Truce in Lebanon, 14 August 2006

Dion Nissenbaum and Carol Rosenberg report for McClatchy Newspapers from Malkiya in Israel on the events Sunday.  Israeli forces used their time with a seriousness of purpose, bombing up to two minutes till 08:00, according to NPR.  Our McClatchy reporters write that while Israel fought hard and fast to take turf, the Hezbollah had their "biggest one-day fusillade of rockets into northern Israel."

Casualties and death toll was reported the bloodiest, write Nissenbaum and Rosenberg.  29 soldiers killed.  I presume by this they mean Israeli soldiers.  David Grossman, author, lost a 20 year old son.  The first Israeli woman soldier died.  She was a mechanic aboard a helicopter shot down by Hesbollah.  The slant of the McClatchy headline is obvious, as non civilian or Hesbollah casualties are listed.  If anyone has the figures, please be kind enough to post them here, and I'll give you credit.

Hezbollah's refusal to disarm is no surprise.  What will Prime Minister Fuad Siniora's Lebanese government do? 

The United Nations is supposed to dispatch a 15,000 member multi-national force to move south with the Lebanese army and "take control of the war zone."  Inshallah. Seriously, I ask G0d's blessing that peace be established with a minimum of additional violence. 

Under the current agreement, PM Ehud Olemrt and cabinet agreed with one abstention (who?) to halt air strikes and shelling of south Lebanon.  Under the U.N. Security Council resolution adopted Friday, Isreal reserved the right to fight defensively against Hezbollah until there is "a coordinated withdrawal together with the Lebanese army and international forces."  Israel will not pull back until the UN force arrives and separates the two opponents.  Then Hezbollah is supposed to go north, and Israel withdraw behind its borders.  Currently there are 30,000 troops sperad across "a perilous patchwork of Isreli infantry and tank forces.  During the weekend, troops blitzed eighteen miles north of the Litani.  Helicopters dropped troops north of Hezbollah positions during this offensive.

How will troops act during the time it takes to assemble the UN force?  This may take a week or more.  What will Israel do if it spots Hezbollah south of the Litani?  Analysts think they will respond with air strikes and other force, yet there seems to be doubt as to how much.

Linkology:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/july-dec06/israel_07-14.html