June Saturday 24-2000:
Beirut holds firm on border
(1)
President
Emile Lahoud said on Friday that Lebanon was in the process of recovering all
its territory, armed with its unity and its rights despite all pressures
exerted by Israel.
Lahoud made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation from Jordans
Federation of Unions which visited the president to congratulate him on the
liberation of the South.
Lahoud said Lebanon was striving to recover all its internationally recognized
and occupied territories.
Beirut maintains that
Israel is guilty of violating the international border in more than a
dozen areas. A UN official said on Friday that checks were made on the
Israeli side of the border and that further consultations with Lebanese
officers would be needed.
Lahoud stressed the necessity of restoring Arab rights and liberating the
occupied Golan Heights, in addition to securing the return of Palestinian
refugees to their homeland.
For his part, Prime Minister Salim Hoss said on Friday that Lebanon insisted on
re-establishing its complete sovereignty over the disputed Shebaa Farms.
Hoss was addressing a delegation from Jordans Federation of Unions.
We insist that the Israeli enemy vacate every inch of the Shebaa Farms.
We also insist on re-imposing Lebanons sovereignty on these farms because
theyre Lebanese, Hoss told the group.
He added that Lebanon was certain to recover the farms, if not today, then
tomorrow.
Hoss discussed Israels continuous violations of the internationally
recognized Lebanese border in certain areas of the South, saying the
government was following up the matter on a daily basis with the UN.
The premier also told the delegation that Lebanon would call for an
international donors conference to help fund the reconstruction of the South.
The 50-member delegation relayed its wish to do its part by launching a donation
campaign in Jordan upon its return.
Annan ends his tour while border verification works
continues, and Israel still occupies Lebanese soil at 17 points
(2)
UN
General Secretary Kofi Annan announced in Damascus during a joint press
conference with Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa held Friday, that
starting Monday, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon would make weekly
checks on any border violations, with copies of the report going to both sides
and to the UN Security council.
Lebanese verification team reported Friday that there are still 14 violation points of the "blue-line" drawn by the UN, in addition to other major violations of the international border.
Moreover, official Lebanese sources made part of its fear that "Larsen's Experience" is to be repeated. For it was known that high placed UN General in Lebanon were behind sending non exact reports to Annan, although the UN force responsible possesses highly advanced equipment that measures exactly and by which they registered numerous Israeli border violations committed before July 16, the date UN Secretary General Kofi Annan handed in his report to the Security Council in which he announced that the withdrawal has been completed.
However, the U.N. General gave little interest to these violations and its number; while the Lebanese military team who very exactly verified the Israeli withdrawal refused the UN report.
150 collaborators go before court
(3)
Military Judge Maher Safieddine tried
150 Israeli allied militiamen on Friday and is expected to issue sentences
on Saturday. Chief Military Prosecutor Nasri Lahoud recommended the death
penalty for the militiaman Fadi Ali Abu Ismail if he is found guilty of killing
Hizbullah fighters. Lahoud also charged 10 other militiamen with disclosing
information about the Lebanese Army.
Fridays proceedings bring the number of the collaborators interrogated to
2,082, with 310 of those receiving sentences ranging from fines to 15 years in
prison.
Footnotes:
1- The Daily Star, 24-6-2000.
2- Manar TV, 23-6-2000.
3- The Daily Star, 24-6-2000.