No Peace for Hizbollah

The rugged hills and farming villages of Southern Lebanon appear relatively quite now, six weeks after Israel's aerial and artillery bombardments against alleged Hizbollah terrorists.

But as people return to try to rebuild their lives, it remains an uneasy quiet. The atmosphere in South Lebanon is loaded with anti-Israel bitterness and a taste for revenge.

Silhouette

This man is a new recruit for the continuing battle against Israel.

IN Hizbollah Recruit

'The right cause is fighting Israel, Israel is the invading country, they invaded our land and our people, and they killed our children and our elders. '

Israel hoped to force the Syrian-backed Lebanese government to clamp down on Islamic fundamentalists and destroy support for them in these villages.

Bomb hole

Instead the Israeli raids in late July - like the bomb which hit Safir's house- seem to have strengthened support for Hizbollah, the Iranian backed Party of God - uniting these communities, NOT dividing them.

IN - Safir Jbaa Resident

'Israel hoped the bombardment would create conflict between the government and Hizbollah and cut off Hizbollah support among villages - but this hasn't happened.

Hizbollah script...

Outposts

This mixed Moslem-Christian area sits hard up against the Israeli-imposed military buffer zone - the unofficial border nine miles inside Lebanon, policed by these hilltop outposts and bunkers of the Israeli-backed South Lebanon army. The strategic Iqlim al-Toufah ridge masks the extent of Israel's military deployments.

VHS of Attack Hizbollah guerrillas say they'll continue to attack SLA positions as Israel and the PLO consolidate their peace deal - Israel launching occasional reprisal air raids - Hizbollah trying to breach Israeli lines and launching Katyusha rocket attacks.

IN

Hajj Ammar AI-Moussawi

Deputy Director Hizbollah Politburo

Katyusha rockets are used as retaliation to Israeli aggression.  As long as that continues we shall go on.  We consider resistance in Southern Lebanon as our right and our duty and it will continue.'

Flags / Images

The power of Islamic fundamentalists is deepening in Southern Lebanon.

Kohmeni

Through the Syrian government Iran is funnelling vast amounts of cash and support. The hand of Iran is dominating the business of rebuilding the estimated 1,500 buildings destroyed and the 15,000 damaged.

Logos on Buildings ­Workers

The distinctive hand symbol is everywhere - worn proudly by the manual workers.

The commercial wing of Hizbollah - the Holy War reconstruction Foundation - has moved in speedily. Hizbollah has set up help centres with cash, aid and expertise where the Lebanese government ha made promises then hesitated. And aid is for both Moslems and Christians.

IN Christian Nabatiye Resident

'Holy War reconstruction started looking for people to do construction after the Isra('~lis bombarded Nabatiye. They used workers from the town. They did not destinguish between Christians and Moslems. They all worked together - that's why t have a job. '

Hizbollah script.. ..

The political effect of Iran's cash and support overall in terms of growing popular backing by Moslems for Hizbollah, has been inevitable. Iranian cash has bought the minds of those the Israelis bombed.

IN- Woman in black

'Since the bombing we've been hearing that the government is trying to support us, but the only help we've received so far has been from the Hizbollah'

IN -Safi r Jbaa Resident

'It's clear that the Islamic Republic of Iran cares more about people in the South, than the Lebanese government. They gave $300 Million telling Hizbollah to distribute it. '

Demo

in Beirut

Hizbollah's opposition to the Israel-PLO peace deal now means big problems for both Lebanon and Syria - both their attitudes to future deals with Israe! and the stability of the Lebanese government.

The shooting yesterday of eight Hizbollah protesters in Beirut created this anger today at the funerals - the bodies wrapped in Hizbollah flags - opposition to the PLO, Israel and Any peace deal now intense.

IN

Hajj Ammar AI-Moussawi

Deputy Director Hizbollah Politburo

'In the west you may call what is happening "Peace" and an accomplishment. We say that what is going on is nothing more than the administering of a large dose of drugs in order to sedate the problem and stop it exploding'.

Sheik Fadallah

Sheik Fadallah, Hizbollah's spiritual leader says the PLO will become Israel's policemen in the Gaza strip and Jericho.

'The whole agreement is summed up as the creation of a security belt for IsraeL .. Where Palestinians who follow the PLO path would protect Jewish settlers from Palestinian freedom fighters cmd Moslem

Hizbollah script

fundamentalists in co-operation with Israeli security forces. '

Hizbollah fighters believe Iran's backing means Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Harire cannot disarm them.

IN Hizbollah Recruit

'He's saying that he doesn't want to pull out the arms from the resistance, he can't. If he can he would, but he can't because his arms are going to be broken.'

In Washington Rabin and Arafat shook hands for peace. On Israel's northern border a Moslem war seems set to continue.

END