Lebanese cautiously welcome Security Council resolution

Analysts agree that the United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities in the battle between Israel and the armed wing of Lebanese political party Hezbollah was a satisfactory step for the time being. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan declared on Saturday that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to end fighting as of 5 a.m. GMT on Monday, which is 8 a.m. Lebanon time. The Lebanese government, which includes Hezbollah ministers, unanimously approved the resolution on Sunday. Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora described the amended document as "a triumph for Lebanese diplomacy". The Israeli government, with the exception of one minister, also voted in favour of the UN resolution. “UN Security Council resolution [UNSCR] 1701 is a good resolution that creates true conditions to implement UNSCR 1559 and prevents a return to the status quo,” said Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, referring to a 2004 UN resolution that called for the Lebanese government to control all its territory, for all foreign troops to leave the country and for the disarmament and disbandment of all militias. In a televised speech, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said that Hezbollah had reservations about the resolution, particularly that it holds his militia responsible for the war. Resolution 1701 was passed on the 30th day of the conflict, which began on 12 July when Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers. Israel responded with a massive land, sea and air military offensive that so far has killed 1,056 people and wounded 3,600 in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese High Relief Council (HRC) – a government body set up specifically to manage relief efforts during the crisis. In retaliation, Hezbollah has so far killed 148 Israelis in ground fighting and by rocket fire into Israel, according to Israeli media sources. The new Security Council resolution calls for an immediate ‘cessation of hostilities’ between Israel and Hezbollah. This would be followed by the government of Lebanon and a strengthened UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) deploying their forces together throughout south Lebanon. As that joint deployment begins, the resolution calls upon Israel to withdraw all of its forces from southern Lebanon in parallel. “I think it was the right decision,” said Peter Harling, the Beirut-based senior analyst with the International Crisis Group. “The present situation needed to end one way or another. The resolution is satisfactory for the time being, insofar as it provides a face-saving action for all actors involved. It remains extremely vague. That in itself indicates how badly a solution is needed,” he said. Veteran local journalist with An Nahar daily newspaper Samir Mansour agreed that the resolution was satisfactory as a starting point. “The document itself is not bad,” he said. “The main Lebanese demands, as expressed by the government and as supported by Hezbollah, are included. The bottom line is that it does fulfill the demand for a necessary end to hostilities.” “As far as I can see, the resolution lays out the framework for Israel’s demands to be fulfilled, not Lebanon’s,” said Ilham Bekdashe, who works as an administrator at a Beirut law firm. These demands are for the release of Lebanese prisoners from Israeli jails and demands that Israel leave the currently occupied Shebaa Farms area in south Lebanon. “Meanwhile, Israel has already succeeded in carrying out large-scale destruction in Lebanon,” added Bekdashe. Another concern for Lebanese is that there is no deadline for Israeli withdrawal from the south. Indeed, Israeli Cabinet Secretary Yisra'el Maimon indicated on Sunday that it could take weeks for the 30,000 Israeli troops in Lebanon to fully depart. The vagueness of the resolution has caused apprehension among Lebanese, as it remained unclear whether the longer term issues would be solved in their interests or in Israel’s. “The new resolution can be implemented if the political events that are unfolding are positive,” said Rami Khouri, analyst and columnist for the Daily Star. “If the Israelis stop firing, then there is a good chance [UN Secretary-General Kofi] Annan’s call for a ceasefire will be heeded. So far, Hezbollah has been reacting to Israeli strikes, not the other way around. At this point, it all depends on whether Israel honours the call for a truce.” Mohamed, a 37-year-old taxi driver from Beirut, said he was worried about the UN's capacity to enforce its demand for an Israeli withdrawal. "Though it is very positive that the UN has called for an end to the aggression, it seems likely to me that all the resolution does is silently approve an Israeli occupation of the south," he said. "Should Israeli troops not move out quickly, then a ceasefire would become impossible." *Full text of Resolution 1701 SA/AR/ED