[Jerusalem Post] Yaakov Katz - The IDF on Sunday praised the appointment of Italian Gen. Claudio Graziano as the new head of the UNIFIL peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon. French Maj.-Gen. Alain Pellegrini, whom IDF officers said was pro-Hizbullah, steps down in mid-February after three years in the post. IDF sources said Graziano "takes his job seriously and we expect to see a continued crackdown on Hizbullah under his command." Graziano commanded NATO's Kabul Multinational Brigade and has extensive experience in combating insurgency and terrorism. Northern Command sources also praised UNIFIL's 2,500-strong Italian contingent, saying it was working to prevent Hizbullah from returning to its outposts on the border.
2007-01-15 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive