Article

2008-06-30 Syria-Lebanon-Iran

MP Jamal Jarrah said Hizbullah should withdraw all its heavy weapons and gunmen from the hills of the eastern Bekaa so that clashes would not break out anew in the Saadnayel-Taanayel area.

Jarrah, in an interview with Naharnet, said 'we have no confidence in them (Hizbullah) anymore but we trust the Lebanese army, even if it had failed.'

'Despite the lack of confidence we stretched our hand anew through the Lebanese army that had promised us to supervise reconciliation,' Jarrah said.

'But if aggressions persisted and if they maintained, just maintained and not used, their heavy weapons in the hills of Saadnayel and Taalabaya and if they maintained the deployment of a large number of gunmen brought in from other areas, friction would renew and tension would persist,' he added.

Jarrah said 'we were very clear with the army. We informed the army that there is no need for such heavy weapons in the hills.'

He accused Hizbullah of 'deceiving the army. They had told the army that heavy weapons and gunmen had been fully pulled out, but it was evident that this is not true.'

Jarrah warned that the 'citizens of Saadnayel and Taalabaya would not be left alone (if attacked by Hizbullah once again). Citizens of the central, western and even northern Bekaa would rush to their aid.'

That, according to the Mustaqbal Bloc member, would expose 'Hizbullah's role in a Syrian intelligence scheme to spark inter-factional clashes in the Bekaa.'

He explained that Hizbullah has been targeting the Saadnayel-Taalabaya sector because it commands the road that leads from its stronghold in Baalbek to south Lebanon.

Jarrah emphasized that 'we do not have a militia, we don't have weapons and capabilities to protect our people.'

'It is the army's duty and responsibility to protect the citizens. The Army Command pledged that as of Tuesday its troops would be in charge of security, and anyone who opens fire, from any side, would be punished,' Jarrah said.

Posted by Fred 2008-06-30 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11134 views ] Top
File under: Hezbollah

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