Israel at War Watch: Hezbollah Likely To Retain Weapons
Weapons captured by the IDF in Bint Jbail.
JPost:Hizbullah likely to retain weapons
Hizbullah will not hand over its weapons to the Lebanese government but rather refrain from exhibiting them publicly, according to a new compromise that is reportedly brewing between Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Seniora and Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
The UN cease-fire resolution specifically demands the demilitarization of the area south of the Litani river. The resolution was approved by the Lebanese cabinet.
Well, either United Nations resolutions 1701 and 1559 will be enforced or they won’t. Is there any reason for the international community to ask Israel to stand down hostilities when Hezbollah and the Lebanese government immediately refuse to abide by agreed upon terms?
NO REASON AT ALL.
Flap fears that despite diplomatic efforts to disarm Hezbollah that this terrorist threat will remain to fight Israel another day. Hezbollah now will restock and resupply arms, including rockets and missiles from Syria and Iran, dig buners, reconfigure command and control and prepare for the next war.
In a televised address on Monday night, Nasrallah declared that now was not the time to debate the disarmament of his guerrilla fighters, saying the issue should be done in secret sessions of the government to avoid serving Israeli interests.
“This is immoral, incorrect and inappropriate,” he said. “It is wrong timing on the psychological and moral level particularly before the cease-fire,” he said in reference to calls from critics for the guerrillas to disarm.
According to Lebanon’s defense minister, Elias Murr, “There will be no other weapons or military presence other than the army” after Lebanese troops move south of the Litani. However, he then contradicted himself by saying the army would not ask Hizbullah to hand over its weapons.
The United States should immediately insist that U.N. Resolutions 1701 and 1559 be enforced. If Hezbollah violates the terms, then as a member of the U.N. Security Council, the United States should bring forward a Chapter 7 resolution empowering the U.N. peacekeepers to force Hezbollah to surrender their weapons.
Does Flap think this will EVER happen?
NOPE
So, what does the future hold?
Israel will withdraw from southern Lebanon without meeting its strategic objectives. The UNIFIL and Lebanese Army will do NOTHING to restrain Hezbollah from re-arming. A new Prime Minister and new Israeli government will eventually move troops back to Lebanon to finish the job that Omert and the United States failed to do.
And the United Nations?
U.N resolutions are worthless and why the United States continues to participate is beyond belief.
Israeli troops return to Israel from southern Lebanon near the border village of Malkiya in northern Israel Tuesday Aug. 15, 2006. Israel has begun thinning its troops in southern Lebanon, to prepare the handover of captured positions to a U.N. force, possibly within days, the army and media report.
Murr added that Lebanon’s contribution of 15,000 soldiers could be on the north side of the Litani River by the end of the week.
He noted that international forces could begin arriving next week to bolster the current 2,000-member UN force in southern Lebanon, which watched helplessly as fighting raged over the past month.
In Europe, Italy and France have pledged troops. Malaysia, Turkey and Indonesia were among the mostly Muslim nations offering help.
Will these forces do anything but take up space?
Doubtful…..
Captain Ed has Lebanon Balking At The Terms
The goals for Israel have always been a Hezbollah-free sub-Litani without having to conduct another generational occupation. They got the agreement they wanted that delivers on these goals, and at the same time served notice that the era of non-response to provocations had passed. The key for Israel is to insist on full implementation of 1701 and 1559. They cannot budge on these points. If Lebanon reneges, Israel can go back to their military options until the Lebanese get the message for good.
Israeli soldiers smile as they walk down a dirt road returning from southern Lebanon in northern Israel near the Lebanese-Israeli border early Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2006.
Stay tuned……
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Israel at War Watch: President Bush – Israel Defeated Hezbollah
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