Massive Pro-Syrian rally in Lebanon

3/13/2005 10:18:00 PM GMT

More than 300,000 pro-Syrian protesters rallied in southern Lebanese city on Sunday chanting "Death to America" and "Death to Israel", and denouncing the U.S.-backed UN 1559 resolution, photographers who were present at the scene reported.

Responding to a call from the pro-Syrian Shiite parties Amal and Hezbollah, thousands of demonstrators gathered in the southern town of Nabatiyeh, 70 kilometers (45 miles) south of Beirut on Sunday, with many waving Lebanese flags, denouncing UN Security Council Resolution 1559, that stipulates a full withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon and disarming Hezbollah and other Palestinian factions.

Also some of the protesters were holding banners pledging loyalty to Syria and its president, Bashar Al Assad, and saying that the UN Resolution was as assault on Lebanese sovereignty.

"Syria remains in our hearts and our spirits," one banner said.

Other banners proclaimed in English "Shut up Bush," "Bush, we don't need your democracy" and "Bush, we're in Lebanon, not Ukraine."

"Yes to a Syrian withdrawal, no to 1559," said one of the banners.

"Danger to Lebanon"

Hezbollah legislator Mohammad Raad told demonstrators that the 1559 resolution is "nothing more than sedition to divide Lebanon and to disengage Lebanese-Syrian relations, to turn Lebanon into an Israeli protectorate in line with the map that America wants to draw in the Middle East."

Also Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri warned that the UN resolution was a "danger to Lebanon."

The rally went ahead despite President Emile Lahoud’s warning that continued protests would lead to a catastrophe in the country.

"If they want to continue demonstrating, a little firecracker will lead to catastrophe," said the Lebanese President.

"We are not in Georgia and nor are we in Ukraine. We have lived through 17 years of war and this could happen again ...," he said, referring to Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war.