Monthly Archives: August 2010

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Future Movement Backpedals. Denies Targeting Hezbollah's Weapons

Statement from The Future Movement:

Demands for a weapons-free Beirut are not aimed at Resistance weapons which are being discussed at the national dialogue [...] This slogan, however, is to protect the principle of Resistance from being tarnished and from sliding in the mud of internal confrontations

Blah, blah, blah…This is the result of intense pressure from Hezbollah, the Syrians and just about anyone with pro-resistance sentiments.

But they’re not fooling anyone. We all know in our hearts of hearts that the original “Weapons Free Beirut” slogan was aimed squarely at Hezbollah.

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Finally, Bellemare Speaks.

After a long silence, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s prosecutor finally spoke with the media.

Mr. Bellemare clarified in an interview with NowLebanon some very important matters like political influence over the STL, the role of leaks, politics in Lebanon, phone tapping and how strong his case is. Read the whole thing.

Here’s one of my favorite passages where Mr. Bellemare explains the concept of “circumstantial evidence”:

You want to prove that it rained today. You prove that the pavement is wet, you prove that there was nobody who cleaned the street, etc. In itself each of these facts does not mean anything, but if you put them all together, you can conclude at the end of the day that it rained. This is what circumstantial evidence is. I am strongly of the view that circumstantial evidence is more powerful than direct evidence.

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The Israeli Army Breeds Technology Entrepreneurs

The Economist:

Teenagers conscripted into high-tech units gain experience “akin to a bachelor’s degree in computer science”, says Ruvi Kitov, co-founder and chief executive of Tufin Technologies, an Israeli software firm. Almost all of Tufin’s employees in the country are, like Mr Kitov himself, veterans of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).

In Lebanon It’s the other way around: Most entrepreneurs (who are equally successful) have probably dodged the military service.

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Yet Another "Beirut Is More Tolerant Than New York" Article

The Beirut Synagogue strikes again:

The cooperation of the Lebanese, even Hezbollah, in the synagogue project demonstrates a degree of understanding that is sorely lacking in the U.S. The Lebanese did not allow their raw wounds from Israel’s repeated military assaults against their country to make them intolerant of Beirut’s remaining Jewish community and its symbols. Unfortunately, many Park51 opponents have a different view

It’s a great talking point for American liberals. But the Lebanese already know that we don’t hate the Jews. We just hate each other.

Related post: The Beirut Synagogue Is a Propaganda Gift That Keeps Giving