Posted on 07/30/2006 5:11:08 PM PDT by jamesm113
QANA, Lebanon (CNN) -- Israel has agreed to suspend airstrikes on southern Lebanon for 48 hours to investigate a Sunday airstrike that killed more than 60 people in Qana, Lebanon, a U.S. State Department spokesman said.
Spokesman Adam Ereli said the Israelis reserve the right to take action against targets preparing attacks against it during the 48-hour period, but the bombing halt should "significantly speed and improve the flow of humanitarian aid."
Israeli officials also agreed to allow safe passage for 24 hours for residents of southern Lebanon to leave the region.
Israel earlier said it mistakenly destroyed a four-story building near a Hezbollah rocket-launching site. The dead included 37 children, according to Lebanese internal security officials.
It was the deadliest attack in 19 days of fighting between Hezbollah militia and Israeli forces, which began after Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
I find the reporting doubtful.
I hope its not true. Israel needs to exterminate Hez-Ebola
Boost to Lebanon peace drive
By Stephen Collinson in Jerusalem
July 31, 2006
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice won a 48-hour suspension of Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon, in a much-needed boost today hours before ending her beleaguered Middle East peace drive.
The concession, effective immediately, came after Dr Rice's mission was thrown into turmoil by an Israeli raid on the Lebanese village of Qana which killed more than 52 people, more than half of them children, igniting global outrage.
"Israel has agreed to a 48-hour suspension of aerial activity in south Lebanon, while it investigates today's tragic incident in Qana," State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said just after midnight after late-night talks between Dr Rice and top Israeli officials.
Israel would also co-ordinate with the United Nations on a 24-hour period of "safe passage" for civilians that wish to leave the area, Mr Ereli said, less than 24 hours after the raid, the bloodiest attack of the 19-day-old conflict.
Many victims of the Qana strike were children, and pictures of their bloodied corpses being pulled from the rubble fuelled fury across the Arab world and globally, and piled more pressure on Israel and Washington.
"Israel has, of course, reserved the right to take action against targets preparing attacks against it," Mr Ereli told reporters travelling with Dr Rice on the second leg of her peace mission.
"During this time, Israel will coordinate with the United Nations to allow a 24-hour period of safe passage for all residents of south Lebanon who wish to leave," Mr Ereli added.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19967014-23109,00.html
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Thanks.
As I understand it the Israelis will reexamine the situation at the end of the 48 hours and make a decision whether or not to resume airstrikes.
Why? It's been on all the majors tonight.
49 hours too long.
If Hezbollah quits firing as well, Israel has lost...
Sounds a bit Tora-boronian to me
Israel needs to stop warning them about the bombings so they won't be able to fill it with human shields
not looking good.
I think here is a 50/50 chance there will be no resumption.
hezbollah may have just won this thing, the West simply cannot sustain attacks from the media and the "world community" regarding civilian casualties. and the terror enemies know this.
Hez-Ebola said yesterday they would not quit firing... they change their minds? were their rockets in that Qana building along with the human shields?
I think at the end of the 48 hours you will see an invasion
of Lebanon .
It looks like a ceasefire to me, Hez has won.
_____________________________________________________
Hez did win. Bush in another dumb move in his presidency probably pushed for hit. Bush is just like his dad, a loser.
You sound like a pouting 2-year-old.
Israel will not win without ground troops going in, bombing alone won't be enough.
French and Muslim Peacekeepers will not try to stop them from attacking Israel only the other way around.
Terrorists will be emboldened and a new Islamic hero will emerge.
This would be their biggest day since 9-11 and the nutjob of Iran will be in full competition with Bin Laden as the leader of the death cult movement.
AND it creates a precedent... you cannot use "disproportionate" firepower and it is a crime to harm any human shields while fighting those killing your people.
The muslims are going to be the good guys in all terrorist media coverage from now on with a few exceptions.
This is a very bad day for the civilized.
Yup, Israel lost this won
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