Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BEIRUT2700
2006-08-19 14:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beirut
Cable title:  

BERRI INFURIATED BY IDF RAID BUT CONTAINS

Tags:  PREL MOPS PGOV LE IS 
pdf how-to read a cable
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OO RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHLB #2700 2311435
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 191435Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5147
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0125
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 002700 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/SINGH/HARDING

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/19/2026
TAGS: PREL MOPS PGOV LE IS
SUBJECT: BERRI INFURIATED BY IDF RAID BUT CONTAINS
HIZBALLAH; ACCUSED IDF OF STEALING MONEY, JEWELRY

Classified By: Jeffrey Feltman, Ambassador, per 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 002700

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/SINGH/HARDING

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/19/2026
TAGS: PREL MOPS PGOV LE IS
SUBJECT: BERRI INFURIATED BY IDF RAID BUT CONTAINS
HIZBALLAH; ACCUSED IDF OF STEALING MONEY, JEWELRY

Classified By: Jeffrey Feltman, Ambassador, per 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called the Ambassador
twice on 8/19 to rant and rave about an Israeli raid (that he
claimed included some ground operations) north of Baalback
early that morning. "There is no way" that the Israelis can
claim that such a raid was permitted under UNSCR 1701. The
Israelis have broken the cessation of hostilities, and Berri
said that he expected a "strong response" from the
international community. Otherwise, he said, "who knows how
Hizballah will answer." So far, Berri said in his second
call, he has managed to "keep Hizballah quiet. But I can't
do this again, if the Israelis do something else." (PM
Siniora also complained strongly about the Israeli actions
and also saw them as a violation of UNSCR 1701.)


2. (C) The Ambassador said that he knew only what he had
seen in the news about the Biqa' raid. So he was not aware
of the Israeli goals nor of any Israeli explanations. But,
the Ambassador said, Lebanon needs to be taking tangible
steps against arms smuggling across the porous Syrian border.
Failure to do so is itself a violation of UNSCR 1701. The
Israelis might very well be taking measures to prevent the
resupply of rockets to Hizballah, given what seems to be a
lack of Lebanese seriousness to combat the problem. Berri
rejected the Ambassdor's words, claiming that "you know very
well we're moving the army to the area." Berri also said
that "killing people" in the Biqa Valley, far from Israel, is
definitely "offensive military operations," which are now
supposed to be prohibited.


3. (C) In his second phone call, Berri also claimed that he
had a report that he vowed was true from an Amal-supporting
family in Mays al-Jebel, a Shia town near the Blue Line. At
2 a.m. that morning, a small group ("three or four") of IDF
soldiers "came down from the hills where they were stationed"
and broke into an occupied, private house, he said. The
Israelis "turned the house upside down" and physically
searched even the women and children, in an "insulting and
unacceptable manner." Ultimately, Berri claimed, the
Israelis found and stole USD 4,700 in cash, the family's
entire financial means, and over USD 2,000 in jewelry that
had been the matriarch's bridal dowry. "Are these soldiers
or bandits?" Berri asked; "haram!" The Ambassador asked how
credible Berri found the story. "100 percent true," he
claimed. (Note: While we cannot speak for this particular
case, in general we have heard few claims of Israeli looting.
End note.)
FELTMAN