There are NOW 2 terrestrial multi-terabit DWDM systems from Dubai/Abu Dhabi to Europe TERRESTRIALLY via Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Amman, Jordan, Damascus, Syria, Istanbul, Turkey with redundant routes through the Balkans to the traffic exchanges in Frankfurt, Paris & London.

ETC (Emirates Telecommunications) and the Saudi's (STC) are big drivers as they have ALWAYS wanted a TERRESTRIAL systems for maximum speed, capacity and lowest cost (terrestrial is MUCH CHEAPER than submarine).

Relations apparently between the West and the Middle east are so good in telecoms that Turk Telecom in Turkey is beginning the "new economic" development of a IP Transit hub from Europe to the Middle East and the Syrian company STC is making a shit-load of $$$ for transit traffic via Syria to the EU. Similar with Jordan (France Telecom backed) and the Saudi's/Emirates (the ending of this system is in Dubai, Doha, Kuwait City, Qatar and Bahrain!?)

Am I surprised?

Using economic development $$$ and Euros to create a new transit hub.

Look @ this network map:
http://www.pantel.co/network/combinednetworkmap

Pantel is a Turk Telecom company which provides IPLC and Transit services from the heart of Western Europe to the heart of the Middle East (Dubai, Abu Dhabi).

Oh yes Coalition troops (whether you agree with it or not!) in Iraq even now have terrestrial fibre internet via Turkey!

Pantel international routes through the Balkans through the HEART OF THE EU into the Western Europe IP transit hubs:
http://www.pantel.co/network/networkmap

Turk Telecom Jadi Link:
http://www.ttinvestorrelations.com/announcements-disclosures/jadi-link-project.aspx

Some questions for the Lebanese:

How are relations in Lebanon (politically and economically) of Lebanon and it's Middle Eastern neighbors!?

Specifically Syria, Saudi Arabic and the Emirates (UAE)!?

And importantly Turkey.

You know what? The Lebanese ISP's should be doing the PROPER ENGINEERING THING and getting multi-terabit 10G/40G/100G IP transit capacity into the heart of the EU via Damascus via a cross-border high capacity terrestrial fibre link (this is what it is) (LOL Saudi Arabia and the UAE trust the Syrian's).

JADI LINK has 200 Gbps data and voice transmission capacity

Under the signed agreement, Türk Telekom, Saudi Telecom (STC- Saudi Telecom Company), Syrian Telecom (STE- Syrian Telecommunication Establishment) and Jordan Telecom (JTG- Jordan Telecom Group) have completed the necessary physical connections on the national main fiber optic backbones within their borders and made a 200 Gbps capacity expansion to their systems in order to realize the project.
The first data service between JADI LINK Jeddah and Frankfurt was executed in the second week of June. A total 200 Gbps of data and voice transmission capacity was put into service in the third quarter of 2010.
JADI LINK;
Provides a completely terrestrial, unique and short route as an alternative to the Mediterranean and Red Sea corridors,
Meets the rapid increase in demand for intercontinental data and IP services,
Provides additional capacity from Istanbul to Europe and beyond, and from Jeddah to the Southern Asia and beyond,
Offers high quality and faster service,
Reduces the disruption risks caused by submarine cable systems,
For the project, the existing fiber optic infrastructures of participating countries are used.

Source: http://www.ttinvestorrelations.com/announcements-disclosures/jadi-link-project.aspx

That's NOT the only terrestrial route along the route.

Another middle eastern company is doing another similar route from Dubai to Istanbul with another Turkish company for transit services from the Middle East to Europe.

So how come Lebanon is going backwards instead of going forward with the rest of the middle east?

I really hope I-ME-WE is put to good use.

Mobily Saudi Arabia RCN (regional cable network):
http://www.daoonline.info/public/foto/BACCI%20-%20RCN_Jan%202011.pdf

Oh the Saudi's are one upping the other companies with a 2x diverse cable system from Dubai to Istanbul and on-wards to Europe so in case if one of the routes get cut due to any reasons (technical, system failure, God forbid terrorism, etc.) then the traffic can go on the other route:

RCN cost is around 500 Million (USD) and RFS expected in Q4, 2011.
RCN capacity is 12.8 Terabit per second.
RCN is the Middle East’s longest redundant terrestrial fiber Internet infrastructure.
Parties: Etisalat from UAE, mobily from Saudi Arabia, Jordan Telecom / consortium of Mada /Zain from Jordan (50/50), Syrian Telecom from Syria, and SOL Turkey.

Source: http://www.mobily.com.sa/portalu/wps/portal/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gLUwsPd08TIwN3b09DA09DU3NvX_NQA0t_U_2CbEdFAMmbnvA!/