Note: The translations of articles from the Hebrew press are prepared by the Government Press Office as a service to foreign journalists in Israel. They express the views of the authors.
INTERVIEW WITH IDF MAJ-GEN AMIRAM LEVINE, OC NORTHERN COMMAND
(By Eitan Rabin, "Ha'aretz", Aug 7, 1996, p. 2.)
OC Northern Command, Amiram Levine, says that Iranian advisers are operating in Lebanon's Beka Valley and are aiding Hizbullah terrorists. In an interview with Ha'aretz, Levine said yesterday: "The Iranians train and advise Hizbullah through the Revolutionary Guards. They train the terrorists and supply them with explosives and ammunition. They are located primarily in the Beka region, where they have set up camps, and from there they control the activity."
Q: What is the reason for the renewed wave of incidents?
A: I explain this as Hizbullah's ongoing attempt to carry out as many attacks as possible all the time. People on our side simply wake up when there is an incident where someone is killed. In recent weeks, we have killed more than 10 terrorists and wounded others. Hizbullah, which is depicted as a great hero, leaves its wounded and dead in the field and flees, and I do not suggest overly glorifying it. Overall, they are quite pathetic.
Q: What is the level of Syrian involvement in Lebanon?
A: The Syrians are aiding Hizbullah, first of all as a channel for supplies from Iran, after Operation Grapes of Wrath and it should be recalled that they are partner to the agreement of understandings that was signed at the end of the operation. They have influence over the type of activity and its scope.
Q: How is the Syrian aid expressed?
A: The Syrians allow the arms supplies to reach them, encourage Hizbullah to carry out terrorist attacks and control Lebanon nothing in Lebanon is done without their authorization and instructions. The Lebanese government and Lebanese army do not obstruct Hizbullah steps that is a Syrian directive. If the Syrians give such a directive, it is carried out.
Q: What is the state of the South Lebanon Army?
A: Very good. The SLA functions well. All their prisoners and missing soldiers have returned; in the last year and half, not one of their soldiers has deserted. They do the work well and deserve much appreciation."
OC Northern Command estimates that the incidents in southern Lebanon will continue. At the same time, he emphasizes the superiority of IDF soldiers over the terrorists.
Eitan Rabin adds:
The Hizbullah organization has recently received a shipment of Katyusha rockets with an effective range of 40 kilometers. The organization has not yet used any of these Katyushas, but senior IDF officers believe that it will use them, if the confrontation between it and Israel again escalates. A senior military source has pointed out that today, the terrorists are using three types of Katyushas:
* 122 mm. Katyushas with a range of 20.4 kilometers; * 122 mm. Katyushas with a range of 11 kilometers; and * 107 mm. Katyushas with a range of 8.5 kilometers.
During Operation Grapes of Wrath in April, the terrorists primarily launched 122 mm. Katyushas. One 107 mm. Katyusha was launched, with an explosive phosphorous head, and a range of 7.9 kilometers.
In the view of analysts at Northern Command, Hizbullah has recently received shipments of sophisticated war materiel, such as night-vision and protective equipment, which are now coming into use. They also note that the organization is "flooding" the villages of southern Lebanon with military equipment along the lines of IDF emergency depots in order to ensure its staying power in the event of another confrontation, without requiring additional supplies from outside sources. Northern Command points out that most of the weapons shipments come from Iran, by way of Syria.
OC Northern Command, Amiram Levine, confirms that Hizbullah is trying to bring sophisticated weaponry into use against the IDF and the SLA. He refused to describe these types of weapons in detail, but emphasized that: "It is worthwhile believing Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah." This is how he related to the Hizbullah leader's statement on the matter.