The front page of Al-Akhbar's Tuesday edition features news of the upcoming release of a Hezbollah music video celebrating the second anniversary of the July War of 2006. Subsequently, the name of the of the video is tammuz, which translates simply as July. According to the pro-opposition Lebanese daily, the picture at the bottom of this post was taken during the video's production. The profile depicted on the flags is that of the group's assassinated paramilitary leader Imad Mughniyeh.

This is not the first time that Hezbollah has produced a music video commemorating the ‘06 conflict. Last July, the group released one entitled, “The Victory of the Arabs”. The video frames the July War as an Arab victory through its imagery and message in an effort to capitalize on Hezbollah's standing as the only Arab force to have ‘defeated’ Israel. You can read more about it in an article I wrote here, while those who wish to view the video can do so here: link

At this rate, it appears that Hezbollah will be releasing a new music video every July. It might be hard though to top the level of production work and resources that went into the making of “The Victory of the Arabs”. According to Al-Akhbar, members of the Lebanese Army participated in this year's video. Therefore, I’m thinking that they’ll go for a more nationalistic angle this time around. I’ll try to post a copy of the video once it's available online.

UPDATE: The new video can be viewed here on YouTube.

The 11th Arab conference on combating terrorism was held this past week in the Tunisian capital of Tunis. The two-day event, convened by the Council of Arab Interior Ministers, brought together officials from the region's counter-terrorism establishments to address various issues stemming from terrorism. In addition to the council, representatives from the Arab League and the Riyadh-based Naif Arab University for Security Sciences (NAUSS) participated in the conference, while it was also reported that a meeting of Arab terrorism experts was held on its sidelines.

At the opening of the event, the Secretary General of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers stressed the role of social and religious institutions in countering the grassroots aspect of the jihadist terrorism phenomenon. He also called for increased cooperation between the security services and news agencies in discouraging violence and promoting a ‘culture of peace’. The agenda also included discussions on tackling terrorism financing and examining developments in the structures of terrorist organizations.

At the conclusion of the conference, Al-Hayat reported that officials urged religious figures/clerics to play an increased role in countering ideologies propagated by extremist groups. It also cited a source as stating that recommendations to strengthen coordination between Arab security services on terrorism will be raised at next year's annual conference of Arab interior ministers.

Providing for some political spin, Syria's SANA News Agency states that Syrian representatives at the event called for the organization of a conference aimed at distinguishing between legitimate resistance groups defending against occupations and terrorist organizations. This is not surprising given its relationship with Hezbollah and Hamas, as well as its classification as a state sponsor of terrorism by the US State Department.

While not mentioned specifically, one would imagine that the issue of terrorist networks/individuals from the various Arab states partaking in the Iraq conflict might be a cause for concern, assuming that they may return home to setup shop or join up with domestic-based groups. This was the case for many Arab members of the Afghan jihad in the early 1990's who resettled in Egypt and Algeria.

There are other groups today, such as Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (Algeria) - whose pedigree can be traced to the Afghan Arab jihadists - that have already taken root domestically. Perhaps the complexity of the terrorism threat, one comprised of entities with varying capabilities and centers of gravity, warrants a comprehensive approach towards the threat in the region. Thus, grassroots initiatives aimed at the ‘war of ideas’ within domestic social and religious institutions, combined with regional cooperative efforts to dismantle and disrupt networks, could be viewed as key components of an effective counter-terrorism strategy for the Arab states.

According to the Palestinian Ma’an News Agency, the Hamas-led government in Gaza threatened to take measures against anyone who violates the ceasefire. This came in response to a rocket attack launched by the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades against the Israeli town of Sderot. Hamas claims that the Al-Aqsa Brigades, an armed wing of the group's political rival Fatah, was not acting on behalf of the Palestinian national interest, and its actions could jeopardize the ceasefire by providing Israel with a pretext for maintaining the embargo against Gaza.

While the Al-Aqsa Brigades claim the attack was in response to Tuesday's killing of a PIJ commander and the ceasefire not being extended to include the West Bank, could this move in fact be part of a Fatah strategy to exploit the Gaza truce to its own political advantage?

Ma’an also reported the formation of a crisis unit, comprised of various Palestinian factions, to monitor the truce. The creation of the body was announced by Sa’id Siyam, described as the Foreign Minister of the Hamas-run de facto government. While the creation of a multi-party monitoring unit is a step in the right direction, it seems that the current truce in Gaza will indeed test the ability of the Palestinian factions to maintain some semblance of unity over the conditions of the ceasefire. Is Hamas capable of leading such an effort?

In response to an IDF operation that killed two in the West Bank town of Nablus early this morning, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) militants claimed to have fired three rockets from the Gaza Strip at the Israeli town of Sderot. Israeli sources confirm that rockets did hit the town, lightly wounding two. One of those killed in the IDF raid was a key leader in the group's Al-Quds Brigades, while the other was a university student who Haaretz reported as belonging to Hamas.

Technically speaking, the IDF raid is not a violation of the current ceasefire agreement, which took effect last Thursday in Gaza. While Palestinian parties tried to have it extended to the West Bank before the agreement was finalized, Israel refused so that it could continue to undertake security operations in the area (see my previous post on the truce).

Hamas, who controls Gaza, denounced the IDF operation as a crime. However, the group's spokesperson asked that all Palestinian factions exercise self-control and remain committed to national consensus on the ceasefire issue. He went on to add that Hamas is looking into today's incident with the other Palestinian factions, and he called on designated parties to exert pressure on Israel to cease such actions.

For now, it appears that Hamas is trying to reign in other Palestinian factions in order to salvage the much needed truce. Subsequently, PIJ's website has termed the rocket attack as an ‘exceptional response’, and voiced the group's ‘committment’ to the truce (as long as Israel abides by it) and Palestinian consensus. Overall, the circumstances surrounding PIJ's retaliation is evident of the limits of the truce, and the future challenges that both sides will face in the coming days.

Here's a YouTube link to Al-Jazeera's English coverage of the recent clashes in the Lebanese port city of Tripoli. Note that the fighting between the residents of the largely Alawite Baal Mohsen and the predominantly Sunni Beb al-Tabbaneh neighborhoods is reminiscent of the 1980's when, during the civil war, the same areas were respectively split between their support for the Syrian Army and Fatah.

Although the Lebanese Army moved in on Monday evening to help restore order, don't be surprised if things heat up again.

I wrote a post last week on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's then planned state visit to India. Now that his trip has concluded, I thought I would provide some highlights from Syria's state-run SANA News Agency's in-depth coverage. As previously mentioned, al-Assad sought to strengthen bilateral relations with India on both political and economic matters. Here are some of the primary developments from the trip according to SANA's reporting:

- Perhaps indicative of the trip's significance and scope, al-Assad and his wife were accompanied by a delegation drawn from a number of Syria's ministries. This included ministers of foreign affairs, communications, as well as economics and commerce.

- A number of agreements and memorandums of understanding were signed between the two states. They deal with encouraging and protecting investment, preventing double taxation, and cooperation in agriculture and related sectors.

- While addressing representatives from India's media, al-Assad pointed to India's growing importance in Asia and the Arab world. He also claimed that a number of developments, such as the Doha Agreement and the truce in Gaza, are indicative of positive change in the Middle East. However, while meeting with the heads of India's foreign ministry, he urged India to take on a more active diplomatic role in the region.

- On the issue of IT, al-Assad met with India's communications and technology minister in order to learn from the country's experience on such matters as e-governance. India also voiced it's readiness to invest in Syria's IT sector. Additionally, India's IT company Infosys, as well as its Institute for Information Technology, held information sessions on various programs for the al-Assads.

- The president and his wife also visited the Indian Space Research Organization in Bangalore where they were briefed on developments in the organization's satellite program.

While SANA's coverage of al-Assad's visit should perhaps be taken with a grain of salt, it's worth noting that India's stake in the Middle East is significant. Some suggest that India is looking to secure energy deals with Arab countries and Iran in order to help sustain its economic growth. In turn, it appears that Syria is looking to benefit from India's experience and capacity in the sectors of communications and technology.

Being that Syria is both the current chair of the Arab League, and a major ally of Iran, India is perhaps looking to the Arab state as the linchpin of its Middle East agenda. And while Syria is not the most hydrocarbon-rich of the Arab nations, it does have significant influence on various ongoing security issues in the region… whether it be Iraq, Lebanon, or the Arab-Israeli conflict. However, despite the ostensible shared interests between the two countries, one might ask how deeper relations with Syria may impact India's relations with Israel.

The Palestinian Ma’an news agency featured a report today on its English language website that provides an overview of how both Palestinian and Israeli newspapers have been responding to the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which took effect in Gaza on Thursday morning.

People on both sides have voiced some skepticism as to whether the Egyptian-mediated truce will last. However, the general consensus appears to be, for the time being, that both Palestinians in Gaza and their Israeli neighbors are relieved by the respite from hostilities. In fact, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh (pictured above) reportedly took the time to play football at an indoor arena in Gaza. According to Ma’an, the picture appeared in the Israeli Ma’ariv daily under an article entitled, “He left the trenches”.

One potential sticking point, highlighted in Al-Jazeera's coverage of the ceasefire, is Israel's refusal to give in to Palestinian demands for the cessation of hostilities to be extended to the West Bank. According to Al-Jazeera, Israel stressed that it must be allowed to conduct security operations in the West Bank against militants. Thus, while all major Palestinian factions have voiced their commitment to the truce, the potential for the outbreak of violence is still very real in the West Bank. An analyst for Al-Jazeera suggests that groups based in Gaza may retaliate if operations against militants in the West Bank result in Palestinian casualties.

Such a scenario would perhaps test the ability of the leadership of the various Palestinian factions to maintain control over their subordinates, and the ability of the factions to remain united in adhering to the ceasefire. The failure to do so would jeopardize the much needed truce in Gaza, which could then result in the reimplementation of a crippling economic embargo, as well as a resumption of violence between Palestinian groups and Israel.

The motorcade of the US State Department's Charges d’Affaires in Lebanon Michele Sison was pelted with stones on Wednesday by townspeople in the south Lebanese town of Nabatiyeh. Sison was visiting USAID and US-sponsored projects in the area, but reportedly had to make an unexpected lunch stop in Nabatiyeh after one of the cars in her motorcade broke down.

Nabatiyeh is one of the larger towns in predominantly pro-Hezbollah south Lebanon. Much of the town was damaged as a result of air-strikes against Hezbollah in its 2006 war with Israel.

Not surprisingly, the not-so-warm welcome for Sison made prime-time news on Al Manar TV Wednesday evening. According to the Hezbollah-run station, local residents gathered outside the house of a local official where Sison was having lunch and chanted anti-American and anti-Israeli slogans. Statements cited by Al Manar, reportedly issued by the people of Nabatiyeh and a local parliamentary representative, were posted in full on one of Hezbollah's primary websites wa3ad.org.

An alleged statement issued by the people of Nabatiyeh described Sison's visit as exemplary of “the impudence of America's [foreign] role,” while another statement made by local Ba’athist MP Qassem Hashem went further to explicitly cite US-made cluster bombs dropped/fired in the area by Israel during the 2006 war - some of which still linger unexploded and continue to take lives - as a reason why Sison's visit was not welcomed by locals.

While the State Department has addressed the issue of cluster munitions in Lebanon, the US's supplying of Israel with arms continues to be reiterated by Hezbollah and its constituents to challenge America's image in the media. Subsequently, such negative perceptions may continue to threaten any progress achieved through US-sponsored development and relief efforts in Lebanon aimed at reinforcing America's reputation in the country.

Based on these circumstances, is it futile for the US to try to win hearts and minds in south Lebanon? Perhaps the price of not trying is too great.

Al-Jazeera's English website featured a report over the weekend that suggests political divisions within the Palestinian cause are exacerbating a deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip. The report comes on the first anniversary of Hamas's takeover of Gaza, and claims that many within the Palestinian press have voiced their frustration with the current situation.

A Hamas official is cited as stating that Palestinian society has become more politically polarized. The report also references a poll by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR) that indicates Hamas and its leaders have also experienced a decline in popularity. According to the Al-Jazeera, this internal political crisis has coincided with 100,000 lost jobs in Gaza since June of last year due to factors stemming from Israel's blockade.

Apparently, the situation in Gaza is becoming problematic for Hamas whose electoral campaign in 2006 was largely built on a platform that vowed to improve the quality of life for Palestinians. However, any political rapprochement between the factions would likely have to coincide with some sort of economic stimulus/relief in Gaza in order to create an environment conducive for a long-term internal compromise.

In terms of internal dialogue, the Palestinian Ma’an news agency mentioned today that a Fatah delegation from the West Bank would be arriving on Tuesday to meet with its branch in Gaza. The delegation aims to discuss with its Gaza-based members President Mahmoud Abbas's call for dialogue with Hamas… so perhaps part of the equation is beginning to be addressed.

Syria's state-run SANA news agency has dedicated a new section of its website to President Bashar al-Assad's planned visit to India this coming week. The site's English language section has also featured coverage of the visit. So far, the articles featured in this section have included commentary discussing the overall agenda and goals of al-Assad's expected visit.

According to India's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, this primarily includes talks on bilateral relations to develop the relationship between the two countries on political, economic, and trade matters, as well as cooperation in the IT and energy sectors. India's ambassador to Syria is also cited as stating that his country hopes to sign agreements with Syria to “avoid double taxation (on international trade and investment perhaps), and to encourage investment, agricultural cooperation, housing and development”, and so forth.

While SANA states that the volume of trade between the two countries is expected to continue to rise significantly, the Indian ambassador also indicates that his country has sent specialists to Syria to aid development projects, including the building of a biotechnology center in the Arab state.

One would think that Syria would seek assistance/cooperation from India on the issue of nuclear energy as well… no?

It's interesting to note that SANA is framing the meeting between Syria and India's leaders as a coming together of two historic centers of civilization and culture that have long resisted colonial powers. India's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs goes on to speak of the common ‘role’ played by Syria and India as states that have held firm to policies of non-alignment on regional and international issues. He then goes on to proclaim that Syria's role in the Middle East is vital and integral to achieving piece in the region.

The minister also comments on the need for reforms within the United Nations and its Security Council, stating that India appreciates Syria's supportive position on this issue. He also voices India's desire to acquire a seat on the Security Council, an interesting choice of words given the precarious downturn in relations between Syria and the UN body in recent years over a number of issues stemming from the Lebanese dossier.

In addition to the potential economic advantages to be gained by deepening relations with India, SANA's coverage reveals how al-Assad's trip could be utilized by Syria to boost it's image as a regional and international player. In fact, this may indicate that Syria may become inclined to rely more and more on powers in the developing world, such as India and China, in order to counter the economic and political costs of any further deterioration in its relations with the US and the West.