Qifa Nabki
Special Tribunal for Lebanon
The Hezbollah Misconnection
A couple weekends ago, The New York Times Magazine ran a story (“The Hezbollah Connection“) about the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon and the decade-long investigation into the killing of Rafik Hariri. Written by Ronen Bergman, an Israeli journalist and military analyst, it rehearses a narrative that has become familiar to Tribunal watchers and has appeared in various … Continue reading
Middle Eastern Ex-Spymasters Suddenly Discover a Passion for Humanitarianism
The former Lebanese security chief, Jamil al-Sayyed, is the Marshall Islands’ new ambassador to UNESCO, AFP reported today. Among the benefits of this post (in addition to approving nods and kind words from fellow guests at cocktail parties), is the diplomatic immunity it confers upon its holder, who may or may not be the target of prosecution … Continue reading
The Wheels of Justice…
Whether you regard the Special Tribunal for Lebanon as a transparent (if expensive and plodding) search for the truth about the Hariri assassination, or a Zionist conspiracy against the last bastion of anti-imperialist resistance in the Arab world, today is a historic day. The UN court that was established to try the men accused of … Continue reading
Whodunit? Politician to be Named in Hariri Murder Indictment
The Daily Star reports that (according to the Lebanese daily al-Liwaa’), the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s outgoing Prosecutor, Daniel Bellemare, will be issuing a revised indictment in the Hariri case and it will include several new suspects, including a politician. I’ve lost track of the number of rumors about the STL that have been reported by Lebanese … Continue reading
Mikati Squares the STL Circle
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati was expected to make a major address today concerning the stalemate over the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), which was threatening to bring down his government. Mikati did speak to the media, but it was only to say that he had transferred Lebanon’s share of the funding … Continue reading
Qifa Nabki 
And the people say…