LEBANON: Arab media slam Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over visit

As Lebanon braced for the visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Beirut on Wednesday, the Arab media outside the country was able to say explicitly what the Lebanese media on both sides of the political divide could not.

Israel's warning that the Iranian leader's trip to southern Lebanon was a "provocation" put Arab commentators on the defensive, citing Lebanon's right as a sovereign nation to host an official visit from the head of a neighboring state.

But many Arabs accuse Iran of undermining Lebanese stability and stoking sectarian tensions by arming the militant Shiite group Hezbollah. Arabian Peninsula countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, in particular, have voiced concerns that Iran's nascent nuclear program could tip the regional balance of power.

The local media, bound by internal diplomatic considerations, tended to be more tempered in their approach, while the mostly Saudi-funded pan-Arab outlets largely went straight for the jugular.

"The best description of the meeting between [Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan] Nasrallah and Ahmadinejad I heard from a Lebanese figure who hinted to me that it would be 'a meeting between two wanted criminals,'" wrote Tariq al Hamid, writing in the Saudi-funded pan-Arab paper Al Sharq al Awsat.

The Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar, considered close to Hezbollah's rivals in the U.S. and the Saudi-backed March 14 movement, softly alluded to "division over the results" of Ahmadinejad's visit, noting that the Iranian president would not meet with anti-Hezbollah Christian politicians Amin Gemayel and Samir Geagea. The paper also ran Geagea's comment that Hezbollah's weapons "are the greatest cause of strife" in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese newspaper As-Safir, considered close to Hezbollah, played up regional support for the visit, leading with news that Ahmadinejad called Saudi King Abdullah before the trip. The paper called Ahmadinejad an "exceptional guest" at an "exceptional moment."

The Saudi-funded pan-Arab daily Al Hayat, on the other hand, ran no less than three very negative articles on Wednesday, accusing Iran of stoking Sunni-Shiite tensions throughout the region by supporting Hezbollah. 

In one article titled "Current scenarios of a coup in Lebanon and the factors hindering it," the paper echoed claims by some elements in Lebanon that Hezbollah is plotting a coup to overthrow the Lebanese government with Iran's backing.

But a commenter in Al Quds al Arabi, an prominent Arabic newspaper based in London, not only defended Ahmadinejad's right to visit Lebanon and even the Israeli border but attacked Arab regimes for their stance against Iran, saying more Arab leaders should follow the example of the Iranian president.

"In the past, hostility toward Israel was a passport into the hearts of the Arab people and their governments, regardless of ideological or sectarian considerations," he wrote. "Now it is the exact opposite, which explains the increase in hostility of Arab governments toward the 'Sunni' Hamas movement and the 'Shiite' Hezbollah, and the continuation of the siege strangling the Gaza Strip."

Iranian media, meanwhile, concentrated on the "historic" nature of Ahmadinejad's visit and the Lebanese eagerness to host him.

"Ahmadinejad's visit will create a situation which will be favorable to the resistance and will pave way for strengthening peace and stability in this country and the region also," read an editorial in the hard-line newspaper Al Qods. "This visit will once again prove that Tehran holds an influential and exemplary power in global developments and regional relations."

-- Meris Lutz in Beirut

Photo: Thousands of Lebanese turned out to welcome Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as he arrived in Beirut on Wednesday morning. Credit: Salah Malkawi / Getty Images

Comments

[geo88a]

@sam
Are you sure, about that? In the Middle East, Asia, there are over 40 countries,
that just plain hate Israel. Look, the U.S is even fighting Al-Queda, and a host of other terrorists groups on Israel's behalf. But, if you don't wanna admit is ok.
Israel is breaking international law by seizing the Palestinian's land. And for not wanting to negotiate peace in good faith. And for ethnically cleansing of the indigenous Palestinian peoples. I am an American, it makes me plain sick to my stomach, because I really used to love Israel and its people.

[sam]

@geo88a
you say not respected especially
with respect to the usa,and not throwing stones, people may not like the usa/israel.being friend this is some-thing that many,and all radicals hate the usa would have no buffer against the people wishing to cut the usa off and out,
but israel is not the reason for the hate a lot of the world has towards the usa,
look back . look now. thank you.

[geo88a]

@deanblake
If I remember correctly, the Bavarian forces finally succeeded. And Rome fell!
Israel can't go on stealing Palestinians' land forever. It's just a matter of time, that decent people, all over the world, catch up to the Zionist bag of tricks. And deal with it.................

[Dean Blake]

@ geo88a - Cicero, when commenting on the Germans camped outside the gates of Rome, commented that it is a choice between being loved or feared, and for his part he would rather be feared by his enemies than loved. I think his comment responds well to your your remark.
I have no concern that America is not 'loved' or respected by Kings, dictators, presdients-for-life, tyrants, warring generals, sheiks, Grand Iatolas and others who hold power and sway by sacrificing the blood of their own innocents and helpless internal minorities.
I prefer that tyrants fear America, fear it enough to back off and crawl down the 'spider hole' from which they emerged.

[geo88a]

@joe

I hate to tell you this, but America is not well respected outside our borders.
Especially, since we help finance Israel. But, your observation is very keen.

[sam]

REPLY lipservice90.
of course people will turn out to see a freak show,but dont think that all are happy about his trouble makeing visit,they are not, well the morons are,but the world is full of sheep isn't it.
so dont read to much into his so called reception,its not all it seems,remove fear and threats from the radicals and the fear of violence if your not seen on the streets by the right people,and the place would be half empty well the brain washed and the sheep would still be there,but of course their type of islam does not give its followers any choice does it well it does, DO OR DIE
or be picked up beaten and tortured and thats just the women and children,all over the world people join marches and such like just to say they were there,most of the time they have not got a clue whats going on,but they were there,i would imagine that a lot of people who turned out to see this murdering coward will feel sorry they did later,a little bit like finding that you have just steped in some-thing with a nasty stink. thank you.

[lipservice90]

CAN OBAMA DRAW A LARGE CROWDS IN LEBANON LIKE AHMADINEJAD ?

[lipservice90]

Lebanon's government, which includes Hezbollah ministers, is deeply split over an international investigation steered by US into the killing of al-Hariri which is expected to indict Hezbollah members.

[lipservice90]

This paper is lying about Arab media slam Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over visit as Mr. Ahmadinejad was raptuorusly welcome in Lebanon,

[MissMarple]

Perhaps an American delegation will meet with an Iranian delegation when Amadinajad stops jailing and torturing peaceful demonstrators, and releases the last two hikers who were kidnapped from Iraq.

[Yahya]

Some of the Saudi sponsored "Media" you have quoted here are nothing but arms of anti-Shia, pure wahabi/salafi, segment of the Saudi Arabian government who in their hearts and mind are supportive of Al-Qaeda, such as Asharq-al Awsat. No one in the middle east takes these gang seriously.

[Sensi]

Thus most of the "Arab media" so-called "journalists" and newspapers you mention in your -appallingly misleading- headline are gov-funded propagandist outlets? How many of them are moreover on the CIA payroll? Congrats for bringing back dignity and integrity to the western "free" press (sic).

The US being those who supplied both the weapons and jet fuel to enable Israel's devastation of Lebanon in 2006, we do appreciate their factual higher moral ground and genuine concerns when they claim to have Lebanon's interests at heart (sic)...

[Joe]

What this world is coming to! Western democratic leaders have to sneak in to majority of world nations for a visit with cordoned off routes and yet their perceived boogymen are greeted by masses on a red carpet, something wrong here!

[Jim]

Its Very simple math: Sea blockade will be removed, Iraninan base will be buit in Gaza, Armed with new arsenal and 'peace terrorists' from Iran, Hamas will start new Jihad, Since its Hamas, they will put their children in front, Israel will have to react, in order to protect its citizen from terror Children will be hit World will be shocked from Israel alleged violance. Next they will turn to Europe

[Winston]

They should keep Ahmadinejad there. They can have him.... Slamming him ain't enough. Just slap him left and right please

[Paul]

When will Obama meet with Ahmadinejad. It's time