This Weekend on EA (19/20 December)

Iran: Sunday's news has been dominated by the sudden death of 87 year-old Grand Ayatollah Montazeri and how the Regime is trying to deal with the challenges posed by his death, first by belittling his memory;  then by criticising the cleric. All the latest news is, as always, in our live weblog.  Demonstrations have been taking place honouring Montazeri's memory --- we've posted video from Tehran and Najafabad. We also flashback with a video to Montazeri's denunciation of the Supreme Leader in a speech in October.

Mehdi Karoubi has  responded in an open letter to the threat of arrest made by the head of Iran's judiciary, Sadegh Larijani .

Austin Heap, one of the most respected and prominent activists on the Internet and Iran, has written for EA explaining the attack on Twitter by the Iranian Cyber Army.

We analyse the Regime's attempts to amass thousands of their own supporters to in Friday's rally in Tehran, and we have video of nightime rooftop protests in Tehran.

Palestine: Following the dramatic article in Thursday's Guardian newspaper, EA analyses the story behind CIA support of Palestinian "torture".

Lebanon: Is Lebanese PM Hariri seeking to improve Lebanese-Syrian relations to better defend Lebanon against Israel?

Israel & Turkey: Can Israel and Turkey repair relations and leave behind the Gaza War behind? EA's Ali Yenidunya analyses.

Middle East: on Friday both the EU and the UN both criticised Israel over its settlement policy.

USA: One year into the Obama Presidency, EA's John Matlin writes in defence of the President.

Syria-Lebanon: What is Prime Minister Hariri Seeking?

According to the Syrian news agency Champress, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri told Syrian President Bashar Assad on Saturday that he wishes to improve Lebanese-Syrian relations to better defend Lebanon against Israel, which continues to violate Arab rights. Assad's adviser Buthaina Shaaban said that the talks were "frank" and "succeeded in overcoming difficulties that marred relations in the past five years."

Hariri loyalist and former lawmaker Mustafa Alloush was more cautious: he said that the visit was "very difficult on the personal level" and involves "great sacrifice" and did not mean Lebanon had dropped its belief that Syria was responsible for the killing of Hariri's father Rafik, the former Lebanese Prime Minister assassinated in 2005. However, Alloush added, "As prime minister of Lebanon, it is quite normal to have such a visit....It is necessary and there is a need to settle all aspects of the relationship."

"At the end of the day, Syria is the nearest country to us. God willing this visit will bring stability and security to Lebanon," Bahia al-Hariri, a member of the Lebanese parliament and the premier's aunt, said in Lebanon.

So, what is the outcome of this visit by Hariri? Is it a natural consequence of Hezbollah's weight in the cabinet or just a part of the coalition deal? Or is this an initiative by Hariri to decrease the tension inside Lebanon through an opening to Damascus, offering a diplomatic victory to Syria after five years of tension?

Israel: Growing Concern over Lebanese-American Arms Deal

Israeli officials worry that the arms sale agreement between Lebanon and the United States, made during Lebanese President Michel Suleiman's visit to Washington this week, might strengthen Hezbollah. Under the bargain, the US will provide the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) with 12 Raven unmanned reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft in the coming months.

Israel is concerned that the Lebanese national unity government has allowed Hezbollah to keep its weapons. Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Hizbullah was becoming the "real Lebanese army" as the dominant force in Lebanon. This should be aligned with Netanyahu's past warnings that the Lebanese government is responsible for any rocket attack directed against Israel from Lebanon.

After the Minaret Ban: $50 Billion to Leave Swiss Banks?

Following Switzerland's ban on the construction of minarets, speculation has arisen over the future of money kept wealthy Muslims in Swiss banks. Turkey's Minister of State Egenem Bagis has called on Muslims to transfer their money to his country.

After Swiss Referendum on Minarets: Who is Radicalizing Whom?

It is estimated that there is approximately $50 billion dollars held in Switzerland by states with a majority Muslim population. The top 12:

- Saudi Arabia: $13.5 billion
- United Arab Emirates: $6.9 billion
- Indonesia: $6.6 billion
- Turkey: $3.9 billion
- Lebanon: $3.5 billion
- Malaysia: $3.3 billion
- Kuwait: $2.3 billion
- Syria: $1.5 billion
- Jordan: $1.5 billion
- Iran: $1.1 billion
- Morocco: $1 billion
- Pakistan: $1 billion

Middle East Inside Line: Hezbollah Keeps Its Weapons (Legally) in Lebanon

On Wednesday, the 30 members of the Lebanese cabinet approved Hizbullah's right to keep its weapons. The endorsement dismisses a United Nations resolution after the Second Lebanon War calling on Hezbollah to disarm.

Some anlaysts have argued that the Western-backed Hariri Government is not willing to pursue disarmament, as this would raise tensions with Hezbollah, which has veto power over government proposals.