By Anna Ahronheim
Israeli military’s Arabic-language spokesperson Maj. Avichai Adraee responded to Lebanon’s Foreign Minister’s invitation of foreign ambassadors to tour a site which Israel alleged were used by Hezbollah to try to build precision missiles.
“What do you want to say to the ambassadors Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil? You should first, stop the terror of Hezbollah and to take their weapons from near Beirut airport!” Adraee posted on Twitter on Monday. “Have you checked well if “Party of God” still owns the sites we have showed to the world or it doesn’t matter anymore?”“When the Lebanese Foreign Ministry invites ambassadors from different countries to respond to the Israeli "lies", we should see what was supposed to happen (in Lebanon) since we discovered Hezbollah positions near Beirut airport. This time we [the IDF] must tell the truth,” he added.The IDF English language spokesunit took to Twitter on Monday evening to add that Hezbollah has "a long history of covering up inconvenient truths and then parading foreign officials around."
#Hezbollah has a long history of covering up inconvenient truths and then parading foreign officials around. Maybe this time ask why missile workshop located so close to int’l #airport in heart of #Beirut?#maybethetruththistime pic.twitter.com/SFpqmw7ztq
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDFSpokesperson) October 1, 2018
Bassil extended the invitation to all foreign ambassadors in Lebanon to a meeting Monday afternoon at the Foreign Ministry following allegations made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that several sites next to Rafik Hariri International Airport were used by Hezbollah in an attempt to convert non-precision ground-to-ground missiles to precision missiles to hit Israeli cities.
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, the meeting would begin at 3:00 p.m. where the ambassador will “listen to the Ministry's response to the allegations of (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the missile sites.”
Following the presentation the ambassadors would then “visit one of the sites near Beirut’s airport,” the report said.Lebanon’s Speaker Nabih Berri commended Bassil’s invitation, calling it a “necessary” move.
“Well done. This move is needed and necessary,” Berri was quoted by Lebanon’s Naharnet as saying, adding that “the claims are dangerous and must not be disregarded or addressed lightly. A national stand is necessary to address it.”
“It is shameful for this to happen while we are distracted with little things and ministerial portfolios,” he added referring to Lebanon’s delay to form a government,
Over the past year Hezbollah has been trying to build an infrastructure to convert ground-to-ground missiles to precision missiles and senior Hezbollah officials took the decision to transfer the precision missile project, which they have been dealing with for some time, to civilian areas in the heart of Beirut.
Accusing Hezbollah of “deliberately using the innocent people of Beirut as human shields,” Netanyahu pointed out that one of the sites is located inside a Hezbollah soccer stadium, another is adjacent to the airport and another next to the Ouzai fishermen's harbor.
“In Lebanon, Iran is directing Hezbollah to build secret sites to convert inaccurate projectiles into precision-guided missiles, missiles that can target deep inside Israel with an accuracy of 10 meters (yards),” Netanyahu said during his address before the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday.
Israel has been closely monitoring the sites and security officials believe Hezbollah does not yet possess precision missiles despite claims made by the group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah that the balance of power between the Lebanese Shiite terror group and Israel has “changed” and that the group has accurate missiles which would be used in the next conflict.
“Israel know what you are doing, Israel knows where you are doing it, and Israel will not let you get away with it,” Netanyahu said.
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