Defense Strategy Talks Centered on Raad”s Warning of Massive Israeli Maneuvers
Just like the previous sessions, national dialogue talks on Tuesday did not tackle the main issue – Defense Strategy.
Discussions, instead, centered on a warning by Hizbullah MP Mohammed Raad that Israel will undergo a massive military maneuver May 31 – June 4, only days ahead of the parliamentary elections.
Raad on Tuesday said Lebanon must go on high alert in anticipation of Israel”s largest-ever military maneuvers which are scheduled to kick off May 31.
"Lebanon is one of Israel”s targets during the exercises. The country must be fully prepared for such an emergency," Raad told the national dialogue session.
He distributed extensive literature on the operation dubbed "Turning Point 3" with details on targets, scenarios and steps to counter a possible threat.
The daily An Nahar on Wednesday said several dialogue participants saw Raad”s warning an indication that Hizbullah will go to war with Israel unlike in 2006 when the Shiite group took the decision to confront the Israeli army without prior permission from the Lebanese government.
"This time Hizbullah has alerted everyone about the Israeli maneuvers and the developments that could occur as a result of those maneuvers," one dialogue official told An Nahar.
Lebanese army commander, meanwhile, assured that his troops were ready for any Israeli offensive.
"The military takes seriously and with great caution the Israeli military maneuvers mentioned by Hizbullah representative during (Tuesday”s) national dialogue session," Qahwaji said.