(AFP-Straits Times-Singapore) Ten years after Israel pulled out, south Lebanon is solidly controlled by Hizbullah which is even organizing "jihadist tours" along the border. About 500 young men and woman, both Christian and Muslim, took part Sunday in the latest such field trip. "We want to familiarize young people with the achievements of the resistance," said Mohammed Taleb, 23, a Hizbullah militant. The field trip included a workshop on how to handle weapons, close contact with Hizbullah fighters who spoke of their exploits in the face of the "enemy" (Israel), and a reenactment of battles at the border village of Maroun el-Rass, where some of the fiercest fighting took place during the 2006 war. The highlight of the trip was a visit to a key fighting position near the Iqlim al-Touffah region. After a steep climb, the group was met by two rows of Hizbullah fighters with blackened faces and armed with machine guns. In the background blared a speech by Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah boasting that his party had more than 20,000 rockets ready for the next battle with Israel. A French student couldn't get over the show. "This is surreal, it's like Disneyland," he said.
2010-05-18 08:02:52Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive