Fadlallah warns "Israel" may try to make use of security chaos

Source: Daily Star, 19-02-2008
BEIRUT: Senior Muslim-Shiite cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah stressed on Monday the need to "focus" on what "Israel" is planning to do amid the ongoing political chaos in the country, saying that the situation "is likely to turn into security chaos." "'Israel' might make good use of that [situation]," he said.
According to Fadlallah, Lebanon is still the arena where regional and international "winds blow in all directions."
"Lebanon's curse resides in the freedom that has been turned into chaos," he said. "And the Arab world's curse is in the oil that constitutes the second center of attraction of the US administration after 'Israel'."
Fadlallah said the US is providing "Israel" with "political cover" in a bid to violate Islamic and Arab security.
The sayyed criticized fiery political speeches, which he said "attack the bases of the relationship between the Lebanese."
Meanwhile, the vice president of the Higher Shiite Council, Sheikh Abdel-Amir Qabalan, expressed his condemnation on Monday of the clashes that erupted over the weekend in Beirut, saying "Islam has nothing to do with them."
"The clashes, provocations and challenges that we have witnessed a few days ago are totally rejected," Qabalan said. "Anything that might set people apart and instigate strife between them is rejected."
"Attacking people and their properties is forbidden," he said.
Clashes erupted in different areas of Beirut over the weekend between government and opposition supporters, wounding at least 14 Lebanese.
"We wash our hands of anyone who attacks his fellow citizens. We reject street fighting among the Lebanese," he said.
Qabalan called on the Lebanese Armed Forces to preserve the country's security and on security forces to be "serious" in protecting civilians, without any discrimination between one party and another.
"All the Lebanese are partners in this country. No one can eliminate the other," he said.