Al Manar reports:
The head of the unconstitutional government and his ruling decided in the longest cabinet session yet in Lebanese history, to label "illegal and unconstitutional" the Resistance communications network. Saniora and his team also decided to remove airport security Chief Brigadier General Wafiq Shqeir to rejoin the army command.
The US-backed ruling bloc decisions came one day ahead of a general strike to be held across Lebanon to protest the deteriorating economic and social situation due to Saniora's policies.
The decision by the unconstitutional government will prompt the opposition, mainly the Amal Movement and Hezbollah to take certain steps to preserve the sanctity of the resistance that liberated Lebanon from Israeli occupation in 2000 and defeated the most aggressive army in the Middle East in August 2006.
The governmental statement considers the Resistance a legitimate act to liberate the remainder of occupied lands and therefore its arms are also legitimate. In the wake of the 2006 war against Lebanon, Israel admitted that Hezbollah's communication network had played a significant role in defeating Israel. Hezbollah stressed targeting the communications network is like targeting the arms of the Resistance, which is a red line.
Hezbollah's deputy Secretary General Sheik Naim Kassem warned Monday against "playing with fire" and vowed "tough resistance" against anybody who stands in its way: "Hezbollah will deal with those who interfere with the network as if they were Israeli spies," he said. Sheikh Kassem also stressed that the network was "identical" to Hezbollah arms and "part of its security." "The Israelis, with all their might, couldn't nail the resistance," Sheikh Kassem said.
The decision to remove B.G. Shqeir will also prompt Muslim Shiite powers in the opposition to act so that immunity of Muslim Shiite official posts remains intact.
Hours earlier, the vice president of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council Sheikh Abdul AmirKabalan said he conveyed a message to Saniora that removing Shqeir would be viewed as an unprecedented violation that will lead to undesired repercussions.
For his part, the head of the Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun defended Hezbollah's communications network, stressing "there are other private communications networks than Hezbollah's." "Finding a camera on airport road is not a security penetration," Aoun said. "The road to Bekfaya is full of cameras and they monitor us all the time," he added.
Aoun also defended Hezbollah's activity in Kesrwan and Jbeil provinces, noting that the "Lebanese Forces exist in Rmeish and Qleiaa (south Lebanon) and they move freely. Why Hezbollah shouldn't move in Kesrwan and Byblos?"
He launched a vehement attack on Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat. "Who is Walid Jumblat to speak about Kesrwan and Jbeil? Jumblat is factional and bloody." He addressed Jumblatt saying that if he's so concerned about Christians, then let him bring back the Christians to their homes in his Chouf region.
Aoun called for demonstrations on Wednesday to topple Saniora's government, however, he stressed: "Rioting is banned. Security forces are responsible for banning riots, not preventing demonstrations."
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Commentary: what is currently happening in Lebanon is nothing short of a battlefield preparation by the Israelis and their allies in Lebanon. If Siniora succeeded in taking down the Hezbollah communication network he would essentially execute the kind of counter C3I strike which the Israelis failed to achieve during their 2006 war. This is a most worrisome development.