Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download MP3Host David Baron talks with reporter Matthew Bell in Jerusalem to get the latest about clashes on the Israeli-Lebanese border.

Read the Transcript
This text below is a phonetic transcript of a radio story broadcast by PRI’s THE WORLD. It has been created on deadline by a contractor for PRI. The transcript is included here to facilitate internet searches for audio content. Please report any transcribing errors to theworld@pri.org. This transcript may not be in its final form, and it may be updated. Please be aware that the authoritative record of material distributed by PRI’s THE WORLD is the program audio.

DAVID BARON: Israel and Lebanon exchanged cross-border fire today. At least four people were killed. The incident was the worst violence on the border since 2006 when Israel and the group Hezbollah fought a war. Washington has urged Lebanon and Israel to exercise “maximum restraint.” The World’s Matthew Bell is in Jerusalem. He says there’s more than one version of events.

MATTHEW BELL:  The Israeli military says that its troops went to trim the hedges along the border between southern Lebanon and Israel and that they were fired on by snipers. At that point, there were casualties and they responded with tank artillery and helicopter fire. The Lebanese say that the Israeli soldiers came onto Lebanese territory and that they were the aggressors here. They violated Lebanese sovereignty they say, and that they did what they had to do in firing back. The shooting apparently went on for several hours sporadically, but in the end there was an Israeli officer that was killed, a lieutenant colonel. Another Israeli officer was critically wounded. Then, on the Lebanese side, there were at least two Lebanese soldiers that were killed along with a Lebanese journalist and then injuries reported on both sides as well.

BARON:  Well, how do we judge the seriousness of this incident? I mean back in 2006 there was a border skirmish that led to an all-out war. Is there a chance that today’s events could escalate into something that much bigger.

BELL: That’s the big question, of course, David. You put your finger right on it and things happened very, very quickly back in 2006. This is the first cross-border incident where things have gotten this violent in four years, so that makes it hugely significant. One thing about it, important to note, that apparently Hezbollah fighters were not involved in the fighting today. That would have made things a lot more complicated just because of the status of that militia and the history that it has with Israel. If you listen to what the officials are saying on both sides of this, it sounds very strong. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called this a violent provocation against Israel. You had Lebanese officials accusing Israel of violating Lebanese sovereignty. But most experts believe that the truth of it is that Lebanon does not want an all-out war with Israel and that the Israelis would like to avoid an all-out confrontation as well. In fact, an Israeli military officer today was quoted as saying that this is probably a one time event.

BARON: And yet, as you noted, this clash reportedly originated over a tree or some bushes that Israel wanted to clear away. It seems a small thing to have caused such a serious clash. Are there any reasons why either side would deliberately want to provoke a clash right now?

BELL: Well, I think the circumstances of it sort of speak to the high level of tension along the border and in the weeks and months going into this summer, there was lots of writing, lots of speculation about will there be another war between Hezbollah and Israel. You had the Israelis saying that Hezbollah is rearming in South Lebanon. They also accuse Hezbollah of getting Scud missiles from Syria, and or, Iran. These are long-range missiles that theoretically could hit any part of Israel. So that, and this is the way, as you said, this is the way war has started in the past in this region, so it’s a worrisome thing and things can happen fast here.

BARON: The World’s Matthew Bell in Jerusalem. Thanks for your insight.

BELL: You’re welcome, David.

Copyright ©2009 PRI’s THE WORLD. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to PRI’s THE WORLD. This transcript may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior written permission. For further information, please email The World’s Permissions Coordinator at theworld@pri.org.