Israel says it will continue to fly over Lebanon

JERUSALEM, Oct 22 (Reuters) Israel has said its combat planes would continue to fly over Lebanon despite a call by France's defence minister to halt the air incursions.

''As long as attempts to smuggle arms into Lebanon persist, the legitimacy of Israeli overflights increases,'' Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz told the cabinet at its weekly session, according to an official who briefed reporters.

''We have no intention of stopping the flights.'' Israeli jets have routinely flown over Lebanon since a 34-day war between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas ended on August 14 in a U N-sponsored ceasefire and the expanded deployment of international peacekeepers, including a French contingent, in southern Lebanon.

The Lebanese government and the U.N. force say the Israeli flights violate the ceasefire resolution. But Israel says the missions are necessary to help ensure that arms are not smuggled into southern Lebanon from Syria to resupply Hezbollah.

At the United Nations on Friday, French Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie called Israel's violations of Lebanese airspace ''extremely dangerous'' and said they should stop permanently.

She said an Israeli aircraft might mistakenly be seen by U N troops as having a hostile intent, possibly triggering a ''very serious incident''.

French peacekeepers in southern Lebanon are equipped with anti-aircraft missiles, and the French commander of the expanded UNIFIL force in the area has said his men may at some point resort to force to prevent Israeli overflights.

But the commander, Major-General Alain Pellegrini, has also told reporters that to do so would require the United Nations to rewrite the rules of engagement for his troops.

Peretz told the cabinet meeting: ''UNIFIL forces stationed in Lebanon should act against Hezbollah and not against Israel.'' Reuters 1834