Israel: Lebanon conflict was a war

The conflict last summer in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah was a war, an Israeli committee decided. The Ministerial Committee for Symbols and Ceremonies arrived at the definition Monday. The Jewish state never officially declared war, and the 34 days of fighting were referred to since in other terms, a fact political sources attributed to Finance Ministry concerns about the fiscal burdens that would entail in terms of compensation payouts to northern communities. However, following complaints from parents of fallen Israeli soldiers, committee Chairman Yaakov Edrey proposed that the fighting be called a war and given a name. The Committee for Symbols and Ceremonies plans to coordinate the choice of a name with a separate committee established by Defense Minister Amir Peretz.