Posted on 11/30/2006 1:55:09 AM PST by HAL9000
Opposition Mass Protests as of 3 p.m. Friday in Downtown Beirut
Hizbullah and allied forces called for mass protests as of 3 p.m. Friday in downtown Beirut in a bid to topple Premier Fouad Saniora's government amid heavy security in the capital to prevent chaos.
"The opposition forces, on the basis of their constitutional rights, call on all Lebanese, whatever their religious confession, to demonstrate peacefully in an open-ended sit-in as of 3 p.m. Friday for a national unity government," said a statement released by the opposition leadership and carried by Hizbullah's Al-Manar television.
The statement said the main job of the new government should be to draw up a new electoral law.
The statement called on anti-government supporters to wave only the Lebanese flag and to avoid carrying party banners or posters.
Six pro-Syrian ministers, including two from Hizbullah, resigned from the cabinet two weeks ago in protest at the failure of cross-party talks to agree to their demands for a national unity government.
The opposition, led by Hizbullah, had postponed by at least a week threats to resort to the streets after the November 21 murder of Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel, the sixth critic of Syria to be killed over the past two years.
His killing instead brought hundreds of thousands of government supporters on to the streets two days later in an outpouring of anger at Syria and its allies among the opposition, including Hizbullah.
The customary mourning period for the slain minister was due to end later Thursday, one week after the funeral.
Lebanese army troops and police have stood ready in Beirut to prevent disturbances to public order.
An Nahar said that between 15,000 and 20,000 army troops backed by a couple of thousand men from the Internal Security Forces have been put on the alert.
"The army will not tolerate any damage to public property or any clashes. It considers it stands at an equal distance from both sides," said Lebanese army commander General Michel Suleiman, referring to the deep rift between the pro- and anti-Syrian camps.
"In contrast to the situation on the eve of the outbreak of civil war in 1975, where the army was neutralized by political divisions ... today it stands united and enjoys the trust of the people," he said.
Syrian-backed President Emile Lahoud said civil servants "don't have to obey government orders."
"This can be one of the peaceful measures the opposition can take in its protests" against Sanior's government, Lahoud said in an interview with BBC television on Wednesday.
Hizbullah ally General Michel Aoun on Wednesday dubbed "criminals" both Interior Minister Hassan Sabaa and Youth and Sports Minister Ahmad Fatfat, accusing the Saniora government of "representing them as innocent" from the assassination of Gemayel, who was gunned down in broad light.
The March 14 follow-up committee, responding to Lahoud's and Aoun's statements, called on "all Lebanese to be ready to face up the coup … that is organized by the Syrian regime against the Lebanese legitimacy."
With any luck, th Palis in Gaza will pick up on the protest and do the same thing.
Then it is MOAB to the rescue.
Sure is a great target of opportunity going to waste here.
Hezballah wants to take over this country and they dont mind a Civil wa to help them do it, If the Syrian leadership were smart they would seek help in Israel and throw these SOB's out of their country forever.
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