The Lebanese cabinet crisis persists even though Hizb Allah and Amal, the two principal Shia political groups, have affirmed in a joint statement their commitment to a deal recently reached with Saad al-Hariri, the leader of the anti-Syian Future bloc, Aljazeera reports.The deal recognises Hizb Allah’s armed resistance as legitimate as long as the Shebaa Farms remain occupied by Israel and Lebanese prisoners languish in Israeli jails.
The announcement was made on Friday after a meeting of the leaders of the two pro-Syrian Shia political groups at Ein Al-Tineh in Beirut, the Lebanese capital.Aljazeera reported quoting Hizb Allah and Amal leaders that they were now awaiting the translation of the accord into concrete action.The two Shia groups have been boycotting the cabinet for days now over differences with the Future bloc and its allies for their approach to the assassinations of anti-Syrian personalities, especially former prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri.
By Ayat Basma BEIRUT, Dec 30 (Reuters) – A year after he predicted a rash of political killings and upheaval, Lebanon’s most famous clairvoyant will not tell a jittery public what 2006 holds when he makes his usual end-year television appearance. Thousands of Lebanese tune in every New Year’s Eve to hear what Michel Hayek foresees, but the 38-year-old said he no longer wanted to be seen as the bearer of bad news. 
Associated Press, 
By MICHAEL SLACKMAN, BEIRUT, Lebanon Dec. 29 – The roadblocks begin a few miles before Gen. Michel Aoun’s house on a plusvh green hillside dotted with expansive villas. First, two soldiers and concrete barriers stop traffic. Then a maze of concrete blocks slows cars to a crawl. Then three more soldiers. Then a gate, and more guards, and a metal detector. Cellphones are placed in a cabinet and, finally, there he is, General Aoun, leader of the largest Christian bloc in Parliament.
BEIRUT- A pro-Syrian group that claimed it killed a Lebanese editor has threatened to kill the next head of the UN commission investigating the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the editor
BEIRUT, 29 December (IRIN) – The Lebanese government has increased the presence of security personnel throughout the country ahead of New Year’s celebrations, following threats and a series of bomb attacks this year. "We have doubled our patrols," said an official from the Beirut police who wished to remain anonymous. "From 700 staff we went up to 1,400," he added. Temporary checkpoints have been installed throughout the capital and night and day patrols have been brought up from 8 to 25, with 311 officers patrolling at night. 
By Jim Teeple,
Lebanese Minister of Energy And Water, Mohammed Fneish, underlined Sunday importance of preserving "the distinguished relation with Syria .. To fortify Lebanon against foreign interventions and against the Israeli danger we must have good ties with Syria," Fneish said in political symposium in Shqra town, shorthorn Lebanon.
The Lebanese Druze leader and parliamentarian Walid Junblat launched an unprecedented criticism against the Lebanese Hizbullah party. During his meeting with a people delegation in his house in Mukhtara in Mount Lebanon, he called on Hizbullah to prove his commitment to Lebanon first ahead of his cling to the alliance with Syria," according to al-Jazeera satellite TV.
By BENNY AVNI – Staff Reporter of the Sun, UNITED NATIONS – The Arab League’s secretary-general, Amre Moussa, tried recently to mediate between Syria and Lebanon, reportedly offering to end a Syrian assassination campaign against Lebanese journalists and politicians. Diplomats and editorialists in the region said over the weekend that the effort, which was perceived in Lebanon as an attempt to defend Syria, backfired and highlighted the league’s weaknesses.
