MIDDLE EAST: U.N. forces stationed on the volatile Israel-Lebanon border inspect site where a rocket fired from Lebanon struck the Jewish state. Israeli official warns of danger to stability in the region
Record ID:
1526092
MIDDLE EAST: U.N. forces stationed on the volatile Israel-Lebanon border inspect site where a rocket fired from Lebanon struck the Jewish state. Israeli official warns of danger to stability in the region
- Title: MIDDLE EAST: U.N. forces stationed on the volatile Israel-Lebanon border inspect site where a rocket fired from Lebanon struck the Jewish state. Israeli official warns of danger to stability in the region
- Date: 29th October 2009
- Summary: NEAR KIRYAT SHMONA, ISRAEL (OCTOBER 27, 2009) (REUTERS) ***NIGHT SHOTS*** (*** BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) VARIOUS OF ISRAELI SOLDIERS DIGGING OUT REMAINS OF KATYUSHA ROCKET, LAUNCHED TOWARDS NORTHERN ISRAEL FROM SOUTH LEBANON ON TUESDAY U.N. INSPECTORS ARRIVING AT SITE U.N. INSPECTORS MEASURING ROCKET CRATER MORE OF INSPECTORS PHOTOGRAPHING AND MEASURING ROCKET REMAINS INSPECTOR USING MEASURING TOOL MORE OF U.N. OFFICIALS CHECKING ROCKET REMAINS JERUSALEM (OCTOBER 28, 2009) (REUTERS) ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON YIGAL PALMOR WALKING SIGN READING 'MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS' (SOUNDBITE) (English) ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON YIGAL PALMOR SAYING: "We have warned the U.N. and the international community of the growing instability in southern Lebanon due to illegal activities by Hezbollah and other terror groups. This activity is a blatant breach of Security Council resolution 1701, the international community through the U.N., should do everything in order to implement this resolution and not allow south Lebanon to become once again the playground of terror organisations." SIGN READING 'STATE OF ISRAEL, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS' (SOUNDBITE) (English) ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON YIGAL PALMOR, SAYING: "This starts with a drip-drop of rocket firing and it will end with a rain of fire. This is a real danger for the stability of the region. The government of Lebanon bears responsibility and the international community should stop this at once." PALMOR WALKING AWAY
- Embargoed: 13th November 2009 12:48
- Keywords:
- Topics: War / Fighting
- Reuters ID: LVA619FCL5CSPTNSUSV3NN7VRHQ7
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: UN forces inspected the site where a rocket fired from Lebanon struck inside northern Israel late on Tuesday (October 27), causing no damage or injury. Israel responded with not only artillery fire at Lebanon but also with an official complaint to the U.N., an Israeli official said on Wednesday (October 28).
An Israeli military spokeswoman said Israel was treating the shooting along the normally quiet though tense border "very seriously" and that it held the Lebanese government responsible.
There were no reports of casualties from the rocket that security sources said slammed into an open area near the northern Israeli border town of Kiryat Shmona, or from Israel's subsequent shooting of artillery fire at Lebanon.
A Lebanese security source confirmed a rocket had been fired from southern Lebanon from the village of Houla, and another Lebanese security source said Israel shot at least eight artillery shells afterwards toward that area.
"We have warned the U.N. and the international community of the growing instability in southern Lebanon due to illegal activities by Hezbollah and other terror groups. This activity is a blatant breach of Security Council resolution 1701, the international community through the U.N., should do everything in order to implement this resolution and not allow south Lebanon to become once again the playground of terror organisations," Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson Yigal Palmor said on Wednesday.
"This starts with a drip-drop of rocket firing and it will end with a rain of fire. This is a real danger for the stability of the region," Palmor added.
The rocket was fired from an area near where the United Nations has investigated Lebanese charges that Israel planted spy devices then subsequently exploded them last week. There were no immediate claims of responsibility.
Both Israel and Lebanon accuse each other of violating a U.N.-brokered ceasefire from 2006 that ended a month long war between Israel and the Hezbollah guerrilla group.
Lebanon has charged that if confirmed, the listening devices it says Israel planted and blew up would be in violation of that truce, in addition to the overflight of unmanned drone surveillance aircraft over southern Lebanon.
Israel has complained about two recent blasts involving weapons storage depots in southern Lebanon, and two rockets fired from Lebanon at northern Israel last month. A militant group claiming links to al Qaeda claimed responsibility for that rocket shooting. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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