MK (Labor) Amir Peretz told Israel Radio on Thursday that reports that the United States prevented Israel from attacking Hizbullah’s infrastructure in Lebanon during the Second Lebanon War are simply untrue.

Peretz, who during the war served as minister of defense, stated that he had that option as well as the option of targeting senior Hizbullah officials, but decided not to target infrastructure in Lebanon, believing such a move would shift the support of Lebanese Christians in favor of Hizbullah, a move that would be contrary to Israel’s long-term interests.

In another matter, Peretz, a former party leader and political nemesis of current party leader Ehud Barak announced on Thursday that he is now working to form a new political party that will serve as a home for anyone disappointed by Labor, which no longer is a platform to advance the socialist ideals that the party was founded on.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)