Introduction to the evening news 27-09-2011

Between the spiritual summit held in Bkerke last May and today’s Dar al Fatwa summit, there has been a sea change in policies, positions and alliances. In both France and Lebanon, Patriarch Rai was outspoken about different approaches on Hezbollah, its weapons, the Arab uprisings and concerns over what comes next; these approaches had a shocking effect and created new alignments that are radically different from those seen during Patriarch Sfeir’s era.  Mufti Mohammad Rashid Qabbani has distanced himself from the Future Movement and its current political orientation by hosting both the Syrian and Iranian ambassadors as well as a Hezbollah delegation. This gesture led to a crisis with the Future Movement whose leadership boycotted him, even on Eid al Fitr day and during his visit to Shebaa farms.     

Therefore, it seemed like today’s summit, requested by Rai in an unprecedented move, was meant to provide a space for an exchange of support between the Maronite leader and Qabbani. Remarkably, during the recent Maronite summit held at Bkerke, Shiite Mufti Kabalan expressed reservations regarding defense strategy and the arms of the Resistance; yet, today’s gathering of spiritual leaders failed to mention the STL or Hezbollah’s weapons in the summit’s final statement. Rather, they indirectly adopted portions of Rai’s speech, regarding the Arab uprisings and the means to avoid a derailment of the movement and allay any concerns. However, they reiterated their rejection of foreign interference and all forms of oppression, violence and tyranny.     

In any case, Rai briefed the summit participants on the content of his meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, specifically on the present situation in Lebanon and the fate of Christians in the Middle East.     

In New York, Lebanese PM Najib Mikati met with the U.N. Secretary General and chaired the U.N. Security Council’s session where he echoed Lebanon’s commitment to all international resolutions including the STL. This raises questions as to what extent Hezbollah can absorb Mikati’s insistence, and how the party will deal with him in the future.  

While Mikati chairs the UNSC to discuss Palestine’s membership bid, Israel practically railroaded the international Quartet’s initiative by approving the construction of 1100 settler homes in East Jerusalem.