“Israel” accused of staging Shibaa Farms mortar attack…(1)

Citing Hebrew inscriptions on shell casings, the Interior Ministry accused “Israel” of responsibility for a “provocative” mortar attack Wednesday that targeted the Shibaa Farms area.
The unclaimed bombardment ­ the first attack in over a month ­ comes amid increased tensions along the frontier after a spate of cross-border shootings.
The attack began at 7am, when around seven mortar shells were fired from a few hundred meters east of Halta, 2 kilometers north of the Shibaa Farms. The shells reportedly exploded harmlessly between two “Israeli” outposts.
The “Israelis” responded by firing 44 tank and mortar rounds north of the Farms. At least 60 goats were killed and 20-30 were wounded when two shells struck animal sheds in Bastara, UNIFIL said.
The shelling continued until about 8am. “Israeli” warplanes and pilotless reconnaissance planes also flew over the area.
An “Israeli” Army spokesman confirmed mortar bombs fell near “Israeli” positions on the border and that “Israeli” forces returned fire.
Veterinarians from UNIFIL’s Indian battalion traveled to Bastara to treat the injured animals. Women with crying children were standing by the dead animals.
Qassem Zohra, carrying the severed head of a goat, told an Agence France Presse correspondent that “the United Nations should protect us. You see how “Israel” bombards civilians.”
Fatima Zohra, 40, said that “all our lifetime savings” had been destroyed in a second.
Lebanese soldiers found a single 81mm mortar in an olive grove in Wadi Elias on the eastern outskirts of Halta which had been abandoned by the attackers. Empty mortar casings  were inscribed in Hebrew. The mortar and casings were transferred to Beirut.
The Interior Ministry said in a statement that the Hebrew markings “raise suspicion as regards who fired the shells with a view to accusing Lebanon and to justify aggressions against liberated land in the South.”
An army officer who requested anonymity said that the shelling was “under investigation” and said that ““Israel” or “Israeli” agents” were suspected of carrying out the attack.
A large number of weapons were abandoned by the “Israelis” and their allies during their withdrawal from Lebanon. Although the army was able to gather some weapons, many items fell into the hands of civilians and guerrillas. “Israeli” weapons have long been available in Lebanon.
US Ambassador David Satterfield called the mortar attack “provocative,” saying it violated the UN-delineated Blue Line of withdrawal and threatened stability in the area.
The Cabinet did not specifically address Satterfield’s comments in its weekly session, but Information Minister Ghazi Aridi said: “We always hope that the US will play a fair and just role in the search for a just and comprehensive settlement.”
The last attack in the Shibaa Farms occurred on Nov. 26, when Hizbullah ambushed an “Israeli” patrol, killing one and wounding another.
Hizbullah denied any responsibility for the latest incident.
A Hizbullah source said that the party was “uncomfortable” with recent developments along the border, beginning with the wounding of five demonstrators last Thursday. Another civilian was shot dead in Kfar Kila on Saturday and an “Israeli” civilian was shot and wounded Tuesday, reportedly by a sniper.
“These are very serious incidents on the border and we are studying them,” the source said. He also suggested that the period prior to the “Israeli” elections was one of uncertainty for Lebanon.
“The “Israelis” have committed stupid actions before,” he said, “and it’s not impossible that they will commit stupid actions again.” ­

UN vets rush to treat Lebanese goats hit by “Israeli” fire…(2)

“ United Nations peacekeepers, including a veterinary surgeon, rushed Wednesday to treat goats injured by an “Israeli” bombardment on southeastern Lebanon that killed more than 100 animals.

The team of the Indian battalion of the UN Interim Forces in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL), comprising a vet and eight relief workers, inspected the site of the bombardment in Bastara, in the Shibaa Farms.

They cleaned the goats' wounds and closed them with stitches with the help of the goatherds, an AFP correspondent saw.

"At least 100 animals died and another 100 were injured, and I do not think we can finish the treatment today," Teibre (eds: one name), the UN Indian veterinary, told AFP.

“Israeli” gunners pounded the isolated Bastara farm, where four families of goatherds live, after mortar bombs fired from southern Lebanon landed near a military post in northern “Israel” early Wednesday.

Women carrying children in tears were standing by the dead goats.

Goatherd Qassem Zahra, carrying the severed head of a goat, told AFP that "the United Nations should protect us, you see how “Israel” bombards civilians."

Meanwhile, UN observers toured the region to compile a report on the source of fire.

Lebanese police said more than 50 “Israeli” tank and artillery shells rained down on Bastara in an hour-long bombardment.

A helicopter and a pilotless reconnaissance drone had flown over the area before the bombardment, the heaviest since Lebanese Hizbullah guerrillas captured three “Israeli” soldiers in a raid on the Shibaa farms in October.

It was not immediately known who fired the mortar bombs, although Lebanese security forces said they had found an abandoned 81mm mortar and 11 casings at Halta, two kilometres (1.5 miles) from Shibaa.

They said they were hunting those responsible, said to have been travelling in a blue 1975 Mercedes.

Nearly 200 police and troops were scouring the roads in the area in the search for the car, Lebanese police said.

An official said it was not the work of the Hizbullah, adding that the mortar attack was "contrary to Lebanese policy."

Intifadah fighters targets more “Israelis”…(3)

Intifadah fighters opened fire at an “Israeli” occupation outpost in Rafah in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, an “Israeli” settler was stabbed to death near a West Bank settlement.

Tuesday evening, 2 “Israeli” soldiers and 3 settlers were wounded in a series of operations carried out by intifadah fighters.

The occupation, on the other hand, shelled two Palestinian police posts.

In the Gaza Strip, under strict “Israeli” closure, “Israeli” soldiers heavily fired Palestinian residential areas, causing material damages.

The “Israeli” War Minister Ephraim Sneh said the “Israeli” army will go on "eliminating Palestinians involved in attacks against '“Israel”'."

"We shall hit all those who took part in these operations or who prepared for it," Sneh added in an interview with "“Israel”" Radio.

He went on saying, "Having a post in the Palestinian Authority will not give immunity to any."

The “Israeli” Minister of War asserted that the assassinations of intifadah leaders are carried out after a political green light is given.

"Both political and military standards are taken into consideration (in executing the assassinations). And the operations will only be carried out if it serves our interest," said Sneh.

Footnotes:

1-     The Daily Star, 4-1-2001.

2-     AFP, 3-1-2001.

3-     Manar TV, 3-1-2001.