PMO denies Israeli role in Imad Mughniyah's death

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The Prime Minister's Office on Wendesday denied any Israeli role in the assassination of Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Imad Mughniyah, who was killed in a bomb blast in Damascus late Tuesday night.

"Israel rejects the attempt by terror groups to attribute to it any involvement in this incident," said the PMO in a statement. "We have nothing further to add."

Former Mossad chief Danny Yatom on Wednesday welcomed Mughniyah'S death, calling it "a great achievement for the free world in its fight on terror." "Mughniyah was one of the most dangerous and cruel terrorists of all time," said the Labor MK. "There are numerous intelligence agencies and countries that have been pursuing him, and the one that was successful in reaching him - to have a high intelligence and operational capability."

Yatom called Mughniyah's death a serious blow to Hezbollah, both in terms of morale and in terms of its operational capabilities, saying the assassination could only have been made possible by penetrating deep into the organization.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/953928.html

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1. Hariri memorial, Mughniyah funeral set to divide Beirut residents

Beirut will be divided Thursday into two worlds, separated by an abyss. At 10 A.M., in the Martyrs Square in the center of town, the third annual memorial will be held for the murdered former prime minister, Rafik Hariri. Four hours later, at 2 P.M., Hezbollah will flex its muscles during a mass funeral for the assassinated terrorist mastermind, Imad Mughniyah.

Lebanon is a divided country, and its citizens have a sharpened sense of political awareness. The two events that will be held the same day in the same city are expected to turn into a competition over death: in which event will there be more participants?

On Wednesday, Hezbollah announced that it is calling on all its supporters to attend the funeral "in order to carry on the resistance and achieve victory." At the same time, the Shuff mountains awoke Wednesday to the sound of loudspeakers carrying the speeches of Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and the late Hariri, announcing rallying points from which convoys of participants in the memorial in Beirut would embark passengers.

The government of Lebanon announced the closing of schools and public institutions in the capital Thursday, hoping this will enable as many Hariri supporters as possible to attend the memorial. Of course, this will also enable opponents of Hariri to participate in the competing rally.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/954278.html

[oberliner]

2. What do you think?

Do you think Israel was responsible?

If so, do you think the action was justified?

If not, who do you think was responsible?

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3. I don't really know.

The only one I have not seen mentioned is Nasrallah, who was one of the first to pop into my mind. But then I have read Machievelli. All the other sources sort of said "Huh?" and then started spinning about how their dearest enemies must have done it. None of the theories posed is actually implausible, as far as I can see.

It is worth remembering that Lebanese politics has been characterized by these things of late. Mostly against the other side from this fellow. It could be revenge from quarter we would not expect for some act we don't connect this guy with. It could be political, somebody thought they needed a dead terrorist or martyr.

I was struck by the absence of any apparent desire to "take credit".

Edit: I do think the situation is very dangerous.

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5. Death of Hezbollah kingpin: A war awaits

A slightly US-ian oriented but generally good (IMHO) analysis:

Those who live by the sword must die by the sword. Imad Mughniyeh must have known the adage, and now he, like all of his alleged victims, has met a violent death, of all places, in Syria, where he was hiding because that was perceived to be the safest place for him.

The 45-year-old Mughniyeh was said to be one of Hezbollah's top security strategists and high on America's list of wanted "terrorists". His last reported public appearance was at his brother Fuad's funeral in 1994 in Beirut.

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The world may be a better place, but the chances of another outbreak of violence between Hezbollah and Israel have escalated by more than a few notches.

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To understand the significance of Mughniyeh to Hezbollah, the following comment is pertinent. It was made to Anthony Shadid of the Washington Post by Ali Hassan Khalil, who is a member Parliament with Amal, another Shi'ite Muslim group allied with Hezbollah, "This is a loss of a major pillar in resistance work. He was an expert at making victories and building fighting capacities against Israel. He played an essential role in all resistance activities, especially the last war."

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JB15Ak02.html

About Israel, I don't know, I don't think they want a war right now, but I'm sure they would love to have nailed this guy. I don't know how to balance the different factors. They might have had a secondary role? It's just hard to say.

[Sit-rep]

4. A successful op

I would imagine Israel with a heads up to western intel organizations did it. The beauty of this op is...no one knows. Very well done, indeed.

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6. Israeli cautiously elated at Hizbollah death

Israelis responded with a blend of grim delight and heightened concern to the assassination of Imad Moughniyah, the top Hizbollah commander killed in a bomb blast in Damascus on Wednesday.

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Israeli media commentators and analysts were careful on Thursday not to undermine the government’s denials regarding the country’s involvement in the attack. However, several newspapers pointed out that the audacious bombing of such a well-protected and highly-sought target inside a hostile country bore all the hallmarks of the Mossad, Israel’s intelligence service.

As Maariv, an Israeli daily newspaper, noted on Thursday: ”Official Israel yesterday denied responsibility for the killing. But experts say the brilliant execution of the attack was characteristic of the Mossad.”

For now, at least, the killing is proving a blessing for Ehud Olmert, Israel’s prime minister. While officially distancing his country from the attack, the widespread belief that Israel succeeded in eliminating a top enemy in a daring undercover operation is certain to boost the prime minister’s standing with the Israeli public.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b30cd104-db15-11dc-9fdd-0000779fd2ac.html

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7. Hassan Nasrallah: Hezbollah ready to open war with Israel

BEIRUT, Feb 14 (KUNA) -- Secretary General of Lebanese Hezbollah party Hassan Nasrallah announced on Thursday that the party was ready for open war with Israel. "If you want this kind of open war, the whole world should hear.. Let this be an open war," Nasrallah said in a speech during the funeral of Imad Mughniyah, one of the group's top commanders who was assassinated in an explosion in Damascus two days ago.

Nasrallah said that "anyone who believes that the assassination of Mughniyah would lead to the collapse of the Islamic Resistance its weakness or defect, is mistaking." Nasrallah said that war with Israel has been continuing at all levels since the battles of July 2006 and that the assassination of Mughniyah is the date that marks Israel's fall down.

By this assassination Israel had exceeded natural limits of the battle field, which is Lebanon, he said vowing that to wage an open war against Israel.

http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1884324&Language=en

[Vegasaurus]

9. Talk about itching for a fight! nt

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8. Hariri says "hand extended" to Lebanon opposition

BEIRUT, Feb 14 (Reuters) The son of former premier Rafik al-Hariri marked the anniversary of his father's assassination today by urging the Syria-backed opposition to join a unity government to end a crisis that has paralysed Lebanon. Supporters of Saad al-Hariri anti-Damascus governing coalition poured into Martyrs Square to mark the killing of Hariri three years ago which led to Syria's military withdrawal from Lebanon and to the crisis which divides the Lebanese.

''Our hand is extended and will remain extended, no matter what the difficulties,'' Hariri told the crowd in a message to the opposition, which is led by the powerful Damascus-backed Hezbollah.

The governing coalition accuses Syria of killing Hariri and other anti-Syrian figures assassinated since his death. Syria denies any involvement.

Speaking at the funeral of assassinated Hezbollah military commander Imad Moughniyah, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said: ''When we see that the extended hand is sincere, it will only be met by an extended hand.'' The opposition and governing coalition have been locked in a power struggle for 15 months that has paralysed government, left the country without a president since November and led to the worst street violence since the 1975-90 civil war.

http://www.deepikaglobal.com/ENG4_sub.asp?ccode=ENG4&newscode=14350