The fall of the Omar Karameh government in the aftermath of the mass demonstration in Beirut last week and the possible consequences of these developments were the main issue in the Arab press last week.
Writing in the London-based daily Asharq Al Awsat, Huda Al Husniey stated that in spite of the resignation of the government, which is a significant achievement, the Lebanese must not forget their core goal, that of revealing the truth behind the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. She argued that the Europeans and the Americans have reached an agreement whereby Europe was willing to back the Americans in their Iraqi adventure and, in response, the US lends its support to the Europeans vis-?-vis Lebanese and Palestine. It means, she said, pressure to have Syria pull out from Lebanon and putting more pressure on Sharon to negotiate with the Palestinians.
Moreover, the Syrian influence in Lebanon began to deteriorate as the Lebanese opposition leaders lost their fear of the Syrian regime and started to tackle all the taboos concerning the Syrian presence in the country.
The writer asserted that the main obstacle facing the Lebanese opposition is Hizbollah, the Shiite military and political faction, as it fears that a Syrian withdrawal from the country will weaken the position of the Shiite population in Lebanon, a group considered as pro-Syrian, and which did not take part in the recent opposition demonstrations.
The writer concluded that the opposition leaders must assure Hizbollah that the Shiites' rights will be secured in the coming free and democratic Lebanon.
The Syrian government found itself on the defensive since the assassination of Hariri, as the Lebanese opposition and the international community blamed Syria for the murder and called on it to withdraw its troops from the country.
Writing in the Kuwaiti daily Al Rai Al Am, Ammar Takey affirmed that there was an international consensus in charging Syria for that murder even before the investigation was initiated. The columnist believes that Syria had no intention to eliminate Hariri, who was a moderate politician, aware that his departure will mean increased pressure to leave Lebanon and implement UN Security Council Resolution 1559, which calls for a full withdrawal from the country, not a partial one as called for in the Taef agreement.
Moreover, he added, the murder of Hariri was complicated and sophisticated, requiring high technology and equipment that the Arab security establishments do not have. Therefore, behind this murder there must have been a superpower which desired to achieve many goals as the killing took place at the time the Lebanese society was engaged in internal discussions regarding the Syrian presence in the country, and during unstable regional circumstances.
Thus, the writer concluded, the party that carried out this attack wished to effect many changes in the region, and in all probability that party is not Syria as all the indications point out that Syria is the only loser from that murder.
Abdul Wahhab Badrakan stated in the London-based daily Al Hayat that in the aftermath of the recent developments in Lebanon there is an opportunity that must be grasped by the different groups in the country in order to prove that the civil war has effectively ended in the country and that the Lebanese people are capable of assuming governance after the expected Syrian withdrawal.
Establishing an interim government that will pave the way to holding free elections in the coming months is a must, asserted the writer, adding that the fall of the Lebanese government due to the pressure of the demonstrations doesn't end the problems in the country; to the contrary, a new era of confrontation has began as the government is the weakest link in the power struggle, he said.
The Lebanese columnist argued that the Syrian announcement that it will withdraw its troops from Lebanon occurred because of the Hariri killing and the demonstrations which were backed by international powers. Nonetheless, the writer believes that a withdrawal according to the Taef agreement, which means a partial withdrawal to the Bekaa Valley, is not possible now. He believes that a Syrian departure is certain, but he doubts that the Lebanese society and institutions are able to assume responsibilities now, which may mean that the Syrian withdrawal will take more time than demanded by the Lebanese opposition.
Thamer Abu Baker
© Jordan Times 2005
