American Lebanese Coalition

ALC statement on the Hezbollah Riots in Lebanon
January 26, 2007
Last week, Lebanon witnessed yet another destructive episode of violence orchestrated by the terrorist group Hezbollah and their pro-Syrian allies and aimed at overthrowing the democratically elected government of Lebanon.

These Iranian and Syrian-backed factions terrified and disrupted the lives of peaceful Lebanese by blocking main roads, setting fire into cars and property, and physically assaulting civilians and attacking students in universities.

The toll was 7 murdered civilians, hundreds of injured, and millions of dollars in damage to public and private properties.

The ALC condemns these deplorable acts of terror in the strongest possible terms, and we present our condolences to the families of the victims and our wishes for a quick recovery to the injured.

At the same time, the ALC:

1. States that blocking the streets of an already injured and mutilated country and inciting divisiveness amongst its population can only serve the enemies of Lebanon. It was obvious that these riots were not, as claimed, intended at improving the living conditions of the Lebanese but rather aimed at destabilizing Lebanon so as to become an easy prey for the Iranian-controlled and Syrian-supported Hezbollah.

2. Urges the Lebanese to stand in support of the free and legitimate government of Lebanon and against the seizure of power by Hassan Nasrallah, Michel Aoun and their cohorts in the pro-Syrian camp, who are undermining Lebanon’s Sovereignty to serve the regimes of Teheran and Damascus.

3. Demands that the Lebanese army and the internal security forces fulfill their duty in protecting the citizens' rights to move freely about the country and attend to their businesses and in preventing the rioters from closing roads, attacking civilians and destroying private and public property.

4. Appeals to the US Government and the United Nations Security Council to exert effective and strong pressure on the regimes of Iran and Syria in order to stop their blatant interference in Lebanon and to immediately cease the arming and financing of Hezbollah, in accordance with the numerous UNSC resolutions in that regard, or start facing major sanctions from the international community. The friends of Lebanon in the world should stand ready in these difficult times to defend Lebanon’s freedom and democracy from the attempted coup by the radical regimes in the Middle East and their subversive agents in Lebanon.
END

Contact: Joseph Gebeily, MD
President
Lebanese Information Center
American Lebanese Coalition
email jgbeily@licus.org
Cell 240-498-1895