2 oct 2013
Yaser Ali, director of Hamas's office for refugee affairs in Lebanon.
Yaser Ali, director of Hamas's office for refugee affairs in Lebanon, appealed to the Lebanese authorities to deal with the Palestinians fleeing from Syria to Lebanon as refugees. In a press statement to the Palestinian information center (PIC), Ali warned that the Lebanese authorities are working on reducing the number of Palestinians who fled to Lebanon from Syria.
The Hamas official affirmed that the UNRWA lately conducted a census of the Palestinian refugees who fled the Syrian war to Lebanon and found out that they number 45,000 people after they were 82,000 in the last count.
The Hamas official also said that the Lebanese authorities also decided to prevent as many Palestinians as possible from entering Lebanon.
He noted that there is also a high racist tone against the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, expressing his belief that the political alliances in Lebanon are no longer governed by the major national issues, like the Palestinian cause.
He affirmed that the Lebanese parties who advocate the Palestinian cause have become allies of those who antagonize the Palestinians and state racist positions against them.
Yaser Ali, director of Hamas's office for refugee affairs in Lebanon, appealed to the Lebanese authorities to deal with the Palestinians fleeing from Syria to Lebanon as refugees. In a press statement to the Palestinian information center (PIC), Ali warned that the Lebanese authorities are working on reducing the number of Palestinians who fled to Lebanon from Syria.
The Hamas official affirmed that the UNRWA lately conducted a census of the Palestinian refugees who fled the Syrian war to Lebanon and found out that they number 45,000 people after they were 82,000 in the last count.
The Hamas official also said that the Lebanese authorities also decided to prevent as many Palestinians as possible from entering Lebanon.
He noted that there is also a high racist tone against the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, expressing his belief that the political alliances in Lebanon are no longer governed by the major national issues, like the Palestinian cause.
He affirmed that the Lebanese parties who advocate the Palestinian cause have become allies of those who antagonize the Palestinians and state racist positions against them.
26 sept 2013
Two Israeli warplanes and a reconnaissance aircraft violated the Lebanese airspace, the Lebanese army said on Thursday.
The statement said that two Israeli warplanes flew over Lebanon's southern territories.
This is considered as a flagrant violation to the Lebanese sovereignty and to the international law number 1701, the statement added
The statement said that two Israeli warplanes flew over Lebanon's southern territories.
This is considered as a flagrant violation to the Lebanese sovereignty and to the international law number 1701, the statement added
25 sept 2013
A law preventing Palestinians from owning property in Lebanon was passed in March 2001, and stated that "It is not allowed to own a property of any kind for any person who does not carry a citizenship issued by a recognized state or for any person if the property was incompatible with constitutional provisions pertaining to refusal of settlement [of Palestinian refugees]." Some MPs supported the law, while some others abstained; only MP Mohammad Qabbani opposed the law during the session.
Thousands of Palestinians have tried to circumvent the law by registering their deeds in the name of a Lebanese friend or a Palestinian relative who holds a foreign citizenship, however a law was issued punishing with imprisonment for six months, and fining ten times the price of the property for the notary who registers properties for Palestinians, whatever the situation.
Concerning the Palestinian who dies, his Palestinian heirs have no right to register the real estate in their names; they have only the right to sell the properties. Then, the Real estate registry offices started to prevent all Palestinians from owning properties.
Director of Thabet institution for the right of return, activist Ali Huwaidi told PIC that the Lebanese officials have never agreed concerning the civil and social rights of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
He said: "Unfortunately at the political level there is a team that still considers the Palestinian as an enemy and insists on dealing with us as refugees, and sometimes even calls for killing us as the statement which was issued by the Guardians of the Cedars Party on 13 September 2005."
He also pointed out that the Palestinian refugee is prevented from bringing construction materials to the camps unless after obtaining a permit from the Lebanese army, and is now prevented from owning an apartment outside the boundaries of the camp.
Palestinians in Lebanon seek to drop the Law on the Prevention to own property. There are proposals to file international lawsuits against Lebanon given that this law is contrary to the international conventions signed by Lebanon.
Thousands of Palestinians have tried to circumvent the law by registering their deeds in the name of a Lebanese friend or a Palestinian relative who holds a foreign citizenship, however a law was issued punishing with imprisonment for six months, and fining ten times the price of the property for the notary who registers properties for Palestinians, whatever the situation.
Concerning the Palestinian who dies, his Palestinian heirs have no right to register the real estate in their names; they have only the right to sell the properties. Then, the Real estate registry offices started to prevent all Palestinians from owning properties.
Director of Thabet institution for the right of return, activist Ali Huwaidi told PIC that the Lebanese officials have never agreed concerning the civil and social rights of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
He said: "Unfortunately at the political level there is a team that still considers the Palestinian as an enemy and insists on dealing with us as refugees, and sometimes even calls for killing us as the statement which was issued by the Guardians of the Cedars Party on 13 September 2005."
He also pointed out that the Palestinian refugee is prevented from bringing construction materials to the camps unless after obtaining a permit from the Lebanese army, and is now prevented from owning an apartment outside the boundaries of the camp.
Palestinians in Lebanon seek to drop the Law on the Prevention to own property. There are proposals to file international lawsuits against Lebanon given that this law is contrary to the international conventions signed by Lebanon.
21 sept 2013
Ra'fat Murra, in-charge of political affairs in Hamas office in Lebanon, said that his Movement is seeking to neutralize the Palestinian presence in Lebanon and spare it any inter-Lebanese political conflict. In a press statement to the Palestinian information center (PIC), Murra said that his Movement rejects any attempt to implicate the Palestinian refugees in the internal problems happening in Lebanon.
The Hamas official also criticized the UNRWA attitude towards the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, saying that the Palestinian refugee lives between life and death after the UNRWA took drastic measures to shrink its services.
As for a possible Israeli escalation against Gaza under the current regional circumstances, Murra affirmed that as long as there is a "terrorist and criminal entity represented by Israel", the Palestinian resistance is always on the alert to confront any possible military action.
The Hamas official also criticized the UNRWA attitude towards the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, saying that the Palestinian refugee lives between life and death after the UNRWA took drastic measures to shrink its services.
As for a possible Israeli escalation against Gaza under the current regional circumstances, Murra affirmed that as long as there is a "terrorist and criminal entity represented by Israel", the Palestinian resistance is always on the alert to confront any possible military action.
4 sept 2013
The Hamas Movement renewed its call on the Lebanese government to stop dealing with the Palestinian refugee camps as a security issue, reiterating the Palestinian refugees' keenness on Lebanon's stability. In an annual report released by its refugee affairs office on Tuesday, Hamas underlined that the humanitarian and social rights and needs of the Palestinian refugees would never affect Lebanon's security and stability.
"We emphasize that these demands do not mean an end to the right of return, and we reject any attempt to make connection between these rights and the alleged resettlement idea, especially since this phobia has been accompanied by bad racist speech," Hamas said.
It also warned in its reports of the growing racist positions that are voiced by some Lebanese figures against the Palestinians as a result of the large influx of Palestinian refugees from Syria to Lebanon.
"We emphasize that these demands do not mean an end to the right of return, and we reject any attempt to make connection between these rights and the alleged resettlement idea, especially since this phobia has been accompanied by bad racist speech," Hamas said.
It also warned in its reports of the growing racist positions that are voiced by some Lebanese figures against the Palestinians as a result of the large influx of Palestinian refugees from Syria to Lebanon.
31 aug 2013
Palestinian refugees fleeing the violence in Syria have been refused entry into Lebanon for three weeks now.
Since August 6, according to Human Rights Watch, the Lebanese government has turned back Palestinians who had originally sought refuge in Syria when they were forced from their homes in 1948 and 1967, and are now fleeing once more with their descendants, this time from the conflict in Syria.
A source at the Lebanese General Security confirmed to IRIN the government is no longer letting Palestinians from Syria into Lebanon.
Makram Malaeb, program manager for the Syrian response at the Ministry of Social Affairs, said exceptions would be made for "humanitarian cases".
According to the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, more than 92,000 Palestinians from Syria have already sought refuge in Lebanon, joining the 455,000 Palestinian refugees hosted in Lebanon before the Syrian crisis, largely in overcrowded slums that have often been hotbeds of unrest.
Ahmed, 28, was living in Syria's Yarmouk camp for Palestinian refugees with his wife and three children when the conflict in Syria broke out. He told IRIN his story.
"I was displaced from my house six months ago after the shelling of Yarmouk. I had to move to several areas due to the fighting. One month ago, I checked on my house, and discovered I had lost my shop and house because of the shelling.
"On 3 August, I decided to send my family [to Lebanon] after my children started to suffer from war trauma. They had nightmares all the time and cried every time they heard an explosion. I sent them to join their cousins in Baalbek camp, while I waited for my travel documents to be renewed.
"I looked for a job, but couldn't find one. On 13 August, I decided to join my family after I lost everything in Syria. I went to the border.
"The journey between Lebanon and Syria is risky, not because there is shelling but because we have to bribe and face the Shabiha [pro-Assad Shia militia] all the time. I was traveling on a minibus with 16 other people. They could have arrested us at any moment if we didn't bribe them.
"We had to cross several checkpoints, and when we reached Syrian customs, I waited long hours and paid a bribe. Eventually, they allowed me to pass after interrogations on who I know and the purpose of my visit to Lebanon.
"When I crossed over to the Lebanese customs, I was surprised by the lines of Palestinians waiting to cross. We were pushed and beaten by customs officers. We were treated like animals by the General Security.
"The first day of my arrival [at the Lebanese border post], I had to wait in line to take my turn for more than 11 hours, and then I was sent back [to the Syrian border post]. We were told to stay [in no man's land] until they allowed us in, but nothing happened.
"During my two days at the border, I tried to bribe Lebanese security to enter. They were about to arrest me for offering a bribe, but I did it because I wanted to find a solution for my family, scattered between Lebanon and Syrian.
"After waiting for two days, I lost hope of entering Lebanon and decided to return to Syria. I went back to Damascus, where I'm now living in the entrance of a school in a small kiosk at the main gate. I'm waiting for my family to return - to live and die in dignity rather than being humiliated by Lebanese customs. I call them every day asking them to return, but they refuse. If just to enter Lebanon, all this happened to me, how I can live and raise my children in such a country?
"First we were refugees in Syria, and now we are seeking refuge in Lebanon. Like many other Palestinians, I feel we are double refugees."
Since August 6, according to Human Rights Watch, the Lebanese government has turned back Palestinians who had originally sought refuge in Syria when they were forced from their homes in 1948 and 1967, and are now fleeing once more with their descendants, this time from the conflict in Syria.
A source at the Lebanese General Security confirmed to IRIN the government is no longer letting Palestinians from Syria into Lebanon.
Makram Malaeb, program manager for the Syrian response at the Ministry of Social Affairs, said exceptions would be made for "humanitarian cases".
According to the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, more than 92,000 Palestinians from Syria have already sought refuge in Lebanon, joining the 455,000 Palestinian refugees hosted in Lebanon before the Syrian crisis, largely in overcrowded slums that have often been hotbeds of unrest.
Ahmed, 28, was living in Syria's Yarmouk camp for Palestinian refugees with his wife and three children when the conflict in Syria broke out. He told IRIN his story.
"I was displaced from my house six months ago after the shelling of Yarmouk. I had to move to several areas due to the fighting. One month ago, I checked on my house, and discovered I had lost my shop and house because of the shelling.
"On 3 August, I decided to send my family [to Lebanon] after my children started to suffer from war trauma. They had nightmares all the time and cried every time they heard an explosion. I sent them to join their cousins in Baalbek camp, while I waited for my travel documents to be renewed.
"I looked for a job, but couldn't find one. On 13 August, I decided to join my family after I lost everything in Syria. I went to the border.
"The journey between Lebanon and Syria is risky, not because there is shelling but because we have to bribe and face the Shabiha [pro-Assad Shia militia] all the time. I was traveling on a minibus with 16 other people. They could have arrested us at any moment if we didn't bribe them.
"We had to cross several checkpoints, and when we reached Syrian customs, I waited long hours and paid a bribe. Eventually, they allowed me to pass after interrogations on who I know and the purpose of my visit to Lebanon.
"When I crossed over to the Lebanese customs, I was surprised by the lines of Palestinians waiting to cross. We were pushed and beaten by customs officers. We were treated like animals by the General Security.
"The first day of my arrival [at the Lebanese border post], I had to wait in line to take my turn for more than 11 hours, and then I was sent back [to the Syrian border post]. We were told to stay [in no man's land] until they allowed us in, but nothing happened.
"During my two days at the border, I tried to bribe Lebanese security to enter. They were about to arrest me for offering a bribe, but I did it because I wanted to find a solution for my family, scattered between Lebanon and Syrian.
"After waiting for two days, I lost hope of entering Lebanon and decided to return to Syria. I went back to Damascus, where I'm now living in the entrance of a school in a small kiosk at the main gate. I'm waiting for my family to return - to live and die in dignity rather than being humiliated by Lebanese customs. I call them every day asking them to return, but they refuse. If just to enter Lebanon, all this happened to me, how I can live and raise my children in such a country?
"First we were refugees in Syria, and now we are seeking refuge in Lebanon. Like many other Palestinians, I feel we are double refugees."
The Lebanese army says Israeli military aircraft have once again violated the airspace of the country.
“Six Israeli warplanes and three reconnaissance planes violated Lebanon's airspace in the past two days,” Lebanese newspaper Daily Star quoted the military as saying in a Friday statement.
It said that an Israeli reconnaissance plane entered the country's airspace above the village of al-Naqoura at 11 a.m. Friday and left at 1:10 p.m. above the southern village of Alma Al-Shaab after conducting “aerial maneuvers over the Chouf and the southern region.”
“At 10:50 a.m. two Israeli warplanes entered Lebanon above Aytaroun (village) and left at 1:30 p.m. after conducting similar maneuvers over all Lebanese areas,” the statement added.
The army said that three reconnaissance planes infiltrated the airspace of the country from Naqoura around 6:30 a.m. Thursday and “conducted aerial maneuvers above various Lebanese regions before returning to Israel at 1:15 a.m. Friday.”
The statement added that six Israeli warplanes entered Lebanese airspace above Shebaa Farms and the border village of Aytaroun at 9 p.m. Thursday and left the airspace nine hours later at 6 a.m. Friday.
Israel violates Lebanon's airspace on an almost daily basis, claiming the flights serve surveillance purposes.
The Lebanese government has filed several complaints to the United Nations over the violation of the country’s airspace by the Israeli military aircraft.
Lebanon's government, the Hezbollah resistance movement, and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, have repeatedly condemned the overflights, saying they are in clear violation of UN Resolution 1701 and the country's sovereignty.
UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which brokered a ceasefire in the war of aggression Israel launched against Lebanon in 2006, calls on Israel to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In 2009, Lebanon filed a complaint with the United Nations, presenting over 7,000 documents pertaining to Israeli violations of Lebanese territory.
IDF bolsters troops; IAF circles Lebanon sky
“Six Israeli warplanes and three reconnaissance planes violated Lebanon's airspace in the past two days,” Lebanese newspaper Daily Star quoted the military as saying in a Friday statement.
It said that an Israeli reconnaissance plane entered the country's airspace above the village of al-Naqoura at 11 a.m. Friday and left at 1:10 p.m. above the southern village of Alma Al-Shaab after conducting “aerial maneuvers over the Chouf and the southern region.”
“At 10:50 a.m. two Israeli warplanes entered Lebanon above Aytaroun (village) and left at 1:30 p.m. after conducting similar maneuvers over all Lebanese areas,” the statement added.
The army said that three reconnaissance planes infiltrated the airspace of the country from Naqoura around 6:30 a.m. Thursday and “conducted aerial maneuvers above various Lebanese regions before returning to Israel at 1:15 a.m. Friday.”
The statement added that six Israeli warplanes entered Lebanese airspace above Shebaa Farms and the border village of Aytaroun at 9 p.m. Thursday and left the airspace nine hours later at 6 a.m. Friday.
Israel violates Lebanon's airspace on an almost daily basis, claiming the flights serve surveillance purposes.
The Lebanese government has filed several complaints to the United Nations over the violation of the country’s airspace by the Israeli military aircraft.
Lebanon's government, the Hezbollah resistance movement, and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, have repeatedly condemned the overflights, saying they are in clear violation of UN Resolution 1701 and the country's sovereignty.
UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which brokered a ceasefire in the war of aggression Israel launched against Lebanon in 2006, calls on Israel to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In 2009, Lebanon filed a complaint with the United Nations, presenting over 7,000 documents pertaining to Israeli violations of Lebanese territory.
IDF bolsters troops; IAF circles Lebanon sky
27 aug 2013
People gather at the site of a bomb blast outside a mosque in Tripoli, northern Lebanon, August 23, 2013
The Iranian ambassador to Beirut has censured the recent wave of deadly bombings in Lebanon, saying the Israeli regime is the main beneficiary of such acts of violence.
Ghazanfar Roknabadi said on Tuesday, “The Zionist regime [of Israel] and regional and transregional agents, who are involved in committing these dangerous acts, take the most advantage [of these incidents].”
The conspirators seek to entangle the Lebanese parties with political conflicts and incite sectarian strife in the country, but they have failed to achieve their goals, the Iranian envoy stated.
Roknabadi went on to say, “In the past, we have witnessed [similar] actions perpetrated by Israel and its agents in Iraq and Syria, and today we see that they struggle to turn Lebanon’s scene into that of Iraq and Syria.”
On August 23, over 40 people were killed and over 500 others injured in explosions outside two Sunni mosques in Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli. The blasts were the deadliest in Lebanon since the end of the civil war in 1990.
Lebanese Grand Mufti Mohammed Rashid Qabbani slammed the bombings, describing them as a “conspiracy that is targeting all the Lebanese, and instigating Sunnis to attack Shias and Shias to attack Sunnis, and igniting the fire of strife between them.”
A week earlier, nearly 30 people were also killed and many others injured in a car bomb attack in a Shia district of the capital, Beirut.
The Iranian ambassador to Beirut has censured the recent wave of deadly bombings in Lebanon, saying the Israeli regime is the main beneficiary of such acts of violence.
Ghazanfar Roknabadi said on Tuesday, “The Zionist regime [of Israel] and regional and transregional agents, who are involved in committing these dangerous acts, take the most advantage [of these incidents].”
The conspirators seek to entangle the Lebanese parties with political conflicts and incite sectarian strife in the country, but they have failed to achieve their goals, the Iranian envoy stated.
Roknabadi went on to say, “In the past, we have witnessed [similar] actions perpetrated by Israel and its agents in Iraq and Syria, and today we see that they struggle to turn Lebanon’s scene into that of Iraq and Syria.”
On August 23, over 40 people were killed and over 500 others injured in explosions outside two Sunni mosques in Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli. The blasts were the deadliest in Lebanon since the end of the civil war in 1990.
Lebanese Grand Mufti Mohammed Rashid Qabbani slammed the bombings, describing them as a “conspiracy that is targeting all the Lebanese, and instigating Sunnis to attack Shias and Shias to attack Sunnis, and igniting the fire of strife between them.”
A week earlier, nearly 30 people were also killed and many others injured in a car bomb attack in a Shia district of the capital, Beirut.
26 aug 2013
A national campaign launched by Hamas to defend the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon appealed to all Lebanese parties involved in inciting hatred against the Palestinians to stop their smear campaign and accusing others without evidence. The campaign, which was launched by Hamas a few weeks ago, stated on Monday that any accusation against others must be based on clear evidence and reliable official statements.
The campaign warned that the persistence of some Lebanese political, security and media figures in their blind incitement against the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon would adversely affect the relationship between the two countries.
It stressed that such irresponsible attitude by some individuals would lead to igniting tension between the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples and fuel sectarian conflicts in the Lebanese arena.
It also called on the Lebanese leadership and all influential groups in the country to intervene to end the incitement campaign against the Palestinians in Lebanon and oblige all instigators to respect the human rights of others and abide by the law.
The campaign warned that the persistence of some Lebanese political, security and media figures in their blind incitement against the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon would adversely affect the relationship between the two countries.
It stressed that such irresponsible attitude by some individuals would lead to igniting tension between the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples and fuel sectarian conflicts in the Lebanese arena.
It also called on the Lebanese leadership and all influential groups in the country to intervene to end the incitement campaign against the Palestinians in Lebanon and oblige all instigators to respect the human rights of others and abide by the law.
23 aug 2013
Israeli warplanes Thursday night bombed a position belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Command (PFLP-GC) in Na’ama neighborhood in southern Beirut. Media reports said that the airstrike did not result in any human casualties.
The Israeli military claimed that the airstrike was in response to the firing of four rockets from Lebanon at the northern 1948-occupied Palestinian territories, adding that the position that was targeted in southern Beirut sustained a direct hit.
The airstrike took place after a security meeting headed by General Benny Gantz, the Israeli chief of staff, that was held to assess the security situation after 4 rockets fell on Western Galilee with Israeli defenses intercepting one of the rockets.
The Israeli military claimed that the airstrike was in response to the firing of four rockets from Lebanon at the northern 1948-occupied Palestinian territories, adding that the position that was targeted in southern Beirut sustained a direct hit.
The airstrike took place after a security meeting headed by General Benny Gantz, the Israeli chief of staff, that was held to assess the security situation after 4 rockets fell on Western Galilee with Israeli defenses intercepting one of the rockets.
Lebanese president condemns IDF strikes
Lebanese President Michel Suleiman condemned the IDF strike in the Naameh area. "UNIFIL must handle breaches in the border area. We oppose Israel's aggression and violation of Lebanese sovereignty," he said. Suleiman asked Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour to submit an urgent complaint to the UN's Security Council against Israel. On Thursday, the president condemned the firing of rockets at Israel and said the firing undermines Lebanon sovereignty.
Lebanese President Michel Suleiman condemned the IDF strike in the Naameh area. "UNIFIL must handle breaches in the border area. We oppose Israel's aggression and violation of Lebanese sovereignty," he said. Suleiman asked Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour to submit an urgent complaint to the UN's Security Council against Israel. On Thursday, the president condemned the firing of rockets at Israel and said the firing undermines Lebanon sovereignty.
Aharonovitz in north: If rockets continue, hard blow back
Internal Security Minister Yizhak Aharonovich visited the scene of the rocket fall in Kibbutz Gesher HaZiv, and met with residents whose homes were damaged by shrapnel from a rocket fired from Lebanon. "The Israeli government will not allow shooting and harming of innocent people. This time it was lucky no one was hurt. The message is that whoever tries to harm civilians will be harmed, thus we responded. If they continue, there will be a much more severe reaction," said Aharonvich.
Internal Security Minister Yizhak Aharonovich visited the scene of the rocket fall in Kibbutz Gesher HaZiv, and met with residents whose homes were damaged by shrapnel from a rocket fired from Lebanon. "The Israeli government will not allow shooting and harming of innocent people. This time it was lucky no one was hurt. The message is that whoever tries to harm civilians will be harmed, thus we responded. If they continue, there will be a much more severe reaction," said Aharonvich.
Lebanese Army: IDF strike left 5 meter crater
A Lebanese army spokesman said that the IDF attack in Na'ameh in the south of the country left a crater of five meters deep. According to the Lebanese army, the attack was intended to damage the tunnels of a Palestinian organization. The army announced it would increase forces in the area.
A Lebanese army spokesman said that the IDF attack in Na'ameh in the south of the country left a crater of five meters deep. According to the Lebanese army, the attack was intended to damage the tunnels of a Palestinian organization. The army announced it would increase forces in the area.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNFIL) issued a statement strongly denouncing a missile attack carried out from Lebanese territory into Israel.
The UNIFIL said that on Thursday approximately at 4 P.M, a number of missiles were fired into Israel, and that its forces initiated an investigation into the issue in direct and close communication with the Lebanese army.
It said that the investigation is meant to uncover the source of fire, and all of its circumstances, and added that it is also in direct communication with senior military leaders of the Israeli army and the Lebanese army, and urged highest levels of restraint in order to avoid a military escalation.
UNIFIL further stated that the both Lebanon and Israel said that they want the situation to remain under control, and to ensure that the latest attack is an isolated incident. Both armies agreed to remain in close contact with the UNFIL to ensure calm.
The UNFIL said that the firing of the Katyushas into Israel violates Security Council resolution #1701, and that the attack endangers the lives of civilians, and was likely carried out “by groups that are interested in tension”.
“What happened endangers the lives of civilians in the area, it places the entire region under the threat of escalation”, the UNFIL said, “We will continue our work, we are determined to make every possible effort to ensure calm, this violation endangers the achievements made by the UNIFIL and the Lebanese army.
It is worth mentioning that the Israeli Air Force bombarded on Friday a target in Lebanon “in retaliation to a missile attack close to the border on Thursday”.
The targeted area, believed to be a center run by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command, is located between Beirut and Saida (Sindon).
The UNIFIL said that on Thursday approximately at 4 P.M, a number of missiles were fired into Israel, and that its forces initiated an investigation into the issue in direct and close communication with the Lebanese army.
It said that the investigation is meant to uncover the source of fire, and all of its circumstances, and added that it is also in direct communication with senior military leaders of the Israeli army and the Lebanese army, and urged highest levels of restraint in order to avoid a military escalation.
UNIFIL further stated that the both Lebanon and Israel said that they want the situation to remain under control, and to ensure that the latest attack is an isolated incident. Both armies agreed to remain in close contact with the UNFIL to ensure calm.
The UNFIL said that the firing of the Katyushas into Israel violates Security Council resolution #1701, and that the attack endangers the lives of civilians, and was likely carried out “by groups that are interested in tension”.
“What happened endangers the lives of civilians in the area, it places the entire region under the threat of escalation”, the UNFIL said, “We will continue our work, we are determined to make every possible effort to ensure calm, this violation endangers the achievements made by the UNIFIL and the Lebanese army.
It is worth mentioning that the Israeli Air Force bombarded on Friday a target in Lebanon “in retaliation to a missile attack close to the border on Thursday”.
The targeted area, believed to be a center run by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command, is located between Beirut and Saida (Sindon).
Palestinian group: Will respond to IDF attack when time right
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command of Ahmed Jibril issued a statement following the IDF attack on the organization's south Lebanon base, "The response will not be in the way that the Zionist enemy wants to drag us into, but in the right place and at the right time."
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command of Ahmed Jibril issued a statement following the IDF attack on the organization's south Lebanon base, "The response will not be in the way that the Zionist enemy wants to drag us into, but in the right place and at the right time."
Al-Manar: Palestinian group says no casualties in Israeli strike
A Palestinian militant group in Lebanon said one of its bases south of Beirut was hit by an Israeli rocket on Friday, but said it caused no injuries or significant damage, Lebanon's Al-Manar Television reported. The station quoted a spokesman for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command as saying the group's base in Na'ameh was attacked. The spokesman said the PFLP-GC was surprised it was targeted because the earlier rocket fire was claimed by a separate al Qaeda-linked Sunni Muslim group.
A Palestinian militant group in Lebanon said one of its bases south of Beirut was hit by an Israeli rocket on Friday, but said it caused no injuries or significant damage, Lebanon's Al-Manar Television reported. The station quoted a spokesman for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command as saying the group's base in Na'ameh was attacked. The spokesman said the PFLP-GC was surprised it was targeted because the earlier rocket fire was claimed by a separate al Qaeda-linked Sunni Muslim group.
An Israeli woman holds her child outside her home damaged by a rocket fired from Lebanon in Shavei Tzion outside Nahariya in northern Israel
Israeli warplanes have struck a target south of the Lebanese capital Beirut.
The attack came a day after militants fired four rockets into northern Israel, the Israeli military and a Palestinian official said.
The Israeli military said that Israeli warplanes targeted "a terror site located between Beirut and Sidon in response" to the rocket attack. It was the first air raid on the area since the 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group.
Ramez Mustafa, a Lebanon-based official with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), said the raid occurred at 4am local time, and caused no casualties or material damage. He said the warplanes struck the coastal town of Naameh, 10 miles south of Beirut. The Palestinian group is active in the area and has a base there.
An Associated Press photographer in Naameh said the raid targeted a PFLP-GC base in a valley in the town. Lebanese troops in the area prevented journalists from reaching the base.
An Israeli army statement issued after the air raid said: "Yesterday's attack is a blatant breach of Israeli sovereignty that jeopardised Israeli civilian life. Israel will not tolerate terrorist aggression originating from Lebanese territory."
O Thursday, militants in Lebanon fired four rockets into Israel, setting off air raid sirens and startling a nation already on edge over turmoil along its northern and southern borders.
Lt Col Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, said three rockets landed in northern Israel, while a fourth was intercepted by Israel's "Iron Dome" rocket defence system. No one was injured, and the military dismissed the attack as an "isolated incident".
But the rockets added to the nation's fears at a time it is nervously watching unrest in neighbouring Syria, where the government has been accused of using chemical weapons against rebels and civilians this week. It is also worried about Egypt to the south, where Islamic militants have stepped up their activities near the Israeli border in the wake of a military coup.
The Abdullah Azzam Brigades, an al Qaida-inspired group based in Lebanon, claimed responsibility for the attack in a post on the Twitter account of Sirajuddin Zurayqat, a prominent Islamic militant leader. It said the rockets were capable of flying 25 miles, putting the Israeli city of Haifa in its range. The group, designated a terrorist organisation by the US, has claimed responsibility for past rocket attacks on Israel.
Israeli warplanes have struck a target south of the Lebanese capital Beirut.
The attack came a day after militants fired four rockets into northern Israel, the Israeli military and a Palestinian official said.
The Israeli military said that Israeli warplanes targeted "a terror site located between Beirut and Sidon in response" to the rocket attack. It was the first air raid on the area since the 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group.
Ramez Mustafa, a Lebanon-based official with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), said the raid occurred at 4am local time, and caused no casualties or material damage. He said the warplanes struck the coastal town of Naameh, 10 miles south of Beirut. The Palestinian group is active in the area and has a base there.
An Associated Press photographer in Naameh said the raid targeted a PFLP-GC base in a valley in the town. Lebanese troops in the area prevented journalists from reaching the base.
An Israeli army statement issued after the air raid said: "Yesterday's attack is a blatant breach of Israeli sovereignty that jeopardised Israeli civilian life. Israel will not tolerate terrorist aggression originating from Lebanese territory."
O Thursday, militants in Lebanon fired four rockets into Israel, setting off air raid sirens and startling a nation already on edge over turmoil along its northern and southern borders.
Lt Col Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, said three rockets landed in northern Israel, while a fourth was intercepted by Israel's "Iron Dome" rocket defence system. No one was injured, and the military dismissed the attack as an "isolated incident".
But the rockets added to the nation's fears at a time it is nervously watching unrest in neighbouring Syria, where the government has been accused of using chemical weapons against rebels and civilians this week. It is also worried about Egypt to the south, where Islamic militants have stepped up their activities near the Israeli border in the wake of a military coup.
The Abdullah Azzam Brigades, an al Qaida-inspired group based in Lebanon, claimed responsibility for the attack in a post on the Twitter account of Sirajuddin Zurayqat, a prominent Islamic militant leader. It said the rockets were capable of flying 25 miles, putting the Israeli city of Haifa in its range. The group, designated a terrorist organisation by the US, has claimed responsibility for past rocket attacks on Israel.
22 aug 2013
UNIFIL: Rocket launch critical violation of 1701 resolution
The UNIFIL peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon said on Thursday that the launch of rockets from the Tyre region at Israel is a serious violation of 1701 resolution, Lebanon's official NNA news agency reported.
The UN force called on Israel and Lebanon to make an efforts to practice self-control and prevent any future escalation of the situation.
The UNIFIL peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon said on Thursday that the launch of rockets from the Tyre region at Israel is a serious violation of 1701 resolution, Lebanon's official NNA news agency reported.
The UN force called on Israel and Lebanon to make an efforts to practice self-control and prevent any future escalation of the situation.
Hezbollah MK: We neither condemn nor support rocket on Israel
Hassan Fadlallah, a Lebanese MK from Hezbollah's Loyalty to the Resistance party said that the terror organization has no information regarding the rocket attack on Israel Thursday.
"Our position in regards to these type of (rocket) launches is that we do not express support, but we also do not condemn any action taken against Israel," Fadlallah said in a television interview.
Hassan Fadlallah, a Lebanese MK from Hezbollah's Loyalty to the Resistance party said that the terror organization has no information regarding the rocket attack on Israel Thursday.
"Our position in regards to these type of (rocket) launches is that we do not express support, but we also do not condemn any action taken against Israel," Fadlallah said in a television interview.
NNA, Lebanon's official news agency, has reported that IAF drones are circling above the areas in southern Lebanon from which the rockets were allegedly launched.
In the meantime, Al Maydan, a Hezbollah affiliated network, has reported IAF fighter jets are flying above the skies of southern Lebanon.
In the meantime, Al Maydan, a Hezbollah affiliated network, has reported IAF fighter jets are flying above the skies of southern Lebanon.
Three Katyusha rockets fired from southern Lebanon have landed near the northern Israeli city of Nahariya, reports say.
Witnesses reported the sound of explosions and sirens wailing on Thursday near the coastal city.
According to Israeli police, the rockets landed in an open area and caused no damage or casualties.
Israeli media reports said one of the rockets was intercepted by the "Iron Dome" missile system.
Meanwhile, Lebanese media say the rockets were fired from the village of Housh in the city of Tyre.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the rocket attack that reportedly drove Tel Aviv into a state of confusion with maximum alert.
3 people suffer anxiety in Naharyia, car damaged by Iron Dome shell
Witnesses reported the sound of explosions and sirens wailing on Thursday near the coastal city.
According to Israeli police, the rockets landed in an open area and caused no damage or casualties.
Israeli media reports said one of the rockets was intercepted by the "Iron Dome" missile system.
Meanwhile, Lebanese media say the rockets were fired from the village of Housh in the city of Tyre.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the rocket attack that reportedly drove Tel Aviv into a state of confusion with maximum alert.
3 people suffer anxiety in Naharyia, car damaged by Iron Dome shell
18 aug 2013
Report: Top Hezbollah commander killed near Damascus
Arab media reported that a top Hezbollah commander, Ali Hosam Naser, was killed last week in battles against the Syrian rebels in the vicinity of Damascus.
Hezbollah-affiliated media outlets released photographs from his funeral in the Kafr Syr village in southern Lebanon.
Arab media reported that a top Hezbollah commander, Ali Hosam Naser, was killed last week in battles against the Syrian rebels in the vicinity of Damascus.
Hezbollah-affiliated media outlets released photographs from his funeral in the Kafr Syr village in southern Lebanon.
17 aug 2013
A general view shows destruction following a car bomb attack the previous day that killed at least 24 people in a Beirut Shia neighborhood on August 16, 2013
The [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council ([P]GCC) has condemned the recent deadly car bombing in the Lebanese capital Beirut.
"This criminal and disgraceful act is an attack on Lebanon's security and stability," the council's Secretary General Abdullatif al-Zayani said in a statement released late on Friday.
Zayani offered condolences to the families of the dead, urging Lebanese factions "not to give room to vandals, advocates of sedition and terrorists."
The bombing in Beirut's southern Shia neighborhood of Zahiya killed 24 civilians and injured scores of others. Many countries and international organizations have condemned the bombing.
Hezbollah's Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has blamed Israeli-backed Takfiri militant groups for the blast.
Addressing thousands of Hezbollah supporters on the occasion of the end of the group's 33-day 2006 war with Israel in the southern village of Aita al-Shaab, Nasrallah said on Friday that according to investigations carried out by the resistance movement, Takfiri groups are behind the recent deadly attacks in Lebanon.
He added that those carrying out the attacks were not Israeli spies, but stressed that it is clear that US and Israeli intelligence agencies have infiltrated into these Takfiri groups and are using them to achieve their own goals.
The [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council ([P]GCC) has condemned the recent deadly car bombing in the Lebanese capital Beirut.
"This criminal and disgraceful act is an attack on Lebanon's security and stability," the council's Secretary General Abdullatif al-Zayani said in a statement released late on Friday.
Zayani offered condolences to the families of the dead, urging Lebanese factions "not to give room to vandals, advocates of sedition and terrorists."
The bombing in Beirut's southern Shia neighborhood of Zahiya killed 24 civilians and injured scores of others. Many countries and international organizations have condemned the bombing.
Hezbollah's Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has blamed Israeli-backed Takfiri militant groups for the blast.
Addressing thousands of Hezbollah supporters on the occasion of the end of the group's 33-day 2006 war with Israel in the southern village of Aita al-Shaab, Nasrallah said on Friday that according to investigations carried out by the resistance movement, Takfiri groups are behind the recent deadly attacks in Lebanon.
He added that those carrying out the attacks were not Israeli spies, but stressed that it is clear that US and Israeli intelligence agencies have infiltrated into these Takfiri groups and are using them to achieve their own goals.
The Al-Hayat London based newspaper reported that according to Lebanese sources several arrests have been made in relation to Thursday's car bomb in Beirut's Hezbollah stronghold.
According to the report, one of the arrested men is suspected of having previously driven in the same car which exploded this week, killing 25 people.
According to the report, one of the arrested men is suspected of having previously driven in the same car which exploded this week, killing 25 people.
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"Hezbollah will triumph over Takfiri terrorist groups", This is the message given by Nasrallah.
He also accused Takfiris of being behind the deadly bombing in Beirut on Thursday that killed 27 people. He says the groups are supported by Israel, subjecting the whole region to terrorism. Nasrallah also said that Hezbollah and its supporters are firmer than ever in their commitment to stop the terrorists. In this debate, we will discuss Nasrallah's comments on Israel and Takfiris. |
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Hezbollah Secretary-General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah has blamed Takfiri groups for a car bomb attack which left 24 people dead in southern Beirut. Nasrallah added that if necessary he and all the group's members are ready to go to Syria to fight against Takfiri groups. |
16 aug 2013
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Lebanese fire fighters extinguish fire at the site of a car bomb in the southern suburb of Beirut on August 15, 2013
Lebanese President Michel Sleiman says Thursday’s deadly bombing in the southern suburb of Beirut bears the fingerprints of the Israeli regime. The car bomb attack killed at least 21 people and injured more than 250 in the Shia neighborhood of Ruwaiss in Beirut. The area is a stronghold of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah. “This is a criminal act that bears the fingerprints of terrorism and Israel, and is aimed to |
destabilize Lebanon and deal a blow to the resilience of the Lebanese,” Sleiman said on Thursday night.
Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced that Friday would be a national day of mourning.
Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam also censured the attack and called for support for the security forces.
In addition, former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri condemned the attack, describing it a “horrific crime”.
“The blast is part of a terrorist scheme that aims to sow strife and evil across Lebanon,” Hariri said in a statement released by his media office.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Turkey, and Iran also condemned the attack. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Araghchi said the Zionists and their allies are plotting to destabilize Lebanon but the Lebanese people and the Islamic resistance will neutralize the plots.
In an interview with Press TV on July 24, an international human rights lawyer said that foreign powers are attempting to fabricate and benefit from Shia-Sunni discord in the Middle East, seeking to see the Muslim world weakened in the wake of such rifts.
“Who benefits is of course the key issue. It’s really not the people of Iraq, it’s not the Sunnis, it’s not the Shias. It is external powers that want to exploit and create division. Those are the parties that benefit,” said Canada-based attorney Edward Corrigan.
“It’s certainly not the people in the region [that benefit from sectarian conflicts]; it’s not Iran; it’s not Iraq; it’s not the people of Syria, which are now witnessing the destruction of their state and where there has been attempts to provoke similar sectarian conflict in Lebanon,” he added.
Hamas condemns the explosion in Beirut
Hamas Movement strongly condemned the explosion which targeted southern Beirut neighborhood on Thursday. “We condemn this criminal attack against our brothers in Beirut,” Hamas's statement said, expressing its solidarity with all the Lebanese people. Hamas expressed its rejection of any crime that targets the Lebanese society in favor of the enemies.
The movement expressed its condolences to the victims' families and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. It called to foil the enemy's conspiratorial schemes that target the Lebanese unity.
Hamas movement confirmed its commitment to the security and stability of Lebanon.
Nasrallah: We'll cut off organs of every Israeli entering Lebanon
Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said during his televised speech Friday that "not a single Israeli soldier will be able to take one step on Lebanese soil to contaminate it – the same territory purified with the blood of our martyrs." He added that "the Israeli's tourism era in Lebanon is over. We will cut off the legs and neck of every Israeli entering Lebanon." According to Nasrallah," The resistance today is stronger than ever and more equipped than ever."
Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced that Friday would be a national day of mourning.
Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam also censured the attack and called for support for the security forces.
In addition, former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri condemned the attack, describing it a “horrific crime”.
“The blast is part of a terrorist scheme that aims to sow strife and evil across Lebanon,” Hariri said in a statement released by his media office.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Turkey, and Iran also condemned the attack. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Araghchi said the Zionists and their allies are plotting to destabilize Lebanon but the Lebanese people and the Islamic resistance will neutralize the plots.
In an interview with Press TV on July 24, an international human rights lawyer said that foreign powers are attempting to fabricate and benefit from Shia-Sunni discord in the Middle East, seeking to see the Muslim world weakened in the wake of such rifts.
“Who benefits is of course the key issue. It’s really not the people of Iraq, it’s not the Sunnis, it’s not the Shias. It is external powers that want to exploit and create division. Those are the parties that benefit,” said Canada-based attorney Edward Corrigan.
“It’s certainly not the people in the region [that benefit from sectarian conflicts]; it’s not Iran; it’s not Iraq; it’s not the people of Syria, which are now witnessing the destruction of their state and where there has been attempts to provoke similar sectarian conflict in Lebanon,” he added.
Hamas condemns the explosion in Beirut
Hamas Movement strongly condemned the explosion which targeted southern Beirut neighborhood on Thursday. “We condemn this criminal attack against our brothers in Beirut,” Hamas's statement said, expressing its solidarity with all the Lebanese people. Hamas expressed its rejection of any crime that targets the Lebanese society in favor of the enemies.
The movement expressed its condolences to the victims' families and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. It called to foil the enemy's conspiratorial schemes that target the Lebanese unity.
Hamas movement confirmed its commitment to the security and stability of Lebanon.
Nasrallah: We'll cut off organs of every Israeli entering Lebanon
Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said during his televised speech Friday that "not a single Israeli soldier will be able to take one step on Lebanese soil to contaminate it – the same territory purified with the blood of our martyrs." He added that "the Israeli's tourism era in Lebanon is over. We will cut off the legs and neck of every Israeli entering Lebanon." According to Nasrallah," The resistance today is stronger than ever and more equipped than ever."
