Saturday, August 05, 2006

US/France Agree on Draft UN Resolution

The UN Security Council will be meeting on Saturday to consider the draft of a resolution aimed at ending the hostilities in Israel and Lebanon. A vote on the resolution would then happen on Monday or Tuesday.

Via Reuters:

The text of the draft resolution obtained by Reuters calls for a "full cessation of hostilities." It also tells Hizbollah to end attacks immediately and for Israel to stop "all offensive military operations"

France's original text had demanded an immediate end to fighting so a permanent cease-fire agreement can be negotiated.

Unclear is the fate of the two Israeli soldiers, whose capture by Hizbollah sparked the conflict more than three weeks ago. The text calls for the need to resolve this issue.

But with fighting raging, an end to hostilities still appears problematic.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday that Israel would stop fighting when an international force arrives in southern Lebanon, which France is expected to lead.

But France and other nations who may contribute troops have made clear fighting would have to stop first.

Hizbollah has said several times it was willing to stop fighting when Israel tops[sic] its assault on Lebanon and all Israeli soldiers leave southern Lebanon.

So, round and round it goes. Will Olmert cooperate? And, if not, what will happen then?

A second resolution is envisaged a week or two after the first is adopted, setting down conditions for a permanent cease-fire and authorizing an international force stops.

Although this draft resolution is being called a breakthrough, it's highly unlikely that it will have any immediate effect. The US gets to look like it's being 'diplomatic' while backing Israel which is bound to do whatever it wants to anyway. And, if Israel doesn't watch its step (or if you believe it's actually part of a larger plan) Syria is bound to get involved because the IDF is getting perilously close to encroaching on Syrian territoy.

It also has yet to be seen if this resolution addresses the massive humanitarian concerns in the region as well as the continuing Israeli incursions into Gaza.

Update: The Washington Post has the text of the draft resolution.

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