Netanyahu: We'll give as good as we get
Opposition leader visits north on anniversary for Lebanon War. 'Upcoming Winograd report will change political map' he says
He was accompanied by MK Haim Katz (Likud) and former head of the Northern Command, major-general (ret.) Yossi Peled.
The three began their tour at border-mark 105, where IDF soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev were kidnapped last July.
They continued down to Kiryat Shmona, where Netanyahu commented on what he called the "events leading up to the war".
"There is a direct link between the hasty retreat from Lebanon, through the restrained response we showed to the kidnapping that took place that year, down to the kidnappings last year and the war that followed.
"As I said before – we will give as good as we get… this is a clear equation. If they (Hizbullah) fire Katyushas at us, they can expect a formidable response.
"I've spoken to the kidnapped soldiers' families earlier today," added Netanyahu. "I told them I hope we'll have good news for them soon."
''There's no grand plan'
"I am utterly amazed," said Netanyahu when he visited shelters in Kiryat Shmona and addressed the ongoing debate regarding the uninhabitable state most of them are in.
"Most of these shelters were renovated with contribution funds not with government funds… I don't understand why the government can't find a few dozen million shekels to take care of the shelters throughout the north.
"The separation fence cost us 10 billion shekels, which we had no problem finding at the time, regardless of the budget," he said, adding "I guess that's the way things are when there's no grand plan."
Netanyahu went on to say he believed the next general elections would be held in 2008, and that the upcoming Winograd report would have a profound affect on the political map in Israel.
