HEZBOLLAH

An Experience
What's really going on?

by Dee Finney

2-5-2002

updated 7-13-06

2-5-2002 - I was in the kitchen making breakfast. As I was flipping over the scrambled eggs, someone telepathically yelled in my ear, the name - 'HEZBOLLAH'.  It was so loud, there was no ignoring it.

I was busy this morning, but hours later, this thought keeps coming back that I wouldn't have been told that if it wasn't important.

What is the connection to scrambling eggs or flipping eggs over? Why was this told to me while I was doing this activity, rather than at some other time - such as while I was watching the news about the Hezbollah, which has been mentioned numerous times since the World Trade Center plane crashes.

President George W. Bush, has included the Hezbollah as a terrorist group which he wants destroyed.

I understand that - but why was this particular group so significant that I had to think about it and write about it? What is it about flipping eggs or scrambling eggs?  That we are thinking incorrectly about this group? That our ideas are scrambled?  Or that their ideas are scrambled? 

I am aware that some of what you read on this page will anger you.  I am prepared for that. My point in doing this page is for information - not to choose one side over the other.

Here is what I found on the internet:

Note that some of this information will be from 'their' perspective - not just from the U.S.A. perspective.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2005: Orthodox Jews gathered outside the United Nations in New York City, NY to express their opposition to the State of 'Israel' and Mr. Ariel Sharon, who was speaking in the United Nations.

Orthodox Jewish Rabbis and layman will gather, TODAY with G-d’s help, across the street of the United Nation Headquarters. They will join in expressing their opposition to the State of “Israel” and Mr. Ariel Sharon, who will be speaking today in the United Nations.

While the United Nations is celebrating its 60th anniversary, they have invited Heads of State of over 150 countries. Participating in this commemoration, is Mr. Sharon as the Head of State of the State of “Israel”.

The State of “Israel” has been recognized and legitimized as the representation and embodiment of the Jewish nation; this is patently and totally false. The State of “Israel” is an embodiment of illegitimacy; it is the antithesis of Judaism and can not be the representative of the Jewish People. In fact, the leaders of the Jewish People, who have been and are steadfast in their commitment to the Jewish religion, have always stood in opposition to the creation and to the existence of the State of “Israel”. The Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, Rabbi J. Z. Dushinsky of blessed memory, forwarded a memorandum to the Secretary General of the United Nations, in the year 1947 prior to the establishment of the State, imploring the United Nations, not to allow the creation of the so called “Jewish State”.

Two horrific evils have coalesced with the confiscation of the Holy Land from the Palestinian people, and the creation of this State.

Firstly, this is a rebellion against G-d who has expressly forbidden us, the Jewish people, from ending the G-dly decreed exile, by creating our own State. This is regardless if the selected country to form this state in, is populated or desolate, and regardless, if it is the will of the indigenous population to help the Jews form their State, or if the State is being forced upon them.

Secondly, this rebellion against G-d has been compounded immeasurably by the fact that in order to create this state, a land has been taken, clearly against the will of the indigenous population, the Palestinian people. Their homes and properties have been confiscated and untold thousands have been expelled etc. their suffering continues unabated until the present day.

Therefore, we pray, that the return of Gaza be a token beginning and should usher in the day, when we should realize the transformation of the rule over the entire Holy Land, back to its rightful rulers, - the Palestinian People. We stress, not just Gaza and the West Bank, but the entire Holy Land.

Our passionate prayers are, that this should come about, speedily and peacefully, without any further bloodshed, pain or suffering.

May G-d enlighten the Jewish individuals who have been led astray, to understand G-d’s will and do His Will, with happy hearts.

Ultimately, may we merit to see the day, soon in our life time, when G-d will reveal His glory and all humanity will serve Him in peace and harmony. AMEN

Date: Thursday, September 15, 2005,

Place: At the Isaiah Wall outside the United Nations Headquarters

(First Avenue beween 42nd 43rd Street), in New York City,

Time: 3:30PM

MORE CURRENT NEWS

GENERAL DESCRIPTION ON THE WEB - FROM A CHRISTIAN GROUP -
NOT CONNECTED TO THE HEZBOLLAH GROUP

FROM: http://mb-soft.com/believe/txo/hezbolla.htm

Hezbollah - {hez' - bah - lah}

General Information

Hezbollah, or Party of God, is an informal umbrella group of Shiite Muslim militants in Lebanon that advocates the creation of an Islamic republic there. Formed in about 1983, it places Islam above Arab nationalism and has demanded that Westerners leave Lebanon and that Christians there be tried for crimes against Muslims. Hezbollah's more than 5,000 members, subsidized and trained by Iran, are concentrated in the southern slums of Beirut and al - Biqa (Bekaa) Valley; they become martyrs if they sacrifice their lives in what is considered a holy war.  The organization has no formal structure; its fluid membership includes such shadowy terrorist groups as Islamic Jihad, the Revolutionary Justice Organization, Islamic Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine, and the Arab Revolutionary Cells. Hezbollah groups have claimed responsibility for the 1983 bombings of the U S embassy and marine headquarters in Beirut, several hijackings, and the taking of Western and Israeli hostages. In January 1989, after months of armed clashes, Hezbollah signed a peace agreement with the mainstream Lebanese Shiite group, the Syrian backed Amal (Hope). The 1989 death of Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini and a Syrian brokered Lebanese peace accord led to a decline in Hezbollah's influence in the early 1990s. Hezbollah's tactics and shadowy nature frustrated conventional political, diplomatic, and military strategies and contributed to a U S foreign policy scandal, the Iran Contra Affair. After the Persian Gulf War (1991), in an effort to end its international isolation, the Iranian government persuaded Hezbollah groups to release some hostages.

DESCRIPTION OF THE HEZBOLLAH GROUP FROM WWW.HIZBOLLAH.ORG

From: www.hizbollah.org/

HEZBOLLAH is an Islamic struggle movement. Its emergence is based on an ideological, social, political and economical mixture in a special Lebanese, Arab and Islamic context .

As a result of this background Hezbollah went through various decisive moments in its history. With the most important moment being in 1982 the year of the Zionist invasion of Lebanon. This invasion led to the occupation of the capital Beirut making it the second Arab capital to be occupied during the Arab-“Israeli” conflict, with Jerusalem being the first. This crossroad speeded up the presence of Hezbollah as a struggle movement that is totally affiliated in the long complicated and complex fight against the Zionist enemy. The starting point of that struggle being the Zionist occupation of Palestine, and then to many of the Arab lands in Egypt, Syria and Jordan leading up to Lebanon. All that led to the establishment of the identity of Hezbollah as a struggle movement against the Zionists. Add to that many social, economical, political and cultural ideals of the Shiaa in Lebanon. Another very important factor that developed Hezbollah was the establishment of the Islamic Revolution in Iran that was led by the late Imam Khomeini. This revolution consolidated new concepts in the field of Islamic thought mainly the concept of Willayat Al-Faqih. The revolution also generalized Islamic expressions against the west such as arrogance, the great Satan, hypocrites and the oppressed.

With this crossroad and with the historic tie between the Shiaas in Lebanon and in Iran, which is a doctrinal tie. As well as of the reason that Iran hosts the second most important religious school of the Shiaa in Qom with the second being the Al-Najaf school in Iraq. But because of many obvious reasons Qom has occupied the number one Shiaa school in the world today.

Due to that it was only normal for the ideological doctrine in Iran to take root in Lebanon. This tie was very quickly translated on the ground by direct support from the Islamic Republic of Iran through its revolutionary guards and then to Hezbollah that was resisting the “Israeli” occupation.

This religious and ideological tie between Hezbollah and Iran following the revolution with its stance towards the Zionist entity had a great effect on releasing vital material and moral support to Hezbollah. This support speeded up the acknowledgement of making Hezbollah one of the leading struggle movements against the Zionists. But during and after 1985 Hezbollah was the only such movement in this field.

It was not by sheer coincidence that Hezbollah turned into a struggle movement against the “Israeli” occupation. Because Hezbollah’s ideological ideals sees no legitimacy for the existence of “Israel” a matter that elevates the contradictions to the level of existence. And the conflict becomes one of legitimacy that is based on religious ideals. The seed of resistance is also deep in the ideological beliefs of Hezbollah, a belief that found its way for expression against the Zionist occupation of Lebanon. And that is why we also find the slogan of the liberation of Jerusalem rooted deeply in the ideals of Hezbollah. Another of its ideals is the establishment of the an Islamic Government.

The Islamic Resistance was able to direct very painful blows to the Zionist enemy forcing them to withdraw step by step. One of the principal withdrawals is that of 1985 leading up to the withdrawal from the Christian area Jezzine. And finally leaving the enemy with no choice but to withdraw completely as a final solution to their problems.

Hezbollah also used one of its own special types of resistance against the Zionist enemy that is the suicide attacks. These attacks dealt great losses to the enemy on all thinkable levels such as militarily and mentally. The attacks also raised the moral across the whole Islamic nation.

It is also vital to state here, that the resistance gained high credibility amongst the people and in all official statuses, both locally and internationally. The US also once stated that the resistance is a justified movement in facing the “Israeli” occupation.

The resistance also established an internal national axis in a way that was never witnessed in Lebanon before. This matter is of vital interest when we notice how Lebanon is divided into various religions, sects, ideologies, societies, cultures etc.

Today, Hezbollah is one of the most prominent Lebanese political parties that has its presence in the parliament with 8 MPs.

Hezbollah today also commands respect politically after it proved its strength with its presence by respecting the values of others in the field.

Hezbollah also sees itself committed in introducing the true picture of Islam, the Islam that is logical. Committed to introduce the civilized Islam to humanity.

Hezbollah also sees itself committed in introducing the Islam that is confidant in achieving justice, as well as introducing the Islam that protects all human rights. Introducing the Islam that supports education, the Islam that offers medical support. Hezbollah also has its own cultural plan to attract and convince through civilized and humanitarian means as specified in the human rights laws, far from any use of violence or coercion.

It should also be clear that the kind of Islam that Hezbollah seeks is a civilized one that refuses any kind of oppression, degradation, subjugation and colonization. Hezbollah also stretches its arm of friendship to all on the basis of mutual self-respect.

The Islamic path that Hezbollah follows is one of a message that aims to establish peace and justice to all humanity whatever their race or religion. Hezbollah does not have a problem with anyone, but it feels responsible towards him or her to clarify the true Islam far away of any fanaticism.

Hezbollah does not wish to implement Islam forcibly but in a peaceful and political manner, that gives the chance to the majority to either accept or refuse. If Islam becomes the choice of the majority only then will it be implemented. If not it will then continue to co-exist with others on the basis of mutual understanding using peaceful methods to reach peaceful solutions. And that is how the case should be to the non-Islamists as well.

Hezbollah - this is not in English (I don't know what it says - but it's here for reference for whoever can read this language.

Hizbollah - English site

The Israel-Hezbollah War

From: http://www.danielpipes.org/articles/20000828.shtml

The Hezbollah in America: An Alarming Network
National Review
August 28, 2000

Mohamad Youssef Hammoud, an 18-year-old Shiite Muslim from Lebanon, arrived at New York's Kennedy Airport on June 6, 1992. He had come, accompanied by two close male relatives, from Caracas, Venezuela, where each of them had plunked down $200 for a counterfeit U.S. visa. American border guards caught the fraud, and the trio did not exactly begin their American careers with distinction; but they did begin them in character-with a crime. The U.S. government also responded in character, just as it would many times over the next eight years: It allowed them into the country.

Then followed a fairly typical sequence of events for illegal immigrants. In November 1992, Hammoud claimed political asylum on the (dubious) grounds that Israel's Lebanese allies were out to get him, making this fear his justification for buying a fake U.S. visa. A year later, in December 1993, an immigration judge turned down this transparent ploy and ordered Hammoud deported. To no avail: Hammoud promptly filed an appeal, which permitted him to stay longer. In December 1994, while still awaiting a verdict, he married an American named Sabina Edwards, and this gave him legal standing to apply for permanent residency. The Immigration and Naturalization Service did some sleuthing and found both the marriage certificate and the woman's birth certificate fraudulent, so in August 1996 Hammoud was again ordered deported, this time within the month.

The resourceful Hammoud then went underground. In May 1997, he married a second American, Jessica Wedel. In September 1997, while still married to Wedel, he took a third wife, Angela Tsioumas. (That she was already married to another man perhaps evened the score.) The INS, not too adept at record-keeping, mislaid its file on Hammoud's earlier marriage fraud and never noticed that both of the nuptial pair were married to others; so, on the basis of Hammoud's marriage to Tsioumas, the agency granted him conditional residency in July 1998. Only in October 1998 did Hammoud get around to divorcing Wedel.

To make matters even more interesting, the Hammoud-Tsioumas bond turns out to have been a complete fiction, just a way for him to acquire citizenship and for her to earn a few thousand dollars. Hammoud appears to have (truly) married a woman in Lebanon in 1999; Tsioumas has bragged that, as soon as Hammoud no longer needs her, she will marry other would-be Americans "for the right price."

One might imagine that Hammoud's desperate efforts to remain in the U.S. signaled his deep affection for the land of the free; or, at any rate, his longing to walk our streets paved with gold. But one would be wrong. Like so many other Shiites from the shantytowns south of Beirut, this young man has adopted the Ayatollah Khomeini's brand of extremist Islam and virulent anti-Ameri canism. As a member of Hezbollah, the main Islamist terrorist and political organization of Lebanon, Hammoud came here not as an immigrant, to become American-but as a missionary, to bring Hezbollah's message into enemy territory.

By Howard Schneider
Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, November 9, 2001; Page A21

CAIRO, Nov. 8 -- Lebanon today rejected U.S. requests that it freeze the assets of the militant Hezbollah organization, showing that a tricky diplomatic war awaits the United States if the anti-terrorism campaign expands from military strikes against the Taliban and Osama bin Laden to other movements labeled as terrorist.

In the eyes of Lebanese officials and many Arabs in Lebanon and elsewhere, Hezbollah is not a terrorist organization, despite its definition as such by the U.S. government. In Beirut and beyond, it is considered a national resistance movement whose guerrilla attacks forced Israel to end a two-decade occupation of the southern Lebanese countryside and which is still needed to recapture a final piece of Israeli-held land known as Shebaa Farms.

U.S. policy is based in part on a long memory of Hezbollah, particularly its role in the 1980s in kidnappings, plane hijackings and bombings of a U.S. Marine barracks and the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. But Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri on Wednesday told U.S. Ambassador Vincent Battle that the country will stand by the group that made the Israelis leave Lebanese soil and that plays a prominent role in Lebanese political life.

"The Lebanese position is clear on this subject. It is a decisive position based on Arab and Islamic solidarity," Hariri said after a day in which he conferred with other top Lebanese leaders, made an unexpected trip to Damascus to consult with Syrian President Bashar Assad and met with Battle.

Hariri's cabinet formally committed to this policy in a statement today. "And we are not about to change this policy under any circumstances because it is based on national convictions," President Emile Lahoud added in a separate declaration.

"The Lebanese government will continue to insist on the distinction between resistance organizations and terrorist organizations," Battle said, adding that Lebanon and the United States seem to be headed for "quite difficult" conversations.

The open disagreement between the United States and Lebanon over the nature of Hezbollah reflects a broader problem that the U.S.-backed coalition against terrorism will face if it carries the fight beyond Afghanistan. While the initial phase of the campaign has garnered support from many countries and at least tolerance from Arab states, there is concern particularly among the Arab countries that it will end up turning into an assault on groups and organizations that oppose Israel.

In addition to Hezbollah, the Bush administration last week moved to freeze the assets of the Islamic Resistance Movement, known as Hamas; the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a Damascus-based movement that recently acknowledged killing the Israeli tourism minister in retaliation for Israel's assassination of its leader; and other groups opposed to the peace terms accepted by the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat.

These groups enjoy no small degree of sympathy in such countries as Lebanon and Syria, but also in Jordan and Egypt, which are close allies of the United States. Action against those organizations, considered by many Arabs as legitimate political movements fighting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands, would likely fracture the current coalition and further fuel anti-American sentiment in the region.

Even as Arab foreign ministers meeting in Damascus last weekend issued a strong condemnation of bin Laden, they also laid down a marker of sorts, with Farouk Charaa of Syria blasting the U.S. decision to put Hezbollah, the PFLP and others on a par with bin Laden's group, al Qaeda.

"It is a shame for any country in the world to see with its own eyes what Israel is doing and accuse those Palestinians or Lebanese who defend their land of terrorism," Charaa said at the meeting.

Of the individuals and organizations included on the list of terrorism targets so far, Hezbollah presents one of the trickiest diplomatic puzzles.

Its initial funding and inspiration came from the militant Shiite movement that toppled the shah of Iran in 1979. Its initial aims were to set up an Islamic government in Lebanon. In the last decade, however, Hezbollah's military activity focused on the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon until Israel pulled back in June 2000. More recently, attacks have been limited to Israeli positions in the Shebaa Farms area, which Syria and Lebanon say is Lebanese territory despite a U.N. finding that Israel captured it from Syria in 1967.

The organization grew along other fronts as well, opening schools and health clinics, operating a television station and electing members to the Lebanese parliament. In many of its current activities, it is similar to other Lebanese sectarian organizations, including the Shiite Amal party of Nabih Berri, the speaker of parliament, that also maintain armed militia components but have not been included on the U.S. list of terrorists.

Battle indicated in comments yesterday after meeting Hariri that the United States is sensitive to the difficulties the Lebanese government faces over Hezbollah and hinted that, unlike the uncompromising action against al Qaeda and bin Laden, there may be room to maneuver.

Under the list published last week, the United States could freeze funds in any financial institutions that refuse to seize Hezbollah's assets, which could have a disastrous impact on Lebanon's financial ties to Europe and the West. But Battle said it would be a "very, very long and technical and difficult exercise" to freeze any assets.

Hezbollah officials, however, said they will not change their orientation. "The U.S. lists don't bother us in the slightest," a Hezbollah commander, Sheik Nabil Qaouk, was quoted as saying in Beirut's Daily Star newspaper. "When America accuses Hezbollah, we take it as proof of the credibility of our goals."

The indictment does not allege that they provided weapons.

"We hope to send a clear message that North Carolina, the United States and Canada are off-limits for illegal funding and procurement activities by individuals or organizations that support terrorism," said Chris Swecker, special agent in charge of the FBI's Charlotte office.

Last summer, the same grand jury indicted 18 people on charges of cigarette smuggling, money laundering and immigration violations. Six have pleaded guilty to immigration law violations and charges are pending against the remaining 12.

The indictment handed down Wednesday names six new defendants, none of whom is in custody. Three are accused of aiding Hezbollah and the other three face charges including cigarette smuggling and money laundering.

Profits from Cigarette Sales?

The three accused of helping Hezbollah were identified as Ali Adham Amhaz and Mohamad Hassan Dbouk, last reported to be living in Vancouver, and Hassan Hilu Laqis, whose last address was unknown.

The fourth man, Said Mohamad Harb, is among the group charged in July and has been held without bond in federal custody since then.

The government contends that Mohamad Youssef Hammoud, named in the original indictment, led a Charlotte-based group of Lebanese immigrants who bought cases of cigarettes in North Carolina, which has a low cigarette tax, and sold them at a profit in other states.

Prosecutors said the group diverted some of its profits to Hezbollah, a Lebanese-based faction that has been named by the U.S. State Department as a terrorist organization.

Today's indictment, which supercedes the one issued in July, means a total of 24 people have been named in 77 charges related to cigarette smuggling, immigration violations and aiding Hezbollah. 

Hezbollah gets its way 
Why Lebanon isn't euphoric about the impending pullout of Israeli forces.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
By Flore de Preneuf 

May 13, 2000 | BEIRUT, Lebanon -- 

Israel has vowed to withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon in a few weeks, which will close a chapter
of violence and occupation that lasted for 22 exhausting years. But paradoxically, the prospect is causing more concern than euphoria in Beirut.

Only the Islamic guerrillas who have fought Israel to a standstill are poised to celebrate -- with extra gunfire -- as the Israeli soldiers pull out. The guerrilla group, known as Hezbollah ("The Party of God"), will be one of the few Arab military groups ever to succeed in forcing Israel to back down. In the past few days, Hezbollah has stacked three rocket launchers on a pedestal on the Mediterranean seafront here and draped the installation with a banner proclaiming loudly, "Resistance is the answer."

The guerrillas, backed by Syria and Iran, have tried the patience of the Israeli public by inflicting a steady hemorrhage of human losses on Israel since 1985, when Israel established a 9-mile-wide "security zone" in southern Lebanon. The painful casualties made Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak's electoral promise to pull out by July 7 a hugely popular pledge in Israel. At the same time, the war has earned Hezbollah patriotic credibility and political support in Lebanon.

Hezbollah propaganda aside, the Israeli withdrawal raises more questions in Lebanon than it answers. The dismantling of Israeli military outposts is only in its early stages, but already there are jitters in Lebanon. The change threatens to crumble a decade-old arrangement in which Syria ensured Lebanon's stability and Lebanon was hostage to Syrian interests.

In editorials and student demonstrations in April, the Lebanese started to challenge the overbearing presence of Syria in their country. Some 35,000 Syrian troops, ubiquitous spies and interference in domestic affairs have made Syria the de facto ruler of the area since the end of the Lebanese civil war in 1990.

The students -- mostly Christian supporters of exiled Lebanese Gen. Michel Aoun -- have vocally equated Syrian occupation with Israeli occupation and called for the end of both. The Lebanese army (loyal to Syria) crushed recent demonstrations in which 14 students were injured and several arrests were made. Some fear the crackdown could lead Lebanon into a new round of sectarian violence.

Given all that, "people aren't sure how they should respond to Israel's withdrawal," said Michael Young, a political analyst at the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies in Beirut. "On the one hand, people hope the situation in the south will be neutralized after the pullout," he said. "On the other, people fear Syria will attempt to create violence." Violence would help Syria preserve the status quo in Lebanon and maintain some leverage against Israel in its bid to recover the Golan Heights.

Indeed, the guerrilla war waged by Hezbollah against Israel in southern Lebanon has been at the heart of Syria's strategy to reclaim the Golan Heights, a strategic wind-swept plateau that overlooks the Sea of Galilee and has been under Israeli control since 1967.

Syria's calculation was that Hezbollah would bleed Israel until it agreed to give back the Golan Heights in exchange for peace on its northern border. Israel also envisioned a withdrawal from Lebanon within the framework of a peace agreement with Syria. But that plan fell apart in March when Israel and Syria failed to agree on the borders of the Golan. Barak then announced that he would stick to his electoral promise and withdraw his troops from Lebanon anyway.

"The contingency plan became the plan," said Gebran Tueni, publisher of Lebanon's biggest daily, An Nahar. Analysts now speculate that Syrian President Hafez Assad will scramble for ways to sabotage the unilateral Israeli withdrawal and keep pressure on Israel to hand back the Golan. "For the first time the Syrians are reacting and not acting," said Tueni.

From: http://www.meib.org/articles/0112_l1.htm

• Vows To Enter Battle If Israel Crosses Into Palestinian Territory
• Israel Has Threatened Retaliation For Deadly Suicide Bombing
• Hezbollah Has Been Quiet Since Israel Withdrew From Lebanon
  
  BEIRUT, Lebanon, June 8, 2001
  (AP) Hezbollah guerrillas, who have largely held their fire since Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon a year ago, have warned they will renew attacks against Israel if it invades Palestinian territories.
  
  "An (Israeli) invasion of the Palestinian areas will lead to a flare-up in the entire region," Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah told Hezbollah TV Thursday night.
  
  "If a war erupts in the region, this war will not be in Israel's favor ... We will not abandon the Palestinian people and we will be with them in this battle. This is an ideological and religious commitment," the Shiite Muslim cleric said during a nearly three-hour call-in show on Hezbollah's Al Manar TV.
  
  Israel has threatened retaliatory strikes against Palestinian areas after last week's suicide bombing in Tel Aviv that killed 20 young Israelis and the bomber. It was the deadliest Mideast terror attack in five years.
  
  But eight months of violence have subsequently subsided after cease-fire calls by both Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
  
  Hezbollah led the war against Israel's 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon that ended last May. The militant group, whose fighters control the Lebanese side of the border with Israel, says it has hundreds of rockets with a range of 14 miles inside Israel.
  
  Since the withdrawal, Hezbollah has fired no rockets into Israel. But the guerrillas have killed three and captured other three Israeli soldiers in the disputed Chebaa Farms area and denied Israeli accusations they were operating in Palestinian territories.
  
  Nasrallah said Hezbollah maintains an "old relationship and coordination" with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the two militant Islamic Palestinian groups that have carried out a series of deadly suicide bomb attacks in Israel.
  
  He urged Palestinians to continue the fight against the Jewish state and Arab and Islamic states to provide them with help.
  
  "We are helping the (Palestinian uprising) as much as we can," Nasrallah said, adding Hezbollah "will not be late" in providing "a different kind" of military assistance.
  
  He did not elaborate, saying only, "We are constantly consulting with (Palestinian) leaderships and forces which are participating in the intefadeh," or the uprising.
  
  Nasrallah reported slow progress in negotiations through foreign intermediaries to swap the three Israeli soldiers and a reserve colonel lured and captured in Beirut with an unspecified number of Lebanese and other Arab prisoners in Israel.
  
  "If we reach the point where we consider that the four (Israeli prisoners) we have are not enough and that more are needed, then this matter will become a priority for us," Nasrallah said.
  
  He reiterated Hezbollah's demands that any prisoner swap must include the release of all Lebanese, other Arab, Palestinian and Iranian prisoners held in Israel.
  
  He said four Iranians, who vanished in 1982 during Israel's invasion of Lebanon, must be included in any exchange. Iran, which backs Hezbollah, also accuses Israel of holding the four men, including two diplomats. Israel denies the claim.
  
  Lebanon says Israel holds 13 Lebanese, including two Hezbollah leaders.
  
  In addition, Palestinian and Arab groups have given Hezbollah lists of more than 1,500 prisoners they want released in any swap.
  
   The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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