Israel had ‘no connection’ with exploding pager attack, president claims

Israel has appeared to deny involvement with the fatal exploding pager onslaught which injured thousands of radical crossed the Middle East.

Israeli president Isaac Herzog said helium “rejects retired of manus immoderate connection” to the cognition against Hezbollah on Tuesday and his federation has an “inherent right” to support itself.

Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate against Israel for a question of explosions that deed pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to Hezbollah members connected Tuesday and Wednesday, sidesplitting astatine slightest 37 radical – including 2 children – and wounding astir 3,000.

The attacks were wide blamed connected Israel, which has not confirmed oregon denied responsibility.

There are unspeakable tragedies successful this warfare and we ne'er privation to get there, but we person the inherent close to support ourselves

Israeli president Isaac Herzog

Mr Herzog told Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips connected Sky News: “First of all, I cull retired of manus immoderate transportation to this, oregon that root of operation.

“All I would accidental is that conscionable astatine the opening of the Olympic Games 12 Israeli children of the Druze religion were murdered by a unspeakable rocket attack, a rocket onslaught by Hezbollah successful Majdal Shams wherever they were playing football.

“There are unspeakable tragedies successful this warfare and we ne'er privation to get there, but we person the inherent close to support ourselves and the information is that houses person been demolished, Israelis were killed, Muslims, Christians, Druze and Jews each successful the bluish portion of Israel wherever they unrecorded peacefully.

“They are evacuated from their location for a twelvemonth and Hezbollah keeps connected sending its missiles against our radical endlessly – astatine the extremity you person the close to support yourself.”

On whether Israel denies work for caller explosions this week oregon if they were caused by idiosyncratic else, helium said: “I did not allude to thing but to accidental determination are galore enemies of Hezbollah retired there, rather a fewer these days.

“Hezbollah has been choking (and) destroying Lebanon, creating havoc successful Lebanon again and again and again. We are present simply to support ourselves – that’s each we bash and we marque wide we person to instrumentality enactment similar immoderate mean federation would do, similar Britain would bash oregon immoderate different sovereign federation successful bid to support its people.”

Husam Zomlot, Palestinian ambassador to the UK, said radical successful the portion are “absolutely conscionable waiting for the worst” and “nobody is expecting things to de-escalate” against a backdrop of nonaccomplishment from the planetary community.

He besides described Mr Herzog arsenic much similar “a information spokesperson alternatively than a president” and questioned whether helium is seeking to find a solution portion Israeli premier curate Benjamin Netanyahu has “refused each these offers” for a ceasefire.

Mr Zomlot told Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips connected Sky News: “I deliberation it is good documented present that the Israeli authorities has not lone changed the goalposts erstwhile it came to the negotiations astir the ceasefire, but the full transportation each together.

“So, everybody is hurt, is worried, is concerned, is truly bleeding and everybody is bracing for the worse – unfortunately.”

Of Mr Herzog, helium added: “I was listening to a information spokesperson alternatively than a president who would truly springiness a mode retired of this, retired of this tragedy, retired of this mayhem, and supply a bid vision, for each concerned, permission the propaganda astir babies beheaded and rape to the, you know, information spokespeople.”

The comments travel arsenic Lebanon’s Hezbollah launched much than 100 rockets crossed bluish Israel, with immoderate landing adjacent the metropolis of Haifa, arsenic the sides look to beryllium heading for all-out war.

The barrage came aft an Israeli aerial onslaught successful Beirut connected Friday killed astatine slightest 37 people, including 1 of Hezbollah’s apical leaders arsenic good arsenic women and children.