An unidentified Israeli “senior source” urged Israel to reach an understanding with moderate Shiite elements in Lebanon while waging unrelenting war against the extremists.
The source, quoted by Haaretz on Sunday, drew a distinction between Amal, the mainstream Shiite militia, and Hezbullah, the pro-Iranian militants inspired by the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. “If we don’t fight Hezbullah with determination and resolution, we will contribute to the balance of the Shiite minority tilting toward this extremist organization at the expense of Amal,” he said.
Hezbullah is an enemy, just like the Palestinian terrorists, the source said, claiming that both try to attack sites inside Israel. Amal’s targets are in the south Lebanon security zone, he said.
“We must take into consideration the continuing process of erosion of Amal’s power, In the long term, Amal is our only chance to reach a reasonable agreement or understanding with the population of southern Lebanon,” he said.
Meanwhile, Maariv quoted a Beirut radio report Saturday that a booby-trapped car driven by a woman exploded Friday enroute to the security zone. According to Maariv, the incident is the first time this year that Syrian-backed leftist activists in Lebanon have attempted a carbomb attack. Hezbullah abandoned them on orders of the Shiite religious authorities, Maariv said.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
