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Former Israeli PM says 20 deaths is 'not a disaster' after wave of blasts injure thousands across Lebanon
18 September 2024, 18:52 | Updated: 19 September 2024, 00:59
The former Israeli Prime Minister has said that 20 deaths is "not a disaster" after dozens of people - including two children - were killed in two waves of blasts across Lebanon.
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Tuesday saw pagers which were detonated killed 12 with a further 20 killed by exploding walkie-talkies on Wednesday.
Almost 3,000 were taken to hospital with at least 300 injured today.
Speaking to LBC's Andrew Marr on Wednesday, Ehud Barak said: "Even if some innocent people were killed, that's a pity.
"But unfortunately out of 5000 explosions, about 20 people killed. It's probably painful but that's not a disaster."
Ex-Israeli PM says 20 deaths is 'not a disaster' as wave of blasts injure thousands in Lebanon
Mr Barak also did not admit Israeli culpability for the blasts.
"Israel never took responsibility for this event, I can't add to this," he said.
He also added that the country doesn't have "any interest" in a full scale war with Hezbollah.
"I think that a lot of consideration about how to respond to Israel - Israel doesn't have any interest in a full scale war with Hezbollah..
"Neither side wants that... but there has been a continuation of.. direct fire into our cities and towns along the border for 10 months.
"As long as this does not stop...there will be an operation to put an end to it."
CCTV shows moment man's bag blows up in Lebanon during pager attack
However, he did confirm that Israel may be looking to move its focus from the Gaza strip to Lebanon.
He said: "I don’t think it relates to the events of yesterday, it relates to the fact that after eleven months, too long of a time in my judgement, we are coming to an end of dealing with the Gaza Strip, basically Hamas.
"The military organised body is destroyed. They’re still there, they’re in the Gaza Strip, they can use terror guerilla attacks on Israeli forces, but basically, they are destroyed.
"And because Hezbollah has been attacking Israel for more than ten months now, with rockets and missiles killing people in the streets… Some 80,000 Israelis left their homes ten months ago and cannot come home. The villages are destroyed.
"So, for a long time, for several months now there has been the contemplation of when to turn the weight and response of Israel to Hezbollah. And I think he talked of the general situation of having to turn to Hezbollah which continues to attack.
"If Hezbollah had stopped attacking Israel, a month ago, two months ago, four months ago, six months ago, the whole thing was quiet over there. But they basically initiated the continuation of the clash."
Asked if he supports this response to Hezbollah if Israel is behind the recent pager attacks, Mr Barak said: "I think there has been a lot of considerations of how to respond to the Hezbollah violence.
"I think Israel does not have any interest in having a full-scale war with Hezbollah. To tell the truth I would not recommend to Hezbollah to try us in a full-scale war.
"So, I think basically neither side needs it, so potentially it could be solved.
"But somehow the continuation of attacks into our cities, our settlements, along the border and into Israel, as long as this does not stop and as long as the activity of using direct fire into our villages and cities along the border probably there will be an operation to put an end to it."
Earlier, Israel's defence minister has declared the start of a "new phase" of war as the country turns its attention to the north.
Speaking to Israeli troops, Yoav Gallant did not mention the explosions in Lebanon.
But he said: "We are at the start of a new phase in the war - it requires courage, determination and perseverance."
Gallant did not confirm if Israel were responsible for the wave of explosions but praised the country's army and security agencies, saying "the results are very impressive".
