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Peretz: Hizbullah’s flag will not fly above border
In meeting with UN delegates, defense minister says: 'There is no intention to end this crisis and live in same reality' adds: 'We must prevent all possibility for renewed strengthening of Hizbullah after crisis'
At the start of his meeting with the UN secretary-general, Javier Solana, the defense minister said, “We are determined not to let Hizbullah gain control over Southern Lebanon again, and will certainly not allow their return to the Israeli border.”
“We wish to make it clear that we have no intention of ending this crisis and go back to living under the same reality,” said Peretz to the European envoy. “We intend to stand our ground and see that Hizbullah does not return to the border and that its flag will not fly above the border. The Lebanese government is the sovereign and must take responsibility for what takes place in its territory.”
Peretz: Hizbullah will not destroy hopes for peace
“The question is not where the rockets fall, whether it is in Kiryat Shmona, or the heart of the country. The question is whose finger is on the button, who dares to launch rockets at the Israeli Home Front. Therefore, the Lebanese government needs to assume responsibility and the international community needs to provide backing for Israel in order to prevent a renewed strengthening of Hizbullah the day after operations end,” said Minister Peretz.
Peretz added that Israel will not allow radical groups to dictate its future and that it will not let Hamas and Hizbullah destroy the hopes for peace in the region. He also praised the international community for understanding that Israel’s demands for the retrieval of the kidnapped soldiers are fundamental and that the country has no intention of foregoing them. He stated his belief that the crisis can come to en end and that dialogue with moderate groups is possible.
Solana: Violence must be stopped
In his meeting with Peretz in the Knesset, Solana voiced his support for Israel’s basic demands, which include the release of the kidnapped soldiers and the application of UN Resolution 1559. Despite this, Solana branded Israel’s response in Lebanon “disproportionate.”
“I was in Lebanon. I slept there for a night and I saw the injuries inflicted on civilians and families there, as I saw the civilian injuries here. This must be stopped, a solution must be found. That is why I am here – in order to talk with the leaders of the two sides and to find a way to stop the violence,” said Solana. Earlier today, Solana met with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.
Vice Premier Shimon Peres said in a meeting with three members of the UN mediation delegation, “We have not broken and we will not break from shooting on the Home Front. We won the War of Independence in conditions many times more difficult than this.”
Peres: Hizbullah must be disarmed
Even though Hizbullah still has long-range missiles, and even if they will use them, they will learn that it will not change our position,” Peres added. “If only the Hizbullah knew how we will respond, they would not act. We have to bring Nasrallah down to earth before any discussion of the details of a settlement.”
Peres referred to the various initiatives for a multi-national force along the Israel-Lebanon border and claimed that such a force would not be able to ensure cessation of Hizbullah shootings. “An international force cannot have a security strip in the air that would stop missiles. Therefore, Hizbullah must be disarmed,” said the vice premier.
Peres even attacked international responses that Israel is using disproportional force. "Is shooting 1,500 missiles at Israel proportional force? They told us land for peace, we gave all the territory in Lebanon and in return did not receive peace,” Peres said to delegates of the UN Secretariat in a meeting yesterday.
Ronny Sofer contributed to the report
