Yes, I know that young Pierre Genayyal was assassinated today in Beirut, and I send my condolences to his family.
Huge kudos to his father, the former President Amin Gemayyel, for stressing the need for calm. It would be nice if world leaders could follow that good advice, too.
Twenty-four years ago, in September 1982, it was the killing of young Pierre’s uncle Bashir that sparked a horrible, Israeli-facilitated orgy of revenge killing by his crazed followers that left many hundreds of unarmed Palestinians dead in the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila. Amin– and everyone else– has every reason to fear that strong adherents of the family’s Phalangist Paty might stage a repeat of those massacres. (Though of course, this time round, we can hope that there will be no facilitating party in there providing trucks to convey the Phalangist killers from their home areas to the refugee camps, and flares to light their way once they get there… )
But still, Amin’s call for calm is particularly valuable at this time. How truly terrible for him to lose his son in this way.
27 thoughts on “Pierre Gemayyel killed”
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The murder of Pierre Gemayil is indeed a terrible crime and a tragedy, as is any such killing. However, let us make no mistake about the nasty, murderous, fascist nature of the Phalange party and its adherents.
The murder of Pierre Gemayil is indeed a terrible crime and a tragedy, as is any such killing. However, let us make no mistake about the nasty, murderous, fascist nature of the Phalange party and its adherents.
Helena
For those who didn’t understand my dismay at the news of the assasination yesterday Juan Cole has a useful summary of Lebanon on his blog today.
http://www.juancole.com/
Nadim Shehadi of Chatham House stated on BBC Today that he doesnt think it will lead to civil war.
Have the courage to accuse Syria and its Lebanese agents of perpetrating this crime, the latest in a 2-year long string of murders and bombings targeting the opponents of Syrian hegemony in Lebanon.
Have the courage to accuse Syria and its Lebanese agents of perpetrating this crime, the latest in a 2-year long string of murders and bombings targeting the opponents of Syrian hegemony in Lebanon.
I am somewhat surprised that no-one is suggesting the obvious for the death of Gemayil, that it is a black operation designed to provoke trouble in Lebanon, which can be blamed on Syria, and in the end on Iran.
There’s no conceivable interest for Syria here, but there is for the US. I do not mean for the public policy of the United States, but there are some in Washington who would like to provoke a Tonkin incident.
Evidently we will have to see what results. But if the anger in the US increases over the death of a minor Lebanese politician, we will know why it is.
I am somewhat surprised that no-one is suggesting the obvious…that it is a black operation
me too. I was counting the seconds before someone chimed in to insinuate it might be a joint Likud-PNAC venture. Thanks Alastair, we had a bet over here at ZOG headquarters.
Shirin, thanks for your helpful reminder of the irredeemable evil of the Phalangists. I wish you had mentioned this a while back when they were marching through Beirut on behalf of Syria and Hezbollah.
It takes no ‘courage’ whatsoever to accuse Syria and its allies of this killing. But there is a long list of possible suspects and thus far no evidence that I’ve seen, that points in any particular direction.
So what would be the point of making such an “accusation”? To stir up polarization, suspicion, and hatred? (As John Bolton and other Bushites have been very happy to do.)
No thanks. I prefer to wait until we can start to know where any actual evidence leads. And meanwhile to join with the bereaved father in urging calm on all.
Too bad that some people can’t even respect these simple and dignified wishes expressed by Amin Gemayyel.
To stir up polarization, suspicion, and hatred?
Unlike invoking the “nasty, murderous, fascist nature” of one of Lebanon’s political parties, or hysterically claiming against all logic that they “have every reason” to relive Sabra and Shatila? Nahh, that wouldn’t be stirring up suspicion and hatred.
As I predicted the Christians are being picked one by one. Hizbollah declared that after the Israel operation it would be time for settling scores in Lebanon. Arab democracy: kill your way to a parliamentary majority by killing your rivals.
When Christians are murdered she praises those who call for moderation. When Moslems are victimized, the usual revenge cries are fine for her.
Helena will wait, and then hope it goes away, just with the Hariri case. A smokescreen and talk about Darfur. Her Lebanese mofos can do no wrong. What is it? On the payroll or the ex husband has compromising pictures? Sad lady.
We are in the Middle Eastern bazaar now, and we are totally outclassed.
“the Christians are being picked one by one”
What nonsense to try to turn this into a Muslims killing Christians issue. This murder, however vile it was, was certainly based on political considerations, not religious ones.
Shirin-
You are exactly right. It is amazing to watch the unfortunate consistency of certain hasbara posters here at JWN.
JES, Vadim, David, dvd, dbd, Joshua, etc. they never fail to drag Helena’s astute political analyses down into the gutter…by whatever means they use: religious incitement, sectarian bigotry, racism, conspiratorial mockery (as if conspriacies never existed in the history of the world), illogic, unreason, or outright fabrication.
Thankfully, Helena is able to keep her head and shoulders above the fracas created by such base minds. On this Thanksgiving Day in America, we should focus on the positive, pray for the loss of innocent life lost in this awful time of war, and call for peace and goodwill around the earth.
“If there is any possible good to come from Mr. Gemayel’s death, it is that Hezbollah will now have to postpone its announced plan to call thousands of demonstrators into the street to bring down the government.”
At least the editors of the NY Times recognize some “good” coming out of Gemayel’s assassination.
Here is what Badger had to say over at his blogspot:
“…when the assassination news broke, the Western news outlets, as if with a single voice, referred to the victim as the anti-Syrian cabinet minister Pierre Gemayel. Knowledgable people everywhere “hinted” at the involvement of Syria in this. Or at least they referred to people who did, including Israeli foreign minister Livni, US ambassador to the UN John Bolton, and Saad Hariri. Quite a broad cross-section, in other words, of informed opinion.
“Naturally, the guilty verdict against Syria isn’t based on any forensic evidence in the traditional sense of the word. It is all based on motive, namely a supposed Syrian motive for destabilizing the Lebanese political process.
“Which is surprising, since it seems clear that Syria stood to benefit from the current directions in political development, not only in Lebanon, but in the Mideast region as a whole. Hizbullah has been intent on exploiting the opportunity to advance its position domestically, and it is hard to see how any gains it made would have been upsetting to Syria. Meanwhile, the Bush administration had quietly asked the Syrian administration to help out in the pacification of Iraq, and this was reflected in the highly-publicized visit to Baghdad by the Syrian foreign minister on the weekend. Any such US request would have involved some degree of US concessions to Syria, and this would probably have involved an easing of direct US pressure on the Syrian regime, and a lighter US hand in Lebanon. Hardly the kind of environment that would make the Syrian regime anxious to stir up an international outcry over an assassination.
“On the other hand, there are a couple of regimes that could well have felt they were losing control of the regional political evolution. Unexpectedly, the visit to Baghdad by the Syrian foreign minister was quickly followed up by the news about a three-country summit in Tehran next weekend. Maybe it’s just me, but if I were in charge in Tel Aviv or Washington, I would have been more than a little upset to hear that. This was supposed to be a controlled process for the strictly-limited purpose of pacifying Iraq, and suddenly it was turning into a Syrian-Iraqi-Iranian summit. Without the US, and where none of the participants was particularly friendly to Israel.
“Which is merely to say that if all there is to go on is motive for upsetting the card-table, I don’t think the finger points that decisively at Syria. Quite the contrary.”
That would be this post from the intriguing and helpful new blog Missing Links.
Thanks for the tip-off that sent me back there just now, Sd. But next time could you put in the hyperlink as well?
Hyperlinking? And for that I could use spoken instruction, maybe sometime.
I always appreciate the thoughtful analysis of Helena Cobban. Indeed, JC’s analysis is correct- the very people across Lebanon who rightfully grew deeply tired of Syrian impunity and overlordship were sold out by the Bush/Israeli alliance-The enormous destruction of Lebanon only handed the fragile political circumstances of the country over to those actors who remain indebted to Syria-from all sectors of Lebanese society. The innocents in Lebanon continue, and will continue, to pay for these tragic and ill-conceived architects of an incoherent US Lebanon policy. Moroever, the US cannot even prevent Israel from destabilizing UNIFIL, who might be a source of hope should major violence break out. The war crimes in Lebanon of both Israeli and Syrian actions across time reveal their furtive intentions.
Indeed, Mr. Gemayal has shown a compassionate and constructive approach to the vile hatred brewing across all sectors of Lebanon’s society.
His desire for non-violence reveals a man with a humanistic soul, inspite of the historically ugly history of the Maronite right.
One only hopes that Norway will step up and take the lead in supporting Lebanon through this crisis. Moroever, Lebanon’s human rights activists are in our thoughts.
We light candles for the people of Lebanon.
KDJ
I always appreciate the thoughtful analysis of Helena Cobban. Indeed, JC’s analysis is correct- the very people across Lebanon who rightfully grew deeply tired of Syrian impunity and overlordship were sold out by the Bush/Israeli alliance-The enormous destruction of Lebanon only handed the fragile political circumstances of the country over to those actors who remain indebted to Syria-from all sectors of Lebanese society. The innocents in Lebanon continue, and will continue, to pay for these tragic and ill-conceived architects of an incoherent US Lebanon policy. Moroever, the US cannot even prevent Israel from destabilizing UNIFIL, who might be a source of hope should major violence break out. The war crimes in Lebanon of both Israeli and Syrian actions across time reveal their furtive intentions.
Indeed, Mr. Gemayal has shown a compassionate and constructive approach to the vile hatred brewing across all sectors of Lebanon’s society.
His desire for non-violence reveals a man with a humanistic soul, inspite of the historically ugly history of the Maronite right. The losses of all of these families are our own losses as well.
One only hopes that Norway will step up and take the lead in supporting Lebanon through this crisis. Moroever, Lebanon’s human rights activists are in our thoughts.
We light candles for the people of Lebanon.
KDJ
What many people are attempting to do is shift blame around. Fine, it is possible that Israel decided that it had something to gain by doing this. It must also be accepted that Syria had much to gain.
Assad is looking at the fact that the Democrats were put back into power in the US. The Democrats (rightly or wrongly) have a reputation for being weak on defense. They have also expressed a desire to become less involved in the Middle East violence. This gives him the chance to use Hezbollah to do the dirty work. Syria gets its place in Lebanon back and can work through Hezbollah.
For me, the greatest tragedy here is that the entire human rights community of Lebanon was truly making progress-and for me personally, until Lebanon and the mothers and fathers of the detainees held in Syria (see the important work of SOLIDE/SOLIDA) have their children and loved one’s back, Syria ought to stay out. While the constructions of “pro” or “anti-Syrian” camp are also politically charged, i.e. Israel’s co-optation of this issue, the answers to any question about any of these interlocutors are in the human rights reports. We let the progressives of Lebanon down in serious ways while Bush ordered the continued “pounding” of Lebanon, our own refusal to aid Lebanon in restarting its economy by allowing Israel to block the main port for a month, etc. They all need to stay out-the patronage of Lebanon’s neighbors remains Lebanon’s greatest political flaw. What part of can’t they all stay out don’t we understand?
Friends, if you wish to further support the people of Lebanon, I recommend the exemplary work of the NGO “PeaceCry”-here is the link:
http://peacecry.com/
With best wishes,
KDJ
“No thanks. I prefer to wait until we can start to know where any actual evidence leads. And meanwhile to join with the bereaved father in urging calm on all.”
Well, at least this is an improvement from your “analysis” after the assassination of Rafik Hariri, where you made the bizarre suggestion that Israel was behind the killings.
What is evident is that Mossad and Syrian intel operatives remain active in Lebanon-and until greater powers, such as the EU work to end their involvement in destabilizing Lebanon, the country will continue to find it difficult to move forward-Israel needs to stop appropriating 1559 and Syria ought to deal with its own internal mess-KDJ
like Helena, I also found the link to the new blog Missing Links thoughtfully supplied by sd “intriguing and helpful”…particularly this entry:
dave in boca said…
A reader of my blog sent me an email asking “cui bono” as to why the Syrians were involved. My response:
The Syrians have a very long record of interfering in Lebanon’s economy and
political affairs, and it is in their PERCEIVED interest [however poorly conceived] to stir the pot in that country, which they regard as irredentist territory, because of several reasons.
It takes the Syrian people’s mind off their own imbecilic government, it is an attempt to try to keep the Lebanese cabinet from participating in the UN Investigative Inquiry, an attempt to push the Hezbollah agenda in order to get Iranian support, and because various factions supporting Assad in Lebanon, including its demented Prez Emile L, actually want Syria back in control of Lebanon, or at least an active player. Last, but not least, the Syrians made a lot of money by interfering in Lebanon before, and think they can do it again.
Therefore, a very deluded Syrian leadership probably thinks it is in its own interest, and because it believes it can get away with it. Think of it as a mafia syndicate, with Bashar Assad as the capo di totti capiti. Don’t necessarily
regard the present Syrian leadership as rational actors. As a Financial Times columnist said prophetically two years ago, this younger Assad tends to overplay his hand.
Elizabeth Picard provides an excellent analysis of how Israel and Syria fought their proxy wars vis-a-vis Lebanon-each fueling, funding and arming militias who would carry out their bidding toward visions of a Lebanon “their way”. A tragedy, revealed in the lives of the detainees and disappeared-recently Assad claimed the Lebanese and Palestinian detainees are in fact in Palestinian prisons-however were the Syrian regime to allow the IRC in to verify the claims of the families of the detainees, or to conclude that in fact the individuals are not in Syrian jails, than they would in fact clear themselves-however, it is enormously likely that these persons are there-hence Syria’s denial.
With that said, Israel is hardly off the hook-they also have scores of persons disappeared vis-a-vis their proxy militias and indiscriminate detention. Lebanon’s aggressive, interlocuting neighbors have always been invited in, often by the west. See Michael Kerr’s latest “Imposing Power-sharing”.