bitterlemons-international

Ephraim Sneh

The war in Lebanon broke out because in the course of the six years that followed the IDF's withdrawal in May 2000, the reality that emerged in the south of the country became intolerable from Israel's standpoint. Iran, through Hizballah, turned southern Lebanon into a base for 12,000 short range rockets and about 1,000 long range rockets aimed at Israel and capable of hitting fully half its territory. No sovereign country that I know of would acquiesce in such a situation.

In the course of five weeks of war, Israel altered the reality in southern Lebanon. Hizballah is no longer the official protector of the South. It has been removed from the border region, where Lebanon's official army has taken over all defensive duties. For the first time in some 30 years the Lebanese army is deployed on every meter of the country's territory. It is reinforced by an international force with operational capabilities and a mandate to use them. Indeed, that force's mandate and performance are better than those of the "old UNIFIL" that was deployed in the region prior to July 2006.

Nearly all of Hizballah's long range rockets were destroyed in the war. About a third of its fighting force was eliminated. Hizballah's compound in southern Beirut was leveled by the Israel Air Force in a manner that no leader in the region wants visited upon his capital.

Hizballah was weakened and exposed as an organization that serves foreign interests and brought far-reaching destruction and suffering upon Lebanon. This indirectly reinforced those Lebanese political forces who seek to enhance the country's sovereignty and prevent the restoration of Syrian rule.

In the course of the months that followed the war, Israel reached agreement with the Lebanese army and United Nations forces regarding control over the disputed border village of Ghajar. This agreement, albeit temporary, honors Lebanese sovereignty in the northern part of the village without disrupting the lives of its residents. In parallel, Israel has reduced and restricted its aerial activity over Lebanon to the bare minimum required for its security.

Yet I don't wish to describe the changing reality in too optimistic a light. Israel succeeded in destroying only a portion of Hizballah's capabilities. Our two kidnapped soldiers have not returned to their families. Currently, half a year after the war broke out, its achievements are again in jeopardy. Hizballah and its partners, under Syrian and Iranian patronage, are trying to remove or at least paralyze the government of PM Fuad Siniora. A government in Beirut that exists at the mercy of Hizballah would weaken the Lebanese army's grip on the South and foster the re-infiltration of Hizballah forces in its stead. Syria, too, is rearming that organization, while a wave of al-Qaeda- style terrorist attacks threatens to bring about the expulsion of UNIFIL from southern Lebanon, thereby facilitating Hizballah's return.

Should all these developments come together, southern Lebanon could regress to its pre-war status. If this happens, it will once again be necessary to change the situation. Hence all the concerned international and regional actors must stabilize the new reality created by the war, reinforce the moderate elements in Lebanon and prevent Syria and Iran from rebuilding a base for aggression and terrorism south of the Zaharani River.-

Ephraim Sneh is Israel's deputy minister of defense.

Published 18/1/2007 � bitterlemons-international.org

Articles	Print

Consolidating the war's achievements - January 18th, 2007 bitterlemons-international Ephraim Sneh The war in Lebanon broke out because in the course of the six years that followed the IDF's withdrawal in May 2000, the reality that emerged in the south of the country became intolerable from Israel's standpoint. Iran, through Hizballah, turned southern Lebanon into a base for 12,000 short range rockets and about 1,000 long range rockets aimed at Israel and capable of hitting fully half its territory. No sovereign country that I know of would acquiesce in such a situation. In the course of five weeks of war, Israel altered the reality in southern Lebanon. Hizballah is no longer the official protector of the South. It has been removed from the border region, where Lebanon's official army has taken over all defensive duties. For the first time in some 30 years the Lebanese army is deployed on every meter of the country's territory. It is reinforced by an international force with operational capabilities and a mandate to use them. Indeed, that force's mandate and performance are better than those of the "old UNIFIL" that was deployed in the region prior to July 2006. Nearly all of Hizballah's long range rockets were destroyed in the war. About a third of its fighting force was eliminated. Hizballah's compound in southern Beirut was leveled by the Israel Air Force in a manner that no leader in the region wants visited upon his capital. Hizballah was weakened and exposed as an organization that serves foreign interests and brought far-reaching destruction and suffering upon Lebanon. This indirectly reinforced those Lebanese political forces who seek to enhance the country's sovereignty and prevent the restoration of Syrian rule. In the course of the months that followed the war, Israel reached agreement with the Lebanese army and United Nations forces regarding control over the disputed border village of Ghajar. This agreement, albeit temporary, honors Lebanese sovereignty in the northern part of the village without disrupting the lives of its residents. In parallel, Israel has reduced and restricted its aerial activity over Lebanon to the bare minimum required for its security. Yet I don't wish to describe the changing reality in too optimistic a light. Israel succeeded in destroying only a portion of Hizballah's capabilities. Our two kidnapped soldiers have not returned to their families. Currently, half a year after the war broke out, its achievements are again in jeopardy. Hizballah and its partners, under Syrian and Iranian patronage, are trying to remove or at least paralyze the government of PM Fuad Siniora. A government in Beirut that exists at the mercy of Hizballah would weaken the Lebanese army's grip on the South and foster the re-infiltration of Hizballah forces in its stead. Syria, too, is rearming that organization, while a wave of al-Qaeda- style terrorist attacks threatens to bring about the expulsion of UNIFIL from southern Lebanon, thereby facilitating Hizballah's return. Should all these developments come together, southern Lebanon could regress to its pre-war status. If this happens, it will once again be necessary to change the situation. Hence all the concerned international and regional actors must stabilize the new reality created by the war, reinforce the moderate elements in Lebanon and prevent Syria and Iran from rebuilding a base for aggression and terrorism south of the Zaharani River.- Ephraim Sneh is Israel's deputy minister of defense. Published 18/1/2007 � bitterlemons-international.org 2/2/2007 http://www.sneh.org.il/ �``� ��