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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| 'UNIFIL won't get additional powers' |
| 2007-08-20 |
| The cabinet agreed on Sunday to support the extension of the UNIFIL mandate in southern Lebanon, although the Foreign Ministry said the multinational force would not receive any additional concrete powers in the new mandate. Foreign Ministry director-general Avraham Abramovich told the cabinet that the members of the UNIFIL force - put in place as part of a cease-fire agreement following the Second Lebanon War last summer - were not prepared to increase activity against Hizbullah, insofar as closing the border with Syria and enforcing an arms embargo. However, Abramovich noted that despite the lack of action, the UN will reiterate its demand that Hizbullah immediately release kidnapped IDF soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, and call for a weapons-free zone south of the Litani River. Earlier this month, The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel has been working through diplomatic channels to insert several changes in the UNIFIL mandate in Lebanon to make sure that international forces in the South patrol more in urban areas. The mandate of the 13,600-strong UN peacekeeping force is due to expire at the end of August. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 Additional powers? Not until you use the ones you already have! |
| Posted by: Bobby 2007-08-20 06:31 |
| #1 As long as Israel gives the good guys with the blue helmets a preemption warning when the 'fat hits the fan' (to save alittle UN face), I don't care if they gave the UNIFIL slingshots and stringed tin cans, it's only a hill of beans on their part anyway! Besides it works both ways, they can turn the other cheek to Hizbollah, and whisper little sweet nothings the Israeli way too! |
| Posted by: smn 2007-08-20 01:38 |