Israel at War Watch: Arabs Press Syria to Stop Backing Hezbollah
Smoke blows over the town of Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel after Hezbollah missile barrages struck the area over night igniting the surrounding forests Sunday, July 23, 2006. Defense Minister Amir Peretz said Sunday Israel would accept a temporary international force, preferably led by NATO, in southern Lebanon to keep Hezbollah away from the border, according to officials in Peretz’s office.
AP: Arabs press Syria to help end violence
Mideast diplomats were pressing Syria to stop backing Hezbollah as the guerrillas fired more deadly rockets onto Israel’s third-largest city Sunday. Israel faced tougher-than-expected ground battles and bombarded targets in southern Lebanon, hitting a convoy of refugees.
Israel’s defense minister said his country would accept an international force, preferably
NATO, on its border after it drives back or weakens Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. But his troops reported encountering an intelligent, well-prepared and ruthless guerrilla army whose fighters don’t seem to fear death.With Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arriving in Israel on Monday, both the Arabs and Israelis appeared to be trying to set out positions ahead of Washington’s first diplomatic mission to the region since the fighting began. The United States backs Israel’s refusal to talk about a cease-fire until it completes the military campaign against Hezbollah, but is under increasing pressure to foster a plan to end the growing suffering and destruction in Lebanon.
Israel has the right to disarm Hezbollah and guarantee border security with Lebanon. The NATO proposal may be workable but if Syrian continues to feed its client, Hezbollah, weapons and supplies to attack Israel then the war must continue.
With Israel and the United States saying a real cease-fire is not possible until Hezbollah is reined in, Arab heavyweights Egypt and Saudi Arabia were pushing Syria to end its support for the guerrillas, Arab diplomats in Cairo said.
A loss of Syria’s support would deeply weaken Hezbollah, though its other ally, Iran, gives it a large part of its money and weapons. The two moderate Arab governments were prepared to spend heavily from Egypt’s political capital in the region and Saudi Arabia’s vast financial reserves to break Damascus from the guerrillas and Iran, the diplomats said.
President Bush was correct about Syria knocking off the Hezbollah shit and the same goes for Iran. If the puppet masters in Tehran and Damascus want peace, then they must stop funding and supplying Hezbollah. If not, Israel will take care of Hezbollah militarily.
Stay tuned……
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Israel at War Watch: Israel and United States Support NATO-led “Buffer†Force in Lebanon
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