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Lebanese supporters of majority leader Saad Hariri burning the office of the Lebanese chapter of the Syrian ruling Baath party during clashes in Tripoli Saturday. (AP)
Last update - 23:07 11/05/2008
Lebanon PM: Hezbollah did to Beirut what Israel didn't dare
By Yoav Stern and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Fuad Siniora, Hezbollah 

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Sinora on Sunday branded the militant Hezbollah group as worse than Israel, saying "even the Israeli enemy never dared to do to Beirut what Hezbollah has done."

Siniora was speaking as clashes between Hezbollah and pro-government fighters raged on for a fifth day across Lebanon. At least 53 people have been killed since the fighting began.

The violence was sparked when Siniora's internationally backed Lebanese government tried to crack down on Hezbollah last week.
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Hezbollah, a Shiite guerrilla group backed by Iran, responded by seizing control of many Beirut neighborhoods loyal to the government.

Top Arab diplomats on Sunday called on the Shiite gunmen to pull out of west Beirut and leave Lebanon's army in charge of security across the
city.

Sunni Arab heavyweights Egypt and Saudi Arabia organized an emergency meeting Sunday of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo, days after Iranian-backed Hezbollah took control of most of western Beirut.

The two nations are deeply suspicious of the Shiite group, accusing it of sidelining Lebanon's Sunni minority and being a proxy for extending Iran's power in the Middle East.

The ministers issued a statement urging Lebanon to immediately halt the
violence. They're also expected to relaunch a January plan that called for the immediate election of army chief Michel Suleiman as a consensus president and the formation of a national unity government

The Arab diplomats also agreed to send a high-level delegation to Beirut immediately to try to mediate a way out of Lebanon's crisis. Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani will head the delegation, the Cairo-based organization said in a statement. It did not name the other members of the mission.

Israel's Vice Premier Haim Ramon told cabinet members earlier Sunday that Lebanon must be viewed as a "Hezbollah state." Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, meanwhile, said during the weekly cabinet meeting that Israel was following the crisis closely, but would refrain from intervening.

Druze leader: Civil peace most important consideration

Meanwhile, Shi'ites loyal to Lebanese opposition group Hezbollah battled Druze supporters of the Beirut governing coalition east of the capital on Sunday afternoon.

At least two people were killed and four wounded in those clashes. At least 132 have been wounded. Hezbollah fighters took control of one village in the area, security sources said.

Fighting eased and the army began to deploy after Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, whose supporters were fighting Hezbollah, asked a rival Druze leader allied to the Shi'ite group to mediate an end to the fighting.

"I tell my supporters that civil peace, coexistence and stopping war and destruction are more important than any other consideration," Jumblatt told the pro-government LBC television station by telephone.

Beirut, which experienced four days of bloody sectarian clashes between Sunnis and Shiites, spent a quiet night on Saturday.

But many of its roads remained blocked, including the one to the airport, however, by the ongoing civil disobedience campaign of the opposition, and heavy fighting broke out between pro and anti-government supporters in northern Lebanon, security officials reported.

The country's government has been paralyzed, unable to elect a new president, since the Hezbollah-led opposition withdrew from the Cabinet 17 months ago.

The strife is the worst since Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war. During that fighting in 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon to push forces of the Palestine Liberation Organization from the border.

The heaviest clashes Sunday morning took place in the northern city of Tripoli where pro-government supporters in the Tebaneh neighborhood exchanged rocket propelled grenades and heavy machine gun fire with opposition followers in Jabal Muhsin, the officials said. One woman was killed in the clashes.

The fighting in the north intensified in the early hours of Sunday but the situation calmed down later as Lebanese troops started deploying between the two sides, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.

Meanwhile, Muslim West Beirut has been mostly calm since Hezbollah and its allies seized control of many neighborhoods Friday from Sunnis loyal to the government.

On Saturday, Hezbollah scored a major victory after four days of fighting across Lebanon, when the Lebanese army reversed two cabinet resolutions that kicked off the fighting on Wednesday.

The resolutions, if implemented, would have removed the chief of Beirut Airport's security, Major General Wafiq Shukeir, who has ties to Hezbollah. It also would have dismantled Hezbollah's private telephone network.

Instead, Prime Minister Siniora announced on Saturday that he was putting the two issues into the hands of the army, which said in a statement that it was keeping Shukeir at his post and that it would handle the Hezbollah communications network in a way "that would not harm public interest and the security of the resistance."

Hezbollah's television station, Al-Manar, said the "Lebanese national opposition" would continue its civil rebellion until its demands for an amendment to the parliamentary election law and the formation of a unity government in which the opposition had veto power were met.

Late Thursday night, Hezbollah forces took over areas of western Beirut, mainly the Shi'ite neighborhoods, within a few hours. They faced little resistance.

About a dozen people were reportedly killed in Beirut that night. On Friday morning the prime minister's office in central Beirut was surrounded. By last night most of the Hezbollah gunmen in western Beirut had withdrawn.

The army has mainly stayed out of the fighting, although troops were deployed on Saturday.

The confrontations in the last few days were the worst since the end of the civil war in the early 1990s. They took place amid the power struggle between the Hezbollah bloc and the parliamentary majority comprising most of the country's Sunni, Druze and Christian powers.

If an agreement over the election law and a unity government can be obtained, it will also enable the appointment of a new president. The candidate with approval from all sides is army commander Michel Suleiman, who also had a part in Saturday's decision. But his appointment has been repeatedly postponed for nearly 18 months.

Israeli request

European diplomats familiar with the events in Lebanon claim that in the past year the United States has refused to provide the Lebanese army with
advanced weapons that would have helped against Hezbollah and other militant groups. They said this was because of Israeli requests.

Since the 2006 Second Lebanon War and the deployment of the army in South Lebanon that followed, the international community has tried to rehabilitate the national armed forces.

The European diplomats told Haaretz that although Lebanon asked the U.S. to provide heavy weapons such as antitank missiles and assault helicopters, the U.S. aid has concentrated on training Lebanese army units and supplying light arms and ammunition. They say the U.S. refused the requests because of Israel's fears that heavy arms could be used against it in the future or even fall into Hezbollah hands.

Israel is closely following the events in Lebanon. For the time being, Jerusalem has decided not to issue any official comment on the confrontations between Hezbollah and the Beirut government. But various officials have expressed concern over the escalation and the possible implications for Israel's northern border.

Officials have also expressed pessimism and frustration over the international community's helplessness in the face of the fighting. Jerusalem believes that the UN Security Council will make no effort to solve the conflict because of its current composition.

"The fact that Libya is a member of the Security Council leads to a complete paralysis," one Jerusalem source said.

There is also a fear that a military escalation and Hezbollah's growing power could drive UNIFIL out of Lebanon.

Foreign Ministry officials in Jerusalem Saturday night said Sunday's scheduled meeting of Arab League foreign ministers could be key to the future of the crisis. They said Saudi Arabia and Egypt are expected to criticize Hezbollah's violence against the Beirut government.

But it is uncertain whether the Arab states are capable of taking action that could contribute significantly to ending the crisis.

Related articles:
  • ANALYSIS: Hezbollah, Lebanon gov't are boxers girding for next round
  • Hezbollah, the only party in Lebanon
  • Report: Hezbollah can intercept calls in Lebanon thanks to Iran
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      1.   HERE IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO GET SOME REAL PEACE FOR A CHANGE 02:12  |  MOE 11/05/08
      2.   "Lebanon".. Hostage. The Final Chapter. 02:37  |  Stephen. 11/05/08
      3.   Lebanese Army Servants of Hezbollah 02:40  |  Brad 11/05/08
      4.   Flatulence 02:54  |  Mark Lincoln 11/05/08
      5.   consider the Leb govt a terror sponsor 03:25  |  vik 11/05/08
      6.   IS THIS ACCEPTABLE TO ALL JEWS AND MY FELLOW ARABS FOR PEACE!!!!! 03:27  |  MOE 11/05/08
      7.   Check out this Map of a future Palestinian state! 03:34  |  MOE 11/05/08
      8.   RE: #7, forget jerusalem 04:00  |  Joey 11/05/08
      9.   Moe Moe You All Gotta Go 04:02  |  GZLives 11/05/08
      10.   ANNEX LEBANON,WIPE OUT ENEMY HEZBOLLAH,ESTABLISH PEACE FOR ISRAEL 04:04  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 11/05/08
      11.   Didn`t take long to blame Israel 04:30  |  Arie 11/05/08
      12.   Hezbollah and the Lebanese Army ... 05:18  |  Bernie 11/05/08
      13.   What is next? 05:26  |  GK 11/05/08
      14.   To MOE -- i`ll pass 05:45  |  vik 11/05/08
      15.   Reality Check 05:48  |  Mikesailor 11/05/08
      16.   "We do not have that phenomenon in Iran." 06:37  |  Maronite 11/05/08
      17.   Siniora cannot succeed where Israel failed 06:43  |  Natallie Durson 11/05/08
      18.   "A new Hitler with nuclear weapons"? 06:44  |  Rowan 11/05/08
      19.   ALL MILITIAS MUST DISARM 07:36  |  peaceforlebanon 11/05/08
      20.   Forget Jerusalem eh? You mean WEST J. 07:46  |  Palestinian Brit 11/05/08
      21.   #7 MOE says this is just dandy! 08:33  |  Johnboy 11/05/08
      22.   Moe 08:36  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 11/05/08
      23.   vik #5 08:50  |  democrat 11/05/08
      24.   RESIGN NOW, SINIORA 09:09  |  indrajaya 11/05/08
      25.   "because of Israeli requests." 09:38  |  Dutch Dirk 11/05/08
      26.   Pal Brit - just curious as to your affiliation 09:55  |  Joe Sittizen 11/05/08
      27.   #26, Joe Sittizen 10:28  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 11/05/08
      28.   The bankruptcy in ideas and vision of Israel`s politicians 10:37  |  Clickfool 11/05/08
      29.   Lebanon 10:40  |  Ralph 11/05/08
      30.   Why a Weak Lebanese Army? 10:54  |  Mark of Lewiston 11/05/08
      31.   Hezbollah always claim victory 11:01  |  Ulf 11/05/08
      32.   From a lebanese man 11:03  |  Zahi 11/05/08
      33.   Vilnai said "Israel won`t meddle"? 11:03  |  Rowan 11/05/08
      34.   As if it can!!!!! 11:03  |  MiddleStanian 11/05/08
      35.   #28, fool, actually you are terribly wrong 11:25  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 11/05/08
      36.   OMG...the outrage!!! 11:31  |  m 11/05/08
      37.   Hezb Allah and the israeli nightmare 11:45  |  Imad 11/05/08
      38.   What does Israel have to do with this current fight? 11:51  |  Dror 11/05/08
      39.   The media spin on this is fascinating 11:58  |  Rowan 11/05/08
      40.   Kohn 12:06  |  Natallie Durson 11/05/08
      41.   #1, MOE, we know that won`t happen 12:17  |  VIPER 11/05/08
      42.   #7, MOE, looks good 12:20  |  VIPER 11/05/08
      43.   #35, CPK and his/her scare tactics 12:24  |  VIPER 11/05/08
      44.   35 Cipora in re to Clicky 12:28  |  The Equalizer 11/05/08
      45.   "We do not have that phenomenon in Iran" 12:36  |  Sarah 11/05/08
      46.   MOE- tell me more 12:41  |  Josh 11/05/08
      47.   MOE & 18 Rowan,Moe why the 1967 border? 12:57  |  lakshmi 11/05/08
      48.   Israel watching closely but won`t meddle in Lebanon 12:58  |  Imad 11/05/08
      49.   MOE - tell me more 13:03  |  Josh 11/05/08
      50.   For once I understand Israels position....... 13:09  |  Swiss (Dino) 11/05/08
      51.   You know what gives the lie to your rosy view of Israel, Cipora? 13:10  |  Clickfool 11/05/08
      52.   #40, Durson, the answer is children 13:13  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 11/05/08
      53.   What have the internal affairs of Lebanon 13:18  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/05/08
      54.   #43, Viper, so much tosh 13:21  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 11/05/08
      55.   Stephen of Geneve 13:29  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/05/08
      56.   But won`t meddle??? 13:31  |  Joe 11/05/08
      57.   Vik Needs to Get Educated 13:37  |  Alex 11/05/08
      58.   @ #47 Lakshmi 13:56  |  Rowan 11/05/08
      59.   Clickfool speaks truth with brown tongue 14:16  |  k 11/05/08
      60.   The Equalizer/Cipora 14:36  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 11/05/08
      61.   Dino on Duplicity 14:42  |  Ronnie Wolman 11/05/08
      62.   Lebanon is paying the price for Israel`s peace 14:53  |  Nick 11/05/08
      63.   Chris Linthwaite 14:54  |  rich 11/05/08
      64.   Vice Premier 14:58  |  Steve 11/05/08
      65.   Ramon is right. In light of the fact that neither the UN nor any 15:00  |  Amihai 11/05/08
      66.   Love who you can, as much as you can. RESIST HATE & VIOLENCE 15:03  |  Don`t be overcome 11/05/08