Israel Warns Lebanon, Syria against Any Reprisal from their Soil
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon warned on Friday Hizbullah and Damascus not to launch any attack on the Jewish state, stressing that Lebanon and Syria will be held responsible for any retaliatory attack.
“Israel will consider governments, regimes and organizations beyond its northern border responsible for any attack from their territories,” Yaalon said in a statement.
He expressed hope that the region avoids reprisals for the Israeli airstrike that killed a high-ranking Iranian commander and six Hizbullah fighters, including Jihad Mughniyeh, the son of Imad Mughniyeh — a top operative who was assassinated in 2008 in Damascus in a bombing that the party blamed on Israel. Thousands of mourners attended his funeral Monday in Beirut.
Yaalon vowed that his country will avenge any “harm inflicted on Israeli sovereignty, civilians and soldiers.”
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is expected to make a speech on January 30 during a popular rally to mourn the party fighters who were killed in the Israeli airstrike in Syria's Quneitra on Sunday, and reveal his party's stance and response.
Israel and Hizbullah are bitter enemies and fought a bloody month-long war in the summer of 2006.
Since Syria's civil war began in March 2011, Israel has reportedly carried out several airstrikes in Syria that have targeted sophisticated weapons systems, including Russian-made anti-aircraft missiles and Iranian-made missiles, believed to be destined for Hizbullah.
Nasrallah recently said Hizbullah reserves the right to retaliate for those attacks. He also reiterated that the party may retaliate at any time for the assassination of the elder Mughniyeh.
H.K.
G.K.
23 January 2015, 14:18
76
First why punish an entire nation because of a militia and its allies. Second, neither Israel nor Syria will do anything, Sayed Hassan will make his speech, he will spruce up his people, they'll wave their fists into the air, then when the rally is over, everyone will go home, Sayed Hassan back to his underground refuge, come evening everyone will enjoy watching the show on TV and over a cup of tea and a shisha.
23 January 2015, 14:19
74
**Text Correction. *** First why punish an entire nation because of a militia and its allies. Second, neither Hezbollah nor Syria will do anything, Sayed Hassan will make his speech, he will spruce up his people, they'll wave their fists into the air, then when the rally is over, everyone will go home, Sayed Hassan back to his underground refuge, come evening everyone will enjoy watching the show on TV and over a cup of tea and a shisha.
23 January 2015, 18:34
44
You might call it the unity of delusion, based on racism, which is a very complicated life-style. There is a whole list of races, each with its own status and character. I assume -phoenix1 is referring to Israel as a "militia and its allies". This seems disrespectful, since those allies keep the Christian minority in its privileged position in Lebanon. Racism is ultimately full of contradictions. It is, I might say, the ultimate enemy of law.
23 January 2015, 20:05
43
Chris...If only you took your time to read the corrected text. Thus I may add, rushing to judge is the ultimate enemy of law and here it renders you in the real minority, not as exists in the figment of your imagination.
23 January 2015, 19:38
44
the very disunity that makes HA ever more needed. knowing the people of the south cannot count on their countrymen to stick with them against israeli threats and violence, they have to rely even more on the resistance. sad to say but during decades of occupation of the south, nobody in the rest of lebanon cared, and politicians made sure the army was paralyzed and unequipped. through decades of struggle and painful sacrifices they finally sorted themselves out, only now the people who let them down in the first place keep whining that they should get back to square zero. their hypocrisy knows no limit.
23 January 2015, 19:53
44
FT, if you did what I did, then there will be no such thing as a unity issue. I will unite around my country, my president, my government, my ARMY, my constitution and its institutions. Hezbollah is not my country, it is a militia trying to find a reason to continue existing when it should find a way to exiting. Syria or Israel are not my country either. I will not unite neither for a militia today, nor a neighboring country, if you catch my drift, charity begins at home, so here's your clue solver, home, the nation, the army, the institutions and the constitution under which they serve and nothing else. Excuse my bluntness.
23 January 2015, 22:14
00
I am confused... some Lebanese factions attach sayed Hassan for getting involved in Syria Iraq, and arguably Yemen. those same Lebanese factions condemm Israel for killing Iraninas and sayed Hassan's boys in Syria....the other day...
how is it possible to be on both side of the argument at the same time... I guess that's Lebanese politicians for you
24 January 2015, 03:15
11
"the very disunity that makes HA ever more needed"
Lmaooooooooo Hezbollah are the reason for the disunity Momo.
24 January 2015, 07:34
10
Right on, nickjames! Hezbollah causes problems, meddles in other countries, and when it is attacked it claims that it is protecting Lebanon by fighting back. Go figure. It is copying its nasty despotic Iranian masters by sticking its nose in areas where it does not belong. I am sure the Israelis will make mincemeat of them if they try anything cute.
24 January 2015, 14:48
00
Let me ask the Lebanese readers a question. although Lebanon is an Arabian country, so is Tunisia, so is Morocco, so is Egypt and Jordan. Does they declare war day by day? countries like Egypt and Jordan settled the disputes they had with Israel in the negotiating table. Cold peace or warm who cares ? as long there are no casualties. Wonder what Lebanon has to gain by keeping state of war with Israel? is there any dispute which can't be solved? again and again Lebanon paid the price for being a shelter and warm nest to terror groups. Wonder when it comes to an end. I know most of people of Lebanon are peace lovers and would like to keep Lebanon beautiful and an harmed. For heaven sake isn't there any one in Lebanon brave enough to say enough is enough ?
