Berri to Williams: Only God Can Stop Us, US Military Delegation in Beirut
He called on "the Lebanese army to continue its efforts to fulfill its mission in support of United Nations Security Council resolution 1701 and stressed the importance of a strong US-Lebanese army partnership to further bolster its operational capacity to implement resolution 1701."
As eyes and hearts pulls the sail towards the southern suburbs of Beirut ahead of the Secretary General of Hizbullah His eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah expected speech, Lebanese people recall how their resistance defeated what was previously known as the myth of the invincible "Israeli" army.
Five years ago, after the war bombs felt silent, Sayyed Nasrallah stood in front of his lovers stressing his famous statement "defeats' era went and that of victories began."
Sayyed Nasrallah Expected Speech
Today, as the international conspiracy against the resistance escalates, it is expected that His Eminence is to assure that "the resistance and its people are ready to all kinds of confrontation".
"Al-Liwaa" Lebanese newspaper quoted a Hizbullah source as saying that "the first part of the speech will focus on the victory that the resistance achieved during the 2006 war against "Israel", stressing the role of the resistance in liberating the land and holding onto the arms to halt the "Israeli" attacks.
It said that "Sayyed Nasrallah will prove that the resistance has the capability to defeat any possible "Israeli" attack."
The source told the daily that "the speech will tackle the maritime borders issue as Nasrallah will reiterate the equation of maritime deterrence, hinting that Hizbullah will use its rockets that "can reach the "Israeli" depth if it tried to extract oil or gas from Lebanon's waters."
Meanwhile, "as- Safir" Lebanese daily reported that Hizbullah's Secretary General is expected to address the Special Tribunal for Lebanon stressing during his speech that "the indictment is targeting the resistance to help "Israel".
Eiland: July War a Failure
"Pending what Nasrallah is going to say this evening at the dignity and victory ceremony, stances Monday varied between concerns in "Israel" over the outcome of any future war in the wake of Hizbullah's growing capabilities and the ongoing focus on weapons in the interior," "al-Akhbar" paper stated in its editorial.
The daily quotes what the former head of "Israel's" former National Security Council head Gen. Giora Eiland said in an interview with the "Israeli" newspaper "Haartez".
"Tel Aviv followed a real strategic policy in terms of the option to initiate war," Eiland said adding that ""Israel" would only engage in war or attack if faced with a strategic threat to existence such as attacking the nuclear reactor in Iran."
Not changing his view "that the July 2006 war was a failure in terms of setting goals," the General said "the core issue was the ability of deterrence before war erupts, in addition to the need to achieve victory quickly by saying that the Lebanese state is responsible for firing from its territory."
He claimed this saying was truer today "after Hizbullah's hold over the Lebanese government became stronger."
""Israel" will only defeat Hizbullah in the next war if it targeted Lebanon's infrastructure as well as the Lebanese Army," Eiland concluded.
Berri to Williams: Only God Can Stop Us from Oil Defending
In a parallel context, "as-Safir" newspaper revealed the discussion between House Speaker Nabih Berri and the representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in Lebanon, Michael Williams on Lebanon's rights in natural resources.
According to the paper, the discussion focused on the UN validity in the demarcation of the maritime border between Lebanon and occupied Palestine.
Mark Williams said that Resolution 1701 does not include this aspect, and therefore "UNIFIL" can't be engaged in this task. However, Berri replied "Mr. Williams, this is not accurate, especially that I was a partner in making 1701."
""UNIFIL" has a naval force, and this leads to the assumption that the UN can play a role at the level of assistance in the demarcation of the border unless if the purpose of having Navy is only to monitor our territorial waters and our shores," House Speaker stressed.
Insisting on his position, Williams answered "UN is not responsible for maritime demarcation, and in such cases the two concerned countries usually negotiate on how to demarcate the maritime boundary between them."
"I would like to go back with you to April 1996 understanding. This understanding noticed the formation of a committee of officers representing the Lebanese army and the "Israeli" occupation army as well as representatives from international forces, and its mission to discuss what could be disturbing the peace, and therefore this umbrella can be a cover for the role of the United Nations in the demarcation,"
In a high tone Berri said:" If we had this number of the martyrs and the wounded to defend the tree of Al-Odaysee, what about when it comes to defending our wealth oil. We will use all means to protect it from any attack and only God can stop us."
Qassem: Opposition Chaos
Recalling the July war Divine Victory, Hizbullah Deputy Secretary General His Eminence Sheikh Naim Qassem said on Monday that ""Israel" is surrounded by a set of vulnerability factors.
" When a very few of us used some of our strengths in some of our capabilities, we broke the myth of the indomitable "Israel", making invincible army defeated and a target to our children's mocking before our adults," Sheikh Qassem stressed asking " how if we made use of other available and potential capabilities in this region and our world?"
In his statement in a student's graduation ceremony, Sheikh Qassem added: "The July war was not "Israel's" war on Lebanon and the resistance. It was an international war through "Israel" hand on the resistance to eliminate it and drop its spirit, so that we lack any ability to change or refuse or liberate or achieve independence, but Praise to God this Mujahedeen managed to achieve this great victory in July."
"Unfortunately, there is inside Lebanon, who call themselves "March 14" and who advised the Americans and those who have connection with "Israel" for the necessity of continuing the war."
On the internal affairs, His Eminence clarified that "until now, there has not been any opposition for the government," adding that "the current opposition is equal to chaos."
Jumblatt Stresses Dialogue
In the same respect, the head of the "National Struggle Front" MP Walid Jumblatt Jumblatt stressed on Monday the importance of the equation of the army, people, and resistance.
He told al-Liwaa that "pressing ahead with a battle for arms through the media and political bickering was a "battle with no horizon and will not lead to any results desired by campaigners."
"The only certain outcome of this battle is more Sunni-Shiite tension and the more likely each side will hang on to its positions," Jumblatt added.
"The tension between the two sects and the insistence of each party to hold onto its stance would pave way for a fertile ground to quickly welcome the repercussions of what's happening and what could go on around us," MP added.
Repeating that "he supports President Michel Suleiman's call for national dialogue because he believes that we would practically end up with discussing the (issue of) arms or the defense strategy," Jumblatt clarified that "dialogue absorbs this sectarian tension."
Concerning the national dialogue, "as-Safir" informed Tuesday that "President Michel Suleiman will unveil during the upcoming days his discussions about the necessity of re-launching the national dialogue with the different parties and the issues that should be tackled on the table."
Presidential sources told the daily that the president is "determined to make use of the previous dialogue rounds to be a starting point for the new dialogue table in an attempt to establish a defense strategy."
The sources noted that the president was planning to invite the different party leaders for talks, but the sharp division in stances and the escalatory statements made by the "March 14" prevented him from carrying on with his plan."
The president "feared that some political forces might not participate in the dialogue, especially "Future" movement."
Meanwhile, Syrian Social National Party sources told "as-Safir" that "the confrontational statements and the escalatory political rhetoric that is increasing the division and tension will back down if the dialogue was launched."
US Military Delegation in Beirut
The political debate was interrupted by a visit by Lt. Gen. Vincent Brooks, commanding general of U.S. Army Central Command, and his meeting with Army commander Gen. Jean Kahwaji.
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The visit drew attention less than a week after a U.S. House panel unveiled a bill that would block U.S. aid to Lebanon unless Washington reassures Congress that they are cooperating in the battling of terrorism," "as-Safir" pointed out.
Brook expressed "the United States' appreciation of the strong partnership between the Lebanese army and the United States, praising the Lebanese army's professional performance in fulfilling its national duties.
Source: Lebanese Newspapers
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