Hizbullah: Empty media fanfare will not deter us from continuing to do our duties block or any "Israeli" infiltration
27-04-2008
Commenting on the press conference held by Mr. Walid Jumblatt and the French MP Karim Bakzad at the Bristol hotel, the Media Relations in Hizbullah issued the following statement:
On 26/4/2008 At four o'clock afternoon sharp, some of the brothers present near one of Resistance official's residence deep inside Haret Hreik suspected two men in a car one of whom was taking pictures of a number of places in an excessive manner arousing suspicion, prompting those concerned to transport the two men for queries, to ascertain their identities, and find out whether there were any security motives or suspicions behind their actions.
Once their identities and justification of their presence were confirmed, they were released after being treated with suitable courtesy and respect by those involved. Also, they had been informed them that this procedure is prompted by potential threats by the 'Israeli' enemy against the resistance leaders and the Southern Suburb of Beirut.
This issue would have normally passed had those behind this act been without ulterior motives against the resistance. Their objectives soon emerged from their speedy call to a press conference convened by the President of the Progressive Socialist Party, Mr. Walid Jumblatt and the French Socialist Party delegate, alongside the Secretary General of Socialist International as well as core elements from the 'March 14' (US backed ruling bloc) group. At best, this constitutes an abuse to the resistance and puts aside attention from the predicament the ruling bloc is in with regards to the national dialogue. At the same time, we will not discuss what that constitutes at its worst, since 'a word is enough to wise man' to understand the services sought by the conferees.
And for clarification purposes to public opinion, we present the following:
1- Concerning the facts: the incident took place in the depth of the Southern Suburb region, in the shared region of Haret Hraik - Bir al-Abed, and not at the Airport Road. Had the true intention been to witness the destruction in al-Dahya (Southern Suburb), the French Socialist delegate would have been accompanied, as is customary, by the Internal Lebanese Security Forces, but their car entered the area in a security manner. It also became clear after the incident that the French Embassy was not informed of this visit, which is the side concerned with coordinating the media visits and different tours, when in the past visiting parties freely roamed the area taking all the pictures they wanted, so much so that the well known French actress Catherine Donove photographed a documentary film in the heart of the Southern Suburb.
Then, it became evident that the tour was instead escorted by a representative of the Progressive Socialist Party, upon the instruction of an official of the Progressive Youth Organization in Lebanon. Do Mr. Jumblatt and his group not know the sensitivity of the state of the Southern Suburb with regards to being targeted by the 'Israelis'? Can anyone pass through al-Mukhtara (Jumblatt's home town), Quraitem (Saad Hariri's home area), Mi'raab (Samir Geagea's town) or elsewhere without prior arrangement for security reasons? Many are those who passed through those security zones, to be followed by armed vehicles and interrogated to ascertain their identities. Furthermore, what is the purpose of photographing a Mosque and a car wash under the pretext of taking photos of martyrs?
Once confidence was established that what they did was not detrimental, they freely went back to wherever they wanted without us needing to be contacted by anyone. Yet, we later contacted the French embassy to show our point of view. However, it seems that Mr. Jumblatt's insistence to raise the matter in the media and exploit the issue in different domains has proven unsuccessful.
2- Those concerned only became familiar with the passengers in the vehicle after asking and querying them about their identities, something that takes more than only a few minutes to ascertain, especially with past experiences when 'Israeli' infiltrators used foreign passports, and later published their tours in the 'Israeli' media, feeling proud of having challenged and penetrated the Lebanese security measures.
Perhaps the Lebanese still remember the Chief correspondent from Yediot Ahronot newspaper, Ron Ben-Yishai, who toured the Southern Suburb after the July 2006 assault, as well as journalist Lisa Goldman, who toured the streets of Beirut but did not enter the Southern Suburb, at a time when Lebanese security agencies were up in arms to uncover the security defects and the penetration!
Once it was clear that the French person and his escort did not carry 'Israeli' citizenships, we no longer had a problem with them. Consequently, we had no any political message for anyone because we had not been aware of their identities. So, the problem ended upon identifying them.
But, yes, the press conference has a political message to exploit the pre-planned incident by those who used an international delegate and tricked him to enter the Southern Suburb without coordination or a formal security escort. However, it is not an honorific act to exploit an international side in the settling of internal accounts or other such matters.
3- The Islamic Resistance has information about the movements of a number of 'Israeli' collaborators to target personalities of the party and carry out other subversive acts. It is what makes us vigilant of any suspicious movement. Therefore, such media fanfare will not deter us from continuing to perform our duties with utmost caution to prevent and confront as required any 'Israeli' infiltration attempts.
Commenting on the press conference held by Mr. Walid Jumblatt and the French MP Karim Bakzad at the Bristol hotel, the Media Relations in Hizbullah issued the following statement:
On 26/4/2008 At four o'clock afternoon sharp, some of the brothers present near one of Resistance official's residence deep inside Haret Hreik suspected two men in a car one of whom was taking pictures of a number of places in an excessive manner arousing suspicion, prompting those concerned to transport the two men for queries, to ascertain their identities, and find out whether there were any security motives or suspicions behind their actions.
Once their identities and justification of their presence were confirmed, they were released after being treated with suitable courtesy and respect by those involved. Also, they had been informed them that this procedure is prompted by potential threats by the 'Israeli' enemy against the resistance leaders and the Southern Suburb of Beirut.
This issue would have normally passed had those behind this act been without ulterior motives against the resistance. Their objectives soon emerged from their speedy call to a press conference convened by the President of the Progressive Socialist Party, Mr. Walid Jumblatt and the French Socialist Party delegate, alongside the Secretary General of Socialist International as well as core elements from the 'March 14' (US backed ruling bloc) group. At best, this constitutes an abuse to the resistance and puts aside attention from the predicament the ruling bloc is in with regards to the national dialogue. At the same time, we will not discuss what that constitutes at its worst, since 'a word is enough to wise man' to understand the services sought by the conferees.
And for clarification purposes to public opinion, we present the following:
1- Concerning the facts: the incident took place in the depth of the Southern Suburb region, in the shared region of Haret Hraik - Bir al-Abed, and not at the Airport Road. Had the true intention been to witness the destruction in al-Dahya (Southern Suburb), the French Socialist delegate would have been accompanied, as is customary, by the Internal Lebanese Security Forces, but their car entered the area in a security manner. It also became clear after the incident that the French Embassy was not informed of this visit, which is the side concerned with coordinating the media visits and different tours, when in the past visiting parties freely roamed the area taking all the pictures they wanted, so much so that the well known French actress Catherine Donove photographed a documentary film in the heart of the Southern Suburb.
Then, it became evident that the tour was instead escorted by a representative of the Progressive Socialist Party, upon the instruction of an official of the Progressive Youth Organization in Lebanon. Do Mr. Jumblatt and his group not know the sensitivity of the state of the Southern Suburb with regards to being targeted by the 'Israelis'? Can anyone pass through al-Mukhtara (Jumblatt's home town), Quraitem (Saad Hariri's home area), Mi'raab (Samir Geagea's town) or elsewhere without prior arrangement for security reasons? Many are those who passed through those security zones, to be followed by armed vehicles and interrogated to ascertain their identities. Furthermore, what is the purpose of photographing a Mosque and a car wash under the pretext of taking photos of martyrs?
Once confidence was established that what they did was not detrimental, they freely went back to wherever they wanted without us needing to be contacted by anyone. Yet, we later contacted the French embassy to show our point of view. However, it seems that Mr. Jumblatt's insistence to raise the matter in the media and exploit the issue in different domains has proven unsuccessful.
2- Those concerned only became familiar with the passengers in the vehicle after asking and querying them about their identities, something that takes more than only a few minutes to ascertain, especially with past experiences when 'Israeli' infiltrators used foreign passports, and later published their tours in the 'Israeli' media, feeling proud of having challenged and penetrated the Lebanese security measures.
Perhaps the Lebanese still remember the Chief correspondent from Yediot Ahronot newspaper, Ron Ben-Yishai, who toured the Southern Suburb after the July 2006 assault, as well as journalist Lisa Goldman, who toured the streets of Beirut but did not enter the Southern Suburb, at a time when Lebanese security agencies were up in arms to uncover the security defects and the penetration!
Once it was clear that the French person and his escort did not carry 'Israeli' citizenships, we no longer had a problem with them. Consequently, we had no any political message for anyone because we had not been aware of their identities. So, the problem ended upon identifying them.
But, yes, the press conference has a political message to exploit the pre-planned incident by those who used an international delegate and tricked him to enter the Southern Suburb without coordination or a formal security escort. However, it is not an honorific act to exploit an international side in the settling of internal accounts or other such matters.
3- The Islamic Resistance has information about the movements of a number of 'Israeli' collaborators to target personalities of the party and carry out other subversive acts. It is what makes us vigilant of any suspicious movement. Therefore, such media fanfare will not deter us from continuing to perform our duties with utmost caution to prevent and confront as required any 'Israeli' infiltration attempts.
