Hizbullah is buying up large tracts of land owned by Christians and other non-Shiites in southern Lebanon as it rebuilds its defences in preparation for a new confrontation with Israel, The Sunday Telegraph reported. The land deals are part of Hizbullah's efforts to rearm and fortify the strategically important ravines north of the Litani River, just north of the front line in last year's 34-day conflict with Israel.
Just south of the Litani, the UN is conducting hundreds of patrols each day in a bid to keep Hizbullah weapons out of the area.
According to the British newspaper, Hizbullah "appears to be readying for round two with Israel." At 16 kilometers from the border, the lands allegedly purchased are within rocket range of Israeli cities.
"Christians and Druze are selling land and moving out, while the Shia are moving in. There is an extraordinary demo-graphic shift taking place," said Edmund Rizk, a Christian MP for the area until 1992.
