Haifa for Parliament, Backs Hariri, Likes Jumblat, Wants Geagea Out, Aoun Back

Her beauty is unquestionably murderous. She has long been acknowledged as the dazzling empress of Lebanon's beauty queens. Now Haifa seems toying with the idea of trying her luck in politics with her heart-stopping looks as the only weapon for a Beirut seat in Parliament.
She has turned heads as a model and is having a controversial foray into the world of entertainment as a pop singer. There is even talk about a star role in a Hollywood movie, prompting a political weekly to suggest that Haifa should stand in Lebanon's parliamentary elections in spring.

"Her phenomenon has fired the imagination of admirers to raise the possibility of making her stand in the parliamentary elections," said the Beirut Al Massira magazine, mouthpiece of Samir Geagea's Lebanese Forces, in a cover story that hardly lasted 2 or three hours on Lebanon's newsstands over the weekend.

"Some may find it strange. But taking into consideration her vast popularity on various levels, the answer to this question is 'why not?'" Al Massira said, running an interview that looked like Haifa's election platform.

"Doesn't she deserve to run? Isn't she far better than many other candidates?" the magazine said, asserting that Haifa would be something "beautiful in a vast forest of ugliness."

In the political portion of the interview, Haifa made these points:

"I support ex-Premier Hariri and I wanted him not to step out of power and like Walid Jumblat very much."

--"Lebanon's sovereignty is definitely incomplete….I take pride in being a Lebanese and I like Lebanon to be the master of its own decision-making."

--"All other politicians who took part in the war should have been jailed alongside Samir Geagea. He is not the only one who erred. All erred like him and more than him. I am for his release today before tomorrow. Ten years of imprisonment are enough."

--"It's an injustice that Gen. Aoun is in exile and others are in power. I am for his return….when I was young, I used to hear my parents speak highly of him. I support every stance that helps give Lebanon back its sovereignty, independence and freedom of decision."

--On Resolution 1559 "I respect international legitimacy and I hope that Lebanon will not enter into a quarrel with the United Nations."

Beirut, Updated 22 Jan 05, 09:48