Opposition from Lebanon caused the United States and France to delay vote on a UN resolution, diplomats said. The current draft of the Security Council resolution calls for "the immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations" %u2013 implicitly giving Israel the right to pursue "defensive" operations. Israel views the draft favourably, as it does not order Israel to withdraw its 10,000 soldiers from southern Lebanon.Lebanon wants the draft UN resolution to include an explicit demand for a full Israeli pullout from southern Lebanon. France asked the US to delay a discussion of the draft resolution to make certain changes. France's UN Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere said changes would probably be made to the draft resolution.
The Security Council has scheduled a public debate on Tuesday on the conflict, to be attended by envoys from several countries. A Lebanese official said Arab League foreign ministers would send a delegation to the United Nations to try to push through the amendments Lebanon wants.