Posted on 08/07/2006 2:07:42 AM PDT by familyop
UN sources report that in unofficial discussions Russia agrees to support US-French version of ceasefire in Lebanon. Resolution expected to pass Tuesday. Washington outraged at Siniora, who withdrew his support under pressure from Iranians and Syrians
WASHINGTON - The French-American resolution for a cessation of hostile activities in Lebanon overcame a significant hurdle Monday. In unofficial discussions that were held between the ambassadors of the five Security Council members, each of whom has veto power, Russia agreed to support the proposal. The practical implication of this is that, together with the Chinese and the British, there will be no veto. The Security Council will convene Monday or Tuesday to vote.
If there won't be any last minute delays, the vote will take place Tuesday, in order to allow the 10 rotating members of the Security Council to pass on the French-American version to their capitals for authorization. This is mainly a ceremonial procedure after the five permanent members have expressed their support for the motion.
The French-American draft resolution is considered amenable to Israel since it does not call for an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon at this stage, but only after the deployment of a multinational force alongside the Lebanese army. It calls Israel to avoid offensive operations, but doesn't forbid Israel from defending herself (from Israel's perspective, bombing a truck carrying rockets crossing from Syria to Lebanon is self-defense). The proposal also demands the release of the kidnapped Israelis outside of the conditions of a prisoner swap.
Lebanon opposes draft
The negative aspects of the draft for Israel are the reference to the need to address the issue of Lebanese prisoners and a UN call to discuss Shebaa Farms. Israeli ambassador to the US, Danny Ayalon, said in an appearance on a weekly interview program on Fox News that we must wait for the final version, but that the most important element for Israel is that there will be an immediate block of weapons transfers from Syria to Lebanon. He said that it should not be that IDF soldiers leave Lebanon before the deployment of an effective force that can disarm Hizbullah.
Sunday, Lebanon announced that they are opposed to the draft resolution, demanding that an article be added to the resolution calling Israel to immediately withdraw from all Lebanese territory, and to make an explicit mention of Shebaa Farms in the document. Qatar, representative of the Arab bloc in the 15 Security Council members, even demanded such an addendum to the resolution. UN sources reported to Ynet that Russia did not join in this demand.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice clarified in an interview with ABC Network that the resolution must pass by Tuesday. In a conversation with reporters on Bush's farm in Texas, Rice said that she sees Tuesday's decision not as bringing about a definitive ceasefire, but that it will stop the rocket shootings at Israel as well as the massive military campaign of the Israeli Air Force in population concentrations in Lebanon.
The United States expressed her outrage at the Lebanese Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora, who was a behind-the-scenes partner in consolidating the draft resolution for a cessation of violence. Siniora agreed to the draft, but now has revoked his support under Syrian-Iranian pressure.
The announcement of Siniora's refusal to support the draft provoked fury in Washington. Rice responded to the press diplomatically saying that Lebanon can't get everything she wants, just as Israel can't get everything she wants in this resolution.
And remember that Russia was recently negotiating for a sea port there, so it's in her strategic interest.
This should come as no surprise to anyone, because the Lebanese Prime Minister has about as much real political power as did the Vichy Prime Minister Pierre Laval. He needs a nudge, a strong nudge from Washington.
Instead of Condi Rice playing kissy-face with this joker Siniora and fawning about his "courage and steadfastness", President Bush needs to just make an offhand comment that if Siniora has a spine, he'll stand up to Hezbollah, but if he is nothing but a sock puppet for Asshat in Syria and Ahmadjihad in Iran, then he (Siniora) too, can be replaced, and the United States isn't going to waste any more time on him.
And if they don't release the prisoners, does Israel get to continue offensive operations?
After all, Hez' hasn't released the prisoners with Israel beating them to a pulp. What makes the UN think a resolution will accomplish it?
The draft resolution did not include any demand to release the captured Israeli soldiers.
According to the article, 4th paragraph it did..."The proposal also demands the release of the kidnapped Israelis outside of the conditions of a prisoner swap."
Thank you. ...very interesting, as other news companies said that it didn't.
of course Lebanon rejects the U.N. draft resolution. They are in a position of power and can dictate terms.
Delusional fools.
Here's where I was mistaken. It's likely that I saw reports that the ceasefire is not contingent on those soldiers' release. ...unless it was changed since then. Let's have a look around to find out.
I see. That's insufficient. There should be no cease fire while the prisoners are held.
If Israel has to take defensive actions, then the cease fire is obviously broken. This sounds like a unilateral cease fire, and the US shouldn't be supporting any such thing.
I came across this Moslem prophecy (and some others). What is fascinating to me is that Moslems believe they will be bringing in the Messiah when among other things, they remove Israel from the scene. Given Iran's involvement, belief that the Imam is coming and given the following prophecy, I highly doubt we are going to see an end to this right now. If they "turn away" they will never be forgiven:
Sahih Muslim Hadith 6924 Narrated by AbuHurayrah
Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) said: The Last Hour will not come until the Romans land at al-A'maq or in Dabiq. An army consisting of the best (soldiers) of the people on Earth at that time will come from Medina (to oppose them).
When they arrange themselves in ranks, the Romans will say: Do not stand between us and those (Muslims) who took prisoners from among us. Let us fight them.
The Muslims will say: Nay, by Allah, we shall never turn aside from you and from our brethren so that you may fight them.
They will then fight and a third (part) of the army, whom Allah will never forgive, will run away. A third (part of the army), which will be constituted of excellent martyrs in Allah's eyes, would be killed. The third who will never be put on trial will win and they will be the conquerors of Constantinople.
As they are busy in distributing the spoils of war (amongst themselves) after hanging their swords by the olive trees, Satan will cry: The Dajjal has taken your place among your families. They will then come out, but it will be of no avail. When they reach Syria, he will come out while they are still preparing themselves for battle, drawing up the ranks.
Certainly, the time of prayer will come and then Jesus (peace be upon him), son of Mary, descend and will lead them in prayer. When the enemy of Allah see him, it will (disappear) just as salt dissolves in water and if he (Jesus) were not to confront them at all, even then it would dissolve completely.
Allah would kill them by his hand and he would show them their blood on his lance (the lance of Jesus Christ).
Book 041, Number 6985:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.
Are there really any alive soldiers to be released? Somehow, I doubt it. May the understanding that Hez had murdered the poor guys immediately upon capturing them be the cause of the ambiguity on this issues both from the part of the officials and the media?
Hmmm, this sounds like the choice between having one's pie and eating it. And I repeat, it is very improbable that they're still alive. This sounds like a unilateral cease fire, and the US shouldn't be supporting any such thing.
Well, it all depends of interpretation. The whole "international public opinion" interpreted Israel's actions as arbitrary and disproportional, but the official US didn't agree. "Israel has the right to defend herself", was their adage... I cannot see why they'd change it.
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