Introduction
Hizbullah today held a press conference at the party's Central Information Unit for a former security officer in the "Israeli" allied militia. He described how he was recruited to the militia and called on the "Israeli" agents to defect.

However, as the April Understanding Monitoring Group (AUMG) was holding its 24th session this year, today, the "Israeli" warplanes were carrying out intensive flights over the villages of Central Sector of South Lebanon.

In the meantime, Hizbullah's deputy Secretary General H.E. Sheikh Naim Kassem said the party would support any partial "Israeli" withdrawal from the occupied region in South Lebanon.

Former "Israeli" allied militiaman describes escape
"A former "Israeli"-allied militiaman and security agent who defected to the Hizbullah resistance movement earlier this year, today described how he was recruited to the militia and called on all Israeli allies to defect."

At a press conference in Beirut's southern suburb today, Abbas Hussein Raslan, a former "Israeli" allied militiaman, said his family has been harassed by the militia and his brother was forced to enter its ranks, as he was in 1987. Abbas from the occupied town of Taibeh, said Robin Abboud, a militia official implicated Abbas in a family row and blackmailed him into joining enemy ranks. The former militiaman was put in charge of recruiting new members and of the personal security of some Israeli-allied agents".

"In 1996, Abbas said, he was contacted by the resistance which urged him to defect. Abbas agreed, but "Israeli" agents suspected he was in contact with the resistance and put him under house arrest, until he persuaded them he had no intention to defect. He was stripped of his security missions and went to work in "Israel", but ended up returning to the occupation zone two months later. The militia then pressured Abbas to recruit his fiancée into enemy intelligence, but she refused and left for Beirut. Abbas says on February 11, 1998, he was able to flee the occupation zone and defected to the resistance. Today, Abbas called on all "Israeli"-allied militiamen and agents to defect to government-held territories, warning they face certain death or imprisonment, adding they will continue to be targeted by the resistance"… (1)

For its part, the Daily Star covered the press conference of the allied militiaman as the following:
"An ex-South Lebanon Army militiaman who now works for Hizbullah urged his former comrades to desert to avoid prosecution or death. "

“Your fate is either death or jail,” warned Abbas Hussein Raslan, 28, a native of Taibeh and former regional commander of the militia."

“The resistance is aware of every movement you make. They even know what you eat, drink and what you do in your bedrooms. You now have a chance you never had before. You can actually break free from collaborating with the enemy,” he said at a news conference at Hizbullah’s information office in Bir al-Abed."

"Raslan’s tale of coercion and fear was typical of many residents of the occupation zone who have been forced to join the SLA. He said that he joined the militia to protect himself and his family during a dispute with a neighbouring family."

"A militiaman called Rubin Abboud attempted to create further trouble between the two families, prompting Raslan’s decision to quit his job as a sanitary ware salesman and join the SLA."

"After attending a 40-day training course at the Majidieh camp in the eastern sector of the zone, Raslan was given his first assignment ­ as a guard at the SLA office in Markaba."

"He was later promoted to be a bodyguard for Ahmad Abdeljalil Sheith, who headed the SLA unit in Kfar Kila. Raslan, who was paid $600 a month, was also in charge of recruiting young men and women in Markaba, Talloussa, Bani Hayan and Taibeh."

“I was promoted because they believed that I had a greater chance of persuading people to join the SLA because I grew up in the area they put under my control,” Raslan said. “Also, as the bodyguard of the former commander I knew all the collaborators there.”

"He said he was responsible for press-ganging new recruits by threatening them with imprisonment in Khiam unless they signed up with the militia."

"In 1996, Raslan was contacted by Hizbullah security personnel who urged him to surrender.

However, the SLA became suspicious of him, especially after a roadside bomb blast at Bani Hayan in Raslan’s area, killed two militiamen and wounded two others."

“After that they were watching me all the time,” he said.

"After two failed attempts to escape through Wadi Salouqi in the central sector, Raslan was interrogated and subjected to a lie detector test to find out if he was betraying the militia."

“The results weren’t convincing enough for my interrogators,” Raslan said. “I was able to convince them to let me resume my business selling sanitary ware.”

"He later worked in "Israel" for two months before returning to his village where he was forced to recruit his former fiancée", Ghada Raslan, into the SLA.

“They wanted to test my loyalty and threatened to throw Ghada in Khiam if I didn’t obey,” Raslan said. “I told her not to provide them with information and to contact the resistance when she went to Beirut.”

Ghada was one of the 77 agents recently arrested in the southern suburbs by the Lebanese internal security forces."

"Raslan fled from Odaisseh almost eight months ago when the “right conditions” became available for his escape."

“I never tortured anyone but I had to obey the orders of my "Israeli" officer when he asked me to harass families living in occupied villages,” said Raslan.

“Now I’m under the service of my brothers working with the resistance security forces.”

"Hizbullah’s information officer, Atallah Hammoud, called on other SLA members to escape the “prison of treachery” and join the resistance."

“"Israel’s" occupation neither provides protection nor offers guarantees,” said Hammoud… (2)

"Meanwhile, the chief of the proxy militia, agent Antoine Lahd, acknowledged that 350 of his militiamen and officers had been killed in the eastern sector and the Jezzine."

"In a desperate attempt to boost the collaborator's flagging morale, the so-called "Israeli" liaison unit officer Erez Gorestein claimed that his government will not neglect those cooperating with it in any settlement or accord."

"On the other hand, enemy chief of staff Shaul Mofaz today acknowledged that he cannot put an end to the resistance attacks."

"A unilateral withdrawal (from occupied south Lebanon) is an unacceptable risk which may cost dearly, Mofaz said… (3)

Kassem: "We're in favour of any unconditional withdrawal"… (4)
"Naim Qassem, Hizbullah’s deputy secretary-general, said that the party would support a partial "Israeli" withdrawal from the zone if a total pullout was not immediately attainable. But he rejected any conditions being imposed such as those outlined by the commander of the South Lebanon Army, Antoine Lahd, last week."

“We’re in favour of an unconditional partial or complete withdrawal which we don’t think would create any problem at all. But it’s unacceptable for Lahd to impose security conditions. That’s something we can’t accept,” he said in a commemoration for the martyrs of Yohmor."

"Lahd has said that a withdrawal would be contingent on the army assuming control of Jezzine and preventing the resistance from staging attacks from there against the SLA."

"Qassem said the army was capable of deploying and maintaining security in the enclave if the SLA pulled out but he didn’t believe a withdrawal from Jezzine was imminent. “If "Israel" and its agents withdrew from Jezzine and its vicinity, it would mean that a part of the south’s land has been liberated and that the Lebanese army must deploy there to protect our people while the resistance would continue to work to expel the occupation forces,” he said.

"Qassem argued that the SLA redeployment from the Toumat Niha position, east of Jezzine, was further proof that the militia was on the verge of collapse."

"He likened the withdrawal to those from Saidoun and Kfar Falous in the Jezzine district last year and from Hoqban hill, north of Yater in the western sector, in 1987. “They were all positions they couldn’t protect because of consecutive strikes by the resistance,” he said.

Hezbollah: IR has Brought down all the "Israeli" Bases… (5)
"The Islamic Resistance has been able to topple all the strength bases of the "Israeli" enemy at the political and morale levels, Hizbullah's official in the south his Eminence Sheikh Nabil Qawooq said."

"Speaking at a ceremony in the town of Kfardooneen, Qawooq said "The Islamic Resistance could control the course of bickering in the ranks of the enemy's command and society, which has been suffering confusion and rift."

"The Islamic Resistance has intercepted almost all the enemy's political and military options, leaving only one option: to accept defeat and retreat", Qawooq said.

"Israeli" Aggressions… (6)
According to a report issued by the IR, the "Israeli" occupation forces launched the following "Israeli" aggressions:
00:05, the warplanes flew, at middle altitude, over Western Sector of South Lebanon.
7:25, the "Israeli" fighters conducted mock air raids over Naameh area.
8:05, the "Israeli" fighters staged mock air raids over Naameh town but they were confronted by the anti-aircraft guns of the Lebanese Army.
9:15, two drone and M.K. surveillance planes hovered over Ghandourieh, Froun and the nearby villages.
10:05, the warplanes circled in the airspace of Western Beqaa areas.
10:10, an M.K. surveillance aircraft hovered, at middle height, over Baflay, Dordghaya, Tair Felsay, Zrarieh and Litani River watercourse.
10:15, an M.K. surveillance aircraft soared, at middle altitude, over Western Sector areas.
11:30, the "Israeli" jets flew, at middle height, in the sky of Iqleem Al-Toffah, Nabatieh and Bent Jbeil regions.
11:50, the jet airplanes broke the sound barrier over Nabatieh and Jibsheit areas and flew, accompanied by reconnaissance planes, in the airspace of Central and Western Beqaa regions.
12:00, Zohaira position targeted north of Zibqeen with three 155mm missiles. Meanwhile, the "Israeli" jets flew in the airspace of Beirut and Iqleem Al-Toffah regions.
12:05, Zareit emplacement pounded north of Zibqeen with seven 155mm missiles. In the meantime, an M.K. reconnaissance aircraft hovered over Qana and the neighboring areas.
13:20, the warplanes circled, at middle height, in the airspace of Beirut region.
15:15, the jet airplanes flew in the sky of Beirut areas.
15:30, the "Israeli" fighters soared, at middle and high altitudes, over the areas of Nabatieh, Jibsheit and Iqleem Al-Toffah.
15:40, the warplanes flew in the sky of Beirut.
15:45, the espionage planes circled over Central Beqaa region.
16:00, the "Israeli" jets flew in the airspace of Beirut.
17:00, the jet airplanes circled low over Central Sector of South Lebanon.
17:05, Beit Yahoun and Sojod outposts showered their surroundings with 12.7mm heavy machine gun fire.
Between 17:15 and 17:30, Zohaira position bombarded western perimeters of Yater village with seventeen 155mm missiles.
17:45, Zareit emplacement pounded west of Yater with nine 155mm shells.
18:10, Roum and Dahr Ramla posts fired more than seven 120mm shells at Hariri's installations and Kfar Falous River watercourse.
22:30, a drone reconnaissance plane circled over Shaqra and Houla towns. In the meantime, a Merkava tank stationed near Sojod outpost targeted Mount-Al Rafih with four rounds.
22:40, Meis El-Jabal emplacement unleashed four 155mm missiles at Aissieh Valley. Meanwhile, the helicopters hovered over Houla and Markaba.
23:05, the "Israeli" choppers soared over Mohaibib village.
23:45, Zaffateh compound unleashed five 155mm missiles at the peripheries of Loweizeh village.
24:00, one 120mm shell originating from Rihan emplacement struck Mount-Sojod, while at the same time, Sojod outpost showered its surroundings with Mag machine gun rounds.

Military Operations:
The IR assumed the responsibility of the following attacks on the "Israeli" occupation forces (7):
22:30, the IR men observed motorized movements near Sojod outpost. Shortly afterwards, the squad of two martyrs Ahmad Dbouk and Ali Tohmeh targeted them with the proper rocket-propelled grenades scoring accurate hits.
22:35, as a Merkava tank tried to open fire at Mount-Al Rafih, the group of martyrs Aiman Baalbacki and Nassrallah Daher attacked it with the rocket-propelled grenades chalking up direct goals. A blaze was seen emanating from the scene.
At the same time, the IR fighters spotted military vehicles on the road between Sojod and Rihan. Then, the squad of martyrs Ibrahim Alaweih and Abbas Hijazi attacked them with the rockets. The mujahedeen asserted that one vehicle, at least, was hit directly where the blaze was seen billowing out of it.

AUMG Convened to Discuss 3 Compliants … (8)
The April Understanding Monitoring Group (AUMG) convened at 10:00 a.m. at the Unifil HQ in Naqoura."

"The panel, with delegates of Lebanon, Syria, France, the US and the "Israeli" entity, discussed two Lebanese complaints over the "Israeli" violation of the understanding on Friday when the enemy's bombardment of residential areas in the town of Arab Salim wounded Hussein Fayyad Harb, 10, and Zeinab Toufeq Moussa, 35, besides damaging several houses in the town."

"Along with the two Lebanese complaints, AUMG heard an "Israeli" protest claiming that one of the occupation's outpost was attacked from populated areas."

"Lebanese delegate to AUMG underlined that the "Israeli" complaint is untrue."

"The "Israeli" claim aims only to waste time and to derail the panel from leveling direct accusation against the "Israeli" enemy after it flagrantly violated the understanding and inflicted physical and material damage on peaceful civilians", Lebanese delegate's sources said.

"Concluding its meeting, the group said "Israel" and those who cooperate with it violated the understanding by firing several 120mm rounds at Arab Salim village, wounding two civilians and causing property damage."

Resistance Operations against the Occupation Forces… (9)
"The Islamic Resistance (IR) attacked the "Israeli" occupation's post in Blat (western sector) at 6.15pm on Saturday. Direct hits were scored."

"Furthermore, unit of the multi-faith Lebanese Resistance Brigades (LRB) staged a close-range attack on the Sojod outpost on Saturday while a second LRB squad provided covering fire with mortars.

The outpost's fortifications were directly hit", an LRB communiqué read.