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Last update - 16:45 15/05/2008 Hezbollah declares crisis over after Lebanon gov't climb-down By News Agencies Tags: Hezbollah, Lebanon Hezbollah's deputy leader Sheik Naim Kassem said Monday that the Lebanon-based militant group was willing to return to a state of normalcy, after the government decided to reverse crackdown measures that had triggered days of conflict. Kassem's comments Thursday came after meeting with an Arab delegation that was working find a solution to Lebanon's worst crisis since the end of the 1975-90 civil war. Clashes between supporters of the government and the Hezbollah-led opposition broke out last week after the Cabinet decided to sack the airport security chief for alleged ties to Hezbollah and declared the militants' private telephone network illegal. Advertisement The government reversed those decisions Wednesday. Kassem's comments signal Hezbollah may end its civil disobedience campaign and reopen roads in Beirut. The Arab League delegation was expected to conclude a deal to end fighting in Lebanon on Thursday after the government backed down on its conflict. The delegation was expected to announce talks in Qatar to resolve a broader political conflict that has paralysed Lebanon for 18 months and is regarded as a proxy struggle between the United States and Iran, which supports the Hezbollah movement. "We want to return to a settlement which leads, in the end, to there being neither victor nor vanquished," Kassem told reporters after meeting the delegation, which was due to hold a news conference at 3.30 P.M. Hezbollah briefly controlled the Muslim areas of the capital during the conflict that triggered fighting with Sunni and Druze government supporters. At least 81 people were killed in the fighting, which began on May 7. Hezbollah, which leads an alliance of opposition factions, said the cancellation of the decisions was a "natural way out" of the crisis. Hezbollah had demanded the ruling coalition agree to talks as a condition for ending a civil disobedience campaign which has included roadblocks that have paralysed the capital. The roadblocks, including barricades on the airport road, are expected to be lifted on Thursday after the Arab League delegation, headed by the prime minister of Qatar, announces agreement on the talks to be held in Doha Bookmark to del.icio.us   Animated massacre Animated Israeli film at Cannes explores Sabra and Shatila massacre. Kowtowing to funders When papers are sponsored, can their reporting be truly independent?   1.   nasrallah`s credibility 14:50  |  bashar 15/05/08   2.   Lebanon and the Hizbullah. 15:51  |  Jean Van Daem 15/05/08   3.   a state within a state 16:06  |  Jacob 15/05/08   4.   Siniora: Why did I ever let them talk me into this! 16:06  |  Natallie Durson 15/05/08   5.   This was the day the Lebanese nailed the coffin shut 16:36  |  Ben 15/05/08   6.   Licking Nasrallah`s boots 16:45  |  Mike 15/05/08   7.   natallie Durson 16:50  |  Jeff 15/05/08   8.   Nathalie, if you come to Lebanon without a Burka 17:10  |  Tarek 15/05/08   9.   god bless 17:14  |  jane 15/05/08   10.   Nasrallah and the Arab street 17:22  |  Atoo 15/05/08   11.   #6 mike or miky 17:28  |  imad 15/05/08   12.   Nasrallah is 100% Lebanese as is Hezboallah 17:28  |  American Voter 15/05/08   13.   Another Bush foreign policy success... 17:31  |  Aphemia 15/05/08   14.   Iran conquers Lebanon 17:33  |  Realist 15/05/08   15.   Nathalie Haaretz ` employee 17:36  |  Your finger 15/05/08   16.   #4 Tark 17:50  |  imad 15/05/08   17.   To Natallie, no. 4 17:54  |  Sam C 15/05/08   18.   Oh they remind me so of Tommy`s Cousin Kevin 17:56  |  SA 15/05/08   19.   Shame on Lebanon once again. Now what? 17:56  |  Fortuna Benmayor 15/05/08   20.   jane-`god bless` 17:59  |  Just Facts 15/05/08   21.   Durson and politics ...lol 17:59  |  Gabriel 15/05/08   22.   hizbullah vs civilians...Durson humanism is ok with that... 18:05  |  Gabriel. 15/05/08   23.   Hezballah and Lebanon 18:10  |  Billy 15/05/08   24.   Hello!!! Can`t you see Iran behind this??? 18:19  |  Chibear 15/05/08   25.   Should have learned the lessons from 1982 18:28  |  chibear 15/05/08   26.   I can see, therefore it`s my duty to lead the blind 18:42  |  Natallie Durson 15/05/08   27.   Bunch of spineless cowards, absolutely pathetic 18:47  |  jj 15/05/08   28.   Billy. reasonable facts, misleading conclusions 19:35  |  Tarek 15/05/08   29.   Dear Natalie 19:37  |  Mark Hammond 15/05/08   30.   #26 - Natallie the Hypocrite 19:49  |  MichaelF 15/05/08   31.   Natallie Durson - LOL.. Is that your arguement? Make 19:51  |  z 15/05/08   32.   Abject failure for the US & Israel in Lebanon 19:58  |  Clickfool 15/05/08   33.   HIZBULLAH VICTORIOUS ....AGAIN 20:11  |  TripleJump 15/05/08   34.   reply to: JustFacts 20:52  |  jane 15/05/08   35.   19 YEARS IS TOO LONG TO WAIT 21:35  |  Arik Silverman 15/05/08   36.   Tarek - did you ever see a Burka in Lebanon? 22:14  |  Palestinian Brit 15/05/08   37.   Re Natallie #4 22:15  |  Esther 15/05/08   38.   No 24 - Chicago, Can`t you smell the US behind this? 22:22  |  Palestinian Brit 15/05/08   39.   Re Natallie #26 22:28  |  Esther 15/05/08   40.   #12 American Voter 22:31  |  maoriboy 15/05/08   41.   Hizulla "pulled a Gaza" 22:36  |  Joe 15/05/08   42.   No 27 gov`t threatened to subdue Hiz 22:37  |  Palestinian Brit 15/05/08   43.   hasbullah created the crisis,oh well at least it was muslims that 22:39  |  even stevens 15/05/08   44.   #13 Realist 22:45  |  maoriboy 15/05/08   45.   Hezbollah declares crisis over after Lebanon gov`t climb-down 23:20  |  Galvin Templar 15/05/08   46.   it would be something if the lebaneses government stepped down 23:36  |  POP 15/05/08   47.   Failure of US policy in Lebanon (after Iraq and propably Afgh.) 23:38  |  Mark B. 15/05/08   48.   Good bye Lebanon 23:50  |  Soldier of Above 15/05/08   49.   Tarek-Burqa 23:51  |  x 15/05/08   50.   mark b # 44 at least the us tries to do something to help the 00:18  |  amsterdamsux 16/05/08   51.   Hamas and Hezbolla endless similarities UK Pal 01:12  |  Joe Frazier 16/05/08   52.   a public relations defeat for hez b allah 01:49  |  Arthur 16/05/08   53.   #12: actually most of hez are actually from iran 02:41  |  daz 16/05/08   54.   Civil Disobediance Campaign Sounds Like A Realistic Scenario 03:44  |  Joseph . E 16/05/08   55.   clickfool 32 04:03  |  Sabra 16/05/08   56.   YET ANOTHER TRIUMPH OF WISDOM AND MODERATION 04:14  |  Mohamed MALLECK 16/05/08

Read & React Israel protests UN chief Ban Ki-Moon's use of term 'nakba' Responses: 421 PMO: U.S., Israel see need for 'tangible action' on Iran nukes Responses: 129 Shmuel Rosner: Bush, Obama and the 'appeasement' jibe Responses: 90 Bin Laden vows to 'fight' Israel for Palestinian land Responses: 201 Sultan al-Qassemi: Arab Jews should be welcomed back in their ancestral homes Responses: 128 Rosner's Domain Bush should be measured by the yardstick he prescribed to Obama The greatest achievement and failure of the Jewish people Is Obama a Carter or a Chomsky? (WTR) Poll: Was Bush attacking Obama? Does McCain wants to talk to Hamas? (WTR) More Headlines 02:00 Report: Police to confront Olmert with new evidence 01:44 Obama says Bush policies strengthened Iran, Hamas 23:53 Bush offers Saudis nuclear power in exchange for more oil 13:20 Bin Laden vows to 'fight' Israel for Palestinian land 21:16 The enemies within 17:09 New York Muslim leader forges close ties with city's Jews 21:12 Green giant 09:07 Was Bush's Knesset speech a swipe at Obama? 13:10 PMO: U.S., Israel see need for 'tangible action' on Iran nukes 21:50 Man suspected of stabbing wife, leaving her moderately wounded 14:09 Hamas: Inclusion of Shalit in truce deal must be on our terms 18:20 ANALYSIS: Who wants to stop Iran? Previous Editions Select Day 16 may 15 may 14 may 13 may 12 may 11 may 09 may 08 may 07 may 06 may 05 may 04 may

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