Lebanon, Israel Expected to Approve UN Cease-Fire Resolution
12 August 2006
Lebanon's prime minister said Saturday that a United Nations cease-fire resolution aimed at ending the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah serves Lebanon's interest.
Lebanon's Cabinet is meeting Saturday to consider the resolution.
Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is expected to urge his Cabinet to approve the measure when it meets on Sunday.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Saturday his forces will abide by the U.N. cease-fire. But he also said Hezbollah will continue fighting as long as Israeli troops are in Lebanon.
Israeli media, quoting an Israeli official, are reporting that the cease-fire will take effect by early Monday morning.
U.N. officials say an international force could begin deploying in southern Lebanon within a week.
Western nations have hailed the resolution. The Security Council adopted it on Friday.
France says it will send troops to a strengthened United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.
President Bush welcomed the measure today, while blaming Hezbollah, Iran and Syria for what he called an unwanted war.
Mr. Bush urged the international community to bring lasting peace to the Middle East.
But news agencies quote Iran's foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, as saying the resolution should be reconsidered because it benefits what he called the Zionist regime.
The resolution calls for a full cessation of hostilities before authorizing an increase in the current U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon to 15,000 troops. The U.N. force will help the Lebanese Army deploy another 15,000 troops near the border with Israel, potentially removing the Hezbollah threat.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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