Hezb'allah Quietly Moving North - Away from UN Peacekeepers

By Rick Moran

The Litani river in southern Lebanon has always been an unofficial demarcation line between what was considered "Hezb'allah territory" and the rest of the country.

Now Ed Lasky points us to this article that shows Hezb'allah - like any good military organization - adjusting its position in order to gain the greatest strategic advantage. The terrorists are moving north of the Litani and buying up real estate on the river's far bank, hoping to build a fortified line to the east where Syrian assistance is available; the Bekaa Valley:

Government officials say Hezbollah is establishing a fortified defensive line along the Litani's north bank toward the Bekaa Valley, in eastern Lebanon. The Bekaa is a supply area for the militia and gateway for potential arms transfers from Syria.

``This is a new military infrastructure north of the Litani,'' Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamadeh said in an interview. ``They are controlling millions of square meters in strategic spots to link south Lebanon with the Bekaa. This is the geography of their expansion spree.''

It is significant that the government is aware of this move by Hezb'allah and can do nothing to stop it. Indeed, it appears to be designed to avoid scrutiny from the Multi-national force based in the south to keep an eye on the terrorists and see that they are not supplied with arms.

The question of what Hezb'allah will now do with their much improved strategic positionis one that will probably have to be answered by Israel eventually. A link-up through the Bekaa with Syria would simplify the terrorist's resupply problems immensely so that in any conflict with the IDF, Hezb'allah could last considerably longer than when they were isolated along the Israeli border.