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Israel 'may use Iraq' to push regional ambitions By Gareth Smyth in Beirut Published: October 3 2002 11:35 | Last Updated: October 3 2002 11:35 Political and religious leaders in Lebanon are becoming concerned that Israel will seize the opportunity of a US attack on Iraq to advance its regional ambitions. Unusually heavy flights by Israeli jets into Lebanese airspace this week prompted a UN observer to recall the 1996 'Grapes of Wrath' operation, when Israel bombardment culminated with the incineration of over 100 civilians in a UN compound at Qana. Tension centres on the Wazzani springs, in south Lebanon, where Lebanon is building a pumping station to supply drinking water to villages being rebuilt and repopulated after Israeli military occupation ended two years ago. Qabalan Qabalan, president of the government agency responsible for the $3.5-million project, told NBN, the Lebanese TV station, on Wednesday that pumping will begin on October 16. Israeli officials have threatened to attack the pumping station if water is diverted from the river, which flows into the Jordan and Lake Tiberius and contributes 138m m3 water to Israel. Lebanon says it wants only 3.6 m m3 from the springs. In response to an Israeli request, the US sent a "technical mission", led by water expert Jack Lawson, to the Wazzani springs two weeks ago. But the mission has still produced no report, and the US embassy in Beirut could not confirm that one will be made public. Mr Kabalan told NBN that Mr Lawson had assured him that Lebanon's case was just. But America's silence, Israel's continuing threats, and the regional crisis over Iraq are all contributing to Lebanon's unease. In recent months, the Israeli and western media have carried stories - from "intelligence sources" - that appear to pre-justify Israel intervention against Lebanon. These have included the arrival of both Iranian revolutionary guards and 200 al-Qaeda fighters, and a missile build-up in south Lebanon by Hizbollah, the Lebanese resistance group that fought Israel's occupation. Threats from Ariel Sharon, Israel's prime minister, over the Wazzani have reminded many Lebanese of his role, as defence minister, as architect of the 1982 invasion, in which 20,000 people died. "That invasion was supposedly in response to the attempted assassination of Israel's ambassador in London," said a journalist. "Well, many of us lost family and friends as a result. Can you blame us for wondering why Sharon is making such a fuss about some poor Lebanese villagers getting drinking water?" Chibli Mallat, a leading lawyer, said that Sharon's bluster over the Wazzani was "typical of the way he ups the anti". Mr Mallat cited a recent article in the Jerusalem Post where Mr Sharon said that "gradual" escalation of its military strikes against the Palestinians would deflect international criticism. "One obvious danger," said Mr Mallat, "is that the Israelis - possibly in response to what they're calling a 'mega-terrorist' attack - drive Palestinians out of the West Bank." "We are on the verge of a dangerous and sensitive period," said Rafik Hariri, the prime minister, in a speech calling on the Arabs to counter the influence of the Zionist lobby in Washington. But Joseph Samaha, a former minister replying to Mr Hariri in al Safir newspaper, argued the more prevalent view that the Arabs should resist US policy more openly. He detected a new coalition of "the Zionist lobby, fundamentalists, conservatives and right-wing forces" that was engaged in "a major drive towards war on Iraq." Crucially, the Lebanese believe that US designation of Hizbollah as a "terrorist" group reflects Israeli interests. Despite co-operation with the US against al-Qaeda, both Lebanon and its ally Syria have defended the right of Hizbollah and Palestinian groups to use violence to "liberate" land occupied by Israel. Source/Publisher: The Financial Times http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1031119869804&p=1012571727172 |