Clue for the UN: A pictorial summary of what's really going on in Lebanon
Apparently, the strong suspicion (not without substantial reason) held by Israel and the West that Hizballah is engaged in a major increase and upgrade and of its weapons reserves in Southern Lebanon – paid for by Iran and smuggled through Syria – is what is causing the tension, according to UN leader Ban Ki Moon. Nothing to do with the rearming itself, you understand. Oh, those recalcitrant Jooz:
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned Friday that an increase in tensions between Lebanon and Israel could lead to a new conflict with potentially devastating consequences.
In a report to the UN Security Council, Ban accused both countries of violating the 2006 cease-fire resolution that ended the 34-day Second Lebanon War between Israel and Hizbullah.
The UN chief said Hizbullah continues to maintain “a substantial military capacity” in violation of UN resolutions and an arms embargo, and he again called for Hizbullah and other militias to be disarmed “through a Lebanese-led political process.”
Ban said Israel continues to violate the cease-fire by conducting daily overflights of Lebanon and refuses to withdraw from the disputed northern border village of Ghajar.
The secretary-general said that both sides have violated the UN-drawn Blue Line separating them.
Ban said Israeli accusations in April that neighboring Syria had provided Scud missiles to Hizbullah — an allegation later raised by US officials — “greatly increased tensions” between Israel, Lebanon and Syria. Lebanese and Syrian authorities categorically denied any missile transfers.
Hizbullah’s secretary-general would neither confirm nor deny that the militia had acquired such weapons and stated that the militia was prepared to respond to attacks from Israel, Ban said.
“Rhetoric escalated rapidly, creating a perception in the public that a resumption of conflict was imminent,” the secretary-general said.
For the moment, he said, tensions appear to have subsided, due mainly to messages from Syrian and Israeli officials that “a confrontation was not desired,” as well as diplomatic actions by Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, several Arab and European governments, the US and the UN.
Nonetheless, Ban said, the increase in tensions “raised the specter of a miscalculation by either party leading to a resumption of hostilities, with potentially devastating consequences for Lebanon and the region.”
The summer 2006 war, which left some 1,200 Lebanese and 160 Israelis dead, ended in a stalemate.
The secretary-general expressed concern at several attacks aimed at UNIFIL forces. UN diplomats said at least one troop contributing country has asked the Lebanese government to deploy more troops to the south.
Ban said both sides have a responsibility to address all outstanding issues “in order to reach a permanent cease-fire and a long-term solution” as called for in the 2006 resolution.
Even Mr. Ban knows that the UN is riddled with the malign twin evils of Islamism and anti-Israel bias.
The next-to-useless UNIFIL force standing between an itchy trigger fingered Hizballah and Israel – who will not start a conflict, but will not hesitate to hit back hard should Hizballah decide to attack – can only sit in the middle and do nothing.
And all the hapless Secretary General can do is imply that merely by discussing the 800 pound Gorilla on her border, Israel is stoking up a war.
Furthermore, his notion that somehow Lebanon can disarm Hizballlah ‘politically’ when Hizballah effectively runs Lebanon, is ridicuous – and only serves to underline UN impotence even further.
[Source: YNet News]
Posted by: Undhimmi.com
Two comments on Undhimmi:
Just as there are no mahoundian countries on this planet where mahounidians actually want to live, and mahoundianism is never mentioned as the reason why things are so in those open sewers; no, mahoundians will always tell you that it’s the Jews’ fault, not islam’s, that Cairo is the way it is, and not like Tokyo or NYC.
As far as Unifil, the stated mission was indeed to put an end to the conflict, but that was obviously not the real reason. The real reason was to put an end to Hizbullah being handed its own a*** and make sure that it lived to fight Israel another day. This is, however, a disaster of our own making; we do not need the UN, but it needs us. The sooner we realize that we are supporting an organization that tries to undermine our power and influence in support of every third world thugocracy on the planet and react accordingly, the better.