Page 29 - bon-dia-aruba-20200930

A29
world news Diaranson 30 september 2020
Israeli PM to UN:

Hezbollah storing missiles in Beirut

(AP) — Israeli Prime Minis- accidental fire. Israel has long ment blocks.
ter Benjamin Netanyahu on accused Hezbollah of stor- It described all three as pre-
Tuesday accused the Leba- ing weapons and maintaining cision-guided missile manu-
nese militant group Hezbol- military posts in civilian ar- facturing sites. The military
lah of maintaining a "secret eas, especially in the southern provided precise locations
arms depot" in a residential suburbs of Beirut and south- of what it called weapons
neighborhood of Beirut, ern Lebanon, both strong- sites but gave no other evi-
warning it could cause an- holds of support for the Iran- dence and did not say how
other tragic explosion in the backed militant group. advanced the manufacturing
Lebanese capital. Hezbollah leader Hassan program is.
Nasrallah denied Netanya- Israel has long warned that
Hezbollah denied the alle- hu's allegations, insisting the Hezbollah is seeking to man-
gations and invited interna- group does not store missiles ufacture precision-guided
tional and local media to im- in civilian facilities. missiles or add guidance sys-
mediately visit the site, where tems to its existing projec-
they found a small factory “Whoever wants to go can go tiles, something Israel insists
housing heavy machinery but now. If Hezbollah is storing is a red line that may require
no weapons. missiles in this facility, then military action. Hezbollah is
In an address to the U.N. there is not enough time to believed to have massively
General Assembly, Netan- remove them,” Nasrallah expanded its arsenal in the
yahu pointed to maps pur- said in a televised address. years since it fought Israel
portedly showing the mis- “We don’t store missiles at to a monthlong stalemate in
sile depot's location next to a the port or near gas facilities. 2006. Israel believes Hezbol-
gas company and residential We know where to store mis- lah has tens of thousands of
housing, not far from Bei- siles.” rockets and missiles capable
rut's international airport. He “We will allow media outlets of hitting virtually anywhere
also showed what he said was to enter the facility so that the in Israel, but precision guid-
a picture of the entrance to world knows that Netanyahu ance would make them far
the depot. is lying," he added. Dozens of more lethal. Netanyahu said
"Here's where the next ex- reporters, including an As- another depot had exploded
plosion will take place, right sociated Press photographer, just a few days ago in the
here," he said. toured the small factory in southern Lebanese village of
“You’ve got to act now, you’ve the southern neighborhood Ain Qana, near the port city
got to protest this, because if of Jnah late Tuesday, where of Sidon. It is not clear what with intense oranges and yel- U.S. from the agreement and
this thing explodes, it’s an- they saw large pieces of iron caused that explosion, which lows. reimposed crippling sanc-
other tragedy," Netanyahu and steel, heavy machinery sent smoke billowing into the This year, Netanyahu said the tions on Tehran. Iran insists
said, addressing the Leba- and oxygen canisters — but sky but did not cause any ca- recent decision by the United it has never sought nuclear
nese people. "You should no missiles or weapons of any sualties. Arab Emirates and Bahrain weapons and that its atomic
tell them, 'Tear these depots kind. The Israeli prime minister to normalize relations with program is for civilian pur-
down.'” Hezbollah spokesman Mo- usually uses his annual ad- Israel showed that Israel and poses.
hammed Afif, who led the dress to the United Nations Arab countries “stand togeth- Netanyahu, a staunch op-
Last month, a warehouse tour, said the facility did not to highlight Israel's concerns er in confronting the greatest ponent of the nuclear deal,
filled with nearly 3,000 tons belong to the militant group. about archenemy Iran and its enemy of peace in the Middle praised Trump's decision to
of ammonium nitrate ex- nuclear program. East — Iran.” withdraw from it and called
ploded in Beirut's port, killing “You can see the missile and Netanyahu claimed that on the world to follow the
nearly 200 people, wound- the missile factory behind And he does it in a distinctive Iran would have “enough U.S. in snapping back sanc-
ing thousands and causing you," he said sarcastically. manner. In contrast to most enriched uranium in a few tions.
widespread destruction in “We want to confirm again leaders, who typically sit be- months for two nuclear He also reiterated his will-
the capital. The ammonium that all charges by the enemy hind desks or stand at podi- bombs” after it recently be- ingness to negotiate peace
nitrate had been stored there are mere lies.” ums, he often uses visual aids gan exceeding limits set by with the Palestinians on the
for several years after being After Netanyahu's address, such as maps and diagrams to the 2015 nuclear deal with basis of Trump's proposal to
removed from an impound- the Israeli military released make his points. This year, world powers. end the conflict, which over-
ed cargo ship. No one has detailed maps showing the talking about potential explo- whelmingly favors Israel and
yet been held accountable site in Jnah and two other sions, he delivered his speech Iran began publicly exceeding has been rejected by the Pal-
for the blast, which appears alleged missile depots it said against the backdrop of a Je- those limits after President estinians.
to have been triggered by an were under residential apart- rusalem street scene filled Donald Trump withdrew the

Guatemala opens long-closed national parks, bars, gyms

(AP) — Guatemala's gov- nicipalities. Theaters, gyms and swimming pools. The
ernment says bars, theaters and other venues, including Central American nation be-
and its famed archaeological restaurants in shopping cen- gan gradually lifting restric-
sites can reopen on Thursday ters, have to limit attendance tions in late July, though it
after being — at least legally to one person per 10 square only opened its borders and
— closed for months due to meters — a limit that also resumed full operations at
the fight against COVID-19. affects churches, which had its international airport less
earlier been allowed to open. than two weeks ago. The
The government said limits Bars must have natural ven- country has recorded 3,238
on attendance and other mea- tilation and can't allow more deaths from COVID-19 and
sures will still be in place for than five people to a table. roughly 91,000 people infect-
areas where the new corona- ed with the virus, including
virus is still spreading at rela- The new rules mean pub- President Alejandro Giam-
tively high levels — which lic parks, including national mattei, who said recently he
includes Guatemala City and parks and archaeological had suffered relatively light
most of the country's mu- sites, will reopen, as can fairs symptoms.