Israel, in defiance of the international community, explained that its warplanes would continue to fly over Lebanon despite condemnation from the United Nations.

In regards to warplanes flying low over Beirut and southern Lebanon, Israeli Deputy Minister of Defense Efraim Sneh said: “They can protest for as long as they like. Our reconnaissance flights will continue.”

Talking to Israeli state radio, Sneh added: “These are not agreed flights but operations carried out to locate enemies, terrorists. The fact there was a ceasefire in Lebanon has not transformed this country into another Switzerland. Hezbollah continues to prepare and arm itself; this is why we have to gather intelligence.”

The new Israeli deputy defense minister left no doubt about Israel’s intent: “Things must be very clear: it is only when we have information signaling that arms supplies to Hezbollah coming from Syria have stopped and that our two soldiers have been released that we can talk about a stop to these flights.”

Captive Exchange Negotiations Begin

Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah explained that negotiations concerning the two captured Israeli soldiers taken prisoner by Hezbollah on July 12, have begun.

Nasrallah, speaking to the Hezbollah-run al-Manar television channel on Tuesday said the United Nations had appointed a negotiator in September and there were important developments.

Nasrallah said being able to negotiate at this level was an important development and added: “They are serious negotiations ... we have reached a stage of exchanging ideas, proposals and conditions.”