Avoid 'real estate' apartheid in Lebanon

Draft law on property sales between different sects would lead to just the situation politicians behind the law are looking to avoid.

While there are mounting concerns among the Lebanese because of potential Israeli aggression, some officials put forth proposals that might result in partition and increased tensions between various Lebanese sects, wrote the London-based newspaper Al Quds al Arabi in its editorial.

This came after the bill suggested by the Lebanese minister of labour, Boutros Harb, aimed at curbing the sale of real estate property between members of different sects to avoid "population selection".

"Yet the draft law, if passed, will inevitably lead to a process of population selection that Harb wants to avoid in the first place. Banning the sale of real estate to members of other sects means that Lebanon may turn into isolated ghettos. This, indeed, would be the worst kind of religious apartheid."

Apparently, the bill came at a time when frequent reports of parties said to be Shiite bought large plots of land in Christian areas, particularly in Kasrawan, the stronghold of the Maronite community. Maronites consider this a demographic and ideological expansion of great concern.

Lebanon should remain the nation of all communities regardless of their doctrinal affiliations, and all Lebanese should reserve the right to own property when and wherever they wish.

Sudan shows a spirit of reconciliation

It is comforting to see the Sudanese president Omar al Bashir visiting Juba, the capital of the South, which is almost certain to become an independent state next week, wrote Saleh al Qallab in an opinion article for the Kuwaiti newspaper Al Jareeda.

If things go on this way in the near future, outstanding issues can be solved amicably and so the complications of separation will be less severe for both northerners and southerners. It is possible also that the relationship between the newly established state and Khartoum will be a good example of coexistence.

Yet it should be noted that the decision for separation is neither that of the people in the North nor in the South. It is a decision of the political elites, who are after power and authority, and for that they have not hesitated to seek help from outsiders.

Another risk may come from increasing international pressure, which may result in political conflicts between Mr al Bashir and his party on the one hand and the opposition on the other.

Nonetheless, it is still safe to separate as long as a rational approach is adopted in settling pending matters without external interference. A question arises: can Arabs do something to pull out of Sudan in case things go sour? Perhaps, they are, as usual, late.

2011 promises war in the Middle East

In light of predictions based on recent WikiLeaks documents, 2011 promises to be the year of destructive Middle Eastern wars, the columnist Mazen Hammad wrote in the Qatari daily Al Watan. Meanwhile, high-ranking Israeli security sources speculate that Israel is not well-equipped to counter the huge number of missiles that would be expected to be launched at it.

The year 2011 might be dangerous, according to leaked documents that mention that Israel is preparing its army to wage a comprehensive war on Hamas or Hizbollah.

The same source revealed that Iran possesses 300 Shehab-3 missiles capable of reaching targets in Europe as well as hundreds of other missiles that could easily reach the heart of Israel.

Such information show that Tehran would be able to launch two missiles towards Israel daily for two months in the absence of any means of retaliation against these specific missiles from Israel.

Add to that, Britain's The Economist predicts a destructive war in the Middle East this year and it has called on Washington to take immediate measures to reactivate the peace process to prevent the war. The magazine also mentioned that Hizbollah in Lebanon has been supporting its arsenal in preparation for any eventuality, and it speculates that Israel would lose a great deal in another clash with Hizbollah.

Factors behind terror in the Arab world

In an opinion piece for the UAE newspaper Al Khaleej, Saad Mehio called the scenes of clashes in Alexandria and Cairo "the embodiment of an absolute collapse of the nation".

And this happened in Egypt, not in Northern Ireland, Lebanon or South Africa. The violent incidents almost eclipsed the role that Egypt has always played as a leader of the Arab world, a progressive and emerging power.

The latest developments are likely to hit the coherence of various communities, and herald further challenges to the unity of the whole country. But who stands behind this anarchy?

Political extremism has also hit Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan and Yemen.

It is inexplicable how extremist groups brandish the motto of "liberating the nation", while their acts are counterproductive, helping only to weaken further the Arab world and  reverse the order of history to the pre-state era.

* Digest compiled by Mostapha El Mouloudi