VZCZCXRO7708
PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHKUK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHLB #0724 1401440
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 191440Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1954
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS BEIRUT 000724
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: PETITION FOR CIVIL PEACEFUL RESISTANCE AND
HIZBALLAH DISARMAMENT
SUMMARY
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1. (U) On May 18, a group of 327 civil society activists,
politicians, intellectual and media figures signed and publicly
released a petition in which they accused Hizballah of attempting to
seize full authority in Lebanon and linking the country to the
Gaza-Damascus-Tehran axis by destroying the vitality of the Lebanese
society. The group called for peaceful civil resistance to confront
Hizballah's coup d'etat and protect Lebanon as an entity, state and
social model. End summary.
Civil Society Signs Petition
for Peaceful Civil Resistance
-----------------------------
2. (U) In reaction to the street violence sparked on May 7 between
Hizballah fighters and pro-March 14 supporters, a group of 327 civil
society activists, politicians, intellectual and media figures
released and signed a petition entitled, "For a peaceful civil
resistance to protect Lebanon." They characterized what is
currently happening as "a bloody coup d'etat not only targeting the
nation's existence but also the Lebanese entity."
Blames International Community's Silence
----------------------------------------
3. (U) Signatories noted that the Lebanese Armed Forces' have been
paralyzed and unable to protect the country and its citizens from
militias backed by the Syrian intelligence and the Iranian
Revolutionary Guards. They added that the UN Interim Force in
Lebanon (UNIFIL), designated to ensure the execution of UN Security
Council resolution 1701, had become Hizballah's hostages. They also
indirectly blamed the international community for overlooking that
an armed group, designated as a terrorist organization, had besieged
the Lebanese legitimate authority's headquarters, the homes of
leaders, lawmakers and other political figures, and attacked and
closed down media outlets.
Hizballah Disarmament Is a Priority
-----------------------------------
4. (U) Signatories of the petition declared that "the independent
forces that agreed on participating in the dialogue,nas an ultimate
attempt to save civil peace, should give the priority to discussing
the crucial issue of Hizballah's arms," adding that "allowing
Hizballah to keep their weapons means the end of Lebanon." They
noted that "all the other items on the agenda, namely the
presidential election, the shape of the next government, and the
drafting of a new electoral law, are aELlyhQn~QQpeaceful civil
resistance to confront Hizballah's coup d'etat and protect Lebanon
as an entity, state and social model. They called on those willing
to participate in the forming of this civil and peaceful resistance
to get in touch with the group.
6. (SBU) According to March 14 Executive Secretary Fares Suaid,
this petition is designed to reinforce March 14's position in Qatar
without actually having the March 14 stamp attached to it.
SISON