Israel's ambassador to U.N. says Iran arms Hezbollah through 'civilian channels'
Danny Danon claims Israel has new intelligence information proving Tehran's Revolutionary Guards provide 'dual-use equipment' to the terror group with the help of Syrian officials and full knowledge of Lebanese authorities
Speaking at a Security Council meeting dedicated solely to the situation in the Middle East, Danny Danon said Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards unit uses the Port of Beirut to smuggle “the dual-use equipment” to the terror group with full knowledge of Lebanese authorities.
“In the years 2018 and 2019, Israel found that Iran and the Quds Force have begun to advance the exploitation of the civilian maritime channels, and specifically the Port of Beirut … which has become the Port of Hezbollah,” said the ambassador.
Danon went on to accuse the Syrian officials of cooperating with the Iranians in order to advance Hezbollah’s military capabilities.
“These dual-use items are smuggled into Lebanon to advance Hezbollah’s rocket and missile capabilities and conversion program to be used. Under the guise of Syrian entities, such as the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (CERS).”
If the information proves to be accurate it would violate Resolution 1701 approved after the 2006 Second Lebanon War which, among other things, calls for disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon.
At the onset of the meeting, the Palestinian Authority’s representative in the U.N., Riyad Mansour, condemned Monday’s demolition of dozens of homes in a mostly abandoned Palestinian village of Sur Baher located on the outskirts of Jerusalem.
Israel says the buildings were built illegally too close to its West Bank separation barrier. Residents say they have nowhere to build and getting permits to build homes legally is impossible.
Mansour said the Supreme Court’s ruling that the structures violate a construction ban was meant “to strip the Palestinian nation of its rights and properties.”
