Israeli Foreign Minister Calls on Lebanon to Cooperate with Hezbollah Ahead of Today's Talks
JAKARTA - Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on Wednesday urged Beirut to make joint efforts with Israel to fight the Lebanese armed group, Hezbollah, ahead of the second round of negotiations between the two countries scheduled to be held in Washington, United States Thursday.
"Tomorrow (today) direct talks between Israel and Lebanon will continue in Washington DC. I call on the Lebanese government, let's work together against the terror state built by Hezbollah in your region," Foreign Minister Sa'ar said in a speech, launching Al Arabiya from AFP (23/4).
"This cooperation is needed by you even more than by us. It requires moral clarity and courage to take risks. But there is no real alternative to ensuring a future of peace for you and for us," he continued.
Separately, Hezbollah said it had launched an attack on northern Israel in response to what it called Israel's violations of the ceasefire, the first such claim since the truce began.
Foreign Minister Saar, in his speech on Wednesday, reiterated that Israel has no "serious dispute" with Lebanon.
"Unfortunately, Lebanon is a failed state, a state that is de facto under Iranian occupation through Hezbollah," he said.
"The obstacle to peace and normalization between the two countries is one, Hezbollah," he added.
Israel carried out massive air raids across Lebanon and invaded the south, after Hezbollah entered the Middle East war to support its ally, Iran, on March 2.
Although the ceasefire began on Friday last week, Israeli soldiers are still active in southern Lebanon, with Israeli Defense Minister Katz saying last week they would use "full force" if threatened.
Under the terms of the truce, Israel said it reserves the right to act against "planned, imminent or ongoing attacks."
Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli military said its forces had killed two "terrorists who violated the ceasefire agreement" in the Saluki area of southern Lebanon the day before.
The two men had "crossed the front defense line and approached the soldiers, posing a direct threat," the military said, adding that its air force then attacked and eliminated them.
Israeli airstrikes also killed one person and wounded two others in Lebanon's Bekaa region on Wednesday, according to the government-run Lebanese National News Agency.
The Israeli military has previously established what it calls the "Yellow Line" in southern Lebanon near the border, where its forces operate despite a ceasefire.
On Tuesday, they said Hezbollah launched rockets at soldiers stationed in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military responded by hitting the rocket launcher.
They also said they had intercepted a drone fired from Lebanon before crossing into Israeli territory.