Скачать или смотреть Defence Minister tours north, comments on operation in Lebanon

(1 Aug 2006) SHOTLIST
Shomera, Northern Israel
1. Wide shot Amir Peretz, Israeli Defence Minister, addressing press and military
2. Soldiers
3. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Amir Peretz, Israeli Defence Minister:
"Yesterday the Israeli security cabinet authorised the continuation of the operation and its enlargement with intentions to create new conditions so that when the multinational force will come - and we demand that this force will have enforcement capability - the reality on the ground will be such that this force will succeed to enforce the new situation, a situation in which we are not prepared (to tolerate a situation in which) the Hezbollah will be around in southern Lebanon, will use the local population and will threaten the Israeli home front."
4. Mid shot soldiers
5. Peretz leaving
STORYLINE
Israeli Defence Minister, Amir Peretz, addressed troops in Shomera, Northern Israel on Tuesday, following Israel's decision to send thousands more troops deeper into Lebanon.
In a major expansion of its ground offensive, Israeli forces are to be deployed as far as the Litani River some 30 kilometres (18 miles) from the Israeli border, to clear out Hezbollah fighters and hold the territory until a multi-national force is deployed there.
"Yesterday the Israeli security cabinet authorised the continuation of the operation and its enlargement with intentions to create new conditions so that when the multinational force will come - and we demand that this force will have enforcement capability - the reality on the ground will be such that this force will succeed to enforce the new situation," he said.
There have been claims of heavy casualties inflicted on both sides.
Hezbollah said on its Al-Manar TV on Tuesday that said 35 Israeli soldiers had been killed or wounded in the fighting in the border village of Aita al-Shaab.
Israel had no immediate public comment on its own casualties but reports have been coming out of Israel claiming some 20 Hezbollah fighters have been killed in Tuesday's hostilities.
The guerrilla group said it continued to fight Israeli ground troops in Kfar Kila, Adaisse, and Taibeh, near the Christian town of Marjayoun, about 8 kilometres (5 miles) from the border with Israel. It released a statement saying four of its fighters died in the battles.
The Litani runs through south Lebanon, and at some points is as far as 30 kilometres (18 miles) from the Israeli-Lebanese border.
Israel's first sustained incursion and occupation of Lebanon in 1978, to push back PLO fighters, was named after the river, "Operation Litani."

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