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Last update - 14:51 07/12/2009
Netanyahu: Today, Lebanon's real army is Hezbollah
By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed addressed the security situation along Israel's border with Lebanon during a meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday, saying that the Lebanese militia Hezbollah was taking the place of the Lebanese army as the country's major military power.

"If in the past we viewed Lebanon as a secondary military power," Netanyahu said, "today Hezbollah is the real Lebanese army, and it has replaced the actual Lebanese army as a major force that is arming itself and training like any other army."

"The Lebanese government and Hezbollah are becoming intertwined," he added. "They are the ones who would be held responsible for any attack on Israel."
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In regard to Israel's indirect peace talks with Syria, which were suspended last winter after Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu told the committee that Israel was ready to resume negotiations immediately and without preconditions. However, he added that he had told French President Nicolas Sarkozy that he preferred that France mediate the talks rather than Turkey, which previously served as mediator.

During the meeting, Netanyahu also urged the West to use the social "power of the Internet" to counter the Iranian threat and the Islamic regime's crackdown on its own opposition, reiterating Israel's concern over Iran's contentious nuclear program.

The prime minister declared that Iran posed a plethora of threats to the world as well as to its own people, including its "violent elections, the discovery of the nuclear facility in Qom, its deception of the international community and preventing its nation's freedom of information through the Internet."

"Iran is silencing all sources of information," said Netanyahu. "Using the power of the Internet and of Twitter against the Iranian regime is a tremendous thing that the United States can do."

The prime minister added that the "deep hatred among part of the Iranian nation against the regime" could serve as a "very important asset to Israel."

Iran's refusal to respond to the international community's offer for a nuclear deal and its opposition to exporting uranium to be enriched outside its borders underlined the West's need to stick to its threat of imposing sanctions by late December.

Netanyahu called Iran's armament the "central problem" facing the international community and said it was in the world's "utmost interest" to stop Tehran from gaining more weapons.

He added that Israel and the United States were strengthening their ties and increasing cooperation on a strategic level with regard to "information, intensive assessments and diplomatic coordination" against Iran.

Meanwhile, Iranian authorities choked off Internet access on Sunday and warned journalists working for foreign media to stick to their offices for the next three days.

The measures were aimed at depriving the opposition of its key means of mobilizing the masses as Iran's clerical rulers keep a tight lid on dissent.
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  1.   The Sea of Green has NO political agenda 11:20  |  FT 07/12/09
  2.   Linking Iranian opposition to Israel. That`ll lose them votes. 11:20  |  Michael 07/12/09
  3.   Hasn`t Netanyahu enough democracy (and nuke) problems at home? 11:59  |  Petteri 07/12/09
  4.   Iran a threat? 12:28  |  k_w 07/12/09
  5.   CLI 12:29  |  CLI 07/12/09
  6.   The more I realize Israel`s tricks the more I prefer Iran 12:32  |  American 07/12/09
  7.   oh Indeed! It is Netayahu. 12:59  |  RJBH 07/12/09
  8.   Is Netanayahu trying to destroy the Iranian opposition? 13:04  |  AB 07/12/09
  9.   He makes Hisbollah`s argument for it 13:35  |  Mark Lincoln 07/12/09
  10.   Hizbollah saved Lebanon from Israeli settlement building 13:40  |  Natallie Durson 07/12/09
  11.   Ayatola nuke issue must be undermined 14:07  |  Joseph .E 07/12/09
  12.   Netanyahu is aggravated 14:16  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/12/09
  13.   Not only can The Zionist No Longer attack Lebanon with Impunity 14:25  |  RJBH 07/12/09
  14.   nr 6 american do you live in iran or israel?? 14:28  |  rafiq 07/12/09
  15.   Iran might be a threat to Israel but 15:00  |  Peter 07/12/09
  16.   Circular Logic 101 for Mark L. 17:28  |  Jacob Blues 07/12/09
  17.   # 10 17:32  |  Ron 07/12/09
  18.   Turkey Logic? 17:39  |  Thom 07/12/09
  19.   A new role for Hezbollah? 17:45  |  a wandering Jew 07/12/09
  20.   What about lebanon 2nd try or about 18:17  |  a wandering Jew 07/12/09
  21.   netanyahu 18:27  |  dave 07/12/09
  22.   Natalie # 10 18:28  |  Arnold 07/12/09
  23.   #10; Natallie Durson, WHAT NONSENSE 18:39  |  Mark from Georgia 07/12/09
  24.   Hezballah run Lebanon 18:59  |  Imad 07/12/09
  25.   #13 RJBH ...but we`d have no more reason to do it! 20:08  |  Dan 07/12/09
  26.   Petteri thinks it`s an obsession 20:19  |  SDHD 07/12/09
  27.   #4 KW,YES IRAN IS A THREAT! 20:24  |  Big Sur 07/12/09
  28.   Peter`s so what mentality #15 20:26  |  Big Sur 07/12/09
  29.   #6 American one sick puppy 20:30  |  Big Sur 07/12/09
  30.   #10 Natalie in Iran 20:36  |  BIG SUR 07/12/09
  31.   Lebanon is the sacrificial lamb. 20:58  |  a wandering Jew 07/12/09
  32.   #16 Big Sur forgets to say 21:02  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/12/09
  33.   23 hris always sure that the threat of Iran is a joke 21:48  |  Big Sur 07/12/09
  34.   Mr Netanyahu is a bit slow. 21:49  |  Maureen Ann 07/12/09
  35.   this is documented for you Chris 21:54  |  Big Sur 07/12/09
  36.   While we`re on the topic 23:25  |  White Russian 07/12/09
  37.   Today Durson supported the deaths of more then 40 01:16  |  GZLives 08/12/09
  38.   Israel, Iran, Lebanon, Hizbollah, Syria, what`s left out? 01:21  |  Mike McKenna 08/12/09
  39.   Lebanon = Hezbollah 02:57  |  sfg 08/12/09
  40.   Hezbollah is the real Lebanese army 03:17  |  binny 08/12/09
  41.   Lightweight forgets 03:42  |  Stephen in New York 08/12/09
  42.   Netanyahu is confused 05:01  |  Roger Abdelmassih 08/12/09
  43.   BECAUSE OF THIS OR ELSE? 09:04  |  indrajaya 08/12/09
  44.   #32; indrajaya, FACTS WRONG 15:34  |  Mark from Georgia 08/12/09
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