“Hezbollah is no longer a terrorist organization inspired and supported by Iran, but a real sovereign government.”
Israeli Vice Premier Silvan Shalom said Saturday that the decision of the Lebanese Progressive Socialist Party Leader Walid Jumblatt to join “Hezbollah in establishing a new government creates a real danger of the establishment of an Iranian government on the northern border with Israel.” “This is no longer a terrorist organization inspired and supported by Iran, but a real sovereign government,” he said in remarks at a cultural event in Bat Yam. Shalom warned that “this is a dangerous development that requires Israel to follow closely and be prepared for any future development.” At a press conference on Friday, Jumblatt declared that his party will stand at the side of Syria and the Resistance. However Jumblatt did not say how many of his MPs would vote for the opposition’s candidate for the prime minister’s post in the parliamentary consultations. Israeli Defense Committee Chairman Shaul Mofaz toured the Northern Command base on Sunday and discussed the situation in Lebanon. “Hezbollah's military and political power will grow in the long term as well as Iran's influence over Lebanon, and later over Syria and Gaza,” he said. Mofaz added that the committee feels the Israeli occupation forces are prepared for any scenario and can successfully defend the residents in the occupied north.Shalom: Jumblatt’s Decision a “Real Danger” to Israel
