Source: "Word on the Street" Is That Nasrallah and Hezballah Will "Move" on the Lebananese Parliament

Just a source of Snapped Shot, repeating a rumor. But...

There are now sporadic gunfights between Hezballah and Lebanese security forces.

Supporters of the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah, trying to enforce a general strike called by labour unions, clashed with government supporters and blocked roads in Beirut yesterday, escalating the country's worst political crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war.

Mobs of men belonging to Hezbollah blocked roads with burning tires and garbage cans, and set cars on fire to enforce a strike called to protest government economic policies and to demand higher minimum wages. They fought occasional gun battles with their political opponents.

A security official said at least five people were slightly injured, including a cameraman for Hezbollah's Al-Manar television.

Opposition spokesmen said the protest, including blocking roads, will continue until the government cancels decisions taken earlier this week that affected Hezbollah.

The government said Tuesday that it would act against a private telephone network operated by Hezbollah in south Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut, and accused the militant group of placing several spy cameras on a road outside the airport to monitor pro-government officials. The cabinet also removed the airport's head of security, a figure close to Hezbollah, from his post.

The telephone network was mainly used for communication between members of Hezbollah during the 2006 July war with Israel, and Hezbollah officials were quoted in local newspapers as saying they would consider anyone who interfered with the network Israeli spies.

Nazrallah's Threat: At Commentary:

I said . . . that any hand that reaches for the resistance [i.e., Hezbollah] and its arms will be cut off. Israel tried that in the July War, and we cut its hand off. We do not advise you to try us. Whoever is going to target us will be targeted by us. Whoever is going to shoot at us will be shot by us.

posted by Ace at 12:45 PM

| Access Comments