Minister Peled: Conflict on northern border a matter of time
Likud MK and former GCO Northern Command chief says another armed altercation with Hezbollah is coming, although no one knows when it will erupt
Minister Yossi Peled (Likud), speaking at an event in Beersheba, said Saturday that he believes Israel is likely to face another conflict on the northern border, although it is unclear exactly when.
"Lebanon is the only country in the world that has a military organization - Hezbollah – that doesn’t answer to the government and is supported by two external states, Iran and Syria.
"Although Hezbollah is part of the (Lebanese) government, it is unaffected by it. If there is another confrontation in the north, we will hold Syria and Lebanon alike responsible," said the former GCO Northern Command chief.
The international community, he added, has failed to "manage Hezbollah," which is how it became more powerful now that it was prior to the Second Lebanon War.
In his opinion, he added, "Peace is not a goal but rather a primary objective: History has given us a historic gift – a Jewish home. If we lose it we won't get a second chance."
Israel's failures during the Second Lebanon War, he said, cannot be placed at the door of one man: "Saying (former IDF Chief) Dan Halutz ruined the military is easy. Halutz shares full responsibility, but you can't say he dismantled the IDF within seven months' time. That's just a basic misunderstanding.
"The assumption we didn’t need to deploy ground forces (during fighting) preceded him. You can't lay blame with him alone.
"I still don't think we can sleep soundly, but our readiness has definitely approved since Gabi Ashkenazi became IDF chief."
