LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
May 10/08

Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 21,15-19. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."He then said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." (Jesus) said to him, "Feed my sheep. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me."

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
Declaration of war?By: Lucy Fielder. Al-Ahram Weekly 10/05/08
A ray of hope in a troubled land of political mediocrity-The Daily Star 09/05/08
Robert Fisk: Gun battles as Hizbollah claims Lebanon is at war-Independent 09/05/08
Robert Fisk: Lebanon descends into chaos as rival leaders order ...Independent 09/05/08
No escape from Middle Eastern wars-By David Ignatius 09/05/08

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for May 10/08
At least seven lives lost to clashes in Beirut, Bekaa, North-Daily Star
Roed Larsen relays Cabinet's position to Security Council-AFP
Day 2: Violence intensifies, spreads to more areas-Daily Star
Aoun places responsibility for crisis on government
US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt lay blame on Hizbullah-Daily Star
Resistance against Israel built Nasrallah's reputation-AFP
Franjieh insists Hizbullah tried to prevent fighting-Daily Star
Airport and border closures could cost Lebanon dearly-Daily Star
Hizbullah's mix of resistance, politics attracts supporters, vocal critics-AFP
LEBANON: Getting close to the fire-Los Angeles Times
Economic woes stoke political standoff-By IRIN News.org
Ahmadinejad mocks Israel on 60th anniversary-AFP
Lebanon unrest widens amid government, Hizbullah tensions-Christian Science Monitor
UN chief Ban urges end to Lebanon blockades-Reuters
FACTBOX-Conflict or concessions: scenarios for Lebanon.Reuters
CHRONOLOGY-Events in Lebanon since Hariri's killing-Reuters
Hezbollah leader denounces Lebanon's pro-West regime.Los Angeles Times
Hezbollah chief says Lebanon crisis enters 'new phase'-Africasia
Lebanese Army Warns: Persisting Tension Threatens Unity of the Troops-Naharnet
Lebanon Unrest Spreads, Raising Spectre of Sectarian Strife-Bloomberg
press alarm over Lebanon strike-BBC News
Lebanon's Shiite council denounces cabinet's decision against ...Xinhua
Hizbullah Paralyzes Beirut Further, Mufti Warns: Sunnis Had Enough-Naharnet
Police Arrest Escaped Zahle Prisoner-Naharnet
Franjieh Vows Escalation, Says Demos will Continue-Naharnet
Saudi Warns Opposition against Escalation-Naharnet
Egypt: Clashes Have Severe Consequences-Naharnet
Washington Reacts to Wednesday's Clashes-Naharnet
Bush to Meet Saniora in Sharm el-Sheikh-Naharnet
Government to Take Lebanon Unrest to U.N., Arab League-Naharnet
Beirut Airport Besieged, Hizbullah Heads to Declaring Civil Disobedience-Naharnet
Majdalani: Hizbullah Leading a Breakaway Attempt-Naharnet
Aoun Vows to Confront U.S. Hegemony-Naharnet
Geagea: Hizbullah is Another Mahdi Army Militia-Naharnet
Bush Extends Syria Sanctions-Naharnet
U.S.: Iran Potential Threat in Latin America-Naharnet
Lebanon violence spreads beyond Beirut-guardian.co.uk
Lebanon opposition presses anti-government protests-AFP
Second day of unrest in Lebanon-Al-Bawaba
Sunnis, Shiites clash for a second day in Lebanon-International Herald Tribune
Saudi Arabia Says Foreign Powers Fomenting Chaos in Lebanon-Bloomberg
Saudi warns Lebanon opposition against escalation-AFP
US extends sanctions on Syria-Trading Markets (press release)
Hezbollah protests block Lebanese roads in showdown with government-Ha'aretz
Hezbollah accused of Lebanese takeover-Euronews.net
Syrian mouthpiece says government provoked Hezbollah-Ya Libnan
Top Sunni accuses Hezbollah of 'invading' Beirut - Summary-Earthtimes (press release)
Hezbollah MP Denies Party Operates Outside of Lebanon-Asharq Alawsat
A Cell Phone Civil War in Lebanon-TIME
Clashes in General Strike in Lebanon-New York Times

At least seven lives lost to clashes in Beirut, Bekaa, North
By Hussein Abdallah
Daily Star staff
Friday, May 09, 2008
BEIRUT: At least seven people were killed and 15 others wounded as fierce gun battles erupted in Beirut for the second day in a row on Thursday after Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah charged that a Lebanese government crackdown on his group's activities was tantamount to a "declaration of war."
Supporters of the government and the Hizbullah-led opposition were engaged in shootouts in several mixed Sunni and Shiite districts of the capital, with militants using assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns, a security official said.
In scenes reminiscent of the 1975-1990 Civil War, Beirut's streets were virtually deserted as loud explosions and gunfire rocked the capital, with television footage showing gunmen in the Corniche al-Mazraa and Ras al-Nabeh districts firing at each other shortly after Nasrallah's news conference.
Plumes of smoke could be seen rising from one building in Corniche al-Mazraa.
Many cars and shops were set ablaze and scores of terrified civilians fled areas where the clashes were heaviest.
The capital's streets were empty as residents, fearing the possibility of a full-blown sectarian conflict, stayed indoors.
A security source identified two casualties as Amal Baydoun and her son Haytham Tabbara.
The source said that Tabbara was hit by sniper fire shortly before a rocket-propelled grenade hit his home, leading to his death along with his mother.
Opposition supporters overran at least three offices of the pro-government Future Movement in different areas of Beirut.
A security source said one of the raided offices was located on Mohammad al-Hout Street in Ras al-Nabeh. A similar office was attacked on Wednesday in the neighboring area of Nwairi. The source added that among the wounded were Ziyad Abbas, who was hit by a random bullet in Karm al-Zaytoun, and Salwa Ghandour, also hit by a accident as a result of celebratory gunfire following Nasrallah's televised remarks.
A security official said that while the army's mission was to maintain order, troops could not intervene to stop the clashes.
Protesters burned tires and lit fires along the airport road, which remained blocked by large mounds of earth dumped by opposition supporters.
Many schools and businesses remained shut and flights from the airport were cancelled for most of the day, although an airport official said eight planes had taken off in the afternoon. Opposition supporters and government loyalists also clashed Thursday morning in the Bekaa Valley. The clashes were focused in the Saadnayel and Taalbaya areas, which are known to be strongholds of parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri's Future Movement.
Eight people were wounded in the clashes in the Bekaa , a security source said. Among the injured was Roula Bou Hamdan, who was reported to be serious condition. Government loyalists also set up roadblocks and set tires ablaze along the main highway leading to Syria. Fighting between rival factions also occurred in the Mina area near Tripoli, but no casualties were reported. No clashes were reported in the South, but security sources said that government supporters had blocked the highway that connects Beirut to Sidon with burning tires near the town of Jiyyeh. There was also a brief attempt to block the highway near Jbeil. - With agencies

Airport sees handful of flights, long list of cancellations
BEIRUT: Lebanon's international airport was virtually shut down on Thursday because of armed clashes between rival groups, though some flights managed to depart late afternoon, an airport official said. "All flights between midnight and four (2100 GMT Wednesday and 1300 GMT Thursday) were cancelled," said the official, who did not wish to be identified. Later, another official said eight flights of Lebanon's Middle East Airlines took off in the afternoon to Arab destinations and one to Paris. No departures or arrivals are expected for the rest of the evening, the official added. Most carriers, including Air France, British Airways, Lufthansa and several Arab airlines, cancelled their Beirut services on Thursday. On Wednesday demonstrators adhering to a call for a strike by a labor union blocked the highway leading to Rafik Hariri International Airport with burning tires and mounds of earth, leaving arriving passengers stranded and forcing others to miss their flights

Day 2: Violence intensifies, spreads to more areas
By Anthony Elghossain
Daily Star staff
Friday, May 09, 2008
Nasrallah accuses ruling coalition of 'declaring war,' singles out Jumblatt
BEIRUT: Hizbullah secretary general Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said during a press conference Thursday that Lebanon has entered a new phase of its political crisis and warned that a government crackdown on his party was tantamount to a "declaration of war." Nasrallah stressed that Hizbullah was ready to return to dialogue, linking talks to a government back-track regarding measures taken Tuesday. The eruption of violence is immediately rooted in a Cabinet decision to take action against a Hizbullah communi-cations network and reassign Rafik Hariri International Airport's security chief, General Wafiq Shucair, for failing to prevent Hizbullah's alleged video surveillance of a runway, among other potential breaches. On the second day of anti-government protests and intensifying clashes between government supporters and opposition partisans, Nasrallah held the press conference to discuss "the issue of [Hizbullah's] communications networks, the debate surrounding airport video surveillance and the political crisis now facing us."He described the fixed-line network that connects the group's officials, commanders and positions as a vital part of the military structure of the group, which fought Israel during that latter's 34-day war against Lebanon in 2006."The communications network is a significant part of the weapons of the resistance," Nasrallah declared. "I had said that we will cut the hand that targets the weapons of the resistance ... Today is the day to fulfill this decision."The cleric also stressed that Hizbullah is ready to use its weapons to defend itself should the government "cartel" seek to impinge upon the rights of the resistance. "We have the right to confront he who starts a war with us by defending our rights and our weapons. We have yet to use our weapons inside the country but will do so to protect our arsenal," he added.
"The [government] decision is tantamount to a declaration of war. This [signals] the start of a war ... on behalf of the United States and Israel," Nasrallah said during the conference, which was held via video link. Nasrallah also escalated his rhetoric against a key March 14 stalwart Progressive Socialist Party leader and MP Walid Jumblatt, with whom the opposition has been trading jabs over the airport controversy and the communications debate.
The Hizbullah leader said "the current government boss - Mr. Walid Jumblatt - is a thief, a liar and a murderer. He sits there drawing red lines calling for members of the resistance to be taken to court.""The airport is being transformed into a base for the CIA, FBI, and Mossad, which we cannot tolerate," added the Hizbullah leader. "Our honor and fate are more valuable than any other consideration."
"We will no longer accept being fired upon and killed in the streets ... We will not accept encroachment against our presence as a resistance," Nasrallah said. "We will shoot once shot at, strike back when struck at."Downplaying the prospects of a Sunni-Shiite rift even as fighting was limited to factions supported mostly by those two communities, Nasrallah said the conflict in Lebanon was between factions supporting an "American-Israeli regional agenda" and parties opposed to any such scheme, irrespective of "religious or communal differences."
In response to accusations that the violence signaled an attempted opposition coup d'etat, Nasrallah said that "had we [the opposition] desired to orchestrate a coup, [members of the government] would have awoken in cells or been thrown into the sea."
Responding to Nasrallah, Jumblatt later told the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation that the Hizbullah leader should "call for a retreat from the streets and for the halting of fire if he seeks a return to dialogue."
"There is no clear definition of the boundaries of resistance and those of the state. We need to delineate such boundaries in the future," Jumblatt added in response to Nasrallah's claim that Hizbullah would protect its arsenal by any means necessary.
"What happened today is enough - this harms everybody ... Druze, Sunni, Shiite, Christian," added Jumblatt, urging a quick resolution of the crisis.
Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea also reacted to Nasrallah's speech. In a statement released by the LF press office, Geagea said: "Despite the rhetorical flourish through which Sayyed Nasrallah sugarcoated his statements today, this was a declaration of war."
Geagea also stressed that "the security situation cannot be left as is, with roads block, tires burning and shootings threatening citizens' way of life."
The political crisis in Lebanon has continued to spiral out of control in the two days since the Cabinet decision, and the Lebanese Armed Forces have refrained from decisive action for fear of increasing the violence or splitting the ranks of the service.
Amid a five-month long presidential vacuum and tenuous regional situation, the violence has further strained the delicate situation in Lebanon. - With Agencies

Hariri offers to have military take charge of controversial decisions
BEIRUT: The leader of the parliamentary majority, MP Saad Hariri, called on Hizbullah's leader Thursday to work with him to end the fighting that has broken out in Beirut between their factions. In a televised appearance, Hariri called on Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to "pull fighters off the street ... to save Lebanon from hell." Hariri, the son of a former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri who was assassinated in a 2005 car bombing, also proposed a compromise on government decisions that sparked street confrontations between his group and Hizbullah. Nasrallah had said earlier that the government's decision to declare the group's military telecommunications network illegal was tantamount to declaring war on his organization and demanded that the Cabinet revoke it and that rival factions hold a dialogue on resolving their differences. The government also sacked the airport security chief over his reportedly close ties to the opposition.
Hariri's proposal late Thursday stated that the decisions would be left up to the Lebanese Armed Forces to handle, effectively taking them out of the government's hands. It also stuck to an earlier demand, however, calling for the election of a president prior to a national dialogue.
Hariri also urged Nasrallah to lift what he called the "siege" of Beirut, withdraw his fighters and reopen the roads, including ones leading to Beirut airport, which has been paralyzed by opposition supporters for the last two days. Hariri said what Hizbullah was doing is a "crime that must be stopped immediately."
The proposal came after a Nasrallah news conference in which he warned he would "cut off" the hands of those who attempt to disarm the group, insisting he did not want to spark a Sunni-Shiite strife.
But Hariri countered that the strife was already happening on the streets and urged the Hizbullah leader to work with him to end it.
"My appeal to you is to stop the language of arms ... We are entrusted with the unity of Muslims and Lebanon ... It they are in danger, then let us put out the flames," Hariri said. The opposition has previously rejected government demands to elect a president before agreement on a new unity Cabinet and a new election law. As The Daily Star went to press, Hizbullah's Al-Manar television said the offer had been rejected. - AP, with The Daily Star

Armys says crisis imperils its unity, urges restraint
BEIRUT: The Lebanese Army Command warned on Thursday that the ongoing violence threatened the unity of the military.
An Army Command statement called on all parties to practice self-restraint, adding that the lack of national responsibility is limiting the army's role and ability to restore peace. The army statement said that moving away from dialogue and resorting to violence was a clear departure from the principle of national coexistence.
"Everybody will lose if the current status quo persists since security in Lebanon is only achieved through consensus and not through arms," the statement said.
The Army Command urged all parties to seek solutions for the ongoing crisis, adding that the army was ready to help find solutions while trying its best to protect people and their property despite major obstacles. - The Daily Star

Berri discusses crisis with March 14 leaders, US and UN envoys
BEIRUT: Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri was contacted by Future Movement leader Saad Hariri and Progressive Socialist Party boss Walid Jumblatt on Thursday in order to discuss how to rescue the rapidly deteriorating situation in Lebanon, the National News Agency (NNA) said.
The speaker also remained in contact with key regional and local political figures on the second day of clashes that erupted as opposition factions protested controversial government decisions to sack Beirut airport's security chief, General Wafiq Shoucair, over his reportedly close ties to the opposition, and to take measures against a private Hizbullah communications network. Berri spoke with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin-Jassem al-Jabr, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, UN special envoy Terje-Roed Larsen and US Charge d'Affaires to Lebanon Michele Sison regarding the unfolding situation in Beirut.
In the weeks leading up to the clashes between pro-government and opposition factions, Berri, who leads the opposition Amal movement, had called for the return to a multi-party dialogue between feuding parties. The ruling March 14 coalition has argued that the call is an empty one designed to focus attention away from the five-month old presidential vacuum. The clashes, particularly between mostly Sunni partisans of the Future Movement and largely Shiite backers of Amal and Hizbullah, have increased fears of an all-out civil war in the country. - The Daily Star

Higher Shiite Council says government must back down
BEIRUT: Lebanon's Higher Shiite Council said on Thursday that the key to ending the "dangerous crisis" is the government revoking its recent decisions against Hizbullah. The council was referring to the government's decisions to remove the head of security at the Beirut airport, Brigadier General Wafiq Shoucair - who is seen as being close to the opposition - and probe Hizbullah's private phone network. The council said held the government responsible for the escalation and accused it of sowing discord between the Lebanese people. The council described the government decisions as a "big crime" against the resistance and the people who sacrificed their blood in fighting the "Zionist enemy." "Unfortunately, the decisions are a continuation of the summer 2006 American and Israeli war on Lebanon, but today is being carried out by Lebanese hands," it said. Sheikh Abdel-Amir Qabalan, the council's vice president, stressed that the decisions taken by the government were aimed at "uncovering the resistance in a way that makes it easier for the Israeli Army to target it

Hizbullah Paralyzes Beirut Further, Mufti Warns: Sunnis Had Enough
Lebanon's long-simmering political crisis erupted into violent clashes between supporters of the Hizbullah-led opposition and those of the government Wednesday, with explosions and gunfire ringing out across the capital after the Shiite group paralyzed much of the city with roadblocks of burning tires.
The clashes threatened to degenerate into an all-out sectarian conflict, with Hizbullah seizing offices of al-Mustaqbal movement and the Sunnis' spiritual leader denouncing the militant faction and appealing to the Islamic world to intervene. "Sunni Muslims in Lebanon have had enough," Grand Mufti Mohammed Rashid Qabbani said in a televised address from his office, demanding an "end to these violations."In unusually harsh words, he described Hizbullah as "armed gangs of outlaws that have carried out the ugliest attacks against the citizens and their safety," and called on Hizbullah leaders to withdraw their supporters from Sunni neighborhoods in Beirut. Qabbani implicitly criticized Iran, saying "it is regrettable and sad that an Islamic state is funding such infringements that hurt the unity of Lebanese Muslims."What started Wednesday as a labor union strike supported by Hizbullah to protest the government's economic policies and demand pay raises quickly escalated into outright conflict at a time of rising political tension between the group and the government in their 17-month-long standoff.
Shiite opposition supporters remained on the streets after sunset, and many of the blocked roads remained closed, indicating the protest will likely continue at least until Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah speaks at a planned news conference on Thursday. Hizbullah supporters seized two local offices of Sunni parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri's group, security officials said. Lebanese troops had to intervene to evacuate the occupants, said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
Earlier in the day, an Associated Press photographer saw gunmen from Hizbullah and the allied Shiite Amal group controlled by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri shooting toward one of the buildings housing Hariri's al-Mustaqbal Movement office. Police also were seen firing toward a building. The government's contentious decision to replace the Beirut airport security chief earlier in the week for alleged ties to Hizbullah set the militant group and the government on a collision course and helped fuel Wednesday's violence that closed the international airport for six hours and blocked roads leading to it.
The clashes left parked cars ablaze or their windows shattered in one neighborhood, and black soot covered major road intersections that were blocked with mounds of dirt. There were a few injuries reported, largely as a result of supporters on both sides throwing stones at each other.
The disturbances spread to several mixed Sunni-Shiite neighborhoods and began to take on a sectarian tone, a dangerous development in a country still suffering the scars of the 1975-90 civil war. The government also accused Hizbullah of deploying spy cameras to monitor the airport and declared that a telecommunications network used by Hizbullah for military purposes was illegal and a danger to state security.
Hizbullah and leaders of the Shiite community rejected the decisions, and the airport security chief continued on the job. Hizbullah protesters blocked roads with burning tires and other items to enforce Wednesday's strike, leading to clashes with government supporters. Both sides threw stones at each other, and gunfire and explosions erupted in some areas, but only for brief periods. The cause of the explosions was not immediately known, but witnesses and television reports said they may have been rocket-propelled grenades.The strike was called by labor unions after they rejected a last-minute pay raise offer by the government as insufficient. But Wednesday's violence prompted the union chief to call off a large demonstration that would have accompanied the strike.
Just as the country is divided politically, the unions were split on whether to support the strike, which was largely confined to Shiite areas that back the opposition. The strike was largely ignored in Sunni and Christian areas of the city, which support the government. Two news photographers were hurt by stones, according to witnesses and television reports. Earlier in the same area, a stun grenade thrown into a crowd lightly injured three protesters and two soldiers, the state-run National News Agency said. It was not immediately clear who threw the grenade. Striking workers paralyzed Beirut international airport for six hours as opposition protesters blocked roads leading to the country's only air facility. Flights resumed later, but the roads to the airport remained closed, trapping scores of arriving passengers in the terminal. The problems at the airport prompted a senior pro-government lawmaker to propose using an underutilized military facility in northern Lebanon as an international airport for civilian aircraft.(AP) Beirut, 07 May 08, 22:12

UN intervention to protect Beirut International Airport and the Lebanese Capital
Written by ILC 1559
Thursday, 08 May 2008
ILC1559
Urgent Memo to the Members of the Security Council of the Organization of the United Nations
THE INTERNATIONAL LEBANESE COMMITTEE FOR UNSCR 1559
WWW.UN1559.ORG SG1559@UN1559.org This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
8th of May 2008

Sir John Sawers
President of UN Security Council
Ambassador and Permanent Representative
The United Kingdom at the United Nations
One Dag Hammarskjold Plaza
885 Second Avenue New York, NY 10017
Urgent Memo to the Members of the Security Council of the Organization of the United Nations
Subject: UN intervention to protect Beirut International Airport and the Lebanese Capital
Your Excellency Sir Sawers,
In view of the fact that as of 7th of May, the members and supporters of Hezbollah organization and pro-Syrian militiamen have seized the roads leading from and to the Beirut International Airport (BIA) and have practically isolated it from the rest of the country, disrupting the security of international air traffic; and in view of the fact that the militia control of the Airport has created a threat against the security of civilian travellers from and into Lebanon;
And in view of the fact that the seizing of BIA has disrupted the communication and transportation system between the United Nations and the UNIFIL deployed in the southern part of the country in application of UNSCR 1701, thus endangering the mission and therefore endangering the Peace this mission was in charge with; in view of the fact that endangering Peace is covered by the stipulations of Chapter 7 of the Charter;
And in view of the fact that the command of the Lebanese Army -until the time of issuing this memo- didn't deploy yet the necessary troops to free BIA from militia control;
And in view of the fact that the same militia -Hezbollah and its allies- have deployed their armed elements at different locations of the capital Beirut and other areas; and after having reviewed the statements made by the Prime Minister of the country, Mr Fouad Seniora, the Muslim Sunni Mufti Sheikh Mohamed Rachid Qabbani calling for rescue from Hezbollah Iranian terror;
And in view of the fact the command of the Lebanese Army didn't disarm the militias that have already penetrated Beirut;
We, the International Lebanese Committee for the Implementation of UNSCR 1559, and after consultation with the secretariat general of the March 14 movement and Lebanese civil society NGOs, therefore call on the UN Security Council to act swiftly under UNSCR 1701, UNSCR 1559 and Chapter 7 to deploy UN forces at and around the Beirut International Airport to protect the security of passengers and workers and insure free passage for the civilian population as well as insuring communications for UNIFIL also deploy inside the capital Beirut to protect its civilian populations as well as its democratically elected institutions.
We urge you to act as fast as possible to prevent a major escalation of violence in Lebanon and a disruption of the Peace operations under the said resolutions.
Sincerely yours
Tom Harb
Secretary General
ILC 1559

Police Arrest Escaped Zahle Prisoner
Security forces on Thursday arrested an escaped prisoner who carried out the break out operation from a jail in the town of Zahle in east Lebanon nearly 3 months ago. Last February, police caught five of 11 prisoners who had escaped the Zahle prison. A manhunt has since been launched for the arrest of the other escaped inmates. Beirut, 08 May 08, 11:39

Franjieh Vows Escalation, Says Demos will Continue
Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh has vowed escalation, saying demonstrations across Lebanon will continue as long as the government is determined to stick to its decisions it had adopted against Hizbullah. "Between overthrowing the government and overthrowing the resistance, down with the government," he said Wednesday. "If no compromise is reached, we will be facing a long internal war," Franjieh warned. He said the government decision to uncover the Hizbullah telecommunications network was aimed at "killing Hassan Nasrallah." Tensions reached a new high Tuesday, when the Saniora government declared that the network used by Hizbullah for military purposes was illegal and a danger to state security.
Hizbullah was also angered by the cabinet decision to remove Beirut airport's security chief Brig. Gen. Wafiq Shqeir over alleged ties to the Shiite group.
Hizbullah rejected the decision and Shqeir continued on the job. "Beirut … has become full of security offices," Franjieh said, warning al-Mustaqbal movement is spreading throughout Lebanon under a security company called "Security Plus." Franjieh revealed that around 1,650 Mustaqbal "gunmen" were now operating under the cover of security organizations. Beirut, 08 May 08, 08:05

Saudi Warns Opposition against Escalation
Saudi Arabia warned the Hizbullah-led opposition on Thursday against an escalation of its confrontation with the government, warning that conflict would only benefit "extremist external forces," in an apparent reference to Iran. "The kingdom urges the groups behind the escalation to reconsider their position, and to realize that leading Lebanon towards turmoil will not bring victory to any party except extremist external forces," the state news agency SPA quoted an official as saying.
The comments came on the second day of anti-government protests in Beirut which blocked roads and forced Lebanon's only international airport to close in a major escalation of a long-running political crisis. Lebanon's opposition is backed by Iran and Syria while Saudi Arabia, the regional Sunni Arab powerhouse, supports the ruling majority. Beirut, 08 May 08, 12:17

Egypt: Clashes Have Severe Consequences
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit has expressed concern over clashes between opposition and government supporters in and around Beirut, and warned that street violence leads to severe consequences. "Confrontations, Clashes and resorting to the street amid the sensitive situation and the political crisis that has gripped Lebanon push the country to dangers that have uncalculated consequences," Abul Gheit said Wednesday. The Egyptian minister also expressed hope that "stability would be quickly restored" and hailed the role of the Lebanese army and security forces in trying to keep order. Abul Gheit condemned the closure by opposition supporters of the Beirut airport road by earth mounds and burning tires, saying the facility should be kept away from internal discord. He said that Wednesday's clashes thwart efforts to restart dialogue between bickering Lebanese camps. He hoped roundtable talks would resume "to achieve the objective of electing a president as soon as possible, forming a national unity government and agreeing on an elections law." Meanwhile, the Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman said Abul Gheit stressed Egypt's backing to the Lebanese government during a telephone conversation with Premier Fouad Saniora. The spokesman also said that Mustaqbal movement leader Saad Hariri telephoned Abul Gheit who stressed "the importance of self restraint." Beirut, 08 May 08, 10:55

Washington Reacts to Wednesday's Clashes
The United States has said clashes between opposition backers and government supporters in and around Beirut came as a result of cabinet decisions to launch a probe into a private telephone network set up by Hizbullah and to remove the airport's security chief over alleged ties to the Shiite group. "I know that these demonstrations have taken place under the guise of labor demonstrations, but I believe that Hizbullah has actually linked them back to some moves that the cabinet had made. So I think that that reveals the action for what it is," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Wednesday.

"The Lebanese government is dealing with the issue," he said in his press briefing.
Demonstrators supported by Hizbullah paralyzed much of Beirut with roadblocks of burning tires Wednesday. The labor strike turned violent when opposition and government supporters began throwing stones at each other, and gunfire and explosions rang out in some areas. The strike was called by labor unions after they rejected a government pay raise offer as insufficient. "Nobody wants to see any violent confrontations occur. And I would just note that these kinds of actions serve only to hurt the interests of the Lebanese people," McCormack said. "If you have access to the airport road cut off, that, of course, affects tourism, which is a real source of revenue for the Lebanese economy," he added. Beirut, 08 May 08, 10:01

Bush to Meet Saniora in Sharm el-Sheikh
U.S. President George Bush and Premier Fouad Saniora will hold talks in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on May 18, Stephen Hadley, Bush's national security adviser has said. On May 17, Bush will have breakfast with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and meet separately with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Hadley said Wednesday. The following day, Bush will meet with Iraq's Vice President Adel Abdel Mahdi and Deputy Prime Minister Barham Ahmed Saleh.
Also on May 18, Bush will hold separate meetings with Jordan's King Abdullah II and Saniora, Hadley said. Bush will "reaffirm his personal commitment to peace" between Israel and the Palestinians during his strongly symbolic visit next week to the Middle East, according to Hadley. The U.S. president also plans to talk about the rising price of oil when he visits Saudi Arabia. During his May 13-18 trip to the region, Bush will also attend celebrations for Israel's 60th anniversary, Hadley said. Furthermore, Bush will show his "steadfast opposition to extremists and their state sponsors, Iran and Syria," he added.(AFP-Naharnet)

Government to Take Lebanon Unrest to U.N., Arab League
Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's government will likely send a memorandum to the United Nations and the Arab League on the latest developments in Lebanon. The daily An Nahar, which carried the report on Thursday, did not give further details. It quoted ministerial sources as saying that the government is seriously considering declaring a state of emergency, particularly after it became obvious that Hizbullah used the general strike called by labor unions on Wednesday to "deploy its gunmen throughout Beirut and besiege the airport." Beirut, 08 May 08, 07:25

Beirut Airport Besieged, Hizbullah Heads to Declaring Civil Disobedience
Tension went high between Hizbullah and Premier Fouad Saniora's government on Wednesday as the party besieged Beirut airport and headed to declaring civil disobedience after eight people were wounded in mushrooming rioting. Scores of Hizbullah trucks and bulldozers erected barricades along the airport road, besieging at least 300 passengers who had arrived aboard four jetliners. Hizbullah officials informed mediators that the airport would remain closed and the ongoing riots would be escalated into civil disobedience until the Saniora Government withdraws decisions it had adopted against the Party's communications network and head of the airport security department Wafiq Shqeir. Meanwhile, the Voice of Lebanon radio said Hizbullah members were dressed up in police uniforms and penetrating districts of Beirut controlled by their rivals of the Mustaqbal movement.
A government source also said Hizbullah was massing gunmen in downtown Beirut, sparking fears of a possible attack against Saniora's office.
The development followed day long riots across Beirut as the labor union suspended a demonstration it had called for.
Three members of the Mustaqbal movement were wounded when assailants from the Hizbullah-led opposition demolished their office with 30 Rocket-Propelled Grenades in Beirut's densely populated Nweiri district.
Two Lebanese Army soldiers were injured by rocks while trying to disperse a clash between opposition supporters and residents of the Tariq Jedideh district.
Two news photographers and a passer by were beaten up by rioters in Korniche Mazraa thoroughfare and suffered minor fractures, hospital sources said.
Meanwhile tension escalated as staccato bursts of automatic rifle fire echoed across several Beirut districts amidst efforts by army and police patrols to contain the violence. Trucks run by Hizbullah's Jihad al-Binaa institute loaded dirt along the Beirut Airport road, blocking traffic to the facility, which has been closed to civil aviation.
Ghassan Ghosn, chairman of the General Federation of Labor Unions (GFLU) said a demonstration that had been scheduled to start at 10 a.m. was "suspended" due to the blocking of roads that prevented potential participants from reaching Beirut's Barbir Square where it was supposed to start.
Ghosn, however, said the general strike was persisting and blamed the government for not providing protection for the demonstrators.
The strike was observed only in Hizbullah-controlled regions of Lebanon, where supporters of the party set fire to rubber tires, blocking traffic.
However, the strike call was totally ignored in areas loyal to the March 14 majority.  Life was normal in north and Mount Lebanon as well as in areas of east Lebanon and Beirut not loyal to Hizbullah.  About 150 Hizbullah operatives infiltrated from their makeshift Tent City and blocked the Beirut port road with rubber tires and obstacles for nearly 30 minutes, but were challenged by motorists who drove across the barricades before an army patrol intervened and reopened the road to traffic. The strike observed by Beirut Airport workers was scheduled to end at 3 p.m., but Hizbullah refused to reopen the road to the facility. Nevertheless, three jetliners landed at the facility shortly after the deadline. Meanwhile, Mustaqbal Movement MP Mohammed Qabbani said the majority was considering activating the Rene Mouawad airport in north Lebanon if the dispute with Hizbullah persisted. Beirut, 07 May 08, 14:30

Majdalani: Hizbullah Leading a Breakaway Attempt
MP Atef Majdalani on Wednesday accused Hizbullah of shifting to civil strife with the objective of declaring a breakaway state. Majdalani, in a statement, said Hizbullah was about to declare its own state in Lebanon after besieging Beirut Airport and attempting to besiege the capital's seaport. Beirut, 07 May 08, 17:08

Aoun Vows to Confront U.S. Hegemony
Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun said Wednesday that Syria had dominated Lebanon as a U.S. proxy. "But when the Syrians withdrew (in 2005) the U.S. direct hegemony was put into effect and it is a much bigger burden on us," Aoun added. "I don't say that we would defeat the United States. But U.S. influence in Lebanon would certainly decline," he predicted. Aoun, in an interview with the Qatari daily al-Rai, said he was facing a death threat, but did not say who was threatening him. Aoun defended Hizbullah's communications network and pointed an accusing finger at the government saying: This network is as old as the resistance is. Why did they discover it now?"Hizbullah's weapons, according to Aoun, are "pointed at Israel. But who is luring it them into the domestic arena? This is the question."Aoun accused the Majority of importing weapons through Beirut Airport."Beirut, 07 May 08, 16:02

Geagea: Hizbullah is Another Mahdi Army Militia
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Wednesday that Hizbullah was "another Mahdi Army" militia fighting the government in the Beirut alleys. Geagea said the riots in Beirut and blocking of streets by Opposition followers reflect a trend by Hizbullah to confront recent decisions by Premier Fouad Saniora's government.
Hizbullah's message by blocking the Beirut Airport road, according to Geagea, is that it wants to control the airport or "there would be no airport." Geagea said the Christians expressed their opinion by maintaining calm and ignoring the strike called by the opposition-backed Labor Union. He urged security forces to "carry out government instructions to reopen roads." Geagea warned: "Any delay in reopening roads could have negative repercussions." Beirut, 07 May 08, 15:42

Hizbullah Paralyzes Beirut Further, Mufti Warns: Sunnis Had Enough
Lebanon's long-simmering political crisis erupted into violent clashes between supporters of the Hizbullah-led opposition and those of the government Wednesday, with explosions and gunfire ringing out across the capital after the Shiite group paralyzed much of the city with roadblocks of burning tires.
The clashes threatened to degenerate into an all-out sectarian conflict, with Hizbullah seizing offices of al-Mustaqbal movement and the Sunnis' spiritual leader denouncing the militant faction and appealing to the Islamic world to intervene. "Sunni Muslims in Lebanon have had enough," Grand Mufti Mohammed Rashid Qabbani said in a televised address from his office, demanding an "end to these violations."In unusually harsh words, he described Hizbullah as "armed gangs of outlaws that have carried out the ugliest attacks against the citizens and their safety," and called on Hizbullah leaders to withdraw their supporters from Sunni neighborhoods in Beirut. Qabbani implicitly criticized Iran, saying "it is regrettable and sad that an Islamic state is funding such infringements that hurt the unity of Lebanese Muslims."
What started Wednesday as a labor union strike supported by Hizbullah to protest the government's economic policies and demand pay raises quickly escalated into outright conflict at a time of rising political tension between the group and the government in their 17-month-long standoff.

Shiite opposition supporters remained on the streets after sunset, and many of the blocked roads remained closed, indicating the protest will likely continue at least until Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah speaks at a planned news conference on Thursday. Hizbullah supporters seized two local offices of Sunni parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri's group, security officials said. Lebanese troops had to intervene to evacuate the occupants, said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. Earlier in the day, an Associated Press photographer saw gunmen from Hizbullah and the allied Shiite Amal group controlled by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri shooting toward one of the buildings housing Hariri's al-Mustaqbal Movement office. Police also were seen firing toward a building.
The government's contentious decision to replace the Beirut airport security chief earlier in the week for alleged ties to Hizbullah set the militant group and the government on a collision course and helped fuel Wednesday's violence that closed the international airport for six hours and blocked roads leading to it.
The clashes left parked cars ablaze or their windows shattered in one neighborhood, and black soot covered major road intersections that were blocked with mounds of dirt. There were a few injuries reported, largely as a result of supporters on both sides throwing stones at each other.
The disturbances spread to several mixed Sunni-Shiite neighborhoods and began to take on a sectarian tone, a dangerous development in a country still suffering the scars of the 1975-90 civil war.
The government also accused Hizbullah of deploying spy cameras to monitor the airport and declared that a telecommunications network used by Hizbullah for military purposes was illegal and a danger to state security. Hizbullah and leaders of the Shiite community rejected the decisions, and the airport security chief continued on the job. Hizbullah protesters blocked roads with burning tires and other items to enforce Wednesday's strike, leading to clashes with government supporters. Both sides threw stones at each other, and gunfire and explosions erupted in some areas, but only for brief periods.
The cause of the explosions was not immediately known, but witnesses and television reports said they may have been rocket-propelled grenades.
The strike was called by labor unions after they rejected a last-minute pay raise offer by the government as insufficient. But Wednesday's violence prompted the union chief to call off a large demonstration that would have accompanied the strike. Just as the country is divided politically, the unions were split on whether to support the strike, which was largely confined to Shiite areas that back the opposition. The strike was largely ignored in Sunni and Christian areas of the city, which support the government.Two news photographers were hurt by stones, according to witnesses and television reports.
Earlier in the same area, a stun grenade thrown into a crowd lightly injured three protesters and two soldiers, the state-run National News Agency said. It was not immediately clear who threw the grenade.
Striking workers paralyzed Beirut international airport for six hours as opposition protesters blocked roads leading to the country's only air facility. Flights resumed later, but the roads to the airport remained closed, trapping scores of arriving passengers in the terminal.
The problems at the airport prompted a senior pro-government lawmaker to propose using an underutilized military facility in northern Lebanon as an international airport for civilian aircraft.(AP) Beirut, 07 May 08, 22:12

Police Arrest Escaped Zahle Prisoner
Security forces on Thursday arrested an escaped prisoner who carried out the break out operation from a jail in the town of Zahle in east Lebanon nearly 3 months ago. Last February, police caught five of 11 prisoners who had escaped the Zahle prison. A manhunt has since been launched for the arrest of the other escaped inmates. Beirut, 08 May 08, 11:39

Franjieh Vows Escalation, Says Demos will Continue
Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh has vowed escalation, saying demonstrations across Lebanon will continue as long as the government is determined to stick to its decisions it had adopted against Hizbullah. "Between overthrowing the government and overthrowing the resistance, down with the government," he said Wednesday. "If no compromise is reached, we will be facing a long internal war," Franjieh warned. He said the government decision to uncover the Hizbullah telecommunications network was aimed at "killing Hassan Nasrallah."Tensions reached a new high Tuesday, when the Saniora government declared that the network used by Hizbullah for military purposes was illegal and a danger to state security. Hizbullah was also angered by the cabinet decision to remove Beirut airport's security chief Brig. Gen. Wafiq Shqeir over alleged ties to the Shiite group. Hizbullah rejected the decision and Shqeir continued on the job. "Beirut … has become full of security offices," Franjieh said, warning al-Mustaqbal movement is spreading throughout Lebanon under a security company called "Security Plus."
Franjieh revealed that around 1,650 Mustaqbal "gunmen" were now operating under the cover of security organizations. Beirut, 08 May 08, 08:05

Saudi Warns Opposition against Escalation
Saudi Arabia warned the Hizbullah-led opposition on Thursday against an escalation of its confrontation with the government, warning that conflict would only benefit "extremist external forces," in an apparent reference to Iran. "The kingdom urges the groups behind the escalation to reconsider their position, and to realize that leading Lebanon towards turmoil will not bring victory to any party except extremist external forces," the state news agency SPA quoted an official as saying.
The comments came on the second day of anti-government protests in Beirut which blocked roads and forced Lebanon's only international airport to close in a major escalation of a long-running political crisis.
Lebanon's opposition is backed by Iran and Syria while Saudi Arabia, the regional Sunni Arab powerhouse, supports the ruling majority.
Beirut, 08 May 08, 12:17

Egypt: Clashes Have Severe Consequences
Naharnet/Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit has expressed concern over clashes between opposition and government supporters in and around Beirut, and warned that street violence leads to severe consequences. "Confrontations, Clashes and resorting to the street amid the sensitive situation and the political crisis that has gripped Lebanon push the country to dangers that have uncalculated consequences," Abul Gheit said Wednesday.
The Egyptian minister also expressed hope that "stability would be quickly restored" and hailed the role of the Lebanese army and security forces in trying to keep order. Abul Gheit condemned the closure by opposition supporters of the Beirut airport road by earth mounds and burning tires, saying the facility should be kept away from internal discord. He said that Wednesday's clashes thwart efforts to restart dialogue between bickering Lebanese camps.
He hoped roundtable talks would resume "to achieve the objective of electing a president as soon as possible, forming a national unity government and agreeing on an elections law."Meanwhile, the Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman said Abul Gheit stressed Egypt's backing to the Lebanese government during a telephone conversation with Premier Fouad Saniora. The spokesman also said that Mustaqbal movement leader Saad Hariri telephoned Abul Gheit who stressed "the importance of self restraint." Beirut, 08 May 08, 10:55

Washington Reacts to Wednesday's Clashes
Naharnet/The United States has said clashes between opposition backers and government supporters in and around Beirut came as a result of cabinet decisions to launch a probe into a private telephone network set up by Hizbullah and to remove the airport's security chief over alleged ties to the Shiite group.
"I know that these demonstrations have taken place under the guise of labor demonstrations, but I believe that Hizbullah has actually linked them back to some moves that the cabinet had made. So I think that that reveals the action for what it is," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Wednesday.
"The Lebanese government is dealing with the issue," he said in his press briefing.
Demonstrators supported by Hizbullah paralyzed much of Beirut with roadblocks of burning tires Wednesday. The labor strike turned violent when opposition and government supporters began throwing stones at each other, and gunfire and explosions rang out in some areas.
The strike was called by labor unions after they rejected a government pay raise offer as insufficient.
"Nobody wants to see any violent confrontations occur. And I would just note that these kinds of actions serve only to hurt the interests of the Lebanese people," McCormack said. "If you have access to the airport road cut off, that, of course, affects tourism, which is a real source of revenue for the Lebanese economy," he added. Beirut, 08 May 08, 10:01

Bush to Meet Saniora in Sharm el-Sheikh
Naharnet/U.S. President George Bush and Premier Fouad Saniora will hold talks in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on May 18, Stephen Hadley, Bush's national security adviser has said. On May 17, Bush will have breakfast with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and meet separately with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Hadley said Wednesday. The following day, Bush will meet with Iraq's Vice President Adel Abdel Mahdi and Deputy Prime Minister Barham Ahmed Saleh. Also on May 18, Bush will hold separate meetings with Jordan's King Abdullah II and Saniora, Hadley said.
Bush will "reaffirm his personal commitment to peace" between Israel and the Palestinians during his strongly symbolic visit next week to the Middle East, according to Hadley. The U.S. president also plans to talk about the rising price of oil when he visits Saudi Arabia.
During his May 13-18 trip to the region, Bush will also attend celebrations for Israel's 60th anniversary, Hadley said.
Furthermore, Bush will show his "steadfast opposition to extremists and their state sponsors, Iran and Syria," he added.(AFP-Naharnet)

Government to Take Lebanon Unrest to U.N., Arab League
Naharnet/Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's government will likely send a memorandum to the United Nations and the Arab League on the latest developments in Lebanon. The daily An Nahar, which carried the report on Thursday, did not give further details.
It quoted ministerial sources as saying that the government is seriously considering declaring a state of emergency, particularly after it became obvious that Hizbullah used the general strike called by labor unions on Wednesday to "deploy its gunmen throughout Beirut and besiege the airport." Beirut, 08 May 08, 07:25

Beirut Airport Besieged, Hizbullah Heads to Declaring Civil Disobedience
Naharnet/Tension went high between Hizbullah and Premier Fouad Saniora's government on Wednesday as the party besieged Beirut airport and headed to declaring civil disobedience after eight people were wounded in mushrooming rioting.
Scores of Hizbullah trucks and bulldozers erected barricades along the airport road, besieging at least 300 passengers who had arrived aboard four jetliners.
Hizbullah officials informed mediators that the airport would remain closed and the ongoing riots would be escalated into civil disobedience until the Saniora Government withdraws decisions it had adopted against the Party's communications network and head of the airport security department Wafiq Shqeir.
Meanwhile, the Voice of Lebanon radio said Hizbullah members were dressed up in police uniforms and penetrating districts of Beirut controlled by their rivals of the Mustaqbal movement.
A government source also said Hizbullah was massing gunmen in downtown Beirut, sparking fears of a possible attack against Saniora's office.
The development followed day long riots across Beirut as the labor union suspended a demonstration it had called for.
Three members of the Mustaqbal movement were wounded when assailants from the Hizbullah-led opposition demolished their office with 30 Rocket-Propelled Grenades in Beirut's densely populated Nweiri district.
Two Lebanese Army soldiers were injured by rocks while trying to disperse a clash between opposition supporters and residents of the Tariq Jedideh district.
Two news photographers and a passer by were beaten up by rioters in Korniche Mazraa thoroughfare and suffered minor fractures, hospital sources said.
Meanwhile tension escalated as staccato bursts of automatic rifle fire echoed across several Beirut districts amidst efforts by army and police patrols to contain the violence.
Trucks run by Hizbullah's Jihad al-Binaa institute loaded dirt along the Beirut Airport road, blocking traffic to the facility, which has been closed to civil aviation.
Ghassan Ghosn, chairman of the General Federation of Labor Unions (GFLU) said a demonstration that had been scheduled to start at 10 a.m. was "suspended" due to the blocking of roads that prevented potential participants from reaching Beirut's Barbir Square where it was supposed to start.
Ghosn, however, said the general strike was persisting and blamed the government for not providing protection for the demonstrators.
The strike was observed only in Hizbullah-controlled regions of Lebanon, where supporters of the party set fire to rubber tires, blocking traffic.
However, the strike call was totally ignored in areas loyal to the March 14 majority. Life was normal in north and Mount Lebanon as well as in areas of east Lebanon and Beirut not loyal to Hizbullah. About 150 Hizbullah operatives infiltrated from their makeshift Tent City and blocked the Beirut port road with rubber tires and obstacles for nearly 30 minutes, but were challenged by motorists who drove across the barricades before an army patrol intervened and reopened the road to traffic.The strike observed by Beirut Airport workers was scheduled to end at 3 p.m., but Hizbullah refused to reopen the road to the facility. Nevertheless, three jetliners landed at the facility shortly after the deadline.Meanwhile, Mustaqbal Movement MP Mohammed Qabbani said the majority was considering activating the Rene Mouawad airport in north Lebanon if the dispute with Hizbullah persisted. Beirut, 07 May 08, 14:30

Majdalani: Hizbullah Leading a Breakaway Attempt
Naharnet/MP Atef Majdalani on Wednesday accused Hizbullah of shifting to civil strife with the objective of declaring a breakaway state.
Majdalani, in a statement, said Hizbullah was about to declare its own state in Lebanon after besieging Beirut Airport and attempting to besiege the capital's seaport.
Beirut, 07 May 08, 17:08

Aoun Vows to Confront U.S. Hegemony
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun said Wednesday that Syria had dominated Lebanon as a U.S. proxy. "But when the Syrians withdrew (in 2005) the U.S. direct hegemony was put into effect and it is a much bigger burden on us," Aoun added. "I don't say that we would defeat the United States. But U.S. influence in Lebanon would certainly decline," he predicted. Aoun, in an interview with the Qatari daily al-Rai, said he was facing a death threat, but did not say who was threatening him. Aoun defended Hizbullah's communications network and pointed an accusing finger at the government saying: This network is as old as the resistance is. Why did they discover it now?"Hizbullah's weapons, according to Aoun, are "pointed at Israel. But who is luring it them into the domestic arena? This is the question."Aoun accused the Majority of importing weapons through Beirut Airport."Beirut, 07 May 08, 16:02

Geagea: Hizbullah is Another Mahdi Army Militia
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Wednesday that Hizbullah was "another Mahdi Army" militia fighting the government in the Beirut alleys. Geagea said the riots in Beirut and blocking of streets by Opposition followers reflect a trend by Hizbullah to confront recent decisions by Premier Fouad Saniora's government. Hizbullah's message by blocking the Beirut Airport road, according to Geagea, is that it wants to control the airport or "there would be no airport."
Geagea said the Christians expressed their opinion by maintaining calm and ignoring the strike called by the opposition-backed Labor Union.
He urged security forces to "carry out government instructions to reopen roads."Geagea warned: "Any delay in reopening roads could have negative repercussions." Beirut, 07 May 08, 15:42

Second day of unrest in Lebanon
Posted: 08-05-2008 
Iran-backed Hizbullah tightened its grip on Beirut airport on Thursday, piling pressure on Lebanon's government on the second day of a protest campaign that has triggered gunbattles in the capital. According to Reuters, followers of the Shiite movement and its allies blocked all roads leading to the airport and other main streets, paralysing much of the city. Middle East Airlines, the national carrier, suspended all departures for 12 hours until midday (0900 GMT) to "await positive developments".Sporadic gunbattles erupted between Hizbullah supporters and pro-government supporters on Wednesday. Scores of gunmen from both sides were seen in several areas."Beirut relives the chapters of sectarian and militia horror," the pro-government An-Nahar newspaper said on its front-page on Thursday. "Lebanon in the mouth of the dragon," said the pro-opposition al-Akhbar newspaper. An opposition source said protests would go on until the government rescinded decisions affecting Hizbullah, including action against a telecommunications network operated by the group. Government sources ruled that out.
Wednesday's events quickly took on a sectarian tone with clashes in mixed Shi'ite and Sunni neighbourhoods. At least 10 people were hurt. Sunni Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rachid Qabbani denounced the actions of "outlawed armed gangs" and appealed to Hizbullah to withdraw its gunmen from Beirut. "The Sunni Muslims in Lebanon are fed up," he said in a televised address to the Lebanese. Qabbani implicitly criticized Iran, saying "it is regrettable and sad that an Islamic state is funding such infringements that hurt the unity of Lebanese Muslims."
Political sources said army commander General Michel Suleiman had rejected a government idea to declare a state of emergency and impose a curfew. Siniora had told Future News television his cabinet was considering such a move. The Lebanese army was deployed in Beirut but it refrained from using force to open roads and to stop the clashes. Hundreds of Hizbullah followers and their allies spent the night manning roadblocks of earth, concrete blocks and old cars. They kept up their campaign on Thursday, burning more tyres and building up their barricades. Most Beirut residents stayed indoors.
© 2008 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

Robert Fisk: Lebanon descends into chaos as rival leaders order general strike
Thursday, 8 May 2008
independent.co.
Burning tyres on the airport road, flights suspended, demands from the Druze leader Walid Jumblatt that Hizbollah moves secret cameras from runway 1-7 and end the militia's equally secret underground communications equipment. Across Corniche Mazraa, crowds of shrieking Sunni and Shia Muslims hurl abuse and stones at each other. A soldier comes up to my car at the crossroads. "Turn round," he shouts. "They're shooting."
Lebanon seems to feed on crisis, need crisis, breathe crisis, like a wounded man needs blood. The man who should be the president is head of the army and the man who believes he leads the resistance – Sayed Hassan Nasrallah of the Hizbollah – accuses Mr Jumblatt of doing Israel's work while Mr Jumblatt claims the head of Beirut airport security, Colonel Wafic Chucair, works for the Hizbollah and should be fired.
Yesterday, in case you hadn't guessed, was a "general strike" by opponents of the Lebanese government with all the usual chaos. Mr Nasrallah is to hold a press conference today and then we'll all find out if this latest crisis is the greatest crisis since the last great crisis. Yes, a good cup of cynicism is necessary to wash down the rhetoric and threats of the past few days. At its most serious is the incendiary language in which Lebanon's politicians now address each other, the kind of menacing words that could easily touch an assassin's heart.
Indeed, the start of this latest drama might be traced to the murder of two Phalangist officials in the Bekaa town of Zahle a few weeks ago. The murderer has been named, is linked to the pro-Syrian opposition and is still at large.
You could hear gunfire crackling across Beirut all morning. To top it all, soaring price increases – even of basic food – is creating a little revolution in the hearts of many Lebanese. Yesterday's strike was supposed to be organised by the General Labour Confederation, which is objecting to the government's new minimum wage offer of £171 a month. The darker side of all this, of course, involves Beirut airport. Mr Jumblatt's claim that Hizbollah has installed cameras beside one of the runways appears to be correct. Lebanese army officers have apparently noticed the cameras which can monitor executive jets taking off and landing. However, the apparatus may well have been installed because the Hizbollah believes that runway 1-7 – which starts a few metres above the Mediterranean – could be used for a small seaborne landing by Israeli troops. There is a persistent rumour in Beirut that the Israelis were about to stage such an operation against the Hizbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut on 28 April but that it was cancelled for equally mysterious reasons. Was this the origin of the cameras and of Hizbollah's unpleasant suggestion that Mr Jumblatt is doing Israel's work?
As usual, it was the sectarian content of the street violence which alarmed the army – a good many stones were chucked from high-rise buildings near the Cola bridge in west Beirut, the exact location of Sunni-Shia fighting in January last year. Even in the very centre of Beirut, piles of tyres were set alight, giving the city a sombre curtain of black smoke that drifted out to sea. So the capital of a country without a president – and for most of the time without a sitting parliament – is set to lose yet more international confidence.
What is it about Lebanon that creates these crises? Maybe at heart, it is the same old problem: to be a modern state, Lebanon must abandon confessionalism – the system which provides a Maronite for the presidency, a Sunni for the prime minister's seat, a Shia for the speaker of parliament, and so on. But if Lebanon abandoned confessionalism, it would no longer be Lebanon, because sectarianism is its identity; a fate which its children do not deserve but whose country was created by French masters on the ruins of the Ottoman empire. Ironically, the Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora now rules – or tries to rule – his nation from a building which was once the Beirut cavalry stables of the Ottoman army.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/fisk/robert-fisk-lebanon-descends-into-chaos-as-rival-leaders-order-general-strike-822840.html

Hezbollah says Lebanon has declared war
Reuters-May 8, 2008
BEIRUT — The Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah said on Thursday the U.S.-supported Beirut government had declared war by targeting its communications network.
Hezbollah launched a new street campaign on Wednesday, piling pressure on the government after it declared the network illegal and removed the head of airport security, a figure close to the group, from his post.
Supporters of Hezbollah and its allies have blocked roads leading to the airport -- Lebanon's only air link to the outside world -- and other main streets, paralysing much of the capital.
Sporadic gun battles erupted between Hezbollah supporters and pro-government loyalists in the Bekaa Valley in the east of the country, wounding five people, security sources said. Similar clashes took place in Beirut on Wednesday.
Pro-Hezbollah protesters paralyze Beirut
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the group's leader, said the only way out of the crisis was for the government to rescind the decisions and to attend talks aiming to end a 17-month-long political conflict with the Hezbollah-led opposition.
"This decision is first of all a declaration of war and the launching of war by the government... against the resistance and its weapons for the benefit of America and Israel," Nasrallah told a news conference in reference to the government's move.
He described the network as a vital part of the military structure of the group, which fought a 34-day war with Israel in 2006.
"The communications network is the significant part of the weapons of the resistance," Nasrallah said via video link. "I had said that we will cut the hand that targets the weapons of the resistance... Today is the day to fulfil this decision."
Street confrontations this week have aggravated the country's worst internal crisis since the 1975-90 civil war and exacerbated sectarian tension between Sunnis loyal to the government and Shi'ites who support the opposition.
DOUBLE JEOPARDY
The army said the situation threatened its unity. "The continuation of the situation ... harms the unity of the military establishment," the army said in a statement.
The fragmentation of the army along sectarian lines in 1976 was a key moment in Lebanon's total collapse into militia rule.
Pro-government activists blocked a highway linking Beirut to the mainly Shi'ite south with burning tyres and mounds of earth and set up a barricade on the main road to the border with Syria -- a strong backer of Hezbollah.
"It's double jeopardy: the cabinet can't retreat or it is practically finished and can't go through with it to the end because of the balance of power on the ground," columnist Rafik Khouri wrote in the newspaper al-Anwar.
"And Hezbollah can't step back from its position because it would be agreeing to getting its wings clipped and can't go all the way because of the dangers sectarian strife poses for everyone."
Hezbollah has led a political campaign against Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's anti-Syrian cabinet. Friction has already led to bouts of violence.
The group was the only Lebanese faction allowed to keep its weapons after the civil war, to fight Israeli forces occupying the south. Israel withdrew in 2000 and the fate of Hezbollah's weapons is at the heart of the political crisis.
Wednesday's violence quickly took on a sectarian tone with clashes in mixed Shi'ite and Sunni neighbourhoods. At least 10 people were wounded.
Political sources said army commander General Michel Suleiman had rejected a government idea to declare a state of emergency and impose a curfew. Siniora had told Future News television his cabinet was considering such a move.
Nasrallah also rejected the government's decision to sack the chief of the airport's security and said defiantly that the officer would remain in his post.
Hezbollah has deemed Siniora's cabinet illegitimate since its Shi'ite ministers resigned in 2006 after he rejected demands for veto power against government decisions.The crisis has paralysed much of the government and left Lebanon without a president for five months.

Confrontation in Lebanon Appears to Escalate
Mohammed Zaatari/Associated Press
Tires burned to block the highway linking Beirut with the coastal village of Jiyeh, Lebanon, on Thursday.
By NADA BAKRI and GRAHAM BOWLEY
Published: May 8, 2008
BEIRUT, Lebanon — The decision by the Lebanese government to shut down a private telephone network operated by the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah was an act of war and Hezbollah would defend itself, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader, said on Thursday.
Clashes in General Strike in Lebanon (May 8, 2008) The comments were among Mr. Nasrallah’s strongest since the beginning of Lebanon’s months-long political crisis and may signal a new level of confrontation between Hezbollah and its supporters and the Western-backed government. Tensions have escalated in recent days, and clashes and gunfire continued on the streets of Beirut on Thursday as Hezbollah tried to enforce a general strike called by labor unions.
On Tuesday, the government said that it would send troops to shut down a telephone network operated by Hezbollah in south Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut. “This decision was a declaration of war and the start of war on the resistance and its weapons,” Mr. Nasrallah said, speaking via satellite at a news conference convened by Hezbollah in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
“Our response to this decision is that whoever declares or starts a war, be it a brother or a father, then it is our right to defend ourselves and our existence,” he said.
However, Mr. Nasrallah left open the door for some negotiations by saying that it would stop the strike if the government’s forces left the streets of Beirut and the government reversed its decision on the telephone network.
The government has said it would prosecute those responsible for operating the network, which was mainly used for communication between Hezbollah members during the war with Israel in 2006. It also accused the militant group of placing several spy cameras on a road outside the Beirut airport to monitor pro-government officials. The cabinet dismissed the airport’s director of security, a figure close to Hezbollah.
As the country remained mired in its worst political crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war, tension has worsened in recent days.
On Thursday, parts of the city were still shut down, and roads were still blocked by burning tires and garbage cans set on fire by Hezbollah supporters and other opponents of the government.
They were trying to enforce a strike protesting government economic policies and demanding higher minimum wages. Roads to the airport were still closed, and only one plane managed to leave Beirut on Thursday.
For 17 months, Lebanon has struggled through a political standoff between the Hezbollah-led opposition which is supported by Iran and Syria and the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, who is backed by the West and Saudi Arabia. The impasse has left the country without a president since November.
Many of the clashes in recent days have been in mixed Sunni-Shiite neighborhoods. Armed civilians were visible on some streets.
“God is with the Sunnis,” shouted government supporters. “The Shiite blood is boiling,” responded Hezbollah followers from across the street. Lebanese army troops in riot gear stood between them. In other parts of the city, Lebanese troops in armored personnel carriers raced among neighborhoods trying to contain the fighting and shooting in the air to disperse crowds. “This is the first day of the civil war,” said a government supporter who gave his name as Omar, in a Sunni neighborhood. “They are the aggressors, and they will be buried here.”A few miles away, supporters of Hezbollah vowed to continue the protest until Mr. Siniora’s government fell.“We are staying here,” said a protester who gave his name as Abu Rish. “We have money and support from Iran and Syria and we can go on like this for another 50 years.”

Crossfire War - New Civil War in Lebanon
By Willard Payne
Crossfire War
MAZRAA - A new civil war in Lebanon has begun. What set off the fighting this time revolves around the telecommunications network Tehran began to install for Hezbollah last year, communications which are crucial for Hezbollah's next war with Israel but Lebanon's government, under Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, saw the network as a threat to them and declared it illegal. Hezbollah immediately responded by stating the network was regarded as being as important as their weapons and would fight any attempt to dismantle it. Though some fighting began Wednesday the activity was mostly confined to Hezbollah alongside another Shia group Amal setting up roadblocks in and around Beirut International Airport and main roads in the capital. There were angry anti-Hezbollah statements from the Sunni Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Kabbani but everyone was waiting for the impact of the speech from Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah on Thursday. Speaking from a secret location in Beirut's southern suburbs, via a video link, Haaretz/News Agencies report Nasrallah stated, "This decision is first of all a declaration of war and the launching of war by the government...against the resistance and its weapons for the benefit of America and Israel. The communication network is the significant part of the weapons of the resistance. I had said that we will cut off the hands that targets the weapons of the resistance...Today is the day to fulfill this decision." [HAARETZ]
Ras el-Nabae - France24/AFP report heavy fighting then erupted in the districts of Mazraa and Ras el-Nabae between Hezbollah, supported by Amal against pro-government supporters. Fighting then spread to other parts of the capital and around the country with Hezbollah using assault rifles and rocket propelled grenades. They have been massively re-armed by Damascus-Tehran since Hezbollah's war with Israel in 2006. The newspaper al-Akhbar wrote "Lebanon is in the mouth of the dragon." Rafik Khouri, columnist for al-Anwar observed, "its double jeopardy: the cabinet can't retreat or it is practically finished and can't go through with it to the end because of the balance of power on the ground. And Hezbollah can't step back from its position because it would be agreeing to getting its wings clipped and can't go all the way because of the dangers of sectarian strife poses for everyone." But from Hezbollah's offensive action they and Damascus-Tehran believe Hezbollah can go all the way as a vanguard of removing not only what is left of the administration of Prime Minister Fouad Sinora, but of removing any effort by France and the West of maintaining their position in Lebanon through the 13,ooo European troops in Lebanon's south. [FRANCE24]
Beqaa Valley - What is especially significant are the reports Lebanon's army, headed by General Michel Suleiman, has refused to support Siniora's call for a state of emergency and the imposing of a curfew. This should not be surprising. When Tehran had Hezbollah lead anti-government street demonstrations beginning in December 2006, the army said then it would not intervene if any fighting began and General Suleiman is known to have close relations with Damascus and therefore Tehran. As the fighting becomes worse I actually expect him to call on Syria to directly intervene and stabilize the country and that could be the result of the behind the scenes planning of Hezbollah-Damascus-Tehran. Debka reports Hezbollah fighters, wearing army and police uniforms, have infiltrated government strongholds in the capital. And in the western Beqaa Valley region of Kharoub government forces were mobilizing and heading toward Beirut. But I suspect these government forces are not Lebanon's army but are instead private militias controlled by the Siniora administration. [DEBKA]
Siniora and his political-military allies are probably aware their units are no match for Hezbollah-Amal and the Christian nationalists under former General Michel Aoun, but they may have been told Paris and the West will support them and not only by using the European units in the south but also with air and naval power. Israel will probably not intervene unless the war on this front threatens them and Jerusalem will be concentrating on its own offensive into Gaza. Damascus-Tehran welcomes war in Lebanon because they realize this is a chance to remove more of the West's influence in the region than any action against Israel. The West will do next to nothing in support of Israel but Paris and the West are extremely proud of their influence in Lebanon which was created by the French in 1920 and never officially recognized by Damascus. However when the Hezbollah/Israel war ended in 2006 Syria President Bashar al-Assad made an animated speech praising Hezbollah and its new position of strength. As reports then came in of Damascus-Tehran re-arming Hezbollah I first assumed Syria-Iran really were planning to join Hezbollah's next war with Israel to re-claim the Golan Heights. But I finally realized, knowing how economically oriented Tehran is, that Iran had actually convinced Syria this is their chance to get Lebanon back. After all what do you get if you re-take the Golan, prestige and a real nice view, the heights are completely unimportant economically, but if you re-take Lebanon you then have control over another economy which is much more of a regional-international impact.
Beirut - Rula Amin of Al Jazeera reports, "Some people are leaving the capital to remote villages, others are walking to the airport by foot, hoping that any plane will take them. Tension is rising-today violence spread outside the capital...You can see more and more people on the street with guns." [ALJAZEERA]
Sadr City - Al Jazeera reports new fighting has erupted in Sadr City between U. S. forces and Shia militias. This round of fighting began just before midnight and continued into Thursday morning. [ALJAZEERA
http://www.crossfirewar.com

US leads condemnation of Lebanon fighting
AP/The United States Thursday led international condemnation of political violence in Lebanon as fierce gunbattles raged in Beirut, leaving at least seven people dead. Washington blamed the violence on Shiite militant group Hezbollah, demanding that its supporters "stop their disruptive activities".
The UN Security Council expressed deep concern and appealed for calm and the reopening of the country's roads, after armed clashes intensified between pro-government and Hezbollah factions in the streets of Beirut. And France described the renewed fighting in its former protectorate as "worrying" and called for restraint. US national security council spokesman Gordon Johndroe told reporters in Washington: "Hezbollah needs to make a choice: Be a terrorist organization or be a political party, but quit trying to be both.""They need to stop their disruptive activities now," he said.
Meanwhile, the UN called for a return to security in the country. "The members of the Security Council are deeply concerned about the current clashes and unrest in Lebanon, including the blocking of major roads and Beirut international airport," said John Sawers, Britain's UN ambassador and the current council president.
"They stress the need to uphold the security and sovereignty of Lebanon and express their support for the constitutional institutions of the country.
"They urge all sides to exercice calm and restraint and call for the immediate reopening of all roads."
In a statement released by its foreign ministry, France reiterated "its support for the government of Lebanon, and the army in carrying out its duties and constitutional obligations, including the preservation of the security and stability of the country."
"We are following developments very closely, especially to ensure the protection of the French community," the ministry said.
The United Arab Emirates has already begun evacuating its nationals from Beirut on Thursday, the official Wam news agency said.
"Some Emirati nationals in Beirut have been evacuated to ensure their security," UAE Ambassador Mohammad Sultan Al-Suweidi was quoted as saying.
It said the evacuees had been flown to Damascus, but gave no details about the number of people involved.
Lebanon has been rocked by two days of clashes between supporters of the Western-backed government and the Hezbollah-led opposition, leaving at least seven dead, the international airport closed and many roads blocked.
The rival factions were engaged in shootouts in several mixed Sunni and Shiite Muslim districts of the capital, with militants using rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns, a security official said. The fighting erupted after Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah charged that a Lebanese government crackdown on his group's activities was tantamount to a "declaration of war."
A prominient leader of the Christian opposition, Michel Aoun, called for an immediate return to negotiations in comments aired by Hezbollah's Al-Manar television.
The violence cast a shadow on US President George W. Bush's visit to the region next week, which will focus on the Middle East peace process but also on Lebanon. Bush will discuss the crisis with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora in talks in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Johndroe said.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit earlier repeated Cairo's support for Siniora and implicitly blamed the opposition for the crisis.
"The party that is pushing for confrontation and which persists along this path with disregard for civil peace will surely bear the historic responsibility for its actions," Egyptian newspapers quoted him as telling Lebanese majority leader Saad Hariri by telephone. Saudi Arabia also warned those behind the latest incidents to "reconsider their position, and to realise that leading Lebanon towards turmoil will not bring victory to any party except extremist external forces."

Hezbollah rejects majority call to end Lebanon clashes
Hezbollah on Thursday flatly rejected proposals by Lebanon's majority bloc aimed at ending fierce sectarian clashes that have killed at least seven people, the militant group's Al Manar television reported. "Majority leader Saad Hariri's bid to draw the army into an affair that does not concern it has been flatly and quickly rejected," Al Manar said. It was referring to Hariri's suggestion earlier in the day that controversial measures adopted by the Western-backed government be put in the hands of the army. The government on Tuesday decided to investigate a communication network set up by Hezbollah and reassigned the head of airport security over his alleged links with the militant group.Hariri also urged the opposition, backed by Syria and Iran, to agree to the immediate election of consenus candidate and army chief Michel Sleiman as president, and to engage in a national dialogue under the auspices of the new president. He also urged Hezbollah opposition leader Hassan Nasrallah to lift his "siege" of Beirut, which has been the scene of fierce clashes between rival factions. ©2008 AFP

Deadly clashes evoke memories of civil war in Lebanon
Thursday, 08 May 2008 19:59
Deadly gun battles break out in Lebanese capital Beirut as Hizbullah leader says government has "declared war" Printer friendly version
In Focus Lebanon – dangerous days The only thing that seems certain in Lebanon is that its long history of political strife is set to continue. Full Story
Gun battles have broken out in the Lebanese capital in the worst infighting seen since the 1975 to 1990 civil war. Two people have died in the clashes between Hizbullah militants and government loyalists according to the al-Jazeera news agency. Violence began on Thursday afternoon after Hizbullah chief Hassan Nasrallah said the Lebanese authorities had "declared war" on the Shia Muslim organisation. "The hand raised against us, we will cut it off," he told Hizbullah members in Beirut via videolink. Two days of protests have been seen in Beirut following the government's decision to brand Hizbullah's private communications network illegal. The authorities claim Iran is funding the network to allow Hizbullah, which fought an inconclusive war with Israel in the summer of 2006, to avoid monitoring and tap government phonelines. There are now real fears the dispute could, in the current political climate, escalate into full-blown sectarian conflict. Lebanon has been without a president since Emile Lahoud stepped down last November.
Army chief Michel Sleiman has been agreed as a compromise candidate in theory, but 18 parliamentary sessions to formally select him have been cancelled in rows over the makeup of his cabinet.

Declaration of war?
 Al-Ahram Weekly
Lebanon's US-backed government took aim at Hizbullah this week, leading to fears of further strife, Lucy Fielder reports from Beirut
Tensions bubbled over again in Lebanon this week after Druze leader Walid Jumblatt alleged that the opposition Shia group Hizbullah was spying on a runway used by private jets at Beirut International Airport and accused the guerrillas of being linked to a string of assassinations of anti-Syrian figures and security personnel over the past three years.
In response, for the first time since the Taif agreement of 1989 that ended Lebanon's civil war and enshrined the legitimacy of Hizbullah's armed resistance to Israel, the government condemned the telephone network which is part of the group's security apparatus as an illegal "threat to the state".
With what many observers saw as corresponding belligerence, Hizbullah warned that anyone who tried to tamper with its parallel telephone network, which is part of its military apparatus, would be considered tantamount to a collaborator with Israel. The Free Patriotic Movement led by Michel Aoun, Hizbullah's main Christian ally, called the government ban a "declaration of war" on Hizbullah, a week after the US State Department renewed its "terrorist" designation of the group.
Furthermore, after a mammoth session that continued until just before dawn, Fouad Al-Siniora's pro-Western government decided to try to remove the head of airport security, General Wafiq Shoucair, from his position. Shoucair was known to have good relations with Hizbullah and Amal, which many analysts say were necessary given the location of the airport in Beirut's mainly Shia southern suburbs.
"In Lebanon, removing senior officials is always sensitive, and I'm afraid if this dismissal goes ahead it could lead to more tension," security analyst Timur Goksel said. "Hizbullah likes to know who's coming in, and they're worried about foreign agents. All the groups have somebody there watching who's coming and going, but having a top ally at the airport is definitely important to Hizbullah."
Head of the Shia Supreme Islamic Council Abdulamir Qabalan threw his support behind Shoucair. "This has now become a sectarian issue," said Beirut-based Hizbullah expert Amal Saad-Ghorayeb. "This is the first time the government's taken such a provocative step. What they basically want to do is get the Americans in control of the airport, because they want a foothold in nearby Dahiyeh [the mainly Shia southern suburbs]."
Saad-Ghorayeb said it could be part of a US-backed plan to mobilise the Shia and try to drag Hizbullah into civil war. Fear of internal strife plagues the guerrilla group, since being embroiled in civil fighting would undermine its pan-Arab appeal and the broader, to some extent cross-sectarian support it has as long as its weapons are trained solely at Israel.
Goksel said the ban on Hizbullah's telephone network, to which anti-Syrian politicians have alluded before, would be hard to enforce. "It's perfectly within the government's right to say it -- they have the monopoly on communications in the country -- but implementing it is something else, it would definitely cause friction," said Goksel, who lectures at the American University of Beirut and is a former spokesman for the UNIFIL border force.
Hizbullah has been working since the July 2006 war with Israel to improve its communications system, he said. "They know that in the next war the Israelis can immobilise the Lebanese communications system in minutes, and then what do you do?"
The developments appeared to raise the spectre of civil strife in the country that has had no president since November and has been polarised between pro- and anti-Western camps since the assassination of former prime minister Rafik Al-Hariri three years ago.
A general strike was called for 7 May by the Trade Union Federation. Aoun called on his followers to support the strike, raising the prospect that it could be widespread, deeply politicised and a flashpoint for violence. A general strike in January 2007 descended into sectarian street fights between government and opposition supporters.
Although Jumblatt, along with many other domestic and international figures, has frequently charged that Hizbullah is building a "state within a state" and raised the issue of the telephone network, not only were the airport allegations new but the assassination charges were considered an escalation. "Accusing Hizbullah of being linked to the assassinations is extremely sensitive, especially to the Sunnis," Saad-Ghorayeb said. The Hariri family is Sunni, and the anti-Syrian Future Movement led by Saad Al-Hariri is closely associated with the sect.
Jumblatt accused Hizbullah of setting up cameras to monitor runway 17, used by private jets, "to monitor the arrival of Lebanese or foreign leaders and to kidnap or assassinate on the airport road". He added: "I am disclosing this information about Hizbullah before people march in my funeral or that of parliamentary majority leader Saad Al-Hariri."
Saad-Ghorayeb said Hizbullah's response was less restrained than usual, further illustrating how precarious the situation was. "Hizbullah has become more vocal in defending itself than it has been in the past, it has gone on the offensive and said this is a weapon of the resistance and anyone who tries to tamper with our phone lines is trying to disarm us," she said.
Jumblatt also stepped up allegations of Iranian meddling in Lebanon, calling for the ambassador's expulsion and the stopping of flights to and from Iran, alleging that they ferry weapons to Hizbullah.
Al-Manar, Hizbullah's satellite channel, reported an assassination attempt on one of its cadres in the southern suburbs in late April, typically quoting Israeli media but not confirming the news. Quoting Israel's Channel 10, Al-Manar said the attack was thwarted by Hizbullah's tapping of a telephone call, and asked whether Jumblatt's allegations aimed to cover up the attempt.
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa was back in Beirut trying to reconcile the two sides this week, but he appeared to have no new impetus to give his Arab initiative and was expected to leave empty-handed.
In the absence of any concrete measures, and with the two sides more polarised than ever, a parliamentary session to elect a president, scheduled for 13 May, is likely to be postponed for an 18th time. Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri's call for dialogue has so far gone unheeded, despite occasional encouraging noises, including, in the past, from Jumblatt.
"It's all just time-stalling," Saad-Ghorayeb said. "It's clear they've reached a dead end and that 14 March will not allow a national unity government," a key demand of the opposition. "It's even clearer that the opposition will not accept less than a third of cabinet seats."
Observers expect nothing to change on the political scene in Lebanon for some time, probably until next year's parliamentary elections, barring a military escalation in Lebanon or the region that would reshuffle the cards. Hizbullah's expected retaliation to the assassination of its military commander Imad Mughniyah, which it blames on Israel, is one potential catalyst that remains hard to predict.
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