Israel to UN: We'll continue to gather intelligence in Lebanon
Jerusalem neither denies nor confirms that it has placed intelligence-gathering equipment in southern Lebanon.
By Barak Ravid Tags: Hezbollah Lebanon Israel newsThe United Nations has asked Israel for clarifications on "listening devices" that the Lebanese authorities claim were revealed near the village of Hula in southern Lebanon last week. The request was made following an official Lebanese petition to the UN.
Israel neither denied nor confirmed that it had placed intelligence-gathering equipment in the area, but informed the UN that collecting intelligence in southern Lebanon will continue as long as the government in Beirut is not in full control of its territory.
Last Wednesday, a tripartite meeting was held at the UNIFIL base near the Rosh Hanikra border crossing between representatives of Israel, Lebanon and the UN regarding recent tensions in the area. Lebanon claimed, according to foreign press reports, that it had uncovered monitoring devices planted by Israel on its soil.
The UN peacekeeping force was represented by the force commander, Major General Claudio Graziano, while Lebanon was represented by the commander of the Lebanese Army's liaison unit and Israel was represented by the head of the Strategic Branch in the Planning Department at the General Staff, Brigadier Yossi Hayman.
A western diplomat privy to the details of the meetings noted that one of the main issues discussed was the exposure of the listening devices. According to Lebanese security sources, an investigation into the matter revealed that the equipment was used to tap into the Hezbollah telephone network, which is independent of the Lebanese network.
The UNIFIL commander and the Lebanese officer asked for details on the listening equipment. The UN officers said that the equipment appeared to have been put in place during the August 2006 Second Lebanon War, but the Lebanese officer insisted that the equipment appeared to be more up-to-date. "It seems that something new was put in place recently," the Lebanese representative argued.
The western diplomat said that Hayman did not deny that the equipment was Israeli listening devices, and did not respond directly to the questions asked by his interlocutors. However, he did stress that Israel will make use of its intelligence gathering capabilities so long as Hezbollah pose a threat. "Israel will continue to use all means necessary to defend its citizens," Hayman was quoted as saying.
He reportedly added that it is not reasonable to expect Israel to sit idle and wait to be attack. He said that the exposure of the listening devices should be evaluated "in the broadest sense" and in light of the situation in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah continues to arm itself and occasionally fires rockets into Israel.
"In view of all this we do not consider this instance [of listening devices] as an Israeli violation of Resolution 1701," Hayman said, referring to the Security Council decision that brought the Second Lebanon War to an end and decreed that Hezbollah would not keep arms south of the Litani River.
On Sunday last week, villages in southern Lebanon were rocked by explosions and Lebanese media said that Israel had destroyed listening devices placed in the area in order to avoid their capture.
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Border with Lebanon. |
| Photo by: (Reuters) |
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There is an issue of semantics here, that I think is allowed because of Jew hatred. The "war" ended by the UN (United Nothings?) resolution is in fact a campaign (or battle or whatever). The resolution does not in fact or in intention, nor could it, end the state of war between Israel and Lebanon. Lebanon declared war on Israel in 1947/8 and was the first state, if I remember correctly, to declare war on Israel. The can be remedied by a treaty between the two countries. The UN has no power to end it. As such, it would be ludicrous to maintain that the UN has a right to tell one country that it cannot gather intelligence on another country that has declared war on it, and either by action or omission has massed forces near its borders and done acts of aggression. Unless of course you want to maintain that it is ludicrous unless it is a Jewish state.
Israel has long held to the viewpoint that their role in UN resolutions is strictly at their option, while other nations must hold to the resolution or face sanctions. This philosophy is repeated endlessly in every interaction Israel has with the goyim.
"What about aborigins, Johnboy? Under control?"Israeli citizen I guess you overlooked that . Cannot imagine how. PSM is very prolific on this tb. Must be another reason for your ommission????.
"What about aborigins, Johnboy? Under control?"Israeli citizen I guess you overlooked that . Cannot imagine how. PSM is very prolific on this tb. Must be another reason for your ommission????.
Wow!! Israel has been eaves dropping on Hezbo since 2006! Excellent job! 1701 is ignored by all when Hezbo violates it...something it has done since it passed...so why does anyone care about this. It seems when Israels enemies violates 1701 nothing is said, yet when Israel makes a brilliant covert...and non-violent...move to defend itself the same naysayers jump out and complain. The hollow indignation from some of these talkbackers is bias at best and antisemitic at worst.
What the heck do Aborigines have to do with this? We are on the road to reconcilliation with our indigenous people. You are hell bent on destroying yours, and any neighbours that speak the same language. As much as I dislike Hezbollah, I am very slow to condemn what they claim they are trying to do - that is, defend Lebanon against a very aggressive and inhumane enemy. I wish the army was strong enough, but they aren't. I really wish that those who really care about other humans in Israel rise up and bring to power a government that is serious about peace.
Ic: "What about aborigins, Johnboy?" Well, considering that you appear to have just made that word up I'm going to have to respond with: "you tell me what they are, and I'll tell you what I think of 'em". Ic: "Under control?" If you mean "aborigines", well, the last time I looked they were: 1) Not foreigners, and 2) Not on foreign soil. Your analogy therefore appears to be lacking some rather essential ingredients......
The UNR 1701 was intended only to give a fig leaf to both sides and end a war. Neither side intended to carry it out, indeed, the US made certain it was weasel worded enough to prevent the UN from stopping Israeli intelligence operations. The most worrying thing going on in Lebanon right now is the inability to form a government because Hisbollah wants to replace the old formula for allocating cabinet positions with one more representative of the actual population ratios. That, and the continued refusal of the US at the orders of Israel to not adequately arm the Lebanese armed forces. This is leading to the Lebanese Army becoming more dependent upon Iran and perhaps Syria for weapons and munitions.
paving the way for their orders from Iran.
Imagine! Spying on terrorists who are bent on your destruction. What is the world coming to???
I am shocked.
and how the parties are abiding to it, but being Israel and in breach of each and every UN resultion ever past on its behavior and conduct outside of Israel proper, we aren't very surprised, but we are a bit stunned over Hezbollahs diplomatic skills.
You do not need special listening devices planted in Lebanon. Ask those good folk at "Echelon". They effectively tap into Fax,E Mail.Cellphone and land lines, world wide. The so called blasts of ordinance in special depots in Lebanon, under control of Hezbollah sounds more like bad management and control of explosive material as I have mentioned before. This happens, by the way on many military bases in the West as well. The best Intel gathering is done by local assets on the ground. Hezbollah has many disenchanted ex allies inside Lebanon. Good day from snowy Swiss Alps.
"but informed the UN that collecting intelligence in southern Lebanon will continue as long as the government in Beirut is not in full control of its territory. " I have no doubt Israel is quite puzzled by the concept of a govt that is not in full control of its territory. After all, Israel has a long history of being in full control of other people's territory..... so from their point of view its not that hard. All you need is a very strong army, and a ruthless willingness to use that army to beat the crap out of anyone who stands in the way. Do that and "full control" of territory is, well, pretty easy....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjq6GO0CzYE Check out this Leb song by famous Carol Samaha. It is in Arabic, but the chorus goes: "Who are you? I do not ask. But your sorrow tells me who you are. I do not know your color or your religion. But I know that you are my brother, my brother in humanity" Do you guys claim that ethos?
but i certainly don't see where, or how, it's an issue that warrants the involvement of the united nations. israel is doing what most countries do who possess the technology to do it; monitoring the communications network of a known enemy.
I am simply in shock! Shock! I mean who do the Israelis think they are? I mean the United States and the Soviet Union had a decade?s long cold war with each other and neither of them did anything like wiretapping, espionage, paying informants.. the Israelis are simply evil!
Only Israel must render explanations to UN !!!
Most likely Hizbollah knew about this long time ago and managed to mislead the Israelis by sneding false information. Then time comes to embarass the Israelis!!
By now Lebanon should realize that Israel is actually an enemy state and should expect that Israel will spy on Lebanon. So why complain? If the Lebanese find stuff, instead of complaining, they should use it to spoof Israeli efforts and cost the Israeli government to waste time and money.
- on them. isn't that one of the easiest things these days? isn't the US w/its huge satellite set-up capable of eavesdropping on whoever & whatever?
...Israel needs a war badly folks. It is Israel's way. The last article I just read here also talks about "the next war" - that's all most of you talk about because you are incapable of living in peace. Living in peace requires that Israel remove itself to within its own internationally recognized borders and vacate the land it can never possess. Start following international law and UN resolutions, and finally grow up and talk part at the big peoples table. This bully one day, victim the next crap has gotten really old and it is endangering the world's security, in fact as President Obama rightly points out, it has become a matter of US National Security. At every turn Israel is breaking international law and agreements. Here they are breaking 1701. With the Palestinians of course there are myriad violations as well as the Goldstone Report that is rapidly proving to be Israel's undoing. And Jordan simmers over Al Aqsa.