Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., November 24, 2007 Kislev 14, 5768 | | Israel Time: 05:43 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Magazine Week's End Anglo File
Hezbollah supporters watching a televised address by the group's leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut on Friday. (AP)
del.icio.us
Digg It!  new
Last update - 20:15 06/10/2007
Lebanon MP: Nasrallah clearing way for more political murders
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and The Associated Press
Tags: Israel, Lebanon, Nasrallah 

An anti-Syrian lawmaker in Lebanon has poured scorn on claims by Hassan Nasrallah that Israel is responsible for the spate of political assassinations in the country, Israel Radio reported Saturday. Wail Abu Faur said that such remarks by the Hezbollah leader cleared the way for another politically motivated killing, by attempting to absolve Syria of any blame for the murders.

In a televised speech broadcast Friday evening to his supporters to mark Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day, Nasrallah accused Israel of killing anti-Syrian figures in Lebanon to cause strife and drag his militant movement into fighting other Lebanese communities. He said Israel has a network of agents working in Lebanon who are responsible for the assassinations.

"If Israel is indeed to blame for what is happening in Lebanon, why is the Hezbollah-led opposition working to thwart the establishment of an international court to try the killers of the former prime minister [Rafik Hariri]," Abu Faur asked.
Advertisement
Hariri, who was vehemently opposed to Syria's then military presence in Lebanon, was killed in a massive car-bombing in Beirut in February 2005. His murder led to the "Cedar Revolution," a civil protest named for Lebanon's flag, and the removal of Syrian troops from Lebanon after almost three decades.

Anti-Syrian groups that control the Lebanese government claim Damascus is behind a two-year killing spree that has left a number of anti-Syrian politicians and public figures dead. The latest was on September 19 when lawmaker Antoine Ghanem was killed in a Beirut car bombing a week before Parliament was to meet for the election of a new president.

Nasrallah, whose group leads the pro-Syrian opposition to Lebanon's U.S.-backed government, also warned the parliamentary majority against picking a president of their own to run the country if talks with the opposition failed, and called for polling the general population on their choice if the lawmakers fail to reach agreement.

The Hezbollah chief said that the supposed Israeli attacks against members of Lebanon's anti-Syrian parliamentary majority in the last two years were designed to drawn condemnation from that coalition against Damascus, Hezbollah's ally.

"The hand that is killing is Israel's," he told thousands of supporters who occasionally interrupted his speech with roars of approval.

"Israel has a sure interest in the assassinations, because its project is sedition... Israel wants the resistance [Hezbollah] to be dragged into internal strife and fighting to weaken and exhaust it," he said. "It [Israel] is the prime beneficiary of any internal strife in Lebanon."

Al-Quds Day is marked every year by Shi'ites across the world, on the last Friday of the month of Ramadan. It is held in protest against Israel's hold on Jerusalem, the city where Muslims believe Islam's Prophet Mohammed began his journey to heaven.

Nasrallah also said that if the Arab world was to help the Palestinians, it would be able to "liberate Palestine to the 1967 borders at least."

In previous years, Hezbollah used to mark Al-Quds Day with military marches through the streets of Beirut. On Friday, however, the guerilla group's top officials assembled with leaders of the Lebanese political factions close to it - including Palestinian ones - inside a tent in the capital.

Nasrallah also referred to the upcoming Middle East peace summit to be held in Annapolis, Maryland in November. He said Israel and the United States plan on achieving normal relations for Israel with the Arab states without giving anything in return.

The Hezbollah leader called on Saudi Arabia to boycott the conference, and said: "Do not give this meeting Arab support. The Arabs are talking about peace, and Israel is beating the drums of regional war."

They allege Syria wants to bring down U.S.-backed Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora's government by killing off lawmakers and end his slim parliamentary majority.

Syria denies any link to the killings and President Bashar Assad said earlier in the week that they were against Syria's interests.

Hezbollah and its allies in the opposition blocked a parliamentary session from electing a president on September 25. The 128-seat parliament will try again on Oct. 23 to elect a head of state to replace pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, who leaves office on November 24.

If Parliament fails to elect a president, Lebanon could face a power vacuum and the prospects of two rival governments.

Nasrallah on Friday said Hezbollah would continue to work toward a consensus candidate, warning the governing majority against electing a president of their own without a consensus, saying that would be "unconstitutional and illegal - and even worse than a [power] vacuum."

If no agreement could be reached among the politicians, he proposed going straight to the people. He proposed a constitutional amendment for the people to directly elect a president
Bookmark to del.icio.us
Seinfeld in town
American Jewish comedian Jerry Seinfeld tours Israel and promotes his new movie.
Beita Israel
Uriel Sinai takes us on a photographic journey from Ethiopia to Israel.
  1.   HE IS RIGHT. MOSSAD DID IT 22:39  |  Indrajaya 05/10/07
  2.   Nasrallah`s confession 22:40  |  Esther 05/10/07
  3.   ARAB RULERS COLLABERATED WITH ISRAEL IN 2006 WAR, YA NASRULLAH !! 22:41  |  JACKAL 05/10/07
  4.   ON THE HEAD OF THE TIEF THE HAT IS BURNING 22:50  |  Gil 05/10/07
  5.   To "liberate Palestine to the 1967 borders at the least." 22:55  |  John 05/10/07
  6.   Nasrallah, Hamdulillah, Bismallah, Inshallah, BlahBlahBlah, Hah, 23:12  |  Genuine Tosefta 05/10/07
  7.   Childish Lebanese can never accept responsibility 23:12  |  greg 05/10/07
  8.   Israel? 23:15  |  P. J. Casey 05/10/07
  9.   Vote of Support 23:32  |  Mike 05/10/07
  10.   Civil war in Gaza was encouraged by Israel/America! 00:05  |  Maureen Ann 06/10/07
  11.   He is such a liar 00:29  |  Lynn 06/10/07
  12.   P.J. Casey? 00:31  |  Jake 06/10/07
  13.   To Mike 00:33  |  objective 06/10/07
  14.   Nasrallah as usual you talk up your A-S 00:36  |  CIickfool 06/10/07
  15.   About Nasrallah 00:37  |  maoriboy 06/10/07
  16.   "They Strive to Make Mischief on Earth" - Koran 5:64 00:41  |  martyrmaker 06/10/07
  17.   Just passing gas 00:42  |  Mark Lincoln 06/10/07
  18.   the bombs used were syrian 00:45  |  6ey 06/10/07
  19.   Nasrallah`s Drivel Makes Headlines -- Again 00:48  |  Fish 06/10/07
  20.   UN had a strong lead in Harriri`s killings 00:50  |  Abu Yusuf 06/10/07
  21.   1Indrajaya,dates back to the 80s?it was right there from the 00:54  |  lakshmi 06/10/07
  22.   5John the mistake can be rectified like this.UN Resolution 01:02  |  lakshmi 06/10/07
  23.   to #1 pizzayoya where are the facts 01:13  |  sasi 06/10/07
  24.   Lynn, The Israeli Military Believes Nasrallah 01:18  |  Bernie 06/10/07
  25.   Long history of Israel assasinating Lebonese 01:26  |  Kevin 06/10/07
  26.   Cui Bono 01:30  |  Observer 06/10/07
  27.   good logic ... syria`s enemy israel is killing anti-syria leaders 01:43  |  Theodor 06/10/07
  28.   I hope Nasrallah`s right 02:03  |  SusieQ 06/10/07
  29.   25Kevin,I have seen ehud Barak described as a certified zionist 02:09  |  lakshmi 06/10/07
  30.   Abu Yusuf on Hariri et al 02:17  |  Lynn 06/10/07
  31.   It`s YOU Nasrallah That Planted A Second Flag In Lebanon... 02:29  |  Lavi 06/10/07
  32.   Clicky? Is that you? 02:39  |  Lynn 06/10/07
  33.   John of Netherlands 02:43  |  Lynn 06/10/07
  34.   Of course we are to blame 02:44  |  Dan 06/10/07
  35.   #24 Say Bernie 02:57  |  ballistic 06/10/07
  36.   Nasrallah blames Israel for killings in Lebanon 03:40  |  steve 06/10/07
  37.   Nasrallah blames Israel for killings in Lebanon 03:43  |  steve 06/10/07
  38.   #14 No class! 03:47  |  Maureen Ann 06/10/07
  39.   Indrajaya`s ideal Mossad 03:50  |  Oddvark 06/10/07
  40.   Blatant injustice, and lakshmi 03:56  |  Oddvark 06/10/07
  41.   Lakshmi`s certification 03:59  |  Oddvark 06/10/07
  42.   What I find interesting is... 04:18  |  Veritas 06/10/07
  43.   Truth and interest 05:28  |  Frank 06/10/07
  44.   Nasrallah`s stay in bunker has put him in la0la land 05:28  |  Dakkar 06/10/07
  45.   Ballistic#35 - response to Bernie 05:42  |  William 06/10/07
  46.   Lakshmi#29 - on Pal and Zionist terrorist 05:46  |  William 06/10/07
  47.   Syping? Murder? Israel would never do such things 05:52  |  Natallie Durson 06/10/07
  48.   #10, Maureen Ann....! 05:52  |  Silvienne 06/10/07
  49.   6ey#18 - Israel surely does buy Syrian arms 05:53  |  William 06/10/07
  50.   #14, FAKE CLICKFOOL ALERT!! 05:53  |  Clickfool 06/10/07
  51.   Kevin#25 - even New Mexico gets the news 06:05  |  William 06/10/07
  52.   Theodor#27 - you speak the truth 06:10  |  William 06/10/07
  53.   # 21, LAKSHMI 06:33  |  indrajaya 06/10/07
  54.   mark Lincoln and gas 07:03  |  Danite 06/10/07
  55.   HOW TRUE NASRALLAH IS 07:04  |  VIPER 06/10/07
  56.   #50, CLICKFOOL, like we didn`t know 07:07  |  VIPER 06/10/07
  57.   #18, 6ey, and you know this because? 07:11  |  VIPER 06/10/07
  58.   #Hi Silvienne. Divide and Conquer - Imperialism own all copyright 07:11  |  Maureen Ann 06/10/07
  59.   Maureen Ann.... 07:22  |  Silvienne 06/10/07
  60.   Mossad Choir Boys 07:40  |  Walid 06/10/07
  61.   Jews Don`t Do Such Things 08:18  |  Walid 06/10/07
  62.   #60 - Walid 08:31  |  JES 06/10/07
  63.   INTERNATIONAL COURT 08:46  |  David 06/10/07
  64.   Chickens come home to roost 08:55  |  Colin Wright 06/10/07
  65.   Jes 08:59  |  Walid 06/10/07
  66.   re #5 to "liberate Israel to the 1967 borders..." 09:00  |  Colin Wright 06/10/07
  67.   and Santa Clause is real! 09:06  |  a joker 06/10/07
  68.   We weep for poor Lebanon 09:07  |  greg 06/10/07
  69.   To Kevin 09:09  |  Imad 06/10/07
  70.   Make up your minds, moaners! 09:12  |  Israeli 06/10/07
  71.   Muslim Homeland 09:16  |  Parviz 06/10/07
  72.   #65 - Walid 09:17  |  JES 06/10/07
  73.   WELL IT MAKES SENSE 09:21  |  Shemo 06/10/07
  74.   What a popmous buffoon he is! 09:27  |  Nechama 06/10/07
  75.   Adjustments to the map 09:33  |  Esther 06/10/07
  76.   David 09:35  |  Walid 06/10/07
  77.   Re Nat #47 09:38  |  Esther 06/10/07
  78.   Israelis in denial about Mossad crimes 09:40  |  Jonathan 06/10/07
  79.