During February and March 2008, Hizbullah's Al-Manar TV aired reports on visitors from the U.S. and from Egypt who came to pay their respects at the grave of senior Hizbullah commander 'Imad Mughniya, who was assassinated in February 2008.
One visitor from the U.S. was Franklin Lamb, author, activist, and director of Americans for the Just Peace in the Middle East and who writes on websites including Counterpunch.[1] Lamb, who was described by the Al-Manar TV reporter as "persiste[nt] in his support for the just cause of the Lebanese people's resistance," has demanded that the Bush administration "prove" that Hizbullah is a terrorist organization.[2]
In the Al-Manar segment that aired March 25, 2008, Lamb expressed his support for Hizbullah and said he was "honored to be in this venerable place," and responded to criticism of his visit by U.S. Charge d'Affaires Michele J. Sison by saying that she herself should come to pay her respects.
In another segment, aired February 28, 2008, Egyptian Labor Party Secretary-General Magdi Ahmad Hussein spoke with Mughinya's father,
To view this clip on MEMRI TV, visit http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/1728 .
To view the MEMRI TV page dedicated to Al-Manar TV, visit http://www.memritv.org/subject/en/116.htm .
Franklin Lamb Visit – Aired March 25, 2008
Reporter: "Franklin Lamb, director of Americans for a Just Peace in the Middle East, has chosen the 40th day of the martyrdom of the commander Hajj 'Imad Mughniya to visit his pure tomb and place a flower wreath on it. He then strolled around the garden, asking about each martyr, including the martyr Hadi Nasrallah and his comrades. Then he responded to U.S. charge d'affaires Michele Sison, who had expressed her disgust at Lamb's offer of condolences for Mughniya's martyrdom."
Franklin Lamb (in English): "I don't know her. I heard something about her complaint that I respect the resistance. I'm honored to be here. I believe that many Americans share my belief that the Lebanese resistance is our resistance too. Nobody should ask why I am here. The American ambassador should be asked why she isn't here to offer her apology and her respect to all Lebanese, because 85% of the Israeli weapons come [from the U.S.], in order to be used against the Lebanese resistance and the Lebanese people. I am honored to be in this venerable place, which contains the bodies of the resistance fighters. I believe that American public opinion has recently become familiar with the resistance and its background."
Reporter: "It is well known that Franklin Lamb's wife was killed in the bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut in the early 1980s, when she happened to be at the embassy as part of her work in support of human rights in Lebanon. Despite this, he maintained his views and persisted in his support for the just cause of the Lebanese people's resistance. Moreover, he considers his wife to be one of the martyrs of the resistance." [...]
Egyptian Party Sec-Gen Visit – Aired February 28, 2008
Reporter: "Since this is a visit of the prince of the convoy of martyrs, the garden is still teeming with visitors, who have been arriving day and night, from all persuasions and from all areas – old and young arrive in order to recite the Fatiha verse over the tomb of the martyr. Since Hajj 'Imad's martyrdom transcends the borders of the homeland, the garden has received visitors from Arab countries. At the invitation of the Institute for International Studies, Egyptian Labor Party Secretary-General Magdi Ahmad Hussein came from Egypt to congratulate the father [of Mughniya] on his sons' martyrdom, and stressed that the martyrs are the models for this nation. The Egyptian delegation and the martyr's father held the following conversation":
Faiz, 'Imad Mughniya’s father: "All three sons are gone, Allah be praised. If I had more sons, I would sacrifice them too. I am willing to sacrifice more. I'm even willing to sacrifice myself. In any form of Jihad, I am willing to sacrifice myself."
Magdi Ahmad Hussein: "He will plead on your behalf in Paradise."
Faiz Mughniya: "Allah be praised."
Magdi Ahmad Hussein: "You will go to Paradise and meet him there. They will plead on your behalf. The nation owes these sons a great deal. In their graves, they have a greater influence than they had in their lives. They give us inspiration. For every child who comes here – this is a school. He learns from this martyr."
[1] http://www.counterpunch.org/lamb05242007.html, http://www.counterpunch.org/lamb05262007.html, http://www.counterpunch.org/lamb09142007.html, http://www.counterpunch.org/lamb03012008.html, and more.
[2] http://www.counterpunch.org/lamb04062007.html, April 6, 2007.
