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No Ceasefire in Sight, Israel Pledges Humanitarian Corridor

By Peter Heinlein
United Nations
21 July 2006

Israel has told the U.N. Security Council it is opening a two-way humanitarian corridor into and out of Lebanon. The pledge came in response to sharp international criticism for Israel's military offensive in southern Lebanon.

As Israel pushed on with its military offensive Friday, the U.N. Security Council heard news of the increasingly dire condition of civilians trapped in and around the conflict zone.

But in the face of mounting diplomatic pressure, Israel's U.N. ambassador, Dan Gillerman, said his country is opening a humanitarian corridor.

"I have just received official confirmation from Israel that, further to the corridor allowing evacuation from Lebanon, a two-way in-and-out humanitarian corridor to meet needs of those affected on the Lebanese side has been established," said Mr. Gillerman.

Speaking just before the Israeli envoy, U.N. humanitarian aid chief Jan Egeland said Israel's destruction of roads and bridges between Beirut and southern Lebanon has cut supply lines, threatening shortages of critical items.

"As a result of the targeting of petrol stations and fuel storage facilities, it is estimated that Beirut has only days of fuel supplies remaining," said Mr. Egeland. "Access problems are severely hampering humanitarian action. It is either too unsafe or physically impossible, due to destruction, to move supplies into or around large parts of the country."

Lebanese and Palestinian envoys urged the Security Council to intervene to stop the Israeli military actions. Lebanese special envoy Nouhad Mahmoud said the Israeli offensive had turned his country into a disaster zone. Speaking through an interpreter, he said Lebanese authorities would demand full reparations.

"Enough of taking the lives and rights of peoples lightly," he said. "Enough destruction and demolition of what decent people have built. Enough killing. Enough humiliation and displacement of innocent people. Enough wars that leave future generations with nothing, but hatred and belligerence."

But in his address to the Council, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton rejected calls for an unconditional ceasefire.

"The United States has no confidence that an unconditional 'ceasefire' by itself would be honored by Hezbollah," said Mr. Bolton. "It would only allow them time to regroup and plan their next wave of kidnappings and attacks against Israel."

Israel launched its offensive after Hezbollah militants launched a cross-border attack, and captured two Israeli soldiers. Hezbollah is continuing to fire rockets into northern Israel.

A three-member U.N. team that just returned from Middle Eastern capitals confirmed the prospects for an early ceasefire seem poor. Team leader Vijay Nambiar said Israel is refusing to hold third-party negotiations with the Lebanese-based Hezbollah militia for the release of the captured soldiers, as they have in the past.

"It was stated that the Israeli captives must be unconditionally released, and that, this time, Israel was not prepared to negotiate with Hezbollah through third parties, which has in the past led to prisoner exchanges," he said.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan attended Friday's Security Council meeting, and held a private dinner with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Thursday night. But he avoided reporters Friday. A spokesman said he preferred to let his earlier comments to the Security Council stand.

In an address to the Security Council Thursday, Mr. Annan called for an immediate end to hostilities in the Middle East. But at the same time, he said he sees serious obstacles to a ceasefire, or even an early end to the violence.