BEIRUT, 16 May 2008 — Arab League mediators announced a deal yesterday to end Lebanon’s worst internal fighting since the civil war, after the US-supported government backed down in its conflict with Hezbollah.
The feuding factions reached the deal one day after the Cabinet reversed measures aimed at reining in Iranian-backed Hezbollah. In return, the opposition removed a roadblock that had shut down the country’s international airport for a week. Immediately after the deal was announced, bulldozers and opposition supporters began clearing a series of airport roadblocks along the highway.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad ibn Jassim ibn Jabr Al-Thani also invited Lebanon’s government and Hezbollah-led opposition to Qatar for talks to resolve a broader political showdown that has paralyzed the country for 18 months.
“We declare an agreement sponsored by the Arab League to deal with the Lebanese crisis,” Sheikh Hamad said. “The parties pledge to refrain from returning to the use of weapons or violence to realize political gains.” The political talks in Qatar, which start today, would continue, “until agreement is reached,” he said.
As Sheikh Hamad announced the deal, live television pictures showed mechanical diggers on the airport road removing roadblocks erected by Hezbollah supporters last week as part of a protest campaign against the government.
“The opposition has decided to end the civil disobedience (campaign) and open all roads and routes to the seaport and airport,” opposition member of Parliament Ali Hassan Khalil said. Less than an hour later an airliner from Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines landed at the airport, the first commercial flight to the facility in a week.
Fighting
At least 81 people were killed in the fighting, triggered by government decisions last week to ban Hezbollah’s communications network and sack Beirut’s airport security chief, who is close to Hezbollah. Hezbollah said those moves were a declaration of war and briefly seized control of Muslim areas of the capital, dealing a severe blow to the ruling coalition.
On Wednesday night, the Cabinet of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora canceled the two measures, meeting one of Hezbollah’s demands and easing tensions in the Lebanese capital. Hezbollah said the government’s climbdown was a “natural way out” of the crisis.
“We want to return to a settlement which leads, in the end, to there being neither victor nor vanquished,” Sheikh Naim Kassem, Hezbollah’s deputy leader, said after meeting the Arab League delegation, which also met with House Speaker Nabih Berri and Siniora.
Kassem said Hezbollah recognizes “the other” and demanded that the other party to the conflict recognize the group. “Revoking the two government decisions was the key to returning to the previous status quo,” Kassem said. “We want to work hand in hand in order to build Lebanon. Neither American intervention nor external meddling is in the interest of Lebanon,” Kassem added.
The talks in Qatar will tackle how to share power in the Cabinet and the details of a new parliamentary election law. Top leaders are to attend the talks in Doha but political sources said Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah would not attend because of security concerns.
