Today the government approved the cease-fire agreement in Lebanon according to Security Council Resolution 1701. The atmosphere at the meeting was gloomy because of the heavy casualties in the fighting in southern Lebanon and the continuing Katyasha fire on the north by the Hizbullah.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that before the meeting that he and Minster of Defense Amir Perez had met with the Goldwasser and Regev families, whose sons Udi and Eldad were kidnapped by Hizbullah (the incident that sparked the current war.)
Olmert said, "We updated the families on the Security Council Resolution and on the steps which Israel is taking. As I said before, Israel has done, is doing and will do all that it can in order to bring the boys home quickly. We will of course continue our efforts to rescue Gilad Shalit."
Olmert added, "The Security Council Resolution is good for Israel. The Resolution creates a clear entity that Israel can hold responsible in Lebanon. . . I intend to appoint a senior representative to personally handle the safe return of the IDF soldiers held hostage."
Ministers have apparently begun to close ranks in anticipation of the establishment of a formal Knesset investigation committee for the examination of the events and the decision-making processes in the second Lebanese war. At today's cabinet meeting Perez said, "The conduct of the war by the prime minister was excellent. The coordination with me was precise."
Foreign Secretary Tzippi Livni expressed support for the Security Council Resolution, and for Olmert. However, Livni said, "The question we must ask ourselves today is where were we before the fighting began, when UN Security Council Resolution 1559 was not carried out, when the Lebanese Army was not deployed and when there was not an embargo on Hizbullah. No army could have carried out the UN resolution through military means. Strengthening Lebanese PM Fuoad Siniora serves Israeli interests."
Livni added, "No army in the world can disarm Hizbullah through military means, and therefore a parallel and supporting diplomatic effort was required. Security Council Resolution 1701 is an Israeli achievement."
The cabinet meeting was held even as over 77 rockets had landed in Israel since morning. A direct hit on a house in a town near Shlomi killed one resident and lightly wounded two.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on August 13, 2006
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2006