A few days after Obama's scheduled speech in Cairo in June, Lebanon will hold general elections that Hezbollah may win. The following report is from our Palestinian-American California friend whom we've previously called "Seven" in part because she fears loss of her ability to travel to Palestine. That seemed too impersonal a name for someone to whom we listen and want to give credit. She said we could use her middle name: Seham. Seham writes:
So Nasrallah gave a speech yesterday today about the Palestinian issue and Lebanon's security. In the first part, about Palestinians he said the following:
We have to speak the naked truth. The origin of the struggle is the Palestinian cause and everything that happened later was the result of this struggle. The bargain has always been on liquidating this cause. Schemes were set to push the Palestinian people to yield to the status quo, to surrender and to relinquish their legitimate rights. Since the beginning, plans to settle Palestinians (outside Palestine) and finding an alternative country as well as autonomous rule in Gaza and the West Bank were put on the table. 61 years after this collusion on the people of Palestine, and in front of this people’s steadfastness, we can’t but praise this people and its armed resistance and the martyrs, as well as the determination of the families, the injured, the 11,000 detainees and the refugees….
We have to remind the Umma and all the free men in the world, particularly the governments and the peoples in the Arab world, that they have a responsibility to take for Palestine and its people, especially those who have been suffering in the Gaza Strip in the wake of the latest war…They share responsibility to support this people with every possible means. This is the people that proved it is worthy of support and perhaps the best proof is that it refused to surrender for decades and it is bearing the suffering of the resistance.
It's hard to speculate what the real motivation was on Nasrallah's part. It could be a warning message to Obama and the Arab dictators after the Obama-Netanyahu meeting; it could be an attempt to win support in the so-far-undecided but Sunni-majority Lebanese towns of Saida (Sidon) and Trablous (Tripoli). The Saudis are throwing a lot of money into those towns and though they have endless amounts of money, they don't have enough time.
Or was this just Nasrallah's contribution to Nakba Awareness month? Some people think that Nasrallah has gotten chatty lately in an attempt to lose the elections because Hezbollah doesn't gain anything by inheriting a country plundered by the current pro-western and pro-Israeli factions and/or because they fear that Hezbollah will be forced to disarm if they win the election.
I doubt it. Who in Lebanon would have the power to disarm them or even attempt to go down that road? The Lebanese Army that is best known for serving tea to the Israelis when they invaded in 2006?
Do people realize how significantly it has registered in the minds of Arabs how the all-powerful Israelis got forced to retreat, once again, from Southern Lebanon in 2006 at the hands of Hezbollah? Americans probably don't think about that as much as Arabs do. Really, thanks to Israel, Hezbollah is more powerful today than ever before and it's probably going to win the election. Not only do they enjoy stronger military power, they also have vast support amongst their own constituents, which means they have even more recruits than before. They have gained respect and support from Lebanese who ordinarily wouldn't support them because of the tremendous work they have done in uncovering that Mossad spy ring in Lebanon. And, despite the positions of the various Arab regimes, Nasrallah has the popular support of the Arab people. Oh by the way, one of the spies arrested on Sunday has ties to Sa'ad Hariri and his family, so really, Merry Christmas to Hezbollah.
The second part of Nasrallah's speech deals with Lebanon's security and some upcoming military exercises Israel has planned. Nasrallah says there is a remote possibility Israel might use those as an opportunity to attack Lebanon:
“Accordingly, I would like to say that with regards to the resistance, we have taken a series of precautionary measure to foil any military aggression against Lebanon during the maneuver. We will be on very high alert. I am telling you this not to scare you, but to reassure the people. When this message reaches the Israelis, they will know that they have lost the element of surprise. They might not try anything, but we have to act based on worst case scenarios. The Israelis know very well that this resistance has never fell behind its duty to defend the country. There is no need for me to make a threatening speech. They got the message. I hope that people will go on with their normal lives and not to worry, but our duty is to be on high alert. I heard that the army commander had visited south Lebanon and made excellent comments. Security forces are acting responsibly and I hope they all share this responsibility because it’s a national matter.”
It's a pretty bold statement. Basically Nasrallah is saying that the resistance is more ready than ever to confront Israel. Most people take everything he says at face value because unlike most Arab leaders he has yet to make a promise he didn't keep. But still, I don't know how part two of his speech will play out in the few undecided Christian towns like Keserawan, which also play deciding roles in the election. Will those people vote for the March 14th movement, or will they support Aoun's Christian lists which will be aligned with Hezbollah? It seems like the Americans and other Europeans are bracing for a Hezbollah victory. So we'll see if there is a "Nasrallah effect" with the Sunnis and Christians in Lebanon.
I hope Hezbollah wins. Is it even legal for me to type that in the U.S.? Nobody else seems to care for the poor people in Southern Lebanon, none of the other sectarian groups ever did a damn thing to help them. All of the money that the world gave to Lebanon to help rebuild the south after Israel's attacks went into remodeling Beirut, not to help the people who actually needed it the most. Even before the war in 2006 Hezbollah was providing an incredible array of social services to their people in the south because the state refused to do so. It's hard to ignore the similarities between the people of Southern Lebanon and the Palestinians in Gaza, who are also still waiting for the money that they're owed to rebuild Gaza but are watching it being spent in Ramallah instead.
By the way I was looking on youtube for footage of the Al Amriya shelter massacre of the Gulf War and I came across this great song by an Iraqi artist that depicts the events of that day which resulted in Iraqi children being boiled alive. I'm not trying to be morbid or end on a Debbie the Downer note, but I thought it might appeal to the Jimi Hendrix 'Star Spangled' fans.
That vicious little toad Nasrallah is right, the Arab world does "have a responsibility to take for Palestine and its people", that responsibility is for choosing genocidal war against the Jewish community and causing the refugee farce. Had the Arab world not attacked the Jews there would not be any refugees and nothing to whine and beg for hand out over.
If Hezbollah wins, and does not change its policies re: Israel, then the state of the region will be permanent war for the next 50 years. I had an e-mail argument with Norman Finkelstein over whether Nasrallah was honest or an opportunist. I cited a critical very public and very material lie that Nasrallah made. One was his statement at the beginning of the 2006 escapade, in which he had declared that the captured (and later killed) abducted soldiers were captured within Lebanon. Gullible Juan Cole believed him, and for a week repeated and repeated that on Nasrallah's word, the soldiers were abducted in Lebanon. Later, Nasrallah proudly declared that the abduction was planned for six months, and occurred within Israel. If the people of Lebanon elect Hezbollah, it will be a description of their poverty of leadership, rather than their affirmation of leadership. A statement of their Lakota-like pride and manly heroism, rather than their Cheyenne-like spirituality and internal heroism.
You had an e-mail argument? What did NF have? Let me guess, spam?
If Hezbollah wins, and does not change its policies re: Israel, then the state of the region will be permanent war for the next 50 years. Exactly how is that different from the current situation? If you are defining 'permanent war' to be a higher level of conflict than is currently underway, then remember the public relations disaster of the attack on Gaza. Do you honestly think that more attacks on Lebanon, 'provoked' merely by their exercise of their democratic right to elect representative leadership, won't further erode global perceptions of the legitimacy and wisdom of continued existence of Israel? If Israel becomes a threat to the world, instead of just the Muslim world, it will not survive. Israeli nuclear weapons won't prevent reverse aliyah.
"I hope Hezbollah wins. Is it even legal for me to type that in the U.S.? Nobody else seems to care for the poor people in Southern Lebanon, none of the other sectarian groups ever did a damn thing to help them."–Seven Last I knew we still have free speech here in the U.S. don't we? I think the banning of Al Manar TV here in the U.S. should have been challenged by the ACLU…. Many people in the Arab world and beyond are hoping that Hezbollah wins the elections the with the exception of the Zionists and their allies, including the traitorous Arab dictators of the region……Or maybe the Zionists would like for Hezbollah to win possibly thinking that it would help them to promote their permanent war logic that Richard mentioned… With the Hezbollah lead opposition there is hope for some change in respect to the downtrodden, even though under the present corrupt system it would not be easy. And of course those wielding the largest financial power bases in Lebanon at the expense of the Lebanese people would resist such changes. It is almost guaranteed that if the Hariri lead opposition won, the same status quo of will continue… I am just curious why Israel holding its largest military exercises in its history from May31st to June 4th is not being discussed more in the Western news media?
hahaha richard youre so full of your own feces. the region has inherited the world war two since 1948. a weakened version of naziism was exported from europe to the middle east in the name of a jewish state. This mutated entity has been the source of an endless war since then.
Marion, Ok but what did you think of the Shamma song? Saba7
I watched this guy on Al Jazeera english tv and struck me as honest and direct. He reminds me of Arafat when he first started but then was talked out of armed confrontation to use diplomacy instead. Arafat paid the price and i am thinking, if Nesrallah wins the election, he will follow in Arafat's footsteps and as a politician will give up his struggle and lose the war. I hope Hezballah does not win. I have been to Lebannon and it is a beautiful country and wonderful happy go easy people who have suffered a lot by all sides. I think running it like Iran runs its people will destroy this country and the spirit of its people.
If anything, If Hesbollah wins Israel will think twice about attacking Lebanon. Clearly in Gaza Israel tried to re-assert their 'power of deterrence' but didn't dare do so by attacking Lebanon. Israel negotiated with Hesbollah to have a prisoner swap, if that can be done there are grounds for other sorts of negotiations. Israel also takes Nasrallah's words seriously and at face value. So I don't necessarily think a Hesbollah wins means more war- it may mean that Israel would think war with the Lebanese is too costly.
Nasrallah and Hezbollah have done more for the impoverished Shiites of Lebanon than any other Lebanese leaders or organizations. They have also helped defend them from Israeli aggression. The Shiites, the largest demographic group in Lebanon, have traditionally been locked out of political power and treated with second class status. Nasrallah has helped end that. He may be a great man, and is a great Lebanese.
Hopefully, they both think twice about attacking each other. You think Hezbollah regards the 2006 war as a success?
"I hope Hezballah does not win. I have been to Lebannon and it is a beautiful country and wonderful happy go easy people who have suffered a lot by all sides. I think running it like Iran runs its people will destroy this country and the spirit of its people." But if you actually would have visited the Jnoub (southern Leb) or the Dahiya you would see that Nasrallah and Hez don't have any intentions of running it like Iran. I think he's smart enough to realize that such a system would never work in Lebanon.
running it like Iran Iran has not invaded another country. Iran has no settlements with which to steal territory of weaker, neighboring nations. Iran has not bombed any cities or filled playgrounds with anti-personnel bombs. Iran has limited democratic elections. Iran also thinks its natural resources should be used to benefit all of its people, not just foreign corporations' CEO's. Lebanon could do a lot worse than governing itself like Iran, it could adopt the Texas Republican Party platform.
Actually the weakened version of Nazism was imported by Arabs that allied themselves with Hitler and the Nazis during WW2. While it was wiped out of Europe, it continued to flourish among Arabs. Mein Kampf is the #2 bestseller in most Arab-Muslim countries. (Jordan & Egypt especially) Right behind the Koran. The 1st Palestinian leader was also a convicted NAZI war criminal: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3248081... http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3248081... http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3248081...
Nasrallah and Hezbollah were the catalysts for destruction in 2006. They caused the Israeli attacks on Lebanon's Hezbollah neighborhoods. They herded families into apartment buildings, used them as shields and then fired rockets at Israeli civilians from behind the apartment buildings (I believe the videos are still available on YouTube). After the war Nasrallah and Hezbollah took international aid meant for the people, from the government and pooled the money together to rebuild apartment buildings, acting as if they were giving out their own Hezbollah-raised money. Nasrallah set back Lebanon at least 10 years with his illegal attacks on Israel. What tourist in his right mind wants to go to a place where facist, Marxist Islamists dictate what you can or can't do?
The Israeli attacks on Lebanon's Hezbollah neighborhoods were caused by US military aid to Israel.
And your point is what exactly? That Arabs are therefore untermeschen, perhaps?
The Shamma song is beautiful Seham….The fact that it depicts the Al Amriya shelter massacre makes me feel sad as an American….
The Hezis know they failed. Nasrallah even admitted it months later. They lost 500 fighters and tried to cover up their losses, but to no avail.
NOT
"The Hezis know they failed. Nasrallah even admitted it months later. They lost 500 fighters and tried to cover up their losses, but to no avail." Delusional.
I thought it was beautiful too. :)
Has everyone seen Finklestein's interview with Lebanese tv regarding Hezbollah and Nasrallah? Damn it was good. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDe65-nF3FQ&fe...
"Nasrallah and Hezbollah have done more for the impoverished Shiites of Lebanon than any other Lebanese leaders or organizations. They have also helped defend them from Israeli aggression. The Shiites, the largest demographic group in Lebanon, have traditionally been locked out of political power and treated with second class status. Nasrallah has helped end that. He may be a great man, and is a great Lebanese." You're right Tommy, that's the part that I don't understand though. You have Iran giving money to Hezbollah and you see that money in action when you are driving around in the South. The last time I visited So. Leb, I drove past two overpasses and a new sanitation system which both had signs that said, "a gift to the courageous Lebanese people from the government of Iran." Can you imagine such a thing? That a foreign entity has to provide these very basic things to the people of the Jnoub because of the disgusting racism and sectarianism of the other Lebanese groups? And then those same groups who have been oppressing the Shia people have the nerve to complain about Iranian influences? Is that hypocrisy or stupidity or do they think that people are all idiots to believe their nonsense????? Iran fills a void in the Jnoub and if the other Arabs in Lebanon don't like that then maybe they ought to treat the Shia like human beings instead of animals.
Without US manufactured and gifted state of the art weapons and munitions, Israel could not have bombed Beirut or Gaza or …
So you are upset that the US assisted Israel in thwarting the genocidal desires of Hezbullah and Hamas? You're very sick.
Americans are immorally subsidizing the depraved apartheid policies of Israel.
Falsely accusing Hezbollah and Hamas of desiring genocide is similar to denying the Holocaust, but worse, because it is used as an excuse to kill civilians and steal their land, which even Holocaust deniers do not do.
Lakota-Cheyenne Lebanese Shiites refuse to become Cherokee.
*RE: "Americans are immorally subsidizing the depraved apartheid policies of Israel." *TAKE ACTION TO END THE OCCUPATION Send a personalized letter (E-mail) to the Members of Congress on the Appropriations Subcommittee. Let these Members of Congress know that you oppose the President's FY2010 budget request for $2.775 billion in military aid to Israel. *TO SEND YOUR LETTER – http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/641/t/2439/c...
Finklestein is the epitome of stupidity. He claims in the beginning of the interview that he doesn't know about Hezbollah's politics (terror) and claims that he doesn't care either. The truth is that, he knows exactly who they are, and exactly what their goals are: the murder of civilians to the South.
Those bitches got whooped! They sure are delusional: 500 dead "UN officials believe that Hizbollah will not want to reignite the conflict, at least for a while. The organisation's culture of secrecy has disguised the true number of its casualties – funerals of "martyrs" are being staggered to soften the impact of the losses. Some were interred without ceremony for re-burial later. A UN official estimated the deaths at 500, 10 per cent of the force Hizbollah is thought to muster, not all of whom are front-line fighters." http://news.usti.net/home/news/cn/?/world.mideast... http://news.usti.net/home/news/cn/?/world.mideast...
Yaaaaawn
Completely delusional. I've been to so. Leb recently and all the fighters that died are treated like martyrs with posters and poems dedicated to them all over the place. People aren't "hiding" anything, so suggest that any fighter was killed and buried secretly is just the silliest thing I have heard in a really long time. Those fighters are seen as heroes, I doubt that any family in Lebanon would agree to "hide" their martyrs for any reason, even if the request came from Nasrallah himself.
The highlight of Nasrallah's life will definitely be the time he was hiding, for 2 months, like a rat undergroud. When the actual war wasn't "bad" enough, these scumbags faked things and committed fraud: http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archiv... Nasrallah is quite delusional for sure. He's another one of those Holocaust Deniers. Are these deniers racist or just really stupid? on April 9, 2000, Hassan Nasrallah said that: "The Jews invented the legend of the Nazi atrocities. http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archiv... http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archiv... in a speech aired on Al-Manar TV and Al-Jazeera TV in 2006, Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah expressed support for Holocaust denier Roger Garaudy calling him a "great French philosopher" who "proved that this Holocaust is a myth" http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archiv...
Nasrallah has a blog: http://nasralla.blogspot.com/
Hey Wolfie, What's the last time Lebanon invaded Israel?
treat the Shia like human beings Although dominate demographically in Lebanon, the Shia are the largest ethnic group, the Shia have been treated as an oppressed minority, similar to the way the Shia have traditionally been treated in Iraq. In both Lebanon and Iraq the Shia are the poorest people. The Shia became anathema to Americans after the overthrow of the Shah. Even though Iran's response after their revolution to past US suzerainty was relatively passive, Americans still harbor great hostility for their religion. The beating down of the poorest and relatively passive is repugnant, yet most Americans are unconscious of their role in it. Hezbollah, with some help from Iran, has done a good job bringing self-determination and political power to this neglected faction of Lebanese society.
""For example, a few years ago, a great French philosopher, Roger Garaudy, wrote a scientific book. He did not offend, curse, or insult anyone. He wrote a scientific research of an academic nature, in which he discussed the alleged Jewish Holocaust in Germany. He proved that this Holocaust is a myth. The great French philosopher Roger Garaudy was put to trial. He was offended and humiliated. It did him no good that freedom of expression is considered a human right in France. Why? Because freedom of expression extends to the Jews, but it does not extend to the Prophet of 1.4 billion Muslims. That's hypocrisy. " So do you dislike him because you think he's a terrorist or do you dislike him because you think he's a holocaust denier? And even if he is a holocaust denier, which I don't think he is and the only evidence is a quote in an op-ed by Satler or Satloff (whatever) who I googled and works for some neocon institution and a link from the dubious MEMRI that selectively translates sections of what they want to translate and who don't care about the overly anti-semitic sentiments of the newspapers in the Arab world which have friendly relations with Israel and the U.S… Anyway, even he is a holocaust denier, he's not responsible for the holocaust, had nothing to do with it. And the attacks on people who are holocaust deniers in some places in the world are kinda scary. I mean, in Austria you get sent to prison just cause you wanna be a dumbass that denies that the holocaust happened. Ok, but in Israel, they refuse to commemorate the Armenian holocaust cause they don't want to mess up their friendship with Turkey. So really, this is all pretty meaningless. Selective Memri http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/aug/12/world...
"When the actual war wasn't "bad" enough, these scumbags faked things and committed fraud" OMGGGGGGG, a photographer made the smoke darker in one of the pictures!!!!!! Okkkk, you convinced! Good job! Yay Israel!
I have Christian relatives in South Lebanon. They were profoundly suspicious of Hizbullah in 2000, and some still are. A cousin told me that about 70% of our village are with Aoun, who is allied to Hizbullah. The villagers who accept Hizbullah now say that they played absolutely fair after the Israeli withdrawal of 2000. They insisted on no reprisals against Christians, even collaborators. We are a suburb of Sidon at this point, surrounded by Shi'ite villages and Sunni suburban sprawl coming from largely Sunni Sidon. I'm not saying this is *my* position, I am reporting what I heard from my Christian relatives in South Lebanon. These are folks most of whom have absolutely no love for Muslims and are still, I am sorry to say, quite clannish and prejudiced. They won't visit downtown Sidon – many of them – too many Muslims. Etc. Everyone interested in Lebanese politics, especially South Lebanon info, should read the blog of Qifa Nabki, who is a grad student at Harvard and a Lebanese, currently in residence in Beirut at the moment. Unlike many Beirut academics who get attention in the USA, Qifa actually moves around South Lebanon with ease. Nabki is picked up by Joshua Landis of Syria Comment, whose imprimatur is significant. I also read Colonel Patrick Lang by the way, as well as Landis and Cole. Landis too has a finger on the pulse in Syria as well as The Lebanon, and Lang has the military background.
israel is such a decent state" the most moral state in the world" as characterised by some of it's leaders….why … because israel 1. did not bomb innocent civilians . they are all guilty! 2. did not ethnically cleanse itself and deport palestinian undesirables to Lebanon, Egypt, Syria and jordan . 3. did not ever practice terrorism and plant bombs on british colonial powers and arab civilians. 4. never had a terrorist organisation like the irgun…… they are called freedom fighters…. 5. israel never attacked it's neighbours first…… it only acted when it was attacked ….
6. israel does not have any organisations preaching for a greater israel. 7. israel does not have a policy of asasinating world leaders (which is against the united nation constitution) 8. israel has always abided by all united nation resolution and international law 9. israel has never used prohibited weapons in it's wars of self defence 10. israel has always and will always seek peacefull coexistance with all it's neighbours 11. israel does not discriminate in any way against any of it's citizens they are all treated equally , because israel is a democratic country , 12. all of israel's neighbours should be happy that they are living beside such a moral state…. just ask them!!!! the PEACE OF ISRAEL BE WITH YOU !
It's pretty unfair to mention that the latest person arrested for spying for Israel had ties to Mustaqbal without mentioning that the majority of those arrested for spying in the last few months have ties with Hezbollah.
2006. But that depends on what you call missle launches into Israel since then. If they are invasions, then 2009.
You mean a failed philosopher wrote a piece of anti-semitic fluff?
Ummm because they were being paid to spy on Hezbollah for Israel. That's a really dumb observation.
naaa, The other Arabs can't even govern themselves! puhleaze. If you'd like a small window into the chaotic world of KSA, for example, just read this bit from history: "The Siege of Mecca". But frankly, I have to admit, I've come to admire Iran. I just hope that they don't turn around, fix their relationship with the USA, then leave the Lebanese and especially the Palestinians to truly fend for themselves, because THEY have no other friends in the region, just the silent support of oppressed peoples in various countries. I seriously hope that doesn't happen. (HOW I wish we could topple our dictatorial regimes….who are currently ALIGNED with the USA…they love fanning the flames of these meaningless sectarian problems).
Ummm, And anyone who was affiliated with Mustaqbal was automatically spying out of ideological principle instead of getting paid? If that's what you're insinuating, then that's pretty dumb. Listen, your analysis is really weak and illustrates an unfamiliarity with Lebanese politics. Nasrallah was obviously not courting Saida, which only has two seats in Parliament in the first place (only one of which is in play), tying it with Bcharre and Batroun for the smallest district in the country. Now that the Jamaat Islamyia has pulled out their candidate, the only question is whether M8's Usama Sa'ad will lose his seat to outgoing PM Siniora, since the Hariri seat is locked up. Furthermore, the rhetoric against tawteen is the opposite of reaching out to Sunnis, who, demographically speaking, would have the most to gain from Palestinian naturalization. If anything, it's a message to Christians, who will play a much bigger role in this election than Sunnis, since the onus for gaining a parliamentary majority will fall squarely on Aoun. Hezbollah itself isn't competing for any more seats than they did in 2005, which is only 14 (3 of whom aren't even actually members of the Hizb) out of a legislative body of 128 members. Finally, your cartoonish comparison of the south with Gaza is ridiculous on its face. The North and the Bekaa are in equally bad shape. Hezbollah is far from the first party to set up a sectarian patronage network; that's how politics have traditionally worked here. If it weren't for patronage from their own Maronite and Druze zu'am, the Jabal and the Chouf wouldn't be much better off than the north or the south. The state hasn't "refused" to do anything, because for all intents and purposes the state doesn't really exist. That's as it is in the rest of the country, too. (When someone in the Chouf wants something done, he goes to Mukhtara, not to the Serail.) Electricity cuts in the north are no worse than they are in the south. The only place they're less bad (3 hours daily) is in Beirut, where the cuts last the same time whether you live in Raouche, Corniche al-Mazraa, Ashrafieh or Basta. You should probably stick to talking about California, ya hayete, because you don't seem to know much at all about Lebanon.