Barak vows to withdraw from Lebanon within one year

Israeli Prime Minister-elect Ehud Barak has announced that he will end the conflict between Israel and Lebanon within one year. Barak was speaking on Monday night, just a few minutes after Katyusha missiles were fired on the Galilee and resulted in material damage.

For his part, member of the Israeli Knesset for the Labor Party, Saleh Tarif, said that Barak had pledged to withdraw the Israeli army from south Lebanon if he wins the elections, and he will also resume negotiations with Syria.

In an interview with Israeli Radio aired on Monday night, Tarif added that Syrian President Hafez al-Assad told him (Tarif) two years ago that with Barak he can make peace. Tarif added, "Therefore I see a new phase has started in order to promote the Middle East peace process forward."

Meantime, AFP said in its news reports from South Lebanon on Monday night that the Hizbullah party announced its responsibility for bombarding the Israeli settlements in North Israel and firing the Katyusha missiles, in revenge of killing two Lebanese young (cousins) men from the Lebanese town of Zouter.