Posted on 07/14/2006 11:09:06 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has imposed three conditions for a ceasefire in Lebanon, where Israel has been waging a deadly three-day assault, a Government spokeswoman says.
"The Prime Minister is prepared to finish our operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah releases our two soldiers, stops its rocket fire and if the Lebanese Government decides to implement UN Security Council resolution 1559," spokeswoman Miri Eisin told AFP.
The resolution calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah, the Shiite movement based in Lebanon that abducted two Israeli soldiers on Wednesday.
"If these conditions are met, we are ready to cooperate with a delegation from the United Nations," the spokeswoman said.
Ms Eisin denied there was international pressure preventing Israel from continuing its operations, which Lebanon says have killed at least 60 people, but acknowledged there had been "criticisms".
Israel pounded Lebanon for the third straight day on Friday, targeting Hezbollah's power base and the international airport in attacks that have also hit bridges, roads and power stations.
Ms Eisin refused to set a deadline for the end of the Israeli offensive, which also includes an air and sea blockade on Lebanon, one of the smallest countries in the Middle East.
Public radio, quoting ministers, said the government had not expected such heavy international criticism over its Lebanese offensive so far as "operations remain essentially concentrated on Hezbollah".
UN resolution 1559, other than calling for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Syria, demands the disbanding of Lebanon's Shiite militia Hezbollah and 12 Palestinian groups in the country.
UN meeting
The UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Lebanon, with Beirut demanding support for an immediate end to the daily Israeli air strikes on its territory.
The debate began just hours after Israeli forces bombarded the command headquarters of the Shiite militant group Hezbollah in the southern suburbs of Beirut and fears mounted of all-out war in the region.
The meeting was convened at the request of the Lebanese Government, which called on the Security Council to "adopt a complete and immediate position for a ceasefire".
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, head of the Hamas-led government, has slammed Israel's "insane war" against Lebanon and called for a halt to the offensive.
"We condemn this insane war launched against the brother Lebanon and strikes against infrastructure ... This war must stop. Lebanon and the Lebanese people must be protected," Mr Haniya told journalists in Gaza City.
"We are concerned for Lebanon and its future after these blind strikes," added the premier, whose own Gaza offices have been bombed by Israel since Palestinian militants, including Hamas loyalists, seized an Israeli soldier.
"There must be a return to the language of reason," Mr Haniya said.
At least 76 Palestinians and one Israeli soldier have now been killed since Israel stepped up its massive ground assault into Gaza on July 5 in a bid to secure the release of the missing teenage soldier Corporal Gihad Shalit and to halt rocket fire.
More attacks
Meanwhile, five civilians were killed and 69 others wounded in Israeli attacks on Lebanon Friday, raising to 62 (eds: correct) the death toll since the start of the offensive two days ago, police say.
Three were killed in attacks on Beirut's southern suburbs and the fourth in the southern town of Bent Jbail when a missile hit a house.
"Up to midday (local time), we counted three civilians killed and 62 others wounded in the attacks on Beirut's southern suburbs," a senior police official told AFP.
In a series of pre-dawn strikes on Friday, Israeli forces bombarded Hezbollah's command headquarters in the Shiite-dominated slum district as well the main highway to the international airport and a power station.
Throughout the day Israeli forces carried out more attacks, on Beirut airport as well as bridges and roads in the south of the country.
The airport was already knocked out by a previous air raid against the runway early Thursday, which effectively severed Lebanon's air links to the outside world.
A woman was killed and six other civilians, including three paramedics, wounded in a strike on a bridge over the river Zahrani bridge, near the main coastal city of Sidon.
Sixty-two civilians have been killed and some 170 wounded since Israel began its assault on Lebanon after the capture of two soldiers and the killing of eight others by the Shiite militant group Hezbollah early Wednesday.
The death toll includes two Kuwaiti citizens and their Asian domestic helper.
Two Hezbollah militants have also been killed, while in Israel three Israelis were killed and more than 50 wounded when northern towns including the third city of Haifa were hit by rockets fired from Lebanon.
The town of Nahariya in Israel, ten kilometres south of Lebanon, under bombardment on Friday
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1666132/posts
Israel warns Beirut civilians [Leaflets warned them away from Hezbollah targets.]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1666134/posts
Others should be taking advice from Israel.
Redundancy Alert!
"Insane war" is apparently different from "holy war."
Then, what? The American Taxpayer would then have to fund Sesame Street.
Now who taught him how to say that? "Language of reason" is not in any terrorists' vocabularies. What he's trying to say is we are getting our butts whipped.
If they want to this and need help, all they need to do is ask. They can even do it sub rosa :)
The UN has not passed a resolution condemning Israel as far as I know. Admittedly, there was an attempt.
Right..... I get it, you're saying that the Lebanese military is so weak that Hizbollah would kick it's butt should Lebanon try anything.
You've hit the nail on the head!
How can this be? I thought Hamas said that they drove the IDF out of Gaza, and soon to be the West Bank?
You are right. The Lebanese government was too weak and disordered prior to the past week to be of any real authority. They couldn't even make Hezbollah disarm under a UN rule banning militias. So Hezbollah said call us The Resistance and that seemed to make everything just hunky-dory. All Hezbollah needs is a bigger crack at taking over the entire country. Israel intends to destroy Hezbollah.
True, but they won't ask for our help; even sub rosa.
Yes.
Exactly so!
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