LCCC ENGLISH NEWS BULLETIN
August 13/2006

 Latest New from miscellaneous siurces for August 13/06
Lebanese Cabinet approves cease-fire-AP
7 soldiers killed, 11 seriously wounded in south Lebanon-Jerusalem Post
UN resolution a triumph for Lebanon - PM-Reuters
Bush phones Siniora on UN resolution-ABC News
Israel to halt attacks in Lebanon on Monday Israeli official-AP
Bush: Terror plot could have killed many-AP
UN Resolution on Lebanon Calls for Immediate End to Hostilities-Zaman Online
Terror message prompted authorities to act fast-National Post 
Mideast leaders back deal to end hostilities-Globe and Mail 
Israel asks US to speed up delivery of rockets: Report-Hindu 

 Latest New from miscellaneous siurces for August 12/06
Israeli forces push deeper into south Lebanon-Reuters
Syria, Iran warned to honour UN plan-NEWS.com.au
IDF strikes last Lebanon-Syria border crossing-Jerusalem Post
UN Lebanon force could start deploying in 7 days-Washington Post
Text: UN Lebanon resolution-BBC News
Stop Lebanon bloodshed now - Blair-Guardian Unlimited
Israel nearly triples troops in Lebanon-AP
UN panel passes cease-fire-The Herald
Eight civilians killed in south Lebanon raids-Khaleej Times
U.N. Security Council Approves Cease-Fire Resolution With 15-0 Vote
Beckett hails Lebanon breakthrough
Security Council Approves Cease-Fire Deal
Israel's Olmert OKs New U.N. Proposal
Olmert Thanks Bush for U.N. Resolution
Israel Expands Offensive Into Lebanon
Poll: Ehud Olmert Losing Popular Support in Israel
Timmerman: U.S., Israel Cancelled Defense System
U.N. Urged to Discuss Hezbollah Offenses
John Bolton: A Powerful Voice for America at U.N.
Koch: Bush Deserves Praise for Support of Israel
Hezbollah's Resistance Boosts Standing in Middle East
Timmerman: Why Israel Won't Hit Syria
Israeli drone strike on convoy kills 7 AP
Interactive: Mideast Conflict timeline
Draft UN Measure Seeks Truce, Israeli Withdrawal From Lebanon-Bloomberg
UN resolution calls for Lebanon force-Daily Telegraph
Pope to send special envoy to Lebanon-Reuters
Lebanon text finished-International Herald Tribune
Israeli prime minister accepts cease-fire dea-AP
Hezbollah's guerilla tactics complicate ground war-AP

Lebanese Cabinet approves cease-fire
By SAM F. GHATTAS, Associated Press Writer
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Lebanon's Cabinet accepted the U.N. cease-fire plan to halt fighting between Israel and Hezbollah fighters on Saturday, moving the deal a step closer to implementation, the prime minister said.
"It was a unanimous decision, with some reservations," Prime Minister Fuad Saniora said in announcing Lebanon's acceptance of the resolution after a four-hour Cabinet meeting. Hezbollah's Mohammed Fneish, minister of hydraulic resources, said the two members of the Islamic militant group who are part of the Cabinet expressed reservations. Particular concern was raised over an article in the resolution that "gives the impression that it exonerates Israel of responsibility for the crimes" and blames Hezbollah for the month long war, he said.

UNSC DRAFT RESOLUTION LEBANON
August 12, 2006
The Security Council,
PP1. Recalling all its previous resolutions on Lebanon, in particular resolutions 425 (1978), 426 (1978), 520 (1982), 1559 (2004), 1655 (2006) 1680 (2006) and 1697 (2006), as well as the statements
of its President on the situation in Lebanon, in particular the statements of 18 June 2000 (S/PRST/2000/21), of 19 October 2004 (S/PRST/2004/36), of 4 May 2005 (S/PRST/2005/17) of 23 January 2006 (S/PRST/2006/3) and of 30 July 2006 (S/PRST/2006/35).
PP2. Expressing its utmost concern at the continuing escalation of hostilities in Lebanon and in Israel since Hizbollah’s attack on Israel on 12 July 2006, which has already caused hundreds of deaths and injuries on both sides, extensive damage to civilian infrastructure and hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons.
PP3. Emphasizing the need for an end of violence, but at the same time emphasizing the need to address urgently the causes that have given rise to the current crisis, including by the unconditional release of the abducted Israeli soldiers.
PP4: Mindful of the sensitivity of the issue of prisoners and encouraging the efforts aimed at urgently settling the issue of the Lebanese prisoners detained in Israel.
PP5. Welcoming the efforts of the Lebanese Prime Minister and the commitment of the government of Lebanon, in its seven-point plan, to extend its authority over its territory, through its own legitimate armed forces, such that there will be no weapons without the consent of the government of Lebanon and no authority other than that of the government of Lebanon, welcoming also its commitment to a UN force that is supplemented and enhanced in numbers, equipment, mandate and scope of operation, and bearing in mind its request in this plan for an immediate withdrawal of the Israeli forces from Southern Lebanon,
PP6. Determined to act for this withdrawal to happen at the earliest,
PP7. Taking due note of the proposals made in the seven-point plan regarding the Shebaa farms area,
PP8. Welcoming the unanimous decision by the government of Lebanon on 7 August 2006 to deploy a Lebanese armed force of 15,000 troops in South Lebanon as the Israeli army withdraws behind the Blue Line and to request the assistance of additional forces from UNIFIL as needed, to facilitate the entry of the Lebanese armed forces into the region and to restate its intention to strengthen the Lebanese armed forces with material as needed to enable it to perform its duties,
PP9. Aware of its responsibilities to help secure a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution to the conflict,
PP10. Determining that the situation in Lebanon constitutes a threat to international peace and security,
OP1. Calls for a full cessation of hostilities based upon, in particular, the immediate cessation by Hizbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations;
OP2. Upon full cessation of hostilities, calls upon the government of Lebanon and UNIFIL as authorized by paragraph 11 to deploy their forces together throughout the South and calls upon the government of Israel, as that deployment begins, to withdraw all of its forces from Southern Lebanon in parallel;
OP3. Emphasizes the importance of the extension of the control of the government of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory in accordance with the provisions of resolution 1559 (2004) and resolution 1680 (2006), and of the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords, for it to exercise its full sovereignty, so that there will be no weapons without the consent of the government of Lebanon and no authority other than that of the government of Lebanon;
OP4. Reiterates its strong support for full respect for the Blue Line;
OP5. Also reiterates its strong support, as recalled in all its previous relevant resolutions, for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized borders, as contemplated by the Israeli-Lebanese General Armistice Agreement of 23 March 1949;
OP6. Calls on the international community to take immediate steps to extend its financial and humanitarian assistance to the Lebanese people, including through facilitating the safe return of displaced persons and, under the authority of the Government of Lebanon, reopening airports and harbours, consistent with paragraphs 14 and 15, and calls on it also to consider further assistance in the future to contribute to the reconstruction and development of Lebanon;
OP7. Affirms that all parties are responsible for ensuring that no action is taken contrary to paragraph 1 that might adversely affect the search for a long-term solution, humanitarian access to civilian populations, including safe passage for humanitarian convoys, or the voluntary and safe return of displaced persons, and calls on all parties to comply with this responsibility and to cooperate with the Security Council;
OP8. Calls for Israel and Lebanon to support a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution based on the following principles and elements:
- full respect for the Blue Line by both parties,
- security arrangements to prevent the resumption of hostilities, including the establishment between the Blue Line and the Litani river of an area free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons other than those of the government of Lebanon and of UNIFIL as authorized in paragraph 11, deployed in this area,
- full implementation of the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords, and of resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006), that require the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon, so that, pursuant to the Lebanese cabinet decision of July 27, 2006, there will be no weapons or authority in Lebanon other than that of the Lebanese state,
- no foreign forces in Lebanon without the consent of its government,
- no sales or supply of arms and related materiel to Lebanon except as authorized by its government,
- provision to the United Nations of all remaining maps of land mines in Lebanon in Israel’s possession;
OP9. Invites the Secretary General to support efforts to secure as soon as possible agreements in principle from the Government of Lebanon and the Government of Israel to the principles and elements for a long-term solution as set forth in paragraph 8, and expresses its intention to be actively involved;
OP10. Requests the Secretary General to develop, in liaison with relevant international actors and the concerned parties, proposals to implement the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords, and resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006), including disarmament, and for delineation of the international borders of Lebanon, especially in those areas where the border is disputed or uncertain, including by dealing with the Shebaa farms area, and to present to the Security Council those proposals within thirty days;
OP11. Decides, in order to supplement and enhance the force in numbers, equipment, mandate and scope of operations, to authorize an increase in the force strength of UNIFIL to a maximum of 15,000 troops, and that the force shall, in addition to carrying out its mandate under resolutions 425 and 426 (1978):
a. Monitor the cessation of hostilities;
b. Accompany and support the Lebanese armed forces as they deploy throughout the South, including along the Blue Line, as Israel withdraws its armed forces from Lebanon as provided in paragraph 2;
c. Coordinate its activities related to paragraph 11 (b) with the Government of Lebanon and the Government of Israel;
d. Extend its assistance to help ensure humanitarian access to civilian populations and the voluntary and safe return of displaced persons;
e. Assist the Lebanese armed forces in taking steps towards the establishment of the area as referred to in paragraph 8;
f. Assist the government of Lebanon, at its request, to implement paragraph 14;
OP12. Acting in support of a request from the government of Lebanon to deploy an international force to assist it to exercise its authority throughout the territory, authorizes UNIFIL to take all necessary action in areas of deployment of its forces and as it deems within its capabilities, to ensure that its area of operations is not utilized for hostile activities of any kind, to resist attempts by forceful means to prevent it from discharging its duties under the mandate of the Security Council, and to protect United Nations personnel, facilities, installations and equipment, ensure the security and freedom of movement of United Nations personnel, humanitarian workers, and, without prejudice to the responsibility of the government of Lebanon, to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence;
OP13. Requests the Secretary General urgently to put in place measures to ensure UNIFIL is able to carry out the functions envisaged in this resolution, urges Member States to consider making appropriate contributions to UNIFIL and to respond positively to requests for assistance from the Force, and expresses its strong appreciation to those who have contributed to UNIFIL in the past;
OP14. Calls upon the Government of Lebanon to secure its borders and other entry points to prevent the entry in Lebanon without its consent of arms or related materiel and requests UNIFIL as authorized in paragraph 11 to assist the Government of Lebanon at its request;
OP15. Decides further that all states shall take the necessary measures to prevent, by their nationals or from their territories or using their flag vessels or aircraft,
(a) the sale or supply to any entity or individual in Lebanon of arms and related materiel of all types, including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment, and spare parts for the aforementioned, whether or not originating in their territories, and
(b) the provision to any entity or individual in Lebanon of any technical training or assistance related to the provision, manufacture, maintenance or use of the items listed in subparagraph (a) above,
except that these prohibitions shall not apply to arms, related material, training or assistance authorized by the Government of Lebanon or by UNIFIL as authorized in paragraph 11;
OP16. Decides to extend the mandate of UNIFIL until 31 August 2007, and expresses its intention to consider in a later resolution further enhancements to the mandate and other steps to contribute to the implementation of a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution;
OP17. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council within one week on the implementation of this resolution and subsequently on a regular basis;
OP18. Stresses the importance of, and the need to achieve, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, based on all its relevant resolutions including its resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967 and 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973;
OP19. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

Expert: Iran Poised To Be 'Mother of All World Threats'
Dave Eberhart, NewsMax
Friday, Aug. 11, 2006
WASHINGTON -- For anyone who still thinks the Israeli-Lebanon war is just a border scuffle, one Middle East expert shouts a dire warning:
"As soon as a cease fire occurs, the ‘Hezbollah Blitzkrieg' will crumble the ‘Lebanese Republic of Weimar' and install its own ‘Khumeinist Republic' on the Eastern shores of the Mediterranean. The consequences of such a development are far beyond imagination for the region and the world. Hezbollah would have paved the way for Iran to create the mother of all world threats since Hitler."
So cautions Professor Walid Phares, author of "Future Jihad," a visiting fellow with the European Foundation for Democracy in Brussels, and a senior fellow with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies in Washington, D.C.
In an exclusive interview with NewsMax, the Lebanese-born Phares likens the current Hezbollah offensive in Lebanon to a "putsch" -- with the convoluted aims of reestablishing a pro-Syrian-Iranian regime in Lebanon, reconstructing a third wing to the Tehran-Damascus axis, reanimating the Arab-Israeli conflict, rejuvenating Syrian dominance, isolating Jordan, reaching out to Hamas, crumbling Iraq, and unleashing Iran's nuclear programs.
The author also sees half-measures and premature truces as catalysts to even bloodier future conflicts:
"If Israel takes 40 kilometers [into the southern belly of Lebanon] and sits, Hezbollah and its allies will take the rest of the country and eliminate the Cedars Revolution [the Lebanese Democracy movement]. That is a certainty. Then the two camps will clash in a wider war in few more months."
As a corollary, however, the expert advises that if Israel gets even more aggressive and moves instead through the Bekaa (a fertile valley in Lebanon and Syria, located about 19 miles east of Beirut), it would shut down the Syrian-Lebanese borders (a major supply line for war materials flowing to Hezbollah).
Story Continues Below
But such a definitive move, says the author, would bring Syria to the conflict, and Israel will have to engage the Assad regime [Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria].
Meanwhile, Phares suggests, under the scenario outlined above, Iran would not sit still but would intervene in a more covert way than has been thus far seen.
However, he advises, Iran doesn't have a land passage to Syria, so it would strike back by igniting an "intifada" in Iraq.
"But this will put Iran on the path of the U.S. coalition, leading the region to global confrontations," Phares predicts. "Israel could also reach the Syrian borders, but instead of a war with Damascus, Assad would accept a MNF [Multi-National Force] at this time to save his regime, which sounds the most realistic."
Phares then projects that a MNF in control of the borders would isolate Hezbollah from Syria and Iran -- enabling a new Lebanese Army to slowly take back the control of the country, leading Israel to withdraw behind the borders.
Neighboring Jordan will try to remain neutral -- unless Iranian forces try to link up with Syria via Iraq, says Phares. Jordan, he adds, will in the end most likely side with NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization).
For its part, Egypt will face increasing domestic Jihadism but will refrain from cross-border activities, he predicts.
The Risk of an Explosion
The author forecasts some bad outcomes.
If the Lebanon conflict persists too long or if Hezbollah takes over, Jihadi forces in Jordan and Egypt will explode, he predicts.
"In short, if Lebanon falls to Jihadism, all Arab countries will experience similar moves. If the free-Lebanese regain control, democracy forces will move forward in the region. It is a geopolitical cross road," Phares says.
Phares emphasizes that the old parameters of a "buffer zone" don't work anymore.
He sees as the key for everyone in the region finding security, stability, freedom and eventually peace -- the stopping of the flow of weapons and support from Iran to Hezbollah.
"Israel can establish all the security-zones," Phares instructs, "the U.S. and the U.N. can issue all the resolutions, and the Lebanese army can be sent to any area -- as long as the Lebanese-Syrian borders are open between the Assad regime and Nasrallah's [Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the current Secretary General of the Lebanese Islamist party Hezbollah] militia, the war will go on."
The Issue of the Lebanese Army
Along with reciting the reams of regional history necessary to understand the origins of the quagmire, Phares tells NewsMax of what he sees as intriguing sub-plots, including a draconian one to rid Hezbollah of the Lebanese army.
The author argues that no changes were made inside the Lebanese Army to bring it in harmony with the Cedars Revolution (discussed below).
"So what you have there is an army of which 80 percent of its officer corps and about 65 percent of its ranks dislike the Baathists, Iranians and Hezbollah -- but it is still chained to a Pro-Syrian President and paralyzed by Seniora's [Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora] unwillingness to disarm Hezbollah."
But despite the mixed allegiances of the Lebanese army, Hezballoh still wants it out of the way.
Phares opines that Nasrallah wants to move units of the Lebanese army southbound. Hezbollah would then trigger yet more violence with Israel, leading to the latter having to take on the whole Lebanese army.
"Nasrallah is pushing Seniora to send the army to southern Lebanon to be slaughtered," says Phares. "He wants Israel to destroy the Lebanese army – the institution, which in the long term could dismantle the deep terror roots of Hezbollah, once a multinational force deploys and all borders are secured."
Phares pauses for a moment in his analysis of what could come to pass in the near term and looks out to a distant and perhaps hopeful future:
"If democracies allow Jihadism to crush the civil societies of the region, it would take at least two generations to begin another democratic revolution in the Middle East," the author opines. "So by the end of this century, in this case, you have two scenarios: either bloody war in the region with greater genocide than ever -- and also possibly a number of nuclear blast spots...
"However, if the international community focuses on assisting the peoples of the region to get rid of the Jihadi-fascism and the remnants of Baathism, in one hundred years you'll be able to ski in Lebanon, enjoy pastries in Damascus, and watch the clever female Prime Minister of Iran discussing environment issues with her colleague in Afghanistan.
"Jihadists would be looked at as the weird small fractions in the secular multiparty Parliaments of the region who are still arguing how they lost the opportunity to reestablish a Caliphate in the early century..."
Lost Horizons
But whether the international community rises to its finest hour remains to be seen, says Phares.
Look back at the Cedar Revolution, he suggests.
The so-called "Cedar Revolution" is the chain of demonstrations and popular civic action in Lebanon triggered by the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on February 14, 2005.
Following the demonstrations, the Syrian troops completely withdrew from Lebanon on April 27, 2005. The Pro-Syrian government was also disbanded. History in the region since that time has been mostly defined by Hezbolloh wanting to undo the progress towards democracy.
Since the Cedars Revolution, says Phares, no single event has shown the international community greater expression from Lebanon. And that is what Hassan Nasrallah wants to destroy, he maintains.
"His [Nasrallah] real war waged at his own timing against Israel aims in fact at destroying the Cedars Revolution, the single most dangerous popular resistance against Terrorism in the history of Lebanon and the region," argues the scholar.
Continuing, the author says, "The U.S. and Europe loved the images of youth and women chanting freedom in Beirut for many days and thought this was Eastern Europe all over again. They were right but they missed the point.
"These masses were desperately calling on the international community for help. ‘We showed you that we want freedom despite the threats of the most oppressive regimes (Syria and Iran) and of a terrorist organization; we've displayed all the courage of the world, alone and without weapons, responding to the calls of spreading democracy,' said the leaders of the Cedars Revolution's NGOs [Non-governmental organizations]."
Poignantly, Phares says that the people of Lebanon were begging in fact: "Now come and protect us -- at least as you did for the Afghan and Iraqi voters."
Meanwhile, the author says, Hezbollah and its masters were watching the Western response: "Lots of celebrations and powerful speeches on both sides of the Atlantic. But inside Lebanon, the old wolves were back to work."
The long story short, says the expert: Syria, Iran and Hezbollah outmaneuvered the Lebanese politicians, as well as the West, by among other things keeping pro-Syrian Emile Jamil Lahoud, president of the Republic of Lebanon at the helm.
"It was terrible how the Lebanese politicians lost all the opportunities provided by the Cedars Revolution," laments Phares, "but it is worse that the bureaucrats in the U.S. and Europe didn't understand what Hezbollah was doing."
Phares says he regrets that no one policy regarding the Cedars Revolution was ever put forth. Billions of dollars were spent on the War of Ideas and Iraq while requests by Lebanese NGOs, small media and civil society groups ready to resume the Cedars Revolution were left unheard, he adds.
Roots of Crisis
Phares argues that Washington and Brussels relied too much on a Lebanese cabinet which had been penetrated by Hezbollah.
"How can you have U.S. officials sitting with the Lebanese Cabinet in the presence of Hezbollah ministers and talk about the Lebanese Army disarming this organization? The naiveté' with which Hezbollah's offensive was dealt with is stunning."

Will Israel Accept UN Resolution 1701?
By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency
Tel Aviv ----August 12, 2006......Minutes ago the United Nations Security Council passed by a vote of 15-0 UN Resolution 1701. The UN resolution calls for an immediate cessation to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah terror forces operating throughout all of Lebanon.
Will Israel accept this resolution? The Israel Foreign Ministry says that it is likely that when the Israel cabinet meets on Sunday in Jerusalem they will adopt this resolution drafted by the US, England and France. Even the Hezbollah representative in the Lebanon government states that he would accept this draft which would attempt to establish an arms free buffer zone in south Lebanon, that Hezbollah would return the Israel soldiers that it kidnapped that started the present war and that Israel would withdraw all of its forces from Lebanon.
Before the UN vote took place Gideon Meir, the Israel foreign ministry's chief spokesman said: "We did everything in our hands to allow the diplomatic process to succeed, but in the last 12 or 16 hours the resolution has deteriorated to an extent ... that there is no choice for Israel but to go out and extend the operations approved two days ago." Meir made it clear the door remained open to diplomacy and that the IDF could change its plans at any time.
As this analysis is written, the Israel government has given a green light for the Israel Defense Forces to expand it ground operation in Lebanon with the objective of clearing Hezbollah out of an area which would reach 19 miles to the Litani River from the Israel border.
After sustaining over 3,000 made in Iran missile attacks in an unprovoked war, Israelis are not about to embrace a toothless resolution which would once again place Israel's security on the doormat of UN UNIFIL peace keeping troops and the Lebanon army. Yes, Israel wants peace but not at the expense of losing a secure border.
Although Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is said to accept the resolution, no Israeli would accept the fact that after 4 weeks Katusha rockets are still falling on Israeli cities. That we would make the same mistake a second time of withdrawing from the Lebanon border after stating that Israel would disarm the Hezbollah without any help from any outside party.
Hezbollah would love to accept this resolution. It would give them time to regroup. This has been their strategy for years, attack - speak peace and attack again.
As any surgeon faced with a patient who is suffering from malignant cancer, his job is to clear it all out. To leave any malignant tissue behind would define a failed operation. Olmert may accept this resolution, but don't bet that the Israel Cabinet will. Israel is at war with an Islam enemy which is funded and backed by Iran. Iran has openly stated that Israel must be "wiped off the map." This war is not about Hezbollah. This war is about Iran and Syria.
Until the threat to Israel's very existence is eliminated, until Iran and Syria are confronted, Israel must not allow our reserve troops to come home only to be be called up once again in a few weeks or a few months. Israel must carve out all tissue of this malignant cancer or be perceived by the Arab world as retreating, being totally impotent. In Arab culture, an Israeli withdrawal at this time would not spell peace, it would only serve as a sweet invite to eliminate Israel.
Until Teheran and Damascus agree to a true and lasting peace, Israel has the right to defend herself. UN Resolution 1701 says it. The Israeli public says it.
If the people of Lebanon truly want peace in their land, they must speak to Syria and Iran, not Israel.The IDF has a mission. The Israeli people are watching and so are the Arabs.

Cease Fire Draft Resolution Approves Unanimously
World/U.S.
Author: National news National news | 8/11/2006
The U.N. Security Council 1701 has passed Lebanon cease fire by a 15-0 vote. Prior to the passage of the ceasefire, Condoleezza Rice outlined the ceasefire draft resolution that would end the war between Israel and the Hezbollah. Rice emphasized that a UN peacekeeping force would be deployed that would number approximately 15,000 from the current two thousand soldiers. The ceasefire would require that there be a cessation of hostilities. Rice has noted that this war started six years after Israel left Lebanon and which was caused by the kidnapping of Israel soldiers and as she stated thousands of missiles hitting Israeli civilians.
Rice also blamed Syria and Iran for being an agent for the Hezbollah. It has been reported that Israel will likely approve the resolution and so could Lebanon. It is uncertain if the Hezbollah will accept the resolution. One sticky point is whether the UN force would be sufficient to protect Israel should the Hezbollah or any other force begin to restart hostilities against Israel or for that matter should Israel be the aggressor. According to news sources, the UN force in Lebanon would not in engage in military action

U.N. Security Council approves cease-fire plan
By Dion Nissenbaum and Warren P. Strobel
McClatchy Newspapers
UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations Security Council late Friday unanimously approved a compromise plan to end a month of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, but acknowledged that it was only a tentative first step to a lasting cease-fire.
Although the cease-fire plan fell short of pleasing Israel and Lebanon, both countries reluctantly embraced the deal as the best way to bring a halt to a conflict that has claimed 1,100 lives.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is expected to announce in the coming days a precise time when hostilities are supposed to stop. It could be more than a day at the earliest before the shooting is supposed to end.
The Israeli military is expected to press ahead with a new ground offensive in southern Lebanon until the government meets on Sunday to officially embrace the U.N. proposal. Lebanon's government was expected to vote Saturday.
That delay is likely to lead to a dangerous last-minute escalation that could jeopardize the tenuous cease-fire agreement.
Under the proposal, Hezbollah is supposed to halt its rocket attacks on Israel, while Israel is supposed to stop offensive military operations in southern Lebanon.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, addressing the Security Council, acknowledged that all fighting might not end right away.
"No one can expect an immediate end to all acts of violence," Rice said.
Others chided world powers for not acting sooner to stop the fighting, which has primarily killed civilians on both sides.
Annan said he was "profoundly disappointed" at the month-long delay and said his view was shared "by hundreds of millions of people around the world."
After major violence by Hezbollah and Israel stops, the United Nations will dispatch an expanded 15,000-person peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon to work alongside an equal number of soldiers from the weak Lebanese army.
That force is supposed to step in - "in parallel" as the resolution puts it - as Israeli soldiers pull out.
A senior State Department official said that the United States expects Israel would stop any forward movement of its ground troops into southern Lebanon and halt large-scale bombing operations.
But the official, who spoke anonymously under State Department ground rules, said Israel would still be able to "defend in place" and deal with imminent threats or respond to Hezbollah attacks.
In a significant loss for Israel, the agreement doesn't explicitly spell out how or when Hezbollah will be disarmed. And it doesn't clearly lay out a way to prevent Hezbollah from rearming, another key Israeli demand.
The senior State Department official said that disarming Hezbollah would be the responsibility, eventually, of Lebanon's armed forces.
One of the biggest last-minute sticking points centered on the power the new peacekeeping force would have to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding once Israel leaves.
Israel had been pressing for establishment of the force under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, which would have given the soldiers more power to fight Hezbollah. But negotiators acceded to Lebanese demands that the force be deployed under a more traditional peacekeeping model.
In a compromise, the resolution authorizes the U.N. force to "resist attempts by forceful means" to prevent it from carrying out its duties. It also allows U.N. peacekeepers "to take all necessary means" to ensure more fighting doesn't break out in southern Lebanon.
Lebanon also didn't get everything it wanted. Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora had demanded Israel's immediate withdrawal and the resolution of a land dispute involving territory called Shebaa Farms.
But Mohamed Shatah, a senior adviser to Saniora, said the resolution addressed most of Lebanon's demands.
The crisis began July 12 when Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others in a cross-border raid. Israel responded by launching thousands of airstrikes that crippled Lebanon, killed more than 1,000 people, most of them civilians, and created a growing humanitarian crisis.
As Israel hit Lebanon, Hezbollah fired more than 3,500 rockets into northern Israel, killing 40 civilians and forcing residents across much of the region to live in bomb shelters for weeks.
Over the past four weeks, Hezbollah has surprised the Israeli military with its advanced weapons and tactics. Hezbollah has killed 84 Israeli soldiers in fierce battles across Lebanon.
Another key component of the cease-fire resolution is the return of the two captured Israeli soldiers.
The apparent diplomatic breakthrough came on a dramatic day as the deal appeared close to crumbling before an agreement was finalized. As foreign ministers were meeting at the United Nations, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared the proposal unacceptable and ordered his military to expand efforts to cripple Hezbollah.
Within hours, tanks and soldiers began moving deeper into Lebanon to battle Hezbollah.
After receiving the final draft, however, Olmert agreed to accept the compromise and urge his Cabinet to embrace it on Sunday, after the Jewish Sabbath ends.
In the meantime, though, the Israeli military is expected to press ahead in an effort to do as much as it can to cripple Hezbollah before the cease-fire takes hold. At the same time, Hezbollah is likely to respond in kind by firing hundreds more rockets into northern Israel until its soldiers pull back.
Amal Saad-Ghorayeb, a Lebanese expert on Hezbollah, said the cease-fire resolution represented "a major victory" for the militant group because it forces Israel to withdraw its troops while not ensuring that Hezbollah has to give up its weapons.
Having fought the region's strongest military effectively, Hezbollah has gained legitimacy, Saad-Ghorayeb said.
"After this, Hezbollah is going to be very hard pressed to give up its arms," she said.
On Friday night, a U.N.-led convoy leaving the besieged Lebanese town of Marjayoun was hit by an Israeli airstrike. Five civilians were killed and at least 17 others were injured, including an undisclosed number of Lebanese soldiers, according to Lebanon's acting minister of the interior, Ahmed Fatfat.
The U.N. arranged the convoy to evacuate 350 Lebanese soldiers from Marjayoun, a hilltop village where Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters fought on Thursday. The convoy left Marjayoun with Israeli permission, Fatfat said, but became delayed as it was joined by some 3,000 residents in hundreds of vehicles.
"The convoy was too long and they didn't respect the timing" agreed to by Israel, the Lebanese minister said. "But I think Israel had the choice to bomb it, and it was to send a political message in the last moments of this war."
Israel's decision to expand the ground war came on a day when Olmert came under widespread criticism for his handling of the crisis.
Military leaders, political opponents, prominent newspaper analysts and the Israeli public all voiced dissatisfaction with Olmert, with some suggesting that he had bungled the military campaign.
McClatchy correspondent Shashank Bengali contributed to this report from Beirut, Lebanon; Nissenbaum reported from Jerusalem.

Human Rights Watch <hrw-news@topica.email-publisher.com>
Subject : Lebanon/Israel: U.N. Rights Council Must Protect Civilians
Lebanon/Israel: U.N. Rights Council Must Protect Civilians
Body Should Urge Investigation of Wartime Abuses by All Parties
(Geneva, August 11, 2006) – The draft resolution before the U.N. Human Rights Council on the situation in Lebanon is a politicized and one-sided
initiative that will do nothing to protect the victims of violence in this conflict, Human Rights Watch said today. To make a difference, the council must condemn violations of international human rights and humanitarian law by both Israel and Hezbollah, and call for the U.N. Secretary-General to establish an international investigation of those abuses. The council convenes a special session today in Geneva to address the conflict.
"A partisan approach by the Human Rights Council won't help the victims of this conflict. It will only undermine the new council's credibility," said Peggy Hicks, global advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. "Only by looking at both Israel and Hezbollah can the council act in the principled way needed to protect civilians."
Since the beginning of the armed conflict on July 12, Israel has carried out more than 5,000 air strikes over Lebanon and fired artillery shells into southern Lebanon, reportedly killing more than 700 Lebanese civilians and wounding thousands. During that same period, Hezbollah has fired more than 2,500 rockets into Israel, killing 39 Israeli civilians and wounding hundreds more. Since the start of the hostilities, Human Rights Watch researchers have been on the ground documenting the conduct of both warring parties and the impact of their misconduct on civilians. The special session of the Human Rights Council was requested by Tunisia on behalf of the Group of Arab States and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Both Tunisia's request for the session and the draft resolution circulated by the OIC focus exclusively on Israeli violations. Neither one addresses or even acknowledges Hezbollah's responsibility for abuses.
Human Rights Watch submitted a written statement for the special session which called for the council to consider violations committed by both Israel and Hezbollah, based on extensive research documenting both parties' indiscriminate use of force against civilians. Human Rights Watch's research shows that Israeli forces have consistently launched artillery and air attacks with limited or dubious military gain but excessive civilian cost. Human Rights Watch has also documented systematic violations of international humanitarian law by Hezbollah, including deliberate and indiscriminate firing of thousands of rockets into civilian
areas of Israel.
"Both Israel and Hezbollah have consistently failed to distinguish between combatants and civilians as required by the laws of war. The people of Lebanon and Israel are paying the price with their lives," Hicks said. "An international investigation would expose those facts and help stem the tide of abuses."
In its statement, Human Rights Watch urged the Human Rights Council to:
* Call upon the Security Council to condemn serious violations of international humanitarian law by both sides to the conflict and call for the parties to scrupulously abide by the laws of war and to distinguish at all times between civilians and combatants;
* Request the Secretary-General of the United Nations to establish an International Commission of Inquiry to investigate violations of international human rights and humanitarian law by all parties to the conflict;
* Call for all parties to ensure safe passage for humanitarian relief, including to the area south of the Litani River, and for humanitarian evacuations;
* Call for all parties to protect civilians from arbitrary displacement, to ensure the physical safety and material well-being of all those displaced by the current conflict, and to establish conditions that allow them to return voluntarily, in safety and dignity, to their homes; and
* Insist that all parties cooperate with and provide access to the four special rapporteurs of the HRC who have announced their plans to travel to Lebanon and Israel.
For more of Human Rights Watch's work on the Israel-Lebanon conflict, please visit: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/08/11/lebano13967.htm

Angus Reid Global Scan : Polls & Research
Steady Rating for Harper Government in Canada
August 11, 2006
- Many Canadians remain satisfied with their current federal administration, according to a poll by Ipsos-Reid released by CanWest Global. 60 per cent of respondents approve of the performance of the government headed by Stephen Harper.
Canadians renewed the House of Commons in January. The Conservative party—led by Harper—received 36.3 per cent of the vote, and secured 124 seats in the 308-member lower house. Since February, Harper leads a minority administration after more than 12 years of government by the Liberal party.
On Aug. 10, Liberal defence critic Wajid Khan announced he would temporarily give up his duties after Harper invited him to become a special advisor in Middle East affairs. Khan explained his rationale, saying, "If I cannot justify being in a position that I can perform, then I must move out and let somebody else take over while I’m busy with this. That’s only fair."
Liberal leadership candidate Michael Ignatieff voiced concerns with the appointment, saying, "I think we’re going to have to clarify the rules under which Wajid can and cannot participate (in caucus)."
Harper was criticized by the opposition parties last month for choosing to side with Israel in the early stages of the conflict in Lebanon.
Polling Data
Thinking about the Conservative government under the leadership of Stephen Harper, from what you have seen, read or heard , would you say that you approve or disapprove of their performance so far?
Jul. 2006
Feb. 2006
Approve
60%
59%
Disapprove
32%
32%
Source: Ipsos-Reid / CanWest Global
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 Canadian adults, conducted from Jul. 25 to Jul. 27, 2006. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.

Khan gives up Liberal job to be Harper's adviser
Updated Fri. Aug. 11 2006 10:27 PM ET
Canadian Press
OTTAWA -- MP Wajid Khan won't be attending Liberal caucus meetings while he devotes his energies to his new role as Prime Minister Stephen Harper's special adviser on the Middle East.
The Muslim MP for Mississauga-Streetsville also announced Friday that he's given up his duties as the Liberals' associate defence critic. The moves are clearly aimed at placating Liberal colleagues who were stunned when Harper announced earlier this week that he'd appointed Khan as his special adviser on the Middle East and South Asia.
Many Liberals view the appointment as a cynical political ploy. They suspect Harper is using Khan to exploit divisions in Liberal ranks and to help rebuild Conservative bridges to the Muslim community, burned by Harper's unequivocal support for Israel's bombardment of Lebanon.
A number of MPs, such as Toronto's Maria Minna, worried that they wouldn't be able to speak freely in caucus, particularly on the Lebanese or Afghanistan conflicts, if Khan was in the room and might be reporting back to Harper.
Minna called on Khan to withdraw from caucus. Paul Szabo, a Liberal MP in a neighbouring Mississauga riding, called on Khan to give up the appointment.
"I take my responsibilities to the Liberal caucus seriously and I understand and respect the sensitivities and confidentiality of my colleagues," Khan said in a written statement released late Friday.
"To that end, and in light of my demanding schedule, I have decided to withdraw from my role as assistant defence critic and will not be present at caucus meetings until further notice.''
Khan added that he remains a Liberal and will continue to work with his Liberal colleagues.
Khan, a former fighter pilot in the Pakistan air force, will travel to the Middle East and Afghanistan in the coming weeks and report back to Harper by October.
Khan said he views his new role as being "outside of partisan politics" and promised to produce "an honest, critical, unbiased and non-partisan report that I hope in some small way will be able to shed some light on the challenges that Canada faces in the two regions and on the ongoing tension and conflict in the Middle East."