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Hezbollah men carrying Mughniyah's coffin against a backdrop of his image in the terror chief's funeral procession in Beirut last year.
 (AP)
Last update - 20:47 09/03/2009
Hezbollah: War with Israel unlikely in near future
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and Reuters
Tags: Mughniyeh, Israel News 

Hezbollah Deputy leader Sheikh Naim Kassem said on Monday that there was little prospect of another conflict with Israel in the near term.

But he warned that, "In the distant future all things are possible." Israel fought a 34-day war with Hezbollah in 2006, which it launched after the Lebanese militant organization abducted two Israeli soldiers.

The Hezbollah official also welcomed a review of policy towards Hezbollah by Britain, which says it is willing to talk to the political wing of a movement listed as a terrorist group by Washington.
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"We welcome this British revision and perhaps there will be meetings in the coming days," Kassem told Reuters in an interview.

"There is no request for a meeting but we expect this to happen soon," he said, adding that Hezbollah already had "wide contacts" with other European governments.

The group's military arm is on Britain's list of banned organizations, but Hezbollah itself makes no distinction between its political and military functions.

With Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu set to lead a new government, Kassem also said he saw no chance of progress in any peace talks between Israel and Syria and the Palestinians.

Hezbollah 'still wants to attack Israelis abroad'

The government's counterterrorism unit on Monday warned Israelis that Hezbollah still seeks to perpetrate terror attacks against them abroad, urging that they take extra precautions ahead of the Jewish holiday of Pesach.

"Hezbollah has repeatedly blamed Israel for the death of Imad Mughniyeh, something that increases the threat of terror against Israeli targets abroad," the Counter Terrorism Bureau said in a communique.

The bureau, which is part of the Prime Minister's Office, was referring to Hezbollah's slain terror operations head, who was assassinated in a February 2008 car bombing in Damascus. Israel has denied involvement in the killing.

"As such," the communique continued, "the Counter Terrorism Bureau stresses its existing travel warning on the matter of the abduction of Israelis, or harm to them, abroad."

The bureau reiterated its guidelines for Israeli nationals abroad, stating that they should be even more stringent in light of the current threat.

It called on them to pay attention to unusual phenomena, refrain from visiting Arab and Muslim countries, reject tempting proposals from suspicious or unknown individuals and meet in crowded places with trustworthy companions.

Israelis abroad should make an effort to change their routines, especially in reference to hotels and restaurants, and also refrain from bringing suspicious guests into their hotel rooms, the bureau said.

Last month, bureau issued a severe travel warning for Israelis abroad, two weeks ahead of the one-year year anniversary of Mughniyeh's assassination.

"Hezbollah appears to be prepared to carry out a serious attack in the form of an assassination or a kidnapping of an Israeli target, including abroad," the bureau said. "This threatens every Israeli, especially senior figures."

The government agency described the threat as "concrete and at the highest level."

Related articles:
  • Iran assuming Mughniyeh role inside Hezbollah
  • Israel on terror alert, warns citizens of kidnap threat abroad
  • PMO denies Israeli role in Imad Mughniyah's death
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      1.   How come 17:03  |  Noria 09/03/09
      2.   DAY AFTER DAY, IT SEEMS THAT NASSRALLAH IS TAKING PLEASURE... 17:12  |  MOSHEH 09/03/09
      3.   "Hezbollah still wants to attack Israelis abroad" 17:14  |  Christopher 09/03/09
      4.   The UK wants to talk to them 17:23  |  Mark 09/03/09
      5.   hezbollah is too cowardly to attack israel face to face 18:17  |  labrat 09/03/09
      6.   #1 Noria - Once burned, twice cautious 18:17  |  *BEN JABO 09/03/09
      7.   Noria, who is you ? 18:19  |  Akiva P 09/03/09
      8.   Hezbollah wants to attack Israelis abroad? 18:34  |  Maria 09/03/09
      9.   If they attack every Jew / Israeli abroad 18:37  |  Maria 09/03/09
      10.   Well said, Noria, #1 18:51  |  Stephen 09/03/09
      11.   #1 How Come 19:47  |  Bill Foonman 09/03/09
      12.   should Israel meet the "real IRA" ? 19:55  |  Jacob 09/03/09
      13.   #9, Here comes Sister Maria again... 19:57  |  Silvienne 09/03/09
      14.   silvienne comes here to show his/her ignorance again 21:17  |  boo hoo 09/03/09
      15.   13 Silvienne. Explain why such a "caring, progressive" woman 21:38  |  just wondering 09/03/09
      16.   Maria must of graduated from pinhead university 21:40  |  Justis 09/03/09
      17.   This is a LIE!No one knows what is going to happen tomorrow,much 21:45  |  glenna 09/03/09
      18.   Hi Silvienne - Sister Maria is the fore runner for the 21:48  |  Labhras 09/03/09
      19.   No War Just Bombs and Threats 21:50  |  John 09/03/09
      20.   Let`s send $$$ to Real IRA 22:10  |  bob jones 09/03/09
      21.   We Will Protect Ourselves 22:23  |  Dav Lev 09/03/09
      22.   a few more KATYUSHAS & you`ll see WAR faster than you can BLINK! 22:48  |  michelle 09/03/09
      23.   #11 Bill Foonman 23:38  |  Nate 09/03/09
      24.   #5 23:52  |  Kamal Boustanji 09/03/09
      25.   # 22 michelle 00:01  |  Axel 10/03/09
      26.   UN Resolution 1701 BETRAYED Israel, Lebanon & the Free World 00:04  |  Linda Rivera 10/03/09
      27.   Yea Right! 00:06  |  Frank 10/03/09
      28.   No War 00:18  |  BRL 10/03/09
      29.   Oh No Not the Jews Again 00:26  |  alan the real one 10/03/09
      30.   re 13 Its funny how life has a certain symmetry 00:28  |  alan the real one 10/03/09
      31.   #15 Just wondering---just wondering if you buy chinese 00:38  |  Labhras 10/03/09
      32.   I can see it now. 00:42  |  Johnboy 10/03/09
      33.   THE WAR OF PR HAS BEEN WON AS WELL 01:03  |  indrajaya 10/03/09
      34.   Silvienne do you consider yourself as a legal settler? 02:00  |  Viktor 10/03/09
      35.   the zio entity is incapable of war!! you dont even have a gov!! 02:11  |  get real!! 10/03/09
      36.   I have it on good authority..... 02:12  |  Johnboy 10/03/09
      37.   INTERESTING admission considering Arabs"never start" wars 02:56  |  PETER SM 10/03/09
      38.   To # 24 03:15  |  Jane_r 10/03/09
      39.   A NUCLEAR DETERRENCE IS NEXT 03:42  |  indrajaya 10/03/09
      40.   This is not up to Hezbullah 05:27  |  Michael 10/03/09
      41.   Read: Iran is dictating Hezballah to roar psycho war. 05:54  |  Fortuna Benmayor 10/03/09
      42.   They should know, they always start wars 05:56  |  Dan 10/03/09
      43.   Hizbollah Facing Balls Shortage 08:33  |  Baruch Gold 10/03/09
      44.   #36 Come again, PETER SM? 08:50  |  Johnboy 10/03/09
      45.   The second Lebanon war and the ?victory? of Hezbollah. 08:59  |  Jean Van Daem 10/03/09
      46.   hezbollah may very well see the writing on the wall 10:04  |  eric 10/03/09
      47.   Dav Lev # 21 Americans are not being threatened 14:12  |  American in NY 10/03/09
      48.   #43, Baruch names the wrong group`s balls... 16:47  |  Silvienne 10/03/09
      49.   #34 "Living as a foreigner"...Viktor? 16:49  |  Silvienne 10/03/09
      50.   maria 03:53  |  mads 11/03/09
      51.   You are a foreigner Silvienne 04:34  |  Viktor 11/03/09
      52.   Of course you are a foreigner Silvienne 05:44  |  Viktor 11/03/09
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