Added: Saturday, 20 June 2009, 05:53 AM Mecca time, 02:53 AM GMT
In 1992 Hezbollah had only 12 seats in the 128 seat Lebanon Parliament, now 57 an almost five fold increase. So its clear that its presence and inflence is growing.
tom, Christchurch, New Zealand (Aotearoa)
Added: Friday, 19 June 2009, 09:41 PM Mecca time, 06:41 PM GMT
Lebanon should remain as the lighthouse of freedom for the whole dark Middle East.Itshould remain as an example of coexistance of all faiths and religions. it should prove to the israelis that christians ,Muslims and druze and all other sects can live in peace together with the protected rights of the minorities in a functioning democracy .for all those who want to undermine that formula are the agents of the enemy and the are themselves enemies of the arab world. in every crime, you ask the question: who benifited from this crime? then you follow the trail.same rule applies here . if lebanon can survive its' enemies conspiracies ,only then it would have prevailed. Arab Leaders have to act like brothers rather than in laws of Lebanon. well we hope,pray,and work for a free,sovereign,democratic and prosperous Lebanon.
alibaba, LA, United States
Added: Friday, 19 June 2009, 03:56 PM Mecca time, 12:56 PM GMT
Niloufar-Iran It seems that Iran's pre-occupation with Lebanon and Gaza, they have not been paying attention to the citizens of Iran. I did not realize how unhappy people are in your country. What say you on this topic? Also, I just read that the Grand Ayatollah is blaming the USA and the Zionist entity for this unrest. Typical! When does the "death to the USA & Israel" chants start?
Tank Gunner, Jerusalem, Israel
Added: Thursday, 18 June 2009, 10:20 PM Mecca time, 07:20 PM GMT
The Iranian people are protesting in the streets against a vicious theocratic dictatorship and its thugs as much as if not more so than about a vote count. Wonder if the good people of Lebanon will soon march in the streets to demand Iran's proxy in Lebanon, Hizbollah, turn-in their arms and become a mainstream political party. Whatever G_d you believe in, let him protect the good people of Iran and Lebanon from harm.
Otis, Boston, United States
Added: Thursday, 18 June 2009, 09:11 AM Mecca time, 06:11 AM GMT
Now that the results are in, the opposition must accept (in every sense of the word) the legitimacy of the new government...on the other hand, the elected government must treat the entire population as if it voted in! No exceptions! This is a concept that we have yet to understand in the middle east. The lack of this understanding has caused mayhem in other regions as we saw in Palestine (Fatah Vs. Hamas). I hope lebanon will not fall into the same spiral. The Israelis are very good @ putting their differences aside and focusing on the greatest common denomirator (i.e. the interest of the population as a whole...well, perhaps with the excpetion of Palestinians living in Israel). Point is, the arabs have a lot to learn of the Israelis.
jawad el issa, waterloo, Canada
Added: Thursday, 18 June 2009, 08:59 AM Mecca time, 05:59 AM GMT
SM, I understand your point. But take into account that Jews were living in Palestine prior to 1948. They were migrating to the country from the late 19th century. Also, there are opportunities for economic advancement for all involved within the Middle East if the Arab world would accept the validity of Israel within some semblance of its 1967 borders. I'll acknowledge your point that the Palestinians should be given some say as to where they live and the conditions of how they live, but you didn't address my point that the Jews in Israel are living in their historic homeland. If that's the case, shouldn't they be given some version of national authority as well? Surely Muslims with a true Koranic view see Jews as People of the Book. Land is an outdated concern. The real issue is trade and advancement. I know that Muslim attitudes are not the caricature we get in the West. So why not advance things a little by dealing with real issues instead of conquests and grievances?
Slim_Bert, San Francisco, United States
Added: Wednesday, 17 June 2009, 08:02 PM Mecca time, 05:02 PM GMT
Correction to my previous post: Hiz (13), FPM-Aoun (19). Doesn't alter the content nor tone of post.
Lucee, Beirut, Lebanon
Added: Wednesday, 17 June 2009, 07:49 PM Mecca time, 04:49 PM GMT
Sunny, Ottawa, Canada - Facts please. Hiz won the 14 seats they stood for. The other seats were won by March 8 alliance parties, including Future Movement headed by Auon (15) and the rest were scattered amongst other March 8 alliance parties, including Syrian backed Amal and the Armenians. So to say that Hiz won many seats is incorrect unless you consider 14 to be many. One thing is sure in Leb politics and that is the instability of alliances so anything can change next time around and it definitely won't be more seats for Hiz.
Lucee, Beirut, Lebanon
Added: Wednesday, 17 June 2009, 07:37 PM Mecca time, 04:37 PM GMT
Reasonable, Ottawa, Canada - I've been wondering the same thing. Perhaps they haven't set it up because they might not like what a lot of us have to say. Particularly in relation to events in the last few days.
Lucee, Beirut, Lebanon
Added: Wednesday, 17 June 2009, 12:17 PM Mecca time, 09:17 AM GMT
wilbur , chicag0, United States You mention Taliban and some in Iraq, but these parts re unstable and considered war zones. "Take for instance the Copts in Egypt that still need a presidental decree to build a church" Muslims also need the authorities approval to build a mosque. When Arabs entered Egypt 1400 year ago they signed an agreement amoung which is that builing a church shall be with the governer approval. In general the president rarely denies them this right. The concept is not to build too many churches or mosques in propation to the rate of population. For ex you can see many churches in Cairo & Alex butin Suez for ex there re only 3. We put them bec when going to Mecca it is easier to prove that your re a Muslim through the ID.
