In a strong blow at the "land-for-peace" formula, a Lebanese government minister said that Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2000 does not mean that Hizbullah should stop its military activities against Israel. International Affairs Correspondent Michael Freund reports that Lebanese Information Minister Ghazi Aridi issued a public call on Monday to Hizbullah to intensify attacks on Israel. “We think very differently from those in or outside Lebanon who believe that the battle with Israel has ended," Aridi told the crowd. “We see the battle with this enemy as moving to a new stage," and attacks on Israel are “a need, a duty and a right. We call for strengthening it.”
The day following Aridi’s call, Hizbullah terrorists fired dozens of anti-tank missiles and mortar shells at IDF outposts in the Mount Dov area, the first such bombardment of its kind in five months. The IDF reported that Israeli forces, aided by combat helicopters, returned artillery and tank fire towards the source of the shelling. A senior IDF source said last night that Hizbullah continues to arm itself with the aid and backing of Syria, Lebanon and Iran. He emphasized that Hizbullah is operating from areas under full Lebanese control, and as such "the Lebanese government and its Syrian ally are fully responsible for attempting to escalate the situation."
As if in denial of the Lebanese minister's words, the IDF source further emphasized that Israel has fully implemented UN Resolution 425 and expects the Lebanese government to implement the resolution as well, and to exercise control over the situation in its southern areas.