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Mourners gathering for funeral of assassinated Hezbollah No. 2 Imad Mughniyah. (Reuters)
Last update - 23:06 14/02/2008
Nasrallah: Mughniyah's blood will lead to elimination of Israel
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: mughniyah, beirut 

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Thursday threatened to retaliate against Israel for the killing of militant commander Imad Mughniyah Tuesday, saying "his blood will lead to the elimination of Israel."

Mughniyah, the deputy secretary general of the Lebanon-based guerilla group, was killed in a bomb blast in a residential neighborhood in Damascus late Tuesday. Israel denied involvement.

Nasrallah also vowed to strike Israeli targets abroad after accusing Israel of taking the fight beyond Lebanese borders by killing Mughniyah in Syria.
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"You have killed Hajj Imad outside the natural battlefield," Nasrallah said, addressing Israel and referring to Hezbollah's longtime contention it only fights Israel within Lebanon and along their common border.

"You have crossed the borders," Nasrallah said in the fiery eulogy at Mughniyah's funeral in south Beirut. "With this murder, its timing, location and method - Zionists, if you want this kind of open war, let the whole world listen: Let this war be open."

"Like all human beings we have a sacred right to defend ourselves," said Nasrallah, speaking in a videotaped message broadcast over a giant screen at the ceremony in a Hezbollah stronghold. "We will do all that takes to defend our country and people."

Nasrallah went into hiding in 2006, fearing an Israeli assassination and making only three appearances since the summer war that year with Israel.

"In every future war there won't be one Imad [Mughniyah] or a few thousand fighters, but tens of thousand loyal fighters who are willing to die as martyrs," he warned.

Soon after he finished speaking, volleys of celebratory gunfire echoed around the city's southern suburbs.

Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki attended the funeral in Lebanon and offered condolences to the militant's family in a south Beirut hall.

Beirut was divided into two worlds on Thursday, separated by an abyss.
At 10 A.M., in the Martyrs Square in the center of town, thousands attended a rally marking three years since the assassination of former prime minister, Rafik Hariri. At 2 P.M., Hezbollah flexed its muscles during a mass funeral for Mughniyah.

Fearing clashes, authorities deployed thousands of troops. The two mass
gatherings ended with a few fights involving fists, sticks and knives between government supporters and opponents that left at least four injured in three Beirut neighborhoods later in the day. The two camps appeared even more deeply entrenched in their divisions, which have left the country without a president since November and the parliament paralyzed.

Lebanon is a divided country, and its citizens have a sharpened sense of political awareness. The two events that were held on the same day in the same city were expected to turn into a competition over death: in which event will there be more participants?

On Wednesday, Hezbollah announced that it is calling on all its supporters to attend the funeral "in order to carry on the resistance and achieve victory."

At the same time, the Shuff mountains awoke Wednesday to the sound of loudspeakers carrying the speeches of Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and the late Hariri, announcing rallying points from which convoys of participants in the memorial in Beirut would embark passengers.

Nasrallah was expected at the funeral to announce who will be replacing the slain terrorist on the group's Jihad council.

The government of Lebanon announced the closing of schools and public institutions in the capital Thursday, hoping this will enable as many Hariri supporters as possible to attend the memorial. Of course, this will also enable opponents of Hariri to participate in the competing rally.

Car rental agencies have already made their entire fleets available to parties, and in Lebanon they say that there are no minibuses available for transporting people anywhere but to the rallies. Hoping to ease the traffic situation, security sources in Lebanon announced changes in the traffic patterns and banned trucks from the roads.

Lebanese sources joked Wednesday that the Hezbollah supporters are "praying for rain." It is assumed that the rainy, cold weather will lead many of Hariri's supporters to stay at home, while the same limitation is not expected to affect the Shi'ite supporters of Hezbollah who will participate in the funeral.

Beirut is a very nervous city, even in normal days, because of the tense political situation. The levels of anxiety are expected to peak Thursday, and in an attempt to somewhat control the situation, Hezbollah opted to hold the funeral several hours after the memorial for Hariri ends.

The other side, the pro-Hariri group known as the February 14th Movement, also sought to lower tensions: they issued an announcement condemning the assassination of Imad Mughniyah.

Sa'ad Hariri issued a death notice for Mughniyah's death in which he called for Lebanese unity. Prime Minister Fouad Siniora also issued a laconic death notice, even though he is considered an outcast by Hezbollah. "Let Allah welcome the shaheed in all his mercy and house him in heaven," the notice read.

Related articles:
  • Israel embassies on high alert following Mughniyah killing
  • ANALYSIS: U.S. involvement in Mughniyah killing still uncertain
  • ANALYSIS: Question now is not whether Hezbollah will respond, but how
  • Chronology of events in Lebanon since Hariri assassination
  • Tens of thousands mark second anniversary of Hariri murder despite bus bombings
  • ANALYSIS: Mughniyah death could spark Lebanese civil war
  • Syria: We condemn Mughniyah killing as a cowardly terrorist act
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      1.   "Coincidence"...? 08:30  |  Esther 14/02/08
      2.   Funeral 09:40  |  Jimmy 14/02/08
      3.   Israel & Syria vs. Lebanon 10:17  |  northern wind 14/02/08
      4.   Will there be dancing after the funeral? 10:19  |  Abd el-Sharmouta 14/02/08
      5.   Jimmy # 2 10:34  |  northern wind 14/02/08
      6.   The reason Syria bumped off overweight Mugneyah 12:32  |  Avi 14/02/08
      7.   Freedom for all 12:42  |  Lebanese 14/02/08
      8.   Syria`s hand is clear 12:49  |  Avi 14/02/08
      9.   #1 Esther - probably a coincidence 13:14  |  Yonatan 14/02/08
      10.   a question for the nameless Northern Wind 13:45  |  Avi 14/02/08
      11.   # 5 northern wind 13:51  |  Harald 14/02/08
      12.   Lebanon, A Great Place To Visit But... 13:57  |  Yosemite 14/02/08
      13.   Nasrallah not a Muslim but a Shia not believing in virgins 14:07  |  Karl 14/02/08
      14.   Well On The Bright Side... 14:09  |  Yosemite 14/02/08
      15.   northern windbag 14:40  |  amir yoffe 14/02/08
      16.   Those who live by the sword will die by the sword. 15:19  |  Jean Van Daem 14/02/08
      17.   Two slain martyrs. 15:25  |  sandra chitayat 14/02/08
      18.   Haaretz, Stop the filtering and publish all. 15:30  |  Fed Up American 14/02/08
      19.   to # 13 15:47  |  Nasar 14/02/08
      20.   "resistance" to what? Hezbollah is an occupier 15:48  |  Joe Sittizen 14/02/08
      21.   Gates of hell are opoened wide for the demise of Isreal 16:02  |  KSA 14/02/08
      22.   Did you listen to that? 16:04  |  John 14/02/08
      23.   Syria`s answer to losing its nuclear facilty . . . 16:08  |  paranoid 14/02/08
      24.   "...offered condolences to the `militant`s` family ..." 16:09  |  bat yam 14/02/08
      25.   Why Is Nasrallah Still Alive ? 16:10  |  Phil 14/02/08
      26.   At the funeral, wipe them all out 16:14  |  David 14/02/08
      27.   #3 Northern Wind 16:14  |  * BEN JABO 14/02/08
      28.   He died the way he lived 16:16  |  * BEN JABO 14/02/08
      29.   This time don`t let us down! 16:16  |  Farhad 14/02/08
      30.   Easy for rat to declare war from bunker.... 16:29  |  DR 14/02/08
      31.   @3 northern wind, brave people? covard is more exact. 16:33  |  vladimir 14/02/08
      32.   Israel is being set up 16:33  |  K 14/02/08
      33.   Nasrallah`s `Open War` 16:33  |  Musa 14/02/08
      34.   the truth will show 16:37  |  Natallie Durson 14/02/08
      35.   Bring it on, Butthead. 16:42  |  Charles Smyth 14/02/08
      36.   nasrallah is a fool 16:43  |  watcher 14/02/08
      37.   Dear Northern #3 I agree also with #7Sandra#17 16:44  |  Robert/Montreal 14/02/08
      38.   Welcome to Hell. 16:44  |  Ben Gurion 14/02/08
      39.   Nasrallah wants open war: Lebanon, prepare for another 1200 dead 16:45  |  Conroy 14/02/08
      40.   SANDRA 17 16:48  |  john 14/02/08
      41.   Lebanese advice to my Isreali friends 16:49  |  Cedar 14/02/08
      42.   good riddance 16:49  |  Harry 14/02/08
      43.   Israel feels happy 16:50  |  Adeel 14/02/08
      44.   BRING IT ON BYOTCH 16:50  |  Dror 14/02/08
      45.   HIT THEM AT THE FUNIRAL 16:52  |  20x20 14/02/08
      46.   handing out cyber candies 16:52  |  don 14/02/08
      47.   Nasrallah is to be taken seriously 16:59  |  Karma Chameleon 14/02/08
      48.   Nazirhallah preaching martyrdom while hiding like a rat..hahaha 17:01  |  maurice 14/02/08
      49.   to #32 17:04  |  Natalie Clickfool 14/02/08
      50.   Next war cannot repeat last one 17:04  |  Paul Freedman 14/02/08
      51.   I Think It Is A Set-up Too! 17:07  |  Yosemite 14/02/08
      52.   My conolecese to the heroe 17:07  |  south ofsuburbbeirut 14/02/08
      53.   Nasrallah vows to strike 17:09  |  Brod 14/02/08
      54.   # 32 Durson the incomparable warmonger 17:09  |  Lynn 14/02/08
      55.   Durson 17:10  |  Michael T 14/02/08
      56.   #32 Durson the "feminist" and "human rights advocate" 17:12  |  Conroy 14/02/08
      57.   Remember remember the twelfth of July 17:12  |  Rick and TC 14/02/08
      58.   Natalie the so called Zionist army IS not are 17:13  |  Robert?montreal 14/02/08
      59.   Nazrahhla the yellow joker 17:13  |  The Judge 14/02/08
      60.   Let the Hezbollah snake tremble as it reaps what it sows 17:14  |  Marwan مروان خوري 14/02/08
      61.   response 17:15  |  baba 14/02/08
      62.   "Open War" or "Hiding behind women`s skirts?" 17:15  |  Free Gilad Shalit 14/02/08
      63.   who cares about retd. muggy. something not right 17:16  |  sev 14/02/08
      64.   Mughnieyah was a coward who hid while sending brainwashed drones 17:17  |  Marwan مروان خوري 14/02/08
      65.   The Truth Will Show 17:17  |  Erik 14/02/08
      66.   ya nasrallah we have 400 front line fighter aircraft 17:18  |  dahiyah 14/02/08
      67.   To Natalie Durson about braves 17:20  |  Cristina 14/02/08
      68.   It was the duty of every nation to kill this terrorist 17:21  |  Marwan مروان خوري 14/02/08
      69.