Lebanon mocks Israel’s Scud claim

Lebanon’s premier has likened Israeli allegations on Hezbollah’s weaponry to US claims about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD), used as a pretext to invade the country.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri rejected Israel’s allegations that Hezbollah had obtained Scud missiles from Syria, describing it as false as American accusations on Iraq’s possession of WMD’s ahead of the 2003 US-led invasion of the country, AP reported Tuesday.

“Threats that Lebanon now has huge missiles are similar to what they used to say about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq,” Hariri said during a meeting with members of the Lebanese community in Italy late Monday.

“These are weapons that they did not find and they are still searching for,” he added.

The allegations that former dictator Saddam Hussein had possessed weapons of mass destruction turned out to be false after none were located following a massive search by US and international inspectors after the country was occupied by US and other foreign forces.

“They are trying to repeat the same scenario with Lebanon,” said the premier.

Last week, Israel’s President Shimon Peres accused Syria of providing Hezbollah with Scud missiles capable of reaching targets anywhere in Israel.

Damascus, however, denied the allegations and described it as “an attempt by Israel to raise tensions in the region.”

Hezbollah also denied Israel’s charges and insisted that the movement’s weaponry is none of Tel Aviv’s business.