Introduction to the evening news 12-01-2013

Will the Lebanese Christian parties go back to their senses and look for a formula which guarantees participation without canceling citizenship? This is probably the question which is being asked to look for electoral law formulas which neither fall in the trap of the Orthodox Gathering nor go back to the 1960s law.        

In the wait of such a formula, Lebanon is still gripped by the Syrian crisis whose humanitarian aspect has dominated all others. In addition to the tragedy ripping through Syria, the number of displaced Syrians registered in Lebanon has reached 200,000 according to the UNHCR. As for displaced Palestinians most of which are coming from the Yarmouk refugee camp, they reached around 20,000, according to a study conducted by the Hamas Movement.       

At a time when local and international bodies are throwing the responsibility of displaced Palestinians flocking from Syria at each other and in light of unethical calls to take the displaced back to the “hell” they fled, “Bab al-Shams” (Gateway to the Sun), a novel by Lebanese author Elias Khoury gave its name to a Palestinian village where tents were erected to prevent Israel from implementing a settlement plan on the outskirts of Jerusalem. In a letter to the residents of “Bab al-Shams”, the Lebanese author said: “I only have one request; that you accept me as a citizen in your village where I can learn with you the meanings of freedom and righteousness.”

All these developments and more in our detailed news bulletin.

To watch the Intro, click on the VIDEO above [to be uploaded shortly]