'We'll continue spying on Lebanon'

Ravid in Haaretz, here

" ........but informed the UN that collecting intelligence in southern Lebanon will continue as long as the government in Beirut is not in full control of its territory. 

Last Wednesday, a tripartite meeting was held at the UNIFIL base near the Rosh Hanikra border crossing between representatives of Israel, Lebanon and the UN........

The UNIFIL commander and the Lebanese officer asked for details on the listening equipment. The UN officers said that the equipment appeared to have been put in place during the August 2006 Second Lebanon War, but the Lebanese officer insisted that the equipment appeared to be more up-to-date. "It seems that something new was put in place recently," the Lebanese representative argued. 

The western diplomat said that Hayman did not deny that the equipment was Israeli listening devices, and did not respond directly to the questions asked by his interlocutors. However, he did stress that Israel will make use of its intelligence gathering capabilities so long as Hezbollah pose a threat. "Israel will continue to use all means necessary to defend its citizens," Hayman was quoted as saying......

"In view of all this we do not consider this instance [of listening devices] as an Israeli violation of Resolution 1701,"...."