Lebanon Balking?
The Jerusalem Post reports that Lebanon is balking at the UN resolution currently circulating. They appear to be refusing to consider any ceasefire that does not impose an immediate ceasefire.
A new obstacle arose over the latest UN draft proposal to stop the fighting between Israel and Hizbullah on Thursday night, when Lebanon refused to allow the French to enforce its mandate as allowed by the UN's chapter VII regulations.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh said in an interview with Al-Jazeera news station that he was opposed to the draft proposal because it did not call for an immediate cease-fire.
"We received France's draft proposal and the United States' draft proposal," he said, "and neither of the two drafts addressed [the issue of] an immediate cease-fire. This is unacceptable to us."
Israel Radio reported that attempts were being made to convince Lebanon to agree to the proposal.
Among the ideas being discussed was a "substantially beefed up UNIFIL" force to be made up of German, Italian, Spanish and Australian troops that would move south to the border with the Lebanese Army and deploy where the IDF moves out. Another idea was for a French force to accompany the Lebanese Army.
Kadima MK Otniel Schneller met Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Thursday and quoted him as saying that "a new proposal is being drafted, which has positive significance that may bring the war to an end. But if the draft is not accepted, there is the Cabinet decision."
If both Lebanon and Israel agree to the proposal, it is expected to brought before the UN Security Council for ratification within 24 hours.
US State Department envoy David Welch held meetings with Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni Thursday night to coordinate positions on the new cease-fire proposal. Welch arrived in Jerusalem from Beirut, where he held talks with Lebanon's Prime Minister Fuad Saniora.
If no acceptable resolution can be worked out, both the US and France appear to be willing to try circulating separate and competing drafts. The diplomatic mess is not improving at the moment.
