Free Republic

Israel has told the United Nations that it will oppose the inclusion of troops from countries such as Malaysia in a planned U.N. force for southern Lebanon, a senior Israeli official said on Aug. 16. "Israel has informed the U.N. in no uncertain terms that it will not accept any countries in the force that do not have diplomatic relations with Israel," the official told Reuters.

AMSTERDAM (EJP)--- A majority of Dutchmen support Dutch participation in an international military force in south Lebanon. A poll has concluded that 59 percent wants the army to take part in international peacekeeping efforts in Lebanon. A majority of 65 percent of Dutchmen feel that a Dutch military presence of the national army should involve assisting the Lebanese to rebuild the country. Almost 60 percent feels the US is not doing enough to work towards peace in the region. A total of 78 percent of Dutchmen is ‘very worried’ about the current situation in Lebanon. The news about the popular...

BERLIN (EJP)--- German political leaders are pressing Chancellor Angela Merkel to address the question of whether the German military would participate in a Middle East peacekeeping force. Merkel had until now avoided the topic, saying that the debate was presently irrelevant as the situation did not allow for the sending of peacekeeping troops. She added that the kidnapped soldiers should first be released unharmed and that there should be a cessation of missile attacks on Israel. Now that Israel has agreed to the stationing of an international peacekeeping mission along its border to Lebanon, German political leaders have insisted on...