Suleiman made the remark while inspecting his troops deployed in south Lebanon.

Suleiman said that the army refrained from "resorting to the cannon during the recent incidents and this does not mean that the army was neutralized, but it aimed at averting more bloodshed and further cracks in national ranks."

"Experience proved that stability cannot be achieved without entente," he concluded

Yesterday at Beirut airport protesters from the Lebanese Association for the disabled, held banners that read: "If you don't agree don't come back".

22:00-Murr told the "Voice of Lebanon": let me assure the Lebanese people that the talks are moving in a positive direction and the committees, which are dealing with the election law and the government have reached an advanced stage in their discussions

21:00 second meeting of the Electoral law committee ended . A third meeting is expected to be held tonight

20:41 Franjieh: the least we expect is a long-term truce leave , the maximum expectation is of course an agreement on a solution to the Lebanese political crises

20:34 "OTV": the subject of weapons of the resistance postponed because the agenda of the dialogue till after the election of the president and the formation of a government of national unity

20:26 New TV : It is very unlikely there will be a dialogue session this evening

20:15 "Al-Manar": Ruling majority is trying to divide the electoral districts of Beirut to the advantage of Sunni MPs in the three constituencies

Caution : Hezbollah's Al Manar TV has been spreading rumors since the coup by Hezbollah was launched on May 5

20:10 "LBC": Qatar announced that it would give guarantees about the non-use of Hezbollah weapons in the Lebanese arena

20:00 Bush pledges from Cairo that Washington will support the Siniora government agaisnt "extremist elements" that are trying to undermine the Lebanese government

19:42 "NBN that:" Agreement been reached on the formula of a national unity government acceptable to the parties

NBN is owned by Speaker Nabih Berri

16:18 Al Jazeera: Majority and opposition agree to discuss the Qatari proposal regarding the weapons of Hezbollah.

15:05 MP Safadi: There are many problems but there seems to be a will to reach a solution. The general atmosphere seems to be positive, and hopefully we will leave Qatar on Monday.

14:11 A small Arab Committee was formed to continue consultations with the majority and the opposition, while the PM of Qatar discusses the representation inside the cabinet with the different parties.

13:39 Future News: The committee responsible for discussing the unity government and the electoral law consists of MP George Adwan and Ghatass Khoury from the majority and MP Ali Hasan Khalil and Gebran Basil from the opposition.

12:36 LBC: Heated discussions in the first dialogue session especially regarding the weapons of Hezbollah.

12:36 Qatar to give an Arab suggestion on the issue of Hezbollah's weapons.

12:20 First session of the dialogue in Doha ends, and an agreement to form committees that will discuss the cabinet and the electoral law.

11:04 First session of the national dialogue in Doha starting now.

10:42 Former President Amin Gemayel from Doha: We hope that we will be able to resolve all the issues, and that Lebanon's benefit is for legitimacy to take over. Resistance is for all the Lebanese and not for one party only.

10:40 Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa to Voice of Lebanon: We only had side talks until now, and the doors of the meeting room will not open until all sides have reached an agreement.

10:25 Mp Wael Abou Faour to Voice of Lebanon from Doha: The preliminary discussions were through side talks and the results are positive.

10:16 MP Samir Franjieh live on LBC:

09:46 Sources to NOW Lebanon said that that March 14 leaders met yesterday night in Doha, and agreed on the importance of implementing the Arab Initiative by electing the president before talking about anything else. They also refused to give the opposition the third in the cabinet, and insisted on discussing Hezbollah's weapons. All these decisions were delivered to the Qatari PM.

Friday May 16
22:00 one soldier from the Malaysian contingent of UNIFIL peacekeepers was killed and six others wounded in a car accident in Wadi el Hugair, south Lebanon

21:45 Emir Qatar Sheikh Hamad announced the adjournment of the meeting to half past ten ( Doha time ) tomorrow morning

21:36 Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa said during the opening of the dialogue: "it is our duty to stand by and assist Lebanon"

21:26 Emir of Qatar sits with the Lebanese leaders at the table of dialogue

21:24 A side meeting, lasting few minutes between General Aoun, Arab League chief Moussa and the Emir of Qatar

21:10 The Lebanese politicians and the Qatari Emir enter the hall to start first sessions of the dialogue talks

21:08pm Premier Fouad Siniora called off the scheduled talks with U.S. President George Bush in Egypt Sunday due to his involvement in the Doha dialogue talks.

21:05 "Al Jazeera TV": The Emir of Qatar will open the Lebanese national dialogue sessions in Doha

20:55 The private plane carrying Hariri and Siniora and the accompanying delegation arrives in Doha , Qatar

20:46 the plane carrying the Arab Ministerial delegation and some of the Lebanese leaderships arrives at Doha airport

20:33 The Lebanese delegation arrives in Doha, Qatar.

19:18 Saudi Arabia FM Saud Al-Faisal in a live press conference welcomed the efforts of the Arab Ministerial Committee, reaffirmed Saudi commitment to the Taif Accord and denounced the use of arms to attain political ends.

19:18 Saud Al-Faisal: We support the principles of the Lebanese constitutional and the Arab initiative, which calls for the election of the compromise candidate Army Commander General Michel Suleiman as president, the formation of a national-unity government, and the adoption of a new electoral law.

17:52 Flights transporting Lebanese leaders to Qatar take off

The immediate aim of the talks is pulling the country back from the brink of civil war, but the ultimate objective is to agree on ending the Lebanese political crises by electing a president of the republic, forming a government of national unity, a new electoral law to be applied in next year's parliamentary elections and the issue of the Hezbollah militia weapons following the uprising in Lebanon which was described as a Hezbollah coup in which the arms of the so called resistance were pointed at the Lebanese citizens resulting in the killing of 81 people and the wounding of over 200

The first session lasted for 90 minutes of tense talks

The Lebanese leaders are under heavy pressure to to agree on a solution to end the crises. They all saw the banners at the airport in Beirut , before they left to Qatar that read " If you don't agree , don't come back !"

Here are some pictures of the first session during Day number 1 talks

The hall where the Lebanese leaders met during the first day of the Qatari-mediated dialogue talks in Doha

A general view of the hall where the Lebanese leaders met during the first day of the Qatari-mediated dialogue talks in Doha

Amal delegation at the talks

MP Jumblatt and MP Aridi

MP Aoun delegation

PM Siniora and Qatar FM

A group of Lebanese leaders

Head of Hezbollah delegation MP Mohammad Raad

MP Saad Hariri and MP Michel Murr...hand in hand

"The two sides have agreed to that," he added following the first session of Arab-mediated talks by 14 leaders or representatives of the government and the Hezbollah-led opposition, backed by Syria and Iran.

Host Qatar offered to come up with a compromise after leaders of the March 14 parliamentary bloc insisted on listing Hezbollah's arms on the agenda of the dialogue, said the delegate, requesting anonymity.

After 65 people were killed in nearly a week of fighting, the two sides agreed on Thursday to a national dialogue aimed at breaking an impasse over electing a new president and forming a unity government.

The Qatari hosts will be working against the backdrop of two United Nations Security Council resolutions calling for the disarmament of all militias in Lebanon.

Hezbollah was the only group that did not have to hand over its guns to the government following the 1989 Saudi-brokered Taef agreement to end the 1975-1990 civil war, because it was fighting the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon.

However, Israel pulled its troops out of Lebanon in 2000.

Resolution 1559, adopted in 2004 called, among other things, for the "disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias."

Resolution 1701, which brought an end to the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, called for there to be "no weapons or authority in Lebanon other than that of the Lebanese state."

Despite disagreement over the arms question, the delegates did agree to form a committee of three members from each side to address the issue of a new electoral law for parliamentary polls due next year, the delegate said.

No time has been fixed for the next session, said a source in the Arab League, which is sponsoring the crisis talks, but bilateral meetings were expected to be held on the sidelines of the gathering.

In addition to the electoral law, the leaders are expected to discuss a proposed unity government.

Parliament has failed to convene to elect a successor, exacerbating a crisis that began in late 2006 when six pro-Syrian ministers quit the cabinet of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.

On June 10, it is due for the 20th time to meet to elect a president.

The talks officially started on Friday evening with a brief opening session chaired by Qatar's emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.

Mediation continued overnight with the emir shuttling between rival parties, according to the Lebanese pro-government newspaper An-Nahar.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is not attending, reportedly because of security concerns, and is represented by Hezbollah MP Mohammed Raad.

Also attending on behalf of the opposition are parliament speaker Nabih Berri and Christian leader Michel Aoun.

The dialogue is linked to a six-point plan agreed following Arab League mediation led by the Qatari premier.

Under the deal the rivals undertook "to shore up the authority of the Lebanese state throughout the country," to refrain from using weapons to further political aims and to remove militants from the streets.

After the fighting, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's government and the Hezbollah-led opposition agreed to a national dialogue aimed at electing a president and forming a unity government.

The first round of talks in Doha, which began at 11 am, ended 90 minutes later with the formation of a four-member committee to tackle the topics of the new government and the elections law.

No new date, however, has been set for the next session.

Earlier, sources with the ruling March 14 coalition said that all they expected from the Doha talks was a "long-term truce." Other sources, however, said March 14 leaders were tilted toward focusing on the issue of restoring confidence among the feuding camps.

But sources close to opposition leaders taking part in the Doha talks said dialogue was likely to end with the creation of a follow-up committee in the event that the warring sides failed to reach agreement on the formation of a new government and an electoral law.

In Doha on Friday, the feuding political leaders gathered in a luxury hotel for an opening session chaired by Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, who then adjourned the meeting until the first round of talks proper on Saturday at 0730 GMT (10:30 am).

As U.S. President George Bush visited neighboring Saudi Arabia, Washington expressed its support for the Doha talks and vowed not to interfere.

"We are pleased that there is now a process, that the fighting in the streets have stopped," a senior U.S. State Department official, who requested anonymity, told reporters.

"What we are doing is making it clear first of all that we do support this process because there are a lot of people who would like to say that we don't," he said. "We are in touch with Lebanese from across the political spectrum... to note that we are supporting this process, that we will be helpful but not interfering with this process."

In a brief address to the politicians, Qatar's emir stressed the need to preserve Lebanon's unity and said he hoped the rivals would reach an agreement.

The two sides in the simmering political conflict met after Siniora and parliament majority leader Saad Hariri flew into Qatar on a private plane.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, former President Amin Gemayel and Druze leader Walid Jumblatt of the ruling March 14 coalition arrived separately on a Qatari aircraft that also brought opposition member and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and his ally Free Patriotic Movement chief Gen. Michel Aoun.

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah did not travel to Qatar, apparently for security reasons, and was represented by Hezbollah MP Mohammed Raad instead.

"These are early days. It's just the first meeting," Geagea told reporters after the adjournment.

Aoun called for the formation of an interim government to lead the nation if the Doha talks failed to achieve a settlement.

The feuding politicians agreed on Thursday to launch a dialogue as part of a six-point plan, following Arab League mediation led by Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani.

Under the deal the rivals undertook "to shore up the authority of the Lebanese state throughout the country," to refrain from using weapons to further political aims and to remove militants from the streets.

It also urged them to refrain from using language that could incite violence.

Life began returning to normal in Beirut on Friday as the port, businesses and many schools reopened.

The daily An-Nahar called the deal "an achievement bordering on a miracle" while the pro-opposition Al-Akhbar said: "Those going to Doha today carry an immense patriotic duty in their hands."

A group of disabled people, some wounded in Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war, gathered on the Beirut airport road bearing signs for the departing political leaders: "If you don't agree, don't come back."

In the biggest challenge yet to Siniora, gunmen from the Syria- and Iran-backed opposition rose up against pro-government forces last week, taking over swathes of west Beirut in the worst sectarian violence since the civil war.

Hopes of a deal rose on Wednesday after the government cancelled measures against Hezbollah that had triggered the unrest.

It rescinded plans to probe a private Hezbollah telecommunications network and reassign the head of airport security over allegations he was close to the group, moves Nasrallah branded a declaration of war.

Parliament in Beirut is due to convene on June 10 for a 20th attempt to elect a president. Damascus protégé Emile Lahoud stepped down at the end of his term in November, exacerbating a crisis that began in late 2006 when six pro-Syrian ministers quit the cabinet.

Both sides agree on army chief Gen. Michel Suleiman as Lahoud's successor, but they remain at odds over the details of a proposed unity government and a new electoral law for parliamentary polls due next year

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Here are the pictures as the leaders arrived and headed to the meeting hall where the dialogue talks will take place .

The Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani opened the meeting by declaring support for Lebanon.

The Emir adjourned the meeting till 10:30 Saturday morning

22:00 one soldier from the Malaysian contingent of UNIFIL peacekeepers was killed and six others wounded in a car accident in Wadi el Hugair, south Lebanon

21:45 Emir Qatar Sheikh Hamad announced the adjournment of the meeting to half past ten ( Doha time ) tomorrow morning

21:36 Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa said during the opening of the dialogue: "it is our duty to stand by and assist Lebanon"

21:26 Emir of Qatar sits with the Lebanese leaders at the table of dialogue

21:24 A side meeting, lasting few minutes between General Aoun, Arab League chief Moussa and the Emir of Qatar

21:10 The Lebanese politicians and the Qatari Emir enter the hall to start first sessions of the dialogue talks

21:08pm Premier Fouad Siniora called off the scheduled talks with U.S. President George Bush in Egypt Sunday due to his involvement in the Doha dialogue talks.

21:05 "Al Jazeera TV": The Emir of Qatar will open the Lebanese national dialogue sessions in Doha

20:55 The private plane carrying Hariri and Siniora and the accompanying delegation arrives in Doha , Qatar

20:46 the plane carrying the Arab Ministerial delegation and some of the Lebanese leaderships arrives at Doha airport

20:33 The Lebanese delegation arrives in Doha, Qatar.

19:18 Saudi Arabia FM Saud Al-Faisal in a live press conference welcomed the efforts of the Arab Ministerial Committee, reaffirmed Saudi commitment to the Taif Accord and denounced the use of arms to attain political ends.

19:18 Saud Al-Faisal: We support the principles of the Lebanese constitutional and the Arab initiative, which calls for the election of the compromise candidate Army Commander General Michel Suleiman as president, the formation of a national-unity government, and the adoption of a new electoral law.

17:52 Flights transporting Lebanese leaders to Qatar take off

17:48 Samir Geagea from the airport : Hezbollah must lower their expectations, for the dialogue is not based on political balances - the main point is the relation of Hezbollah to the state.

17:47 Speaker Nabih Berri, arrived at the airport to board plane that is bound for Doha

17:40 FPM leader Michel Aoun called for the formation of an interim government to lead the nation if the Doha talks failed to achieve a settlement.

17:30 Boarding flights to Qatar: Fouad Siniora, Walid Jumblatt, Nabih Berri, Samir Geagea, Michel Aoun, Saad Hariri, Michel Murr, Amr Moussa, Akram Shohayeb, Ghassan Tueni, Ghazi Aridi, Wael Abou Faour, Elias Skaff, Fawzi Salloukh, Mohammed Raad

17:33 MP Walid Jumblatt boarded the plane. He will be accompanied by members of the Arab delegation

17:26 Ministers Hamadeh , Tohme , Safadi and Salloukh head to the plane which will take off at the sixth pm to Qatar

17:26 MP Tueni is preparing to board the plane leaving for Qatar

17:24 Geagea and MP Adwan boarding the plane to Qatar

17:24 Former president Amin Gemayel and MP Boutros Harb boarded the plane leaving for Qatar

17:23 MP Elias Skaff was boarding the plane to leaving for Doha

17:23 MP Michel Murr was boarding the plane to Qatar

17:22 Gen. Michel Aoun and members of the delegation accompanying him boarded the plane carrying the Lebanese delegation to Qatar

17:20 Hezbollah's Resistance Bloc headed by MP Mohammed Raad boarded the plane carrying the Lebanese delegation to Qatar
17:20 The Lebanese delegations headed for Qatar begin boarding at the Beirut International Airport.

17:15 MP Saad Hariri left the airport on board of his private jet with his accompanying delegation

16:10 Saad Hariri discusses current developments with the French Charge d'affaires Andre Baran

15:45 The American University of Beirut announced that classes will resume on Monday, March 19

15:40 Salim Aoun told Al-Manar: You can not talk now about optimism or pessimism will try every effort to reach a solution which has been the aim of the opposition all along . We hope the politicians will not take the dispute to their constituencies and spread more hate among the people. Lets hope we will reach an agreement and end the pain we have been through.

15:15 Egypt: Resolving the crisis in Lebanon should take into account the balance among all sects and political forces, while maintaining their respective interests in the Lebanese composition

15:01 National Agency: the Lebanese army returned to the future Movement the 2 centers that were placed in its custody in the city of Sidon

14:45 speaker Berri Contacts Shiite Sheikh Kabalan, and Shiite sheikh Fadlallah and former PMs Selim Al-Hoss , Omar Karami and Najib Miqati

14:35 Airport: the plane that will transport the Arab League ministerial delegation to Doha is on the runway of the airport awaiting the departure of the delegation to Qatar and there are conflicting reports about the timing of the take off to Doha

13:35 Voice of Lebanon: reported the following on the make up of some of the groups that will be heading to Doha for the dialogue talks

• Speaker Nabih Berri MP will be accompanied by MP Ali Hassan Khalil and MP Samir Azar
• Prime Minister Fouad Siniora will be accompanied by Ministers Tareq Mitri, Khaled Qabbani, Michel Faroun & Ahmed Fatfat
• MP Saad Hariri will be accompanied by the MP Bassem Sabaa and former MP Ghattas Khoury
• MP Walid Jumblatt will be accompanied by Minister Marwan Hamadeh
• Hezbollah will be represented by resigned minister Mohammad Fneish and MP Mohammad Raad

11:55 MP Walid Jumblatt touring the Chouf Mountains tells reporters: "Only dialogue will solve problems, not weapons"

11:38 Kataeb leader and former President Amin Gemayel tells LBC Television: "The key to any solution is understanding the principle of establishing the state. Only the state should have sovereignty and no other authority should have any sovereignty at the expense of the state . If we cannot reach an understanding of this relationship between the state and "Hezbollah" we will remain where we are today. During the dialogue talks this is what I will be concentrating on and in particular the subject of the Hezbollah weapon, which is the basis of the mistrust. Spoke with Dr. Geagea today and we are in agreement on many points and there are other contacts underway to develop the points that will be raised during the dialogue talks."

11:22 Moussa: "We don't want to interfere in the details of the establishment of the government, because this is the president's job through mandatory consultations with MPs. We are discussing a national-unity government and facilitating its establishment, the details of which should be agreed upon according to the constitutional framework."

11:21 Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa tells LBC Television: "Tonight, dialogue will start, and I expect serious work pushing the situation forward, because what has been achieved so far is not enough. There are commitments that have been respected, and we are making efforts over the implementation of the Arab initiative and the election of consensus candidate General Michel Suleiman as president."

11:02 Treasury Minister Jihad Azour: There is a need to return to government institutions.

10:23 The Voice of Lebanon radio station: People are gathered on the airport road for a peaceful demonstration and are hoisting banners addressed to Lebanese politicians participating in the dialogue in Qatar that read, "If you won't agree, don't return."

10:20 Mouallem: Syria has advised the Arab Ministerial Committee not to leave Lebanon until they reach an agreement.

10:18 MP Qabbani: The results of the meeting are inconclusive. But what is certain is that we are done with this violent and bloody phase. There has been an agreement to return to dialogue, which we consider a step forward.

10:17 MP Mohammed Qabbani to the Future News Channel: I hope that what happened, the violence and the bloodshed, are a lesson to those who have committed not to return to it. This bloody lesson has proven that force might not lead to its expected objectives.

09:27 Talal Arslan: I thank Walid Bek [Jumblatt] for the commissioning he gave me. I have removed the black ghost from the Mountain thanks to the wisdom of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and MP Walid Jumblatt.

09:26 MP Walid Jumblatt is currently meeting with former MP Talal Arslan at his house in Khaldeh.

09:25 Treasury Minister Jihad Azour interviewed by the Voice of Lebanon radio station:

09:16 MP Anwar Khalil interviewed by the Voice of Lebanon radio station:

07:57 Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Abdul Aziz Khoja to the Voice of Lebanon radio station: The Arab Ministerial Committee was successful, and we hope that a president is elected, a government established and a new electoral law adopted. I think this will be final and complete.

07:54 Phalange party (Kataeb) Vice President Salim Sayegh: The paper presented by the Arab Ministerial Committee is a beginning to rebuilding the state. We will focus on rebuilding trust between the Lebanese. The capital has been occupied, and we are focusing our efforts on guarantees that [the opposition] will never again turn its weapons inward.

07:52 Education Minister Khalid Qabbani to the Voice of Lebanon radio station: It is normal that schools and universities are reopening today. We will thoroughly go over the postponement of the official exams and make a decision in this regard soon. I hope that school and university directors will take the necessary measures to contain what has happened.

00:10 Al Mustaqbal News: A man from the Shaaban family was beaten and hit at his head by gunmen when he tried to inspect his house for damage, following the opening of the road that was closed by Hezbollah.

00:07 Al Mustaqbal News: Syrian intelligence arrested Mohammed Abdul Razak and Emad Abdallah in the area between Lebanon and Syria . Both are residents of Majdal Anjar

00:00 French FM Bernard Kouchner: France calls on all parties to exert all efforts necessary during the dialogue discussions that will start in Doha on Friday to reach an agreement quickly on the presidential elections , forming a national unity government and agreeing on a new electoral law

Thursday Evening May 15, 2008

23:48 Kanaan: There are many issues that still need to be ironed out and the Free Patriotic Movement will participate in the Doha negotiations

23:30 Aboul Gheit: It is encouraging and positive that the Lebanese agreed to restore things to what it was before the fifth of May and end armed manifestations in all its forms

23:15 Christian Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir discussed the current situation in Lebanon with UN chief Ban Ki-Moon at the UN headquarters in New York city

23:53 OTV: immediately after the announcement of the agreement by the Arab league delegation at the Phoenicia Hotel, Army chief Gen. Michel Suleiman contacted General Michel Aoun, thanking him for his efforts in resolving the crisis and for agreeing to the text of the agreement.

According to inside sources, Aoun's disagreement on the final text of the agreement delayed the announcement for more than 1 hour. Aoun disapproved of mentioning Michel Suleiman as the only presidential candidate and wanted this issue to remain open hoping that he could be the one agree on in Doha.

22:36 Geagea today discussed the Lebanese developments with the American ambassador Michelle Sison

22:24 Moussa tells Al Jazeera: progress in the Lebanese political crises will alleviate tension in the Arab arena, specially between Saudi Arabia and Syria both of which support the deal that was reached today

22:13 The port of Beirut will resume its normal operations Friday

What Gibran did not realize is that his analysis of over three quarters of a century ago is still as relevant, even more so, than anything being written today. Sadly the maladies that he wrote about seventy years ago are still with us today. It is as if we have become a petrified social structure.

Gibran was a man of hope and optimism. I am sure that he would be very much saddened to learn that his beloved Lebanon is still stuck in a world of ignorance, incompetence and hypocrisy. Make no mistake about it, Gibran would not be proud to learn that we have refused to develop, improve and better ourselves. He never meant for his critical description of us to remain true for all time.

I know of no better way to honor Gibran than to be reminded of these excerpts from two of his works that prove his prescience and his extraordinary ability to be just as relevant today as he was seventy five years ago.

No one can disagree with the fact that all Lebanese, not only the political class stands to learn from the above immortal words of the author of The Prophet. Gibran's disappointment and resentment of what we were and what we still are takes it's most critical shape in the following direct address to us:

I feel certain that Gibran despises us for our inability to grow, to mature and to take advantage of the opportunities that have been offered to us. If Lebanon is to exist, to survive and to prosper then we have to show that we are worthy. If we fail, and so far we have only failed, then the answer to the question of who lost Lebanon is very clear.

We have failed to become Lebanese; we have failed to establish a state and insisted instead to create a divided "pretend" nation. We have caused the death of Lebanon through our disloyalty, irresponsibility and selfishness.

Former president Amin Gemayel, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, Progressive Socialist Party Leader Walid Jumblatt and MP Ghassan Tueni boarded the plane along with opposition member and parliament speaker Nabih Berri and his ally Free Patriotic Movement leader General Michel Aoun.

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa also left for Doha along with the Lebanese leaders.

Geagea, talking to reporters prior to boarding the plane, said Hezbollah should "lower the level of its expectations because the results of the battles would not be reflected on the dialogue."

Aoun proposed the formation of an interim national unity cabinet to lead the nation of the Doha talks failed in reaching a settlement.

Hezbollah was represented by head of its parliamentary bloc MP Mohammed Raad.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani was due to open the talks in a Doha hotel at 9:00 pm (1800 GMT).

The feuding Lebanese politicians agreed on Thursday to launch a dialogue as part of a six-point plan, following Arab League mediation led by Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani.

Under the deal the rivals undertook "to shore up the authority of the Lebanese state throughout the country," to refrain from using weapons to further political aims and to remove militants from the streets.

It also called for the removal of roadblocks that paralyzed air traffic and closed major highways, and for the rivals to refrain from using language that could incite violence.

Life began returning to normal in Beirut on Friday as the port, businesses and many schools reopened.
The Lebanese stock market was upbeat about the possibility of a breakthrough and Soldire Shares surged to a record level, after rising over 12 % today

A group of disabled people, some bearing injuries from Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war, gathered on the Beirut airport road bearing signs for the leaders: "If you don't agree, don't come back."

He sat idle on a street corner of a neighborhood once controlled by Sunni groups. A picture of prominent Sunni chieftain from the time of Lebanon's civil war, Ibrahim Koleilat, has faded on a wall nearby.

Zaghloul's question is key for Lebanon's future and could have implications for the entire Middle East.

Until recently, Lebanon's ongoing political crisis has been largely only political — all sides worked hard to keep the ever-present sectarian issues from surfacing.

But last week's fighting roiled up some of those issues and their long-term impact remains unclear. Unchecked, sectarian tensions could stoke a full-fledged civil war, such as the 15-year conflict between Christians and Muslims that ended in 1990. A new conflict would send tremors across the region.

For now, Hezbollah's dominance is still evident on the streets, even though its fighters have pulled back and both sides agreed to talk to try to resolve an 18-month political stalemate.

Flags of Hezbollah and Amal flutter on the streets in predominantly Sunni areas of Beirut seized by the two Shiite groups in recent fighting. Some pictures of the late prime minister Rafik Hariri, the Sunnis' icon, have been spray-painted over.

"It is strife already," said top Sunni leader Saad Hariri ( pictured) , whose Muslim West Beirut residence is guarded by the army. The parliamentary majority leader said the latest fighting violated the dignity of his Sunni community. "How are we going to heal the wounds?"

At least 65 people were killed in the clashes that saw Hezbollah and Amal fighters overrun positions of the Sunni Future group, and seize large swaths of Sunni areas of Beirut.

In other Sunni-dominated regions, in the central part of the eastern Bekaa Valley, the northern port city of Tripoli and the adjacent Akkar and Dinniyeh regions, where fundamentalists operate, Sunnis revolted and seized territory, attacking fellow Sunnis allied to the Hezbollah-led opposition and fighting the Alawite community, an offshoot Shiite sect, in a Tripoli neighborhood.

The former Sunni stronghold of Tarik Jadideh in Beirut, still guarded by the Lebanese army from a Shiite onslaught, is a stark reflection of Sunni passions.

A graffiti of "Oh Omar and Abu Bakr" — names of first Muslim caliphs important to Sunnism — is spray-painted on a wall, while pictures of the late Hariri and his son, Saad, adorn facades and blue ribbons of Hariri's Future movement decorate the streets.

Mohammed Kamel, a man in his 50s who runs a tiny store for used books, said the Sunnis were no match for the armed Shiites during the fighting. "The weapons they had were much stronger. They had rockets. A Kalashnikov cannot face the big guns."

The fear is so strong that many refused to talk to a reporter or be named.

On Monday, one resident said Shiites on about a dozen scooters entered the area from a nearby Shiite neighborhood. A fistfight ensued, and two motorcycles were set ablaze. Another recounted how he was picked up in Noueiri, a Shiite district across from an army checkpoint, and beaten up simply because he was from Tarik Jadideh.

In the 1975-90 civil war, Christians first fought Palestinian guerrillas and Muslims. Then, Christians fought Christians and Muslims fought Muslims. After the conflict, most militias voluntarily disarmed as part of a power-sharing political settlement. Hezbollah was allowed to keep its weapons by the government and Syria, which controlled Lebanon until 2005.

Sunnis are Lebanon's second-largest sect, numbering slightly less than the 1.2 million Shiites. Largely city dwellers, they are an educated and merchant class that has long been seen as the political power here, along with the Christians.

After Syria's 2005 withdrawal following Rafik Hariri's assassination, Sunnis backed by Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia dominated the country's politics, while Christian numbers dwindled and Shiite influence waned.

In November 2006, five Shiite ministers bolted out of the government, claiming it was marginalizing them. The Sunni-led majority in turn accused the Shiite groups Hezbollah and Amal of towing the line of their allies, Syria and the overwhelmingly Shiite Iran.

Tensions soon flared, prompting the spiritual leader of Lebanon's Sunnis to denounce Hezbollah and appeal to the Islamic world to intervene. Grand Mufti Mohammed Rashid Kabbani said the "Sunni Muslims in Lebanon have had enough" — a statement that fanned concern the Sunni community would put up a fight.

Paul Salem, director of the Middle East Center of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace based in Beirut, said a radicalization of the Sunnis could invite al-Qaida and similar brands of extremists.

For now, Sunni disenchantment could go either way.

At a funeral last week of a Sunni lawyer slain with his mother in a rocket attack, a colleague of the deceased was all anti-Hezbollah anger. "Those who stormed the area are aggressors," said Omar Tarabey.

But nearby, sitting outside their clothing shore playing backgammon, Mohammed Jawhari, a Sunni, and Ali Sabra, a Shiite, say they get along just fine by staying away from heated political topics.

The latest turmoil in Lebanon was a "pity," Jawhari said.

"I hope things will be over quickly," said Sabra, his business partner.

Democratic Gathering leader MP Walid Jumblatt, who was under siege at his home in Beirut finally was able to break the siege and visit the Druze stronghold in Mt Lebanon

His first stop was a visit to former MP and Minister Talal Arslan head of the Lebanese Democratic Party , at his mansion in Khaldeh, a suburb south of the capital Beirut , to thank him for his stand during the war on the Druze community

Jumblatt then traveled to Shouifat and Beysour where heavy clashes took place last week between the Druze community and Hezbollah.

Jumblatt , who was driving his own car was accompanied by the Druze Spiritual leader , Sheikh el Akl Naim Hassan

They were both welcomed by Jumblatt's supporters during their various stops in Mt Lebanon

Here are some pictures of this historic day for the Druze community

Jumblatt ( L) visited Arslan at his mansion in Khaldeh tothank him for his stand during the war

Jumblatt during his stop in the town of Shouifat which witnessed heavy clashes last weekend. He was welcomed with flowers and rice

Jumblatt in Beysour

Jumblatt ( R) driving his car and accpmpanied by Druze spiritual leader Sheikh el Akl Naim Hassan

Replace in the above the Climate Change with the Lebanese problematic, the suggested remedy of changing incandescent light bulbs with "No winners, no losers" and you get a clear picture of why history keeps repeating itself , at least in Lebanon.

The major structural flaw in the current Lebanese architecture, besides its failure to grow citizens is the tendency to settle for band aids when the wound is deep and is badly in need of a major surgical cleansing procedure. The band aid will slow or even stop the hemorrhage for a while but only at the risk of spreading the disease throughout the system. Then it will be too late to save the patient.

Lebanon is that patient who desperately needs a major Emergency Room care but the attending physicians only prescribe sedatives. The first step that needs to be recognized is the incongruity of the "modern" Lebanese project with the aims of Hezbollah. Many people recognized this clear incongruity at least from as far back as 2005, the year during which Hezbollah decided to play a major political role. A party that was created by the Iranian Mullahs for the sole purpose of establishing on the ground the conditions that will favour the return of the lost Imam and that is to be guided by the teachings of the Faqih was going to be at odds with the concepts of state sovereignty, personal freedom and democratic values that promote equal protection and diversity in all its forms. We cannot realistically expect Hezbollah not to be true to its ideals and therefore it was our mistake to seek their partnership. Expecting Hezbollah to be a productive partner in building a modern democratic state is akin to expecting a sworn pacifist to lead an army in an ongoing war to victory.

So true to form Hezbollah has spent the last three years obstructing the efforts of the government to govern at every level. Their latest outburst was the military take over of west Beirut, an attack on the Chouf, Blocking access to the only International airport and making the Beirut harbor inaccessible. The excuse this time around was their disagreement with the cabinet orders to remove the person in charge of airport security and to dismantle the illegal and unauthorized telecommunication network erected buy Hezbollah. In a democracy and in a civil society such disagreements are common. What is uncommon is the method used by the Lebanese opposition to express their disapproval. Instead of campaigning to win a majority in the Chamber of deputies so that they can rescind these two laws they decided to resort to violence by shooting, burning, intimidating and killing. They took us back to the center of the Hobbsian jungle where only hoodlums rule because they have more guns. To add to the above, Mr. Berri, one of their staunchest allies and a co conspirator had the temerity to call these barbaric acts of terrorism civil disobedience. Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr must be turning in their graves.

So how do we temporarily get out of this crisis? Give the unlawful perpetrators all what they have asked for; renew the partnership to build a state with those whose aim is its destruction. The current political leadership of March 14 has, at best bought time but make no mistake about it, we have failed for the umpteenth time to deal with the root cause of what ails us.

This so called settlement will come back to haunt us unless:

1. We can show the courage to keep Hezbollah out of the cabinet until they can win a majority in the Chamber of deputies;


2. Enforce UNSC 1559 if for no other reason but the fact that a viable democratic state cannot exist without exercising a monopoly over violence;


3. Restoration of all state institutions and reforming the laws that govern them to make sure that no one person is ever again to be allowed to take a nation hostage by shutting the doors of its Chamber of Deputies;


4. Elect and not nominate a president without having to resort to unconstitutional means, i.e. Rescind the nomination of General Suleiman on the grounds that it is unconstitutional. One should not be expected to uphold the law by breaking it;


5. The constitutional law and tradition of having the president hold consultations before he asks one person to form a cabinet is sacred and must be preserved;


6. The clause in the Taif agreement dealing with the elimination of sectarianism must be implemented immediately;


7. Every person who has taken part in the illegal activities as of May 8 2008 must be apprehended and tried in a court of law; and


8. A new electoral system that will decrease the power of the traditional "zoamah" must be implemented.

A new Lebanon will ultimately emerge. Neither the shameful opposition nor the bumbling performance of the majority can keep that from happening. The events of the past week have been momentous but the proposed formula looks like another band aid that will fail to stem the bleeding. Those who insist on neglecting the obvious solution do so at their peril.

He also denied having been informed by the Higher Islamic Shia Council's administrative committee of his replacement by Sheikh Hassan Abdullah, as some media outlets have claimed.

"Such a decision has no legal value, because the religious institution suggests names, and the state makes the official appointment," Amin said, adding that he is not holding on to his post and will not sacrifice his convictions and freedom to preserve it.

"I don't accept for the South to remain a battlefield, and I also don't accept for the Shia sect, including its religious institutions, to seek disagreements with other sects in this country and the Arab world," Amin said.

He added that the Higher Islamic Shia Council and its deputy president, Sheikh Abdul Amir Qabalan, are illegitimate, as their term ended years ago and because the council's elections were obstructed.

Amin said it is very strange that an illegitimate religious institution can accuse the government of being illegitimate.

He also expressed hope over the Arab initiative and called for solidarity and cooperation to make it successful.

The pro-opposition newspaper Ad Diyar reported on Friday that Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah would not go to Doha ( Al Dawhat) for security considerations.

It said Hezbollah MPs Mohammed Raad, Mohammed Fneish and Hussein Hajj Hassan would represent him at the talks.

Meanwhile, the daily As Safir said Druze leader Walid Jumblat telephoned late Thursday Hajj Wafiq Safa, Hezbollah 's security coordinator, in the first such contact between the two sides in a long time.

Citing Jumblatt circles, As Safir said the Druze leader told Safa that "throughout my life I used to fight with honor and make peace with honor."

Jumblatt also stressed the need to maintain contacts and open channels for dialogue.

Jumblatt toured the mountains to express condolences to the families of victims in the latest round of violence which erupted May 7.

Arab mediators succeeded Thursday in containing Lebanon's cycle of violence that drove the nation to the edge of sectarian war.

The deal was announced by Qatari Prime Minister-Foreign Minister Sheik Hamad Bin Jassem al-Thani at a packed news conference in the plush Phoenicia Hotel.

The six-point plan said leaders of the rival factions agreed to join dialogue in Doha as of Friday, to elect Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman President and to form a national unity government.

The feuding factions agreed on spreading state authority throughout Lebanon, on refraining from using weapons for political aims, withdrawing gunmen from the streets and halting propaganda campaigns that agitate hatred.

In a space of hours, he appears to have done what neither Moussa nor French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner (who also spent many fruitless weeks trying to solve the Lebanese mess) have been able to do: get these guys locked in a room together to hammer out some kind of agreement.

During the news conference announcing a new deal between fighting Lebanese factions, Sheik Hamad spoke gently but firmly to the whole country, as if they were adults who must take charge of their own country:

"The Lebanese people will have to help us. As Lebanese, you have to accept that this is your wound. You will have to heal it. ... All the Arabs are with you, but you have to exert your own efforts. You as Lebanese have to decide to end this crisis."

Sheik Hamad also said: "Everyone knows that there is no winner in this."

Except for maybe the sheik himself, who emerged as a diplomatic rock star.

He put on a heck of a performance.

During the news conference, he delicately called a Lebanese government's now-rescinded decision to target Hezbollah's intelligence and telecommunications networks a "misunderstanding."

He resisted attempts to lure him into bashing Saudi Arabia, the longtime Qatari rival that sat out this diplomatic effort because of perceptions it was biased in favor of Lebanon's Sunni community.

He gently chided reporters for bombarding him with pointed questions pleading with them to give the visiting Arab diplomats "a chance to sleep."

And he did it all with a toothy smile that wowed the Lebanese used to a week of grim-faced pols getting on the television and direly predicting the end of days if their demands were not met.

"It's a real breakthrough," Sami Nader, a professor of political science at St. Joseph University in Beirut. "It's a small victory for Arab diplomacy, Qatar in particular. Qatar was at an equal distance from all the powers. It has close ties with Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia."

Sheik Hamad's tiny Persian Gulf peninsula-state has friendly ties to both Iran and the United States, Hezbollah and Israel, giving him credibility with all sides. After the summer 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, Qatar stepped up with millions in reconstruction aid, a move that endeared the oil-rich country to many Lebanese.

Still, some say Sheik Hamed was more lucky than good, arriving in Lebanon just as the country's factions had stared into the abyss of another civil war and appeared ready to step back.

"The lesson to be drawn is that the notion of an international community wheeling and dealing and imposing itself cannot work unless the real situation on the ground allows it," said Karim Makdissi, a political science professor at the American University of Beirut.