Naharnet Newsdesk - Evening Roundup: Israel Intensifies Bombardments as Arab Foreign Ministers Back Saniora's Truce Plan

			Welcome
English

Lebanon

Evening Roundup: Israel Intensifies Bombardments as Arab Foreign Ministers Back Saniora's Truce Plan

Israeli warplanes intensified air strikes on Lebanon as Premier Fouad Saniora won strong support from Arab states to plead his case at the United Nations for a full Israeli withdrawal.
U.S. President George Bush said he anticipates that Hizbullah and Israel won't agree with all aspects of a Mideast cease-fire resolution but said "we all recognize that the violence must stop."

Saniora got strong backing from the foreign ministers, who warned the U.N. Security Council against adopting resolutions that don't serve Lebanon's interests. They decided to send a high-level delegation to New York to press Lebanon's case.

Israeli warplanes repeatedly bombed Beirut's southern suburbs and pounded other areas of Lebanon, killing 15 people, Lebanese officials said. In northern Israel, scores of Hizbullah rockets wounded five people, rescue workers said.

Some 65 people, including 35 children, were pulled out alive from under the rubble of destroyed homes in the Lebanese border town of Houla.

The Israeli army said one soldier was killed and four others were slightly wounded in fighting in the town of Bint Jbeil. The soldiers killed five Hizbullah gunmen in the battle, it said. Al-Jazeera TV said two Israeli soldiers were killed in the fighting. Another three soldiers were wounded in Houla, it said.

Ministers called for a meeting of Israel's Security Cabinet later Monday to discuss whether to broaden the nearly four-week-old offensive.

One minister said the Israeli army needed to send all available ground forces into Lebanon immediately to push Hizbullah and its rocket launchers out of the area south of the Litani River, about 28 km from the border.

The Israeli army imposed a curfew south of the river and ordered residents not to go outdoors after 10:00 pm.

"Until a new order is issued, no resident of the region south of the Litani should go outside," a military source said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that "no limits" have been imposed on the army in its nearly four-week offensive in Lebanon.

"The majority of the country supports the operation and is ready to support the price," he said. "I give you all the means that you need and all of my support. We will not stop.

"We must put a stop to the rockets. It is not acceptable that a million residents live in shelters."

Saniora and the Arab foreign ministers pressed for changes in the Franco-American U.N. draft resolution. He has proposed a speeded-up deployment of Lebanese troops with the support of U.N. forces in order to ensure that thousands of Israeli soldiers leave the south with any cease-fire.

In a related development, the Lebanese army recalled reserve troops who have been released from service less than 5 years ago for a possible deployment in the south.

The Arab foreign ministers warned of "the consequences of adopting resolutions that are not applicable and complicate the situation on the ground and do not take Lebanon's interest and stability into account." Lebanon and the Arabs see the draft resolution as heavily tilted toward Israel.

Washington and Paris were expected to circulate a new draft of the first resolution at the U.N. on Monday, taking into account some of the amendments proposed by Qatar, the only Arab nation on the Security Council, and other members, diplomats said.

The U.N. plan would call for an immediate halt in the fighting, followed by a second resolution in a week or two to authorize an international military force and creation of a buffer zone in the south. It also says the two Israeli soldiers whose capture July 12 by Hizbullah fighters triggered the war should be released unconditionally.

Bush said the goal was to find consensus quickly on a U.N. resolution calling for a cessation of violence.

"I understand that both parties aren't going to agree with all aspects of the resolution," Bush said. "But the intent of the resolutions is to strengthen the Lebanese government so Israel has got a partner in peace."

In southern Lebanon, Hizbullah fighters battled Israeli forces trying to push deeper into the area, engaging Israeli infantrymen attempting to advance on the border villages of Aita al-Shaab, Rub Thalatheen and Dibel, Al Manar TV station said.

Some 10,000 Israeli soldiers are fighting several Hizbullah fighters in south Lebanon, trying to track and destroy rocket launchers and push the group out of the area.

In a new sign of the military capabilities of the group, the Israeli army announced it had downed a Hizbullah drone.

"Today we downed a Hizbullah drone," an army spokesman said, adding that it was shot over the sea.

Israel's private Channel 10 television had reported that it was shot down in northern Israel.(AP-AFP-Naharnet)(AP photo shows Lebanese civil defense rescuers carrying the body of a victim who was found under the rubble of a collapsed building in the town of Ghaziyeh)

Beirut, 07 Aug 06, 19:58


Your Comments


You Make the News

Cast Your Comments on this Article
View & Recommend Readers' Comments

Other Headlines

Khalife: Ethiopian Plane 'Exploded' after Take-off, 5 More Victims Identified

Separate St. Maroun Celebrations in Beirut and Brad, Sfeir Says Maronite Church Keen on Coexistence

Spanish King Inspects U.N. Troops in South Lebanon

Jumblat Expresses Regret at 'Offensive Words' against Syrian People, Leadership

Hariri Convinced with Syrian Clarifications on Assad's Remarks

Struger: The Situation is Calm, All Sides Cooperating with UNIFIL

Murr Kicks of Talks with U.S. Officials

Army Arrests Majzoub's Uncle

Suleiman to Spain's King: Lebanon, UNIFIL Facing Dangerous Israeli Threats

Saudi Government Urges International Response to Israeli Threats Against Lebanon, Syria

U.S. Congressman Involved in Deployment of U.S. Marines in Beirut Dies

Phalange Party: Assad's Remarks 'a Second Message' after Abu Moussa's

Jumblat: Leave the Issue of Feb. 14 Rally Participation to Last Minute

Sfeir in Lent Message: Maronite Presence is Based on Covenant, We Ask for No One's Guarantees

Quarrel at Manara Fishermen Port: Mashnouq Denies Being Beaten, Aridi Declines to Comment

Recovered Black Box Could Tell Story of Ethiopian Plane Crash

Assad to Berri: Syria will Support Lebanon if Israel Attacks

Black Box Retrieved 14 Days after Ethiopian Plane Crash

Filipina House Worker Murders Employer's Sister with Kitchen Knife

Rifi in Damascus as March 14 Adapts to New Phase

Assad to Berri: We Support Lebanon and Its Stability

Aoun: Lebanese Refugees in Israel is a Pressing Issue, Not All of Them are Spies

Survey: Mixed View of Hizbullah in Muslim Countries

Western Diplomat Rules Out Israeli War on Lebanon

Mustaqbal Doubts Authenticity of Remarks Attributed to Assad, Hariri Calls Assad

Aridi: Black Boxes Located under the Ethiopian Plane's Tail

European Official: Lebanon is Safe from Israeli Attacks during Next 3 Months

Sfeir Sends Jumblat Message

Qassem Rules Out War but Says Hizbullah Should be Ready

Jumblat Concerned over New Israeli War, Describes Situation as Madness

Hizbullah Cadres on Alert

U.S. Concern over Alleged Arms Smuggling, Repetition of 2006 Scenario

Suleiman Consulting with Officials on Reviving National Dialogue

International Review of UNIFIL Structure Amid Denial to Downsize it

Gilad: Israel's Anti-Missile System to Remain on Lebanon's Front

Jumblat Snaps Back at Lieberman: We Are with Syrian People, Leadership Above All Else

Sfeir: Possibilities of War Exist as Long as Hizbullah Wants to Play State Role

Cassese: Hariri Case Highly Complex

Suleiman: Lebanese Democratic System Among the Best in the World

Interior Ministry, USAID Sign MOU on Technical Support for Municipal Elections

Wahab Accuses Arslan of Murder Attempt, Tells Him Gone is Era of Dinosaurs

Army, Lebanese Forces at Loggerheads Over Alleged Torture of Minor

Geagea: March 14 will Carry On until Cedar Revolution Goals are Achieved

Libya Expects Suleiman to Participate in Arab Summit Despite Shiite Ire

Moussa: Fragile Mideast Situation Could Reflect on Lebanon

Agreement to Stop News Leaks on Dar al-Fatwa

Assad: Civil War in Lebanon Could Start in Days unless They Change the Whole System

Names of Lebanese Passengers Released from Plane Crash


Other Categories

Editorials
SpecialReports
Middle East
The World
Interview
Away From Politics
Lebanon Business
World Business
Culture
Lebanon Sports
World Sports
Technology
Health
Fringe


Comments

Please wait while we load the comments

Click to Comment
Recommend Readers' Comments to Promote Their Views