Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., February 25, 2008 Adar1 19, 5768 | | Israel Time: 21:38 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah addressing the crowd at Imad Mughniyah's funeral (AP)
Last update - 09:33 19/02/2008
Lebanon tensions grow amid specter of renewed Israel-Hezbollah fighting
By Yoav Stern, Yuval Azoulay and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents and News Agencies
Tags: imad mughniyah, lebanon 

Tensions are growing in Lebanon over the possibility of renewed fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in the wake fo the assassination of terrorist mastermind Imad Mughniyah in Damascus last week.

Bracing itself for the likelihood of Hezbollah retaliation, Israel on Monday deployed Patriot air defense missiles near Haifa.

Rhetoric between rival factions in Lebanon has reached a new peak with Druze leader Walid Jumblat accusing Hezbollah in an editorial to be published Tuesday in his party's journal, Al Anba, of serving Syrian interests at Lebanon's expense in its war against Israel. "Lebanon continues to be the arena where wars break out according to their [Hezbollah's] calculations, interests and circumstances, as if the occupied Syrian territory [Golan Heights] is not suitable for such campaign."
Advertisement
The recent statements by Hezbollah's secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, that the Second Lebanon War is not over yet and that there is an "open war" with Israel, have stirred angry responses from Lebanese figures opposed to the radical Shi'ite group.

Prime Minister Fuad Siniora responded to Nasrallah's statements by saying that Lebanon is not interested in war. In an interview in London to two Lebanese television stations, Siniora attacked Hezbollah and Nasrallah for accusing him and other members of the March 14 group (named after the demonstrations that swept the country in the wake of prime minister Rafik Hariri's assassination in 2005) - which opposes Syrian domination of Lebanon - of collaborating with Israel.

"Lebanon wants good relations with all the world, except with Israel ... all Lebanese are opposed to Israel. We need to stop classifying people and charging them with being agents," he said.

In parallel, pro-Hezbollah spokesmen have intensified their fiery rhetoric against Israel with calls for its destruction. After Nasrallah declared at Mughniyah's funeral in Beirut last week that "Israel will cease to exist," Ibrahim al-Amin, the editor of the pro-Hezbollah daily Al Ahbar, wrote Monday in an editorial that, "The confrontation that began under the title 'destruction of Israel' requires different tools from those [used] in the liberation of territory."

Amin wrote that conventions to date are no longer relevant and that the blow to be delivered by Hezbollah will surprise Israel. "They will have to await a response where they are expecting it and where they are not," he wrote.

The vitriol was also echoed in Iran, where the head of the Revolutionary Guards said Monday that Israel would soon be destroyed by the "hands of Hezbollah," which is a surrogate of the Iranian regime, Fars News Agency reported.

Guards Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Ali Jafari made the comment in a letter to Nasrallah, offering condolences after the killing of Mughniyah. "In the near future, we will witness the destruction of the cancerous germ of Israel by the powerful and competent hands of the Hezbollah combatants," Jafari was quoted as saying.

"Undoubtedly the martyrdom of this sincere fighter [Imad Mughniyah] will strengthen the determination of all revolutionary and combatant Muslims, particularly his co-combatants in confrontation with the Zionist regime," Jafari added.

Also Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that even after 60 years, Israel still has neither legitimacy nor any role in the Middle East, the ISNA news agency reported. "The West has tried to impose a fabricated regime on the Middle East but even after 60 years, the Zionist regime [Israel] has neither gained any legitimacy nor played any role in this region," Mottaki was quoted as saying.

Calling United States policies in the Middle East a failure, Mottaki predicted the collapse of Israel. "The era of imposing policies on other states by military threats is over. The nations in the region will no longer surrender to any threats," Mottaki said.

Meanwhile, Israel's deployment of a battery of Patriot air defense missiles near the northern port city of Haifa is part of precautions against a possible attack by Hezbollah, Israeli security officials said Monday. The officials said the battery was put on standby Sunday for the first time since the 2006 Second Lebanon War.

Another military source said Monday that it is also possible that the deployment is part of routine exercises carried out by the air defense units.

The air defense missiles are part of a series of steps Israel has taken since Mughniyah's assassination in Damascus, with a focus on bolstering defenses in northern Israel as well as increasing the security of Israeli missions abroad. A travel advisory was also issued last week to Israelis traveling abroad. Israel's security services are concerned that Hezbollah may try to kidnap Israeli civilians abroad.

Over the weekend, the Israel Defense Forces moved reinforcements close to the border with Lebanon in the North, including elite units. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel is prepared on all fronts for an attack.

The deployment of the air defense missiles is part of preparations to intercept explosives-laden, pilotless drones Hezbollah may use in an attempt to strike targets in Israel.

Following the Mughniyah assassination, Hezbollah vowed to hit Jewish targets outside Israel in retaliation. Israel has denied any involvement in the killing.

Home Front Command also carried out checks of air warning stations in the North and briefed municipal authorities and local council heads on preparedness and procedures. The command is in the process of running a large-scale exercise, unrelated to the current emergency, which will also include testing a broadcasting station dedicated exclusively to home-front applications. During emergencies the station would broadcast warnings and information to civilians as well as brief them on how to deal with specific situations. The broadcasts would interrupt regular television and radio programs in the country.


Related articles:
  • Sources: Israel deploys Patriot missiles fearing Hezbollah strike
  • Hezbollah terror chief Imad Mughniyah killed in Damascus blast
  • Israel: We are capable of handling Hezbollah threat
  • Foreign Ministry said to slam Iranian anti-Israel jibe in missive to UN
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    And the Oscar goes to...
    Olmert is pulling for Beaufort, saying 'it's time Israel won an Oscar.'
    Battling on foreign soil
    Israeli Americans voted Clinton, but Obama won the global primary.
      1.   stand up for yourself lebenon 02:43  |  waste of sand 19/02/08
      2.   Idiotic Lebanon 02:44  |  Fish 19/02/08
      3.   Let they come. Hez will be crushed and South Lebanon destroyed. 03:25  |  Israeli 19/02/08
      4.   Lebanon will get pulverized again 03:28  |  Conroy 19/02/08
      5.   Nuke them 03:35  |  alan 19/02/08
      6.   Lebanese fools 03:44  |  Benjamin 19/02/08
      7.   THE SENIORA GOVT 04:01  |  Dr Laz 19/02/08
      8.   UN must check the goat population in Iran 04:06  |  Ben 19/02/08
      9.   UN ? 04:09  |  Johny 19/02/08
      10.   Syria Syria Syria 04:24  |  Al 19/02/08
      11.   This time Israel must finish the job 04:28  |  B (The other one) 19/02/08
      12.   to waste of sand 04:38  |  jen 19/02/08
      13.   Well done Hizbollah 05:11  |  George 19/02/08
      14.   Lebanon action brings reaction? 05:17  |  Al 19/02/08
      15.   Contribution to the region? 05:31  |  Ariel 19/02/08
      16.   Israel at 60: time now for the Olmert Doctrine. 05:46  |  avigdor 19/02/08
      17.   waste of sand 05:47  |  Al 19/02/08
      18.   Israel and Syria already at war 05:52  |  james 19/02/08
      19.   good relations with all the world, except with Israel 06:03  |  Paul 19/02/08
      20.   Lebanon occupied, but not by Israel 06:03  |  Joe Sittizen 19/02/08
      21.   Snake too big for Lebanon. Lebanese need to get out of the way. 06:29  |  so Israel can 19/02/08
      22.   Hidden Agenda 06:32  |  SwordOfGideon 19/02/08
      23.   #5 alan : Nuke them 06:35  |  Joe 19/02/08
      24.   to #11 B 06:55  |  hkook 19/02/08
      25.   Seniora is wrong. 07:13  |  Anon 19/02/08
      26.   jen #12 07:24  |  waste of sand 19/02/08
      27.   Joe...#15 07:31  |  Mr. Smith 19/02/08
      28.   #5 Alan, the prettiest 07:34  |  Albert 19/02/08
      29.   To Joe in Response for Nuke Them 07:40  |  Gabriel 19/02/08
      30.   We should not give up our strategic assets. 08:35  |  Jean Van Daem 19/02/08
      31.   interesting 09:13  |  yehuda 19/02/08
      32.   Siniora, an Arab moderate 09:14  |  Ehud 19/02/08
      33.   Lebanon a Two State Solution 09:32  |  Daniel 19/02/08
      34.   Lebanon 09:52  |  Millie 19/02/08
      35.   At least this is not 10:00  |  Stan 19/02/08
      36.   When you know so little, you`d better stay shut 10:01  |  Lina 19/02/08
      37.   Lebanon stands 10:08  |  Lebanese 19/02/08
      38.   yea... 10:20  |  kaks 19/02/08
      39.   wow 10:21  |  kari 19/02/08
      40.   Nasrallah said, "if i would have known 1% ..." 10:33  |  Vollstrecker 19/02/08
      41.   hizballah will not attack israel directly 10:44  |  harzion 19/02/08
      42.   TIME FOR REDEMPTION TO BARAK!! 10:47  |  NAD 19/02/08
      43.   nick ferriman and the suez war 10:48  |  assaf simhoni 19/02/08
      44.   The hez marginalized?? 10:50  |  The Judge 19/02/08
      45.   nick ferriman and the six day war 1967 10:52  |  assaf simhoni 19/02/08
      46.   Jumblat revealed to the world about the next war 10:52  |  Adel 19/02/08
      47.   To Dr Laz 10:53  |  Lebanese CITIZEN 19/02/08
      48.   nick ferriman and the first lebanon war 1982 10:55  |  assaf simhoni 19/02/08
      49.   IRAN--CULPRIT 10:56  |  The Teacher/Instruct 19/02/08
      50.   nick ferriman your post that isreal attacked the arabs in 1948 10:58  |  assaf simhoni 19/02/08
      51.   MORE HOT AIR FROM THE 3 STOOGES 11:04  |  don 19/02/08
      52.   Babyface Nasrallah needs to be assassinated 11:18  |  akiva (zionist) 19/02/08
      53.   WATCH YOUR BACK NASRALLAH 11:19  |  indrajaya 19/02/08
      54.   Siniora will cry again after in TV when he gets rammed 11:22  |  SLAVO 19/02/08
      55.   Hezbullies, have you built shelters for the Lebanese citizens yet 11:22  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 19/02/08
      56.   "THE CANCEROUS GERM OF ISRAEL" 11:26  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 19/02/08
      57.   LEBANON 11:28  |  TheTeacher/Instruct 19/02/08
      58.   To Lebanese 11:36  |  The Judge 19/02/08
      59.   To Daniel #33 11:57  |  Tony 19/02/08
      60.   who will blow the bugle for lebanons last post 12:12  |  v hardman 19/02/08
      61.   I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT 12:14  |  indrajaya 19/02/08
      62.   The notable absence of Clickfool, Durson, Dutch 12:26  |  Joe Sittizen 19/02/08
      63.   God Bless the Resistance 12:33  |  joe blow 19/02/08
      64.   for #25 Anon 12:41  |  yehuda 19/02/08
      65.   Dooms DAY!!! 12:43  |  Omar 19/02/08
      66.   I`m sure you are not the only one ! 12:49  |  jofromparis 19/02/08
      67.   #49, nasrallah and courage have never met 12:54  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 19/02/08
      68.   Omar...what are you quabbling about...? 13:00  |  yehuda 19/02/08
      69.   # 52 Omar 13:07  |