Hezbollah has few fans among bitter Christians [Sydney Morning Herald]

[furman]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/hezbollah-has-few-fans-among-bitter-christians/2006/08/22/1156012541229.html

Hezbollah has few fans among bitter Christians
Sarah Smiles Herald Correspondent in Ain Ibl, south Lebanon
August 23, 2006

<snip>

While Hezbollah has claimed victory - propaganda posters across southern Lebanon declare: "Our Blood Has Won" - it is no triumph for many who have lost their livelihood and property in the violence. Although many Shiite Muslims support Hezbollah, members of other communities caught in the crossfire of this war do not.

"How can it be a victory when most of has been destroyed?" asked Elias Hasrouni, a Maronite Christian, who manages the local electricity company. "There's no work, many people left, many people died, the houses were damaged. Is this a victory?"

<snip>

Hezbollah is dispensing up to $US12,000 ($16,000) to people who have lost property in the war, but Mr Hasrouni says he will not accept it. "We don't want to be indebted to Hezbollah," he said.

Residents who fled the town during the war returned to find bloodstains on their couches, or dirty handtowels where Hezbollah fighters had used their toilets, Mr Hasrouni said, adding that although many locals did not support this war, they could not stop it. Three years ago Hezbollah seized his olive groves for military purposes. He could do nothing.

"I do not like Hezbollah," said Mr Hasrouni, who still is afraid to visit his groves.

"I am disappointed with this war because Israel didn't really do the job … And I really don't believe anyone could disarm Hezbollah."

When Israel ended a decades-long occupation of southern Lebanon in 2000, Hezbollah assumed control of the rural area. Its intelligence networks prevailed and people grew fearful of speaking out against the Islamic party.

<snip>

[Fovea]

1. ah, I was waiting to hear from the falangists.

And it is no surprise that the Maronite conservatives would be rooting for Israel.

This is going to be a serious challenge for the peacekeepers.

[pelsar]

4. and the druz....

and the lebanese christians and the jordanians and the saudis and the egyptians....seems the only people who like hizballa are the syrians, iranians, and some europeans and americans (who dont mind having others live under the gun of religious fanatics)

[MrPrax]

2. "Israel didn't really do the job"

Traitor...Hezbullah should have a word with him.

Just goes to show how the Terrorist tag is faulty...here's a nationalist group whose historic enemies feel quite secure in openly attacking them, but they still keep to their own policies, when they could easily turn their guns on these fellow Lebanese that are MORE than happy to have Israel do their dirty work for them.

Hezbullah should demand more power, not less, in the government for the protection of their people.

[furman]

3. Hezbollah does not care about protecting their people

Hezbollah only cares about advancing their own goals,
which includes the destruction of Israel and the creation of a
fundamentalist Islamic state in the region.
That means winning over the "hearts and minds" of the population.

It does not even appear that Hezbollah did a very good job at
protecting the Lebanese population as you claim.
Their activities have caused about 1000 deaths.

[MrPrax]

5. The lebanese have every right

to protect their sovereign territory from illegal invasion and occupation, whereas Israel can make no claim while it continues to illegally occupy territories.

When Israel quits it's illegally occupied land, then Israel can claim the moral high road to it's actions and I will join you on that road...but until that happens which I don't personally believe ever will, then Israel can not claim self-defense as a legitimate rationale for it's extra-territorial aggression against nations it has previously attacked and occupied.

Makes no sense, unless you are racist.

[pelsar]

6. er...israel quit lebanon....year 2000

did that little fact escape you? (and the intl line was agreed by all the govts involved. Granted Hizballa has never agreed, i just wonder how you believe that they have more say then the Lebanese Govt?

and if they're so patriotic..why is it they dont let everyday lebanese citizens walk around S.Beruit? or S.Lebanon?....and why do the lebanese in the blog world seem to hate them so much?

and just for added info, the Lebanese that israel is holding?...the big one is a palestenain who crossed into israel shot up some israelis and shmashed a 4yr olds head in, many of the rest are drug dealers caught on the "israeli side" (lots of drug traffic goes across the border)....but i guess thats all irrelvant when it comes to Hizballa occupying lebanese land.

[furman]

7. What illegal invasion and occupation are you referring to?

Israel withdrew from Lebanon in 2000.
Hezbollah has no legitimate claim against Lebanon's borders with Israel (the Blue Line) at this time.

If you are referring to Shebaa Farms, this area is internationally recognized as part of Syria and not Lebanon.

[Englander]

9. That would be the ongoing occupation of S. Lebanon.

I don't know if you've noticed, but Israeli troops are in Lebanon, that country that was illegally
invaded by Israeli troops last month.


'India mulls pulling troops from Lebanon

August 24, 2006

NEW DELHI --India is considering withdrawing its existing peacekeepers from southern Lebanon, even as the international community struggles to find troops to bolster forces there, officials said.

>snip

Hundreds of Israeli troops have remained in the positions they occupied during the fighting, waiting for the U.N. peacekeepers to establish a buffer zone between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas.

A U.N. resolution calls for a 15,000-strong U.N. force to support the deployment of 15,000 Lebanese army soldiers into southern Lebanon for the first time, and help monitor Israel's withdrawal. It also calls for strict monitoring of Lebanon's borders and bans the shipment of arms to Hezbollah or any other armed militia.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2006/08/24/india_mulls_pulling_troops_from_lebanon/

[furman]

10. No, Israelis are waiting for the UN force to be established before leaving

Lebanon was not invaded illegally.

Israel invaded Lebanon after an illegal incursion into
Israel by Hezbollah and the kidnapping of the IDF soldiers.

Israel has been trying to fulfill UN Resolution 1559 that calls for the disarming of Hezbollah.
Now they are hoping that that the UNIFIL force will enforce 1559 and the new resolution 1701.

Israel is fighting a defensive war for its survival as a nation.

[Englander]

12. Absurdist talking points.

As a point of reference, could you please refrain from sending any to myself in the future?
If I wanted to see such absurdities, I'd go & read Arutz Sheva, or JCPA, or other sites that
propagate an altered view of reality.
Thanks.

[maalak]

13. hoping Hezbollah will be disarmed as per UN 1559 is a talking point?

[Englander]

15. How's that going?

That whole 'disarming Hizbollah' scenario - any success on that front?

Btw, here's the complete text of 1559, feel free to completely ignore the parts that refer
to Lebanon as a sovereign state, or call for foreign forces to leave;


'Resolution 1559 (2004)
Adopted by the Security Council at its 5028th meeting, on
2 September 2004
The Security Council,

Recalling all its previous resolutions on Lebanon, in particular resolutions 425
(1978) and 426 (1978) of 19 March 1978, resolution 520 (1982) of 17 September
1982, and resolution 1553 (2004) of 29 July 2004 as well as the statements of its
President on the situation in Lebanon, in particular the statement of 18 June 2000
(S/PRST/2000/21),

Reiterating its strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and
political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized borders,
Noting the determination of Lebanon to ensure the withdrawal of all non-
Lebanese forces from Lebanon,

Gravely concerned at the continued presence of armed militias in Lebanon,
which prevent the Lebanese Government from exercising its full sovereignty over
all Lebanese territory,

Reaffirming the importance of the extension of the control of the Government
of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory,

Mindful of the upcoming Lebanese presidential elections and underlining the
importance of free and fair elections according to Lebanese constitutional rules
devised without foreign interference or influence,

1. Reaffirms its call for the strict respect of the sovereignty, territorial
integrity, unity, and political independence of Lebanon under the sole and exclusive
authority of the Government of Lebanon throughout Lebanon;
2. Calls upon all remaining foreign forces to withdraw from Lebanon;
3. Calls for the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-
Lebanese militias;
4. Supports the extension of the control of the Government of Lebanon over
all Lebanese territory;
5. Declares its support for a free and fair electoral process in Lebanon’s
upcoming presidential election conducted according to Lebanese constitutional rules
devised without foreign interference or influence;
6. Calls upon all parties concerned to cooperate fully and urgently with the
Security Council for the full implementation of this and all relevant resolutions
concerning the restoration of the territorial integrity, full sovereignty, and political
independence of Lebanon;
7. Requests that the Secretary-General report to the Security Council within
thirty days on the implementation by the parties of this resolution and decides to
remain actively seized of the matter.

[maalak]

18. obviously not well...

but then again, you don't seem to have a problem with ignoring this part yourself...

3. Calls for the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-
Lebanese militias;

if Lebanon is unable and/or unwilling to disarm Hezbollah, how would you propose dealing with it?

[furman]

19. The "foreign forces" clause is generally accepted to mean Syria

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_1559

[maalak]

20. disarming Hezbollah was a term of the cease fire....

wasn't it?

[pelsar]

16. perhaps you can elaborate?

and explain in detail the problem with each of those points....many are quite interested in reading......

can you do it?

and perhaps explain why hizballa was attacking israel at all....over the last 6 years.....israel had pulled back to the intl border (i dont thing amnesty intl, hrw etc are going to help you out here....your on your own)

[furman]

17. I'll post what I want, thank you

If you don't like my posts, you can either ignore them or complain to a moderator.

[wellst0nev0ter]

8. Doesn't Explain How 80 Percent Of Christians Support Hezbollah

A new poll shows that 80 per cent of Lebanese Christians, 80 per cent of Druze and 89 per cent of Sunnis support Hezbollah, even though it remains Shia to its core.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,251-2290203,00.html

[maalak]

11. which new poll?

i'd be curious to know more about it... seems strange that they don't identify who took the poll or anything else about it....

[Englander]

14. 30 seconds on Google would remedy that.

The poll;

'Beirut Center for Research & Information
http://www.beirutcenter.info/default.asp?contentid=692&MenuID=46

[Igel]

21. But there's a rather important devil in the detail:

"Do you support the confrontations carried out by the resistance against the Israeli aggression against Lebanon ?"

This is rather different from what is usually inferred from 'support Hezbollah', esp. when it's in the middle of the bombing campaign and there are ground incursions in the south.

Access to the south was probably curtailed, and many people were refugees at the time.

Moreover, the sample was 800 respondents (no word as to how many didn't respond) divided over 4 groups, so maybe 200 per group, probably far fewer Druse or Sunnis than Shi'ites. When you start getting down to 100 or 150 people in a poll, the error rate starts to rise, even if you *could* get a good random sample.