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Israel: Hizbullah planning 'horrible attack'

JERUSALEM [MENL] -- Israel said Hizbullah is planning what Foreign Minister David Levy termed "horrible attacks" on the Jewish state.

Officials said Hizbullah plans to launch new Katyusha and artillery attacks on the Jewish state. They said Hizbullah is being encouraged by Syria, Iran and several other Arab countries, including Egypt. They said the attacks appear to be planned for next week.

Hizbullah, officials said, has received what they termed long-range artillery from Iran. They said they have received information of preparations by the Shi'ite militia to deploy the weapons in any new round of fighting with Israel.

Iranian arms shipments to Hizbullah have increased to twice a month, officials said, enough weapons to fight Israel for months. U.S. officials have acknowledged the buildup.

Levy on Thursday warned that a ministerial security committee has already decided that the government will launch "the most severe" attacks in retaliation of any hostility on Israeli civilians.

"Nobody should make a mistake," Levy told Israel radio on Thursday. "The danger has not passed. There is nobody who can promise us that Hizbullah will not fire -- not even Katyushas, but long-range artillery. The encouragement from the Arab countries is meant for it [Hizbullah] to implement its plans. This is a group that only answers to Iran. Syria also encourages it, even during these days. During these days, it [Hizbullah] is planning and it can operate and it has terrible tools and there is nobody to restrain it."

The foreign minister reiterated his warning that Israeli retaliation against Hizbullah attacks might harm civilians. He said his threats issued in parliament on Wednesday and the harsh language used were not an outburst.

"This was not an outburst," he said. "I did not threaten. I warned. This quiet is illusory."

On Thursday, Prime Minister Ehud Barak expressed support for Levy. "I regard him as a very important and responsible partner," he said.

Officials said Levy's warning reflected Israeli concern over the total Arab support for Lebanon and Hizbullah in the wake of Israeli retaliatory attacks earlier this month. The support includes Egypt and Jordan, both of which have signed peace treaties with Israel.

On Thursday, the London-based Al Quds Al Arabi daily reported that Egypt and Syria are planning a summit that would include Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. The newspaper said the summit would declare support for Lebanon. This, while Syrian newspapers on Thursday continued to refer to Israeli leaders as Nazis.

Israeli military sources on Thursday agreed with Levy and said the lull in Hizbullah attacks is temporary and is maintained for tactical reasons. Hizbullah on Thursday fired anti-tank missiles toward an Israeli outpost in southern Lebanon. Nobody was reported injured.

Earlier, Levy issued Israel's most severe warning against a Hizbullah attack. "Should Kiryat Shmona burn, then Lebanese soil will burn," Levy said. "In the same way. Blood for blood; soul for soul; child for child. And a time for warning. And this warning prevented a catastrophe and registered. Israel will not concede under any condition on its right of self-defense."

The foreign minister accused Israeli Arab parliamentarians of siding with Hizbullah in its campaign against Israel. The parliamentarians shouted in protest and several of them left the plenum.

In the Palestinian Authority, leading Palestinians announced their support for Hizbullah and urged the Palestinians to adopt the Shi'ite struggle in what they said was the effort to liberate Palestinian lands. The supporters of Hizbullah included former Palestinian Legislative Council president Haider Abdul Shafi.

The Israeli warning comes as the Israeli military has accelerated preparations for a withdrawal from Lebanon. Military sources said that next week tenders will be announced for the construction of new outposts along Israel's northern border.

They said Israel's 10 outposts in Lebanon would be moved to within the Jewish state. Land would be expropriated along the northern border for the construction.

The sources said the South Lebanese Army is being consulted regarding efforts to dismantle the militia's outpost and resettle many of its soldiers.