|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| FEATURED EDITORIALS |
| ||||||
|
 |
| |
 |
|
|
Hezbollah head at 'victory' rally Hundreds of thousands of people have massed in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, to celebrate what Hezbollah militants call their victory over Israel. The group's leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, appeared at the rally - his first public appearance since July. People packed into the city's southern suburbs, which were heavily bombed during the conflict, waving yellow and green flags and chanting slogans. Hezbollah has called the outcome of the five-week conflict a "divine victory". Sheikh Nasrallah thanked the crowd for making the journey to the rally. "Our presence here is not without danger," he told the crowds, in reference to Israel considering him a target during the conflict. Pullout delayed Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah ended on 14 August with a ceasefire that has largely held. Israel lost 116 soldiers in the fighting, while 43 civilians were killed in Hezbollah rocket attacks. More than 1,000 Lebanese civilians and an unknown number of Hezbollah fighters were killed in the conflict. Israel failed to achieve its stated war aims of driving Hezbollah fighters from the border, stopping rocket attacks and freeing two of its soldiers captured by Hezbollah in a cross-border raid. The Beirut rally had been expected to coincide with the final pullout of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon, but the Israeli military said on Friday that some troops would remain in Lebanon over the Jewish New Year holiday this weekend. High security Security in the streets around the rally point was intense, the BBC's Crispin Thorold in Beirut says, with Hezbollah monitoring everyone entering the area and all rooftops manned. It had been unclear whether Sheikh Nasrallah would attend what was being called a "victory festival". He had only been seen on television since the conflict started. A spokesman for Sheikh Nasrallah said he would make a "landmark historic speech" and outline plans for the group's future, the Associated Press reported. Our correspondent said the rally was also intended to strengthen Hezbollah's political agenda in Lebanon. All of the major politicians allied to Hezbollah were expected to attend. The Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora, said he had not been invited. Since the cessation of hostilities Hezbollah has been organising reconstruction in its heartlands and paying compensation to the families whose homes were destroyed. But it has also been calling for a government of national unity to replace the current one. |
