Israel warned: Lebanon war could start again

Hezbollah will resume its military campaign unless Israel withdraws from the disputed Shebaa farms area and other pockets of territory occupied during this summer's 34-day war, Nabih Berri, the speaker of the Lebanese parliament, has warned. "If Israel does not pull out we will have to drive them out," Berri, who acted as a link to the militant organization during this summer's war with Israel, said in an interview. Shebaa farms has been occupied by Israel since 1967, but both Syria and Lebanon claim ownership of the land. Hezbollah will remain armed and fully operational in south Lebanon, despite the newly deployed UN forces, until Israel withdraws from all Lebanese territory and ceases its air, sea and land violations, Berri said. "The [United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon] UNIFIL presence will not hinder Hezbollah's defensive operations. The resistance doesn't need to fly its flags high to operate. It's a guerrilla movement; it operates among the people," he said. But Fouad Siniora, the Lebanese prime minister, told journalists last week that the Lebanese army had clear instructions to seize any weapons found in the south. "We reiterate our respect for all those who struggled and fought in the south, but there will be no weapons in the south apart from the army's," he said. Berri also expressed concern that UN forces could be involved in gathering information that could fall into the hands of Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad. "We don't want to interfere in their work, but we will be watching closely. We have to be careful, but we have a very effective intelligence service and we are used to watching for Israeli spies." He added: "We will help them and give them everything they need to complete their mission but we will not accept the force if its presence is to secure Israel. They are on our land, so that means they have to work in the interests of Lebanon, not Israel." Lebanon would be "the last of the last Arab nations to sign a peace treaty with Israel," he said, echoing the position of the prime minister. Berri holds the highest position attainable by a Shia in Lebanon's power-sharing system, made up of a Sunni Muslim prime minister, a Maronite Christian president and a Shia Muslim speaker. He has held the position since 1992 and has been the head of the Amal movement, a Shia party, for more than 26 years. He said there was concern the foreign troops may stay indefinitely, as security council resolution 1701 does not specify a time frame for the mission. "We hope that when they have done their duty, when Israel has stopped their aggressions and withdrawn from all Lebanese territory, UNIFIL will go on their way." Resolution 1701 calls for "security arrangements to prevent the resumption of hostilities, including the establishment... of an area free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons other than those of the government of Lebanon and of UNIFIL."