Israel ready to enforce arms ban on Hizbollah

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said such incursions may continue until the Lebanese army and an expanded UN Peacekeeping force laid out in the truce is in control of the Syrian border to enforce the arms ban.

“In the interim, of course, we can’t have a situation where endless amounts of weaponry arrive for Hizbollah, so we are forced to act in response to this violation,” Regev said.

In a boost for Israel, the US declined to criticise the Israeli campaign, noting the UN resolution’s arms ban on Hizbollah.

The Lebanese government vowed on Sunday to crush any attempt on the Lebanese side to breach the truce in the conflict with Israel, a day after the UN condemned an Israeli raid on Hizbollah as a truce violation.

“The army will be tough in dealing with such an issue,” Lebanese Defence Minister Elias al-Murr said adding “Any rocket fired from Lebanon will benefit Israel.”

Murr said the army now controlled the entire border with Syria and would crack down on arms shipments. “There is no flexibility on arms smuggling,” he said.

The minister said he was confident Hizbollah would stick to the truce and not try to rearm.

Earlier, standing in the midst of the rubble of south Beirut, Siniora called the Israeli bombing campaign “a crime against humanity.”

“Israeli warplanes flew reconnaissance missions over Lebanon on Sunday. Witnesses and Lebanese security sources said high-altitude flights covered virtually the whole country, from its wartorn south to close to the border with Syria in the north and east.

Israel also said today it has set up a ministerial working group on Syria, in what is seen as a first step towards the possible renewal of peace talks that have been stalled for more than six years.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni formed the group “to raise all the issues and interests of Syria vis-a-vis Israel and make a diplomatic assessment,” her ministry said.

It said group’s work was not related to “any type of negotiations” with Damascus. But according to local media, the group will submit a report on the chances of renewing peace talks with Syria, stalled since 2000 after both sides failed to reach agreement on territorial issues.