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| Gemayel says disrming
Hezbollah needs consensus Former President Amin Gemayel said after meeting with Hizbullah Secretary-General Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah on Monday that the issue of disarming Hizbullah requires a serious and transparent round table meeting to reach an agreement among political factions, according to An Nahar and As Safir Tuesday. "We should place all issues of contention on a table for discussion. There are parties which support [Hizbullah's arms] and other which don't. There isn't any agreement on this issue at the national level. The case cannot be resolved unless through dialogue. We should agree altogether to preserve the higher national interest. I don't think Hizbullah wants to involve the country, and we also don't want to embarrass any party," Gemayel was quoted as saying. Gemayel, leader of the right-wing Phalange Correction Movement has long called for the disarmament of Hizbullah. During the latest parliamentary polls, Gemayel's Movement, as well as other opposition groups, allied with Hizbullah in the Baabda-Aley district, east of Beirut. The issue of Hizbullah's arms is very controversial. The Party of God was instrumental in forcing Israeli troops out of Lebanon in 2000, ending a 22-year occupation. Hizbullah says it will not scrap its weapons until the Shabaa Farms, located on the foothills of Mount Hermon, are liberated and a settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict is achieved. However, Hizbullah has been subject to mounting international pressure. The UN Security Council last September passed resolution 1559, which, in addition to demanding the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon, calls for the disarmament of all local and foreign militias, alluding to Hizbullah and Palestinian militants in refugee camps. Lately, Hizbullah has revealed that it is ready to discuss its arms with all Lebanese parties to reach an agreement that would benefit the country's interests. It has lately involved itself more in politics and is expected to occupy, for the first time, ministerial portfolios. According to As Safir, Nasrallah denied Israeli allegations that the latest attacks against Israel were aimed at kidnapping soldiers. Nasrallah said the attacks were far beyond that context. Last week, Hizbullah guerrillas struck Israeli army posts killing an Israeli soldier in an attack that drew air raids from the Jewish state. Warplanes bombed the outskirts of two south Lebanese border villages.Israeli chief of the army's northern command, Major General Benny Ganz, has said his troops managed to foil an attempt by the Lebanese resistance group Hizbullah to kidnap Israeli soldiers. (MER) |
