…Therefore Hezbollah is a Threat to Lebanon Asharq Alawsat Newspaper (English)
 
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الموقع العربي

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…Therefore Hezbollah is a Threat to Lebanon

15/10/2009


Tariq Alhomayed is the Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Al-Awsat, the youngest person to be appointed that position. Mr. Alhomayed has an acclaimed and distinguished career as a Journalist and has held many key positions in the field including; Assistant Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Al-Awsat, Managing Editor of Asharq Al-Awsat in Saudi Arabia, Head of Asharq Al-Awsat Newspaper's Bureau-Jeddah, Correspondent for Al - Madina Newspaper in Washington D.C. from 1998 to Aug 2000. Mr. Alhomyed has been a guest analyst and commentator on numerous news and current affair programs including: the BBC, German TV, Al Arabiya, Al- Hurra, LBC and the acclaimed Imad Live’s four-part series on terrorism and reformation in Saudi Arabia. He is also the first Journalist to conduct an interview with Osama Bin Ladin's Mother. Mr. Alhomayed holds a BA degree in Media studies from King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, and has also completed his Introductory courses towards a Master’s degree from George Washington University in Washington D.C. He is based in London.
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The explosion that took place in the home of a Hezbollah member sounded the alarm once again and highlighted the level of danger in Lebanon that lies in the existence of an armed organization whose capabilities exceed those of the [national] army, is bigger than the state, and does not comply with rules set by the government, or even the rules of its traffic department [in reference to the motorcycle ban at night].

The danger of the explosion is that it is a sign that Hezbollah does not hesitate to endanger the lives of innocent Lebanese civilians, as it is apparent after the explosion that took place in south Lebanon that the party is storing its arms and missiles in homes and in residential areas. This poses a threat to the lives of innocent people. Hezbollah, or its supporters, cannot tell us that this is something Israel is saying and spreading and so we should not cite it. If in his speeches Hassan Nasrallah was quoting the Israeli military Winograd report into the July 2006 war then why does he think it is unwarranted that we believe the images released by the Israeli military showing members of Hezbollah emptying the house, where the explosion took place, of supplies and missiles?

Whilst certain incidents remind us of others, as we are in the midst of uproar over the Goldstone report on the Gaza war, then why haven’t we seen Arab reports informing us of how these armed groups use innocent residents as shields in their own wars and how they obtain finance and weapons? Why don’t they tell us about the agendas and ties of these groups, who they are affiliated to and whose instructions they follow, whether they are Hezbollah in Lebanon or Hamas in Gaza or other groups that split the Arab states from within!

In fact Hassan Nasrallah is yet to come out with the detailed report that he promised after the story of Salah Ezz al-Din – the Lebanese businessman affiliated to Hezbollah who is said to be a friend of Nasrallah, and who is known as the Imad Mughniyeh of finance – was revealed, as weeks ago Nasrallah pledged to issue a detailed report showing the party’s and its members’ ties with Ezz al-Din and revealing the extent of the real losses.

Israel is a clear and acknowledged danger to our security, but the problem with Hezbollah is that it is a danger that many people ignore. In fact there is a propaganda machine that embarks upon misleading public opinion, as the party is now above the law and has its own media, communications [network], airport, spies, and businessmen…it is a party that the Lebanese traffic department cannot question under the [new] law relating to motorcycles that pass through the streets of Beirut in the same way they do in Iran.

Therefore the explosion, or the bombing – as nothing is too farfetched – that took place in Tayr Filsay on the southern bank of the Litani River, is evidence of the danger that looms and could blow up in Lebanon, especially as this explosion is not the first of its kind. It is the second explosion; the first occurred in July in Khirbet Silim in south Lebanon that also targeted a Hezbollah arms depot!

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