Israel Defense Forces killed two Islamic Jihad militants in the West Bank,Olmert meet after Israel rejects U.N. call for cease-fire By Hum Bahadur K.C.
29July2006-Hezbollah’s leader on Saturday threatened more attacks on
central Israeli cities, a day after guerrillas for the first time fired a rocket powerful enough to reach the outskirts of Tel Aviv.
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Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, speaking on Hezbollah’s TV station, said he supported Lebanon’s efforts to negotiate a peace deal, but suggested tentative promises for the guerrillas to disarm would be off if conditions aren’t met.
Nasrallah also dismissed a new diplomatic effort by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to bring about cease-fire, saying the United States wants fighting to continue. His statement came as Rice arrived in the Mideast to visit Israel; a possible Lebanon stop has not been announced.
The bearded Shiite Muslim cleric, wearing his trademark black headdress, insisted Hezbollah fighters were winning the battle with Israel, now in its 18th day. Israel has not made a "single military accomplishment" in its offensive on Lebanon, he said, speaking on the group’s Al-Manar television.
He claimed Israel suffered a "serious defeat" in ground fighting around a Lebanese border town after Israeli troops pulled back Saturday afternoon. Israel said they left Bint Jbail because they accomplished their mission of wearing down Hezbollah fighters after a week of heavy battles.
On Friday, a Hezbollah rocket hit outside the Israeli town of Afula, the farthest strike yet. Hezbollah said it targeted an Israeli military base, but the rockets fell in an empty field.
"The bombardment of Afula and its military base is the beginning …, Nasrallah said. "Many cities in the center (of Israel) will be targeted in the ‘beyond Haifa’ stage if the savage aggression continues on our country, people and villages."
He was referring to his earlier threat to attack deeper into Israel than Haifa, which has been hit repeatedly in the recent conflict.
Nasrallah said Hezbollah was willing to cooperate with the Lebanese government. He did not mention a Lebanese peace plan calling for guerrilla disarmament specifically, but suggested Hezbollah would not disarm if the government backs away from conditions outlined in its proposal.
Most notably, the proposals demand a prisoner swap with Israel and the resolution of Lebanese claims on border land that Israel controls. Israel has ruled out a prisoner swap but has not said whether it would be willing to reconsider its hold on the Chebaa farms area.
The speech was Nasrallah’s fourth taped TV appearance since fighting began, sparked by Hezbollah’s capture of two Israeli soldiers July 12.
In Beirut, drivers stopped their cars and pedestrians stood in front of shops and cafes to watch the address. Fireworks erupted in the southern neighborhoods of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold, after Nasrallah finished.
His speech was picked up live by Israel TV’s Channel 2, with instant translation into Hebrew.
All the residents were warned and called upon to leave. There are hiding places for rockets inside the village and the village itself is a safe haven for those who launch rockets. We have no policy to target innocent civilians.
I think it needs to be clear that Israel is in no rush to reach a ceasefire before we get to a point where we could say that we have achieved the main objectives we had set forth.
This requires a ripening of the diplomatic process and a specific agreement regarding the formation of the force that will operate from the areas from which Israel was threatened in this period.
Out of respect for the souls of our innocent martyrs and the remains of our children buried under the rubble of Qana, we scream out to our fellow Lebanese and to other Arab brothers and to the whole world to stand united in the face of the Israeli war criminals.
The persistence of Israel in its heinous crimes against our civilians will not break the will of the Lebanese people. There is no place on this sad morning for any discussion other than an immediate and unconditional ceasefire as well as the international investigation into the Israeli massacres in Lebanon now.
I think we all recognise that this kind of warfare is extremely difficult, because it is in fact warfare within… territory in which civilians are residing. It’s extremely difficult. And it unfortunately has awful consequences sometimes - and these are awful consequences.
I spoke to Prime Minister Siniora and what he said to me was that he was feeling … very emotional about what had happened to his people.
I fully understand that but I want you to understand something too.
I called him and told him I was not coming today because I felt very strongly my work towards a ceasefire is really here today.
France condemns this unjustified action which demonstrates more than ever the need for an immediate ceasefire without which there will only be other such incidents.
The massacre committed by Israel in Qana this morning shows the barbarity of this aggressive entity. It constitutes state terrorism committed in front of the eyes and ears of the world.
The Arab Republic of Egypt expresses its profound alarm and its condemnation of the irresponsible Israeli bombing of the Lebanese village of Qana, which resulted in innocent casualties, mostly women and children.
This criminal aggression is an ugly crime that has been committed by the Israeli forces in the city of Qana that is a gross violation of all international statutes.
PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS
"what happened in Qana is an ugly massacre. It is a new Israeli crime that it be immediately stopped for the protection of civilian life."
It’s absolutely dreadful, it’s quite appalling. Undoubtedly today’s events will make things worse at least in the short term.
We have repeatedly urged Israel to act proportionately.
SPAIN FOREIGN MINISTRY
The Spanish Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing its "deepest consternation and condemnation" of the Israeli bombing of the Lebanese city of Qana and called for an immediate cease-fire Sunday. The Spanish government also extended its "deepest sympathy" to the victims and the Lebanese government.
I have talked to the prime minister of Lebanon… I have expressed to him my profound dismay and deep sorrow at the attack and the death of innocent civilians in Qana. Nothing can justify that.
I have transmitted to him that the European Union is continuously working to reach an immediate ceasefire.
It is time to end this madness. The UN Security Council must accept its responsibility and immediately adopt a resolution to bring an end to hostilities.
In the name of God, I call on all those responsible for this spiral of violence so that weapons are immediately laid down on all sides.
The attacks that Israeli forces are launching targeting civilians and the Lebanese infrastructure are another confirmation of Israeli aggressive intentions.
IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN HAMID REZA ASEFI
The Qana bombing is the outcome of [US Secretary State Condoleezza] Rice’s trip to the region. Some American officials should be put on trial for the crimes in Lebanon.
ISRAEL IN LEBANON
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