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International News Title: Peres vows no mercy until Hezbollah is destroyed Peres vows no mercy July 19, 2006 12:00am ISRAEL has vowed to continue its attacks until Hezbollah is destroyed or its kidnapped soldiers returned. Israeli vice prime minister Shimon Peres speaks to Global Viewpoint editor Nathan Gardels. Nathan Gardels: Israel's assault on Lebanon has been called disproportionate. What is your response? The charge that Israel's response is disproportionate is a bitter remark. To be firing 1,500 missiles over the skies and houses and the lives of the Israelis -- missiles that don't discriminate on whom they fall -- is proportionate? They fall on schools and restaurants and people walking down the street. What's behind all this? We are in a situation where there are four organizations that are immune to any diplomatic or political considerations: Iran, Syria, Hamas and Hezbollah -- two countries and two terrorist organizations. Nobody can influence them. They won't listen to anybody, not to the United Nations, not the United States, not to the European Union, not to Russia -- not even to the Arab states or the leader of the Lebanese government. This is the first time we can see the whole world standing helpless in the face of Iran and Syria trying to make a mockery of the international community by sending arms and money to Hamas and Hezbollah to instigate a war. So, Israel is really alone. No one else can stop them. And, on the other hand, no one can defend us. We have to defend ourselves in a world in which international diplomacy is at such a low point that the Iranians can mock everyone; a dangerous world in which borders are of little use against missiles. This is why we have acted in Lebanon. And maybe we can give a little hope to the Lebanese people because until now the Lebanese army -- 70,000 strong -- cannot play a role with Hezbollah in the way. And maybe we can give some influence back to the international community. If Israel were to submit, no one is there to stand up to Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas and their kind. We don't want anything from Lebanon. Lebanon can want nothing from us. All we want is to see Lebanon united with territorial integrity and prosperous and free of the foreign body in their own country -- Hezbollah -- which is endangering their destiny and their lives. We were attacked for no reason. We withdrew from Lebanon and gave back all the land and all the water in accordance with the United Nations resolutions. We gave back all of Gaza to the Palestinians. Now they want an exchange of prisoners. Before the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers, Prime Minister Olmert made clear he was ready to discuss this. No one should think otherwise: Israel has never been more determined than it is today; it has never been more united. We are going through a painful experience. We don't have the slightest intention to submit or apologize. What was behind the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah, which they knew would provoke Israel? Iran and Syria felt they had a golden opportunity because of the paralysis of the international community. They felt they could have their way to increase their influence by creating turmoil in the region and no one could stop them. This happened at the same time Iran has refused to come to terms with the U.S., Europe, China and Russia on its nuclear program. Is Israel's objective now to destroy Hezbollah militarily? Our objective is to stop the missile attacks by Hezbollah and enable the Lebanese military to take over and prevent Hezbollah from ever again returning to the border of Israel -- as the U.N. resolution stipulates. Our objective also remains the release of our soldiers. What will determine when Israel stops? When the attacks stop, Israel will stop. Will there be a ground invasion of Lebanon by Israel? No. The problem is not in the ground. It is in the air. If we create a buffer zone, will they get longer range missiles to fire from behind that line? What will then stop Hezbollah from getting longer range missiles from Iran or Syria? Kofi Annan and Tony Blair have suggested a U.N. “stabilization force” along the border in Lebanon. What is your view? They are mistaken. The confrontation is not on the ground. It is in the air. If these U.N. forces can stop Hezbollah from firing missiles and rockets, that is one thing. If they are going to fight Hezbollah, fine. But there is no point to have people on the ground to observe the missiles flying overhead. That is useless. Do you then prefer President Bush's approach, who told Tony Blair that Kofi Annan should call Syrian President Bashar Assad and tell him to force Hezbollah “to stop doing this s---”? Sure. Instead of sending observers. Go and tell Assad to stop it. Everything is in the hands of Hezbollah, Syria and Iran. Lebanon could also stop it. The G8 asked Israel to release the Palestinian minister captured in Gaza as part of an opening to stem the crisis. Will Israel do that? They listed a number of things to be done: First Hezbollah should stop firing, then release our capture soldiers, and then we should release their minister. We won't do it otherwise. -Global Viewpoint
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