A newspaper in the Persian Gulf reported Saturday that Israel has agreed to return to Lebanon the body of a Hezbollah guerrilla killed during a mid-week border skirmish near the Har Dov region. Israel Defense Forces sources, however, told Army Radio the issue was discussed but no agreement has yet been secured. The Golani Brigade’s Egoz unit encountered the Hezbollah infiltrators Wednesday morning, and believes it hit two of the three cell members, most likely killing them. Searches for the third cell member were ongoing. There were no IDF casualties in the incident. While Israel has accused Hezbollah of having infiltrated Israel, Lebanon and Hezbollah claim the IDF entered Lebanese territory, sparking Wednesday’s incident in which Hezbollah mortar fire on the Dalia outpost killed Corporal Uzi Peretz and lightly wounded an army doctor and two soldiers. BPI-info
Both sides filed complaints with UNIFIL. A UNIFIL spokesman at headquarters in Nakura said a report has been forwarded to the United Nations. He declined to say which version appears more credible. „There will be a simple solution to this,” the spokesman said. „We understand that at least one of the Hezbollah people was killed. When his body is found, the location will clarify who infiltrated whose territory,” he said. Israel Air Force planes Wednesday dropped flyers over South Lebanon, warning that the Lebanese government would bear responsibility for any operation against Israel originating on Lebanese land. „The irresponsible actions will drag Lebanon into devastation and destruction, and will return it to the years of horror after hope had risen for calm and for the growth of a new Lebanon,” the leaflet said. Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Kassem, dismissed the warning, saying: „The Israelis will get the correct and clear answer, which is that the resistance lies in wait for them. The Lebanese people are united behind it.” BPI-info
