May

9

Hezbollah says Lebanon ‘declares war’ after gunbattles

Filed Under World News | Posted By Jennifer Sullivan |

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hiz1.jpgThe Lebanese capital braced for more sectarian aggression Friday after fierce gun battles in Beirut left at least seven people dead and the opponent Hezbollah chief charged that a government onslaught on his group was tantamount to an “announcement of war”.

The international community launched urgent petition for tranquil in the deeply separated country after two days of clashes among competitor political factions that signaled a major growth in a bitter 18-month power fight back.

Thursday’s shootouts stuck between groups of the Western-backed government and the Hezbollah-led opposition in mixed Sunni and Shiite Muslim districts of the capital also left dozens injured, hospital and security officials stated.

In scenes ominously reminiscent of the 1975-1990 civil wars, Beirut’s streets were almost abandoned during the day as loud explosions and gunfire rang out, while gunmen, some hooded and fired rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns.

The United States delivered a dull forewarning to the Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hezbollah to discontinue its “disruptive activities” while UN Security Council members told they were “deeply concerned” about the disaster.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah delivered his fiery speech on the second day of anti-government protests which saw supporters of the feuding factions block roads with blazing tyres and force the closure of Lebanon’s international airport.

“The (government) decisions are equivalent to a declaration of war and the start of a war for the United States and Israel,” Nasrallah charged during an unusual press conference.

The government on Tuesday launched a probe into a private communications network run by the powerful Shiite movement that is seen in the West as a terrorist outfit and which critics say has become a “state within a state.”

“The hand that touches the weapons of the resistance will be cut off,” Nasrallah notified. “We have the right to tackle he who starts a war with us by defending our rights and our weapons.”

Nasrallah told Hezbollah was prepared for dialogue but demanded the government withdraw its measures against his movement.

Hezbollah flatly discarded proposals by the government alliance to stop the conflicts, the group’s Al-Manar television reported after parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri insisted an end to the “siege” of Beirut.

And an official with the ruling coalition stated armed Hezbollah militants had broken into offices of Hariri’s Future Movement.

“We have given commands to our supporters not to engage in a civil war but we have also told them to protect themselves if attacked in their homes.”

Underscoring fears of continued unsteadiness, people hurried to stores to store food and bread, while the United Arab Emirates started abandoning its citizens from Beirut.

“Hezbollah requires to make a choice: Be a terrorist organisation or be a political party, but give up trying to be both,” stated US national security council spokesman Gordon Johndroe. “They have to to stop their troublesome activities at present.”

He stated US President George W. Bush would talk about the chaos when he meets Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora in Egypt next week during a Middle East tour.

Regional powers Egypt and Saudi Arabia voiced hold up for the Siniora government, and Arab League chief Amr Mussa, who has embarked on a number of missions to attempt to solve the disaster, urged Lebanon’s leaders to keep away from any extra growth.

Former colonial power France explained the renewed fighting as “worrying” and called for self-control, while the EU also told Hezbollah to begin playing a “constructive role.”

UN Middle East envoy Terje Roed Larsen told the Security Council that Hezbollah’s separate paramilitary infrastructure “constitutes a danger to regional peace and security.”

Israel, which fought a devastating war with Hezbollah in 2006, told it had no comment on the happenings in its northern neighbour, with foreign affairs spokesman Arye Mekel bluntly stating: “It’s none of our business.”

The most recent unrest erupted on Wednesday during a general strike over price increases and wage demands which hurriedly deteriorated into a disagreement among political rivals.

The crisis has left the country devoid of a president since November, when pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud resigned.

While the competitor factions have approved to the election of army chief Michel Sleiman, they oppose on the structure of the new cabinet and up to now 18 sessions of parliament to decide a president have been cancelled.



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