Peretz: Don’t close door on Syria

Defense Minister Amir Peretz said Tuesday morning that during the past two weeks, the defense establishment succeeded in preventing 10 suicide attacks in various stages of planning from being carried out from the West Bank. He made these statements in a meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Following the meeting Peretz told reporters regarding Syria, “We will prepare for any threats and scenarios, but if we will arrive at the conclusion that Syria is genuinely seeking peace, then I suggest we don’t close the door and take its comments on the matter seriously.”

The defense minister added that there are no armed Hizbullah members present near the Israel-Lebanon border.

“Currently we are working toward reaching an agreement between the Lebanese army, UNIFIL and the IDF to determine what is permitted along the border and what is not,” he said.

'Is that all you have to say?'

As to the appointment of a new Northern Command chief, Peretz said a decision on the matter would be reached “much faster than what people think.”

Commenting on the internal situation in Lebanon, Peretz said Iran and Hassan Nasrallah are transferring between USD 13,000 to 15,000 to each family harmed during the IDF attacks, thus strengthening Hizbullah’s position in the country and its links to Iran.

In response to a question posed by MK Ran Cohen (Meretz) in a discussion of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Peretz said that IDF soldiers' departure from Lebanon is being delayed because an agreement has yet to be reached in the UN on the regulations for opening fire.

On Saturday, Lebanese soldiers took positions along the border, in the area south of Nakura, near the area of Mais al-Jabal. The Lebanese soldiers were accompanied by soldiers in the multinational force. The IDF withdrew from these areas after the deployment of the Lebanese troops.

Peretz was slightly embarrassed when MK Dan Naveh asked Peretz if the IDF still held a naval blockade on Lebanon, and the minister answered in the positive. Eyebrows in the committee were raised, and the members exclaimed, "These aren't the facts we are familiar with." Peretz was forced to turn to his military secretary who explained that there is no naval blockade, only supervision.

"Either he isn't updated with the facts, or he is scatterbrained about the significance," said Naveh, who criticized the fact that in his first appearance before the committee, Peretz didn't refer to his briefing of the conclusions that were drawn. "Is that all you have to say about the lessons of the war?" quipped Naveh.

'Zero tolerance for Hizbullah provocations'

MKs Effie Eitam (National Unity-Mafdal) and Yuval Steinitz (Likud) attacked Defense Minister Amir Peretz in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for his willingness to make concessions on the Golan Heights. "It is forbidden that an equation be made of creating a policy agenda for Olmert and Peretz in exchange for the Golan Heights," Steinitz warned.

Eitam called Peretz not to discuss the Golan Heights issue. "It is policy stupidity, it is surrendering to Syria's threats and it irritates the US," said Eitam.

Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Tzachi Hanegbi said at the beginning of the meeting that the defense minister must adopt a "zero tolerance" policy toward provocations of Hizbullah supporters.

Hanegbi asked Peretz to instruct the IDF to prevent entirely phenomena of throwing stones at IDF patrols, the gathering of protests next to the border fence, harassing residents along the fence, and any other actions returning a similar situation along the border as the one before the war. He clarified that the erosion and wearing down of Israel along the border will immediately bring about a replay of the mistakes Israel made following the 2000 withdrawal.

Thursday, for the first time since the ceasefire between Israel and Hizbullah, dozens of Hizbullah activists protested along the border near the town of Misgav Am. During the demonstration, some of the protestors threw stones at the Israeli side of the border. UN officials were dispatched to the site, but the protestors dispersed before they arrived.