clarify several issues related to the military tribunal’s decision to acquit Fakhoury, noting that there has been an anti-Hezbollah propaganda aimed at undermining the confidence between the Resistance and its supporters.
“We rely on Resistance supporters’ awareness, faith and patience. Our responsibility is to be transparent with our people whom we care for their smile and their tears.”
His eminence then stressed that Hezbollah did not know of the court’s decision in advance, denying that there has been a deal in this regard.
The Resistance Leader then went on to talk about US pressures and threats to Lebanon in order to release the notorious Israeli collaborator.
“The US has been for six months exerting all forms of pressures and threats against Lebanon in order to release Fakhoury.”
“US threatened several Lebanese judges, some of whom refused to release Fakhoury and some of whom yielded to the pressures,” Sayyed Nasrallah said, noting that Washington threatened to blacklist some Lebanese officials and to halt the military aid to the Lebanese Army.
The Hezbollah S.G. said that when contacted, Hezbollah stressed that he refuses Lebanon’s surrender to US pressures.
He pointed to the great propaganda campaign after Fakhoury was airlifted by US helicopter outside the country.
“The enemy has been propagating that Hezbollah controls Lebanon and its judiciary. Many know that such accusations are baseless.”
Accusations of Treason Unacceptable
His eminence then slammed some Hezbollah allies, whom he did not mention, stressing that “whoever insists on accusing Hezbollah of being responsible for releasing Fakhoury then he insists on keeping himself in the category of opponent and enemy.”
Sayyed Nasrallah also hit back at some comments slamming Hezbollah over the issue of Fakhoury.
“To those who wonder how Hezbollah which launched May 7 (2007) battle over sacking an official in Beirut International Airport, how couldn’t he have a say in Fakhoury’s case: May 7 took place because back then decided on an issue related to disarming Hezbollah and the Resistance weapon was at danger,” Sayyed Nasrallah said, wondering if a similar battle now serves the national interest.
“What would Hezbollah do? Would we make an ambush against the Lebanese Army convoy which was transferrin Fakhoury? Would we kill Lebanese Army officers and soldiers in a bid to prevent the release of Fakhoury? Does this serve the national interest?”
“To those who say that our minister should have resign in protest to Fakhoury’s release, and that we should have topple the government: In circumstances like this- economic crisis and coronavirus outbreak- is it right to topple the government?”
In this context, Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that the blame should be on the United States which violated the Lebanese sovereignty.
His eminence stressed meanwhile that the case of Fakhoury must be followed up by the Lebanese judiciary and the collaborator must be considered fugitive since he was transferred outside the country despite a travel ban.
Sayyed Nasrallah also called for forming a committee to investigate in the acquittal decision by the military court.
Hezbollah S.G. then made it clear that the Resistance Party can’t no more accept accusations of treasons and insults, noting that Hezbollah allies should have ask for an explanation before making such accusations.
“There are two things that can’t be accepted: accusations of betrayal and insults. We offer our blood for our dignity, so it’s unacceptable to accuse us of treason. Whoever wants to be our ally then he must not do these two things, or else let him out of our friendship circle.”
“This Resistance is the most honorable, honest and pure one in the modern history. We are keen to preserve our alliance but it is not acceptable to accuse us of treason and insult us.”
Sayyed Nasrallah in this context regretted that he was put in such position to defend the Resistance in the case of a criminal Israeli collaborator.
Coronavirus Crisis
Tackling the coronavirus crisis in Lebanon, Sayyed Nasrallah underlined the importance of staying home by Lebanese citizens in order to prevent the spread of the contagious disease.
“We are in a state of general Mobilization and people must bear their responsibility in this regard.”
His eminence slammed the sectarian dealing with the outbreak.
“We are people who live in the same country. It’s shameful to deal with the matter on sectarian basis.”
Sayyed Nasrallah also voiced support to the government’s measures, calling on it to take what it sees appropriate.
“If there is an interest to isolate a region then let the government go ahead with such measure, regardless of this area’s sect.”
His eminence reiterated his call for social solidarity, as he also reiterated Hezbollah’s readiness to put all its health capabilities under the service of the government and the Health Ministry.
“So far nearly 20,000 of Hezbollah’s members and supporters who are involved in the battle against coronavirus.”
Sayyed Nasrallah on the other hand, warned against the spread of coronavirus in Gaza, Yemen and among Palestinian prisoners at Israeli jails.
He lashed out at US President Donald Trump over his comments on coronavirus vaccine and his administration’s sanctions against Iran amid the spread of the coronavirus in the Islamic Republic.
“Trump is racist. He wants the coronavirus vaccine exclusively for the US. Trump is not a human being. He is an alien.”

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian   
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Blog!