BEIRUT: Israel says it is ready for possible attacks by Hezbollah aimed at distracting the world from events in Syria, Israel's foreign minister told the U.N. Security Council Thursday.
“Israel is ready for any scenario in which Hezbollah in Lebanon carries out provocative operations on the Lebanese border with the aim of diverting attention from the daily massacres taking place in Syria,” Avigdor Lieberman said.
“We hope that nothing like that would happen, but if it does, Israel will be ready for it,” he added.
Israel has accused Hezbollah of aiding President Bashar Assad in his crackdown on anti-government protesters. And whereas Israel has long alleged that Syria functions as a conduit for the passage of Iranian arms to Hezbollah, it has recently expressed concern that even more sophisticated weapons might fall into the hands of Hezbollah should the government of Assad fall.
Lieberman also said that a new Palestinian unity government including Hamas was a setback to peace attempts, diplomats said.
Lieberman briefed the 15 Security Council ambassadors on the Middle East peace talks and the growing confrontation with Iran in a
meeting at a New York hotel.
Lieberman said an accord signed this week by the heads of Fatah and Hamas "does not contribute to the advancement of peace negotiations or the well-being of the Palestinian people," Israel's UN mission said in a statement.
The accord "reflects the personal interests" of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, the head of Fatah, and Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, the Israeli minister added.
"Israel will not accept a Palestinian government that includes Hamas, unless it changes its current policies, recognizes Israel’s right to exist and accepts all Quartet conditions," Lieberman insisted.
Talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been frozen since September 2010. The Palestinians have demanded that Israel halt settlement construction in the Palestinian territories. Israel rejects any conditions for talks to settle the Middle East conflict.
Lieberman, who is on a U.S. tour which includes meetings in Washington with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, also demanded that the Security Council act on Iran, the statement said.
"Israel will keep all options on the table" if international sanctions do not convince Iran to halt its nuclear drive, Lieberman said. Western countries say Iran is trying to build a nuclear bomb and many experts say Israel is planning a military strike on the Islamic Republic. Iran denies it is seeking a nuclear weapon.
Lieberman called on the Security Council to act on statements by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who have made calls "to wipe Israel off the map," the Israeli mission said.