MGLE01: UNIFIL COMMANDER SEES HIZBALLAH IMPROVING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 001576 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WERNER/SINGH E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2016 TAGS: PTER KPAL PBTS PREL LE IS SUBJECT: MGLE01: UNIFIL COMMANDER SEES HIZBALLAH IMPROVING BORDER SITES Classified By: Jeffrey Feltman, Ambassador. Reason: Section 1.4 (b). ¶1. Summary: UNIFIL commander Major-General Alain Pellegrini briefed the Ambassador on increased Hizballah construction activity along the Blue Line, a rise in the number of Israeli overflights, and plans to enhance contacts between UNIFIL and the LAF. The General was uncertain about the reasons behind Hizballah's construction activity. But he linked Israeli overflights to that construction. He also noted significant construction and infrastructure improvement by the Israelis on their side of Ghajar. By contrast, Pellegrini noted there was no significant recent construction activity in or around Ghajar by Hizballah. End summary. ¶2. (C) General Pellegrini, accompanied by Milos Strugar and a military aide, visited the Ambassador, DATT, and Polchief on May 18 to brief him on UNIFIL plans and activities. Strugar provided the briefing, outlining recent developments and plans for greater liaison between UNIFIL and the LAF in the border area. Strugar said that there has been a dramatic increase in Hizballah construction activity since January ¶2006. Hizballah is fortifying old positions and building new positions, some within a few meters of UNIFIL positions. The new positions are hardened and appear to be permanent. These structures contrast with the more temporary facilities that Hizballah has favored in the past. ¶3. (C) The new Hizballah construction runs from the Mediterranean to Ghajar, but not beyond it, thus covering the undisputed part of the border area once covered by the 1949 Armistice Agreement between Israel and Lebanon. Pellegrini's assessment is that these new structures are professionally designed and constructed to provide Hizballah with defensive observation posts. He said that the construction is very visible, with heavy equipment used for much of the work. Under those circumstances, he believes the Lebanese authorities must know about the Hizballah activity. He was unwilling to assign complicity to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF),but he said he could not rule out LAF involvement or cooperation. He declared that he does not think Hizballah has the technical capacity to complete the work alone. (Note: Post has noted that the LAF is traditionally careful �A;to steer clear of material support for Hizballah. Although we need to consider possible LAF cooperation with Hizballah, we note that fortification engineering is not beyond Hizballah or its Iranian patrons. End note.). Pellegrini has informed the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the Hizballah activity. ¶4. (C) Pellegrini said he could only speculate about Hizballah intentions. Hizballah might be building up the positions so that they will be prepared for a handover if forced by international pressure to disarm or merge with the LAF. He also admitted that Hizballah might be preparing to become a purely defensive, border guard for Lebanon. The Ambassador pointed out that there were signs that Hizballah and its agents were also buying land in the border region. The hardened post could be a sign that Hizballah means to strengthen its control of the south and turn it into a Hizballah "canton." Pellegrini said UNIFIL would continue to observe and report on Hizballah's activities along the border area. (Note: Walid Jumblatt has in several meetings raised alarm bells about a Hizballah "canton." See Beirut 1575 for his most recent comments along these lines. End note.) ¶5. (C) Pellegrini said UNIFIL has noted a dramatic increase in Israeli overflights of Lebanese territory since the end of April 2006. The highest frequency occurred in early May when there were four violations by 10 aircraft in just one week. Prior to April, Pellegrini said Israel's operations were always clearly linked to action on the Lebanese side of the border. But the recent overflights were not obviously justified by that measure. Other violations that were not within UNIFIL's area of operations were also observed. In February 2006, the killing of a sheherd by the Israeli forces triggered an exchange between Hizballah and the IDF that Pellegrini described as "restrained." Since March 2006, the Israelis are on high alert, worried about Hizballah operations to kill or capture IDF soldiers. The IDF reported to UNIFIL that UNIFIL activity probably aborted a Hizballah kidnap operation. Pellegrini also noted significant construction and improvement of facilities by the Israelis on their side of the village of Ghajar. By contrast, he noted there was no significant recent construction activity in or around Ghajar by Hizballah. ¶6. (C) In general, Pellegrini found the situation on the BEIRUT 00001576 002 OF 002 border to be calm. He and UNIFIL are working to improve UNIFIL coordination with the Lebanese Joint Security Force (JSF) made up of LAF, the Internal Security Forces and police. Strugar said the JSF was not yet up to its full strength of 1,000 members. Approximately 400 JSF troops are presently deployed at two posts along the Blue Line. The Force will begin operations at a third post with 100 troops, near the Naquora-Karba area, where Palestinian groups have launched anti-Israeli operations. UNIFIL expects this new position to improve reaction time, as well as enhance coordination with UNIFIL, and deal with local fishermen who cross into Israeli territory from time to time. It was unclear to General Pellegrini whether the JSF will add an additional 100 personnel to their roster or just transfer personnel from existing forces already in the south. ¶7. (C) Increased cooperation with the Lebanese Army Liaison (LAL),is another goal for Pellegrini. Pellegrini said that the commander of the LAL in Naqoura was willing to work with UNIFIL, but LAF HQ stuck to the liaison mission only according to the LAL terms of reference. In the past, the LAL, which is deployed with each UNIFIL field battalion, has been useful in field operations. Pellegrini told the story of a LAL patrol that responded to a call that Palestinians had attached a cable to the Israeli fence behind the Blue Line. The LAL, directed by the IDF, moved to the site and dismantled the cable. Pellegrini hoped that this type of on-the-ground assistance would continue even if the liaison unit withheld formal agreement to such missions. Pellegrini said he would also be meeting with Lebanese authorities in the near future to push for a joint policy planning staff. The Ambassador told Pellegrini that the Security Council may want to include additional requirements in any UNIFIL rollover, to have verifiable benchmarks that the GOL is assuming its responsibility for the south. FELTMAN