MEPE

[HBendor]

Warning to supporters of int'l forces: UNIFIL commander: we don't stop weapons smuggled to Hizbulllah but Israel shouldn't fly over area to see situation itself

[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA:

Here's a great idea Why not rely on international forces to handles the
situation in the Gaza Strip and then withdraw to Kfar Sava and have
international forces make sure everything's under control in the West Bank.

Great idea?

Not.

Consider what is transpiring in Lebanon.

Please note:

1. This was a problem from the very first day, but the Olmert-Livni team was
so proud of the ostensibly fantastic booby prize known as UN Security
Council Resolution 1701 that they didn't follow up on it to avoid tarnishing
its image.

2. FM Livni's failure to follow through on the diplomatic field about
enforcement problems with 1701 provides important insight into the kind of
PM she would be.]


UNIFIL commander: Israel violating 1701
JPost.com Staff , THE JERUSALEM POST Aug. 15, 2008
www.jpost.com
/servlet/Satellite?cid=1218710369764&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Maj.-Gen.
Claudio Graziano on Thursday accused Israel of violating UN Security Council
Resolution 1701 that brought an end to the Second Lebanon War.

During a press conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York,
Graziano cited the IAF forays over Lebanon and the village of Ghajar, which
he called "a permanent violation of 1701" and "a permanent area under
occupation."

A further violation, according to Graziano, was Israel's failure to provide
maps of all the locations where it dropped cluster bombs during the 2006
war.

In contrast, he said that the UN enjoyed excellent cooperation with
Hizbullah and with the local Lebanese people.

"At this moment Hizbullah is one of parties that agrees with 1701," he
stressed.

Graziano asserted that apart from UN troops, Lebanese soldiers and hunters,
no one was armed south of the Litani River.

"We have seen hunters, we saw somebody moving with one weapon and he was
arrested, but we never met anybody [else] moving with weapons," he said.

He conceded that his soldiers were not trying to prevent weapons smuggling
from Syria as demanded by the UNSC because the Lebanese government had not
requested such action.

The UNIFIL commander emphasized that Israel had made numerous allegations
regarding weaponry that UNIFIL was investigating.


--------------------------------------------
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
Website: www.imra.org.il
_________________
JUDEA & SAMARIA are clear and unquestionably JEWISH!

MiddleEast Political Expressions

[HBendor]

[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA:

See no evil: "Asked what UNIFIL would do if it uncovered concrete evidence
of arms in Hizbullah's possession, Major General Graziano replied that,
while the mission had arrested some people in possession of handguns, it had
never seen any evidence of weapons moving south of the Litani River.
Hizbullah was one of the parties that had agreed to resolution 1701 (2006),
and it was in the group's political interest to support UNIFIL."

Note the the official press release does not include:

"He conceded that his soldiers were not trying to prevent weapons smuggling
from Syria as demanded by the UNSC because the Lebanese government had not
requested such action."
as reported in the 15 August edition of The Jerusalem Post
www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1218710369764&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull ]

14 August 2008
Press Conference
Department of Public Information . News and Media Division . New York
press conference by force commanders of United Nations missions
in lebanon, ethiopia/eritrea
www.un.org/News/briefings/docs//2008/080814_Peacekeeping.doc.htm


The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) had been not only
successful, but vital to ensuring stability in its area of operation, Major
General Claudio Graziano, the Force Commander, said at a Headquarters press
conference today.

Outlining the mission's accomplishments since its expansion by the Security
Council in resolution 1701 (2006), Major General Graziano said that UNIFIL,
working with the Lebanese Army, had maintained the ceasefire in southern
Lebanon and accomplished the largest part of its mandate under difficult
conditions, which required consensus on the part of the parties, which bore
the primary responsibility for implementing resolution 1701 (2006).

He stressed the need for the international community to support the Lebanese
Armed Forces as a key element in resolving the situation in southern
Lebanon, adding that they should be able to take over UNIFIL's
responsibility in the future. "We are a peacekeeping mission, a strong
peacekeeping mission; we are there to ensure stability and keep the window
of opportunity open for the political peace process."

Responding to several questions about the implications of the Lebanese
Government's new policy, by which resistance forces had the right to fight
against occupation, he said UNIFIL had a clear mandate, which related to the
area south of the Litani River and north of the Blue Line.

It was not up to the mission to interpret political comments.

What was important was that
the Government statement reiterated its support for resolution 1701 (2006),
which meant that the mission had to operate with the Lebanese Armed Forces
to create an area free of weapons of any kind, except for those belonging to
the Lebanese Armed Forces and UNIFIL. The mission intended to stick to its
mandate, and as long as the parties remained cooperative, the rules of
engagement were consistent with that mandate. In fact, the mission had
received several communications from the Lebanese Armed Forces and the
Israel Defense Forces, both of which had reiterated their satisfaction with
UNIFIL's work.

Asked about the failure to end Israeli violations, he said the mission had
not failed, emphasizing that the only possible way to implement resolution
1701 (2006) was through the support of the parties. Of course, the mission
had no instrument against violations other than protesting and formally
inviting Israel to stop.

In reply to a related question, he said almost monthly tripartite meetings
were the only forum for the negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, in
which UNIFIL also participated. At those meetings, both parties could
present and discuss violations, including Israeli overflights of Lebanese
airspace and allegations of illegal crossings by civilians.

On the Lebanese border village of Ghajar -- the last position occupied by
Israeli forces since its troops left southern Lebanon -- he said that
occupation was a "permanent violation of 1701", but he hoped to come back
soon with a very positive outcome in that regard.

Asked to comment on media reports claiming that UNIFIL had brokered a deal
under which it would handle rescue efforts in the event that an Israeli
plane was shot down over southern Lebanon, he said the mission had a clear
mandate, rules of engagement and an agreement with the Lebanese Armed
Forces.

Under those provisions, any persons detained by UNIFIL would be
handed over to the Lebanese Armed Forces, who, as the representative of the
legal Government, had the right to receive the detainees.

Responding to a question about arms smuggling, he said that in its area of
operation, UNIFIL was working closely with the Lebanese Armed Forces to
prevent smuggling by running numerous patrols every day.
While it was
difficult to ensure "100 per cent" that the area was impermeable, the
mission was in control of the situation. It investigated alleged violations
and reported suspicious activities.

Asked about the security of personnel, he said that, having been attacked
several times, UNIFIL took all threats very seriously, but was not deterred
by them. The mission was taking measures to ensure full protection of all
units, while also working closely with the Lebanese Army to prevent any
incidents. UNIFIL's relations with the local population were also very
positive.


[[[Goldwater Comment; wondering certainly about the term Local population ... and what is considered POSITIVE ... say; Hezbullah.....
Israel: UNIFIL is ignoring Hezbollah violations in south Lebanon ...-
28 May 2008 ... UNIFIL now instructs its soldiers not to take pictures of Hezbollah According to Foreign Ministry officials, Graziono is totally ignoring ...
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/987156.html

UNIFIL leaks to Hizbullah worry IDF
"This is a difficult scenario," one official in Jerusalem said. "On the one hand, we count on UNIFIL and the LAF and therefore need to update them. On the other hand, there is always a concern that the information we supply them with will fall into the wrong hands."
As a result, the IDF is constantly debating the "depth" of the information it is willing to share with UNIFIL and the LAF, out of fear that due to the Lebanese Armed Forces connection, it will find its way to Hizbullah. ]]]




To another question, he replied that the mission already had an office in
Beirut, and resolution 1701 (2006) required it to establish an office in Tel
Aviv as well. While some administrative issues remained to be cleared, it
was to be hoped that the office, once established, would become a very
useful tool. It was expected to be opened by the end of 2008.

Asked what UNIFIL would do if it uncovered concrete evidence of arms in
Hizbullah's possession,
Major General Graziano replied that, while the
mission had arrested some people in possession of handguns, it had never
seen any evidence of weapons moving south of the Litani River. Hizbullah
was one of the parties that had agreed to resolution 1701 (2006), and it was
in the group's political interest to support UNIFIL.

[Goldwater Comment: SEE NO EVIL ]


In response to several additional questions about arms smuggling, he
emphasized the big contribution of the Maritime Task Force in monitoring the
situation at sea, noting that the territory of southern Lebanon was "not
that huge". The mission covered it well through a mix of patrols,
checkpoints and observation points. It was also very important to
coordinate its efforts with the Lebanese Armed Forces.

Also present at the press conference was Brigadier Patrick Davidson-Houston,
Acting Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea
(UNMEE). He and Major General Graziano were among a group of Force
Commanders and senior officers visiting New York for talks at Headquarters.
Several of them have been holding press conferences throughout the week.

Brigadier Davidson-Houston said that following the Security Council's
termination of its mandate on 30 July, UNMEE was now in a phase of
"extremely rapid" drawdown and termination of activities. Its Jordanian
contingent had left on Monday, a small Kenyan contingent was scheduled to
leave tomorrow and most of the Indian contingent would leave around 21
August. The Uruguayan aviation contingent would leave at the beginning of
September, and the last uniformed member of UNMEE was expected to be out of
the region by the end of September.

Responding to several questions, he said the Mission's withdrawal clearly
meant that it would no longer have a foot on the ground in either Ethiopia
or Eritrea, and thus would no longer be able to report and monitor the
situation. No United Nations presence would be left in either country, and
all contingent-owned equipment was expected to be withdrawn from the area by
mid-September. The removal of United Nations-owned equipment would take a
little longer. Some of it was beyond economic use and would be disposed of
in-country. None of it had any military use whatsoever.

* *** *


--------------------------------------------
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
Website: www.imra.org.il
_________________
JUDEA & SAMARIA are clear and unquestionably JEWISH!

MiddleEast Political Expressions