Hezbollah seizes western Beirut
Pastor Dale Morgan
Hezbollah seizes western Beirut*
'Hellish' street fighting paralyzes Lebanon, government officials holed up
Posted: May 09, 2008
News From Israel
JERUSALEM – The Hezbollah terrorist organization today seized control of
several western Beirut neighborhoods and forced off the air a
pro-democratic television station amid street battles using heavy
weaponry in scenes described by witnesses as "hellish."
The fighting plunged Lebanon's capital into an urban warfare battlefront
and shut down major roadways and the country's international airport in
some of the country's worst internal clashes since the its 1975-1990
civil war.
"It was a hellish night. Militants were everywhere shooting all over the
place," Rima, a west Beirut resident, told the Times of London.
Red Cross officials said at least 11 people were dead and 20 more
wounded since the street fighting erupted yesterday immediately after
Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and Syria, claimed the pro-democracy
movement of Lebanon's government declared war by targeting Hezbollah's
communications network.
Western Beirut neighborhoods, until now controlled largely by forces
opposing Hezbollah, was overrun by Hezbollah gunmen today. The gunmen,
many wearing uniforms, reportedly took up positions on the main street
of western Beirut's Muslim sector, acting as security forces by stopping
cars and searching for weapons.
Street battles saw Hezbollah-allied gunmen battle pro-democratic forces
with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.
In a major blow to the anti-Syrian Lebanese camp, the television station
run by Saad Hariri, the parliament majority leader and one of the main
pro-democratic figures, was forced off the air today after gunmen
surrounded the station and fired rocket-propelled grenades at the building.
Hariri's Al-Mustaqbal newspaper was also similarly shut down when its
offices were set on fire.
A rocket-propelled grenade reportedly slammed into the fence of Hariri's
residence today, causing some damage to the exterior. Hariri is believed
to be inside the residence.
All air traffic was paralyzed for the third consecutive day as Hezbollah
supporters laid siege to Beirut's airport by blocked main roads. The
blockage also reportedly shut down much of the city.
Most pro-democracy government officials were locked up in their strongholds.
Hariri was besieged in his compound. Prime Minister Fuad Siniora
reportedly was holed up in his office along with several ministers in
downtown Beirut, which is being heavily protected by troops and police.
Lebanon's Druze leader Walid Jumblatt was inside his western Beirut
compound also being protected by police, Jumblatt's aids told said.
Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki announced an emergency
meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo will be held this weekend to
discuss the crisis.
In Israel, developments are being watched closely for fear the chaos
could spill over into border clashes with the Jewish state. Israel
maintains a northern border with a section of Lebanon heavily controlled
by Hezbollah.
Israeli President Shimon Peres told Army Radio here Hezbollah's siege is
an attempt by Iran to take over the Middle East.
"It is a tragedy for Lebanese residents," added Peres. "It has no
connection whatsoever with Israel. It is internal conflict."
"As a human being and as an Israeli I pray that a civil war is avoided,"
he said.
Hezbollah started the violence after Lebanese government earlier this
week decided to dismantle and take legal action against Hezbollah's
communications network amid accusations the terror group set up a system
to monitor the travels of anti-Syrian Lebanese figures.
A number of anti-Syrian leaders have been killed the past three years,
since mass protests forced the Syrian government to end its nearly
30-year occupation of Lebanon.
The protests were sparked after the 2005 assassination of former
Lebanese president Rafiq Hariri, for which Syria has been widely blamed.
The Lebanese government's cabinet Wednesday had decided to remove the
security chief of Beirut airport's over his alleged ties to Hezbollah
after the country's top prosecutor began investigating allegations
Hezbollah set up a system of cameras near the airport.
Jumblatt was the first to make the claim last weekend when he told the
media Hezbollah planned to assassinate pro-democracy leaders, possibly
including himself, by bombing an aircraft.
Addressing followers yesterday, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah claimed
the Lebanese government declared war by deciding to dismantle his
group's communications infrastructure.
"This decision is first of all a declaration of war and the launching of
war by the government ... against the resistance and its weapons for the
benefit of America and Israel," said Nasrallah, speaking from an unknown
location by video link.
He called Hezbollah's communications system a "significant part of the
weapons of the resistance" and vowed to "cut off the hand" that tries to
dismantle it.
He apparently called for clashes by stating, "I had said that we will
cut the hand that targets the weapons of the resistance. ... Today is
the day to fulfill this decision."
Shortly after Nasrallah's speech, heavy clashes with assault rifles and
rocket-propelled grenades ensued between Hezbollah supporters and
pro-democracy fighters in the Mazraa and Ras el-Nabae districts of
Beirut and later spread to other areas.
Israeli security officials noted the apparently planned aspects of the
clashes in which both sides were heavily armed. They also noted what
they said was an increase in recent weeks in the street price of
rocket-propelled grenades.