Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz said on Sunday that the absence of international aid in the restoration of Lebanon has helped the Lebanese Hezbollah gain more supports, local newspaper Ha'aretz reported.

Speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting convened in Jerusalem, Peretz said that the Lebanese Hezbollah is operating with Iranian backing and focuses its efforts on civilian activities.

Since the end of the 34-day-long Israel-Hezbollah conflict, Hezbollah has been offering a large amount of money to the Lebanese civilians whose home suffered damage during the war, the report said.

During the meeting, Peretz also said that Israel expected the international community to supervise Lebanese border crossings.

The minister's remarks came in response to the UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan's statement that the UN interim force in Lebanon would not be deployed along the Lebanon-Syria border to prevent smuggling arms to Hezbollah, unless Beirut asked for such deployment.

He added that the sea and air blockade on Lebanon will continue, noting that the IDF will remain in southern Lebanon until the international peacekeeping contingent and the Lebanese army complete their deployment in the area.

The 34-day-long Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which started on July 12, ended on Aug. 14 under the UN resolution which authorizes an increase of the existing UN force in Lebanon to 15,000 troops to help Lebanese troops take control of southern Lebanon as Israel withdraws.

Source: Xinhua