DATE=2/9/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ISRAEL / LEBANON (L)
NUMBER=2-258985
BYLINE=MEREDITH BUEL
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Israel's Foreign Minister is warning that "the
soil of Lebanon will burn" if guerrillas fire rockets
into northern Israel in retaliation for recent air
raids. As V-O-A Correspondent Meredith Buel reports
from Jerusalem, it was some of the strongest language
from an Israeli leader since the recent escalation of
violence in south Lebanon.
TEXT: Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy told
members of the diplomatic corps in Jerusalem "the soil
of Lebanon will burn" if Hezbollah guerrillas fire
Katyusha rockets into northern Israel in retaliation
for air strikes.
/// Levy Act in Hebrew then under English
translation ///
I want to say if Katyushas should fall on our
settlements, the soil of Lebanon will burn.
Listen everybody: vital interests in Lebanon
will go up in flames. Many years will be needed
to reconstruct them. This is not the way.
Should Katyushas not fall, as a result of the
wisdom of the factors I just mentioned - Syria
and Lebanon - then please use this wisdom and do
not abandon your destiny and the destiny of
peace in the hands of the enemies of peace."
/// End Act ///
In the past, Hezbollah guerrillas have fired rockets
into northern Israel in response to Israeli air
attacks on civilian sites in Lebanon.
This week Israeli warplanes have blasted power
stations and suspected Hezbollah targets after
guerrillas killed six Israeli soldiers in recent
weeks.
Israeli jets continued bombing southern Lebanon on
Wednesday.
Israel has declared a state of emergency in northern
towns, apparently out of concern Hezbollah will launch
rocket attacks from across the border.
Prime Minister Ehud Barak has ordered tens of
thousands of residents to remain in bomb shelters.
Israeli Government Minister Haim Ramon says peace
talks with Syria can not occur while Hezbollah is
killing Israeli soldiers in South Lebanon.
/// Ramon Act ///
We will not tolerate a situation that while we
are negotiating with Syria, Syria is encouraging
the Hezbollah to kill Israeli soldiers. This is
not going to be the situation between us and
Syria. If Syria is sincere about the peace
process please, Syria, restrict the activity of
the Hezbollah.
/// End Act ///
Israeli Public Security Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami
indicated that while the air raids are aimed at
Lebanese and Hezbollah targets, the political message
is aimed squarely at the Syrians.
/// Ben-Ami Act ///
Israel really can not allow a situation whereby
the Hezbollah has become some kind of strategic
arm of Syria precisely at the moment when we are
in the middle of a delicate peace process. So
the target is to restore peace, to create the
proper conditions for reactivating the talks
with Syria.
/// End Act ///
The U-S Ambassador to Israel is accusing Hezbollah of
triggering the cycle of violence in Lebanon.
Ambassador Martin Indyk says the guerrillas have, in
his words, "taken actions that have deteriorated the
situation."
Hezbollah guerrillas are trained and funded by Iran,
but Israel says Syria serves as a conduit for weapons
shipments and allows the fighters to move freely
within Lebanon.
Syria has about 30-thousand soldiers in Lebanon and is
considered the major power broker in the country.
(SIGNED)
NEB/MB/GE/JP
09-Feb-2000 11:09 AM EDT (09-Feb-2000 1609 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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