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Lebanese soldiers on a truck move towards southern Lebanon, along with hundreds of cars, unseen, with displaced Lebanese. (AP)
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| By Associated Press August 16, 2006 |
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The United Nations says the 2,000 U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon can start overseeing the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the deployment of the Lebanese army very quickly -- if all parties agree.
But the U.N. hopes 3,500 well-equipped international troops can reinforce the U.N. contingent within 10 days to two weeks to help consolidate the fragile cessation of hostilities and create the conditions for Israeli forces to head home, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Hedi Annabi said Tuesday.
But those numbers are a far cry from the "up to 15,000" multinational troops that are written into UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and Kofi Annan told Israel's Channel Two that it might be "weeks or months" before those kinds of numbers can arrive.
Israel's military chief said Wednesday that Israeli soldiers would remain in southern Lebanon for months, if necessary, until replaced by a combined force of U.N. and Lebanese army soldiers, Israel Radio reported.
Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz spoke in response to an intelligence assessment that it could take months for the U.N.-Lebanese force to deploy, the radio station reported. On Tuesday, Halutz predicted Israel would withdraw its forces from Lebanon within seven- to 10 days.
The Israeli army withdrew part of its force from south Lebanon Tuesday, and a senior U.N. official said it is technically possible to complete the Israeli withdrawal and Lebanese deployment in a week or two.
Under a U.N. resolution adopted Friday, a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah militants who have controlled southern Lebanon took effect on Monday, after 34 days of brutal fighting and more than 900 deaths.
Resolution 1701 authorized up to 15,000 U.N. peacekeepers to help 15,000 Lebanese troops take control of south Lebanon. The aim is to create a buffer zone free of Hezbollah fighters between the Litani River, 18 miles north of Israel, and the frontier.
"We hope that there can be an initial deployment of up to 3,500 troops within 10 days to two weeks," Annabi said. "That would be ideal to help consolidate the cessation of hostilities and start the process of withdrawing and deployment of the Lebanese forces as foreseen in the resolution."
"But again, the initial steps can be taken even before the deployment if the political will is there," he said.
That is the question. It turns out that few countries are willing to fulfill their commitments, especially as long as Hezbollah refuses to disarm.
Despite the cease-fire, Hezbollah has warned that there is the potential for renewed fighting as long as Israeli forces remain in Lebanon.
Putting together a U.N. peacekeeping force usually takes at least three months. But U.N. military experts are trying to put a beefed-up force for Lebanon on the ground in just a few weeks.
The top priority at the moment is to get countries to pledge troops to an expanded force. The U.N. has not yet received any formal offers of troops, though France, Italy, Turkey, Malaysia and Indonesia have indicated they will make significant contributions, and a dozen other countries have also expressed a willingness to help.
Forty-five countries attended initial technical meetings for potential troop contributors and the U.N. is hoping that there will be announcements of troop commitments at a formal meeting on Thursday.
The senior U.N. official said there appear to be a number of reasons for the absence of any troop commitments.
France, which is expected to lead the force, has not yet made an announcement though it has sent a colonel to New York to discuss the shape and size of the expanded U.N. force, known as UNIFIL. France also sent a five-man military engineering team to Lebanon to evaluate the state of roads in the south and determine what Lebanese troops need to deploy there, the French Foreign Ministry said.
U.N. officials and diplomats said questions about the mandate for the force, and whether it would be required to disarm Hezbollah fighters were also holding up troop commitments.
"We will be very happy if France agrees to provide a significant contribution that will provide the backbone of the force," Annabi said.
At Thursday's meeting, potential troop contributors will be given drafts of the concept of operations and rules of engagement for the force. The rules include using "forceful means" against anyone trying to prevent the U.N. peacekeepers from doing their job, the senior U.N. official said.
The troop contributors will also receive a list of equipment that the U.N. force needs -- including boats to patrol the Lebanese coast, light helicopters for observation and larger transport helicopters, the official said.
U.N. peacekeeping officials will also tell the potential contributors that they need up to four battalions with a total of between 2,000 and 3,000 troops, combat engineers, and signals, transport, medical, demining and maritime units, the official said.
The U.N. officials and diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because the meetings and planning are private.
While the foreign ministers of France, Turkey, Pakistan and Malaysia were expected in Beirut on Wednesday, mostly likely to work out details of assembling the 15,000-strong U.N. force, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was heading to New York.
She is expected to meet Secretary-General Kofi Annan to discuss the importance to Israel of a speedy deployment of the U.N. force, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said.
Israel wants to ensure that a Hezbollah-free zone is created quickly in the south, and "to make sure that the international arms embargo on Hezbollah is implemented," he said.
The senior U.N. official said the cessation of hostilities must be consolidated first. Then, Israeli troops will hand over positions to U.N. peacekeepers who in turn will help the Lebanese army deploy.
A "rolling withdrawal" is expected to begin in Marjayoun, a key town in the northeast which Israel has already vacated, and continue to to southwest, the official said.
A "demilitarized zone" must then be established between the Litani River and the U.N.-drawn boundary with Israel, known as the Blue Line, the official said.
Once the Lebanese army controls the south and all Israeli troops have pulled out, the government will then need to implement a September 2004 resolution calling for the disarmament of all militias, including Hezbollah, the senior U.N. official said.
The Lebanese government is supposed to do the main job, with support from UNIFIL, but some countries including France have made clear they will not disarm Hezbollah fighters.
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