Ahmadinejad Visits Border Area With Israel On Alert

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Ahmadinejad Visits Border Area With Israel On Alert

Last updated (GMT/UTC): 14.10.2010 15:24

Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has appeared for the most sensitive part of his two-day tour of Lebanon with a visit to the tense border region with Israel.

After a tumultuous welcome on October 13 in the capital, Beirut, the Iranian leader appeared in the southern Lebanese towns of Maroon Al-Ras and Bint Jbeil, just a few hundred meters from the Israeli frontier.

Both towns are strongholds of the Shi'a Islamist group, Hizballah, which Iran supports. They were heavily bombed in the 34-day war Hizballah fought with Israel in 2006, which killed 1,200 Lebanese and 158 Israelis.

Thousands of Hizballah supporters reportedly jammed a stadium there ahead of Ahmadinejad's planned appearance.

In Bint Jbeil, Ahmadinejad praised what he called Lebanese resistance and verbally attacked Israel, saying Zionists "are mortal."

Beirut Appearance

Ahmadinejad's arrival comes after he told a mass rally in Beirut late on October 13 that Israel was approaching the end of its existence and may try to provoke a fresh conflict.

''Pay attention. This hollow Zionism feels it has reached a dead end, and may stage new treacherous acts to rescue its existence and to create opportunities for itself," Ahmadinejad said. "I announce here and now that any new treacherous act will merely shorten this fabricated regime's disgraceful life.''

Tensions over the visit have been running high amid rumors that Ahmadinejad may throw symbolic stones across the border into Israel.

Demonstrators have gathered on Israel's side of the border to protest Ahmadinejad's visit to Lebanon, which has been labeled a "provocation" by the Israeli government and the United States. Banners bearing slogans including "Ahmadinejad, the new Hitler" and "Wake up, Assad, Ahmadinejad is on his way to Damascus" were attached to a border fence by Israeli protesters.

The Israeli army has refused to comment on reports that it is stepping up security ahead of the visit.

Hizballah supporters were reported to be using mosque loudspeakers to rally crowds into turning out in force. Lebanese school children have been given the day off for the visit.

Addressing the October 13 rally by video link, Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah hailed predominantly Shi'ite Iran as a guarantor of Islamic values.

''There are sides that are always promoting the notion that Iran is a source of strife and that it seeks to divide and tear the ranks," Nasrallah said, "and here we have to say the truth that the Islamic Republic is one of the most important guarantees today in our Islamic world and in the whole world for stopping strife and preventing war and helping the helpless.''

compiled from agency reports

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/Israel_On_Alert_ As_Ahmadinejad_Heads_For_Border/2190299.html

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Ahmadinejad Visits Border Area With Israel On Alert