Hezbollah: Israeli settlers next target

By Dalal Saoud

United Press International
June 19, 2002

BEIRUT, Lebanon, June 18 (UPI) -- The leader of the militant
Hezbollah group said Tuesday the security wall Israel is building around the West Bank will make Israeli settlers and soldiers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip targets of attacks.

Speaking at a three-day conference in support of the Palestinian cause, Nasrallah said the fence proved Israeli policies to break the Palestinian intifada had failed. He also called Tuesday's suicide bombing in Jerusalem that killed at least 16 people "additional proof" of the failure.

"These blocks and fences may obstruct those (militant) operations partly, but ... (it) will surely force the Palestinian combatants and strugglers to focus their efforts on the (Jewish) settlers and soldiers in the 1967 territories," Nasrallah said. "This cement fence will be the 'wall of hell' for the soldiers and settlers in
the West Bank and Gaza Strip."

Israel began building the first section of the fence Sunday. It says the 70-mile barrier is to prevent Palestinian suicide bombers from entering its territories.

Others at the meeting criticized U.S. proposals for a provisional Palestinian state.

This is the first time I've heard of such a thing," Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri said. "I heard a lot about temporary governments, but never of a temporary entity."

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possted from: www.abunimah.org