Israel Matzav

Lebanese government and Hezbullah reach 'compromise' on weapons

Someone tell me that you didn't see this coming down the pike.

The 'Lebanese government' and Hezbullah have reached a 'compromise' regarding weapons held by Hezbullah south of the Litani River. It can best be decribed thusly: For those who are a little slow on the uptake, that means "hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil."

Hezbullah and the 'Lebanese government' have agreed that they will ignore the presence of Hezbullah weapons south of the Litani River so long as Hezbullah does not publicly display them. I kid you not. That's the 'compromise' that is currently being discussed by 'Lebanese Prime Minister' Crying Fouad Siniorita and Hezbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Operating paragraph 7 of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which was approved unanimously by the Lebanese cabinet, including its two Hezbullah members, calls for "security arrangements to prevent the resumption of hostilities, including the establishment between the Blue Line and the Litani river of an area free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons other than those of the government of Lebanon and of UNIFIL as authorized in paragraph 11, deployed in this area." You can bet that won't be enforced. Moreover, since Operating paragraph 12 requires a request from the 'Lebanese government' for "an international force to assist it to exercise its authority throughout the territory, authorizes UNIFIL to take all necessary action in areas of deployment of its forces and as it deems within its capabilities, to ensure that its area of operations is not utilized for hostile activities of any kind..." you can bet that no such request will be forthcoming.

So is this a violation of the cease fire? You bet it is. Is it a violation that allows Israel to take action? Not according to Kofi Annan.

Meanwhile, according to HaAretz, London-based al-Hayat al-Jadida is reporting this morning that while Hezbollah would need to keep the weapons it possesses south of the Litani River hidden, an agreement for areas north of the river would be "left to a long term solution."

It was a summer evening;
Old Kaspar’s work was done,
And he before his cottage door
Was sitting in the sun;
And by him sported on the green
His little grandchild Wilhelmine.

She saw her brother Peterkin
Roll something large and round,
Which he beside the rivulet
In playing there had found.
He came to ask what he had found,
That was so large, and smooth, and round.

Old Kaspar took it from the boy,
Who stood expectant by;
And then the old man shook his head,
And with a natural sigh,
“‘Tis some poor fellow’s skull,” said he,
“Who fell in the great victory.

“I find them in the garden,
For there’s many here about;
And often, when I go to plow,
The plowshare turns them out;
For many thousand men,” said he,
“Were slain in that great victory.”

“Now tell us what ‘twas all about,”
Young Peterkin, he cries;
And little Wilhelmine looks up
With wonder-waiting eyes;
“Now tell us all about the war,
And what they fought each other for.”

“It was the English,” Kaspar cried,
“Who put the French to rout;
But what they fought each other for,
I could not well make out;
But everybody said,” quoth he,
“That ‘twas a famous victory.

“My father lived at Blenheim then,
Yon little stream hard by;
They burnt his dwelling to the ground,
And he was forced to fly;
So with his wife and child he fled,
Nor had he where to rest his head.

“With fire and sword the country round
Was wasted far and wide,
And many a childing mother then,
And new-born baby, died;
But things like that, you know, must be
At every famous victory.

“They say it was a shocking sight
After the field was won;
For many thousand bodies here
Lay rotting in the sun;
But things like that, you know, must be
After a famous victory.

“Great praise the Duke of Marlboro’ won,
And our good Prince Eugene.”
“Why, ‘twas a very wicked thing!”
Said little Wilhelmine.
“Nay, nay, my little girl,” quoth he;
“It was a famous victory.

“And everybody praised the Duke
Who this great fight did win.”
“But what good came of it at last?”
Quoth little Peterkin.
“Why, that I cannot tell,” said he;
“But ‘twas a famous victory.”

(The Battle of Blenheim by Robert Southey)

Yes, indeed. 'Twas a famous victory this week in Lebanon. Too bad 158 Israelis had to die to produce it. Maybe if we can change governments, the next time the results will be different.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:19 PM