Peretz accuses Syria of “allowing rearmament of Hezbollah”

Wednesday February 07, 2007 20:56 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

On Wednesday Israeli Defense Minister, Amir Peretz, accused Syria of allowing the rearmament of the Lebanon-based Hezbollah party, and said that Israel "has the right to use force against the party to counter its threat".

Israeli Defense Minister - Amir Peretz

An Israeli online daily reported that Peretz, speaking to visiting U.S Jewish leaders stated that Syria continues to allow the flow of weapons to Hezbollah across the Syrian-Lebanese borders.

"We can't ignore the transfer of weapons and ammunition to Hezbollah," Peretz said. "We will have to act and use force without any compromises to protect our citizens."

Hezbollah officials denied the Israeli report.

On Monday, Israel claimed that the army discovered five explosive devices along the Israel-Lebanon border; the army believes that the explosives were placed recently by Hezbollah fighters.

Hezbollah officials denied the Israeli report and said that these explosives had been there before the second Lebanon war on July 12, Israeli media reported. Israel says that the explosives, hidden in containers that looked like stones, were inside the Israeli side of the border, near Moshav Avivim.

The report also said that Israel filed an official complaint to the United National Interim Force in Lebanon.
The UNIFIL said that it conducted an investigation and its spokesperson said that it cannot determine if the explosives were placed before or after the cease-fire in August 14.

international | lebanon war | news report saed at imemc dot org