Hizbullah Rejects Hariri Initiative

An opposition source said any ideas for ending the crisis other than those proposed by Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah are rejected, reported Al-Manar television.

Hariri proposed on Thursday, May 8, a deal to end the conflict under which government decisions that angered Hizbullah would be considered a "misunderstanding".

"We would entrust the two misunderstood cabinet decisions with the military which is responsible for safeguarding security and civil peace," said Hariri.

The government earlier this week declared illegal Hizbullah's communications network and removed the head of airport security, a Shiite, from his post.

Nasrallah described the government decisions as a 'declaration of war'.

He, however, stressed that Hizbullah stands ready for dialogue once the government rescinded its decisions.

Lebanon has been on the edge since president Emile Lahoud stepped down in November with no elected successor.

While rivals have agreed to elect army chief Michel Suleiman, they disagree on the make-up of the new cabinet.

Fighting

Fighting continued across Beirut for a third day on Friday between supporters of the opposition and the ruling majority.

The thud of exploding grenades and crackle of automatic gunfire echoed across the city in the worst internal strife since the 1975-90 civil war.

Security sources said at least 10 people had been killed and 20 wounded since the clashes erupted on Thursday.

The sources said gunmen loyal to Hizbullah forced pro-government Future News television of Saad Hariri off the air

"Armed gunmen surrounded the building, stormed into the garage and demanded through the army the shutdown of the station," station head Nadim Moulla told AFP.

Gunmen had also taken over the offices of Hariri's Al-Mustaqbal newspaper, witnesses said. Smoke billowed from the building's windows.

The gunmen handed over several seized posts, including the Hariri media outlets and homes of some of his deputies and ministers, to the army without clashes.

Gunmen also attacked the house the parliamentary majority leader in western Beirut.

More