Lebanon begins pumping from new Wazzani water system

Ha'aretz ^ | October 17, 2002 | Daniel Sobelman and Uri Ash

[HAL9000]

Lebanon began pumping Wednesday from its new water source on the Wazzani River in southern Lebanon. Lebanese President Emile Lahoud made a surprise appearance at the inauguration ceremony for the pump.

Lahoud appeared alongside House Speaker Nabih Berri, ministers, deputies and foreign as well as Arab diplomats.

Hand in hand Lahoud and Berri entered a large room accompanied by Lebanese deputies and ministers and turned on the pumps at 16:45 local time (13:45 GMT), announcing the project was officially inaugurated.

Dozens of red balloons were blown into the air as the pumps were turned on.

This is not the end, this is just the beginning," Berri told the crowd, asserting Lebanon's right to its water. He called for UN action to determine Lebanon's water rights and stressed that Lebanon "will not give up any drop of its water."

The U.S. charge d'affaires cancelled her attendance at the last minute without giving any specific explanation, Lebanese security sources said.

But the sources said that "the Americans are siding by Israelis because this project has angered... Ariel Sharon."

Dozens of people gathered on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border to watch the inauguration of the project.

On the Lebanese side, villagers toured the pump site, many accompanied by children waving Lebanese flags.

On the Israeli side, dozens of residents from Ghajar village climbed to high ground to observe the ceremony. Some 20 IDF officers attending an educational tour of the area also observed the preparations for the first pumping.

The Lebanese decision in August to begin pumping from a tributary of the river sparked fresh tensions with its southern neighbor. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon slammed the move, describing it as a cause for war.

American pressure recently led to a Lebanese decision to reduce the amount of water pumped to supply drinking water for villages in the area, rather than for irrigation purposes as well.

Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said Wednesday that the unilateral Lebanese action was likely to bring "a great escalation" between Lebanon and Israel.

"We won't, can't agree to such unilateral actions and we reserve the right to protect our water according to law, to international law," Peres told parliament in Jerusalem.

Hezbollah on 'highest alert' for Wazzani project opening

Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah announced Tuesday evening that the organization had been put on the highest alert in anticipation of an Israeli attack during the inauguration.

Speaking Tuesday night, Nasrallah said that Hezbollah would respond to any Israeli aggression "within minutes." Whoever decides to attack the pumping project will "open up the northern front and we are prepared for that," he said. He said his gunmen had already defined their targets inside Israel. "All we need is one telephone call" to respond to any Israeli attack, he said.

Observers say these are the toughest remarks the Hezbollah leader has uttered on the subject of the Wazzani. Lebanese journalist Ibrahim al-Amin, who is close to Nasrallah, said Tuesday in an interview with Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV station that the "inventory" of Israeli targets that the organization has drawn up is even more varied than the list of Lebanese targets that Israel has. Earlier, Nasrallah's deputy, Naim Qassem, had said that Israel is not able to act on its threats against Lebanon since "its hands are tied."

Thousands of villagers are due to participate in the project's opening ceremony Wednesday alongside such public figures as Nabih Beri, the speaker of the Lebanese parliament and head of the Amal movement, who was one of the project's initiators.

Lebanon plans at this stage to pump between 9-11 million cubic meters of water to about 25 villages in the south. Lebanon claims it is entitled to pump 55 million cubic meters according to international law. A pre-1967 deal with Israel spoke of up to 10 million cubic meters per year.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said at a Beirut press conference Tuesday that his country is backing the Lebanese position.

[greasepaint]

This is extortion and theft.
Israel is using the threat of military force to prevent
Lebanon from using water that:
... originates from springs farther north in Lebanon
... is STILL in a river in Lebanon.
Apparently, everything in Israel belongs to Israel,
ownership of everything adjacent to Israel is subject
to negotiation between the Israeli military and local
Arab peasants.
g.

[SJackson]

This is extortion and theft.

Yes, it is. Lebanon and Israel negotiated an agreement decades ago which Lebanon is now unilaterally breaking.

This is extortion and theft on the part of Lebanon and their ally, Hezbollah.