TEL AVIV — Israeli military sources said Hizbullah operatives have been allowed by
the Lebanese Army to return to the Israeli border. The sources said
operatives have established safe houses and organized unrest against
the Israeli military.
"The situation could rapidly return to that of before July 12," a
military source, referring to the start of the Israeli-Hizbullah war, said.
[On Tuesday, at least three Israelis were injured in Palestinian missile
fire from the Gaza Strip. Two missiles landed in and around the Israeli city
of Sderot and several people were injured by shrapnel or shock. Islamic
Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack and termed the missile Quds-3, Middle East Newsline reported.]
The Hizbullah operatives have been organizing rock-throwing against
Israeli soldiers along the border. The operatives have also planted
Hizbullah flags along the Israeli frontier.
Israeli troops have been under orders not to respond to the Hizbullah
stone-throwing. Neither United Nations forces nor Lebanese troops have
intervened.
On Tuesday, parliamentarian Tsahi Hanegbi, chairman of the Knesset
Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, appealed to Defense Minister Amir
Peretz to stop Hizbullah stone-throwing toward Israelis. Hanegbi warned that
such Hizbullah behavior could quickly turn lethal.
A senior Israeli officer said Hizbullah has not renewed military
activity against Israel. The officer told a briefing on Monday that the
pro-Iranian militia has observed the ceasefire arranged by the UN on Aug.
14.
The return of Hizbullah shattered an Israeli effort to establish a
one-kilometer buffer zone along the border. Under the Israeli proposal, only
Lebanese troops or UN peace-keepers would be allowed to enter the zone.
Israel still remains in 10 areas of southern Lebanon, the UN said. The
last Israeli soldiers were expected to leave Lebanon by Oct. 1.
For his part, Peretz said Israeli troops would withdraw from Lebanon
within 10 days. The minister said Israel has sought to clarify the rules of
engagement with UN troops.
"I hope very much that during the coming week, at the most a few more
days, we will complete the withdrawal," Peretz said after meeting the
Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday. "There are
arrangements, negotiations, deliberations we intend to conclude to set the
rules — what is permitted and forbidden — when we redeploy along the Blue
Line [border with Lebanon]."
