Jewish past found in Libya

From the Lebanese Daily Star (and thank god for their new non-glitchy website):

TRIPOLI, Libya: What was once the most beautiful synagogue in Libya's capital city can now be entered only by sneaking through a hole smashed in a back wall, climbing over dusty trash and crossing a stairwell strewn with abandoned shoes to a space occupied by cooing pigeons.

The synagogue, Dar al-Bishi, was once the center of a prosperous Jewish community, one whose last remnants were expelled decades ago in the early days of Moammar Gadhafi's regime.

10 crazy-cool places that people no longer live in

I know this has nothing to do with technology, ebooks, iPads, surfing, the Middle East, or literary craft, but this is really cool:

Top 10 Abandoned Places

Ma'an also thinks Hezbollah is the story

I was reading an online article at my beloved Bethlehem-based news wire, the Ma'an news agency, an saw a headline that mimicked the New York Times . . . and also mimicked its error.

The title of the NYT piece: In Lebanon, New Cabinet Is Influenced by Hezbollah
The title of the Ma'an piece: Hezbollah dominates new Lebanon govt

The story of the Lebanese bypass in forming a government is not about Hezbollah. As a comment on the Ma'an article asks,

"why do you at ma'aan always parrot the western news.?? hizbullah are only the 3rd or 4th largest of about 13 parties in the bloc they are part of."

Another comment:

"This story is complete non sense. The biggest winner by far in the new cabinet is the Free Patriotic Movement with 10 cabinet posts - the FPM is an overwhelmingly Maronite Catholic party, with significant Greek Orthodox and Greek Catholic, and Armenian; The second biggest bloc in Cabinet is Progressive Socialist Party, sister party to British Labour Party, Australia Labor Party - Hizbullah has 2 Ministers (TWO out of 30)"

I still hold firm that the story here is Syria and its new-found desire for Lebanese stability. And just to see what's going on in Syria right now, here is good old #JoshuaLandis on the situation. Sound off in the comments if you disagree.

Update: I think the most interesting thing Dr. Landis says is that there seems to be model that either the military has to break loyalty or a foreign force has to come into play. So what's next?

Lebanon forms a government

Yes, after five months of waiting, Lebanon has finally formed a government. And according to the New York Times, the big story here is that Hezbollah is going to be a big part of it. But I don't see it that way. The bigger deal is why Lebanon has a government NOW.

The reason?

Because Syria is in chaos and the Assad government needs to focus everything it has inside Syria. Ever since Syrian refugees were overflowed into Lebanon to escape political violence last week, things have changed, and lining up some Lebanese thugs (politicians) to run the place seems more attractive than ever.

Funny how fast a government can be stitched together in Beirut when Syria is for it. Also funny: how much longer it takes when the West tries to do the very same thing.

Pic of the day from Egypt

Thank you As-Salibi (a staring character in Surfing the Middle East) for posting this on Facebook and sharing.