Lebanese Resistance Movement Hizbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah stated that his movement did not fear US threats and pledged to carry on the struggle against Israeli occupation.
"No baby and no woman in Hizbollah will shake in fear if the oppressors of the world (US President George W.) Bush, (US National Security Adviser Condoleezza) Rice, (US Secretary of State Colin) Powell and (US Defence Secretary Donald) Rumsfeld all start shooting at us at the same time," said Sheikh Nasrallah in a political gathering held at Beirut Tuesday.
Hizbollah will not be "an easy target for Israel, as are the Palestinians," he told his audience. He accused the United States of "continually justifying the actions of the Israeli occupation forces with the pretext of self-defence," and stressed the need to continue "the struggle despite US threats".
U.S. Stance
Washington is “serious” about its demand that Beirut turn over three Hizbollah members wanted for “acts of destruction against the United States,” the US House minority leader told Lebanese officials Monday, reported the Lebanese Daily Star. The three wanted suspects include Imad Mughnieh, whom Washington has tied to the 1983 bombing of the US Marine barracks in Beirut. The other two, Mohammed Atwi and Hassan Izzeddine, have been linked to the 1985 TWA hijacking.
Richard Gephardt was in Beirut leading a congressional delegation that met with Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and Foreign Minister Mahmoud Hammoud.
After meeting with Hammoud, the Missouri Democrat told reporters that Washington believed Hizbollah was involved in “terrorist” activities in Lebanon and abroad. “Aspects of the organization are committing terrorist acts not just here but in other places,” he said.
According to official U.S. sources quoted Tuesday in the Arabic daily Al-Hayat, Washington sent Lebanon a message that the United States regards Hizbollah as the next item on its list after al-Qaeda, and that it is aware of Hezbollah “terror” activities not directly connected to the organization's conflict with Israel.
The article also stated that the U.S. has information that shows a connection between Iran and Hizbollah and the Palestinian Authority's weapons ship, the Karine A.
Quoting official U.S. sources, the article states that in addition to the information provided by Israel, the U.S. has its own information showing that Imad Mugniyah, head of operations for the Hizbollah, was involved in the weapons ship affair.
The report, which headlined the Arab newspaper Tuesday, quotes the sources as saying that Palestinian officials and members of Fatah, who were involved with Hizbollah before the Oslo agreements, have renewed their ties with the Lebanese Resistance Movement.
Washington has long included Hizbollah on its list of terrorist organizations, but since September 11 has asked Lebanon to freeze the organization’s financial assets. Beirut has resisted the demand, calling Hizbollah a resistance group and insisting that the war on terror recognize the UN-endorsed right to resist foreign occupation.
U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice last week said that the Lebanese government should neutralize Hizbollah through “freezing their assets; not allowing them to operate freely; not allowing them to run arms freely; not allowing their territories to be used as sanctuaries.”
Hizbollah has consistently denied having any links with Arafat and the Palestinian Authority. But the party nonetheless enjoys good relations with Islamic Jihad and to a lesser extent with Hamas. Hizbollah also denies involvement in arms smuggling to the occupied Palestinian territories, insisting that it provides inspirational rather than material support for the Intifada. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
