Israel warns Lebanon to keep distance from Hezbollah

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israel has warned the Lebanese government against giving greater legitimacy to the Shiite militant group Hezbollah, saying it would make the entire country a target in any future war.

"The moment the Lebanese government confers legitimacy on Hezbollah, it must understand that the entire Lebanese state will be a target in the same way that all of Israel is a target for Hezbollah," Environment Minister Gideon Ezra told public radio on Wednesday.

"During the Second Lebanese War we considered the possibility of attacking Lebanon's infrastructure but we never resorted to this option, because we thought at the time that not all the Lebanese were responsible for the Hezbollah attacks," added Ezra, who is close to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

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