September Thursday 16 -1999:

Introduction
For the second day, the "Israeli" war jets raided into Jabal Dahr hilltops on the edge of the Eastern Sector of the occupation zone. A farmer was wounded in the aggression as he worked in a nearby field.

The sortie, which aimed at destroying an "Israeli" radar installation, fueled speculation that an "Israeli" retreat from Hasbaya area may be imminent.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese Military Tribunal has sentenced seventeen "Israeli" collaborators to prison terms ranging from two to 18 months for collaboration.

LEBANESE CIVILIAN WOUNDED IN "ISRAELI" AIR ATTACK…(1)
"For the second consecutive day "Israeli" warplanes have attacked hills in the western Beqaa. An elderly Lebanese farmer was injured in the raid south of Libbaya. Yesterday's raid on that region was reportedly aimed at destroying an "Israeli" radar installation, fueling speculation in Beirut that an "Israeli" withdrawal from the eastern sector of the occupied zone may be imminent".

"Two "Israeli" jets struck at hills south of Libbaya in the western Beqaa just north of the zone "Israel" occupies in southern Lebanon, injuring a 65-year-old Lebanese farmer, Mohammed Akle. The raid was a short distance away from hills targeted by "Israeli" warjets yesterday. They fired four missiles on the area of Jabal al-Dahr at the edge of the occupied zone. There was no military activity in the region prior to the assault. Security sources were quoted as saying the raid had targeted a radar site set up by "Israeli" occupation forces to monitor the movement of Lebanese resistance fighters in the region. Security sources explained that, amid speculation about an eventual partial pullout from the region, "Israeli" forces opted to destroy the radar with air strikes to avoid risking resistance attacks against occupation troops sent to dismantle the installation. In a similar operation in 1996, two "Israeli" soldiers were killed in clashes with Hizbullah before the "Israeli" air force intervened to destroy a radar site in southern Lebanon. Speculation about a pullout from the eastern sector has been rife since "Israel's" proxy militia pulled out of the district of Jezzine in June. There has been no confirmation of such a withdrawal from either Lebanese or "Israeli" sources. But Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, whose group is leading the resistance war to oust "Israel" from Lebanon, said it is almost certain that "Israel" will carry out partial pullbacks from the zone it occupies soon. He warned the government, resistance fighters and Lebanese to be ready for such withdrawals. The Hizbullah leader stressed any talk of an "Israeli" pullback means further strides and a victory for the resistance. "Israel" has been occupying parts of Lebanon since 1978, but "Israeli" Prime Minister Ehud Barak has repeatedly vowed to withdraw his forces from Lebanon in less than 10 months, even if peace negotiations with Syria and Lebanon fail. Over the past months, morale of the "Israeli" allied militia, which is backed, trained, and financed, by the Jewish state, has been crumbling. Militia defections in the eastern sector have especially been on the increase.

More changes in the village of Arnoun…(2)
"The "Israelis" have apparently completed the construction of a new road running beneath their position in Beaufort Castle and have established a new observation post in one of the few buildings still standing in the northern half of the village.

"The new road runs parallel to the former route but further up the hill and closer to the castle. The old road was prone to roadside bomb attacks. After the "Israelis" occupied Arnoun last March and turned the village into a virtual fortress, they demolished most of the homes in the northern half of the village and began building the new road.

"Replete with fresh asphalt and with the sides cleared of rocks and plants to prevent bombs from being hidden, the "Israelis" will be able to monitor the road more easily. "Israeli" troops have also established an observation post in the three-story home of Ali Ghazal, which affords them a clear view of the road running between Arnoun and the crossing point at Kfar Tibbnit, 3 kilometers to the north".

PRESS RIGHTS GROUP PROTESTS TO "ISRAEL" AT ARREST OF LEBANON JOURNALIST…(3)
" The media rights organisation Reporters Sans Frontieres (Reporters without Borders) sent a letter Tuesday to "Israeli" Prime Minister Ehud Barak protesting the arrest of a Lebanese journalist in southern Lebanon. The Paris-based group said that freelance journalist Cosette Ibrahim, 25, was arrested in southern Lebanon at the beginning of September in the village of Rmeish, together with two men. The two men were identified as De Gaulle Bou Taleb, 40, and Samir Khiami, 22. All three are being held by "Israel's" proxy militia in the region in Khiam prison in the "Israeli"-occupied southern border zone. The group said there were fears she had been tortured. RSF said its letter called on Barak to use his influence to secure Ibrahim's release. It pointed out that under international conventions, journalists in zones of conflict enjoy protection as civilians. An "Israeli" army spokesman was unable to give details of the affair. Last week the follow-up committee for Lebanese prisoners in "Israeli" jails also raised the issue of the prisoners' release. It said Ibrahim was "suffering depression as a result of the physical and psychological torture she has been subjected to when being questioned by "Israeli" services." Ibrahim is "accused of having written articles on the occupied zone and having provided the Lebanese army with intelligence on the movement of "Israeli" army forces," the committee said. It said it had launched an appeal for a sit-down protest to be held in front of the Beirut office of the International Committee of the Red Cross at midday on Thursday. The protest was being organized by the Thursday Mothers, a group of parents of the 17,000 Lebanese and Palestinians reported missing since the end of Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war who meet every week outside parliament to demand information about the fates of their children. The group's campaign under the banner "the whole country is a prison camp" is also calling for the closure of Khiam prison, where more than 140 Lebanese are held, some of them for more than 10 years without trial. Amnesty International has on several occasions criticized conditions in the jail".

"Israeli" Aggressions…(4)
The "Israeli" occupation forces staged the following aggressions:
00:55, several flare shells were fired over Mashaaroun outpost.
11:10, Baraasheit town was targeted by four 81mm rounds and a volley of 12.7mm heavy machine gun bullets.
11:25, the "Israeli" warplanes fired six air-to-ground rockets into the hilltops of Daidaba.
12:20, five 120mm shells landed Haddatha woodland.
21:45, six 155mm missiles struck Kfour ravine.

Military Operations…(5)
The Islamic Resistance (IR) team of martyrs Haitham Moghnieh and Said Mustafa El-Ali attacked, at 11:00, enemy movements inside Beit Yahoun outpost with the machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. The militants managed to score direct and certain hits.

At the same time, the IR unit of martyrs Hassan Haidous and Mohammad Kourani targeted Baraasheit compound as it was trying to back up the former outpost. The mujahedeen, who used the proper arms, were able to prevent it from achieving its goals and chalk up direct hits.

Half an hour later, the IR men spotted enemy movements inside Jamoussa position. Immediately afterwards, the IR squad of martyrs Mustafa El-Harakeh and Mustafa Moussa rushed upon them with the rocket-propelled grenades scoring direct and definite goals.

In the meantime, the IR group of martyrs Mohammad Mahmoud Hachem and Hussein Abdel-Aziz Sammour was targeting Hemayed position after observing enemy force fortifying it. The militants were able to bar it from achieving its goal and score direct hits.

Also, the IR team of martyrs Issam and Moussa Shouman attacked, at 21:25, enemy movements inside the "Israeli" outpost of Dabsheh with the appropriate arms. Direct hits were scored, the mujahedeen told.

Court sentences ex-SLA* men…(6)
"The Military Tribunal has sentenced 17 former pro-"Israeli" militiamen to prison terms ranging from two to 18 months for collaboration. Roger Abu Rashed was sentenced to 18 months, while 11 others received one-year sentences. Three militiamen were ordered to serve six months, one three months and one got a two-month sentence.

"Naji Aoun was convicted of collaboration but will not serve a sentence because he is elderly.

"The sentences raised to 151 the number of former SLA men tried since the militia withdrew from Jezzine in June. At least 69 others await trial.

"Most sentences have ranged from two years to six months. Two senior SLA officials were sentenced to 15 years, and a third to seven years".