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Israel Shells South Lebanon, Hezbollah Defies Powell
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| Powell
was booed in his visit to Syria
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KFAR
SHUBA, Lebanon, April 16 (News Agencies) - Israeli occupation troops
holding the Lebanese border area of the Shebaa Farms fired six shells
into southern Lebanon Tuesday, April 16, causing no casualties, police
said.
The
shells landed near the border village of Kfar Shuba, they said. The
shelling came one day after U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell was
rebuffed by Lebanon and Syria in his call to restrain anti-Israeli
attacks by the Lebanese Resistance Group, Hezbollah, reported Agence
France-Presse (AFP).
Officials
in Beirut and Damascus blamed Israel for a rise in cross-border
attacks by Hezbollah and demanded that Powell press hawkish Israeli
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon harder to end his offensive in the
Palestinian territories.
The
Shebaa Farms area was occupied by Israel from Syria in 1967 and now
belong to Beirut with Damascus' consent. Lebanon and Syria told Powell
that Hezbollah’s actions form part of a legitimate fight against
occupation.
Hezbollah
announced on Monday, April 15, that despite Powell’s
"threats", its operations against Israeli occupation troops
in the occupied Shebaa Farms region will continue.
"The
Islamic resistance in Lebanon reaffirms that it will continue in its
duty to liberate Lebanese territory that continues to be under
occupation. It will not submit to messages, pressures and threats
advanced by the American minister", said a communiqué issued by
Hezbollah a few hours after Powell made a brief visit to Lebanon.
"At
the same time, it will not abandon its support to the Palestinian
people", added the communiqué.
Hezbollah
added that "the current visit by Powell (to the region) aims to
help the criminal (Israeli Prime Minister Ariel) Sharon to gain a
political victory in his aggression against the Palestinian people,
and to push the different Arab capitals to pressure the
Palestinians".
Since
Israel began its aggressive military operations in the West Bank on
March 29, there have been almost daily exchanges of artillery fire
between Israeli outposts and Hezbollah in the occupied Shebaa Farms.
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