Foreign Ministry Sends Letter to Syrian Embassy after Latest Raids
The foreign ministry has sent a letter to the Syrian embassy in Beirut upon the request of President Michel Suleiman, the state-run National News Agency reported Wednesday.
While NNA did not specify the nature of the letter sent on Monday, media reports said it included the recent request made by Suleiman to hand the ministry copies of security reports on the latest Syrian airstrikes on Lebanese territories.
A statement issued by the presidential palace last Thursday said Suleiman asked army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji to hand the ministry the copies of the raids in the northeastern town of Arsal the day before and another attack that took place on March 18.
Last week's raid involved two rocket attacks on a house 11 kilometers deep into Lebanese territories and the previous one included assaults as deep as 5 kilometers across the border with Syria.
Syria has continuously denied attacking Lebanon, claiming that the assaults are taking place from inside Lebanese territories.
Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdul Karim Ali reiterated on Tuesday that “the attacks are taking place from Lebanon on Syria and not the other way around.”
The latest attacks took place after midnight Monday when three mortar shells hit the Lebanese town of al-Dbabiyeh in the northern district of Akkar, injuring a boy and causing damages to two houses.
Mortars and shells from the Syrian side regularly crash in Lebanon, causing several casualties. But Lebanese forces have never fired back despite promises of retaliation.
over 11 years
At least be consistent and call an aggression against Lebanon an aggression whether it comes from Israel or from Syria
over 11 years
why not? are we not in a state of war against one aggressor? why is it ok for Syria and not Israel??? no Mowaten.. you ask us if we want to sit here and be raped by Israel which we reply no.. but it is a pity you are willing to go through it with Syria...
What makes an enemy? their religion? do they have to be jews? their ideology? do they have to be zionists? their allegiances? do they have to be allied to the west? only then are they enemies?
over 11 years
indeed mowaten, look at all the benefits we are reaping from the syrian army's presence in lebanon for 15 years.
you may like to blame the lebanese for how things started falling apart after the syrian army left (and thats what any occupier would have you think), you just fail to be objective and see that they did not leave anything behind to keep things running. all they ever did was reinforce strength and violence as a mean of running things.
it seems to me its the only way you know how to live peacefully with the others, by being told exactly what to do and what to think
over 11 years
as i have said numerous times. yes the lebanese are the ones who invited the syrians in. to help with the civil war.. not add to it.. they did not ask the syrians to play hop scotch from one side to the other.. they did not ask the syrians to kidnap the lebanese.. to kill lebanese.. they did not ask the syrians to steal what little wealth we had..
syria is an enemy to me and should be to every Lebanon loving Lebanese.. they and Israel are on equal footing.. i am not going to get over it that they left 8 years ago... Israel left 13 years ago... they still interfere in our country our government and now in shelling our lands because we are weak.. and cannot answer them back like turkey..iraq..jordan.. they attack us.. full stop... they are our enemies.. stop over protecting everyone but your fellow lebanese who was down trodden by those pieces of garbage.. from the LF.. to HA to FPM.. and please answer my comment below.
over 11 years
MOWATEN... You are beyond amazing. You genuinely believe with all your heart and head that Israel is our ONLY enemy, and that Assad is a friend to Lebanon!!
None of the trespassing of HA or Syria on the LEBANESE state ever tempered your pro Syria enthusiasm! You find excuses to each trespasing of our sovereignty by HA or Syria.
Mind you, I do see positive points in our relation with Iran, and I see positive points in M8. And I hate the racist state down south. But I am dismayed by the solid unwavering pro syria stance that you hold whatever happens, and this by a seemingly reasonable person.
over 11 years
Mowaten.
I agree with you that Al Nusra is a great threat to Lebanon. We are beyond arguing to this point.
Our disagreement is about Assad's regime. Dont you see how bad for lebanon this neostalinist regime is? You think he is a shield who will protect us from al nosra? Didnt you see how he systematically tried to divert attention of islamists to send them from syria to Lebanon? You have solid proof with Michel samaha!! how can you still find excuses for this stalinist criminal regime?
over 11 years
mowaten- I am quoting your response. "in the case of syria, nusra/fsa/wtv are using the border to launch attacks and smuggle weapons, the syrian army is not there trying to hurt lebanon but instead defending itself, there is a huge difference."
Here is what your buddy said "Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdul Karim Ali reiterated on Tuesday that “the attacks are taking place from Lebanon on Syria and not the other way around.”"
being that the two explanations are polar opposites, which one of you two is lying?
over 11 years
mowaten- Forget my question. I misread your comment. it appears the only discrepancy here is ali is claiming there is no retaliation and you are claiming retaliation.
over 11 years
I never understood what good all this complaining will do. Complaints against Israel, against Syria. It is like someone really gives a shit.
over 11 years
They are enemies when the objective is to destroy you? what has syria been doing for the past 20 odd years? it has to be military destruction to count???
well as far as i know weapons are being smuggled through turkey, iraq and jordan... why are they not attacking those countries out of "self-defense"? HA is smuggling fighters and weapons as well.. so if the fsa/al nusra attack lebanon will they be attacking out of "self defense" as well?
but i had to giggle when i read Syria is not there trying to hurt lebanon...lol.. ya 7nayneen..
over 11 years
Sometimes Lebanese are a strange bunch, many complain about the syrian regime yet I would bet that many, before the crises, enjoyed travelling to syria to shop for lower priced clothes, food, meals, fuel, jewelry, and even to enroll their kids there for advanced schooling at an affordable price. You were so glad to have the syrians leave which I understand but why were you always running to syria to take advantage of their system. Now you refer to Assad as some tyrant butcher out to get the lebanese, though I would agree he is not perfect but a lot better than the alternative on his door steps. On a side note, I laugh at some of my cousins that swear and curse Assad day and night but have been travelling to syria for the last 15 years to get many of their goods.
over 11 years
cityboy, nothing about what you said is strange, it is the norm and is done by all. Shiites hate KSA yet so many of them are working there earning good living for their families. Syrian officials have been looting Lebanon for decades while underminning its Government. Lebanon has fed the families of Millions of Syrian workers throught the last 60 decades. Americans do not think highly of Arabs yet they have all sort of commerical and business interests with them. Arabs hate Westerners yet USA and Europe are their destination for tourism, drive American and European cars and consume Western products in their daily living. There are doezens more examples but you get the picture.
We do not hate Syrians, we hate what the Syrian Government has done to us and to our institutions.
The "Patriots" of Amal and Hizb of terror held up until the government resigned. Now, what weight does this letter carry coming from a "resigned" government?