UN commander suggests use of force to stop Israeli air violations in Leban

[tocqueville]

1 hour, 37 minutes ago

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The rules of engagement of the UN force in Lebanon might have to be changed to allow the use of force in the future to stop continuing Israeli air violations of Lebanese air space, the French commander of the force suggested.

General Alain Pellegrini, commander of the UNIFIL force in Lebanon, told a press briefing here that currently the UN was relying on diplomacy to try to end the violations.

"If the diplomatic means should not be enough, maybe it could be considered other ways," he added, referring to the possible use of anti-aircraft missiles equipping French forces in Lebanon.

But Pellegrini made it clear that such a move would require "new rules of engagement drafted and decided here (at UN headquarters)."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061019/wl_mideast_afp/mideastconflictlebanon

[bemildred]

1. So far nothing but long-range mouth-fighting on this subject.

It has come up several times now, but you don't have the feeling anybody is listening.

[Tom Joad]

2. Decades and decades of violations, and nothing more than words.

[tocqueville]

3. yep, but it's better than nothing

France cannot unilaterally break the UN convention. They did it together with the UK in Bosnia after the shelling of the Sarajevo market by taking out the Serbians positions, but that was in the middle of a conflict. They of course got hell from some for that.

Criticizing Israel is still very sensitive, specially in a conflict against the Hezbollah. Shooting down an Israeli plane would rise an outrage specially in the US and France would be accused of "siding with the terrorists".

But it's new that the criticism can reach such a level at all. The idea is to put a pressure on Israel to restrain it's flights and defuse the situation. Otherwise the risk is that Lebanon goes and purchases modern anti aircraft defenses AND USES THEM with a big risk of restarting the conflict.

IMO the UNIFIL won't react militarily unless Israel conducts a new - even limited - strike.

[pelsar]

4. no overfights....

in jordan...no overflights in egypt.....wonder why?....hmmm maybe because they do what they can to stop people from shooting at israelis and maybe because they dont threaten israel

works for them, maybe lebanon should try it...stop letting hizballa rearm...just an idea that would work, but it does mean that they have to forfill the agreement

[tocqueville]

5. there is smuggling from those countries too

specially Egypt through the Gaza strip but due the occupation and sealed border it's more difficult and on little scale.

"The extent of the smuggling of arms and explosives from Egypt into the Gaza Strip is worse than originally estimated, IDF sources said Thursday. According to the same sources, dozens of tunnels have been used for uninterrupted smuggling activities during the past year.

According to Southern Command assessments, at least 13 tunnels have been discovered in Gaza, along with a number of shafts for uncompleted tunnels. Many of the tunnels were found close to the fence separating the Gaza Strip from the western Negev, apparently so they could be used in a raid and some of them originated inside homes close to the border with Egypt. At least six tunnels have been destroyed in controlled demolitions by IDF sappers"

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/777252.html

The difference is that those two countries are US allies and messing with them is more difficult. Besides Egypt and even Jordan have the means to retaliate overflights.

Your argument is completely hollow. The overflights are a violation of national sovereignty. But they occur mainly because the Lebanese Army and specially it's air force were (are) practically a non-existent force.

And regarding the Hizbollah's rearming, it's very quiet on that front. The Israeli hits on the Hizbollah were mainly a failure. So they are cleaning up their bunkers and have probably already replenished their rocket arsenal since they used only up to a third during the war.

The overflights are a pure demonstration of force and a show of impunity. They fill a very little military purpose. Besides the IDF has access to all the satellite information it wants, which is far more accurate than overflights.