June Saturday 17-2000:
Introduction
"We will always be with the resistance, as we
have always been; nothing will change whatsoever" Lieutenant General Bashar
Al-Assad said as he received Hizbullah Secretary General H.E. Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah ahead of a large delegation from the party including the leadership,
the MPs, some religious scholars and a group of Islamic Resistance (IR)
fighters.
However, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan took the
Lebanese government by surprise on Friday, ignoring Beirut's objections and
declaring that "Israel" had fully withdrawn from land it occupied for
22 years and therefore complied with Resolution 425.
President Emile Lahoud said "Lebanon would
regard the "Israeli" withdrawal as incomplete if it is calculated
against a fictitious, none-existent line". Prime Minister Salim Al-Hoss
said that "Israel" has "sadly not pulled out completely from
Lebanese territory".
IR, Hizbullah delegation offers condolences in
Qirdaha
(1)
In faithfulness to the great Arab leader, late Syrian
President Hafez al-Assad, in an act to honor him for backing the Islamic
Resistance (IR) against the Zionist enemy, and in affirmation of continuing the
march with his son, Lieutenant General Bashar al-Assad, Hezbollah Secretary
General his Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, ahead of a large delegation from
the party including the leadership, the MPs, some Ulama and a group of IR men,
visited the tomb of the loss of the Arab and Islamic Ummah, the late President
Hafez al-Assad, in al-Qirdaha.
The delegation recited the Fatiha for the soul of
President Assad, laid wreaths of roses and laurels on his tomb in faithfulness,
appreciation and respect to a man who had protected the Resistance and refused
to shake hands with the Zionists.
Lieutenant General Bashar al-Assad received the
Hezbollah and IR delegation with extreme honoring.
We will always be with the resistance, as we have
always been; nothing will change whatsoever, Lieutenant General said as he was
seeing off the delegation at the Mosque's gate.
UN chief lets "Israel" off with partial
pullout
Lahoud rejects
withdrawal to imaginary line
(2)
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan took the Lebanese
government by surprise on Friday, ignoring Beiruts objections and declaring
that "Israel" had fully withdrawn from land it occupied for 22 years
and therefore complied with Resolution 425.
This is a happy day for Lebanon but also for
"Israel", Annan told a news conference at UN headquarters in New
York. Its a day for hope for the Middle East
And its a day of pride
for the United Nations.
Lebanon, however, was anything but happy with the
announcement. Prime Minister Salim Hoss rejected the finding, insisting that
the reality on the ground as it appeared on Friday evening showed that
"Israel" has not withdrawn from all Lebanese territory.
The Lebanese team that has been cooperating with
international experts in verifying the border points has found that there are
several "Israeli" military outposts still within the Lebanese border
and there are several patches of Lebanese territory still under
"Israeli" control in a blatant creeping annexation, Hoss said.
I dont believe that the UN secretariat-general
could declare that the withdrawal has fulfilled Resolution 425 had it been
provided with these realities.
Annan said he had been informed by UNIFIL that
"Israel" has withdrawn from the country in full compliance with
Security Council Resolution 425.
There was no immediate comment from UNIFIL on
Annans announcement.
But earlier, UNIFIL spokesman Timur Goksel had told
Reuters that although the inspection of the border had finished that
doesnt mean that the verification process is completed.
General Amin Hoteit, the head of the Lebanese
delegation to the verification team, discussed several points of contention
along the border with UNIFILs commander, General Kofi Obeng, on Friday night.
The news of Annans announcement came during the meeting, a UN source said,
embarrassing the Lebanese considerably.
Hoteit was due to brief officials at Baabda late on
Friday night. A formal response from the presidential palace is expected on
Saturday.
A UNIFIL officer admitted that the UN team had not
completed its task of confirming the "Israeli" withdrawal and was
planning to return to 12 disputed points on the border.
Furthermore, "Israeli" troops were seen by
The Daily Star still deployed on Lebanese soil at Ghajar on Friday, having
been overlooked by the UN verification team during its inspection of the area.
Annans declaration angered Lebanese officials, who
were already dismayed at what they perceived as a deliberate attempt by UN
special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen to push through the verification process based
on his own withdrawal line rather than the international border referred
to in 425. A senior political source described the move as Larsens
tricks.
During his last trip to Lebanon 10 days ago, Larsen
announced in a news conference that "Israel" was obliged to withdraw
from Lebanon in compliance with a line to be established by the UN. No mention
was made of the international border.
Lebanon responded by releasing a presidential
memorandum to the United Nations, reasserting the countrys adherence to the
international border. The memorandum was accompanied by supporting documents,
some of them from the UN, confirming the legitimacy of the international border.
The political source said that Larsen was asked to
attach the memorandum to Annans report on the withdrawal. Larsen refused,
however, increasing Lebanons discontent with the way he was handling the
issue. Lebanon subsequently released the memorandum as a separate document to
the member states of the UN Security Council.
Lebanons position toward the Larsen Line
hardened on Friday, with President Emile Lahoud declaring that Beirut would not
consider "Israel's" withdrawal complete unless the UN-demarcated line
complied with the internationally recognized border.
Some people try to interpret Lebanons position
in the most recent presidential memorandum to
Annan as a mere reservation
and an attempt to make sure that Lebanons rights will be protected in the
future if the "Israeli" withdrawal does not prove to have reached the
internationally recognized border, he warned in a statement. Contrary to
these renditions and interpretations, Lebanon which calls for full abidance
by Security Council Resolution 425 and by the text and the spirit of the UN
secretary-generals report will consider the withdrawal incomplete if it
conforms only with a non-existent and imaginary line.
He said that the line of reference should be the
existing and recognized international border that is documented and well-known
by the United Nations and all parties concerned.
This border is not subject to amendment, he
added, and its fate cannot be postponed.
Annan did made no mention of Lahouds comments in
his prepared statement, saying only that he was heading to the region later to
meet all the leaders to see what the United Nations can do to consolidate and
build on todays achievement.
The Daily Star has learned that Annan proceeded with
the news conference based on guarantees from the "Israeli" government
that it would withdraw troops from two disputed positions along the withdrawal
line near Rmeish and Misgav Am by Saturday. UN sources said that the
"Israelis" were in the process of relocating from these positions on
Friday evening.
A Western diplomat argued that the UN had made
serious mistakes. He said that Larsen should never have compromised on
Annans instructions to base the line of withdrawal on the Anglo-French
boundary of 1923, which was subsequently ratified by the 1949 Armistice
Agreement.
Deviating from the established border was bound to
upset one party or the other, the diplomat said. It would appear that some
of the Europeans in UN headquarters believe that the Lebanese are easy prey and
can be pushed around.
"Israeli" withdrawal "incomplete"
unless reaches border: Lahoud
(3)
" The United Nations said Friday it had finished
work verifying "Israel's" withdrawal from south Lebanon, but Lebanon
said it would not accept anything short of "Israel's" withdrawal to
the internationally recognized border.
"Lebanon would regard the "Israeli"
withdrawal as incomplete if it is calculated against a fictitious, non-existent
line," Lebanese President Emile Lahoud said in a statement.
"Lebanon is demanding the complete
implementation, in letter and spirit, of Security Council Resolution 425 and the
report of the (UN) Secretary General (Kofi Annan)" he added.
Lahoud's statement comes on the eve of schedule
visits to the Middle East by both Annan and his regional envoy, Terje
Roed-Larsen.
Lahoud told Annan in a four-page memorandum made
public last Sunday that the United Nations had been too hasty in mapping the
border to which "Israel" had to withdraw and called the UN line
"fictitious."
He said Friday's new statement was designed to put an
end to claims that "the sole purpose of the memorandum sent by Mr. Lahoud
to Mr. Annan was to preserve Lebanon's rights even if the "Israeli"
withdrawal did not go back to the recognised border."
Lebanese Lieutenant-Colonel Amin Hoteit said the
major difference was over a 180 square-meter (1,935 square-feet) area in
Abbassiyeh, a village he said the "Israelis" trespassed onto and
destroyed. Hoteit called on the United Nations to move barbed wire so that
Abbassiyeh's residents could return.
Lebanon says that UN Security Council Resolution 425
of 1978, and Annan's May 22 report, called for an "Israeli" withdrawal
to the international frontier established in 1923 and confirmed in the 1949
armistice agreement between the two.
Annan's report made it clear that the UN "blue
line" should not be taken as the definitive border.
Lahoud criticized Thursday those whom he said were in
a rush to wrap up verification of the "Israeli" withdrawal from south
Lebanon.
"We waited 22 years for the liberation of our
land. How can they conceive of not being able to wait a few days to ensure the
withdrawal" he said as he chaired an extraordinary cabinet session.
Information Minister Anwar al-Khalil said Lahoud was
responding to those who held Lebanon responsible for delays in the United
Nation's verification work, which is required by the Security Council.
UN experts started work checking the line of
withdrawal on June 8, and completed it on the "Israeli" side a week
ago, but it has been held up on the Lebanese side by disagreements over alleged
"Israeli" encroachments.
Work was further held up Thursday after
"Israeli" troops fired warning shots at the cartographers.
They resumed work Friday under the protection of two
UN armoured cars and UN officials in Beirut said later the work had been
completed.
But they added that some of the points were inspected
by helicopter and Lebanese army experts still wished to visit "a few of
them" on foot, which meant they could not officially confirm the withdrawal
for several hours.
Enemy soldiers in Ghajar defy so-called complete
departure
(4)
""Israeli" troops were still deployed
north of the United Nations line of withdrawal at Ghajar on Friday, having
gone unnoticed by the UN border verification team which visited the disputed
area.
Their presence clearly contradicted UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annans declaration that the "Israelis" have
implemented Resolution 425 and totally withdrawn from Lebanon.
The "Israeli" soldiers were spotted less
than an hour after the UN team accompanied by Lebanese Army officers
verified the line of withdrawal stretching northeast from the center of Ghajar.
The team said they were satisfied that there was no "Israeli" military
activity north of the withdrawal line.
But The Daily Star saw several "Israeli"
soldiers in military vehicles and in an observation post located at the northern
end of Ghajar which now falls on Lebanese territory.
The verification team consisted of two delegations:
one from the Lebanese Army, headed by General Amin Hoteit, which was demarcating
Lebanons borders with "Israel" and "Israeli"-occupied
Syria. The second consisted of officers from UNIFIL and the Observer Group
Lebanon, part of the UN Truce Supervision Organization. The task of the UN group
was to confirm that "Israel" has withdrawn from Lebanese territory in
accordance with Resolution 425.
The team arrived at the Abbassieh crossing on Friday
morning for a second attempt to inspect the withdrawal line. On Thursday, the
border inspection was canceled after an "Israeli" soldier fired shots
at UN personnel as they attempted to pass through the gate. The
"Israeli" Army subsequently apologized for the shooting and said a
patrol had fired warning shots at trespassers.
Brigadier General Jim Sreenan, UNIFILs deputy
commander, said he was hopeful the team could reach their final destination
just above Shibaa village by the end of the day.
Im pretty confident well do it today, he
said. Were not anticipating any problems.
Reporters were prevented from crossing to the other
side of the fence as the team checked the location of the border marker two
stacked concrete blocks painted in UN blue. A bearing was taken from the marker
following the line of withdrawal to Ghajar, 1.5 kilometers to the southwest. The
line effectively placed almost two-thirds of the village inside Lebanon.
An "Israeli" jeep pulled up 100 meters down
the road, on the other side of the withdrawal line, to watch the proceedings.
Hoteit said he accepted the delineation of the blue
line but noted that an "Israeli" position was located 118 meters
inside Lebanese territory.
The outpost in question was demolished by the
"Israelis" last week. But, for a few days afterward,
"Israeli" soldiers continued to watch the Abbassieh gate, some 200
meters to the north, from the bulldozed ramparts of the outpost.
After checking the area, Sreenan said there did not
appear to be any soldiers in the post.
We have marked the (withdrawal) line. Theres no
apparent sign of "Israeli" activity, he said.
Sreenan added that the team had not entered the
outpost due to the large number of land mines in the area.
A UN officer said that the team had spotted broken
water pipes by the post which appeared to have been linked to the Wazzani
springs, 2 kilometers to the west below Ghajar.
Hoteit announced that the Lebanese Army had just
recuperated 4,000 dunums of Lebanese territory
Apparently satisfied with the inspection, the team
boarded their UN vehicles and headed for their next destination, near Kfar
Shouba on the border between Lebanon and "Israeli"-occupied Syria.
Three former residents of Abbassieh smashed the
padlock securing the gate and swung it open. A Hizbullah supporter stepped
through and gingerly planted a party flag on the edge of the road. One of the
Abbassieh residents let out a feeble cheer for the newly liberated territory but
his voice was carried away by the warm breeze.
However, it was only with the departure of the UN
team that it gradually became clear that not all "Israeli" troops had
departed the newly reclaimed Lebanese territory.
Scanning the area north of the withdrawal line, a
military vehicle could be seen driving on what appeared to be Lebanese land on
the edge of Ghajar. Clearer evidence of a transgression emerged, however, as we
approached Ghajar alongside the existing border fence.
Six "Israeli" soldiers lay on top of a
water tower, shaded by a canopy of camouflaged netting. One of them manned a
light machine gun while two others observed our approach through binoculars. An
"Israeli" Army light vehicle, known as a humvee, came into view just a
few meters from the fence as we reached the edge of the village. The humvee was
parked with the engine running and headlights switched on. The occupants could
barely be seen through the smoked glass windscreen.
A small military troop carrier drove up and stopped
on the other side of the fence. The back door swung open and a soldier leaned
out.
Take a picture of me, he said grinning. Put
me in your paper.
Three residents of Ghajar approached the fence,
willing to talk.
The "Israelis" have given us five
minutes only to talk to you, said Ahmad Khatib.
He reiterated the objections of the residents to the
village being split between Lebanon and "Israeli"-occupied Syria.
Well never leave our land behind. The village
must remain whole and with all our land, he said.
What about the "Israeli" soldiers in
Ghajar? Why are they still there?
The "Israelis" are putting up new
defenses along their border, Khatib said uncomfortably.
Do the "Israelis" intend to build a fence
through the village?
We have no contact with the "Israeli"
soldiers, he replied.
The five minutes were up. The residents left and we
walked back to the Abbassieh gate with the "Israeli" soldiers watching
us every step of the way.
UNIFIL had no comment to make on the continued
presence of "Israeli" soldiers in Ghajar.
Larsen makes an unscheduled trip to Beirut
(5)
"UN special Middle East envoy Terje Roed-Larsen
is to make an unscheduled visit to Lebanon tomorrow, ahead of UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan's planned trip to the region.
Annan cancelled a meeting with French President
Jacques Chirac which was scheduled for this afternoon in Paris. Officials said
Annan was held back in New York. The UN chief is to begin an eight-day visit to
the Middle East on Saturday to discuss "Israel's" pullout from Lebanon
and ways to preserve peace on the Lebanon-"Israel" border. Annan will
hold talks with top officials in Beirut on Monday and is also expected to visit
southern Lebanon.
Pullout deaths tragic mistake'
(6)
"Israel's" army admitted on Friday to
committing a tragic mistake when an "Israeli" tank fired upon a
BBC television car, killing a Lebanese driver during the armys withdrawal
from the South last month.
Abed Taqqoush was killed on May 23 when a tank shell
hit his parked Mercedes. Veteran BBC reporter Jeremy Bowen and Reuters cameraman
Malek Kenaan were filming 100 meters from the car when it was hit.
After investigating the incident the army found that
the tank crew had acted according to procedures based on the circumstances
that it found itself at that time.
The statement continued to say that
"Israeli" soldiers mistook the cars passengers for terrorists
who were preparing to fire anti-tank missiles.
Afterward it was clear that a tragic mistake was
made, the report added.
But the "Israeli" Armys statement did
appease the BBC, which is conducting its own investigation into the incident.
The head of BBC news-gathering, Adrian Van Klaveren,
said the BBC was deeply dissatisfied with the "Israeli" Army
investigation into the death of Abed Taqqoush.
If they really believed that the car was being
used by alleged terrorists, why attack the vehicle rather than the individuals
who had just left it? he asked in a statement.
Amnesty International is also investigating the
killing of four civilians, including Taqqoush.
Trials of 2277 collaborators continue
(7)
The trials of the 2277 collaborators who had
surrendered to the resistance that handed them over to the Lebanese judiciary
continued on Friday.
A total of 364 former members of the
"Israeli" occupation's now-defunct proxy militiawere questioned on
collaboration charges on Thursday, paving the way for their trials.
Trials resumed on Friday after Monday and Wednesday
sessions were canceled due to the mourning period for Syrian President Hafez
Assad who died on Saturday and the celebration of the Prophet Mohammed's
(PBUH&HF) birthday on Wednesday.
So far, 105 collaborators have been sentenced to
terms mostly ranging between 12 and 18 months.
Footnotes:
1-
Manar TV, 16-6-2000.
2-
The Daily Star, 17-6-2000.
3-
AFP, 16-6-2000.
4-
The Daily Star, 17-6-2000.
5-
Future TV, 16-6-2000.
6-
The Daily Star, 17-6-2000.
7-
Manar TV, 16-6-2000.