AP Television interview with Lebanese Pres Emile Lahoud

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• published: 23 Jul 2015
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1. Wide of Emile Lahoud, Lebanese President talking to reporter 2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Emile Lahoud, Lebanese President: "I will assure you, whatever it (Israel) does, it is not going to reach its goal. They're not going to be able to take out the weaponry of Hezbollah so all they're doing is massive destruction and I'm afraid to say that they've been waiting for that for a long time. I think they are taking revenge about the liberation of Lebanon 2000. At the same time, they don't want the prosperous Lebanese at its frontier." 3. Cutaway of Lebanese flag 4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Emile Lahoud, Lebanese President: "I believe that they (Israel) are going to have everything destroyed in Lebanon and what's keeping the Lebanese together, one of these reasons is the national army of Lebanon. So by destroying the national army they will make dissension between Lebanese and maybe they hope for divisions but it will never happen. Lebanese are all united and that's what makes the strength of Lebanon now." 5. Wide of Lahoud talking to reporter STORYLINE: Israel "is not going to reach its goal", the Lebanese President said in an interview with AP Television News in Beirut on Thursday. "They're not going to be able to take out the weaponry of Hezbollah so all they're doing is massive destruction," Emile Lahoud said. The Israeli land, sea and air bombing campaign began on July 12 after Hezbollah militants entered Israeli territory, captured two Israeli soldiers and killed three in the ensuing battle. "I think they are taking revenge about the liberation of Lebanon 2000. At the same time, they don't want the prosperous Lebanese at its frontier," , Lahoud said. "Lebanese are all united and that's what makes the strength of Lebanon now," he added. Meanwhile, in failing to agree on a call for an immediate Middle-East cease-fire a senior Israeli Cabinet minister said the world had effectively given Israel permission to press ahead with its military offensive in Lebanon. Justice Minister Haim Ramon, considered a confidant of Ehud Olmert, made the comments to army radio. A high-level Middle-East conference in Rome on Wednesday ended without agreement. Most European leaders want Israel to halt its offensive against Hezbollah guerrillas immediately, while the United States is willing to give Israel more time to attack the guerrilla group. Although top international, European and US officials agreed in the conference that urgent action is needed to stop the killing of civilians in Lebanon, no joint statement calling for a cease-fire was issued. The Israeli bombardment has failed to stop guerrilla rocket fire, despite killing hundreds of people in Lebanon, driving up to 750,000 people from their homes and causing billions of US dollars in damage. 51 Israelis have also died, according to the Israeli military. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/59807d6090094cd068d57cac9a970616 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork