Lebanon starts celebrating the sixth anniversary of the "Israeli" retreats

Source: Al Manar, 22-5-2006
On the 21st of May 2000, southerners Lebanese began their race towards their occupied village, as news circulated that "Israeli" occupation forces and their collaborators packed their things and crossed the border into occupied Palestine.
Four days after this date, the liberation of most of Lebanese territories was accomplished after 22 year of "Israeli" occupation. After six years on the liberation, the resistance is still determined to liberate the occupied Shibaa Farms and the remainder of the detainees in "Israeli" jails.
"Israel" admitted before Lebanon`s friends, that what the country witnessed in May, 2000 was an unprecedented and historical event in the history of the Arab "Israeli" conflict.
On the 21st of May, six years ago, "Israel" decided to cut its losses and withdraw from Lebanon, months before a withdrawal, scheduled by "Israeli" Prime Minister then, Ehud Barak, to end 22 years of occupation.
It was the first time in the history of "Israel", that its army withdraws, defeated, from an occupied Arab country, under the strikes of resistance forces, particularly the Islamic Resistance fighters.
Since the beginning of the "Israeli" occupation of Lebanon in 1978, the UN Security Council issued Resolution 425 that called "Israel" to withdraw from the South and a UN peacekeeping force would then be deployed along the border. "Israel" never implemented the resolution and since no sanctions were imposed, its army remained in Lebanon.
In 1982, Beirut fell under occupation and became the first Arab capital to become so. Pockets of resistance began defying the occupation since 1978, and in 1982 a newly-born group called Hizbullah began a resistance movement and soon the events began to unfold. The "Israeli" army was indulged into a guerrilla war. For the "Israelis" it became to be known as the Lebanese quagmire.
The resistance operations were systematic and strictly limited to targeting "Israeli" soldiers even though settlements were close enough to fall into the line of fire. "Israel" however heedlessly shelled Lebanese civilians killing women children and elderly. But even this did not subdue the people or the resistance and it surely did not help the subsequent "Israeli" governments to cover up the continuous failures at the battlefield.
Victory did come, and the south was liberated but the Lebanese Shibaa Farms remained under occupation. Since the liberation, "Israel" continues to violate the Lebanese airspace and opens fire on southern areas.
Liberation led to changes on the Lebanese social and political levels, and undoubtedly on the regional and international levels.
In Lebanon, the frustration of the populace following 22 years of occupation was transformed into confidence that their country possesses enough deterrent power to face any future "Israeli" plots. The Liberation also reshaped the political trends in the country. The concept of the resistance was unanimously accepted, after skepticism about its capability to force "Israel" out of Lebanon, prevailed for years, on the basis of the worn-out saying that quote: "Lebanon`s power is in its weakness."
When the country witnessed the crime of the century in February 14, 2005, this same skepticism resurfaced.
The assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri dramatically changed the political map in Lebanon; some supported the arms of the resistance as a strategic choice to defend the country against "Israeli" threats, while the other majority preferred to work according to the western agenda, particularly after the Syrians pulled out of Lebanon.
On the 2nd of September 2004 the UN Security council issued the US-French backed resolution 1559, concerning Lebanon. One of its terms called for: The disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias. The endorsement of the resolution made then "Israeli" foreign minister Silvan Shalom bluntly says that the efforts of "Israel" finally bore fruit. The so called parliamentary majority that has been ruling Lebanon since two years welcomed the resolution.
But facing firm political rejection that was also reflected through popular demonstrations and support, the government retreated from naming the resistance as a militia. However this did not keep the ruling majority, backed by the US-led West, from seeking to disarm the resistance in every possible means. The recent honoring of US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton by a delegation from the so called February 14 powers indicates so.
However Hizbullah made clear that the arms of the resistance are not negotiable, and what is raised for discussion in the national dialogue is the defensive strategy for Lebanon.
Though powerful countries like the US try to impose their own will over the whole of the international community, there remains a small free group with a righteous cause, and they are still determined to defend their country in every possible way.