Lebanese minister: Hizbullah believes way to Tel Aviv passes through Beirut
'Iran is responsible for what is happening in Lebanon,' coalition member tells Al-Arabiya TV. Peres: We knew Hizbullah would lead Lebanon to brink of civil war
"Hizbullah has turned from an opposition party into a militia attempting to impose its control. I think Hizbullah believes that the way to Tel Aviv passes through Beirut," he said.
Fatfat said Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah had "taken advantage of the government's decision to outlaw the (Shiite) group's communications network in order to declare war."
According to the minister, regardless of whether a "Gaza-like" revolt occurs in Lebanon, "the government will remain legitimate."
"We do not want a civil war, and we've decided to confront them politically, not militarily," Fatfat said. "We do not have gunmen like they do."
Meanwhile, Israeli President Shimon Peres played down Israeli concerns at Hizbullah's move to expand its control in Beirut on Friday but said he hoped the Lebanese people would step back from the brink of civil war.
"It's not a total surprise. We knew that Hizbullah is going to divide the country and lead it to the verge of a civil war," Israel's elder statesman told reporters.
Knesset Mmeber Silvan Shalom (Likud) said of about the escalating violence in Beirut, "The world must intervene immediately for the good of the moderate people and prevent the Iranian occupation of Lebanon.
"An Iranian takeover would create Shiite succession that could threaten the stability of the Middle East and the entire world. The UN Security Council must be convened in order to prevent this irreversible situation," he said.
Security sources said at least 11 people had been killed and 30 wounded in three days of battles between pro-government gunmen and fighters loyal to Hizbullah, a Shiite political movement with a powerful guerrilla army.
The fighting, the worst internal strife since the 1975-90 civil war, was triggered this week after the government took decisions targeting Hizbullah's military communications network. The group said the government had declared war.
