June Saturday 10-2000:

Introduction

Supreme Spiritual Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that "the Lebanese victory belongs to all those who were steadfast in the struggle against usurper Zionists and were not influenced by temptation for compromise or submission to the hostile and greedy enemy".

Meanwhile, Hizbullah's Secretary General H.E. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah kept up the pressure on the government blasting official development plans. He, also, asserted that Lebanon still needs Syrian protection from "Israel" criticizing Lebanese who question the presence of Syrian troops on the Lebanese territories.

In a late dispatch on Friday, however, the news reported that the cabinet will hold an "extraordinary session" early next week to complete arrangements for the deployment of 1000 security personnel, half of whom will be soldiers and army Special Forces and the other half members of the Internal Security Forces.

Leader: Palestine belongs to all Palestinians…(1)

"Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a message cabled to Secretary General of Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement Ramedhan Abdullah said that Palestine belongs to the Palestinian nation and dominant usurpers would sooner or later submit to this fact.

Ayatollah Khamenei said today Muslim and combatant Palestinian youth shoulder a big historical duty and they should pin their hopes on God's help and present a future to their people and country given all the hope, faith and struggle they are enduring.

The leader, congratulated Abdullah on recent victory of Lebanese nation and said, ''the victory in fact belongs to all those, who were steadfast in the struggle against usurper Zionists and were not influenced by temptations for compromise or submission to the hostile and greedy enemy.

The victory belongs to all those, who appreciated the power of people's will and faith and do not take any arrogant and hegemonic powers as invincible, said the leader.

The Supreme Leader said the victory is what has been claimed by Palestinian strugglers, who with bare hand and through the strength of the brave and innocent youth, prevented occupation and domination of Zionists over Palestine.

``This victory is fair and proper and as long as justice matches determination and faith, it would be victorious,'' said the leader.

He went on to say, ``The usurping and tyrant Zionists should know that the young and faithful Palestinian and Lebanese generations are invincible. The faithful and brave struggle of Palestinian nation can not be halted by political equations or military and security
force or publicity stunts as one cannot defeat the great Iranian nation's power of resistance and perseverance through aging methods of over the past two decades, which used to be applied repeatedly by Zionists and their supporters, and proved ineffective.''

Hizbullah blasts critics

Nasrallah: Lebanon needs Syrian protection

Hizbullah kept up the pressure on the government and its critics on Friday, blasting official development plans and denying that the party sought to create an Islamic state. The party’s secretary-general, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, addressed thousands of supporters who gathered in Nabi Sheet, Baalback, to celebrate the liberation of the South. Nasrallah dismissed the government’s performance in Baalback-Hermel and its assistance package for the South, hinting that having an “administrative plan” was more important than money in boosting services in the newly liberated areas. Nasrallah said that he did not seek to “become a Shiite President of the Republic,” and launched a broadside against sectarianism in the country.
Insisting that the party sought no “personal rewards” in the wake of liberation, Nasrallah said Hizbullah’s candidates in the 2000 elections “will only represent the party.”
He lashed out at critics of the party’s parading spoils captured from the South Lebanon Army in various towns. He said Hizbullah did not seek to “challenge” anyone, but instead demonstrate that the victory belonged to “Baalback, Bint Jbeil, Achrafieh, Zahle and Chtaura, everywhere"…(2)

"Lebanon still needs Syrian protection from "Israel", criticising Lebanese who question the presence of Syrian troops there.

"Lebanon remains a country under threat. Part of its land is still occupied, and it still has prisoners and hostages held in "Israel", which has designs on Lebanon," said Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

"We need the support and protection of Syria; we need to consecrate the policy of a united Lebanese-Syrian destiny," he added.

The leader criticised those who call for the departure of Syria's 35,000 troops stationed across two-thirds of Lebanon.

These opponents had not even waited a few weeks to raise the issue of the Syrian presence after "Israel's" May 24 withdrawal from southern Lebanon, he said.

"When some people raise issues linked to disarming the resistance and deploying the military in the liberated areas, they must not forget that Lebanon remains encircled by threats," said Nasrallah.

His group carried out most of the anti-"Israeli" attacks in south Lebanon.

"The state must remain the state and the resistance the resistance. We won because the resistance doesn't play the role of the state and isn't part of it," he said. That situation should continue, he added.

Lebanon had to know how to preserve the victory won "not only by the resistance but by Lebanese people of all religions"…(3)

Token army force to be sent south
Verification teams on border hit problems…(4)

Lebanese Army personnel will be dispatched to the South next week to uphold security in the former occupation zone.
The state-owned National News Agency, in a late dispatch on Friday, said the Cabinet will hold an “extraordinary session” under President Emile Lahoud early next week to complete arrangements for the deployment of 1,000 security personnel, half of whom will be soldiers and army Special Forces and the other half members of the Internal Security Forces.
The dispatch did not specify whether the deployment will reach the actual border with "Israel". But it said that a joint command for the forces will be set up in Marjeyoun with a branch in Bint Jbeil.
The southern force will be under the direct command of Interior Minister Michel Murr, the agency said.
News of the impending deployment of additional forces coincided with a new delay in confirming "Israel's" withdrawal.
Friday’s glitch was attributed to Lebanese reservations over the accuracy of UN maps depicting the line of withdrawal.
UNIFIL spokesman Timur Goksel told The Daily Star that map queries and safety worries had led to the delay in verifying the "Israeli" withdrawal from the Lebanese side of the border.
He said that the Lebanese had voiced concerns about access to the border due to the extensive minefields running along the frontier.
“We’ve given them the use of our helicopters and they can fly along the border as much as they wish,” Goksel said.
He said that the Lebanese claimed the withdrawal line on the map drawn up by UN cartographers did not correspond with the frontier on the ground.
Goksel would not be drawn on the specific locations along the border under dispute. However, the key areas are between Rmeish and Alma Shaab in the western sector and the ridge between Odaisseh and Markaba in the central sector.
The 1923 Anglo-French boundary, upon which UN special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen was supposed to base the line of withdrawal, places "Israel" at a strategic disadvantage along the border between Alma Shaab and Rmeish. The 1923 frontier runs along the base of a steeply sloping ridge, allowing Lebanon broad views over western Galilee.
In the 1980s, the "Israelis" pushed the border fence northward a few hundred meters at two locations, taking the strategic high ground. The incursions ­ several along the length of the border ­ are acknowledged by the UN as permanent violations of the 1949 Armistice Agreement.
Despite "Israeli" Premier Ehud Barak stating three months ago that the incursion zones would be dismantled if so ordered by the UN, Larsen appears to have let "Israel" keep them in order to verify the withdrawal.
A government source familiar with the border issues said that the "Israelis" controlled the ridge south of Alma Shaab for a distance of about 5 kilometers.
Along the border just east of Odaisseh and Markaba, the "Israelis" appear to have tried to retain the summits of several hills, although the border line actually splits the crests equally between Lebanon and "Israel".
“Where the boundary is supposed to be straight, the "Israelis" have curved it in their favor,” the source said.
He added that, in his view, the situation would remain unchanged until “Larsen’s Line” could be discussed at peace talks between Lebanon and "Israel".
It first appeared that the dispute over the line of withdrawal and the reality on the ground would lead to a lengthy delay of the verification process. However, Goksel said that the Lebanese had agreed to have a mapping expert accompany the verification team as it continued inspecting the border.
The operation is scheduled to recommence at 8am Saturday from near Ramieh, the point the team reached after the inspection began on Thursday.
While the UNIFIL-Lebanese team pored over the maps in Naqoura, the inspection along the "Israeli" side continued unhindered. But when the inspectors arrived in Kfar Kila in the afternoon, they were stoned by dozens of Palestinians and Lebanese who had gathered at the Fatima gate.
The UNIFIL staff were forced to abandon their vehicles under a hail of stones. No members of the team were hurt.

Hoss: police in liberated areas will be given military backup…(5)

Prime Minister Salim Hoss said on Friday that police in the liberated areas were free to call for military reinforcements for help.
“The task of security, in this area as elsewhere, is assigned to the Internal Security Forces, which can obtain military support if needed, in conformity with the laws in force,” he said.
Police strength already in the area, numbering more than 1,300, “will be steadily boosted,” he told a delegation from Qlaia, headed by the village’s priest, Father Mansour Hokayyem.
Hoss also said that the UN Interim Force in Lebanon will deploy in the area after they verify that the "Israeli" pull out is complete. The United Nations, the United States, France and "Israel" have called on the Lebanese government to deploy the army in the liberated areas, which were abandoned by the "Israelis" on May 24.

Berri: "Israel" plans new attacks…(6)

Speaker Nabih Berri warned on Friday that "Israel" was preparing to attack Lebanon and Syria after gaining international support by maintaining that it has withdrawn from the South.
“"Israel" is seeking to regain its dignity by planning to attack Lebanon and Syria,” he said. “"Israel" blames Syria for foiling its plots to fracture Lebanon and for helping Lebanon regain the unity of its people, territories and institutions.”
At a ceremony to inaugurate a new mosque in Haret Saida, a suburb of Sidon, Berri called on the government to demand "Israel's" withdrawal up to the border, accusing "Israel" of “pretending that it has implemented United Nations Security Council Resolution 425 to gain international support for any possible "Israeli" attack against Lebanon.”
“"Israel" blames Syria for supporting the Lebanese people’s steadfastness and backing the resistance movement until it defeated the "Israelis",” he said. “"Israel" also fears the Palestinians may follow in the footsteps of the Lebanese resistance.”
He also argued that if "Israel" wants peace, it must also implement Resolutions 242 and 338, which call for its withdrawal from all occupied Arab lands.

Collaborators' trials continue…(7)

Beirut military court convicted 35 more Lebanese for collaborating with "Israel".

The latest to be convicted were among about 2,000 defendants who have either already been sentenced or are still facing trial.

The 35 convicted had been accused of having enlisted in "Israel's" militia ally or having provided it with information.

The trials began Monday. That same day the military court jailed 100 detainees for between six months and five years for 100 detainees, although most received lesser terms of between 12 and 18 months.

On Wednesday, the military court sentenced 24 Lebanese accused of collaborating with "Israel" to between one year and three years.

The trial of a third group, of 37 defendants, has been postponed so some of them can obtain lawyers. Two of the defendants are women.

All the defendants either turned themselves in or were arrested after "Israel" ended its 22-year occupation of south Lebanon on May 24.

Prosecutors have questioned nearly half the defendants and have issued 900 arrest warrants, the court source said.

A list of names of 1,972 suspects appeared Friday for the first time at the court's entrance, specifying in which of the three military prisons in the Beirut area each defendant was being held.

Seven Villages - so near and yet so far

7,000 Lebanese at "Israeli" border call for return of annexed villages

" More than 7,000 Lebanese from families who left seven villages annexed by "Israel" in 1948 gathered on the border with the Jewish state to call for them to be handed back.

The demonsrators gathered in family groups at the Ramia gate 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of Ras Naqoura on the coast, waving Lebanese flags and banners from Hizbullah, which all fought against "Israeli" troops who occupied south Lebanon for 22 years until last month.

They shouted slogans calling on the Lebanese state to demand that their land to be returned.

The protesters walked into the barbed wire area of what had been a crossing point from the former occupied zone into "Israel", despite mine warnings written in Arabic and Hebrew, and they planted signs with the names and direction of the seven villages.

On the other side of the double barrier, around 60 "Israelis" surrounded by some 20 soldiers who arrived in three military vehicles, shouted slogans and waved "Israeli" flags.

On the Lebanese side, protester Amin Mustapha said: "Today, the seven villages: Tarbikha, Adass, Salha, Malkiyeh, Hunine, Nabi Yushaa and Ibn al-Qamh have been almost completely destroyed and given other names in Hebrew like Zarit, Ephmim and Yarqun."

He said his family came from Salha, and he recalled that when he was a child his father took him to a look out point to show him the land of his ancestors.

"My father was in the police in 1948 and had built a good-sized stone house, which the "Israelis" have turned into a military position. There were 105 inhabitants killed and all the houses were destroyed except ours," he said.

"I can still picture the scene of "Israeli" soliers in 1948 insulting my parents and hitting them with sticks to force them to leave our house in Adass without taking anything with us," says Ali Mattut, who left his village, surrounded by olive groves, as an adolescent.

Yussef Sayyed was eight when he left Hunine. Today, he brought his wife, children and grandchildren to the barbed wire fence and filmed them with a video camera, trying to include the distant hills of his village.

"From the beginning of the 1950s, the people from the seven villages formed associations, and set up meeting areas and cafes for their groups. We do not want to forget, and we keep alive the hope of one day returning to our villages," he said…(8)

Looking through binoculars at the "Israeli" town of Zarit, built over Tarbikha, Najwa Kirshat shouted through a loudhailer: “Jews, Jews, Hizbullah is on the border. The seven villages are Lebanese, we want them back.” The residents of the villages, like hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, were forced to leave their homes after "Israel" was established in 1948.
“We still have ownership deeds to property in these villages. The deeds were issued by the State of Greater Lebanon (the 1920-26 predecessor of the Lebanese Republic),” said Khalil Kirshat, who heads the Association of Tarbikha.
“I can’t believe my eyes. This is the village of my ancestors,” said 15-year-old Ali Hassan Issa. “The occupation must be removed with resistance,” he added.
Hussein Aaraj, a teacher in Tarbikha before he left in 1948, pointed to an old tower just south of Zarit. “That was an observation tower built by the British border guards before the border was moved north,” he explained.
Mohammed Hassan Taha, 82, said Jewish militants had “slaughtered more than 150 people in the seven villages in 1948 after we refused to hand over our weapons.” He said his father died while fighting with the Lebanese troops that managed to occupy Malkieh during the war…(9)

Occupation wants compensation for evacuation…(10)

Diplomatic sources unveiled that they had received, through European diplomatic channels, that ""Israel"" told the UN special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen that it is ready to pull out from the Lebanese territories on which the Zionist colony has been expanded but in exchange for financial compensations to cover the value of around 100 houses inhabited by Zionist colonizers besides the value of equipment and infrastructures because ""Israel"" will be forced to find land on which new houses for these colonizers will be built, a Lebanese daily said on Friday.

Al-Kifah al-Arabi said the occupation's entity has not set the amount of the compensations but "hinted at a billion dollars".

The quoted sources said ""Israel"" had refused to remove the water pumps through which it has been stealing the Wazzani water.

Larsen was told by the "Israelis" that the water issue will be settled through the multilateral negotiations that will determine a way to divide the water or establish joint projects between Lebanon and ""Israel"", the sources added.

"Israel" demarcates water boundaries with Lebanon…(11)

"The head of the fishermen syndicate in Tyre Khalil Taha has confirmed that "Israel" demarcated a sea border with Lebanon after twenty-two years of occupation that extended to Lebanese waters.

" The shores stretching from Burj al-Abli to Ras-Naqura, where "Israel" demarcated the new sea border with Lebanon, have become accessible to fishermen in the south. A new border delineating Lebanese and "Israeli" waters allowed Lebanon's fisherman to breathe a sigh of relief. It has been marked with 150 red balloons. The Jewish state occupation subjected them to brutal economic conditions-they were often fired at by "Israeli" gunboats or barred from rich waters. In 1985, "Israel" imposed a crippling blockade on the coastline of southern Lebanon. It was only lifted when occupation troops withdrew from the region. But today fishermen are able to take their boats beyond the Bayada and Mansuri areas, waters which have been off limits for the past twenty-two years. The new border gives them a sense of security- and fisherman say they are reeling in their good fortune. Their fishing waters have expanded and the new areas are allowing for larger catches. From the newly liberated sea waters, the "Israeli" ports of Acre, Haifa and Jaffa can be seen. Despite the Lebanese fishermen's strict compliance with the new border, "Israel" continues to violate Lebanon's maritime frontier. This "Israeli" gunboat captured by Future Television is violating Lebanese waters.

Villagers ‘will attack UN troops if divided’…(12)

Two days after UNIFIL began inching its way eastward along the border to verify the withdrawal of the Jewish state from Lebanon, "Israeli" troops were still deployed north of the new line on Friday, guarding the flashpoint village of Ghajar in occupied Syria.
The line of withdrawal established by the United Nations will divide Ghajar on either side of the border, sparking vows from the 1,700 villagers that they will attack the UNIFIL verification teams if they try to enter the village.
Ghajar is currently located in the elbow created by the Hasbani River, which flows from north to south, and the existing border fence which extends eastward from the river through honey-colored meadows before climbing the foothills of Mount Hermon. On Wednesday, "Israeli" troops demolished an earthen outpost 1.5 kilometers east of Ghajar beside the existing fence in preparation to pull back to the new border running parallel some 300 meters further south.
This new line, however, will effectively split Ghajar on either side of the border.
Ghajar’s residents have taken to sleeping on the road at the entrance of the village in preparation to block the UNIFIL verification teams from entering. A plume of smoke from a pyre of burning tires cast a pall over the village on Friday.
While "Israeli" foot patrols walked the streets, other soldiers sat in the shade or relaxed in the sunshine in groups of two or three around the perimeter of the village to thwart any attempts by Lebanese to cross the border fence and enter the area.
Several soldiers remained on the demolished ramparts of the abandoned outpost to the east of the village and kept a watchful eye on a group of Lebanese waiting at the border gate 200 meters away. The Daily Star was able to approach within 20 meters of the white-washed homes of Ghajar and struck up a conversation through the border fence with a group of frustrated residents.
“We’re not going to let UNIFIL into our village even if it costs us our lives,” yelled an angry man, who identified himself as Khatib.
He said that the villagers were Syrians but had no objection to becoming Lebanese. “We are all brothers,” he said.
But Khatib insisted that Ghajar must remain whole along with all the land belonging to the village. “Our nationality is not important but we want our land. If they split the village, we’ll be leaving 10,500 dunums on the "Israeli" side. A people without a land are nothing,” he said.
“If the border ever runs through this village, it will be because we have all died trying to prevent it,” he stormed to nods of approval from his colleagues.
But UNIFIL spokesman Timur Goksel insisted that the UN withdrawal line simply reinstated the original boundary between Lebanon and what is now "Israeli"-occupied Syria after the "Israelis" pushed the fence north of the village.
What is known today as Ghajar was originally two villages, one on the Syrian side of the border called Ghajar and the other on the Lebanese side called Wazzani.
After the "Israelis" over-ran Ghajar in 1967 and moved the fence northward, the two villages merged as one and became known collectively as Ghajar.
“Some people are saying that the line is a UN-imposed ruling. I resent that. All we have done is reinstate the original boundary,” Goksel said.
He added that UNIFIL “will not be drawn into a media circus” by entering the village and possibly sparking a confrontation with the residents.

Footnotes:

1-            Manar TV, 9-6-2000.

2-            The Daily Star, 10-6-2000.

3-            AFP, 9-6-2000.

4-            The Daily Star, 10-6-2000.

5-            Same source.

6-            Same source.

7-            AFP, 9-6-2000.

8-            Same source.

9-            The Daily Star, 10-6-2000.

10-         Manar TV, 9-6-2000.

11-         Future TV, 9-6-2000.

12-         The Daily Star, 10-6-2000.