Don't test power of IDF, Barak warns Hizbullah

Says cabinet should defend Supreme Court, attorney-general from Justice Minister.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
barak large cannon 224 88 (photo credit: Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry)
barak large cannon 224 88
(photo credit: Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry)
Defense Minister Ehud Barak issued a stark warning to Hizbullah against testing the might of the IDF on Friday, and said Israel was closely monitoring the Lebanese group's efforts to acquire new weapons. "Hizbullah continues to rearm and gain strength in spite of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which is not being implemented," Barak said at a meeting with heads of Labor branches at the party's headquarters in Tel Aviv. "Israel is monitoring the situation all the time." The IDF was training with an intensity not seen since 2001 and Israel was strong and determined to defend itself against any enemy, he said. "I would not advise anyone, any enemy, to test us." Regarding the prospects of peace with Syria in the wake of Thursday's four-way summit in Damascus attended by Syrian President Bashar Assad, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Barak said the only way to make real progress was to start direct, secret talks. "The Syrian declarations from the last few days prove to me that a breakthrough will only come when we have direct talks with Syria, far away from the public eye at the beginning, and in public at a later stage," Barak said. "The Syrians know that Israel is prepared to go very far. For both sides, it is a matter of defending vital interests. Courage is needed to make decisions and strength is required to carry them out so that we can reach a real agreement." Referring to Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann's proposals to curb the powers of the Supreme Court and to divide the authority of the attorney-general, Barak said Labor "opposes and will continue to oppose any harm to the Supreme Court and to the law enforcement authorities and we will therefore, at this time, oppose the series of new proposals minister Friedmann plans to submit [to the cabinet] on Sunday." In contrast, Barak hailed the evacuation-compensation plan for settlers in Judea and Samaria set to be discussed by the cabinet, saying the plan was Labor's long-term project for facilitating a peace agreement with the Palestinians. "It is a step in the right direction and Sunday's cabinet discussion will go ahead with our support," he said. Regarding the government's "complex situation" ahead of the September 17 Kadima primary and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's planned resignation, Barak said, "Labor will conduct itself responsibly and professionally regarding everything on the government's agenda."