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Khazen

Review of the Arab press

AMMAN, Jordan, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Arab press roundup for Feb. 15: Lebanon's as-Safir commented Wednesday that the massive demonstration in Beirut Tuesday marking the first anniversary of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's assassination showed Hariri continues to have a strong presence in Lebanese memory.

The independent daily said it showed the persistent demand to punish his killers was instrumental in defining Lebanon's internal policies and relations with Syria. It added the demonstration put an end to the "desperate picture that emerged in the past year depicting the Lebanese are not capable of administering their own affairs without direct external interference."

The mass-circulation paper opined the manifestation was an honest expression of a desire for national unity and brought a new dynamic to move forward in building "an authority of the vast majority, with a well-known agenda, and to work towards completing the disengagement from Syria." It complained that while Sunnis, Christians and Druze showed up, most of the Shiites decided to remain home and watch the demonstration on their television sets, saying they placed themselves "outside the general national context and oppose the idea that Syria's influence in Lebanon has ended."

In an audience at the Vatican this morning, Lebanese p.m. spoke to the Pope of his meeting with the various religious leaders in Lebanon, the Mohammad caricatures, attacks in the Christian quarter of Beirut and violence among various religious groups.  The Vatican reaffirms its closeness to

By Nadim Ladki , BEIRUT (Reuters) - A crowd of 500,000 flag-waving Lebanese packed a square in central Beirut on Tuesday to mark the first anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. The turnout, reminiscent of huge protests after the February 14 2005 murder that forced Syria to bow to international pressure and leave Lebanon, looked set to give fresh impetus to the country's anti-Syrian coalition that dominates the government after winning a general election in May and June.

The coalition of Sunni Muslim, Christian and Druze political forces, which called the rally, is demanding to know the truth about Hariri's assassination, which it blames on Damascus, and the resignation of President Emile Lahoud."We miss you," read large posters of Hariri. "They feared you, so they killed you," others said. "He lived Lebanon and died for its sake," a black banner read.

Beirut, 14 Feb. (AKI) - The son of former Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri on Tuesday led a gathering of hundreds of thousands of people who turned out to commemorate the first anniversary of his father's assassination. But the event in Beirut's Martyrs' Square was also used by Saad Hariri and other political leaders as a platform for emotional speeches condemning Syria's meddling in Lebanese affairs. "Lebanon will not deal with those who want to supress it. Long live Lebanon. Long live Rafiq Hariri, Long live the Lebanese people," shouted Saad Hariri who stood behind a bullet-proof glass screen while people waved red-and-white Lebanese flags.

The government gave schools the day off and businesses shuttered to give way for people to participate. Thousands began gathering in the morning under in crisp cool winter weather under sunny skies, carrying Lebanese flags and pictures of Hariri. The demonstration, described as a "gathering of loyalty and national unity" on the central Martyrs' Square next to his grave, climaxes shortly after midday, the time when a huge truck bomb exploded on a downtown seaside street on Feb. 14, 2005, as Hariri's motorcade drove by, killing him and 20 others. To view pictures pls cleak "READ MORE"

Khazen History

Historical Feature:
Churches and Monasteries of the Khazen family