Nasrallah: stay in your shelters 
But Hizbullah’s secretary-general pledges that the resistance will treat SLA’s
Christian supporters fairly
Ranwa Yehia 
Daily Star staff 

Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah  warned Israelis in northern
Israel on Tuesday to stay in their shelters, saying that party officials were
still deliberating how to react to the killing of six civilians over the past
two days. 
"I advise the Israelis to remain in their shelters for the next few days and warn
the enemy not to make any further attacks on civilians. I hope the Israelis take
this warning very seriously," Nasrallah told a news conference in Bir Hassan. 
He said that Israel’s targeting of civilians was an "extremely dangerous matter.
But if the Israelis think that this will deter our people from entering their
villages, they’re wrong." The Hizbullah leader described the five civilians who
were killed entering villages in the central sector of the zone on Monday as
"martyrs of liberation." 
"It is they who actually liberated our villages. They entered under shelling and
paved the way for others to go through," he added. Nasrallah was careful to point
out that developments on Monday and Tuesday did not result in any escalation of
tension in these villages. 
"There wasn’t one problem in the south. There were so many who bet that families
in these villages would fight each other. But absolutely nothing happened," he
said, criticizing the press for painting a dark picture of possible sectarian
conflict in liberated villages. 
Nasrallah said that everyone in the south, including returning residents, resistance
fighters, local politicians and religious leaders, were concerned with keeping the
situation stable in the liberated villages. 
Responding to fears that Hizbullah would attack SLA men, Nasrallah said that not
one militiaman had been liquidated. 
"During a similar period," he recalled, smiling mischievously, "the French resistance
killed 10,000 collaborators." He was referring to the execution of France’s German
collaborators during World War II. In his Sunday speech, Nasrallah said he had learned
that Hizbullah had been lenient with the SLA, compared to the French. 
"As you’ve seen, not one militiaman was beaten or tortured by our men. The people also
behaved in an extremely responsible manner and did not seek revenge. This confirms the
fact that no tension will happen in the south." 
Nasrallah urged local religious and political leaders in the south to advise militiamen
to surrender to the Lebanese Army or the resistance. 
"Not a single militiaman is allowed to remain in the liberated area. Anyone who really
wants to protect these men should advise them to hand themselves over to the government.
This isn’t a threat, we are speaking out of concern because these militiamen are Israeli
moles who will create sedition there," he explained. 
In high spirits, Nasrallah said that although the Israelis were surprised by the sudden
collapse of the SLA, "they’ve definitely rejoiced over not having to pay the
collaborators their promised compensation." 
Nasrallah urged people in the liberated villages, particularly those populated by
Christians, not to fear Hizbullah. 
"Our problem is with collaborators. We don’t distinguish between collaborators on the
basis of their sects. I also urge our people not to allow anyone to influence them.
It’s over and I want to assure the people of Marjayoun and Hasbaya that what happened
on Monday will be repeated in their villages. Everyone will celebrate the greatness of
this day of liberation," he stressed. 
Nasrallah warned Israel that Hizbullah holds it entirely responsible for any harm that
may come to detainees in Israeli prisons. 
His press conference was held before news of the release of the 144 detainees from Khiam,
but there are still Lebanese detainees inside Israel, including Sheikh Abdel-Karim Obeid
and Mustafa Dirani. 
Nasrallah insisted that Hizbullah would continue to stage operations against Israel as
long as there were Lebanese detainees in Israel and as long as Israel continued to occupy
the Shebaa Farms region. 
"We still don’t consider what has been happening in the south to be a complete withdrawal
unless Israel withdraws from the Shebaa Farms and all detainees are released." 
Regarding Hizbullah’s position toward UN forces deploying in the south, Nasrallah said
that the role of UN troops was to protect Lebanon. "If Israel staged an attack after a
withdrawal or fired at fishermen along the Tyre coast, how would the UN behave? We will
accept the UN role if it protects Lebanon," he said. 
Asked if a continued occupation of the Shebaa Farms would see Hizbullah staging
cross-border operations, Nasrallah replied: "We will see what is necessary for this case.
It is under study." 
 

DS 24/05/00