“Israel” can`t live with impression it lost to a ‘militia’

Source: AFP, 28-6-2007 (via www.moqawama.org)

BEIRUT: Hizbullah is busy preparing for another attack by “Israel” in the knowledge that the Jewish (Zionist) state will not rest easy with the results of last summer`s 34-day conflict, military analysts in Beirut believe. Since a UN-brokered cease-fire came into force last August 14, the group has been steadily gearing itself up for the next round, with the same determination and secrecy that have made its reputation, the experts say.

“Immediately after last summer`s war Hizbullah began refortifying its positions and working on new ones,” said Judith Palmer Harik, an author of a book on Hizbullah.

The only Lebanese group officially, as a national occupation-resistance, allowed its own arsenal by the government; Hizbullah has reportedly moved most of its weapons out of the border area with “Israel” to conform with Security Council Resolution 1701 which ended the conflict.

A Western military observer in the Lebanese capital, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Hizbullah was now redeploying its arms further North.

“They left the [border] zone at once,” he said. “Last summer, much to their surprise, they found themselves fighting well in front of their strongest lines because the ‘Israeli’ Army halted near the frontier.

“Hizbullah has far stronger positions in the rear, north of the Litani River, that no one knows about and that they are fortifying all the time.”

For 24 years Timur Goksel was the public face of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and the former UNIFIL spokesman says it is only a matter of time before war between ‘Israel’ and Hizbullah breaks out again.

“`Israel` can`t live in the Middle East with the impression they lost to Hizbullah, a ‘militia’,” said Goksel, now lecturing at the American University of Beirut.

“Since 1949 they lived on their reputation of the unbeatable ‘Israeli’ soldier, the invincible Jewish (Zionist) Army, the legend. And here comes the Hizbullah who says `We beat you.` They have to set that correct. They have no other option – they have to restore their credibility.”

He says further conflict is inevitable but not imminent.

“Not now, it will take ‘Israel’ time to be ready. I`d say two years. Hizbullah knows that very well and they are working on it full-time.”

Even in the border zone, patrolled by blue-helmeted international peacekeepers and the Lebanese Army, Hizbullah is busy preparing for the next round of hostilities.

The militants are so accepted by villagers in the area that no outsider gets to know what is really going on there.

“Iron discipline reigns within the Hizbullah ranks,” Goksel told AFP. “Promotion is only on merit and security vetting Draconian. They`re almost impossible to infiltrate and extraordinarily professional.”

Retired Lebanese General Wehbe Katisha has no doubt that Hizbullah “has retained its military potential and is preparing for the next assault.

“UNIFIL knows nothing about what`s going on in the zone. It`s not an easy situation for the Lebanese Army – we don`t have enough numbers, equipment or vehicles.”

Shortly after last summer`s devastating conflict ended, Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said that the occupation-resistance group`s arsenal had been replenished and that it now included new weaponry.

“Knowing their organization, their planning, I think they are going to go more on sophisticated air defense,” Palmer Harik said. “Hizbullah is a great mixture of traditional guerrilla warfare and very advanced and efficient weapons.”

According to Goksel, “Hizbullah knows very well that next time it`s going to be different. What did we do wrong last time, what will happen next time? They know the other side is studying too. If it happens tomorrow, they`re ready.”