Hezbollah 'spearhead of Iran'
2006-08-09 14:08
Jerusalem - Israeli defence minister Amir Peretz on Wednesday described the Lebanese Shi'ite Muslim Hezbollah militia as the "spearhead of Iran".
"We are fighting the spearhead commando of Iran, equipped with modern and sophisticated weapons, including Russian-made anti-tank missiles," Peretz said after meeting visiting German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Most of the 65 Israeli soldiers who have died in the four-week-long Israeli campaign to rid southern Lebanon of Hezbollah guerrillas have been killed by anti-tank rockets.
Israel accuses Iran and Syria of supporting Hezbollah and supplying it with arms, notably its arsenal of thousands of rockets, which is being used to shower Israel with attacks every day.
The two countries, which are themselves closely aligned, consistently argue that their support for Hezbollah is purely moral.
Peretz said Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora's offer to deploy 15 000 Lebanese troops on the border with Israel showed good will, but that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was another matter.
"Even if Siniora has good intentions, Nasrallah has others. That is why the international community must work toward a durable (ceasefire) accord that will not collapse shortly after entering into force."
Steinmeier was in Israel after first visiting Lebanon, where he said he had increasing confidence that a UN Security Council resolution to stop fighting between Israel and Hezbollah can be passed this week.
In Israel, the German minister will be discussing "efforts underway within the international community to find a political solution capable of putting an end to the fighting", the Israeli foreign ministry said.
"The German leadership understands the position of Israel and of its right to self defence in the face of Hezbollah's aggression, and have underlined that publicly," the statement added.
Steinmeier, on his second trip to Israel since the conflict erupted on July 12, is also due to meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and foreign minister Tzipi Livni.
- AFP