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| It is Time for Hizbullah to be Lebanese First In this article, we will not explain how, why, and by whom Hizbullah was created. In other words, this is not about the radical ideology of Ayatollah Khomeini, nor it is about the objective of the Pasdaran to establish an Islamic state in Lebanon similar to that of Iran. And although it is about Hizbullah, it is not about their terrorist activities against the “infidels,” specifically the “Greatest Satan,” nor it is about their money laundering, or counter- fitting of currency, and or the illegal trade of diamond and drugs or any other illegal activities, but it is about shedding some light on their latest clear and present danger to the Lebanese entity as well as to the whole region. We will leave the other issues to the time when the Lebanese leaders have the guts to call a Spade a Spade. Almost everyone who is not a radical Shiite is disturbed because of the recent activities of Hizbullah and its allies in Lebanon. Their leadership behaviors stretch from being deceitful to being hypocrites. For example, we see that one day Hizbullah leader Hassan Nisrallah attends the national dialogue and agrees on certain issues, only to hear him the next day denying that they agreed on anything. We hear him talking about memorandum of understanding with this group or that, only to shock us the next day with his threats to “cut off the hand, chop off the head, or pull out the soul of whomever dares to even discuss the weapons of Hizbullah.” Furthermore, on one occasion Nisrallah acknowledges that Lebanon cannot be ruled by the majority for the Lebanese system is a consensual one, only to find him the next day declaring war on Israel without even discussing such a grave matter with anyone in the country-maybe he discusses them with Syrians and Iranians, but not with the Lebanese leaders whom he usually and randomly accuses them of implementing the agendas and policies of foreign governments, including the Israeli ones, and or the United Nations resolutions. Equally disturbing is the behaviors of Hizbullah and Amal deputies in parliament and in the cabinet. For example: a) When PM Fouad Saniora tried to discuss the international court in the cabinet meeting, the Amal and Hizbullah MPs walked out of the session; b) When the cabinet tried to denounce Syria’s President Bashar Assad’s anti-PM Saniora’s speech by calling him a “slave to a slave,” the Amal and Hizbullah MPs walked out; c) When the Parliament voted against the Syrian arrest warrant against MP Walid Jumblat and MP Marwan Hemadeh, the Amal and Hizbullah MPs refused to participate in the vote. The reasons? They simply do not wish to condemn the misconduct of the Syrian Ba’ath regime. Furthermore, when the pro-Syrian Palestinian militia killed a Lebanese Army soldier in the Biqa, Hizbullah and Amal considered the crime as an “unfortunate incident,” but when someone killed two members of the Islamic Jihad in Saida, Hizbullah unleashed its artillery against Israel not taking into consideration the consequences of such aggression on Lebanon and its economy. The irony in this act is that Hizbullah was allegedly protesting on May 10 against economic hardship demanding that the cabinet take action to improve the living conditions of the Lebanese people, while its action is the most damaging to the economy of Lebanon and to the well beings of its people, especially during the summer season. Moreover, after months of the assassination of PM Rafiq Hariri, MP Basel Flyhan, George Hawi, Samir Qassir, Gebran Tueini, and after dozens of bombings in Christian neighborhoods where all fingers pointed at Syria’s involvement in these crimes, Hizbullah is still waiting for the results of the investigations before making a statement to condemn anyone. However, only hours after the assassination of the Islamic Jihad brothers, the same leadership of Hizbullah investigated and confirmed that the side behind the killing was Israel and took immediate action for retaliation, which caused more death and damage to Lebanon than to Israel. Having said that, isn’t time for Hizbullah to prove that they are Lebanese first? Isn’t time for Hizbullah to end its hypocrisy? Isn’t time for Hizbullah to stop meddling in Lebanon’s fate and future by adhering to the Taef Accord? Isn't time for them to abandon terrorism and to start believing in a free, democratic, and sovereign Lebanon? YES, indeed. It is also time for the Lebanese government to implement the UN resolutions or to ask the international community for help. As for those who are providing political cover for Hizbullah under the pretext that they are afraid of Saad Hariri’s allege objective to “Islamize the land of Lebanon if he can’t Islamize the people,” we urge them not to sell their land to Hariri. However, we strongly urge them to beware and to be afraid of Hizbullah’s weapons and objectives for when the time is right, Hizbullah will not offer to buy their land, he will simply take it. Pierre A. Maroun Secretary General ALCC May 30, 2006 Published by: Lebanonwire |
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