Tension prevails in south Lebanon
Lebanon-Israel, Military, 8/28/1998

The Israeli occupation forces on Thursday continued their attacks on areas adjacent to the occupied part of south Lebanon, as repercussions continue to echo from the Israeli assassination of a Lebanese Amal leader earlier this week and the following Lebanese Katyusha strikes into Israel.

Lebanese security sources said that Israeli artillery shelled the woods of Sujoud al-Rayhan, al-Tasse river area and Aqmata farm in al-Tuffah district while Israeli jets carried out mock raids over the area.

However, caution prevails in the areas adjacent to the occupied part of the western Bekaa under strong preparations among Lebanese army units and the Lebanese resistance, following the Israeli aggressions which targeted in recent days Lebanese civilians and Lebanese army positions.

Israeli troops, from their positions in Zaghle, Zamraya and Ein Qineh, carried out large-scale mopping-up operations targeting al-Dabghe woods, al-Daher mount heights and Memas valley, causing fires in olive orchards.

In retaliation, Lebanese resistance forces attacked the Israeli positions in Tallat al-Qasir and al-Sal'a, scoring direct hits.

Meanwhile, chaired by President Elias Hrawi, the Lebanese Cabinet on Wednesday held a meeting during which the Cabinet reviewed the Israeli military escalation in south Lebanon and the western Bekaa as well as the contacts Lebanon has been making with international decision-making capitals after Israeli officials threatened to attack the Lebanese infrastructure.

The Lebanese Cabinet ministers were briefed on the results of these contacts, which aim at preventing Israel from implementing its threats.

Israeli President Ezer Weizman implicitly admitted Tuesday's killing Amal official Husam al-Amin had provoked the Lebanese resistance to launch the Katyusha missiles against Kreyata Shemona in northern Israel. In statements he made in Kreyata Shemona on Wednesday, Weizman noted, "There is a link between what is taking place in Kreyat Shemona and south Lebanon." He added that the Israeli army officials who decided to assassinate al-Amin had to have expected that northern Israel would be attacked.

Member of the Israeli Knesset for the Labor Party Yossi Beilin said in press statements, "What happened was evidence of the futility of Israel's presence in south Lebanon." He said he expected the Israeli presence would protect northern Israel, but "the result came the opposite." Beilin, who formed a movement calling for withdrawal from south Lebanon, added to Israeli radio, "Israel had to have thought of the consequences of assassinating Husam al-Amin with its helicopters."

However, Israeli Labor Party chairman Ehud Barak supported the Israeli attack, saying that unless negotiations resume with Syria and a settlement is reached concerning south Lebanon, exchanged bombardment and military strikes will continue in south Lebanon.

In a statement to the Israeli army radio on Wednesday, Barak added that he totally supports carrying out military operations that will lead to liquidating the "leaders of the Lebanese national resistance."

Labor Party Knesset member Ephraim Sneh called for carrying out qualitative military strikes against Lebanese economic infrastructure. In a similar interview with Israeli army radio Sneh said that intensive Israeli bombardment against the economic infrastructure in Beirut, for instance against electricity generation station, would pressure both the Lebanese to stop their resistance attacks. Several observers see these Israeli statements as added pressure on Lebanon and Syria to accept the Israeli offer to withdraw conditionally from Lebanon, as a result of Syria's and Lebanon's recent refusal of these offers.

Israel's minister of environment and agriculture, Rafael Etan, said that Israeli troops should go into any part of Lebanon where "the guerrillas" exit, even the capital, Beirut.

Following the Lebanese Cabinet meeting, Lebanese Information Minister Bassem al-Sabaa said the Cabinet discussed the Israeli attacks against south Lebanon and the western Bekaa.

He indicated that the Cabinet listened to a lengthy intervention made by President Hrawi, but he gave no further details. The Lebanese Cabinet condemned the Israeli attacks against Lebanese civilians and populated areas. It stressed Lebanon's unswerving stances in support of the April Understanding and rejection of attempts made to abolish it.

Al-Sabaa stressed that Lebanon adheres to the bases on which it joined the Middle East peace process and clings to unconditional implementation of UN resolution 425, calling for Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.

Previous Stories:
  Israel assassinates Amal member, wounds civilians   (8/26/1998)
  More Israeli attacks against south Lebanon   (8/24/1998)
  Two Israeli soldiers killed in south Lebanon   (8/21/1998)

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