Israeli officials and withdrawal from Syria and Lebanon

Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Ephriam Sneh has asserted that an Israeli unilateral withdrawal from south Lebanon without concluding an agreement means, according to current estimate, continued fighting operations, while if an agreement is reached, a thing which is sought by the Israeli government, the Israeli-Lebanese borders will be secure borders.

In statements quoted by Israeli Radio on Sunday, Sneh added that having certain soldiers of the pro-Israel South Lebanon Army militia and members of their families as asylum seekers in Israel is not a solution for their case.

He added that the first commitment the Israeli government should abide by is to ensure the safety of the settlements of northern Israel, adding that Israel also has a moral commitment towards the people of the security zone (the occupied part of south Lebanon) and the South Lebanon Army militia and if Israel leaves them under the "enemy," it will do a great shame for itself.

Meanwhile, Israeli Minister of Regional Cooperation Shimon Peres said the decision taken by the Israeli Cabinet this week concerning withdrawal from south Lebanon has in principle nothing new, noting that the Israeli government had in 1985 decided to pull the Israeli Army out from Lebanon and since then no decision was taken to strengthen the Israeli forces stationed in south Lebanon.

Replying to a question on the possibility of Israel's striking Syrian civil and economic targets if the Hizbullah Party continues its aggressions against Israel even after this Israeli withdrawal, Peres said he does not want to resort to the language of threats, "But if I were Syrian, I would have thought of such a possibility."