Israel: Cross-border shooting 'unplanned'
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Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Wednesday said the "unplanned" border clash on Tuesday between Lebanese Army Forces (LAF) and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers would not widen into a real crisis.
An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officer and four Lebanese were killed on Tuesday during a border clash, the fiercest one since the fighting between Israel and the Lebanon-based Shiite group Hezbollah four years ago.
Barak told Israel Army Radio that the border clash was apparently unplanned, adding Lebanon's Hezbollah organization was not involved. He also stressed in the interview that the confrontation would not widen into a real crisis.
However, Barak on Tuesday evening demanded that the government investigate who was behind the "murderous attack." "Israel will not tolerate in any way an attack on her soldiers or civilians within her sovereign territory," he said.
Israeli opposition Kadima Party MK, and former Defense Minister, Shaul Mofaz, on Wednesday came out directly against Barak's latest conclusions. Mofaz called the shooting a "planned terror attack," that did include Hezbollah involvement.
IDF Northern Command chief, Maj.-Gen. Gadi Eisencott speaking soon after the clash, came to exactly the opposite conclusion as well.
Speaking with reporters at a press conference, Eisencott said that the incident "was a premeditated ambush by a squad of snipers that fired at the commanders who were standing next to a (military) post clearly within our territory."
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