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Defense Minister Ehud Barak attending the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting in Jerusalem on Monday. (Tomer Neuberg / Jini)
Last update - 20:47 27/08/2007
Barak: Hezbollah rocket arsenal bigger now than before the war
By Shahar Ilan, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Hezbollah, Knesset, arsenal 

Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that Hezbollah has more rockets today than it did prior to the Second Lebanon War last summer.

According to a source who was present at the meeting, Barak was referring to both long-range and short-range rockets, and said that the rockets are situated north of the Litani River, but within striking range of Israel.

Hezbollah fired almost 4,000 rockets at northern Israel during the 34-day war in 2006, and Israeli land and air assaults caused heavy damage to Lebanese towns and neighborhoods.
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The war was sparked by a Hezbollah attack on an Israeli border patrol in which three soldiers were killed and two taken captive. The fate of the captured soldiers remains unknown. More than 1,000 Lebanese and 158 Israelis died in the fighting.

In regard to the tense relationship between Israel and Syria, Barak said that he can sense that the tension is beginning to dissipate.

An associate of the defense minister explained that it appears that Israel's tireless efforts to calm Syrian fears of an imminent conflict have finally taken effect, and now the Syrians view Israel as less aggressive.

Barak told the Knesset panel that he can see "similarities between the young [current Syrian President Bashar] Assad and his father [former Syrian president Hafez] Assad."

Barak also told the committee that Israel must not pull out of the West Bank in the near future, given the threat of rocket fire on Israeli cities.

"The things we see in Gaza do not allow us to change our actions in (the West Bank),? Barak was quoted by one of the participants as saying, referring to daily rocket fire at Israel from Gaza by Palestinian militants.

He said it would take about two and a half years to develop and deploy a defense system to protect Israel's center from potential rocket attacks from the West Bank.

Monday's discussion was Barak's first appearance before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee since he was appointed defense minister. Barak outlined before the panel his general outlook on Israel's security, saying it was based on five major principles: operating an active anti-rocket defense system; improving the Israel Defense Forces' ability to maneuver in the realm of defense and protection; extending the IDF's logistical stamina in terms of supplies; increasing the amount of training exercises, including live fire training; tackling the issue of the IDF's ability to operate deep within enemy territory.

Barak also discussed the plan to relocate IDF bases to the Negev, and announced that the execution of this plan would cost some NIS 20 billion.
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  1.   Trying to connect up the dots..... 13:50  |  Esther 27/08/07
  2.   A GOOD THING BARAK, BABY 14:02  |  indrajaya 27/08/07
  3.   Fake Indrajaya alert #2 14:35  |  Indrajaya 27/08/07
  4.   Might Olmerd & Livni be responsible for this fiasco? 14:37  |  Nili 27/08/07
  5.   Wow ! I thought the war was a success for Israel 14:51  |  Beni 27/08/07
  6.   So Barak, what are you going to do about it? 14:53  |  Zev 27/08/07
  7.   Lebanese: YOUR Hizballah will bring YOUR destruction!!!!!!!!!!!!! 15:00  |  Vittorio 27/08/07
  8.   You better believe it 15:05  |  Maral 27/08/07
  9.   to Nili number 4 15:15  |  chemers dan 27/08/07
  10.   # 8 Maral 15:28  |  Lynn 27/08/07
  11.   Barak Competancy 15:47  |  Ron 27/08/07
  12.   I trust Nasrallh 15:50  |  Shemo 27/08/07
  13.   Lynn 15:56  |  Maral 27/08/07
  14.   And if they try to pull that crap again... 15:59  |  Nechama 27/08/07
  15.   Iranians and Hezbollah 16:20  |  Brod 27/08/07
  16.   Hezbollah rocket arsenal bigger now 16:22  |  Elie 27/08/07
  17.   # 8 Maral 16:27  |  dovale 27/08/07
  18.   Some good news in the article 16:35  |  Mark Lincoln 27/08/07
  19.   to maral # 8 "as a deterent,these weapons are great.at least,we 16:42  |  terrornator 27/08/07
  20.   So, Maral, now the thugs of the Hizballah will be able 16:51  |  Dani Regev 27/08/07
  21.   That`s good news 16:56  |  Stephen Murray 27/08/07
  22.   Barak probably right 17:15  |  Chick 27/08/07
  23.   Mark Lincoln TAP YOURSELF ON THE SHOULDER 17:18  |  Gil 27/08/07
  24.   to maral re: lynn so now your willing to admit hesbullah is part 17:21  |  terrornator 27/08/07
  25.   A Roast for Hezbolah 17:22  |  Jim 27/08/07
  26.   Destroy the enemy 17:35  |  Justice Seeker 27/08/07
  27.   Collect `Em All 17:41  |  Solon 27/08/07
  28.   #7 on the contrary 17:44  |  Mark 27/08/07
  29.   Mark Lincoln ACCORDING TO RES 1701 17:50  |  Gil 27/08/07
  30.   Gil - Still letting the id drive? 17:53  |  Mark Lincoln 27/08/07
  31.   So Why is Barak Still In The Government? 17:53  |  Yoram 27/08/07
  32.   To Nili # 4 - Olmert and Livni 17:54  |  Dagma 27/08/07
  33.   Lynn/Maral 17:56  |  Nadir 27/08/07
  34.   More Money for Defence 17:57  |  Joe 27/08/07
  35.   if hesbullah attacks israel again,the first nuke should 18:10  |  terrornator 27/08/07
  36.   so Maral are you inviting war this time? 18:20  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 27/08/07
  37.   STEPHEN AND INNOCENT CIVILIANS 18:22  |  Brant 27/08/07
  38.   Chosen people are scared?? 18:24  |  Fatih 27/08/07
  39.   Maral 18:36  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 27/08/07
  40.   To # 7 - Very stupid indeed 18:37  |  Akram - Paris/Beirut 27/08/07
  41.   Destroy Their Arsenal Before They Use It 18:42  |  A.K.Tion 27/08/07
  42.   Thrive in war, die in peace 18:54  |  Pedro 27/08/07
  43.   ISRAEL 18:57  |  DANNY 27/08/07
  44.   Mark Lincoln ACCORDING TO RES 1701 19:17  |  Gil 27/08/07
  45.   You are wrong, MARAL.Israelis enter Lebanon when they are bullied 19:21  |  Vittorio 27/08/07
  46.   Peace 19:40  |  Rey 27/08/07
  47.   maral needs to believe it 19:45  |  peter 27/08/07
  48.   Pedro #24 19:50  |  Saimon 27/08/07
  49.   to Stephen Murray 19:56  |  Sol 27/08/07
  50.   But you forgot the big surprise 20:01  |  Imad 27/08/07
  51.   #24 Margie in Tel Aviv 20:18  |  Imad 27/08/07
  52.   Zev 20:30  |  Imad 27/08/07
  53.   A younger, thinner Barak must have been kind of cute when he 20:40  |  Apartheid 27/08/07
  54.   Rey 20:43  |  ray 27/08/07
  55.   #16 Elie 20:47  |  Imad 27/08/07
  56.   Akram 20:48  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 27/08/07
  57.   29 Gil Hizbullah must feel free to interpret UN resolutions any 20:51  |  Apartheid 27/08/07
  58.   Akram 21:19  |  Walid 27/08/07
  59.   Apartheid 21:25  |  Walid 27/08/07
  60.   #35, the apartheid person 21:35  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/08/07
  61.   Not such bad news 21:37  |  Tosefta 27/08/07
  62.   What has happened to Barak?! 21:48  |  Esther 27/08/07
  63.   The only hope for peace, when the army of 21:54  |  Andreas 27/08/07
  64.   bigger now! 22:02  |  Akiva Patysh 27/08/07
  65.   Cipora Julianna Kohn 22:03  |  Walid 27/08/07
  66.   Free Up Shaba Farms and Keep Your Nose out of Lebanon 22:07  |  Mr. Knowitall 27/08/07
  67.   Tosefta 22:13  |  Walid 27/08/07
  68.   Cipollata Cone 22:14  |  Rami 27/08/07
  69.   it is a relief for israel 22:15  |  peace 27/08/07
  70.   Maral, sinora cried like a baby because Nasrallah sucked Lebanon 22:27  |  Steve 27/08/07
  71.   # 60 Kohn: misinformed and misinforming (as usual) 22:35  |  Natallie Durson 27/08/07
  72.   Passivity will be our downfall (part 1)