Israel

Israel at War Watch: Israeli Troops Reach Latani River – Will Cease-Fire 7 AM Monday

AP: Israeli troops reach the Litani River

Israeli army units reached the Litani River on Saturday, less than 24 hours after the government ordered an operation to march toward the river in a final push against entrenched Hezbollah guerrillas, Israel Radio reported.

The units were part of a massive force that flooded into Lebanon, trying to seize as much territory as possible before a U.N. cease-fire comes into effect. The objective was to control southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, about 18 miles from the Israeli border, before handing over the area to the Lebanese army and U.N. troops.

Meanwhile, both sides in the war indicated they would accept a U.N. cease-fire plan to stop heavy fighting still raging in southern Lebanon.

And the Israelis will continue to gobble up territory and clean out pockets of Hezbollah as they ready the takeover from the United Nations peacekeeping troops.

What is not clear is when Hezbollah will stand down?

Israeli media is reporting that Israel plans to cease fire on Monday at 7 AM.

A senior Israeli official, meanwhile, said Israel expects a Mideast cease-fire to take effect either late Sunday or Monday, depending on an Israeli Cabinet decision Sunday morning and consultations with the U.N. and input from the Lebanese government. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the sensitive matter with reporters.

Israeli media reported that the truce would go into effect at 7 a.m. (1 a.m. EDT) Monday but gave no source for the information.

israelaugust12aweb

Israeli paratroopers gather near the border before advancing inside southern Lebanon from Israel Saturday, Aug. 12, 2006. Israel stepped up its airstrikes and continued its incursions across the border early Saturday, not long after the U.N. Security Council voted on a resolution to halt the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas.

Hezbollah’s leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, said his militia would abide by the cease-fire blueprint, but said the guerrillas would keep battling Israeli troops while they remained in Lebanon, calling that “our natural right.”

His address was televised as Lebanon’s Cabinet met to vote on the U.N. plan. Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora signaled the Cabinet would accept, saying it serves the interests of his country and “shows that the whole world stood by Lebanon.”

The Israeli Cabinet was expected to approve the cease-fire Sunday, but Israel appeared ready to keep up its full-scale military campaign until the U.N. plan worked its way through the region’s political leadership over the weekend.

Which countries will be supplying the 15,000 troops for the United Nations?

The resolution approved Friday night by the U.N. Security Council would create a peacekeeping force by combining a beefed-up version of ineffective U.N. units already in the war zone and 15,000 soldiers from the Lebanese army. The force, which could number around 30,000, would stand between Israel and Hezbollah’s militia.

France, New Zealand, Italy and Ireland said Saturday they were ready to provide troops and Turkey said it was inclined to do so.

Flap awaits Nazrallah’s pronouncement that Hezbollah has beaten the IDF.

Stay tuned for the fireworks in the Israeli cabinet and the fall of Prime Minister Omert’s government.

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Israel at War Watch: United Nations Security Council Unanimously Adopts Resolution to End Israel-Hezbollah War

Israel at War Watch: Israeli Prime Minister Olmert Has Accepted United Nations Cease-Fire Deal

Israel at War Watch: United Nations Security Council Resolution to End War?


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