In News
Britain: Hezbollah Armament Concerns Us
In Britain, there is much concern over Hezbollah's stockpiling of arms. The British minister of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs, Ivan Lewis, remarked on the issue today, while visiting Syria and Lebanon.
In a press conference held after he met with the Lebanese president, Michel Suleiman, Lewis said, "We made it very clear to the Israeli government that the air incursions are a breach of U.N. Resolution 1701." Lewis also told reporters, "And equally we are very, very concerned at the rearming of Hezbollah…which is in contravention of Resolution 1701."
According to Lewis, the Lebanese Army must work together with the U.N., and take the necessary actions in order to prevent the Hezbollah from acquiring any more arms.
The British minister also visited Damascus, where he met with Foreign minister Walid el-Moualem, and said that now is an especially rare and opportune, in terms of ending conflict between Israel and Syria. "I hope that talks will soon resume, on the question of the Golan Heights and also the question of normalizing relations between the two countries." Lewis also urged the Syrians wield their influence over the Palestinians, to continue peace negotiations with Israel.
This week, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak cautioned the Lebanese government regarding Hezbollah's stockpiling of arms. "We cannot accept that there is a difference in responsibility between Hezbollah and the Lebanese government. If, in the future, another war breaks out on Israel's northern border, Lebanon will be held responsible. And mainly because of its failure to uphold resolution 1701, and additional decisions to dismantle the Hezbollah. If those circumstances arise, Israel will be free to act accordingly," Barak said in a speech Thursday to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the Knesset.
Head of the Northern Command, Brigadier General Alon Friedman, also commented this week on the precarious state of security on the Israeli-Lebanese border, saying that the situation is "dangerous". According to Friedman, although Israel has enjoyed relative peace for the last three years, since the end of the second Lebanese War the summer of 2006, the stability on the Lebanese border may only be temporary. Friedman said, "It is estimated that the Hezbollah has stockpiled over 40,000 rockets, and is training soldiers to fire them. Some may be able to strike Tel Aviv, or flying aircraft."