freepalestine
3rd August 2010, 18:58
Deadly clashes on Israel-Lebanon border
Published today (updated) 03/08/2010 19:03
Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli and Lebanese soldiers exchanged fire along their shared border Tuesday afternoon, in a clash that left at least four Lebanese citizens dead including three soldiers, and one Israeli soldier dead, military and security officials said.
The Israeli army announced several hours after the clashes concluded that Lt. Col. Dov Harari, 45, was killed in the fighting. Shortly after the outbreak of fighting, Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV said an Israeli soldier was killed.
A reporter for Lebanon's Al-Akhbar daily, Assaf Abu Rahhal, was reported killed in the clash in Adaisseh that was apparently sparked when Israeli soldiers attempted to uproot a tree on the Lebanese side of the tense border, drawing fire from Lebanese troops.
Lebanese officials identified two of the injured as Hasan Nazzal, a civilian, and soldier Ibrahim Abboud.
Lebanese fire also killed a top Israeli military officer, Hezbollah's television network Al-Manar reported. Ali Chaayeb, a correspondent for the network, was reportedly injured.
Israel's military had no immediate comment on casualties, but an army spokesman told Ma'an that soldiers had not entered Lebanese territory. Israel's troops were between the UN-administered Blue Line and the Israeli border fence, the official said.
Lebanese news reports said Israeli soldiers were operating in the area while attempting to install surveillance equipment. Some reports said the troops were removing trees to facilitate surveillance activity.
The army confirmed that Israeli forces fired toward Lebanon, but said it was in response to Lebanese gunfire. Israeli forces were "carrying out routine maintenance [that] was pre-coordinated with UNIFIL," the military said in a separate statement.
"The IDF Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi arrived at the Israeli-Lebanese border, is following the events closely as they unfold, and is constantly holding situation assessment reports with the OC Northern Command, Maj. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, as well as the Galilee Regional Division commander and additional commanders," the military statement added.
Lebanon and Israel condemn
From his vacation spot in Sardinia, Italy, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri condemned what he termed the Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty, governmental news agencies reported. The official made a call to the country's President Michel Suleiman, army commander General Jean Qahwaj and UNIFIL officials asking that the team follow up on the clashes.
Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri urged officials to file a complaint against Israel with the UN Security Council. Israel is reportedly considering filing a complaint of its own.
Hariri told UNIFIL that he expected the UN to pressure Israel to implement UN Resolution 1701, which calls for the demilitarization of the area within the blue line where UNIFIL troops are stationed. UNIFIL called on both Israel and Lebanon to exercise "maximum restraint."
Israel's Foreign Ministry issued a statement holding Lebanon responsible for the incident, saying, "Israel sees the firing on an IDF force which acted in coordination with UNIFIL in the border region in the last hours a blunt violation of Security Council Resolution 1701."
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman also said the country held Lebanon as responsible, for what he called a "grave incident," and warned of consequences if similar incidents are reported.
PFLP-GC reported acting in area
The online news agency Naharnet in Lebanon, quoting the country's Voice of Free Lebanon radio, reported "strange activity" in the central Bekaa Valley town of Qoussaya near the Galilee.
The report said "strange, young bearded men have been seen in PFLP-GC bases in Qoussaya," and quoted locals saying that "These elements have started deploying three weeks ago" wearing combat uniforms.
The PFLP-GC is a Palestinian faction which broke off from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and formed a separate unit.
The clashes came one day after rockets landed in both Israel and Jordan, reportedly fired from the northern Egyptian Sinai. Egyptian security officials denied the claims. The fire killed one Jordanian taxi driver in the port city of Aqaba.
http://maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=304806
Published today (updated) 03/08/2010 19:03
Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli and Lebanese soldiers exchanged fire along their shared border Tuesday afternoon, in a clash that left at least four Lebanese citizens dead including three soldiers, and one Israeli soldier dead, military and security officials said.
The Israeli army announced several hours after the clashes concluded that Lt. Col. Dov Harari, 45, was killed in the fighting. Shortly after the outbreak of fighting, Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV said an Israeli soldier was killed.
A reporter for Lebanon's Al-Akhbar daily, Assaf Abu Rahhal, was reported killed in the clash in Adaisseh that was apparently sparked when Israeli soldiers attempted to uproot a tree on the Lebanese side of the tense border, drawing fire from Lebanese troops.
Lebanese officials identified two of the injured as Hasan Nazzal, a civilian, and soldier Ibrahim Abboud.
Lebanese fire also killed a top Israeli military officer, Hezbollah's television network Al-Manar reported. Ali Chaayeb, a correspondent for the network, was reportedly injured.
Israel's military had no immediate comment on casualties, but an army spokesman told Ma'an that soldiers had not entered Lebanese territory. Israel's troops were between the UN-administered Blue Line and the Israeli border fence, the official said.
Lebanese news reports said Israeli soldiers were operating in the area while attempting to install surveillance equipment. Some reports said the troops were removing trees to facilitate surveillance activity.
The army confirmed that Israeli forces fired toward Lebanon, but said it was in response to Lebanese gunfire. Israeli forces were "carrying out routine maintenance [that] was pre-coordinated with UNIFIL," the military said in a separate statement.
"The IDF Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi arrived at the Israeli-Lebanese border, is following the events closely as they unfold, and is constantly holding situation assessment reports with the OC Northern Command, Maj. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, as well as the Galilee Regional Division commander and additional commanders," the military statement added.
Lebanon and Israel condemn
From his vacation spot in Sardinia, Italy, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri condemned what he termed the Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty, governmental news agencies reported. The official made a call to the country's President Michel Suleiman, army commander General Jean Qahwaj and UNIFIL officials asking that the team follow up on the clashes.
Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri urged officials to file a complaint against Israel with the UN Security Council. Israel is reportedly considering filing a complaint of its own.
Hariri told UNIFIL that he expected the UN to pressure Israel to implement UN Resolution 1701, which calls for the demilitarization of the area within the blue line where UNIFIL troops are stationed. UNIFIL called on both Israel and Lebanon to exercise "maximum restraint."
Israel's Foreign Ministry issued a statement holding Lebanon responsible for the incident, saying, "Israel sees the firing on an IDF force which acted in coordination with UNIFIL in the border region in the last hours a blunt violation of Security Council Resolution 1701."
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman also said the country held Lebanon as responsible, for what he called a "grave incident," and warned of consequences if similar incidents are reported.
PFLP-GC reported acting in area
The online news agency Naharnet in Lebanon, quoting the country's Voice of Free Lebanon radio, reported "strange activity" in the central Bekaa Valley town of Qoussaya near the Galilee.
The report said "strange, young bearded men have been seen in PFLP-GC bases in Qoussaya," and quoted locals saying that "These elements have started deploying three weeks ago" wearing combat uniforms.
The PFLP-GC is a Palestinian faction which broke off from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and formed a separate unit.
The clashes came one day after rockets landed in both Israel and Jordan, reportedly fired from the northern Egyptian Sinai. Egyptian security officials denied the claims. The fire killed one Jordanian taxi driver in the port city of Aqaba.
http://maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=304806