Sidon residents rise in protest after attack

Six civilians killed by Israeli attacks on Sidon were mourned yesterday in a huge procession that carried the victims' coffins wrapped in green Islamic flags and burned the Israeli flag, while chanting: "the Jews are the enemies of God."

Furthermore, the national channel "Tele Liban" reported this morning in a news flash that Israeli jets raided the region of Wadi Janta in Baalbak in the Bekaa, without adding further information about losses that may have occurred.

"Those raids were the result of Hezbollah's attacks on Kiryat Shemona i

n northern Israel with Katyusha missiles," according to the Israeli cabinet.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu proposed in a meeting held yesterday to start a wide-spread operation such as that of "the Grapes of Wrath" that occurred in April 1996. This proposition was deterred by some ministers who feared it would only lead to additional violence, without any positive results.

The pressure resulting from Israeli raids and Hezbollah attacks have highlighted the importance of the April understanding, which barred civilian attacks, and the Lebanese leaders showed their intention to file a new complaint to the United Nations Security Council in case the April understanding fails to protect civilians from Israeli attacks.