LOC20:53
17:53 GMT
LEVY THREATENS TO BURN DOWN LEBANON
AMMAN, FEB 23 (KUNA) -- ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER DAVID LEVY HAS REITERATED
WEDNESDAY THREATS TO BURN DOWN LEBANESE LANDS IF ISRAELI NORTHERN SETTLEMENTS
ARE HIT BY KATUSHA ROCKETS BY NATIONAL LEBANESE RESISTANCE.
"IF KIRYAT SHEMONA BURNS, LEBANON WILL BURN, BLOOD FOR BLOOD, CHILD FOR
CHILD," HE TOLD THE ISRAELI PARLIAMENT IN A SPEECH BROADCAST BY RADIO ISRAEL.
HIS COMMENTS, WHICH ECHOED SIMILAR STATEMENTS TWO WEEKS AGO, PROVOKED AN
ANGRY PROTEST BY ARAB-ISRAELI MPS, THE RADIO REPORTED.
IT SAID FOUR MPS WERE EXPELLED FROM THE KNESSET AFTER IGNORING CALLS FOR A
RETURN TO ORDER.
LEVY ACCUSED THE ARAB-ISRAELI MEMBERS OF THE KNESSET OF SUPPORTING HIZBOLLAH
DESPITE BEING CITIZENS OF ISRAEL.
ISRAELI-ARAB MP AHMAD AL-TEEBI SAID WRONGFULLY ACCUSED ARAB-ISRAELI MPS OF
NOT CONDEMNING ATTACKS AGAINST CIVILIANS IN ISRAEL, SAYING THAT THOSE MPS
HAVE, AND WILL ALWAYS, OPPOSE ANY ATTACKS ON CIVILIANS.
HE ALSO SAID THAT LEVY STATEMENTS CLEARLY PROVED THAT ISRAEL IS WILLING TO
KILL INNOCENT CHILDREN.
THE RADIO ALSO QUOTED MP TALAB AL-SANE AS CALLING FOR SCRAPING THE COMMENTS
OF LEVY, SAYING THAT THEY "SHOULD NOT BE UTTERED BY A FOREIGN MINISTER."
FOR HER PART, THE HEAD OF MERETZ MOVEMENT SAID THAT ANYONE WHO HAS
POLITICAL AND SECURITY POINT OF VIEW BASED ON THE "AN EYE FOR AN EYE"
PRINCIPAL SHOULD NOT BE PART OF THE MINI-CABINET FOR SECURITY AND POLITICAL
AFFAIRS.
SHE URGED ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER EHUD BARAK "TO PUT AN END TO LEVY". (END)
SN.BK
KUNA 232053 Feb 00NNNN