Israeli defense minister gives year end ultimatum to Hezbollah
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday warned there would be "no calm" in Lebanon if Israel's security was not guaranteed, as Israeli forces intensify operations despite a year-old ceasefire with Hezbollah.
"We will not allow any threats against the inhabitants of the north, and maximum enforcement will continue and even intensify," Katz told the Israeli parliament.
"As we proved a few days ago with the elimination -- there will be no calm in Beirut, nor order and stability in Lebanon, until the security of the State of Israel is guaranteed," he added, referring to the killing of a top Hezbollah military chief in an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs days earlier. "Hezbollah: we will disarm them," he added.
Katz also said that Israel does not believe that Hezbollah will voluntarily give up its arms, noting that Washington has given the group a year-end deadline.
“If Hezbollah does not give up its weapons by the year’s end, we will work forcefully again in Lebanon,” Katz warned.
As for the maritime border agreement with Lebanon, Katz said: “We are studying our stance over the sea border agreement with Lebanon, which includes points of weakness and problems.”
Israel has repeatedly bombed Lebanon despite the truce, usually saying it is targeting Hezbollah members and infrastructure to stop the group from rearming.
According to the ceasefire agreement, Hezbollah was to pull its forces north of the Litani River, some 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the border with Israel and have its military infrastructure there dismantled.
Under a government-approved plan, the Lebanese Army is to dismantle Hezbollah military infrastructure south of the river by the end of the year, before tackling the rest of the country.
The Lebanese military has said it is carrying out its plan to disarm the group, but the U.S. and Israel have accused Lebanese authorities of stalling the process.
Source: Naharnet, Agence France Presse
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://mobile.naharnet.com/stories/en/316767 |