Lebanese claim order to shoot came "from the top" (updated)

U.N. peacekeepers in front of a picture
of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah,
with an Arabic writing:
"we are full of surprises," (h/t Suzanne)

Elder of Ziyon
06 August '10
Posted before Shabbat

From Naharnet:

The Lebanese army was instructed to open fire at Israeli troops in the tree-pruning operation that triggered a deadly clash between Israeli and Lebanese troops, Israel News reported.

It said that during a late Wednesday meeting between UNIFIL and representatives of the Lebanese and Israeli armies, Lebanese army officer Abdul Rahman Shaitli said soldiers who opened fire on Israeli troops Tuesday were following instructions.

"Soldiers are instructed to open fire. This is the army's decision," he was quoted as saying.

Al Manar, Hezbollah's station, said the same thing.

To Western ears, this is ironic: the Lebanese Army (and, by extension, the government of Lebanon) is essentially admitting that, in full view of UNIFIL, they planned to break the terms of UN 1701 and start what could have easily devolved into a war. This is hardly how one would expect a responsible army or government to act.

Yet there is reason to be skeptical about this claim.

(Read full post)

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