The opposition is threatening a new wave of protests in Lebanon, with the country still in political deadlock. Parliament has refused to accept the resignation of Prime Minister Omar Karami (which had been a key victory of the protests), and now Karami is accused of procrastinating on calling new elections, as pledged. (Lebanon Daily Star [2], April 6)
Meanwhile, the Syrian army's phased withdrawal from Lebanon is being portrayed as a victory for democracy—and maybe it is. But largely unreported is the ugly anti-Syrian backlash in Lebanon. Kudos to the Christian Science Monitor for an in-depth story on the plight of the estimated 1 million Syrian workers in Lebanon. In recent weeks, tens of thousands have fled back to Syria, facing violent attacks and harassment. Those who cannot afford to leave are in fear for their lives. (CSM [3], April 8)
See our last blog post [4] on the Lebanon crisis.
