Lebanon fighting shows UN-Beirut rift over Hezbollah

Prime Minister Fuad Siniora said Israel's repeated violations of Lebanese airspace were the trigger for the clashes this week in which four Hezbollah fighters were killed and 11 Israelis wounded.

The UN Security Council on Wednesday voiced "deep concern" and said Hezbollah had initiated the latest violence.

Council members also renewed calls on the Beirut government to extend its authority and exert its monopoly over the use of force in all of its territory in accordance with UN resolutions.

Resolution 1559, which led to the pullout of Syrian troops from Lebanon, also calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah, which is backed by Syria and Iran, and Palestinian factions.

Highlighting the differences in perspective, Foreign Minister Fawzi Salukh complained that "the aggressor (Israel) is being treated as if it were the victim" by international organisations such as the United Nations.

"Should we just stay idle in the face of daily Israeli aggression?"

Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz said the clashes were the fiercest since his country in May 2000 ended a 22-year occupation of southern Lebanon, a withdrawal for which Hezbollah guerrillas claim credit.

Saad Hariri, Lebanon's parliamentary majority leader, said the disarmament of Hezbollah could not be imposed "because its resistance allowed for the liberation" of the south.

"It's an issue that has to be settled through dialogue," he said.

Siniora said tensions along the volatile border were due to Israel's continued occupation of the Shebaa Farms, a disputed border territory which Israel seized from Syria but is claimed by Beirut with the consent of Damascus.

For the United Nations, Israel completed its withdrawal from south Lebanon five years ago, leaving Hezbollah in control of the border region.

According to Western diplomatic sources in Beirut, the United States, Saudi Arabia and the United Nations peacekeeping force in south Lebanon, UNIFIL, have in recent days stepped up efforts to restore the status quo along the border.

"Israel's recent acts of aggression are aimed at pushing through implementation of resolution 1559, which just goes to prove that it was Israeli inspired," said Labour Minister Trad Hamadeh, who is close to Hezbollah.

Hezbollah's parliamentary leader Mohammed Raad said "the big powers are going to continue to exploit Israel's acts of aggression to try to implement resolution 1559".

But the Shiite movement, which is also represented in the Lebanese government, would "not bow" to the pressure.

Israel's Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said Wednesday that Hezbollah could not continue to remain armed and the Jewish state would take action at a time of its choosing.

"No one dares disarm Hezbollah and deploy the Lebanese army in the south of Lebanon. This situation cannot last and Israel knows how to act in an appropriate manner in the right place," he said on Israeli public radio.

The director-general of Israel's foreign ministry, Ron Prosor, said this week's clashes were sparked by "a deliberate and concerted attack by Hezbollah aimed at kidnapping Israeli soldiers".

Prosor expressed "astonishment at the passivity of UNIFIL" toward Hezbollah.

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