Al-Masakin coverage of the Samir al-Qintar release (Operation al-Redwan)

Samir Quntar urges destruction of Zionist regime at award ceremony in Tehran yesterday

Iranian President Ahmadinejad presents Samir Quntar with statue of two prisoners breaking out of jail during ceremony in Tehran

On ‘Freedom Day’ Hezbollah SG Nasrallah recalls Israel still holds the remains of 350

Hezbollah SG Nasrallah hails operation Al-Redwan prisoner exchange on Lebanese Freedom Day celebrating the May 2008 prisoner exchange that freed Samir Qintar inter alios

Nasrallah to Keep Promises to Families of Detainees, 18 Nov. 03

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2003/11/18/16601271.php

Lebanon arrests more Israeli spies

Israel Spy Networks in Eye of Lebanon Security Storm

Mohamad Shmaysani

04/05/2009 Falling one after the other, Israeli spy networks are in the eye of the Lebanese security storm.   Al-Manar has learned that security forces have arrested Monday afternoon two agents with the Mossad, brothers Hassan Y. and Jaafar Y. in the south Lebanese town of Sultaniyyeh. Security forces have also arrested Hussein H. from the town of Deir Ntar.   Eight Israeli spy networks have been dismantled so far since last September as it seems that the country will witness more such moves. Al-Manar has also learned that Military Intelligence have arrested Monday an individual and interrogated him over the “Sehmarani network.” The Lebanese dailies Al-Akhbar and Assafir have said that Haytham Sehmerani, a Sergeant in the Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces, had been arrested a week earlier in the Bourj al-Barajneh neighborhood in Beirut’s southern suburb. His wife, according to reports, was later arrested and she had a significant amount of information.       Sehmarani confessed to have been working for Israel since 2004 through his sister who fled to occupied Palestine in the wake of the liberation in 2000. Security forces have confiscated a computer set through which he used to make contact with his Israeli operators. The Mossad agent’s mission was to collect detailed information about Islamic Resistance officials and members as well as Hezbollah offices in Dahiyeh (Beirut’s southern suburb). He also took part in marking a large number of targets, some of which were bombed during the Israeli war on Lebanon in 2006.   Investigations with Sehamarani focused on the possibility that the Information Branch had been infiltrated by Israeli network.   Another agent was arrested in the southern city of Nabatiyyeh. Al-Akhbar said it quoted a senior Hezbollah official as saying the Islamic Resistance’s security apparatus had succeeded, in coordination with the ISF, in arresting Mustapha Awada (55 years) who runs a car sales company. Awada owned sophisticated equipment necessary for his work as well as a surveillance device planted in the side mirror of his car.   The spy networks had been working on several targets related to Hezbollah and the arrested agents are being intensively interrogated to find out the nature and the quantity of information they passed to Israel.   As for agent Ali Mantash, who was arrested a week ago, investigations conducted by the Information Branch revealed that he had been assigned with collecting personal and detailed information about Hezbollah’s liaison and coordination official Hajj Wakik Safa and his family, his home, his visits to his hometown. Hajj Safa was one of four senior Hezbollah officials monitored by agent Mantash.

Hezbollah unmoved by recent State Department terrorism report

Hezbollah: US Praises Resistance Without Knowing it

01/05/2009 Hezbollah commented on the recent US State Department’s annual “assessment of global terrorism” report, in which Hezbollah was implicated.  The Hezbollah statement says: “the US administration did not surprise us with its new but old accusations which we have always considered legions of honor. The US political terms do not include the term ‘resistance’ or any other relevant term, for animosity has been Washington’s approach to the free peoples and governments of the world for a long time. The persisting US hegemony, through which Washington gives itself the right to categorize peoples and governments as terrorists, only constitutes another proof on this administration’s persistent determination to be aggressive. However, when it speaks evil about Hezbollah, in fact it is praising the resistance party without knowing it. The value of Hezbollah is not in its effective techniques, but in its determination and commitment to rightful causes and its sense of deep responsibility to fight oppression, aggression and occupation.”

Bashar al-Assad in Austria: Israel has rejected two state solution, has no desire to return Golan Heights, has shown no desire for peace since assassination of Yitzak Rabin, Syria does not control Hezbollah or Hamas

President al-Assad Says that Austria is well known for its Objective  Constructive, and Just Stances toward the Palestinian Cause and Peace

Apr 27, 2009

Vienna, (SANA) – President Bashar al-Assad and Austrian President , Heinz Fischer, held a joint press conference following their talks held today at Hofburg Presidential Palace in Vienna.

President a-Assad thanked President Fischer for all the arrangement he made in cooperation with the Austrian government for his visit to be successful and comfortable at the same time. President al-Assad also expressed pleasure for being today in the friendly Austria which has been known for decades for her objective, constructive , and just stances toward various issues in the world , particularly toward the Middle East issues , on top of which is the Palestinian cause ,and toward the peace issue in general

President al-Assad indicated that these stances which have been accumulated through numerous decades have given Austria a special position and a special credibility. “In these latest developments in the world, our dialogue came on this level in order to utilize the position and credibility of Austria vis-à-vis these problems for the activation of the existing initiatives and finding solutions to them,” President al-Assad said.

“We are now in front of a new temperament in the world… this doesn’t mean that everything is positive; there is a positive temperament, there is a wave of optimism, but this wave is limited to a specific time that may not last and we don’t know when it will end. It is important to move as fast as possible to translate the state of optimism into direct productive work. To us, our dialogue with Austria is a must, and we expect due to what we saw during talks that it will be productive and fruitful,” President al-Assad said, adding that it is necessary to move as fast as possible at the first stage or at the first priority towards the peace process.

President al-Assad pointed out that he and President Fischer focused during their talks on the peace process, and that the peace process is an extensive term with many subsidiary headings, such as the Palestinian peace process, the Syrian and Lebanese tracks, and combating terrorism which cannot be separated from the peace process.

“We also focused on the peace process launched in 1991… we are now in 2009, 18 years after that process was launched, and we see that reality doesn’t reflect any real peace but rather we see more bloodshed in spite of some negotiations that take place at one time or another, but sometimes the later results are the opposite of what is desired. So, we must move to support the peace process on various levels; on the international level whether with the United States or in Europe or on the regional level by dealing, communicating and establishing dialogue with all the parties that are directly involved in this issue.” President al-Assad said.

“The Austrian stance always supports the peace process, and so is the European stance… however, we discussed how to transform this agreement in stances between us and Austria and the European Union into an executive work plan.” President al-Assad said.

President Bashar al-Assad said that his talks with President Fischer touched upon the Iranian nuclear file where Syria stressed the necessity for any proposed international initiative to be committed to Nuclear Arms Non- Proliferation Treaty which  gives the right to any country in  the world to have a reactor for peaceful purposes and at the same time there are mechanisms for monitoring , noting that an international dialogue with Iran is possible according to these points and this is what Syria supports.

Regarding the situation in Iraq, President al-Assad said “We have expressed our satisfaction with regard to the situation in Iraq, particularly on the backdrop of the latest elections of the local administration which we believe was a step forward with regard to the Iraqi political process that needs other steps to be completed. Such results encourage us to be more optimistic that Iraq has become away from the danger of any civil war and is restoring unity, and Syria is improving relations with Iraq and seeking to extend help to it in order to reach stability.”

President al-Assad went on, “We discussed several political issues, and I will give you some headlines and leave the details for your questions,” adding that in regards to bilateral issues, there will be a meeting on Tuesday with businessmen to sign a number of memos of understanding that will later become agreements once relevant establishments approve them.

“Once again, I want to thank President Fischer… I take this opportunity to thank the Austrian government for its commitment to participating in the UN forces on the Syrian borders in the occupied Golan.” President al-Assad said.

President al-Assad added “Talking about negotiations might be a media speech because what we see and hear of statements is completely contrary… many days ago, we have heard that the Israeli government has no desire or is not ready to return back the Golan… Earlier, we had heard a clear rejection of the principle of establishing two Palestinian and Israeli states, and all know that there is an international support, with no exceptions, to Syria’s right in restoring its full occupied lands.”

The President said that if the first and second elements were not available, it would be difficult to say there is a serious and real thing happens towards peace President al-Assad underlined that the Golan is a right, a land for us and a right for us, so it should be restored in all cases.

“Since the assassination of Rabin, we have never seen any real indication towards peace process, and if we return back to the diaries of a number of US officials, including President Bill Clinton, we will notice this speech literally on the maneuvers that have been done,” the President added.

He said, “Frankly, we don’t expect this Israeli government to give a peace, but it doesn’t maneuver, it is frank that it doesn’t want peace.”

President al-Assad said “On another level, we aren’t trying to connect working for peace with certain tactical changes that occur for electoral reasons… we and our European friends, and even the US administration… any US administration… never stop working to establish a vision or a work plan for this peace.”

“When there is an Israeli government that is ready for peace, whether it’s this government or another one, then we can move with them directly… we can say that we don’t trust, we can say that they won’t achieve peace, but that doesn’t mean we don’t assume that everything is possible in politics.” President al-Assad pointed out.

Regarding the possibility of convincing Hezbollah and Hamas of the two-states solution if Syria manages to reach a peace treaty with Israel, President al-Assad said “Syrian can achieve peace on its land and borders, but it can’t achieve it on behalf of other countries,” pointing out that there are three tracks for the peace process, adding “Hezbollah isn’t in Syria; it’s in Lebanon, and it’s a party like any other party with basis and public support in Lebanon. As for Hamas, it’s a party in the Palestinian lands, and if they want to deal with these two sides in the framework of the peace process then this means that Israel must consider the three tracks at the same time, which is what we call the comprehensive peace.”

President al-Assad pointed out that discussing the Syrian track might achieve a peace treaty with Syria only, and it doesn’t mean achieving complete and real peace, which is why Syria’s stance supports negotiations on the three tracks at the same time in order to reach comprehensive peace that ends debate regarding these points.

For his part, Austrian President Heinz Fischer said “I am glad to have the opportunity to receive President of the Syrian Arab Republic and the delegation accompanying him and to welcome them in Austria,” adding that he met President al-Assad after his election as a president when he visited Syria as the Speaker of the Austrian Parliament, noting that they improved and bolstered relation between them ever since.

“In December 2007, we agreed upon President al-Assad’s visit to Austria, which will be beneficial not only to Austria, but to Syria, the European Union, and the entirety of Europe.” President Fischer said.

“President al-Assad will meet all the heads of the Austrian government, including the Austrian Chancellor, Speaker of the Parliament, and the Vice Chancellor, in addition to former Chancellors Gusenbauer and Vranitzky. These are of course opportunities to discuss several issues, and during the talks we held now we discussed bilateral relation, agreeing that these relations are very positive, deep-rooted and advanced.”

The Austrian President pointed out that visits were exchanged between the two countries in 2008, and that an important part of bilateral relations focuses on the economic field which developed in 2008, resulting in a positive rate of exports and imports, adding “I believe there is an issue, or an important duty, on out shoulders now… we are committed to this high economic rate even in light of the current financial and economic crisis.”

“We will be discussing this issue tomorrow morning in the Syrian-Austrian Economic Forum. There are several agreements, like the agreement for avoiding double taxation and protecting investments… all of them are agreements that we can use to boslter economic relations.” President Fischer said.

President Fischer said “I look at this visit as a possibility for dialogue and discussing relations between the European Union and Syria… Austria’s viewpoint is that the agreement for integration, cooperation and coordination between the two countries can be signed, and there are many European countries that encourage this point of view.

The Austrian President underlined Syria’s pivotal role in the Middle East issues and several matters related to this issue, noting that talks dealt with these matters, with President al-Assad explaining his stance and viewpoints regarding them, adding “I am glad that we agree in many opinions and viewpoints.”

“It is important to Europe and the European Union that the UN Security Council will form an opinion regarding Iran and its nuclear program… Austria could be able to explain matters and find a solution through negotiations in this field… what is important now is to have cooperation between Iran and the UN’s nuclear affairs agency.” President Fischer said.

Regarding the peace in the Middle East between Syria in Israel, President Fischer said talks dealt with this issue, adding “I believe it was good that the two countries began indirect talks. Unfortunately, these talks ended because of what happened in Gaza at the end of last year, and the two sides were unable to resume these talks. We are worried that it may be difficult to return to this process, but I believe we must return to this track. Of course we all can’t choose government… Austria can’t choose the Israeli government nor can Syria, and the same goes for Israel.”

On the role that could be played by Austria to achieve peace in the Middle East, the Austrian President said, “Austria will be a member in the UN Security Council for two years, and we will avail this responsibility in the interest of peace process and in a positive and fair image… President al-Assad has underlined that he considers the Austrian stance from this side…and Austria could take tangible and positive steps and present proposals at Security Council… we contact Turkey several times in a week on this issue and with the other members counties at Security Council.”

President Fischer made clear that the Austrian government does its best towards that approach…. and announces a stances towards many issues, For example, what has happened in Gaza was unfair, a big number of victims have died, and this was not suitable with the aim mentioned by Israel.

As for the future of the Syrian-European relations, the Austrian President said, “I look forward to President al-Assad’s visit in the framework of good and positive development and approach between Syria and the EU.”

“Since decades, Austria has maintained and consolidated  good relations with Syria, but in the first years of the 21st century, there were some difficult conditions… Austria has been insisting on returning back to dialogue to solve issues, for example using violence in Iraq will not solve the problem…. I believe that US President Obama and the US Administration have changed their stances, and as I heard from President al-Assad during our last talks that French President Nicolas Sarkozy considers the issues with another vision from many sides…. So, I believe that Syria and the EU make rapprochements and consolidate these relations.”

A. N. Idelbi / Mazen / H. Sabbagh

Secretary of State Clinton calls Hamas an Iranian proxy

Missoula, March 5 (Al-Masakin)–U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in remarks made to the press en route to Belgium called the Palestinian resistance proxies for Iran.

Delivering her ubiquitousmessages of hope the Secretary evidently unmoved by the fact that Abu Mazen’s term as President of Palestine expired Jan. 9, 2009, once again called the Palestinian Authority “only legitimate government for the Palestinians and the only partner for any negotiations.” 

Although Deputy Department Spokesman Gordon Duguid said at the daily press briefing that Iran toward negotiations with the United States Iran still had a “clinched fist,” the Secretary went on to say that Iran was consulting with the American ambassador on a daily basis.

“Iran borders Afghanistan. In the early days of the military efforts by the United States and our allies to go after the Taliban and al-Qaida, Iran was consulting with our ambassador on a daily basis. Where it is appropriate and useful for the United States and others to see whether Iran can be constructive, that will be considered,” Mrs. Clinton said.

Evidently deaf to the yesterday’s remarks by Rabbi Aren Kohn in Tehran yesterday to the effect that the Zionists have stolen the Jewish identity and last evenings remarks by John Duke Anthony that American should open a dialogue with Hamas immediately, the Secretary of State continued calling Hezbollah and Hamas Iranian proxies.

“It is clear that Iran intends to interfere with the internal affairs of all of these people and try to continue their efforts to fund terrorism, whether it’s Hezbollah or Hamas or other proxies.”

EHC / EHC

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Iran seeks joint lebanese-Iranian committee to determine the fate of four Iranians missing from Lebanon since 1982, Israel claims Lebanese Falange responsible for the abductions, three diplomats and one journalist (IRNA) possibly held in Israeli prisons

Joint Committee Called for Fate of Iranian Diplomats TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki requested Lebanese officials on Tuesday to form a joint committee to probe into the fate of the four Iranian diplomats kidnapped in Lebanon in 1982.

In a message to his Lebanese counterpart Fawzi Sallukh handed over by Iran’s Ambassador in Beirut Mohammad Reza Sheibani, Mottaki called for formation of an Iranian-Lebanese committee to investigate the fate of then charge d’affaires of the Iranian Embassy in Beirut Seyed Mohsen Mousavi, military attaché Ahmad Motevaselian, embassy technician Taghi Rastegar Moghadam and journalist of the Islamic republic news agency Kazem Akhavan. The Iranian diplomats were kidnapped in July 1982 by the Lebanese mercenary army – also known as the Falangists – affiliated with Israel. It is widely believed the men are being held by the Zionist regime, the Islamic republic news agency reported. In an agreement reached between the Lebanese Hezbollah and the Zionist regime on a prisoner swap, the Zionist officials accepted to provide the Lebanese group with a report on the fate of the four Iranian diplomats. Israeli officials said that the Lebanese Forces Party was responsible for the abduction. Meanwhile, commenting on the issue Hezbollah Secretary General Seyed Hassan Nasrallah said last Thursday there were reports indicating that the four Iranians were being kept in the Zionist regime’s prisons. Last week Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hassan Qashqavi called Israel responsible for the lives of the four Iranian diplomats.

Al-Masakin: Azeri Press Agency (APA) could be fabricating news

 

By Edward Campbell

 

Missoula, Feb. 3 (Al-Masakin)—Al-Masakin News Agency has noted that the Azeri Press Agency (APA) has published a number of dubious uncooroborated news stories in the recent weeks since the flap over Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s remarks reported in the Turkish Weekly Jan. 6: “Israel will be cursed for the children and the defenseless women who died under bombs,” including unsubstantiated reports that Hezbollah cell groups were planning attacks on Israeli institutions abroad had been foiled. 

 

In related news, the Turkish Weekly reported Feb. 3 that Haaretz fabricated a story that a synagogue in northwestern Turkey had been set ablaze on Sunday.  A statement by the Office of the Chief Rabbi, Rav Izak Haleva, said no such incident took place in the city and no synagogue had been torched by vandals as was claimed by an article in Haaretz written by Yoav Stern the Turkish Weekly reported on Tuesday. (link)

 

The APA claimed today that based on foreign reports it had learned that the Turkish Consulate General in Düsseldorf, Germany had been attacked by arsonists, although to the knowledge of Al-Masakin News Agency no other media has reported this incident.  That report remains uncorroborated.

 

“APA reports quoting foreign media that the façade of the building was damaged, but no casualties were reported. Düsseldorf police are investigating the incident.”

 

On Jan. 26 the APA claimed that there was a Hezbollah plot to bomb the Israeli Embassy in Azerbaijan and that they had learned this from a Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Watan.  In yet another uncorroborated report the APA stated:

 

“Citing the well-informed Russian sources the newspaper reports that the plot was retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah leader Imad Mughniyah.”

 

That report remains uncorroborated and it appears to Al-Masakin that either the APA is grossly misinformed or is in fact fabricating news.

 

EHC/EHC

 

Al-Masakin News Agency

http://almasakinnewsagency.wordpress.com/

 

Iran seeks joint committee with Lebanon to learn fate of four diplomats missing since 1982

Tehran Wants Joint Committee with Beirut on Its Missing Diplomats Iran on Tuesday asked Lebanon to form a joint committee with Tehran to tackle the cause of its four citizens missing in Lebanon since Israel’s 1982 invasion. “The Islamic republic is calling for the formation an Iranian-Lebanese committee to be created to look into the details and circumstances of this incident,” Iran’s Ambassador Mohammed Reza Shibani told reporters after meeting Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh.The four Iranians — Mohsen Mousavi, Ahmad Motevaselian, Taqi Rastegarmoghaddam — and Kazem Akhavan, went missing at a checkpoint manned by Lebanese Forces militiamen at the northern Barbara region. Iran and Hizbullah say the four were turned over by the Lebanese Forces to Israel and have asked Israel to reveal their fate. Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah recently said Israel has informed the group that the four Iranians had been killed by the Lebanese Forces militia shortly after their abduction. Lebanese Forces Party leader Samir Geagea says the previous LF official in charge of the case, Elie Hobeika, was killed in 2002 and no one has information about the fate of the four Iranians. Nasrallah last week said the Lebanese Government should be responsible about the case. He also said the Lebanese Forces Party has the key to resolve the mystery. “Had they turned them over to Israel, let them say that. And had they killed them, let them deliver their bodies,” Nasrallah told a Press conference.

Beirut, 03 Feb 09, 16:02

On ‘Freedom Day’ Hezbollah SG Nasrallah recalls Israel still holds the remains of 350

On Lebanese ‘Freedom Day’ Hezbollah Secretary General Nasrallah recalls the remains of 350 martyrs and 11,000 detainees still held by Israel

Lebanon knows the fate of 4 missing Iranian diplomats

By Hussein Assi

freedom_day_beirut_29_jan._09.pdf
download PDF (102.5 KB)

 

BEIRUT, Lebanon, Jan. 29 (Al-Manar)—Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah held on Thursday a press conference to commemorate the “Freedom Day” (the commemoration of freeing Lebanese and Arab detainees out of the Israeli jails on 29/1/2004). The main part of the conference was devoted to details of the Operation Al-Redwan accomplished last May and in which all detainees in Israeli prisons, including chief of detainees Samir Qintar, were freed.

Sayyed Nasrallah started his conference by recalling the swap deal achieved in 2004. “During such days in 2004, the Islamic resistance has achieved the most important swap deal and many of the Resistance fighters were liberated,” his eminence said. “At that time, we have made a promise to all those left at Israeli prisons, including Samir Qintar, that we would work hard to liberate them, and this was accomplished through the Operation Al-Redwan,” Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized.

Before entering into missing details of the above mentioned operation, the Hezbollah Secretary General seized the opportunity to recall the remaining Arab detainees in the Israeli prisons. “This day should be an occasion to remember and express solidarity with our detained brothers,” his eminence said, emphasizing that there were still more than 11,000 Palestinian, Jordanian and Syrian detainees who are suffering a lot. “This cause should remain in the conscience of this nation and push it to assume its responsibilities regard this cause as a national one at one side and humanitarian and ethical at the other,” his eminence stressed.

Sayyed Nasrallah then entered into the details of the Operation Al-Redwan, notably regarding the fate of Palestinian martyr Dalal Moghrabi and Lebanese missing Yehya Skaf. “The Israeli claimed that Yehya Skaf has been martyred during Dalal Moghrabi’s operation, but we had no evidence for that,” Sayyed Nasrallah said. “During the Operation al-Redwan, they provided us with the remains of 4 martyrs they claimed that Dalal’s and Yehya’s were among them,” his eminence added.

He added that during “Operation Al-Redwan, we have received those remains and we could clearly specify the rest of the martyrs’ remains, however concerning these remains, the Lebanese Laboratories couldn’t provide us with concluding results thus we had to send the remains’ DNA to the most important Labs in France and few days ago we have got the results which were not helpful,” Sayyed Nasrallah said, explaining that “we were unable to say they were Dalal’s or Yehya’s or any of the four other martyrs.”

“We cannot conclude this issue,” Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized, noting that while the question was not a martyrdom one with Dalal, all hypotheses regarding the body of Yehya Skaff were still possible. “Is he a detainee in Israel? Is he alive? Is he a martyr? A martyr whose body is missing or whose body Israel retains?”

His eminence stressed that all possibilities were still valid, “Yehya Skaff’s family must resolve this issue through legal means…We, in the Islamic Resistance, don’t consider ourselves qualified to handle this issue, so it is up to Skaff’s family to pursue and conclude the matter.”

Sayyed Nasrallah also held the Zionist entity responsible for the fate of Mohamad Farran (the Lebanese fisherman). “The Israelis deny that Farran has reached their hands, but we don’t believe them because his boat reached the Israelis and when it has been returned, blood was on the boat,” the Hezbollah Secretary General noted, pointing out that the Farran’s family was the side concerned with settling the issue.

His eminence concluded the first axis of his press conference by recalling that the Zionist entity was still holding on to the remains of more than 350 Lebanese and Palestinian martyrs. “Around 350 martyrs’ remains were still with the Israeli enemy,” Sayyed Nasrallah declared, adding that “the issue of returning the remains of our martyrs from Israel remains open.”

LEBANESE FORCES KNOWS THE 4 IRANIAN DIPLOMATS’ FATE

Sayyed Nasrallah devoted the second axis of his press conference to the fate of the four Iranian missing diplomats, calling on the Lebanese government and the Lebanese Forces to reveal it. “The Israelis claimed, in their report, that the four Iranian diplomats were kidnapped and executed by the Lebanese Forces and buried,” his eminence said, but noted that Hezbollah believes that the mentioned diplomats were still inside the Israeli prisons. “They are only misleading us,” Sayyed Nasrallah said.

“Everyone knows that the four diplomats were kidnapped by the Lebanese Forces in 1982,” Sayyed Nasrallah stressed, wondering whether the mentioned party has afterwards executed the diplomats or handed them over to the Israelis.” His eminence called the Lebanese government to reveal the fate of the 4 Iranian diplomats stressing that Hezbollah was ready to cooperate with this issue. “It is a humanitarian and moral issue that we need to reach a conclusion on.”

The Resistance leader recalled that the four diplomats should have been protected by the Lebanese security apparatus. “It’s the authority’s duty to reveal their fate,” Sayyed Nasrallah said, calling on the LF to assist the concerned sides in disclosing the fate of the four diplomats. “The Lebanese Forces, as part of the Lebanese government today, can give us facts on this issue.”

ISRAEL INCAPABLE OF ACHIEVING ITS GOALS IN GAZA

The Hezbollah Secretary General then tackled the 22-day Israeli deadliest offensive against Gaza that has claimed the lives of more than 1,400 Palestinians, including 420 children and injured thousands others. “The actual goal of the Gaza war was to subjugate and wipe out the Resistance and topple the Hamas government,” Sayyed Nasrallah declared, noting that the Zionists did not have any declared goals of their war on Gaza.

Indeed, and according to Sayyed Nasrallah, the Zionist entity was incapable of achieving any of its goals in Gaza. “There was an international and Arab US decision to exploit what is left of the Bush period to change the facts. However, Israel has politically and militarily failed and some voices in Israel are saying that the failure of Gaza war is the same as the July War in Lebanon,” his eminence pointed out.

Sayyed Nasrallah praised the Palestinian Resistance for its steadfastness, heroism and firmness. His eminence recalled that the Resistance’s strength has pushed the Israelis to declare a unilateral ceasefire, although it hasn’t achieved any of its goals. “Those who did not recognize the Resistance’s victory in Lebanon won’t recognize the victory in Palestine for the same political reasons,” Sayyed Nasrallah noted.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah Secretary General noted that the Israeli war against the Palestinians, which has started even before the latest aggression, was still ongoing. “Gaza blockade continues amid dire humanitarian and economic conditions,” his eminence noted, stressing that the war and aggression against Gaza is still going on, but in different forms.

“Linking the reconstruction of Gaza to political terms represents an unacceptable and humiliating form of political blackmail,” Sayyed Nasrallah stressed. His eminence called on everyone to provide the Gazans with help without asking for return or setting conditions.

Hezbollah leader also condemned all “imprudent” statements made by some European officials against the Palestinian Resistance. “One of the European officials condemned Hamas and called it a terrorist organization that launches missiles because it kills what he called “Israeli civilians.” However, he didn’t dare to accuse Israel of committing crimes,” Sayyed Nasrallah noted. “This proves to us that the American-European do not even admit that Israel has committed the most barbaric crimes before the whole world.”

Answering a question, his eminence reiterated Hezbollah firm position towards Egypt over the Gaza offensive. His eminence re-condemned the Egyptian regime “because it continues to close the Rafah crossing.” His eminence accused the mentioned regime of “lying,” stressing that the Rafah crossing was not open, “I doubt that this regime is an honest mediator because it works on imposing the conditions of others on the Palestinians.”

“My stance against the Egyptians was correct, and I still denounce their ongoing closure of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza,” Sayyed Nasrallah said. “The opening of the Rafah crossing is crucial to the Palestinian people, the Resistance and the living conditions there…its closure is one of the biggest crimes in history,” his eminence added.

ISRAELIS FEAR OUT OUR RESPONSE TO HAJ REDWAN ASSASSINATION

The Lebanese issues were tackled by Sayyed Nasrallah during the questions-and-answers part of the conference. One of the questions was about Hezbollah’s solidarity with the Palestinian Resistance during the Gaza offensive. “What we have done during the Gaza war was within the limits of the possible,” his eminence declared, adding that the Islamic Resistance will remain ready to defend Lebanon. “We won’t leave the circle of the conflict with Israel and we shall stand up to the enemy,” the Resistance leader vowed.

Asked about Hezbollah’s retaliation to the assassination of its top military commander Imad Moghniyyeh (Haj Redwan), Sayyed Nasrallah reiterated that “the day won’t come when we’ll put the blood vengeance for the martyr Moghniyyeh behind us, it will always be ahead of us,” vowing that Hezbollah would avenge the assassination and confirming that the investigation proved that the Israeli Mossad was behind the crime. “The Israelis are living in fear of our revenge. Don’t expect me to say when we will strike or respond to what the Israelis claim had happened.”

The Hezbollah Secretary General renewed the Resistance’s readiness to face any Israeli adventure in Lebanon, saying “No body can say that Lebanon is safe since the Israeli has no problem in inventing pretext for his aggressions.” His eminence addressed the Israelis saying “war with us won’t be a picnic; it will be costly for you and your army.”

Concerning the internal issues, Sayyed Nasrallah renewed his party’s openness for dialogue, denying that the party considers the discussions useless and already settled, noting that if the defense strategy was settled “we would have suspended our participation in the dialogue table.” His eminence, meanwhile, emphasized that Gaza and July wars are supposed to reassure the vision of the defense strategy, renewing Hezbollah call to increase the number of participants in the dialogue roundtable so that it includes all national forces.

Meanwhile, Sayyed Nasrallah warned against using sectarian language in the parliamentary election campaigns. “Using electoral money is more acceptable than using such language,” his eminence said. His eminence concluded by revealing that he has sent a friendly reproach to the head of the Future bloc MP Saad Hariri through mutual friends “because his last speech was not in the line with what we agreed upon in our last meeting.”
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Al-Masakin News Agency
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Hezbollah SG Nasrallah hails operation Al-Redwan prisoner exchange on Lebanese Freedom Day celebrating the May 2008 prisoner exchange that freed Samir Qintar inter alios

Nasrallah: Lebanese National Resistance Had Accomplished Most Important Operation For Exchange of Prisoners   Jan 29, 2009

Damascus,SANA_ Secretary General of Hezbollah Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said Thursday that the Lebanese national resistance had accomplished the most important operation for the exchange of prisoners, reminding of Al-Redwan Operation accomplished last May and in which all detainees in Israeli prisons, including chief of detainees Samir Qintar, were freed. In a press conference to commemorate the “Freedom Day” broadcast by al-Mamnr TV, Nasrallah stressed that the anniversary of the liberation of prisoners is appropriate to recall and stand by the Syrians, Palestinians and Arab prisoners who are experiencing harsh conditions in Israeli jails. He affirmed that the aim of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip was the elimination of the Palestinian resistance and bringing down Hamas and other Palestinian politically, psychologically and morally to accept Israeli conditions regarding any new settlement. Sayyed Nasrallah clarified that strength of the political leadership of the resistance, the legendary steadfastness of the resistance in Gaza and the historical stance of Gaza people have thwarted the achievement of the Israeli goals and provided the image that the resistance is ready to fight until the last drop of blood. Ghossoun /

French ambassador to Syria corrects French envoy in Beirut: Syria did not influence Hezbollah over Gaza agression

Duclos Refutes Marini’s Statements Regarding Syria Influencing Hezbollah During Aggression on Gaza

 

Jan 29, 2009

 

Damascus, (SANA) – The French Ambassador in Damascus Michel Duclos refuted on Thursday the statements made by the envoy of the French President Philippe Marini in Beirut on Wednesday, in which he said that President Bashar al-Assad used his influence on Hezbollah to prevent them from interfering during the Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip.

In a statement to the Syrian newspaper al-Watan, Duclos pointed out that the meeting between President al-Assad and Marini last Sunday did not touch upon Hezbollah at all, expressing surprise over Marini’s statements and its motives.

H. Sabbagh / Ghossoun

Israel fires on Lebanon, Hezbollah ruled out on earlier attack, Hamas denies involvement

Israel Hits Lebanon with Rocket Fire TEHRAN (FNA)- Israel has reportedly fired at least seventeen rockets into southern Lebanon within minutes after being hit by rockets from the country.

“Between one and three rockets were launched from an area four kilometers west of the village of Shebaa and Israel responded within a minute with four rockets that landed north of Ghajar,” AFP quoted a Lebanese security official as saying. Lebanon’s LBC TV confirmed the firing of two rockets from Hassbia in southern Lebanon into the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmouna, saying Israel is responding with continuous rocket fire. Israeli jets violated Lebanese airspace following the incident. Hezbollah and Palestinian factions have ruled out any involvement in the rocket firing and there is speculation that people angry over the Israeli war on Gaza have launched the attacks. UNIFIL peacekeepers have also failed to comment on the incident so far. Last week, four rockets were launched from southern Lebanon into the northern Israeli towns of Nahariya and Galeli, wounding four Israelis. Following the incident last week, the Israeli army fired five rockets on the southern Lebanese towns of Hamra, al- Jiben, and Tayr Harfa, where the rockets were believed to have been launched. However they landed in desert areas and caused no damage or casualties. The Lebanese Hezbollah said that it was not responsible for the rocket fire. Tel Aviv later ruled out the possibility of Hezbollah being involved in the incident, saying the rockets were of an outdated model that Hezbollah had not used for years. Referring to the UN Security Council Resolution 1701 that brought an end to the Israeli 33-day war against Lebanon in 2006, Lebanese Information Minister Tarek Mitri said, “Hezbollah has assured us that they remain committed to stability and Resolution 1701, and that is a euphemism for saying they are not involved”. The Hamas movement also denied allegations that it was behind the attack last week. No group had claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks. Since then Israeli warplanes have intensified their overflights over southwestern Lebanon.

Lebanese branch of Hamas responsible for rocket attack on Nahariya

Lebanon makes arrest over rocket attacks Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:26:34 GMT

The Lebanese Army has arrested seven people with suspected links to a recent rocket attack on the northern Israeli town of Nahariya. The Israeli channel seven reported that the suspects confessed that they were members of the Lebanese branch of the Hamas movement. The Lebanese Army also discovered a cache of outdated rockets in Kfar Hmam village southern Lebanon, Press TV’s correspondent in Lebanon reported. Four rockets fired from Southern Lebanon hit the Israeli town of Nahariya on Thursday wounding four settlers. Israel responded by artillery fire. Although Hezbollah was initially accused of launching the rockets, the movement did not claim responsibility for the attack. Both Lebanon and Hezbollah have voiced their commitment to the UN Security Council resolution 1701 which ended the 33-day Israeli war against the country in the summer of 2006. RE/HGH

Three rockets slam Western Galilee

Hezbollah cleared, Palestinian Hamas denies responsibility, Lebanese PM Siniora calls attack a violation of UN resolution 1701 and a conspiracy to provoke Israel.

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The Agencies

No New Rockets on North, Israel Reports False Alarms

BEIRUT, LEBANON, Jan. 8 (Al-Manar)—The Israeli occupation army said Thursday at noon that no new rockets have hit northern occupied territories, adding that there had been a false alarm in two northern settlements.

Earlier, three Katyusha rockets fired from southern Lebanon landed in Western Galilee region Thursday morning, near the settlement of Nahariya. Israeli Police reported that four people were wounded and several settlers were treated for shock. The Israeli army fired at least five shells at the launching site, according to Lebanese security sources.

Israeli authorities closed schools for a brief time but reopened them later.

The rocket attack was not attributed to any organization and there were no claim of responsibility by any side yet. Officials

from the Palestinian resistance group Hamas in Lebanon denied that it carried out the attack.

The Israeli media quoted Israeli sources in the Israeli army northern command as saying that the “short salvo on Thursday morning was likely to have been fired by Palestinian terror groups and not by Hezbollah.”

The southern region of Litani River in south Lebanon is under the jurisdiction of 15,000 UNIFIL soldiers and an equal number of Lebanese Army troops.

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah warned Israel Wednesday that if Israel decides to attack Lebanon, “their soldiers will soon discover that their aggression in 2006 on Lebanon will be a picnic compared to what we have prepared for them.”

Lebanon reiterates commitment to UN resolution 1701

BEIRUT, Jan 8 (NNN-KUNA)—Lebanon has reiterated its commitment to resolution 1701, saying that the firing of rockets from South Lebanon was executed by parties that wanted to push the country into a state that served the interests of Israel.

Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, in a press statement Thursday, said that he immediately contacted President Michel Suleiman, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Defence Minister Elias Murr, and Army Commander General Jean Kahwagi.

He said he also talked to UNIFIL Commander Major General Claudio Grazion to discuss details of the incident. “What took place in the South is a violation of resolution 1701, and this is unacceptable to Lebanon,” he said.

He said that the Lebanese authorities had requested the assistance of the UNIFIL to investigate the matter and to find means to prevent its recurrence.

He also reiterated his country’s commitment to the UN resolution, saying that the perpetrators of the attack “want to serve the interests of Israel and not those of Lebanon or the Palestinians and Arabs.”

He also condemned the “Israeli response by targeting Lebanese territories,” adding that the UNIFIL was asked to control the situation side-by-side with the Lebanese army. Meanwhile, the UNIFIL has declared a state of high alert in the South.

UN resolution 1701 was adopted by the UNSC Aug. 11 2006 to establish a permanent cease fire between Lebanon and Israel calling for “the immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations.” In so doing it established a buffer zone wherein no armed personnel are allowed between the UN established ‘Blue Line’ and the River Litani 12 miles to the north. UNIFIL is the United Nation Interm Force in Lebanon. It was established by two UN resolutions, 425 (1978) and 426 (1978), after a March 11, 1978 attack on Israel for which the PLO claimed responsibility.

Al-Masakin News Agency
http://almasakinnewsagency.wordpress.com

US Treasury Dept. places Lebanon’s ‘Wa’ad’ (Promise) re-constuction project on Washington’s terror list

 

Washington Enrolls “Waad Project” in List of “Terror” 

 

By Mohamad Shmaysani 

  

07/01/2009 Washington placed a Lebanese constructions firm under as so called “Executive Order 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.”

The United States Department of the Treasury enrolled the Waad Project on its controversial list of so called “terror organizations.”

“The Waad Project is another example of Hezbollah’s use of deceptive tactics to support its military and terrorist apparatus,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey.

 

The Waad Project is a project that has been working on rebuilding Beirut’s southern suburb (Dahiye) after Israeli fighter jets and war ships destroyed thousands of house units during its war on Lebanon in 2006. The Project was founded after Washington listed “Jihad el-Binaa” on its “terror list” in February 2007 and the Hezbollah-run institution had difficulty receiving funds from donors to rebuild what Israel’s war machine destroys.

 

The statement claimed that the Waad Project built Hezbollah’s underground weapons storage facilities and parts of its military infrastructure in Lebanon.  

“The Waad Project had tried to hide its affiliation with Hezbollah, just as Jihad al-Bina used deceptive means to seek funding projects from international development organizations.  Additionally, the general manager of the Waad Project has stated that donors to the Waad Project have wished to remain anonymous because Hezbollah is a terrorist organization and they preferred not to be identified due to the risks of dealings with a terrorist group.”

 

Under EO 13224, any assets held by the Waad Project under US jurisdiction are frozen, and American citizens are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with the project.

 

Israeli bombs displaced over one million Lebanese from across the country, but it was the southern suburb “Dahiye” that suffered the heaviest bombardment – some 942 Israeli air strikes during the 33-day war, according to figures from the Lebanese army.

Today, as you enter to Dahiye, you see new buildings rising and swathing. “Waad” is the Arabic for promise and the title for a reconstruction project launched by Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah to rebuild the devastated areas in Dahiye.

 

 

Directly after the war, Waad provided the residents with two choices: to either rebuild their own apartments or let the project assume responsibility for the reconstruction. The vast majority of the residents took the second option, knowing that they could trust the new institution. And where compensation payments weren’t enough, Hezbollah, pledged to cover the shortage.

 

Waad gathers some of Lebanon’s best urban planners and architects and gave them a mandate to return everyone to their homes as quickly as possible and to restore the fabric of the neighborhood.   

Yet within the same basic framework, Waad is also seeking improvement. The company’s design of renovated regions there is more lighting and open spaces, traffic reduction through improving roads and creating parking lots, upgrade of buildings in line with modern safety and seismic principles and establish gardens in order to give the streets and buildings a greater sense of place and character.

 

Forty-eight studying and consultation companies, nineteen entrepreneur enterprises and six supervising firms are involved in completing this titanic mission.

 

The Waad headquarters can be assimilated to a bee cell. Directors, architects and workers spend extra work hours aiming at fulfilling the promise by the end of 2009.

 

To date, Waad has repaired more than 100 of the 150 partially destroyed buildings with all 1,500 families moved back in.

Waad has proved to be unique in reconstruction. In addition to modernization and structural improvements, the Waad team has been responding to residents in requests related to the interior design of their future homes. Residents can choose their coating and floor tiles from a list of items.