Lebanese Prisoners Association Officially Marks Liberation Day

Source: Daily Star, 24-05-2008
South Lebanon: The Lebanese Association for Prisoners held a ceremony at the site of the former Khiam detention (Nazi style) camp on Friday on the occasion of the eighth anniversary of Liberation Day, which marks 'Israel's' withdrawal from most of the South in May 2000. Hizbullah's commander in the South, Sheikh Nabil Qaouk, said: "Our happiness could not be complete while detainees still remain in 'Israeli' prisons."
"Despite the internal developments, Hizbullah affirms that the issue of the detainees is at the top of its priorities," he added. "No internal debates and divisions will pull the resistance away from liberating detainees, the (occupied) Shibaa Farms or the Kfar Shuba Hills, or from defending Lebanon against 'Israeli' attacks."
According to Qaouk, the resistance's weapons are the "only guarantee" for the return of the detainees' and of Lebanon's sovereignty and protection.
"Negotiations aimed to secure the early release of all detainees have not stopped," he said.
Qaouk said the resistance "is still in the arena of confrontation to defend all Lebanese regions and sects."
"The resistance and its victories are for all Lebanon," he said. "'Israel' and the US can now only lament their failure to attack the resistance."
Families of those held in 'Israeli' prisons carried photos of the detainees and of Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Helium-filled balloons with the photos of Lebanese detainees and Nasrallah were also released into the air.
"We are people who do not leave detainees in prisons," read some of the balloons.
The Khiam facility served as a detention camp from 1985 until occupying 'Israeli' forces withdrew from most of South Lebanon in May 2000.
Sheikh Abdel-Karim Obeid, a former detainee in 'Israel', voiced hope that all prisoners would be released one day.
The father of prisoner Maher Kourani vowed to keep following "the resistance's path no matter how heavy the sacrifices."