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Israel Explains "Cause - Effect" to Lebanon
Israel will refrain from harsh military steps towards Lebanon as long as attacks on Israeli troops from the Lebanese side of the border do not resume, the government has decided after, Haaretz reported on Wednesday. Cause If the attacks on its forces resume, Israel is likely to strike back at Lebanon and perhaps also at Syria, the report added. Effect, see how easy that is? Israeli security sources explained that Israel is not interested in heating up the northern front during next weekâs Jewish holiday, when tens of thousands of tourists are expected to visit the region. Thatâll disappoint the adventure tourists However, Israel was reported to reinforce forces on the border with Lebanon. Tourists make really good targets Political analysts in Lebanon and Israel believe that the tensions on the border will be eased. Those in Beirut were quoted in the local press that the Lebanese army has upgraded security precautions against potential attacks outside Hizbullahâs traditional Shabaa farms zone and those in Tel Aviv say the Israeli border reinforcements were largely theatrics. They said hopefully Both sides noted that the ongoing Israeli buildup was way short of a force needed to stage a large-scale cross border operation against Lebanon or against Syria via Lebanon. Israel has mainly redoubled its artillery power without fielding alarming tank columns, they said. So they only plan to blow the shit out of them, no invasion. The Israeli media on Wednesday played down such extremist calls like those made on Tuesday by Israelâs ultra-rightist Housing Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who urged the army and air force to "burn Beirut and Damascus altogether." Now hasnât Beirut suffered enough? Authorities in Beirut are blaming the hostilities on âunruly Palestiniansâ who may have filtered out from South Lebanonâs refugee camps to shoot at Israeli army patrols from the vicinity of Kfar Kila to avenge the Israeli air attack on an alleged Islamic Jihad training camp near Damascus. Official sources said the Lebanese army had imposed a tight security dragnet around Sidonâs Ein El Hilweh refugee camp, the largest in Lebanon, to prevent potential infiltration out from the camp toward the border with Israel. Lotâs of luck with that one. Posted by: Steve 2003-10-08 |
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