Today Hezbollah members simply forced their way into a UNIFIL base in Lebanon. The UN 'peacekeepers' did absolutely nothing to stop them.
Hizbollah mourners on a funeral parade shoved aside anti-tank barriers at a United Nations base in Lebanon yesterday in a demonstration of their new political strength.
The party had been told it would be allowed to bury three "martyrs" at the Naqoura town cemetery inside the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) compound, but only if there was no flag-waving or political sloganising.
When the chanting procession, several hundred strong, reached the gates, it found the way barred by cruci-form steel tank traps. Mourners argued with the French guards, but failed to gain entry.
A mob of young men then dragged the barriers away and the UN opened the gates. "They will eat us alive," said a middle-aged official as the throng surged in.
A column of black-shirted men carried the three coffins to the graveyard. They waved yellow Hizbollah banners and portraits of the movement's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and yelled anti-Israeli and anti-American doggerel.
Among the mourners was Naqoura's mayor, Hussein Darwish, a 59-year-old former teacher. "Israel is allowed to carry on raiding our country without Unifil doing anything," he said, referring to an abortive raid by Israeli commandos in the Bekaa valley the previous day. "Why do they try to stop us burying our dead the way we wish?" The angry scenes were seen as a troubling portent of what may happen when a boosted UN force begins deploying to police the delicate, week-old ceasefire.
"Until now we've had good relations, but I don't know what will happen after this," said Mr Darwish. "Every-one is waiting." Others among the mourners complained that when they sought shelter at the base during the bombardments of the month-long conflict, they were placed in open ground without bedding or water.
Unifil's hitherto easy dealings with the locals are partly due to its initial mandate, which only required it to observe and report. The new force will be expected to fill the space left by the departing Israelis and Hizbollah fighters, and police the border area, although its rules of engagement have not been finalised.
Kofi Annan's strategy has already failed. The Hezbollah terrorists aren't even laughing at the UN. They have nothing but contempt for the 'peacekeepers'.
As it should be, hudna’s work both ways.Israel went to war with their Jimmy Carter and a degraded IDF. Now the stone age savages are way over confident and likely to commit huge tactical blunders.
Well, I guess if they had been allowed to fire at them, then it would have gone a different way.
Again, then they would be in the middle of enemy territory, in groups of twenty or so.
They are clearly not placed in such a way that they could defend themselves for long.
All they can do is watch and report.
Now, if they will be placed in such a fashion as to be able to communicate, and fight, then I think they will be a “bit” more of a nuissance for the Hezbollah.
The actual soldiers can shoot, they can kill if needed.
And have way better equipment than the terrorists.
If UNIFIL really got teeth, it can bite.