Within its coverage of the developments in Lebanon, Al-Arabiya Television at 0734 gmt on 9 May carries a live interview with Lebanese Deputy Misbah al-Ahdab, via telephone from the city of Tripoli in Lebanon. The interview discusses the latest security developments in Beirut.
Al-Ahdab says: "There is a big shock as a result of the occupation of Beirut. What happened in Beirut yesterday was an occupation by Hezbollah. Hezbollah, which alleged that it would not use weapons domestically, has used them domestically. Actually, the people of Tripoli have strongly supported the measures taken by Hezbollah against the Israeli enemy. But the people feel deeply frustrated, when they see that the measure, which was taken by Hezbollah yesterday, is the occupation of Beirut. This giant, which confronted the Israelis, has become a small militia that is occupying the Lebanese capital by the force of weapons. We in Beirut think that these issues cannot be handled in this manner, except in the state of war."
Commenting on Hezbollah's position that the party has not been dealt with by the Lebanese government as "the giant", which has defeated the Israelis in southern Lebanon, Al-Ahdab says: "Regardless of the disagreements, the solution should not have been blocking Beirut International Airport and controlling the city of Beirut."
Al-Ahdab adds: "As regards dealing with Hezbollah, the dealing with it has been always positive." He maintains that the allegations that there are militias of the government that are receiving trainings in Jordan are "baseless".
Al-Ahdab says: "I think that the loser party today is Hezbollah. It is true that Hezbollah has militarily controlled Beirut, but it is known to all that it has a plan to seize control of Lebanon. It is simply for political and strategic reasons that Iran has paid $2 billion to Hezbollah in order to build up a military system. This military system has been financially costly, and [Hezbollah] does not want to give this system up. Today, there is a new reality that they [Hezbollah] want to enforce. However, does the military control of Beirut mean the change of the situation and tendencies of the citizens in this city or Lebanon in general? No."
Asked about whether there are chances of resolving the current crisis in Lebanon, Al-Ahdab says that he appreciates the Lebanese military establishment, but he thinks that the Lebanese Army does not militarily control Beirut, because the only party that controls the city is Hezbollah directly and militarily. Al-Ahdab adds that at this stage Hezbollah wants to "pose a threat to the state institutions."
Asked about the Arab endeavours to resolve the current crisis, Al- Ahdab says that returning to the Al-Ta'if Agreement, there was a Lebanese consensus about the importance of keeping "the Arab identity of Lebanon, which should be fortified by the Arabs." Al- Ahdab says: "What happened today is the occupation of an Arab capital by force under the sight of all Arab countries. I think that this [Arab] move is necessary, but it is necessary that there should be [tangible] results, responsibilities should be upheld , and giving up Beirut easily should not be accepted. This is because giving up Beirut means giving up other locations, and this also means giving up political decisions in the future."
Al-Ahdab adds that "the Arab League has to adopt serious measures" in handling the current crisis. Al-Ahdab says that "our option is the legitimacy of the state," and he stresses that this legitimacy is "protected by the Arab legitimacy," and "the international legitimacy."
At 0813 gmt, Al-Arabiya carries another live interview with Nasir al-As'ad, editor-in-chief of Al-Mustaqbal Newspaper, on the situation in Beirut. Nasir says that Al-Mustaqbal Newspaper has not stopped publishing its newspaper but today's issue has not been distributed.
Asked about the possibility that the situation in Beirut will be like the situation in the Gaza Strip, Al-As'ad says: "I would not like to compare Beirut to Gaza," and "what is happening is the armed invasion of Beirut. Al-As'ad notes that the groups of the Lebanese parliamentary majority have not resorted to military confrontation in order to prevent "shedding the blood" of the Lebanese. Al-As'ad says that the political disagreements cannot be resolved through military means.
Al-As'ad says: "Over the past two days, Hezbollah has committed a fatal mistake." Al-As'ad adds: "My information is that Hezbollah is applying military pressure on Quraytim [area, Sa'd al-Hariri's place of residence]. So, again it is making a fatal mistake. It cannot subdue anyone through the force of weapons. It cannot subdue the political will of anyone through the force of weapons. Shaykh Sa'd al-Hariri, Deputy Walid Junblatt, and the Lebanese Prime Minister are the cornerstones of the legitimacy; namely the constitutional legitimacy on the one hand, and the popular legitimacy on the other hand." Al-As'ad maintains that "Lebanon and its major leaderships are at risk."
Asked about his expectations on Arab and international reactions towards the situation in Lebanon, Al-As'ad adds that "the situation with Hezbollah has reached a peak because of the military invasion of Beirut. Under the sight of the world; namely the Arab and international communities, the picture is that a party [Hezbollah] is imposing [its will] by force on an entire people. This will is not the will of this people. This party is turning from the resistance into blocking the roads, and gangs in the streets of Beirut. In light of this current picture and under the sight of the world; namely the Arab world and the international community, I think that there will be supportive positions towards the Lebanese people. We, as media persons and politicians in Lebanon, demand that Lebanon should be supported in terms of its freedom, sovereignty, and independence. This matter depends on the pressures that can be applied by foreign quarters on Damascus and Tehran, and in particular on Tehran. This is in order to stop this invasion, which is a disgrace to Hezbollah and its secretary general."
Al-Arabiya TV carries at 0900 gmt broadcast another live interview with Ahmad Fatfat, Lebanese minister of youth and sports, via telephone from Beirut to comment on the latest development in Lebanon. Commenting on Hezbollah's quick control of the government's facilities, Fatfat says: "It is correct since we do not have any armed militias. We had only some guards, the same as in offices and companies. The citizens had individual arms in a confrontation with Hezbollah, which is an organized army and a complete militia army. It was supposed that Hezbollah would fight Israel, but it fought Beirut, its people, and the peaceful civilians. It displaced people out of their houses and attacked peaceful residents."
Asked about the location of the members of the Lebanese cabinet, Fatfat says that the prime minister and the ministers are at the Lebanese cabinet building. He adds: "We have legitimacy. Even if Hezbollah's militia controlled the ground, this means nothing. They are carrying out a militia action, but the legitimate authority is still in the hands of the cabinet. Authority in Lebanon is based on the constitution." He adds that the Lebanese Army protects the location.
Fatfat reiterates that Hezbollah shoulders the full responsibility for everything now and "if anything happens, it will be crystal clear to everyone who is behind it."
On the location of Deputy Sa'd al-Hariri, and whether he is under siege, Fatfat says : "Deputy Sa'd al-Hariri is in Beirut and Beirut is besieged. This is accurate. As a popular leader whose popularity is nationwide, Deputy Sa'd al-Hariri cannot be besieged since a siege on a political leader is not limited to the geographic and political meanings of the word. Accordingly, Deputy Sa'd al-Hariri is not besieged."
Regarding the death toll in the clashes, Fatfat says that one of the guards of Speaker Nabih Birri was among the 10 people who were killed. He comments on this incident saying: "Thus, we said that Speaker Birri has become a direct party in the current war, which attacked Beirut's residents, the constitution, and the law." He adds that most of the casualties were among the civilians.
On Hezbollah's controversial telecommunications network, Fatfat notes that several newspapers, radios, and television channels were closed in what he describes as "a systematic action to silence the viewpoint opposing the militia action in Beirut" and "this is a dangerous message which refers to that kind of totalitarian thought." He adds that "we used to say that the party [Hezbollah] belongs to a certain way of totalitarian thought. The party attacks freedoms, suppresses public opinion, and it does not want freedom of speech." Returning to the telecommunications network, he says that the government referred the case to the court and such an action would take years, but Hezbollah insisted on creating a problem.
Concerning the contacts between Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora and Hezbollah, Fatfat says that Speaker Birri refused to talk with Siniora.
On the contacts with the regional and international allies, Fatfat says that the contacts are ongoing with allies in the Arab world, especially Saudi Arabia.
Regarding the government's decision on Hezbollah's telecommunications network, Fatfat says: "We did not make consultations with anyone before making the decision."
Asked if Syria is involved in the issue, Fatfat replies that Syria and Iran are involved in breaking through Beirut. He adds: "Iran is directly responsible for what is happening in Lebanon now."
Concerning the internationalization of the crisis, Fatfat says the situation is "an Iranian attack and it began with the telecommunications network which was supplied by an Iranian company." He adds: "Such an act is a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the Lebanese state."
Asked about the settlement which could be accepted by the government, Fatfat says Al-Hariri said the whole issue should be referred to the military since Hezbollah expressed trust in the military, but Hezbollah declined. He adds: "It appears that Sayyid Hasan [Nasrallah] swallowed his words and refused to give the main role to the army."
He reiterates that Hezbollah is protected by the government and people from the international community since "Hezbollah cannot protect itself by its arms."
On the sedition between Sunnis and Shi'is, Fatfat says the "sedition" was started by Hezbollah which transformed Lebanon into a field to other countries, including Iran, to settle scores with Israel and the United States. He adds that the present situation will lead to "a new and dangerous stage" in Lebanon.
Concerning the confrontations between Hezbollah and the Future Movement, Fatfat says that many members of Hezbollah were trained in Iran and such a militia army believes that "the road to Jerusalem passes through Beirut." He highlights the Iranian role in the present events.
On the similarity between the Gaza Strip under Hamas and Beirut under Hezbollah, Fatfat says that the results of Hamas's coup against Fatah were starvation, raids, and siege.
Concerning the stand of the government and its followers, Fatfat says: "We represent legitimacy and we will defend legitimacy whatever the price is." He adds that Deputy Junblatt is still at his house and has not left it.
On the Lebanese Army's role, Fatfat says that he hoped that it would be stronger to control the situation and that many people expressed their disappointment at the position of the army towards the current situation.
At 1007 gmt, Al-Arabiya carries another live interview with Shaykh Ali al-Amin, mufti of the areas of Jabal [Mountain] Amil and Tyre, via telephone. The place is not given. The interview deals with the latest report about storming into Al-Amin headquarters in the area of Tyre. Al-Amin says a group of gunmen stormed into the headquarters of the Al-Ja'fari [Shi'i school of thought] centre for issuing fatwas and removed weapons from some civilians and military guards.
Al-Amin says that it seems that the gunmen are affiliated to the Amal Movement and they are still at his office, and he adds that he has not been notified about any clashes.
Al-Amin says that storming into the office of the Al-Ja'fari centre is "a condemned and rejected act," and he urges the Lebanese security forces to intervene. Al-Amin stresses that the Al-Ja'fari centre "is a religious centre and it has nothing to do with the communications network [of Hezbollah], or what is happening in the airport or Beirut. We do not know why this provocative act has been done." Al-Amin adds that the gunmen removed cameras from the vicinity of the building, as he was notified.
Al-Amin says: "The Sunnis and Shi'is are brothers in the religion of God. There are no conflicts and disputes between them. What is happening is a political sedition, which is rejected by all standards. The followers of the Shi'i and Sunni sects have lived across generations for centuries, like one sect; they are not different sects. They can adopt different opinions with regard to the school of thought, but they are a unified Islamic sect, and there is no conflict between them. Rather, political groups want to impose power and influences on Beirut and on the rest of the Lebanese areas. The Shi'i sect rejects staging a coup against the Lebanese legitimacy. The Shi'i sect, along with the rest of the sects, believes in coexistence. All [of the sects] are working towards establishing the state of institutions and the state of law. Accordingly, what is happening does not represent the Shi'i sect."
Asked whether there is "a disintegration" between the Sunnis and Shi'is in Lebanon, Al-Amin says: "As I said, the Shi'i sect is not responsible for what is happening and it does not accept it. In addition, the sect does not accept staging a coup against the Lebanese state. The side, which is responsible for this situation, is partial groups that are only responsible for it."
Al-Amin underlines the importance of resorting to the voice of reason and wisdom of the political leaderships in Lebanon "to put an end to this catastrophe and suffering."
Asked about the role that can be played by Shi'i clerics in the light of these developments in Beirut, Al-Amin says: "The Shi'i religious institutions have been predominated by political groups. Therefore, these institutions are helpless in this regard." Al-Amin adds that "clerics are often influenced by politics, and perhaps they are forced not to take any clear position."
Asked about the domestic political contacts, Al-Amin says that hope is pinned on some of these contacts, which are being held. Al- Amin says that there are calls for calm and understanding, and he points out to the recent initiative of Lebanese Deputy Sa'd al- Hariri. Al-Amin says that there are " common denominators" among these calls towards resolving the current crisis. Al-Amin maintains that "what is happening cannot achieve any attainment to anyone."
Asked about the expected outcome of the upcoming meeting, which will be held by the Lebanese pro-government members, Al-Amin says that the outcome of this meeting may be within the framework of the initiatives of Deputies Walid Junblatt and Sa'd al-Hariri.
Al-Amin says that tasking the Lebanese Army, which is trusted by all the Lebanese, with handling the issue of the Hezbollah communications networks may be the "way-out" of the current crisis.
Originally published by Al-Arabiya TV, Dubai, in Arabic 0734 9 May 08.
(c) 2008 BBC Monitoring Middle East. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
