Naharnet Newsdesk - Israel 'Continues to Prepare for War' as it Complains to Paris about Lebanon Assistance

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Israel 'Continues to Prepare for War' as it Complains to Paris about Lebanon Assistance

Israel has reportedly complained to Paris over its assistance to Lebanese armed forces which played a role in uncovering Israeli spies in Lebanon.
French Le Figaro daily said the Israeli complaint was about wiretapping devices donated to Lebanese security agencies to help uncover those involved in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination. However, such equipment was used to unveil Israeli spy rings too.

Al-Akhbar daily said Paris ignored the complaints, saying the assistance "was part of efforts to unveil the truth" in Hariri's Feb. 2005 murder. French authorities have reportedly said that technical assistance to Lebanon "goes back to previous decades."

Meanwhile, Israeli army chief of staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi said he cannot promise that the relative quiet on the border with Lebanon would continue.

"Now we are enjoying relatively quiet state along the borders, but I cannot promise it will continue. In our area, in the Middle East, we have some neighbors who have not accepted our existence as a Jewish and democratic state," he told cadets from the Officers School soon completing their training period.

The Israeli army, according to Ashkenazi, "is the insurance certificate to the existence of the state."

"You are leading the forces in the field," the army chief told cadets. "The IDF permanently stands in one of two situations: war or preparation for war. We must continue to prepare for war; otherwise there is no justification for the existence of the IDF."

Beirut, 16 Oct 09, 11:49


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