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The no-resolution resolution UN security council motion on Lebanon provides no timetable or mechanism to implement its measures IRWIN COTLER, Freelance The Montreal Gazette Published: Saturday, August 26, 2006 A fragile Mideast ceasefire runs the risk of collapse. The region could once again break into war. I am reminded of the adage, be careful what you wish for - you might get it. Two weeks ago, I wrote an eight-point plan for an enduring ceasefire, cessation of hostilities and resolution of the Israel-Hezbollah war (Gazette, Aug. 8, "Ten questions on the war"). The salient principles included: the recognition of...

Israel's war with Hizbullah seemed to come to an end on Monday, the first day of quiet after a UN-brokered cease-fire went into effect at 8 a.m. following more than a month of fighting. Senior officers told The Jerusalem Post the IDF planned to begin withdrawing troops from Lebanon by the end of the week and to begin releasing thousands of reservists back to their homes. On Monday, high-ranking IDF officers met with officials from UNIFIL at the Rosh Hanikra crossing and discussed the planned handover of southern Lebanon to the multinational force - made up of an upgraded UNIFIL...

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the Knesset on Monday that UN Security Council Resolution 1701 "will change fundamentally our strategic situation on the northern border." The war in Lebanon has demonstrated that "we will respond with force to every terror act, from the north or the south, from land or sea ... and that the State of Israel won't suffer any harm to come to its sovereignty or citizens," Olmert declared. According to the prime minister, the resolution's main achievement was that "the entire international community agrees that the terror state in Lebanon must be annihilated," he said. "The Security...

The cease-fire in the Middle East has taken effect. The Air Force, Navy, artillery and other units were ordered to halt all offensive operations. Since fighting erupted 34 days ago, 166 Israelis were killed - 114 IDF soldiers and 52 civilians. While the ceasefire agreement was "fragile," the IDF planned to uphold its side to the agreement and to suspend all offensives against the guerrilla group Monday morning, a high-ranking officer in the Northern Command told The Jerusalem Post Sunday night. On Sunday, the IDF completed taking up positions along the Litani River in preparation for the ceasefire. IDF troops...

It’s happy hour at the United Nations. After four weeks of Hezbollah-provoked war in Israel and Lebanon, accompanied by much diplomatic hand-wringing, the U.N. Security Council met Friday evening to adopt 15-0 its latest attempt to paper over the real problems: Resolution 1701 on “The Situation in the Middle East.” This resolution is meant to deliver the “ceasefire” that Secretary-General Kofi Annan has been calling for, also described in the lingo of the U.S. State Department as a “cessation of hostilities.” Unfortunately, if Resolution 1701 has any effect at all, its real meaning is that we now embark on a...

The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1701 Friday evening, calling for a cessation of hostilities between Hizbullah and Israel. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will recommend to the cabinet that it accept the UNSC resolution at its weekly meeting Sunday. The resolution authorizes the deployment of 15,000 UN peacekeepers in south Lebanon in support of Lebanese army forces, which are to move into the region and replace Hizbullah in parallel with a withdrawal of Israeli forces. Israel is not required to withdraw until the deployment of UN and Lebanese forces begins. The new UN peacekeeping force, still under the...