| Changing the subject, right on cue... |
Shiite cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah said UN Security Council Resolution 1559 will soon "bring pressure to bear on the weapons of the resistance and the weapons of the Palestinians, to serve the interests of Israel." Fadlallah's comments came during his Friday sermon at al-Imam al-Hassanayn mosque in Haret Hreik, in Beirut's southern suburbs.The cleric said the resolution devised by the U.S., Israel and France, which calls for "the disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias," aims "to divide Lebanon into two camps; one that favors the resolution and one that opposes it." Commenting on the situation in Lebanon, Fadlallah said international forces are using Lebanon to pressure Syria to "succumb to the conditions of the U.S." Fadlallah said there was no reason to fear "sectarian tension or civil war," but warned of "a disruption in national unity created by political chaos."
He called upon the Lebanese people to "stand united" in the face of regional and international interference." Commenting on the situation in Palestine, Fadlallah said "the current problem is due to Arab, Israeli, U.S. and possibly European plots to create instability and political tension in the country, and so deny the Palestinians any opportunity for freedom and independence." Fadlallah said these foreign schemes were aimed at forcing Palestine to accept a U.S.-Israeli offer without objection, explaining that in American eyes, "Israeli security is more important than any other security."