Officials react to Hezbollah attack on Israeli convoy with mix of praise,
denunciation
The Daily StarJan. 28, 2015 | 03:50 PM
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2015/Jan-28/285603-officials-react-to-hezbollah-attack-on-israeli-convoy-with-mix-of-praise-denunciation.ashx

BEIRUT: Initial reactions by Lebanese political leaders to Hezbollah’s
deadly attack on an Israeli military convoy in an occupied region of south
Lebanon Wednesday drew a mix of praise, blame and fear of escalation.

Hours after the attack in the occupied Shebaa Farms which killed four
Israeli soldiers, no official government comment was issued. But MPs
visiting Speaker Nabih Berri said he was conducting high-level consultations
to contain the ensuing exchange of fire, which killed a Spanish U.N.
peacekeeper.

MP Walid Jumblatt wrote on his Twitter account, “it seems that we have
entered a phase of big troubles.” He also called for taking “relevant
precautions” to confront a possible Israeli aggression against Lebanon.

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea of the March 14 coalition which is
opposed to Hezbollah, held the party solely responsible for any potential
Israeli response, and for drawing Lebanon into a battle with Israel without
the consent of its people and government.

“Today’s development indicates that Hezbollah is more and more expanding its
regional schemes against the Lebanese state,” Geagea said.

“Hezbollah has no right to implicate the Lebanese people in a battle with
Israel. There is a government and a parliament which can decide on that,”
Geagea added, deploring “Hezbollah’s lack of transparency” in its ongoing
dialogue with political rival, the Future Movement.

Former Minister Faisal Karami of the Hezbollah-led March 8 coalition
applauded the ambush of the Israeli military convoy as “the relevant
response at the relevant time and relevant place.”

“Time of impunity for Israel is over. Now (the Israelis) need to review
calculations, absorb defeat and run to shelters,” Karami said.

Former President Michel Sleiman called on political forces to stand firmly
behind the government, cautioning that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu is seeking to draw Lebanon into a confrontation to serve his
election interests.

“Israel should not be allowed to take advantage of Lebanese divisions,”
Sleiman said.

“Political forces should back the government and reinforce its position to
give Lebanon (bigger) immunity in order to overcome this difficult period,”
he added.

Meanwhile, U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Sigrid Kaag, called on
Lebanon and Israel to exercise self-restraint and to refrain from taking any
action that could further destabilize the situation along the Blue Line.

All parties are strongly urged to continue to abide by their obligations
under Security Council resolution 1701, Kaag said in a statement.

Musa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas,
described Hezbollah’s attack as “a natural and legitimate response to
Israel's crimes.”