UNIFIL says Israeli soldiers were cutting tree to put up camera on their side of the border. Hizbollah and Israeli PM Netanyahu issue threats. Barak tries to be reassuring.

Beirut (AsiaNews) – The United Nations peacekeeping force in south Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Wednesday that Israeli soldiers were operating inside Israel when a deadly fire-fight broke out with Lebanese troops that left an Israeli officer, two Lebanese soldiers and a Lebanese journalist dead. The incident was the most serious border violence since the 2006 war and could raise tensions further.

On Tuesday, a group of Israeli soldiers was sent to the border zone to prune trees in order to install cameras. This drew fire from Lebanese soldiers who thought they had crossed into Lebanese territory.

A few hours before a meeting between UNIFIL, Israeli and Lebanese representatives, a UNIFIL spokesperson had said, “UNIFIL established that the trees being cut by the Israeli army are located south of the Blue Line on the Israeli side.”

The incident raised fears of a repeat of the 2006 war that killed 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers. Hizbollah, which fought the 2006 war, vowed to "cut off the hand" of Israel if it attacked the army again.

For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “Israel responds and will continue to respond with force, to any attack against its citizens and soldiers”.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak was more reassuring, saying, “Tuesday's incident was not planned by the chiefs of staff of the Lebanese army in Beirut or by Hizbollah.”

Israeli media said the clash was probably the action of radicalised elements in the Lebanese military.

In any event, Lebanese Information Minister Tareq Mitri held steadfast to his government’s earlier claim, namely that the tree was on Lebanese territory.

In fact, the Blue Line demarcation drawn up by the United Nations in 2000 is disputed in certain areas.

UNIFIL accepted that the Lebanese government has "some reservations" concerning the Blue Line in the area, but noted that both sides had committed to complying with the UN's decisions on the border. (PD)

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• israel
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• hizbollah