Channels

Minister Yishai
Photo: Sasson Tiram
Photo: Amir Cohen
Minister Boim
Photo: Amir Cohen
Photo: Baruch Grosswald
Minister Ben Yizri
Photo: Baruch Grosswald

Israel to UN: Listen carefully to Hizbullah

Senior official in Jerusalem stresses following Hizbullah's declaration that it won't fulfill UN resolution, 'both Olmert and Livni said that after Security Council's decision Israel has one address: Lebanese government'

Israel knew in advance that Hizbullah would not easily accept the ceasefire terms set by the United Nations' Security Council, but the organization's official declaration on Wednesday that it would not withdraw north of the Litani River and would not completely disarm only strengthened this estimation.

 

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni will meet with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Wednesday evening and is expected to demand that he operate in order to guarantee that Resolution 1701 will be full implemented. In the meantime, Israel demands that the Lebanese government fulfill its part of the agreement.

 

"There is problem here for the UN secretary-general and members of the Security Council," a senior state official told Ynet. "Both Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said that after the resolution Israel will have one one address: The Lebanese government. If the Lebanese government is unable to implement Resolution 1701, the UN Security Council will have to deal with it."

 

"The foreign minister is now in New York exactly for this issue," the senior official said. "She is set to calrify to the UN secretary-general Israel's unequivocal demand to fully implement the Security Council resolution. Israel demands that the Security Council and the Lebanese government deal with the problem created by Hizbullah's declaration"

 

Minister of Immigrant Absorption Ze'ev Boim said Wednesday that Hizbullah's declaration constitutes "a challenge to the free world and especially the UN Secretary-General to implement the unequivocal resolution."

 

According to Boim, "the Security Council is responsible for the issue of how they will enforce the resolution in terms of Hizbullah and loosen the organization's hold on Lebanon."

 

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Eliyahu Yishai warned the Lebanese government not to violate the resolution.

 

"We (Israel) are dealing with the Lebanese government," he said.

 

"In the event that the Lebanese government does not succeed in implementing UNSCR 1701, international pressure must be exerted. If attacks on Israeli territory or IDF soldiers are renewed, we must operate against Lebanese infrastructure. Damage to Lebanese infrastructure will pressure the Lebanese government to enforce Hizbullah adherence to the UN resolution. The Lebanese government must pay a heavy price if Hizbullah does not disarm," he elaborated.


IDF in Lebanon (Photo: AFP)

 

Minister of Health Yacov Ben Yizri, said that "the organization and its leadership have learned northing from the harsh blow that the IDF dealt them. Israel sees the Lebanese government as directly responsible for Hizbullah actions, and, as such, the Lebanese government will be held responsible for any violation of the resolution. Nonetheless, pursuant to (the organization's) announcement, Israel must reevaluate how it chooses to withdraw from Lebanon," he said.

 

The prime minister's office has not reacted directly to Hizbullah's declaration, but emphasized that just as Israel is obligated to uphold UNSCR 1701, "the Lebanese government is likewise expected to uphold it."

 

'Won't present weapons in public and won't leave'

 

Earlier Wednesday, Hizbullah member of the Lebanese Parliament and member of the policy office of the Shiite militia Hassan Fadlallah gave an interview with al-Jazeera regarding the resolution. According to Fadlallah, the terror group refuses to withdraw from areas south of the Litani River due to the fact that its members are residents of the area.

 

As to the disarmament issue, the organization claims it is not being discussed within or outside the Lebanese government. The organization claims that its top priority is to rebuild Lebanon and help those who have been displaced from their homes.

 

Fadlallah went on to say that Hizbullah would be willing to implement UNSCR 1701, which, among other things, calls for the deployment of the Lebanese army in the south with the assistance of UNIFIL, but stated that this does not require Hizbullah to relocate.

 

Additionally, he said that Hizbullah’s refusal to disarm does not violate the resolution, as the terror group’s weapons will be kept in storage and not be displayed in public.

 


פרסום ראשון: 08.16.06, 18:01
 new comment
Warning:
This will delete your current comment