U.S., France Agree on Peace Proposal, U.N. May Vote Friday

Arutz Sheva - IsraelNationalNews ^ | 8/10/6 | Hana Levi Julian

[SmithL]

France and the U.S. have revived a draft for a U.N. resolution aimed at ending hostilities between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hizbullah terror group. A vote on Friday is possible but not certain.

The two Western nations came to a last-minute agreement on the proposal over which they have been wrangling for days. Both sides were working Thursday evening on last minute changes in the wording of the document. Envoys from both the U.S. and France met with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan to discuss the proposal.

The resolution calls for an embargo on arms for Hizbullah terrorists but does not provide for disarming them, according to an Israeli government source. It also calls for an effective international force to patrol southern Lebanon, and be empowered to apply force and sanctions to any party who breaks the ceasefire agreement.

The five permanent member nations of the Security Council – the U.S., Britain, France, Russia and China -- met for talks on the details of the resolution earlier in the week.

U.S. State Department Middle East envoy C. David Welch is in Jerusalem and was meeting with government officials on the revised draft. It was expected the draft would be taken to a vote on Friday. However, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton was more guarded. "It is entirely possible we could have a vote tomorrow (Friday)," he said. "But I wouldn't put odds on it."

Israel’s security cabinet, led by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had agreed to hold off on an expanded ground incursion into southern Lebanon until this weekend in the hopes of reaching a diplomatic way to end the war.

[My2Cents]

I'm glad the UN wasn't around to work out a ceasefire deal between the Allies and Nazi Germany in 1944.

[SmithL]

Bolton was more guarded. "It is entirely possible we could have a vote tomorrow (Friday)," he said. "But I wouldn't put odds on it."

He sure doesn't talk like his predecessors.

[wyattearp]

U.S., France Agree on Peace Proposal

Why are we making peace with France?

/sarc

[datura]

"The resolution calls for an embargo on arms for Hizbullah terrorists but does not provide for disarming them, according to an Israeli government source. It also calls for an effective international force to patrol southern Lebanon, and be empowered to apply force and sanctions to any party who breaks the ceasefire agreement."

Anything that leaves arms with Hizbullah is a joke.

[vimto]

Israel will stop fighting and Lebanon will win.

Agreed?

Seems fine with me.

[EagleUSA]

Anything that leaves arms with Hizbullah is a joke.
----
And that is because THE U.N. IS A JOKE.

[oldleft]

This is BS.

[Realism]

and be empowered to apply force and sanctions to any party who breaks the ceasefire agreement.

This is a big ole green light. France is good with this? Really?

[Bob from De]

I noticed yesterday,for the first time, that the personnel carriers that the UN are using are RENAULTS.
Reminds me of Animal's line at the end of Stalag 17 about William Holden. "Maybe he just wanted to steal our wirecutters".

Maybe the French just want to sell the UN more Renaults, Peugeots,etc.

[FlipWilson]

Quote: "This is BS."

I wonder, is it. Lets face it, Israel, by its own admission, was not ready for this war. We all know this resolution will fail. For example, the international force will be target practice for the Hezbos, will promptly withdraw and it will be right back to where we are now. Thus, I think in a way that Israel wants to buy time and better prepare for that moment.

[Shermy]

"The resolution calls for an embargo on arms"

LOL.

I suspect the world leaders, even Arab ones, were rooting for Israel to wipe out Hezb. and make Resolution 1559 come to life in Lebanon.

But Olmert screwed things up with his delays and fears and useless bridge bombings.

We have to save Israel, and the reputation of the "West", with a UN resolution worded to make Hezb.'s victory less evident.

[DoughtyOne]

U.S., France Agree on...

File this under: You know you're in trouble when... Israel, you're setting yourself up if you agree to this. You do know that don't you?

[DoughtyOne]

Flip, old buddie...

Time doesn't sit still for Hezbollah while Israel reaps the benefits.

Israel has taken quite a bit of ground to surrender it before the job is done. How many died, to buy that ground? How many more will die to take it again?

Finish the friggen job!

[expatpat]

Because they surrendered to us.....

[expatpat]

Perhaps by then Bibi will be in power.

[AmericanDave]

I know Israel can occupy Lebonon and on and on and on.....

[DoughtyOne]

I don't particularly want them to, but I do want them to so severely destroy Hezbollah's presence there, if only for a short period, that the void can be filled with something useful.
Then perhaps a multi-national force could be useful. But if Israel allows Hezbollah to remain armed there, it will remain armed for perpetuity and we all know it. Not only that, it will restore it's arsenal to where it was before this and more.

A multinational force controlling the roads into the area once it has been cleared, may actually have a chance of keeping it that way, or at least severely retarding the rearmament.

[FlipWilson]

Of course I would like Israel to finish the job, but they seem to lack the will and means. They should have simply rolled through Lebanon by now in an all out invasion. But they lacked the preparedness and were out of touch with the reality on the ground.

[uncbob]

Thus, I think in a way that Israel wants to buy time and better prepare for that moment.

And elect somebody who isn't a Bill Clinton Clone

US gave Israel time to get the job done but Olmert wussed out