VZCZCXRO7708
PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHKUK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHLB #0724 1401440
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 191440Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1954
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS BEIRUT 000724 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: PETITION FOR CIVIL PEACEFUL RESISTANCE AND 
HIZBALLAH DISARMAMENT 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  (U) On May 18, a group of 327 civil society activists, 
politicians, intellectual and media figures signed and publicly 
released a petition in which they accused Hizballah of attempting to 
seize full authority in Lebanon and linking the country to the 
Gaza-Damascus-Tehran axis by destroying the vitality of the Lebanese 
society.  The group called for peaceful civil resistance to confront 
Hizballah's coup d'etat and protect Lebanon as an entity, state and 
social model.  End summary. 
 
Civil Society Signs Petition 
for Peaceful Civil Resistance 
----------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) In reaction to the street violence sparked on May 7 between 
Hizballah fighters and pro-March 14 supporters, a group of 327 civil 
society activists, politicians, intellectual and media figures 
released and signed a petition entitled, "For a peaceful civil 
resistance to protect Lebanon."  They characterized what is 
currently happening as "a bloody coup d'etat not only targeting the 
nation's existence but also the Lebanese entity." 
 
Blames International Community's Silence 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) Signatories noted that the Lebanese Armed Forces' have been 
paralyzed and unable to protect the country and its citizens from 
militias backed by the Syrian intelligence and the Iranian 
Revolutionary Guards.  They added that the UN Interim Force in 
Lebanon (UNIFIL), designated to ensure the execution of UN Security 
Council resolution 1701, had become Hizballah's hostages.  They also 
indirectly blamed the international community for overlooking that 
an armed group, designated as a terrorist organization, had besieged 
the Lebanese legitimate authority's headquarters, the homes of 
leaders, lawmakers and other political figures, and attacked and 
closed down media outlets. 
 
Hizballah Disarmament Is a Priority 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (U) Signatories of the petition declared that "the independent 
forces that agreed on participating in the dialogue,nas an ultimate 
attempt to save civil peace, should give the priority to discussing 
the crucial issue of Hizballah's arms," adding that "allowing 
Hizballah to keep their weapons means the end of Lebanon."  They 
noted that "all the other items on the agenda, namely the 
presidential election, the shape of the next government, and the 
drafting of a new electoral law, are aELlyhQn~QQpeaceful civil 
resistance to confront Hizballah's coup d'etat and protect Lebanon 
as an entity, state and social model.  They called on those willing 
to participate in the forming of this civil and peaceful resistance 
to get in touch with the group. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) According to March 14 Executive Secretary Fares Suaid, 
this petition is designed to reinforce March 14's position in Qatar 
without actually having the March 14 stamp attached to it. 
 
SISON