Daily Report  

Introduction
A Hizbullah delegation, headed by the chief of Politburo MP Mohammad Raad, visited yesterday the liberated Jezzine area. Raad confirmed that all the care and security of the region and its residents are under the supervision of the Lebanese government and that Resistance men had sacrificed themselves and offered their blood in order to bring back Jezzine to be a part of the nation again.

Meanwhile, the "Israeli" warplanes violated once more the April 1996 Understanding by staging a sortie against Assi River banks wounding two civilians and causing material losses.

Elsewhere, the "Israeli" allied militia arrested three of its militiamen for they refused to keep on serving the militia.

In the occupied Al-Quds, "Israel's" chief of staff Shaul Mofaz has rekindled speculation of an imminent partial withdrawal by stating that "Israeli" Army is still considering the possibility of transferring some positions to its militia ally.

Raad tries to assure Jezzine about security after liberation…(1)
"During the first visit of Hizbullah to Jezzine since the town was liberated earlier this month, Nabatieh MP Mohammed Raad reassured residents that the government was responsible for security and pledged that no party members would impede the state in fulfilling its duties toward the area.

“We’re here in Jezzine today to confirm that all the care and security of the region and its residents are under the supervision of the Lebanese government and there will be no security measures by the resistance within any liberated inch of Lebanese territory,” said Raad, who heads Hizbullah’s politburo.

The delegation arrived in the town, escorted by Internal Security Forces, and met with several Jezzine notables, including Father Boulos Khawand, the head of the Mashmousheh monastery.

But the absence of Jezzine MPs was noticeable.

Raad insisted that Hizbullah’s visit was to congratulate its people on the liberation and to “witness the great accomplishment by the resistance.”

“The Zionist enemy wanted to show the people of Jezzine that members of the resistance were their enemy when the fact is that the resistance is a nightmare to the "Israeli" enemy,” he said.

Raad said his presence at the city Serail was to show the people that Jezzine was “dear” to the resistance.

“We hope you receive the proper care from the government and whatever we can offer will be at the disposal of the people of Jezzine,” he said.

Raad said that Hizbullah had presented a legislative proposal to Parliament more than 18 months ago, recommending amnesty to "Israeli" proxy militiamen.

“The aim was not to give free amnesty to collaborators but an organized and scheduled amnesty with the national aim of retrieving our sons and giving them a second chance,” he said.

Khawand said that Jezzine’s “wedding began when it was liberated and is complete with Hizbullah’s presence.”

He called on "Israel's" militia to defect and surrender themselves to the government.

However, Khawand stressed that there were 203 young men who have placed their trust in the cleric when they resigned from the militia.

“I want to reiterate that these men have fulfilled their promise and are at the government’s disposal,” he said.

Khawand added that the fate of these men would be watched closely by the 1,500 people still working for the militia.

The priest said that the families of Butros Wehbe and Najm Habib, two militiamen captured by Hizbullah earlier this year, wanted to see them.

“I’m speaking not only as a religious man but as a human being and I would like to arrive at a solution for the detainees,” he said.

In response, Raad said Wehbe and Habib were known collaborators who would be used to free Khiam detainees.

“They’re with Hizbullah and the resistance and we have proposed to Antoine Lahd to swap them with detainees in Khiam. I can assure you there are no civilians kidnapped by the party but only collaborators,” he said. "Afterwards, the Hizbullah officials had a rare opportunity to inspect the handiwork of resistance fighters up close when they examined the remains of an armored personnel carrier destroyed in an attack during the "Israel's" militia retreat along the road south of Jezzine"
"As "Israeli" jets flew above, Ammar kicked the over-turned vehicle in a gesture of defiance before hurrying back to Jezzine".

"Israeli" warplanes raid on Hermel:
""Israel" staged an air raid Wednesday against the Orontes River in the Beqaa, wounding two civilians in what was the most northerly air strike by the "Israelis" in more than two years".

"Hassan Faitrouni, 19, and Ali Hussein Dandash, 16, were lightly injured from flying shrapnel when two "Israeli" F-16 fighter-bombers dropped a pair of bombs into a valley near the source of the Orontes River at Ras al-Assi, 5 kilometers south of Hermel.

“We were with a group of people standing in front of a house with our children when we heard the explosions,” said a woman who requested anonymity. “The children were terrified as stones and earth fell on houses, cafes and fish tanks, forcing us to leave immediately.”

"The area is very popular with local people who purchase trout from the local fish farms and visit the many riverside cafes and restaurants"…(2)

For its part, the "Israeli" occupation forces staged the following aggressions as reported in a statement issued by the Islamic Resistance (IR):

00:10, the outskirts of Kfar Romman came under several 82mm rounds and a barrage of 12.7mm heavy machine gun bullets.
7:45, four 155mm missiles fell on the west of Yater village and four 120mm shells on Jib Soweid area.
13:30, Mazraat Hamra was shelled by three 155mm missiles.
13:50, the "Israeli" jets staged a sortie against a park at Assi River banks in Hermel.
Between 19:05 and 19:30, the surroundings of Radar post came under seven 155mm missiles and three 120mm shells.
19:10, eight 120mm shells slammed into the perimeters of Kfar Houna.
Between 20:10 and 21:00, the west of Yater was bombarded by fifteen 155mm missiles, two of which were smoke ones.
20:55, four 155mm missiles were fired at Qaissieh Valley.
21:00, Jib Soweid area was targeted by three 155mm missiles.
21:05, the perimeters of Touline village subjected to six 155mm missiles.
21:05, two 155mm missiles landed Hamra area.
21:15, two 120mm shells fell on the peripheries of Loweizeh and one another on Mount Sojod.
21:20, the "Israeli" fighter-bombers dropped ten air-to-surface rockets into the west of Yater.
22:30, two 120mm shells were unleashed at Slouqi Valley.
23:35, the peripheries of Jibaa came under twenty 155mm missiles…(3)

Mofaz rekindles partial withdrawal speculation…(4)
""Israel’s" chief of staff General Shaul Mofaz has rekindled speculation of an imminent partial withdrawal by stating Wednesday that the "Israeli" Army is still considering the possibility of transferring some positions to its militia ally, the South Lebanon Army".

“We’re considering the possibility of transferring outposts and reinforcing outposts,” Mofaz told "Israel" Radio during a visit to a soldier wounded in fighting in Lebanon last week.

"The scheme was first proposed by outgoing "Israeli" Defense (War) Minister Moshe Arens in April, a move which angered Mofaz who apparently had not been consulted.

"Mofaz put the plan on hold following the battering the SLA received from the resistance during its retreat from Jezzine. A second redeployment, this time to the south of the strategic Litani River valley, had been expected following the withdrawal.

"Mofaz, however, decided that another pullback, coming so soon after the Jezzine withdrawal, would further undermine the morale of the SLA, which is already in poor shape given the increased likelihood of an end to the occupation.

"But the intensity of Hizbullah’s assaults on the "Israelis" in the northern sector last week, in which one soldier was killed and two wounded in close-quarter battles, appears to have forced the "Israelis" to reassess their commitment to holding onto the area north of the Litani.

“The facts of life have caught up with the "Israelis" and they will pull back to the Litani soon,” a senior security source said, predicting that the redeployment could come within the next two to three months.

"There is no compelling reason for the "Israelis" to remain north of the Litani now that its purpose as a lifeline to the Jezzine enclave has ended, especially as Hizbullah is expected to continue its attacks against the occupation forces in the area."

"But replacing the "Israeli" outposts in the northern sector with SLA militiamen is highly unlikely, observers believe. The northern sector is already an unpopular posting for the SLA".

"A group of militiamen from Kfar Shouba in the eastern sector this week reportedly refused to serve in the Rihan outpost".

Collaborators stage new wave of arrests…(5)
"The Lahdi collaborating militia Tuesday arrested three of its militiamen, because they refused to keep on serving the militia. They are Mahmoud al-Qaissi, his brother Nabil and Saed Fayez Abu Zeid.

"Moreover, a collaborating force under the command of agent Mohammed Mubarak, stormed several houses in the town of Taibeh, arrested Mohammed Mostafa Qousan, 34, and took him to the Khiam prison where he was previously detained".

"Mr. Qousan was freed from Khiam a year ago whereas his two brothers Abbass and Mohsen have been detained there for many years".

Amnesty International: 130 Lebanese without trial…(6)
Over the past year, "Israel" has, in the name of "security", flouted its obligations in human rights treaties it has freely ratified and has ignored recommendations made by United Nations treaty bodies.

Although the number of Palestinians imprisoned or administratively detained by the "Israeli" security services has decreased in recent years, more than 1,600 Palestinians are still arrested each year.

They have been routinely tortured or ill-treated during interrogation. At least 80 of them are held in administrative detention without charge or trial.

In addition, about 130 Lebanese nationals remain detained without charge or trial for up to 13 years in Khiam detention centre in "Israeli"-occupied south Lebanon.

The Human Rights Committee examined "Israel's" human rights record including its use of administrative detention in July 1998. The Committee found that the present application of administrative detention is “incompatible with articles 7 and 16 of the Covenant”. These articles prohibit torture and ill- treatment and the right of every person to recognition before the law. The Committee expressed specific concern that Lebanese held in administrative detention “do not personally threaten state security” but are kept as “bargaining-chips”. This fact, which constitutes a violation of human rights, has been acknowledged by the "Israeli" Supreme Court.

Moreover, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded last year that the detention of the 21 Lebanese held as “bargaining chips” was arbitrary. Nevertheless the "Israeli" government renewed their administrative detention.

Examining "Israel's" second periodic report in May 1998, the Committee against Torture again concluded that interrogation methods, such as violent shaking, or hooding and shackling detainees to low chairs with loud music playing, constituted torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and thus contravened Article 1 of the Convention against Torture. Nevertheless, in January this year, "Israel's" State Attorney stated before "Israel's" High Court that these methods were legal.

Many of these human rights violations are officially authorized at the highest level and indeed effectively legalized.

Without human rights there can be no genuine security and no sustainable peace. Amnesty International requests the Commission to call on the "Israeli" government to immediately cease violations of basic human rights and to apply fully United Nations human rights treaties, as well as the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, in the Occupied Territories.

IR Martyr escorted to resting place…(7)
"Martyr Imad Hussein Haidar of the Islamic Resistance (IR) was escorted to his final resting place at his hometown Ras Ousta in the Jbeil district in Kissirwan".

"Faithfulness to the Resistance Bloc member MP Ammar al-Musawi, MP Mahmoud Awwad, MP Nouhad Souaid and a crowd of religious figures took part in the massed funeral procession.

"The crowds chanted slogans in support of Lebanon and the Resistance and lifted banners reading "death to the US and "Israel"".

"MP al-Musawi delivered a speech on behalf of Hizbullah, stressing on continuing the Jihad and Resistance until full liberation.

"Martyr Haidar Ahmed is single, born in 1975 at Ras Ousta, studied religious science, joined the Islamic Resistance in 1993.

"He participated in many Jihad operations and was injured last week in IR's confrontations with the "Israeli" occupation forces in Mount Abu Rkab in western Beqaa and martyred this week".

IR wounds three collaborators…(8)
The IR team of martyrs Ibrahim Faqih and Hassan Zaraket set off, at 21:50, a powerful explosive device as a Lahdi military vehicle was about 150 meters away from Qsair position. The vehicle flipped over and burned whereas all of its occupants from the collaborators were inflicted. The "Israeli" allied militiamen were suffered a state of hysterical panic. So, they shelled the hilltops overlooking the scene and showered the surroundings of Salaah and Qsair positions. Also, a tank stationed near Qsair position bombarded intensely the hilltops.

An "Israeli" Army spokesman acknowledged that three collaborators were wounded by a roadside bomb planted by the IR mujahedeen.

Twenty five minutes later, the IR squad of martyrs Wafiq and Ziad Zahwi attacked the "Israeli" post of Taibeh with the proper weapons scoring direct and certain hits. Also, the smoke columns were seen emanating out of it.

Furthermore, the IR group of martyrs Rabih Maatouk and Nassrallah Abdel-Hassan targeted, at 23:30, Bir Kallab outpost with the suitable arms. The militants managed to chalk up direct and definite goals.

At the same time, the IR team of martyrs Khalil Olayan and Ahmad Zaiour targeted Sojod outpost with the machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades scoring direct goals.

Meanwhile, the IR men spotted an "Israeli" force near Kfar Houna position. Immediately afterwards, the IR unit of martyr Mohsen Bjeiji attacked it with the appropriate weapons. Direct and accurate hits were scored, the mujahedeen reported.