War (of Words) with Syria
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Tuesday, May 27, 2003
Hizbullah hospital wins praise along border
Facility embodies ‘softer’ side of jihad
The Daily Star -- May 27
Nicholas Blanford
In marked contrast to the general lack of development in the border district since Israel’s troop withdrawal three years ago this week, the Hizbullah-run Saleh Ghandour Hospital in Bint Jbeil is proving a rare success story.
With international attention focused on Hizbullah’s military presence in the border area, the hospital represents the often overlooked aspect of the party as it quietly dispenses low-cost healthcare to local residents, regardless of their faith.
Bassem Sidawi, a Christian doctor from Ain Ibl, worked at the hospital during the years of occupation, treating locals as well as the occasional Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army militiamen who had been wounded by Hizbullah’s resistance fighters. Today, Sidawi still treats patients at the hospital and will not hear a word against the party.
“It makes me very angry when I see Hizbullah being described as a terrorist organization, “Sidawi said. “It’s a manipulation of what is happening here. Hizbullah is not a terrorist group.”
Australia plans to ban Hizbullah
Al Bawaba -- May 27
The Australian government said Tuesday that it is planning to ban the Lebanon-based Hizbullah group, “due to intelligence suggesting members of the group have been involved in various terror activities.”
Justice Minister Daryl Williams said that while the US and Britain had banned Hizbullah, Australia hadn’t, “The Australian laws regarding terror groups permit us to ban only groups that are enlisted on the list of terror organizations published by the UN Security Council (UNSC)”, he explained.
According to Australian anti-terror laws, a group must be declared a terrorist organization by the United Nations Security Council before it can be proscribed in Australia.
Williams added that Australia should prepare itself to cope with expected terror threats. “The US is conducting an all-out war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban, but it seems it is not tackling other organizations which have a similar political doctrine to that of Al Qaeda. Hizbullah is a dangerous terror group and we ought to fight it,” Williams told the Australian parliament.
HAMAS RUNS INSURGENCY OPERATIONS FROM SYRIA
MENL -- May 25
WASHINGTON -- Hamas has employed its offices in Syria for the financing and planning of insurgency operations, a new report says.
The report by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy said Hamas leaders use their Damascus headquarters for the planning of major operations against Israel. The report, authored by Matthew Levitt, said Hamas leaders in Damascus have acknowledged their central role in insurgency operations.
"From their Syrian safe haven, Hamas leaders Khaled Mashaal, Mussa Abu Marzouk, Imad Al Alami, and others actively launch terrorist operations." the report said. "Hamas leaders have acknowledged the central role that their group's Damascus-based 'political' leaders play in operational decision-making."
The report cited a statement from the late Hamas military commander Salah Shehada in the Gaza Strip. Shehada, who was assassinated last year in an Israeli air attack in Gaza City, had asserted that "the political apparatus is sovereign over the military apparatus, and a decision of the political [echelon] takes precedence over the decision of the military [echelon], without intervening in military operations."
U.S. sees signs Syria curtailing 'terror support'
Reuters via Ha'aretz -- May 23
WASHINGTON - The United States sees some signs that Syria is curtailing its support for "terrorism" but not the kind of dramatic moves Washington has been looking for, a senior State Department official said on Friday.
Syria and Iran remain among the seven nations that the United States lists as state sponsors of terrorism, in part because of U.S. allegations that both nations support anti-Israel groups like Hezbollah.
"We are not going to look fondly toward nations such as Iran or Syria which serve as origination and transshipment points for weapons (that are going to) Hezbollah and we have made that clear to both of them," the U.S. official, who asked not to be identified, told reporters as U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell flew home from a two-day visit to Paris.
Lebanon marks Israeli withdrawal
Ha'aretz -- May 25
By Daniel Sobelman
Lebanon celebrated Liberation and Resistance Day yesterday, a national holiday first declared after Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon three years ago.
Hezbollah held its main rally in the city of Baalbek in the Bekaa Valley. Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah stressed in his speech that Lebanon must not give up the arms of Hezbollah, and explained that Israel and the U.S. have aggressive intentions and that Israel is refusing to recognize Lebanon's rights. "Yesterday, when we wanted to drink the water of the Wazzani River and Sharon threatened war, was it because of our weapons? ... Whenever any source of power is conceded, this is suicide," Nasrallah said.
He was referring to an article in the Hebrew edition of Haaretz on Friday, according to which Israel meant to target his organization during the war in Iraq, but was held back by the U.S. administration.
Nasrallah issues call to arms to face Jewish state
‘When the country faces aggression, we must be fully ready’
The Daily Star -- May 27
by Morshed Ali
Hizbullah secretary-general Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah called Sunday on the resistance, the army and national forces to arm themselves in the face of a possible attack by the Jewish state.
Addressing thousands at Ras al-Ain in Baalbek on the third anniversary of Israel’s withdrawal from South Lebanon, he said, “when the country faces aggression, we must be fully ready to resist.
FM Shalom to Ministers of Syria and Lebanon: I Come In Peace
Maariv via Virtual Jerusalem News -- May 27
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom received an unusual amount of attention in the conference of foreign ministers that took place in Crete. For the first time since the Intifada began the foreign ministers of Morocco and Tunisia agreed with him. For the first time the foreign ministers of Syria and Lebanon chose to listen to the Israeli Foreign Minister’s speech rather than taking their usual step of leaving the auditorium in protest.
“I’ve come here today with a message of peace from Jerusalem. Yesterday the Israeli government approved the roadmap and President Bush’s vision for peace. This step brings hopes of peace to peoples of the region,” said Shalom. “The Palestinian Prime Minister needs to now stop incitement and fight terror. Without this we will not be able to progress. The Palestinians need to understand that Israel will never agree to the return of Palestinians to its territory. I call upon my colleagues in the Arab world to take this opportunity to build a better future.”
The Syrian Foreign Minister gave a moderate speech saying that Syria is prepared to return to the negotiating table with Israel if certain conditions are met based on Un resolutions 242 and 338.
U.N. official: No changes of 'road map'
UPI -- May 27
By Dalal Saoud
BEIRUT, Lebanon -- A top U.N. official said Tuesday the "road map" for peace in the Middle East, designed to settle Israel-Palestinians relations and formally establish a Palestinian state, will not be changed or renegotiated.
Terje Roed Larsen, U.N. special coordinator for Middle East peace, spoke as President George W. Bush prepares to meet with a number of Arab leaders to discuss the plan's implementation.
Larsen said the peace plan was more broad than the 1993 Oslo agreements between Israel and the Palestinians because it takes into account Lebanon and Syria.
Jordan confirms Palestinian-Israeli summit in Aqaba; Syria excluded from US-Arab summit
Al Bawaba -- May 27
US President George W. Bush is planned to meet the Israeli and Palestinian premiers at one summit next week and hold another summit with several Arab heads of states.
The Israeli-Palestinian summit will take place in Jordan, Petra news agency confirmed Tuesday. The US-Arab summit will be held in Egypt. Both summits would take place after Bush attends the G-8 summit of the world's wealthiest countries in Evian, France from June 1-3.
Jordanian Information Minister, Mohammad Affash Adwan, was quoted as saying by Petra that Bush would meet a few Arab leaders, including Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah II, in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
The Jordanian minister conveyed the US leader was also due to attend a separate summit with Sharon and Abbas, in Jordan's resort of Aqaba. Adwan said consultations were under way to "specify the dates of both summits."
Syria expresses skepticism of Israel's acceptance of road map
Ha'aretz via Virtual Jerusalem News -- May 27
DAMASCUS, Syria - Syria's official media expressed skepticism Tuesday of Israel's acceptance of the road map plan for peace with the Palestinians, saying the Israeli aim is to gain time and smash the Palestinian opposition.
The Israeli Cabinet gave its conditional approval to the
plan on Sunday, adding demands that the Palestinians have
previously rejected. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had earlier declared his reluctant support for the plan, subject to assurances from Washington that Israel's reservations would be taken into account in the plan's
implementation.