LEBANON: Decorated Christmas trees have spread all over the protest location in Beirut over political crisis; U.S. Senator John Kerry meets with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Sinior

The Hezbollah-led opposition to topple the U.S.-backed government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, has entered its eighteenth day with no sign of a genuine solution to the deepening divisions between the government and Hezbollah and its allies. As Christmas approaches, the holiday spirit reigned on the ongoing sit-in, where scores of decorated Christmas trees have spread all over the protest location. But the increasing tension threatening the country's security and stability, which is feared to turn into street violence, does not promise a good and joyful holiday season. "I think they (government) don't think about us, they just think about their chairs (their positions), they just think about how to stay on those chairs and how to talk with their people and tell them that we are the monsters here, (they say) we are the guide for you and you don't have to think. We are the thinkers and we give you ideas and you have to implement them," said Fouad al-Sayyed, one of the protesters at Martyrs Square. The Hezbollah-led opposition has threatened to escalate a campaign of street protests to demand the anti-Syrian majority coalition give it a decisive say in government. It has already brought hundreds of thousands of protesters to the streets of Beirut twice in the past two weeks. Thousands have been staging a round-the-clock protest in central Beirut since December 1 after the opposition declared Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's cabinet illegitimate. The anti-Syrian leaders who control the cabinet have refused to yield. They say giving in would allow more Syrian and Iranian influence. The Arab League secretary-general, Amr Moussa, who shuttled between leaders last week , said the league's initiative would continue. Moussa is expected to return to Beirut on Tuesday (December 19) to resume a second round of meetings between Lebanese leaders seeking to put an end to the political crisis. Moussa will then head from Beirut to Damascus for more consultations and meetings over Lebanon's predicament. U.S. Senator John Kerry arrived in Beirut on Monday (December 18) where he met with Siniora for talks over Lebanon's crisis. There are fears the worsening stand-off could degenerate into sectarian violence in a country still trying to recover from a 1975-90 civil war. Hezbollah accuses Siniora and some allies of trying to weaken the group during a war with Israel in July and August. Siniora has accused Hezbollah of trying to derail a planned tribunal to try suspected killers of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, and to stage a coup after the war. Six opposition ministers resigned from government last month after talks on a unity government collapsed.

ITN Source | December 18, 2006

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