Israel 'waging economic war' on neighbour

[King Tech Quadafi]

By Roula Khalaf in Beirut

Published: August 25 2006 03:00 | Last updated: August 25 2006 03:00

Lebanon's powerful parliament speaker accused Israel yesterday of seeking to re-interpret the United Nations ceasefire resolution in order to justify what he said was a continuing economic war against Lebanon.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Nabih Berri, who has acted as the mediator between the Lebanese government and the Shia Hizbollah movement, brushed aside speculation of UN troops deploying along the border with Syria, an issue that has stirred controversy this week.

Pointing out that UN resolution 1701 called on the Lebanese government to secure its borders to prevent smuggling of weapons to non-state parties and "request" assistance from international troops if needed, he said his information was that Beirut was asking only for logistical assistance in the form of new equipment.

"What the resolution says we have to apply," he said. "So why is Israel putting conditions? What it's doing is justifying its blockade, on the airport and the sea, because one of the objectives of this war is to hit Lebanon economically, and this war is still continuing."

Israel has said it wanted UN forces to help at police border crossings to prevent Hizbollah guerrillas from re-arming, citing this as a reason for maintaining an air and sea blockade.

The embargo has exacerbated the sense of anxiety in Beirut and led Syria to threaten to close its borders, the only land route out of Lebanon.

Mr Berri charged that Israel had been seeking to undermine Lebanon's economy and that it had targeted companies during the war, including a milk factory and soft drink distributor, that had won contracts in the region against Israeli competitors.

"They impose an embargo on air and sea to deter investors from returning to Lebanon, at a time when there's an oil boom and when the Arabs want to invest here," he said.

Mr Berri, leader of a Shia party, Amal, that has been in alliance with Hizbollah, played a crucial role during the war in bridging political divisions between the group and the government, allowing Lebanon to maintain a semblance of national unity.

His balancing act has become more delicate since the end of hostilities, as Hizbollah followers accuse rivals of having hoped for an Israeli victory and supporters of the parliamentary majority, led by Sunni and Christian parties, blame the militant group for starting the war.

Mr Berri said it was "natural" to hear criticism but played down concerns that divisions would aggravate sectarian tensions.

"What I care about is one thing: when Israel committed its crimes against the population and the property and 1m people were displaced, can you name one area that refused to take them in, can you name one party that didn't take care of them?" he said.

"I care about this united position against the aggression. Afterwards, if we want to engage in recrimination, we want to criticise each other, all this is not rejected, if not required." He said the national dialogue, the roundtable of leaders that he had hosted before the war to debate the fate of Hizbollah's military wing, among other issues, should resume, but not immediately. Security was one of the constraints, he added.

Mr Berri revealed yesterday that before the war, he had been preparing to propose ideas to resolve differences over disarmament and that he had been confident the proposals would have gained the approval of all sides. He would not be drawn on the details of his blueprint.

Asked whether Hizbollah's disarmament had become less likely because its leaders felt emboldened by their perceived victory in the war, he said this would depend on implementation of the UN ceasefire resolution. "If Israel doesn't apply it properly, the resistance might be the demand of all the Lebanese," he warned.

Hizbollah, he added, had proved that it was a resistance movement and that it was needed to defend Lebanon.

At the same time, the war and its aftermath had shown that Hizbollah and the Lebanese army, which is now deploying in the south of the country for the first time, were not in confrontation.

Mr Berri also dismissed claims that Hizbollah's "state within a state" had now expanded, saying that if the group had rushed last week to pay compensation to families whose property had been destroyed, it was because the government had not moved fast enough.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/8575f3f2-33d6-11db-981f-0000779e2340.html

[J Bananas]

on quite the smear campaign tonight aren't we my afghani friend?

[King Tech Quadafi]

on quite the smear campaign tonight aren't we my afghani friend?

cmon man...smearing is calling a humans rights organization "borderline anti semetic"

some foul ass shit just went down....the fuckin dirty jews have to be held accountable

[J Bananas]

you know what i dont like about jews, they avoid throwing down on the blunt, cheap assholes wanna smoke then go right home and chow on dinner mommy made, just turn their back on their friends once they have what they want

[King Tech Quadafi]

thats why i keep no jewish friends

dont need extra mouths on the spliff