Israel has been anxiously watching south Lebanon ever since President of the Palestinian National Authority Yasser Arafat was sent to France for treatment, according to a report by US Christian Science Monitor on November 9.

Last week alone, Israeli forces dispatched 11 fighter planes and three surveillance planes across Israel-Lebanon airspace border to south Lebanon.

Israel worries most that in case of mishap to Arafat, it is probable that the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and radical members of Hizballaho (Party of God) will go in for revolt flocking to across the border for violent attacks in Israeli territory.

What does Israel fear?

Palestinian refugees in Lebanon

The totally 350, 000 Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are now scattering in 12 refugee camps throughout Lebanon. Having suffered poverty and filthiness over the decades, they are longing to go back home. Over the past forty years, Arafat has been untiringly struggling for those refugees, who therefore hold great respect for him.

Fatah in Lebanon

Currently, the Arafat-led Fatah, the strongest among all the factions in Palestine, has established branch in Lebanon. The faction has received generous fiscal aid from Arafat and is meanwhile has the biggest influence on Lebanon. If Arafat died, Fatah would lose the huge backup with and be powerfully challenged by other groups. Possible factional wars will jeopardize the security of Israel.

Lebanon's Hizballaho

Hizballaho is a long irreconcilable enemy of Israel. Armed forces of Hizballaho are now mainly stationed in the frontlines in south Lebanon adjacent to Israel. Now Hizballaho is launching Katyusha Rocket to Israel from time to time.

What is more worrying is that Hizballaho even dispatched last week unmanned surveillance planes to Israeli territory for the first time. It even claimed more to Israel. Israel worries that, should Arafat die, Hizballaho would probably attempt to launch strikes in Israel.

By People's Daily Online