Day after another, new "hidden" documents are uncovered, revealing furthermore scandals…What Olmert did not say was, however, declared by other Israeli officials. The leaks quote in fact Israeli former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni as saying that Israel and Lebanon share the same goal, which is disarming Hezbollah. Even more, another Wikileaks cable revealed that Israeli former Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi announced that Israel’s policy was bolstering Saniora and the March 14 camp's position against Hezbollah.
Saniora had also his position in the documents, which quoted him as frankly saying that he was seeking peace and stability for Israel alongside disarming Hezbollah. Furthermore, Saniora was quoted by the cables as claiming that the occupied Shebaa Farms were a Syrian-Iranian fabrication.
SANIORA: HEZBOLLAH ACTIONS UNFORGIVABLE
That’s it. A leaked US Embassy cable published exclusively in Al-Akhbar on Tuesday revealed that Saniora held Syria and Iran responsible for the eruption of the July 2006 war "because they want to destroy the Lebanese government, obstruct the formation of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, and divert attention from the Iranian nuclear program."
The cable, dated July 13, 2006, said that Saniora described Hezbollah actions as "unforgivable" expressing his understanding that Israel "will not reward the party" by liberating the Shabaa Farms. He added that any reward Israel would present would be given to the Lebanese government.
Another cable, dated August 6, 2006, documented a meeting between Saniora, then Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh, and ambassadors of nations represented at the UN Security Council. The meeting focused on a resolution on Lebanon being mulled by the international organization. Then US Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman stated that after Salloukh exited the meeting, Saniora expressed his true sentiments on the resolution, said the cable.
The former PM explained that the resolution will serve to return Lebanon under Iran and Syria's control, adding that throughout the war, he focused on the liberation of the Shabaa Farms, according to Feltman. He was quoted as saying to the Americans: "You can place it under the UN's authority and let it stay there for a hundred years."
Saniora's primary concern, said the Wikileaks cable, was reaching a "fair solution that would help the Lebanese and Israeli governments and create a big problem for Hezbollah and its Syrian and Iranian allies." He was also concerned with Israel's ongoing occupation of the Shabaa Farms, saying that its persistence gives Syria an excuse to continue on interfering in Lebanese affairs, said a cable dated August 7, 2006.
A cable dated August 1, 2006, quoted Saniora as informing Feltman that the Lebanese and Israeli governments are drowning in the details and they are about to lose sight of the main goals of ensuring Israel's security, achieving peace, and disarming Hezbollah. In an earlier cable, dated July 28, 2006, Saniora had hoped that Israel would realize that allowing the Lebanese state to impose its authority over the South "is the key to Israel's security."
MARCH 14 BLOC WANTS ISRAEL TO DO THE DIRTY WORK
Another cable, dated July 18, 2006, reported the French Ambassador to Lebanon Bernard Emie as saying that the March 14 camp is keen on "Israel clipping Hezbollah's wings" and that it wants Israel to do the "dirty work." The French ambassador doubted that Israel would succeed its mission however.
Emie also voiced fears of the Lebanese army siding with the Resistance in the war.
LIVNI: LEBANON, ISRAEL SHARE SAME GOALSAnother leaked US Embassy cable published exclusively by Al-Akhbar revealed that former Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni had stated that the Israeli government realized that the formation of the Lebanese government at the time was an achievement for the international community.
It believed that the newly formed government headed by then Prime Minister Fouad Saniora is a step forward in the right direction for Lebanon.
She stressed the importance of the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1559, adding that the Israeli government is aware of the Lebanese government's weakness. She said that the best way to assist it rested in the international community taking decisions without waiting for a response from Saniora's Cabinet.
Livni told US Congressman Pete Hoekstra that there are no border disputes or misunderstandings between Lebanon and Israel "seeing as the two countries share the same goal of removing Hezbollah’s arms and allowing Lebanon to impose its complete sovereignty."
OLMERT LOVES SANIORA!Another leaked cable also published in Al-Akhbar revealed that former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was fond of Saniora and that he would have been "happy to meet him any time."
Another Wikileaks cable revealed that former Israeli former Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi had informed the American ambassador to Israel that Saniora shares the same interests with Israel.
The Israeli official stressed the need for Israel to help Saniora because no one else can guide Lebanon onto the right path.
Ashkenazi repeated this position to former US Homeland Security Advisor Fran Fragos Townsend, adding that Israel is keen on bolstering Saniora and the March 14 camp's position against Hezbollah.
- SINIORA BELIEVES HE HAS THE CONFIDENCE OF HIS PEOPLE
- LEBANESE PM SINIORA: "WE NEED HELP."
- French Ambassador: "March 14" led by Saad Hariri want Israel to "do the dirty work" (of) disarming Hizballah.."
- KNESSET SPEAKER DISCUSSES CRISIS WITH CODELS MILLER AND ROYCE
Uprooted Palestinian
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