Report: Israel Tells U.N. it Will Continue Spying on Hizbullah
Israel has neither denied nor confirmed that it had placed intelligence-gathering equipment in southern Lebanon, but reportedly informed the U.N. that collecting intelligence in the area will continue as long as the Beirut government is not in full control of its territory.
Israeli daily Haaretz quoted a western diplomat as saying on Monday that one of the main issues discussed during a tripartite meeting in Naqoura last Wednesday was the exposure of the listening devices near the southern town of Houla.
According to Lebanese security sources, the probe revealed that the equipment was used by Israel to tap Hizbullah”s telecom network.
During Wednesday”s meeting, UNIFIL commander Maj. Gen. Claudio Graziano and the commander of the Lebanese army”s liaison unit asked the Israeli representative for details on the listening equipment.
The U.N. officers said that the equipment appeared to have been put in place during the 2006 war, but the Lebanese officer insisted the device appeared more up-to-date, according to Haaretz.
The western diplomat said the Israeli representative, Brig. Yossi Hayman, did not deny the equipment was Israeli listening devices, and did not provide immediate answers. However, he stressed that Israel will make use of its intelligence gathering capabilities as long as Hizbullah poses a threat to the Jewish state.
"Israel will continue to use all means necessary to defend its citizens," Hayman was quoted as saying. He reportedly added that it is not reasonable to expect Israel to sit idle and wait to be attacked.
"In view of all this we do not consider this instance (of listening devices) an Israeli violation of (Security Council) Resolution 1701," Hayman reportedly said.