Israel seeks to justify new Lebanon war: Hariri

Israel is seeking to justify a new war on Lebanon by alleging that Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah has obtained Scud missiles, Prime Minister Saad Hariri said in remarks to a Qatari newspaper.

"We reject the allegations ... (Israel) is trying to justify a war against Lebanon that it could launch when it wishes," Hariri said in an interview with Al-Watan to be published on Thursday, excerpts of which were obtained by AFP.

"Where is the proof that Hezbollah has these missiles," Hariri asked, adding that "Israel possesses nuclear weapons."

He also refused "to ask Hezbollah to deny the possession of such weapons," saying, "Why put ourselves in the position of being accused, and why give Israel the right to make such accusations?"

Israeli President Shimon Peres has accused Syria of providing Hezbollah with the missiles, prompting Washington to warn that this "potentially puts Lebanon at significant risk."

Earlier this month, a U.N. report said Hezbollah's arms posed "a key challenge to the safety of Lebanese civilians and to the authority of the government" and said the United Nations had information that "appears to corroborate the allegation of smuggling of weapons across the land borders."

And a senior U.S. State Department official said last week that "we are concerned with the broadening nature of cooperation between Syria and Hezbollah.

Damascus is "providing a wider array of missiles to Hezbollah," added the diplomat, who asked not to be named and who refused to accuse Syria of delivering the high-grade weapons to Hezbollah.

Syria has rejected the allegation it transferred the missiles, which could put all of Israel in range.

In July 2006, Israel launched an assault on Lebanon after Hezbollah fighters captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid.

Hezbollah fired more than 4,000 rockets into Israel during the 34-day conflict.

We reject the allegations ... Israel is trying to justify a war against Lebanon that it could launch when it wishes

Lebanese PM Saad Hariri