ARABS-ISRAEL - Oct 31 - Israeli Planes In Mock Raids Over Hizbullah Strongholds.

Israeli warplanes staged mock raids yesterday over Hizbullah strongholds in south Beirut in the heaviest show of air power over Lebanon since the August ceasefire.At least six times the Israeli fighter jets dived down to zoom low over the southern suburbs before roaring up to the sky. The planes did not open fire or drop bombs, but their roar caused concern among residents, some of whom took to the rooftops and balconies to watch. It was not clear what prompted Israel to stage the mock raids, which lasted more than 30 minutes and were the biggest demonstration of Israeli power since the war ended on August 14. The overflights also came a few hours before Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah was scheduled to appear on a Lebanese television channel. Yesterday's flights at Beirut's international airport, which lies south of Beirut, were not affected by the Israeli mock raids. Lebanese security officials said eight Israeli jets had crossed the border and dispersed, flying over southern and central Lebanon, with some reaching south Beirut. Meanwhile, the European Union called on Israel to respect Lebanon's borders, with several diplomats warning its mock air raids could encourage Syria and others to violate the UN resolution that ended Israel's war with Hizbullah. "We want to see the full implementation" of the resolution, EU spokeswoman Emma Udwin said. "We think that is also very much in Israel's interest". France said the flights, which lasted about 30 minutes, violated Lebanese sovereignty and must be stopped. "We call on Israel to put an end to these overflights and we call on all partners to refrain from any act that could maintain or increase tension", said the French Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei in Paris. Several EU diplomats questioned the wisdom of the mock Israeli raids, suggesting they could be counterproductive by encouraging other players in the region to be less co-operative in maintaining the peace.