Posted on 03/06/2005 8:41:13 PM PST by familyop
Rival Lebanese groups took to the streets over the issue of Syrian occupation yesterday, putting the nation's fragile peace under increased pressure.
The radical Islamist group, Hizbollah, broke its silence with an appeal to its mainly Shia membership to stage a huge pro-Syria protest in Beirut tomorrow.
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The call, by Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, a Shia cleric and the group's leader, represented a clear challenge to Lebanese forces behind three weeks of unprecedented anti-Syria demonstrations and their Western allies.
Although Sheikh Nasrallah appealed for calm during the protest, the potential for violence is acute.
Hizbollah's move threatens to escalate the crisis internationally. America and Israel, although not the European Union, regard Hizbollah as a terror organisation.
Meanwhile, Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria, was proceeding with a phased withdrawal of his country's troops from Lebanon in defiance of Washington's call for an immediate, full withdrawal.
But he suggested that Syria should not suffer the same fate as Iraq and said he wanted to co-operate with Washington.
The decision by the Hizbollah leadership to come out in favour of Syria comes after two weeks of relative silence from Lebanon's strongest political party.
With 12 members in Lebanon's 128-seat national assembly, Hizbollah is a formidable political force with close links both to Damascus and Teheran.
Sheikh Nasrallah praised Syria for the "positive elements'' of its decade-long presence in Lebanon and called President Assad a "noble leader''.
He claimed that anti-Syria demonstrations were proof of a western, pro-Israeli plot.
"I call on all Lebanese to this peaceful popular gathering to reject foreign intervention that is contrary to our independence, sovereignty and freedom," he said.
He dismissed United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 as the work of pro-Israeli forces.
The resolution not only calls for the withdrawal of foreign troops, such as the Syrians, from Lebanon but also for the disarmament of all armed militia in the country.
As well as being a successful political party, Hizbollah is one of Lebanon's biggest militia capable of deploying as many as 25,000 armed men.
Sheikh Nasrallah's denunciation of Resolution 1559 was as much about him maintaining his force of fighters, as defending Syrian military power in Lebanon.
Hizbollah can guarantee a huge attendance from its dedicated and loyal membership, many of whom will be bussed in from Shia villages in the south of the country.
The march is intended to counter weeks of anti-Syrian street protests sparked by the assassination of Rafik Hariri, the former prime minister who stood up to Syria.
Meanwhile, there were indications that Syria would begin its phased withdrawal of troops today.
Adbel Rahim Mrad, Lebanon's outgoing defence minister, said Syria would start to withdraw all its troops to the Bekaa Valley in the east of Lebanon after a meeting today in Damascus between senior Syrian and Lebanese leaders.
His remarks were in line with President Assad's speech to the Syrian parliament on Saturday in which he gave a vague, equivocal commitment to removing Syrian troops from Lebanon.
The president said he would begin with a partial troop withdrawal to the Bekaa. There was no mention of an end to the Syrian control of military intelligence and security in Lebanon.
His remarks fell short of Washington's call for a full, immediate withdrawal of Syrian military forces from Lebanon along with security personnel.
"With 12 members in Lebanon's 128-seat national assembly, Hizbollah is a formidable political force with close links both to Damascus and Teheran."
Since when is less than 10% representation in parliament a 'formidable force'?
Way to go, you pro-terrorist nut! Hopefully the rest will follow his lead and bleed to death en masse.
Thought syria was tehre to keep the "peace" seems if they pull out they will all go at it again, various factions backed by outside sources...
Since they're the ones who kidnap, torture, murder, and blow up their opposition.
Mark
I think this could be why Assad delayed withdrawl, he's behind it and maybe someone bigger is behind him.
A pro-Syrian Lebanese protester cuts himself with a knife near the Syrian intelligence headquarters in BeirutSomehow, that seems about right.
This could be a good thing. It means if independence goes forward, Hizbullah will have lost a battle with the Lebanese people.
If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.
Sheikh Nasrallah praised Syria for the "positive elements'' of its decade-long presence in Lebanon and called President Assad a "noble leader''.
I'm sure he's doing alright.
Since when is less than 10% representation in parliament a 'formidable force'?
When you're backed up by 1,000s of heavyly armed people looking for a reason to kill, then you're a "formidable force". I don't like it but, them's the facts.
Speaking of Instapundit and the "revolutionary babes," they have pointed out that these gorgeous women have made the covers of major magazines.
As blogger FeaturingDave noted, "Is there something in Lebanon's water supply?"
Thanks for the babe bump.
My girlfriend made the cover of the Weekly Standard!
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