Tuesday, November 21, 2006

More Middle East Turmoil

Pierre Gemayel, "an anti-Syrian politician and scion of Lebanon's most prominent Christian family, was gunned down Tuesday in a carefully orchestrated assassination that heightened tensions between the U.S.-backed government and the militant Hezbollah."

Gemayel has been outspoken against terrorists Hezbollah and other pro-Syrian groups. Hezbollah was planning street protests until the Lebanese government gave them more power. But it doesn't sound like the Lebanese Prime Minister plans to back down:

(Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad) Saniora went on national television to call for unity and warned that "sedition" was being planned against Lebanon. He linked the slaying to the issue that sparked the crisis with Hezbollah: plans to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri before an international court.

"I pledge to you that your blood will not go in vain," Saniora said, eulogizing Gemayel. "We will not let the murderers control the fate of Lebanon and the future of its children."


After Hariri's death, there was a wave of anti-Syrian, pro-democracy feeling in the country. Let's hope Gemayel's death will help to galvanize the Lebanese people.