VARIOUS: ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, DURING A VISIT TO ISRAELI-OCCUPIED SOUTH LEBANON, WARNS THE HIZBOLLAH GUERRILLA GROUP THAT RAIDS ON ISRAELI FORCES WILL ONLY WORSEN CONFLICT

Record ID: 399780

  • Title: VARIOUS: ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, DURING A VISIT TO ISRAELI-OCCUPIED SOUTH LEBANON, WARNS THE HIZBOLLAH GUERRILLA GROUP THAT RAIDS ON ISRAELI FORCES WILL ONLY WORSEN CONFLICT
  • Date: 19th August 1996
  • Summary: NORTHERN ISRAEL/ ISRAELI-OCCUPATION ZONE, LEBANON (AUGUST 19, 1996) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) NORTHERN ISRAEL 1. GV MOTORCADE 0.06 2. MV ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU VISITING ISRAELI FORCES 0.15 3. LV ISRAELI TROOPS SEATED ON GROUND 0.21 4. CU NETANYAHU SEATED AT TABLE 0.31 5. MV NETANYAHU MEETING TROOPS (2 S
  • Embargoed: 3rd September 1996 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NORTHERN ISRAEL/ ISRAELI-OCCUPATION ZONE, LEBANON
  • City:
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Reuters ID: LVAF0YPR7MRO9QNG1ZOC4N1T48G3
  • Story Text: - INTRO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a visit to Israeli-occupied south Lebanon, has warned the Hizbollah guerrilla group that its raids on Israeli forces would only worsen the conflict ------------------------------------------------------------------ Speaking on Monday (August 19) during his first visit to south Lebanon since his May election victory, Netanyahu said it appeared that Hizbollah was not interested in achieving peace, but hoped they would change their goals.

    He added that any kind of peace would not result in a unilateral Israeli withdrawal from the region. He said any agreement would have to provide for the security of Israel and the well-being of Israel's allies in south Lebanon.

    Hours after he spoke, a militiaman of the Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army (SLA) was killed by a guerrilla bomb while on patrol, SLA sources said.

    Netanyahu said that attacks on soldiers and the allies in the region was a "flawed method that will cause the escalation of the situation", during the brief visit to the anti-guerrilla border zone Israel holds in south Lebanon.

    The SLA sources said the bomb attack occurred near the Jezzine area in a finger of territory that extends north from the Israeli-held border strip but is under SLA control.

    No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

    Hizbollah (Party of God) and other guerrillas carry out regular attacks against some 1,000 Israeli troops and 3,000 SLA militiamen holding the 15-km (nine-mile) -wide buffer zone carved out in 1985.

    Netanyahu met SLA chief General Antoine Lahd at the headquarters of the Israeli forces in Marjayoun. Israeli Defence Minister Yitzhak Mordechai accompanied Netanyahu during the 30-minute visit.

    Lebanon's peace talks with Israel are stalled over the question of an Israeli troop withdrawal from south Lebanon. Israel's talks with Syria, Lebanon's main foreign power with 35,000 troops in the country, are also deadlocked.

    Netanyahu, however, said on Monday that Israel would like a resumption of peace talks "leading to tranquility on our northern border and towards the achievement of a formal peace with Syria".

    Israel's previous government under Labour leader Shimon Peres launched a 17-day air and artillery bombardment against southern Lebanon in April in response to Hizbollah rocket attacks on northern Israel.

    The blitz halted after a U.S.-mediated agreement that barred firing on or from civilian positions by both sides. Israeli fire killed about 200 people, mostly civilians.


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