Israeli warplanes roar over Lebanon
Ap, Beirut
Israeli warplanes roared over Lebanon's northern Mediterranean coast and along its border with Syria yesterday, after the Lebanese defence minister warned rogue Palestinian rocket teams against attacking Israel and provoking retaliation that could unravel an already shaky ceasefire. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said countries that don't have diplomatic relations with Israel should not be permitted to contribute troops to an international peacekeeping force for southern Lebanon. That would eliminate Indonesia, Malaysia and Bangladesh among the only countries to have offered front-line troops for the expanded force. Olmert also ruled out peace talks with Syria as long as it supports "terror organisations." Earlier Monday, a top government official suggested it was time to resume talks with Syria despite its support for Hezbollah. With concern mounting over the fragile truce, Israel sent war planes Monday over the coastal city of Tripoli, some 35 miles north of Beirut, and over Baalbek, scene of an Israeli commando raid two days ago which Israel said was to disrupt weapons shipments for Hezbollah from Syria. Lebanon considers overflights a violation of the UN resolution that ended 34 days of fighting last week. Defense Minister Elias Murr said he was confident that Hezbollah would hold its fire but warned Syrian-backed Palestinian militants against rocket attacks which might draw Israeli retaliation and re-ignite full-scale fighting. "We consider that when the resistance (Hezbollah) is committed not to fire rockets, then any rocket that is fired from the Lebanese territory would be considered collaboration with Israel to provide a pretext (for Israel) to strike," he said Sunday. Israel has long accused Syria, along with Iran, of arming and supporting Hezbollah. During the war, however, Israel avoided trying to draw Syria into the conflict, apparently fearing another front or closing peace options. On Monday, Public Security Minister Avi Dichter said Israel should resume the negotiations that broke down in 2000. "What we did with Egypt and Jordan is also legitimate in this case," Dichter told Israeli Army Radio. Asked if that meant Israel should withdraw to its international border with Syria, giving up the Golan Heights region Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast War, he said: "Yes." But Olmert ruled out talks with the Syrians unless they stop sponsoring "terror organizations."
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