DATE=2/13/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ISRAEL-LEBANON (L-O)
NUMBER=2-259110
BYLINE=SUSAN SAPPIR
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Following the killing of a seventh Israeli
soldier in recent weeks, Israel may pull its troops
out of Lebanon as early as April. Susan Sappir
reports from Jerusalem on a growing high-level
campaign to get Israeli soldiers home sooner, rather
than later.
TEXT: Prime Minister Ehud Barak was elected last May
on a promise of ending 18-years of Israeli occupation
of southern Lebanon by July.
Now those who favor an even earlier Israeli withdrawal
have been joined by opposition leader Ariel Sharon,
who as defense minister masterminded Israel's 1982
Lebanon invasion. The strategy then was to occupy the
Lebanese border strip to prevent guerrilla attacks on
Israel.
Now, along with a growing number of Israelis Mr.
Sharon says he feels the price of staying in Lebanon
has become too high. Situations change, he said in a
statement. He added - our posts in Lebanon have
become anachronistic and we must get out.
Israel buried its seventh soldier killed in south
Lebanon in two-weeks. Israel's response to the latest
round of Hezbollah guerrilla attacks on its forces was
to launch massive strikes on Lebanese infrastructure
facilities. One mission knocked out power plants that
provided electricity to large sections of Lebanon.
Israeli civilians slept in shelters in fear of cross-
border shelling.
When the guerrillas finally appeared to be holding
their fire, Israeli officials credited Damascus with
restraining them.
The Israeli cabinet discussed the Lebanon situation
(Sunday). It announced it would discuss withdrawal
again in April, which has been mentioned by several
senior officials as a preferable withdrawal date.
Israeli public opinion has made a broad swing in the
past several months from being split over the Lebanon
issue, to clearly supporting a troop pullout.
(SIGNED)
NEB/SS/DW/RAE
13-Feb-2000 11:39 AM EDT (13-Feb-2000 1639 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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