Analysis / A road map for Lebanon studded with mines

[bemildred]

An interesting freudian slip in the headline ...

The diplomatic pressure on Israel, the first signs of which will become clear this coming week, is not detached from the feeling among Arab leaders - particularly Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah - that they must lead the international diplomatic effort.

The upshot is that this weekend Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abd Al-Aziz and Lebanese MP Sa'ad Hariri, son of former prime minister Rafik Hariri, drew up the outlines of a diplomatic agreement together with France's president and foreign minister, and on Sunday President George W. Bush can expect the Saudi foreign minister to tell him about the pressure and dissatisfaction in the Arab states regarding America's overly pro-Israeli position.

Two "road maps" are currently on the table. The American proposal calls for a significant drawdown of Hezbollah armories in southern Lebanon, prior to a cease-fire offer conditioned on a Lebanese commitment to deploy its army. This would be followed by the creation of an international mechanism to enforce the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559, which calls for disarming Hezbollah.

The Lebanese consider this proposal, which was coordinated with Israel, unrealistic. They want an immediate, unconditional cease-fire, followed by the implementation of Resolution 1559 subject to negotiations among the Lebanese factions and Israel's willingness to withdraw from Shaaba Farms. France currently supports this position.

Haaretz

[tocqueville]

1. two other Haaretz headlines go in that direction

Last update - 03:16 23/07/2006

Senior officials believe U.S. will give Israel a week to complete military offensive in Lebanon

By Aluf Benn, Shmuel Rosner and Shlomo Shamir, Haaretz Correspondents, and Agencies

On the eve of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to Jerusalem, senior officials believe Israel has an American nod to continue operations against Hezbollah at least until next Sunday.

Rice will first explore ways with Israel's leadership to end the crisis and begin to shape a new order in Lebanon. She will return next Sunday to try to implement a cease-fire.

From Jerusalem, Rice will go on to Rome to meet senior delegates from the UN and Arab states. They will discuss formulating a political arrangement and a plan to rehabilitate Lebanon. From Rome she will travel to an Asian conference in Malaysia, from where she will return to Israel.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/741445.html

Last update - 03:27 23/07/2006

ANALYSIS: U.S., public's fortitude to determine length of war

By Ze'ev Schiff, Haaretz Correspondent

Israel has decided to widen the offensive against Hezbollah. Now the IDF chiefs are talking about fighting that would go on for weeks and the need for more time for various ground operations. On the other hand this would provide Hezbollah with time to wage a war of attrition against Israel's civilian population, unless the IDF destroys the rocket deployment in southern Lebanon.

The PMO's office and IDF believe Israel has all the operational time it needs for military action. Officials who know the American administration do not agree. They believe Israel has no more than 10 to 14 days to make significant military achievements. This also applies to the Israeli public's fortitude.

The Pentagon is following the fighting in Lebanon closely. They believe the key is Israel's ability to strike at the rocket deployment that Hezbollah received from Iran. The Pentagon regards the rocket deployment as strategic for Iran. That is why Israel must destroy it. Washington's expectations are also reflected in the swift delivery of bombs and munitions from the United States to Israel.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/741447.html