Israel at War Watch: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan Expected To Give UNIFIL Teeth

United Nations peacekeepers from France, atop an APC, disembark from a landing vessel in the port of the southern border town of Naqoura, Lebanon.

JPost: Annan to give UNIFIL ‘teeth’

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is expected to recommend Monday that the rules of engagement of the enhanced UNIFIL force to be deployed in Lebanon include opening fire on Hizbullah where necessary, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

While UN Security Council Resolution 1701 mandated an enhanced UNIFIL force to help the Lebanese Army deploy south and along the border with Syria, it did not spell out the operational procedures of this force.

Israel has been pushing for the need for an effective force, arguing that one of the criteria would be the ability to open fire on Hizbullah if the force saw, for instance, Hizbullah launching rockets toward Israel. This matter came up at a meeting Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni held last week in New York with Annan.

One would expect that any credible international peace keeping force would have had these rules of enegagement form the beginning. This, again, demonstrates the weakness of the United Nations.

Frankly, Flap does not give much credence to Annan’s move here. The Lebanese Army is suspect in policing Hezbollah and will not forcibly disarm them – they are in effect just standing around – not doing much.

The UNIFIL folks will forcibly prevent Syria and Iran from rearming Hezbollah?

Doubtful

UNSCR 1701 has been a failure. Be prepared for an end to the cease-fire.

Stay tuned….the President has scheduled a news conference within the next hour.

Captain Ed has UNIFIL Teeth Sharpened?

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