Stand-alone ceasefire serves no purpose, Hezbollah has to be neutralised: Israeli envoy

New Delhi

4 August 2006

Israel has no quarrel with Lebanon and does not wish to extend the over three-week-old conflict beyond the periphery of Lebanon but the Government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has a stake in ensuring that Hezbollah never dares to attack Israel again. Therefore the conflict will continue until a satisfactory arrangement is achieved, according to Ambassador of Israel to India David Danieli.

"We have no interest in Lebanon's internal affairs and we do not wish to drag Syria or Iran [into the conflict] but at the same time we want them (Syria and Iran) to draw lessons from this conflict," he said in an interview to this newspaper. The Israeli envoy went on to state that ceasefire would not serve any purpose because doing so will enable Hezbollah to rearm and regroup.

"Ceasefire requires broader arrangement ... stand-alone ceasefire does not serve any purpose. [Ceasefire] is one element in overall sustainable, long-term arrangement so it can happen only if a multinational force brings to a complete halt the terrorist acts by Syria and Iran. Any arrangement will not hold water until then," Mr Danieli said justifying Israel's military incursions into Lebanon.

"Conclusion of conflict requires fundamental change in security situation along the border between Israel and Lebanon. The key elements are the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559, disarming of Hezbollah and asserting the authority of Government of Lebanon over its territory. A military and political mechanism is required besides removing [the] terrorist threat," he said.

The Israeli envoy said the "jehadi war" left Israel with no choice but to "take matters in its own hand" and retaliate. "The conflict is not about occupation of Lebanon or about Palestine. The Sheba Farms issue or the landmines supposedly left behind by Israel or even the Lebanese prisoners ... those are poor excuses. The main issue is jehadi war being waged by Tehran's agent," he observed.

He cited the "jehadi war by [Iran's] proxy in service of ideology which is repeated by its infamous president" to invoke Israel's "legitimate right of self defence". On Israel getting isolated, he said: "We wish to be loved [from] east [to] west but at what cost and for how long [can we be] good guys playing according to expectations?" However, he evaded a straight reply when asked if Israel could have played by the rules of combat.