Lebanese-American delegation in Beirut criticizes U.S. interference in Lebanon`s affairs

Source: Al Manar, 4-5-2006
Lebanese Prime Minister Foaud Saniora met with the heads of Lebanese- American communities in Michigan at the Grand Serail during which he informed them of the political situation and of the economic plans.
The delegation met several Lebanese showing their support to the resistance and expressed the community`s relief following the understanding document that was forged between Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic movement. The delegation told the US ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman of their opposition to the US intervention in Lebanon`s affairs.
Americans of Lebanese origin came all the way from the United States to Lebanon to express their dissatisfaction with Washington`s policy. The Lebanese-American institutions in Michigan one of the biggest gathering of Lebanese and Arabs in the United States oppose the US policy, saying it not just harmful to Americans of Lebanese origin but to US citizens as well. The delegation met President Emile Lahoud, parliament speaker Nabih Berri and Labor minister Trad Hmade, during which they defended the Lebanese resistance and its weapons.
OSAMA SIBLANI, Lebanese-American Community said "We are with the Lebanese resistance. Its` weapons is for the sake of liberating the Lebanese land and defending Lebanon. The United States as a sole superpower should not put its heavyweight behind a certain side against the other."
He added "Lebanon was going through a crisis. It was aggravating, and it could have taken the country into a civil war if it weren`t for the awareness of the officials mainly his eminence Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah and General Michel Aoun. Their meeting on February 6th which produced the understanding document cast a sense of great relief among the Lebanese immigrants."
ABED HAMMOUD, Lebanese-American Community said "We stand with the resistance, the side that protects Lebanon because we come from here, and we know what the "Israeli" attacks are. I was not born in America, I lived here under the "Israeli" shelling and I told that to the US ambassador. I told him you don`t need to explain to me and reassure me because you cannot do that."
The delegation was not just supportive of the resistance but also of the understanding document forged between Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and head of the Free Patriotic movement MP Michel Aoun. Besides labaling this document as a launchpad for a nationwide dialogue, they say it left the Lebanese-American community at great ease.
HAMMOUD also said "Of course we went through the Understanding document and we told its opponents if you want dialogue then why were you bothered from this document. They said it is about Hizbullah and being put on the (so-called) terrorist list. Just like Mr. Osama said: your viewpoint of Hizbullah differs from ours."
The visit comes as the US warned its citizens from traveling to Lebanon for security reasons. But the delegation had informed the US state department of their visit and told the officials there and the US ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman of their position from the US policy.
Palestinian taxi driver shot dead Aljazeera, 04-5-2006
"Israeli" troops have shot and killed a Palestinian taxi driver in the West Bank.
Witness Ahmad Quran said Zakariya Daraghmeh, 37, went round a barrier of rocks and parked by the roadblock, near the city of Nablus, to wait for passengers, reports AP.
Quran said "Israeli" soldiers approached in a Jeep, and when they unslung their rifles, Daraghmeh left his taxi and started to run away.
The soldiers shot him as he ran, Quran said.
A doctor at Rafadiya hospital in Nablus said Daraghmeh died from a gunshot wound in his back.
Reuters reports Palestinian medics and witnesses as saying that "Israeli" patrol opened fire on Daraghmeh after he drove off a major road connecting the West Bank city of Nablus and the northern part of the occupied territory.
They said Daraghmeh was trying to reach his village of Toubas, close to Nablus, via an unpaved road.
The "Israeli" army claimed it was checking the report.