Militants merge with mainstream: Hizbullah emerges as symbol of resistance

[IndianaGreen]

Militants merge with mainstream

· Hizbullah emerges as symbol of resistance
· Anger at Israel's actions unites Shias and Sunnis

Brian Whitaker, Issandr el-Amrani in Cairo, Siraj Wahab in Jeddah and Mark Summers in Manama
Saturday August 5, 2006
The Guardian

Whatever qualms Arabs once had about Hizbullah they have since been dissipated by Israel's attacks, the hundreds of deaths, the sight of up to a quarter of the Lebanese population fleeing their homes, and especially the bombing of UN observers and the massacre at Qana.

The Shia organisation and its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, have become symbols of resistance even in such unlikely places as the Gulf countries where Sunnis and Shias have been spotted waving the yellow-and-green flag. Christians are joining in as well. In Damascus yesterday, a Catholic church held a special mass. "Pray for the resistance, pray for Hassan Nasrallah. He is defending justice," Father Elias Zahlawi urged his congregation.

Unlike al-Qaida, admiration for Hizbullah stretches beyond disaffected militants to take in teachers, writers, broadcasters, and doctors many of whom, under other circumstances, would be pressing for democracy and reform.

"When I was young I used to watch people burn US flags in rallies across the world," said Saif al-Adham, a Saudi football trainer. "Now I know exactly why there is such an anti-American feeling.

"It is no wonder that most Muslims consider Israel and the US to be synonymous words for terror ... This type of behaviour encourages radicalism among Muslims the world over."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1837874,00.html

[burythehatchet]

1. Can you say Ehud Bush?

[Oversea Visitor]

2. What all surprise geee

You bomb me house me call you friend :rofl:
Geee must be saint if guy think like this

You bomb my house me see you as monster and enemies
Wheee now that is more a normal human mindset

Haha
The enemies of my enemies is my friend
Haha another normal human mindset

So who win

Isreal with his BIG bad uber GUNS, BOMBS, TANKS and NUKES and the Almighty US ally
Choice here how want use big bad weapon
Minute use one lose :rofl:

[IndianaGreen]

3. I would put this story right alongside the one about Auschwitz survivors

that was posted in LBN here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2433221

Last update - 18:12 03/08/2006

Auschwitz council of survivors appeals for peace in the Middle East

By Reuters

Survivors of the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz appealed Thursday for peace in the Middle East, saying the fighting creates hate and "threatens humanity."

The International Auschwitz Council, which includes Holocaust survivors, scholars and religious leaders, appealed to international leaders to launch peace initiatives, "insignificant though they may appear to be, with the view to overcome the hateful antagonisms while promoting dialogue and cooperation."

The Israel Defense Forces began bombing Lebanon on July 12 after Hezbollah guerillas crossed over the border and killed eight Israeli soldiers and kidnapped two others.

"The war in the Middle East kills people, destroys their homes, roads and bridges, as well as their hopes for normal life and development," the council said in a statement.

"It awakens despair and hate ... and threatens humanity."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/746158.html

and alongside this press release from Americans for Peace Now:

APN Calls on Bush to Broker a Ceasefire, Convene International Peace Summit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 2, 2006

Washington, D.C.--Americans for Peace Now (APN) today again criticized the Bush Administration for failing to invest sufficient efforts to resolve the military crisis devastating Israel and Lebanon. APN called on President Bush to work urgently to broker a ceasefire and to convene an international Middle East peace conference. APN is a Jewish, Zionist organization whose mission is to enhance Israel's security through peace and to support the Israeli Peace Now movement.

"It is time for the U.S. to show real leadership in the Middle East. We call on President Bush to work urgently to broker a ceasefire and accompanying arrangements to achieve the release of abducted Israeli soldiers and stabilize the situation on the ground," said Debra DeLee, President of Americans for Peace Now.

"At the same time, we call on the President to match the leadership demonstrated by his father, who in 1991 convened Israeli-Arab peace talks in Madrid, ushering in the first decade in Israel's history without an Israeli-Arab war. President Bush should mobilize regional parties and the international community around a peace conference, to be convened as soon as a ceasefire is in place, to launch Israeli-Arab negotiations that include not only Lebanon, but also the Palestinians, Syria, and any other parties in the region that can be brought to the table."

Criticizing the Administration's performance, DeLee noted, "Violence continues to escalate in the Middle East, including the tragic events in Qana, but the Administration continues to demonstrate insufficient seriousness about resolving the crisis. To save lives and prevent further suffering, to save Lebanon's democratic government, to stop the growing influence of Iran, and to avert a long-term, open-ended Israeli military campaign in Lebanon, it is vital to end the violence as quickly as possible. Consensus is building in support of both a ceasefire and, as part of that ceasefire, the deployment of an international force in southern Lebanon to help stabilize the situation on the ground, facilitate Lebanon extending its sovereignty over all of its territory, and ensure that Hezbollah does not exploit a ceasefire to re-arm and re-organize for further attacks. Deployment of such a force will require Hezbollah to remove its militias from the area."

DeLee emphasized that the U.S. must think beyond a ceasefire and an international stabilization force. "In the long-term, real security on Israel's northern border, just like security along Israel's borders with Egypt and Jordan, can only come through negotiations that produce peace agreements and accompanying security guarantees. Similarly, in the long-term, real security in the West Bank and Gaza will only come through negotiations with the Palestinians."

DeLee added that the success of any regional peace talks will be linked to progress on the Israeli-Palestinian track. "We urge the U.S. to adopt a new approach regarding the Palestinians," she said. "The U.S. must look for ways to strengthen Palestinian moderates and to engage the more moderate elements of the Hamas leadership. Renewing negotiations will empower Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other moderates and force Hamas leaders to choose between an extremist, rejectionist agenda and a nationalist agenda that is supported by the Palestinian people."

http://peacenow.org/updates.asp?rid=0&cid=2822