Party Behind Rocket Attack on Israel Not Looking after “Lebanon”s Interest”
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffery Feltman lauded the Lebanese government”s condemnation of the rocket attack on northern Israel, saying the party that launched the rockets does not seek "Lebanon”s interest."
"All sides need to respect U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701," the former U.S. ambassador to Lebanon told An Nahar daily on the sidelines of meetings on Gaza at the U.N. headquarters in New York.
He expressed concern about efforts by some groups to violate Resolution 1701 that brought an end to a devastating war between Israel and Hizbullah in 2006.
However, Feltman said the Lebanese government issued a statement strongly denouncing the firing of rockets and the retaliatory Israeli action, asking the competent authorities to investigate.
The diplomat also hoped Thursday”s incident was "isolated."
Asked by An Nahar if the U.S. feared the current war in Gaza would widen, Feltman said: "Some want to take advantage of the crisis in Gaza. But I hope the Lebanese government … would carry out a serious investigation" and abide by Resolution 1701.