Lebanon-Israel, Politics, 7/20/2004
Lebanese President Emile Lahoud condemned the crime of assassinating one of the Lebanese National Resistance men.

Ghaleb Awali, an official of the Hezbollah militia, was killed in a car blast in the southern suburb of Beirut
 Hassan Ammar (AP)

In a statement issued by the Media Department at the Lebanese Presidency, Lahoud said this crime is violation on Lebanon and it contradicts the principles Put by UN in south Lebanon, particularly the blue borderline.

He held Israel responsible for this crime. In this regard, Lebanese Premier Rafic Hariri denounced the assassination of Ghaleb al-Awali. He expressed hope that investigations will bring those responsible to justice.

Previous Stories:
Berri calls for pressuring Israel to dismantle wall (7/7/2004)
Nasrullah and the Lebanese resistance (7/6/2004)
Lebanon files a complaint to the UN security council over the Israeli raid (6/9/2004)
Israeli raid on a previous Palestinian position to the south of Beirut (6/8/2004)
UNIFIL complained against Israel (5/12/2004)
Mofaz refrains talking about prisoners exchange (5/6/2004)
Israeli planes bombard south Lebanon (5/6/2004)

The IAEA and Mohammed el-Baradei say there is "No evidence for nuclear activity in Syria, contrary to early allegations by US Undersecretary of State, Bolton.

Israel threatens to attack Syria due to the killing of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah following the crisis which started one day after the assassination of Ghaleb Awali. Washington has called for restraint from all sides.

The adulation showered on another Arab tyrant, Yasser Arafat, is part and parcel of the same syndrome. We don't care how many people they have murdered, or how many terrorist atrocities they have committed. We are only too happy to shake their blood-stained hands, and help them perpetuate their regimes and oppress their people, usher them into the Oval Office and recommend them for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Hopefully those days are over. This time Bashar Assad has overplayed his hand. The world is not prepared to condone rule by assassination, just as it is not prepared to accept terrorism. Maybe this time Lebanon will be set free and Hezbollah will be disarmed. Maybe a step will be taken to bring peace between Israel and Lebanon closer.

              Declarations by
The Government of Lebanon in Exile
                Jerusalem

Updated: February 2, 2004