UN: Israeli Raid Violates Ceasfire

[Veiled Princess 1]

Source

UN: Israeli raid violates ceasefire

Sunday 20 August 2006, 8:46 Makka Time, 5:46 GMT

The UN has said that Israel's commando raid in eastern Lebanon on Saturday violated the UN-brokered truce that halted the war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Kofi Annan, the UN secretary-general, said that he was "deeply concerned" by the violation of the ceasefire.

A spokesman for Annan said in a statement: "The secretary-general is deeply concerned about a violation by the Israeli side of the cessation of hostilities as laid out in Security Council resolution 1701."

The statement from the UN comes after the Lebanese threatened to halt the deployment of troops to the south of Lebanon if the violation was not recognised.

Elias Murr, the Lebanese defence minister, said after a meeting with UN representatives on Saturday: "If there are no clear answers forthcoming on this issue, I might be forced to recommend to the cabinet early next week the halt of the army deployment in the south."

French arrival

Meanwhile, the first small contingent of reinforcements for the peacekeeping force - 49 French soldiers - landed on Saturday at the southern Lebanese coastal town of Naqura, with 200 more expected next week.

However, Mark Malloch Brown, the UN deputy secretary-general, said more countries need to step forward to fill out a vanguard of 3,500 troops that the UN wants on the ground by August 28 to help ensure that the truce between Israel and Lebanon holds.

Murr said the Israeli raid could spark Hezbollah retaliation, which in turn could lead to Israeli reprisals. He suggested that Israel might be trying to provoke a response so that it could have an excuse to attack the Lebanese army.

He said: "We will not send the army to be prey in an Israeli trap."

Under the ceasefire terms, Israel has said it will conduct defensive operations if its troops are threatened.

But the raid took place far from the positions of Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.

The ceasefire resolution talks about an end to weapons shipments to Hezbollah as part of a long-term end to the conflict - but does not require it under the immediate truce.

Israel's explanation

According to Israel, the raid that was carried out in the early hours of Saturday morning was defensive and designed to disrupt weapons supplies from Syria and Iran to Hezbollah.

The Israeli military said such operations would continue until "an effective monitoring unit" was in place to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its arsenal.

Mark Regev, the Israeli foreign ministry spokesman, said: "If the Syrians and Iran continue to arm Hezbollah in violation of the [uN ceasefire] resolution, Israel is entitled to act to defend the principle of the arms embargo.

"Once the Lebanese army and the international forces are active ... then such Israeli activity will become superfluous."

Another Israeli minister said Israel will continue to carry out raids in Lebanon aimed at halting alleged weapons smuggling to Hezbollah from Syria.

"As long as the Lebanese army and the international forces are not deployed (in south Lebanon), the Israeli army will not stop its flights in the region to stop the transfers of arms from Syria," Gideon Ezra, the environment minister who is considered close to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, told public radio.

Saturday's operation, risking the ceasefire, suggested Israel was going after a major target near Baalbek - perhaps to rescue two Israeli soldiers snatched by Hezbollah on July 12, or to try to capture a senior Hezbollah official to trade for the soldiers.

An Israeli soldier was killed in the operation.

[LaL 418]

i saw this on the news last night... i had wondered who would stomp on the ceasefire 1st... for some reason i am not surprised at all!

[Veiled Princess 1]

i saw this on the news last night... i had wondered who would stomp on the ceasefire 1st... for some reason i am not surprised at all!

I actually am a bit surprised and disappointed, after all the hoopla about the ceasfire and Hezbullah being warned not to violate it, that there is no talk of any kind of punishment on Israel for doing the same.

One day, inshallah, I will learn not to let any of the evils in this world surprise or disappoint me.

[I'm Gone 60]

I say the U.S. invade Israel, since they violate a U.N. resolution, oh wait that's right we only invade Arab countries that violate U.N. resolutions.

[LaL 418]

I say the U.S. invade Israel, since they violate a U.N. resolution, oh wait that's right we only invade Arab countries that violate U.N. resolutions.

hell yeah

I am also disapointed VP, but not surprised. Israel is provoking and they even lost one of their own! Of course THAT was probably also Hezbollah's fault!!!

Edited August 20, 2006 by lal_brandow

[Veiled Princess 1]

Of course THAT was probably also Hezbollah's fault!!!

Of course it is

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Elias Murr, the Lebanese defence minister, said after a meeting with UN representatives on Saturday: "If there are no clear answers forthcoming on this issue, I might be forced to recommend to the cabinet early next week the halt of the army deployment in the south."

Yeah, stop taking control of your own country. Leave it to unelected and unappointed fanatics. That makes sense.

[Veiled Princess 1]

Elias Murr, the Lebanese defence minister, said after a meeting with UN representatives on Saturday: "If there are no clear answers forthcoming on this issue, I might be forced to recommend to the cabinet early next week the halt of the army deployment in the south."

Yeah, stop taking control of your own country. Leave it to unelected and unappointed fanatics. That makes sense.

Hezbullah officials were elected into office there.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Elias Murr, the Lebanese defence minister, said after a meeting with UN representatives on Saturday: "If there are no clear answers forthcoming on this issue, I might be forced to recommend to the cabinet early next week the halt of the army deployment in the south."

Yeah, stop taking control of your own country. Leave it to unelected and unappointed fanatics. That makes sense.

Hezbullah officials were elected into office there.

I know. But the organization still does what IT wants as opposed to what the Lebanese government wants - Hezbollah is a minority political power. Militarily, however, it seems to be calling the shots around that country. There lies the problem: Disrespect for the will of the people. But then, fanatics have rarely listened to the people they claim to represent...

[Veiled Princess 1]

I know. But the organization still does what IT wants as opposed to what the Lebanese government wants - Hezbollah is a minority political power. Militarily, however, it seems to be calling the shots around that country. There lies the problem: Disrespect for the will of the people. But then, fanatics have rarely listened to the people they claim to represent...

Most of them support Hezbullah now, including the government. I mean it was Hezbullah, after all, who was able to do what the Lebanese government couldn't... compete with Israel. Is it any wonder the Lebanese government isn't quick to disarm them? What do you think would happen the momen Hezbullah is disarmed? Israel would attack with no mercy and claim the land.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I know. But the organization still does what IT wants as opposed to what the Lebanese government wants - Hezbollah is a minority political power. Militarily, however, it seems to be calling the shots around that country. There lies the problem: Disrespect for the will of the people. But then, fanatics have rarely listened to the people they claim to represent...

Most of them support Hezbullah now, including the government. I mean it was Hezbullah, after all, who was able to do what the Lebanese government couldn't... compete with Israel. Is it any wonder the Lebanese government isn't quick to disarm them? What do you think would happen the momen Hezbullah is disarmed? Israel would attack with no mercy and claim the land.

BS. If Hezbollah was having that much support among the people and from the gov't, then there wouldn't be a reason for them to disregard the government and the people the way it does. They ain't listening to anyone but themselves. Never have, never will. They're fanatics. You may sympathize with them but that doesn't make them any less of a fanatic organization.

[LaL 418]

um the topic at hand (in this thread at least) is ISRAEL violated U.N. resolutions, not that Hezbollah does what it wants, where it wants.

If the shoe was turned, wouldnt the suggestion be for Israel to react?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

um the topic at hand (in this thread at least) is ISRAEL violated U.N. resolutions, not that Hezbollah does what it wants, where it wants.

Right. Which I why I thought it was funny that the article quoted a Lebanese official who essentially threatened that he might advise his government to stop taking charge of it's own country and leave it to a bunch of fanatics instead. I say, so, leave to them. Leave it to whoever you want and see what I care.

Besides, Hezbollah is not exactly an entity that is internationally recognized or an entity that's a party to a diplomatic process. Maybe I've missed the point at which Hezbollah became a party to the UN. They ain't diplomats. They're criminals.

Edited August 20, 2006 by ET-US2004

[Nikita2Charles 32]

Who is a criminal?

It all depends on whose looking at it, From the point of view of the people they might be seem as freedom fighters while other see them as terrorist. The British was in control of india, and we had the peace movement with Ghandi and other freedom fighters, Those freedom fighter were willing to go eye for an eye with the British so the brits got smart and join the peace movement as a way to get out. So if it was now those freedom fighters who were fighting the british colonization would be consider Terrorist. There are so many examples around the world, if your country is invaded by a foreign forces wouldn't you fight to get them out? hmmm but I guess under the NEW WORLD ORDER there's no such thing as souvereignty, any COuntry from the west US/BRITISH and so on have what you call UNIVERSAL SOVEREIGNTY OF THE WORLD.

Autorization to go to any country at any time, with or without cause.

What is Cause= Can easily made up one to fit one needs.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Israel feels really bad about the raid. That's punishment enough.