Israel's Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon held security consultations Sunday night on the situation on the Israeli Lebanese border with Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, Finance Minister Silvan Shalom, and senior army officers.
Meanwhile, an Israeli soldier died Sunday of wounds sustained during a Hizbullah attack on Shebaa Farms last Thursday. Two other soldiers were lightly wounded in this attack.
Following warnings that have reached the Israeli army in recent days, its heads believe that Hizbullah intends to either kidnapping soldiers or carry out a large-scale attack in northern Israel, similar to the attack early this year near Metzuba, in which seven Israelis were killed, Haaretz reported.
Israel conveyed messages to Syria and Lebanon demanding that they take action to restrain Hizbullah. Ben-Eliezer said at the meeting that the two states make it possible for the Shiite movement to "play with fire."
U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Satterfield departed for Damascus and Lebanon to pass along messages to Syrian and Lebanese leaders on the need to avoid an escalation and to restrain Hizbullah's actions. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
