Lahoud: We will not accept arrangements that give assurances to occupation
Lebanon-Israel, Military, 6/4/1999

The Israeli-allied South Lebanon Army militia has completed its withdrawal from the Jezzine district, at a time when the Lebanese resistance has announced that it had carried out some 192 operations during May against Israeli and SLA positions and patrols.

News reports from south Lebanon said that the leadership of the occupation forces approved SLA chief Antione Lahd's resignation and appointed another militia leader, Aqel Hashem.

Meanwhile, Lebanese President Emile Lahoud has asserted that the message he received two days ago from President Hafez al-Assad falls in the course of fraternal relations and continued coordination between the two countries.

During his meeting in Beirut on Thursday with several Lebanese parliamentarians, President Lahoud underlined the importance of continued coordination between Syria and Lebanon for backing joint stances against Israel. The Lebanese president added that Lebanon will not make any steps or security measures for the occupation in the positions they have withdrawn from. He said the security of Jezzine lies in eliminating occupation from it.

Meanwhile in similar statements he made on Thursday, Lebanese Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss said that the 200 militia members who quited SLA militia, stayed in Jezzine and refused to evacuate with the other militia members to the occupied parts of south Lebanon are expected to surrender to the Lebanese authorities to consider their conditions.

Replying to a question asked by the London-based al-Hayat daily on Thursday on fears of revenge acts from the SLA militia, al-Hoss said, "The government does not revenge any one, nor from any other side."

Meanwhile, the commander of the Lebanese army, Michael Suleiman, has asserted that the Lebanese army will confront any attempt to dismember the Lebanese and Syrian tracks.

During a tour of a Lebanese army unit in Beirut, the Lebanese army commander asserted coordination with the Syrian army in confrontation of the Israeli schemes. Lt. Gen. Suleiman added that the withdrawal of the SLA militia from Jezzine came under the strikes of the Lebanese resistance and as a result of the Lebanese army's sacrifices on the confrontation line with Israel.

The SLA militia has completed its withdrawal from Jezzine and evacuated to the occupied area held by Israel in south Lebanon. On Wednesday night the last SLA militia convoy left Jezzine after four positions surrounding it were destroyed.

Arrivals from the occupied part of south Lebanon said Aqel Hashem, an official in the pro-Israeli SLA militia in the western sector of south Lebanon is preparing to assume the leadership of these militias instead of Antoine Lahd.

The Lebanese National News Agency quoted the arrivals as saying that the Israeli occupation leadership approved the resignation of Lahd and the appointment of Hashem.

Meanwhile, in its monthly report the Lebanese resistance said its forces carried out during May some 192 operations against the Israeli occupation forces and their allies, with 35 operation as an increase over the number of operations conducted in April.

The resistance sources said these operations resulted in the death of one Israeli soldier and injuries to another 15, whereas four SLA militia members were killed and another 22 wounded in the same period. The statement added that resistance forces in May arrested as prisoners three SLA militia members. The number of Israeli soldiers killed in south Lebanon since the beginning of 1999 increased to 9 and another 39 were reported as wounded, while nine SLA militia members were killed and 39 were wounded in the same period.

One of the main operations carried out by the Lebanese resistance was the breaking into Beit Yahoun position and crossing, when one soldier was killed and others were wounded or arrested and an Israeli armored vehicle was taken by the resistance forces.

The resistence statement said that three of its "freedom fighters" were killed in May.

During May the Israeli occupation forces escalated attacks against areas adjacent to the occupied part of south Lebanon and the western Bekaa. The Israeli forces carried out more than 138 air and land attacks that targeted civilians, in which six were killed including one soldier from the Irish contingent working within UNIFIL, and another 24 were wounded, including one soldier from the Irish contingent.

During the month of May the Israeli occupation forces expelled three Lebanese people, and some 85 houses were damaged. Two houses and five cars were destroyed and four schools and three Mosques and four electric network stations.

On Wednesday night the UN Security Council condemned Israel and its SLA militia for the killing of one Irish soldier in the UN contingency and wounding another Irish soldier in the occupied part of south Lebanon.

Previous Stories:
  SLA militia begins leaving Jezzine   (6/2/1999)
  Lebanese resistance carries out operations   (6/2/1999)
  Lebanon refuses to send the army to Jezzine   (6/1/1999)
  Lebanon refuses to present guarantees for Israeli withdrawal from the south   (5/29/1999)

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