Lebanon slams Israeli claims on missile sites

By Wassim Saif al-Din

BEIRUT

Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil on Monday said no misslile sites were located near the Beirut airport.

After meeting with some 73 ambassadors and representatives of international organizations, Bassil said that Beirut would not accept that Israel use the UN platform to assault Lebanon, adding that Israel has violated Lebanese air, land, and sea space about 1,500 times in the last eight months.

On Thursday, the Israeli premier said -- addressing the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly -- that Hezbollah was using “hidden missile sites” near Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut.

Bassil invited 73 ambassadors and representatives of international organizations to the capital Beirut in order to visit the site where Netanyahu said the militant group Hezbollah was storing missiles.

He added that Israel was seeking to justify another aggression, after the war with Israel in 2006, under the pretext of the presence of th missile sites.

In 2006, Israel launched a war against Hezbollah during which at least 1,200 people, mostly Lebanese civilians, were killed.

By Wassim Saif al-Din

BEIRUT

Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil on Monday said no misslile sites were located near the Beirut airport.

He added that Israel was seeking to justify another aggression, after the war with Israel in 2006, under the pretext of the presence of th missile sites.

In 2006, Israel launched a war against Hezbollah during which at least 1,200 people, mostly Lebanese civilians, were killed.