Tensions High in Zahle after Hizbullah Attempts to Expand its Telecom Network
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Tensions were high in the Bekaa city of Zahle on Sunday after members of Hizbullah attempted to expand the party's telecommunications network in the area, reported various media outlets on Monday.
On Sunday, armed members of the party deployed along the highway extending between the city's industrial zone to the Mar Charbel church in an attempt to expand the network.
Residents of the city protested against its actions and temporarily blocked the road in the area.
The army soon intervened and set up checkpoints in the industrial zone and security forces deployed patrols in the city, which led to Hizbullah's withdrawal from the area.
Soon after however, some 15 party gunmen in a white van returned to the vicinity of the Mar Charbel church.
The locals were aware of the actions and promptly staged a sit-in in front of the church.
They were joined by the head of the Zahle parliamentary bloc MP Tony Abou Khater and lawmakers Joseph al-Maalouf and Elie Marouni.
The residents then blocked a lane of the highway leading to the industrial zone in the city.
Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) reported on Monday that four Hizbullah members were arrested for their actions in Zahle.
Marouni later told al-Joumhouria daily Monday that the situation in the city could have escalated had the security forces not intervened.
He revealed that six Hizbullah members were arrested over the incident.
“Along with the residents, we will not lay this matter to rest because the statelet of Hizbullah will not be allowed to pass through Zahle,” he remarked.
“The party will not be allowed to impose its ways and schemes on us,” he declared.
Moreover, he revealed: “We will develop the manner in which we will confront any suspicious action the party takes in Zahle.”
He credited the security forces for the decisive manner in which they contained the situation and prevented the party from carrying out its actions.
A security source later denied to al-Joumhouria that members of Hizbullah were arrested over the Zahle incident, explaining that a dispute broke out between them and security forces as the former were repairing a malfunction in the party's telecommunications network in the area.
Uproar was created in October 2011 when Hizbullah allegedly attempted to expand its telecommunications network in the Tarshish region on the outskirts of Zahle.
The residents thwarted the attempts and Telecommunications Ministry at the time denied any party actions in the region, adding: “No side, whether it is official or unofficial, has the right to use the ministry’s network for its personal use without first receiving legal permission from the ministry to do so.”
The party attempted to expand the network as internet fiber optic cables belonging to the Telecommunications Ministry were being installed in the town.
16 September 2013, 09:07
824
These people have brought nothing but pain and suffering to the Lebanese.
16 September 2013, 12:22
107
There has been a lot of hezb this and hezb that lately, expect Nasrallah to come out and justify anytime soon.
16 September 2013, 13:39
15
ahah. Masbout! I can't wait Nasrallah to give us a lesson of telecom engineering like he did at the moment of the STL indictment... and how the Israelis cloned sim cards from the indicted...
21 September 2013, 11:59
00
FlameCatcher
Retrd the boss in Lebanon is Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah
Not your retard xtian politicians
The days the maronieh dominated Leb are over
16 September 2013, 09:17
919
“Along with the residents, we will not lay this matter to rest because the statelet of Hizbullah will not be allowed to pass through Zahle,”... Excellent!!
The Iranian militia is usurping all the authority in Lebanon. Go resist in Damascus or Tehran you can set up all the checkpoints, telecommunications networks and terrorist acts there.
16 September 2013, 11:14
1418
God Bless the Islamic Iranian Resistance aka HA (Hussain Army) for laying this independent and secure communication network to keep our personal and official communications away from zionist and takfiri preying eyes. This network is being misinterpreted contrary to its true nature. It is not for commercial or personal gains but rather to serve the national interests of the lebanese. By offering the lebanese shia, state-of-the art secure voice and data communication, it will alleviate the overload on the government network. Hence, a better service for us in the end. I am sure the people of Zahle will come to their senses and apologize for this unintended mistake.
16 September 2013, 11:40
63
You're damaging and damged.
When you make things that are serious into laughing material it loses its potency. I guess you're fine with doing your cause a disfavor. Dolt.
16 September 2013, 09:28
43
So the planning of the creation of the new big state SHIASTAN it is not easy,ha?
16 September 2013, 09:46
03
My fellow Zahliots this telecom network has been for long in your town, covering at least 70% of Zahle province, passing through Hezirta, Karak, all the way to Ablah, Tamnin, kfar Zabad, and Rayak... with underground wiring. You are late with your protest... when the work started years ago MP's under Aoun had no guts to question it, and they think Zahle province ends at Manara roundabout... unfortunately the current MP's useless too... i feel sorry for you
16 September 2013, 10:04
814
ya HA, you may think that after May 7 you are now the untouchables...but those who dont remember their history will be doomed forever...this is Zahle the heart of the Lebanese Resistance and it is not Hamra street...you tried and failed in Tarshish and now this...I suggest that you revisit your calculations because those who defeated the ASSad regime in 1981 will have no problem doing the same to you...
16 September 2013, 10:13
614
we all knew why they so viciously oppose ministerial portfolio rotations, how else will they B.S about their work being "state initiated"..good on you people of Zahle..
now wait for the loyal following to come out and defend..
HA is, and never will be anything but, an occupation force, a militia and a fanatical religious one at that.
16 September 2013, 14:36
56
roar.. kindly point out the insult in my sentence.. is it "loyal following"? are they not? as much as m14 are? this is a forum.. and i do not insult either unless insulted..
what is there to defend? HA putting up illegal communication networks under the guise of the telecom ministry?
so please point some of your buddies on here who insult in the true meaning of the word if you are keen on protecting the debate.
16 September 2013, 15:12
35
that is funny roar.. cause i am willing to bet the same thing.. even IF they were actually arrested.. they would have been released just by the party apparatus showing up..
but that is neither here or there..
as i mentioned, the part faithful WILL come out and defend.. even if this story is confirmed by everyone including the angel gabreil, does not change that m8 will come out and change the truth as much as m14 comes out to change what they like.
and last but not least, this is Lebanon.. the reality is either black or white.. there is no grey matter in between.
16 September 2013, 14:41
36
and is "now wait for the loyal following to come out and defend" the only thing you took from my comment?
if we are to have a debate, please debate the context of my comment.. their refusal to allow the rotation of ministries to cover up the real agenda...
16 September 2013, 10:16
148
"Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) reported..."
"...told al-Joumhouria daily..."
Oh ok, I'm reassured now that I know that this is all based on very credible, non-biased media sources that have ABSOLUTELY no connections to and are not entirely financed by the kingdom of terrorism.
16 September 2013, 10:35
41
The fact that you deny it shows how wrong it is and shows that you disagree with hizballa's actions on that day.
Tell me, the people who blocked the road are also on the saudi-takfiri-payroll? in your simple mind im sure not 1 Lebanese disagrees with hizballa. thats how a trained militia thug thinks
16 September 2013, 10:36
79
typical response of the drones...
If you are sitting on Manar to confirm the validity i can tell you now to stop wasting you time.. THAT biased media source, that ABSOLUTELY has connections to and are entirely financed by the Republic of hate and ideology will not be reporting this story.
16 September 2013, 11:55
1011
FT, we have had this discussion on numerous occasions.
First off the biggest component of Syrian tutelage is Berri, followed closely by HA and now Aoun... M14, while far..far...far... from perfect or even "good"... extended a hand to HA many a times..
they have agreed on many points during the, now distant past, national dialogue.
HA has said it with no room for wiggle.. "our arms are not up for negotiation", "we will cut off the hand that reaches for our weapons", "our weapons will stay until the liberation of Jerusalem".
what seriousness do you want to confront this with?
16 September 2013, 13:54
77
well when one has a certain standpoint and changes it to suit their needs, there is no other explanation.
i know you will tell me that he did not want to sideline 35% of the population with his "understanding" with HA but there were other ways to do that, that do not include giving cover to the very weapons he spent ALL his years in exile speaking against.
when he talks about Lebanese prisoners in Syrian jails, and then after ONE trip to Syria, miraculously there are no more prisoners.
16 September 2013, 13:58
77
and your comment: "while M14 was a syrian proxy (via its members before there was M14) and now they turned weekend rebels"
so it was wrong of them to finally wake up and see what syria was and still is (read Smaha) doing to Lebanon?? so if they stayed servants of the Syrians they would have been hailed as heroes in your eyes?
let us not beat around the bush .. it is the ones with the guns who should be proposing something, some way to get rid of their weapons.. but even that we all know is not their choice.. only Iran can make that decision.
16 September 2013, 10:22
42
all this for Israel maheik? Hizbelzbeleh has taken over Lebanon already but he didnt declare it yet coz rouhani didnt give the go...
We are in Hizbo state... Lebanon has become Farsi
16 September 2013, 10:42
42
And they dare to give us lessons about the values of the Republic, the people-army-resistance equation...
What if the Christians and Sunnis want to make their own telecom network too? Since we are living in a jungle not a state as it seems...
16 September 2013, 10:51
108
Now I expect mysterious businessmen with Iranian petrodollars to buy whole neigbourhoods in the Zahle area to ensure that there is no communication breakdown for Hezbollah. They will give offers that no one can refuse if they got their health in mind..
16 September 2013, 14:01
14
sad but true.. wether to the iranians OR the saudis.. Lebanese have no connection to this country.. only $$$$
16 September 2013, 11:05
913
Telecom networks, abductions, assassinations, war in syria, drug traffic,threats, terrorism, mafia, and still... some of our little friends here always come up with conspiracy theories... about how hezbollah are the victims of plots, disinformation,or machinations to make those little angels look bad... how ridiculous can one be eh karim!?
16 September 2013, 11:23
33
i wrote few facts about the existing network in Zahle, because it is already well established in ZAHLE. Naharnet is keen not to post it... thank you for saving my life :)
16 September 2013, 12:44
87
When we talk about a country within a country, we have to start talking about Lebanon being within Hezbestan and not they other way around.
16 September 2013, 13:51
42
did hezbelze3ran really expected that the Za7alneh will let him run his telecom cables through?
I also invite you to Bcharre to run your cables ...
16 September 2013, 14:16
76
For all of you wasting time bashing Aoun I say that there is no need to waste your breath. Aoun has committed political suicide with his alliance with Hezbollah and the way they mismanaged their ministries. I hope people in Keserwan now know the truth of what he is.
16 September 2013, 14:18
74
I am sure you are happy that Bachar dropped his pants and gave up at the mere threat of a strike. He now knows that no one will come to his rescue. He is a chicken except when it comes to killing his people. For your information, the winner is Israel but we know that you M8ers have a new enemy in the Syrian people.
16 September 2013, 14:48
63
"unlike M14ers , what happens in Syria does not concern me. "
you are contradicting yourself... supporting hezbis means you are concerned, supporting aoun means you are concerned.... they both are concerned by syria to see how long will they still cling to their privileges in lebanon!
16 September 2013, 15:56
56
great FT you know now who you exactly are... a little hitlerian backward binary anti lebanese....
16 September 2013, 16:07
56
LOL! you perfectly know that if the gvt does not recognize hezbi they would take the streets and shoot... as long as any gvt does anything against the will of hezbi they just take the streets and threaten the state with their weapons...
stop being blind...
16 September 2013, 16:50
05
Hariri did help them do that. I wonder if he regrets that now after they turned their guns on him? Peace is right as well. Not only will they take to the streets and threaten to use their weapons, you will be accused of being a Zionist if you disagree. Whomever disagrees with HA is a Zionist, and whomever does not support FSA/Al Nusra is a Zionist. Its amazing isn't it. Can't we just have one country in the Middle East without guys running around kidnapping our people, burning our churches, and allowing a little arak here and there? Is that too much to ask?
16 September 2013, 18:58
44
part of Hizb iran's may 2008 invasion of beirut was their telecom network--and since the ministers of telecom have been fpmers, do you think a lot will be done on this front?
16 September 2013, 16:46
25
There is no need for HA to come through Zahle. I am glad the locals stepped in and I am proud of them. FT is right, they will just spend more money and go around. So be it. If there were elements of M14 that were with Syria through 1990-2005 its because they were afraid of getting assassinated. Do you remember how they outlawed anyone who was outspoken against Assad? Saudi is not the answer, we should not take there money either. That is why M14 has poor leadership. At the same time, HA is not as clean and pure as the M8 says on here. They will turn their weapons on anyone who disagrees with them, even if they disagree with their telephone lines. I used to want to believe my M14 friends who are M14 purists, and told them HA would not use weapons outside anything but Israel, but not they have done so against Lebanese over telephone lines, and in Syria, in the name of resistance. Say no to Saudi and Iran!
17 September 2013, 04:50
32
"Our weapons will stay until the liberation of Jerusalem." I want to believe that so much as it is crucial for Lebanon to rid the country of the Palestinian dilemma, but I thought the end game was for "Resistance"? The argument is flawed in so many ways. That land belongs to both the Palestinians and the Jews, but not for the expense/detriment of the Palestinians. What is the meaning of "Liberation of Jerusalem"? Bringing down the State of Israel? It is not attainable as it will bring total destruction, not only to Palestine to the Palestinians' detriment, but also to the entire region which no sane government, even Iran, will dare to initiate. So, H.A. is saying: "Our weapons will stay until hell freezes over" which is never. H.A. is talking from both sides of their mouths. This my friends is Iran Logic-101.
