Zaman Daily : Lebanon and Hezbollah Reject UN Resolution

Lebanon and Hezbollah Reject UN Resolution

by Foreign News Desk | zaman.com | August 7, 2006

While Lebanon rejects a draft UN Security Council resolution, which aims at ending the Israeli attacks, it demands a resolution bound to the seven-point plan presented by Prime Minister Fuad Siniora.

Siniora announced the draft does not include an immediate cease-fire to end the crisis or demand that Israel withdraw from the Lebanese territories it has occupied since July 12.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah leaders have sworn to continue their fight as long as Israeli soldiers remain on Lebanese soil.

Siniora telephoned US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to express his discontent over the current wording of the resolution and asked for the inclusion of an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, including the Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shouba Hills.

“The Lebanese government won’t be able to prevent Hezbollah from using force if a part of Lebanon is reoccupied by Israel,” said Siniora in the late night telephone conversation.

Siniora also spoke with German Der Spiegel Magazine and said they want a permanent resolution as Lebanon has lost many civilians and been damaged economically for the past 30 years.

"Lebanon, and all of Lebanon, rejects any resolution that is outside these seven points," said Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri drawing attention to the draft resolution, which demands a “full cessation of hostilities” between Hezbollah and Israel, and makes no call for an immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon.

Lebanon called Arab ministers that are to convene for a meeting in Beirut today to reject a draft UN Security Council resolution.

Lebanon’s Acting Foreign Minister Tarek Mitri presented the UN Security Council members an amended text, which included Beirut’s demands.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met Sunday with Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Amr Moussa and agreed that the UN resolution should ask for an immediate cease-fire.

The seven-point plan, presented by Prime Minister Fuad Siniora in the Roma conference on July 26, demands an immediate cease-fire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, the return of displaced Lebanese people to their homes and all the necessary assistance from UN member countries to Lebanon.

The draft that UN officials have been working on since Saturday will be presented to the UN Security Council. Russia and China agreed that the new UN resolution for the ongoing Israel-Lebanon conflict prepared by France and the United States would have to be accepted by Israel and Lebanon to achieve any success.