More than 100,000 supporters of Lebanon's Hizbullah movement rallied in southern Beirut shouting "death to America, death to Israel" in a show of support for Palestinians on the two-year anniversary of the intifada.
The large crowd marched through the largely Muslim Shiite Beirut suburb blanketing it with Palestinian, Lebanese flags and Hizbullah banners and calling for a continuation of the intifada as it marked its second year, AFP reported.
The key speaker in the event was Hizbullah's leader Hassan Nasrallah. "Thanks to the willing sacrifices and most of all the martyrdom operations, the intifada is continuing for the third year and is marching towards victory," Nasrallah said.
He called for unity among Palestinians and hailed their leader "Yasser Arafat and those surrounded (with him) by Israeli troops, resisting with him in the Muqataa," headquarters in Ramallah. He also denounced calls among Palestinians "to renounce the fighting arguing that (Israel's) retaliations are bringing too much suffering."
He said pleas for a halt to the violence were "similar to treason". Nasrallah also blasted Arab leaders for their willingness to "bow down to the will of the 'great Satan' that is threatening the whole region, not only Iraq, with blood and fire."
"No matter how much the world changes after Sept. 11, 'death to America' will remain our echoing slogan," he stated.
Meanwhile, besieged Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat addressed by phone a rally over more 5,000 Palestinians in a refugee camp near the northern city of Tripoli. "Whether they like it or not, we will pray together soon in the mosques and churches of Jerusalem," said Arafat.
"We will sacrifice ourselves for you Abu Ammar," the Palestinians responded, using Arafat's nom-de-guerre.
At the same time, some 5,000 supports of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas held a rally in the southern Rashidiye refugee camp.
The Arabs in Israel are due to hold on Saturday the main ceremony commemorating the thirteen Israeli Arabs killed during clashes that broke out with Israeli security forces in October 2000. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
