Hizbullah continues to disrupt Israeli pullout
Special To World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Thursday, May 18, 2000
TEL AVIV [MENL] -- Hizbullah continues to fire toward Israeli outposts along
the border in an attempt to disrupt the withdrawal from Lebanon.
Hizbullah shells fell around the Israeli outpost of Tsiporen just over
the Israeli border in southern Lebanon on Wednesday. Tsiporen is one of five
Israeli outposts that is being evacuated.
Israeli and South Lebanese gunners shelled suspected Hizbullah positions
in response. Israeli warplanes returned to the skies and attacked Hizbullah
positions.
Hizbullah gunners have also targeted the Livneh outpost on the northern
Israeli border. The sources said two civilians working to dismantle the
outpost were injured by a mortar shell.
Over the last three days, Israel has evacuated two outposts in southern
Lebanon, the sources said. This included the Rotem base along the
Mediterranean coast.
The next stage of the withdrawal will include major outposts in the
central and eastern sectors of the Israeli zone of troop deployment. This
includes Marjayoun.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Ehud Barak presented a $440 million plan to
bolster communities along the northern border.
Earlier, Azar Shahla, a former SLA official, was killed in the village
of Markaba. In February, Shahla's brother was killed in a Hizbullah attack.
Later, SLA arrested two people on suspicion of collaborating with the
Hizbullah.
In Beirut, Hizbullah claimed responsibility for the assassination. They
said three agents carried out an execution order against Shahla on charges
of collaborating with the enemy.
In Cairo, the Al Aharam Al Arabi weekly reported that Egypt and Saudi
Arabia pledged military backing for Damascus if Syria is attacked by Israel.
The weekly, in a report dismissed by Israeli officials, said the pledge was
relayed by the foreign ministers of Egypt and Saudi Arabia during their
meeting in Palmyra earlier this month.
Thursday, May 18, 2000
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