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Hizballah in No Hurry to Leave South Lebanon

[Ha'aretz] Zvi Bar'el - The head of the Lebanese army, Gen. Michel Suleiman, insists that his forces not go south as long as the Israel Defense Forces are there, and as long as he has no orders regarding Hizballah and its materiel. Suleiman does not want to deal with demilitarization since he knows the Lebanese army might have to stand an impossible military and ethnic test in the face of Hizballah opposition. Hizballah, which is also a partner in the Lebanese government, claims there is nothing preventing the Lebanese army from deploying in the south, without reference to Hizballah's standing there. Hizballah also claims that over the past six years it has operated alongside UNIFIL, and now is willing only to limit its military activities, not dismantle its facilities. Thus, the scenario of demilitarization in the south envisioned by Resolution 1701 might receive a far-reaching interpretation by which the government agrees at the first stage to the twin presence of Hizballah and the Lebanese army until national consensus on demilitarization is achieved.
2006-08-16 01:00:00
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