December 8th, 2009 by Zack

Elaheh Khayyat, the pen name of a Lebanon-based journalist and human rights activist,  argues in the Guardian that Lebanon needs to stand up to Saudi Arabia in the case of Ali Sibat.  Sibat, a Lebanese self-styled psychic that often appeared on Lebanese television to offer psychic advice, has been sentenced to death by the Saudi moral police after being arrested while on a pilgrimage more that a year ago.  Khayyat states that Sibat has in no way harmed anyone and this incident underscores Saudi Arabia’s vague and arbitrary penal system, arguing that “the Lebanese government, which itself has introduced a moratorium on capital punishment, should stand up to Riyadh and demand that Sibat’s senseless sentence be overturned.” 

The Daily Star reports that Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar has publicly committed to reforming and rebuilding the Lebanese judiciary.  In an interview he explained that “the Constitutional Council could not interpret the Constitution since this was the task of the Parliament” and that the country needs “courageous and honest judges.”  At the same time, civil society officials have launched a report, “Invisible Citizens: Legal Study on Statelessness in Lebanon,” that claims nearly 80,000 Lebanese are “stateless,” living without legal status, excluding the 3,000 - 5,000 Palestinian refugees in the country. According to Bema Habib of the NGO Frontiers Ruwad Association, stateless people are those not considered citizens of any state, or those who “have citizenship but are unable to prove it.”  The report calls on Lebanon to develop a legal body that can adjudicate citizenship issues and allow people to apply for nationalization.

Despite reports that most Palestinian refugee in Lebanon are living a subsistence lifestyle with little hope escaping their overcrowded and dreary camps, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, following a meeting with Lebanese President Sleiman, asserts that Palestinians in Lebanon are under the complete governance of the Lebanese government and that “There are no legions under the command of the Palestinian authority in refugee camps.”  Abbas said the status of these refugees will remain unchanged until there is a comprehensive peace agreement and that the Palestinian Authority will help extend Lebanese laws into the refugee camps.  Abbas also met with parliament speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Saad Hariri to discuss bilateral ties.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has made a speech arguing that Hezbollah is becoming the de facto Lebanese military and that, as the Lebanese government and Hezbollah become more intertwined, the government becomes more responsible for “any attack on Israel.”  Netanyahu also stated that he is willing to resume peace negotiations with Syria without any reservations.  Eyal Zisser argues that, from an Israeli perspective, the Lebanese government is a fragile balance between Hezbollah and its opponents, but that the political system has not addressed underlying hostilities and as such conflict, both internal and with Israel, could erupt at any time.

Babylon and Beyond reports that Washington is also displeased with the unity cabinet’s decision to gloss over Hezbollah’s arsenal and to assert the group’s right to resist.  According to a State Department official, Washington will not cooperate with Hezbollah lawmakers and Nicole Shampaine, head of the department’s Office for Egypt and the Levant questions whether the statement “helps progress toward peace and security in the region.”

Posted in Diplomacy, Hezbollah, Human Rights, Israel, Judiciary, Lebanon, Mideast Peace Plan, Political Parties, Syria |