The Conundrum, Part 9

Israel might not leave Lebanon just so quickly because the UNIFIL forces aren't doing anything to fulfill their obligations under UN SCR 1701. The Israelis and UN officials are busy negotiating, but thus far have come up with no agreement on what to do.

A source in the Northern Command said that the meeting, which took place Tuesday meeting at UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura - north of Rosh Hanikra - was a "failure" and that the IDF threatened to keep its soldiers inside Lebanon for as long as it took for UNIFIL to take its job seriously.

"We told UNIFIL that we plan to pull our troops out of Lebanon by Yom Kippur," a high-ranking officer said, referring to the Jewish festival this Sunday. "Although we haven't committed to a year."

The meeting went to pieces after the IDF demanded that UNIFIL adopt more combative rules of engagement. What particularly angered the IDF was an interview UNIFIL's commander Maj.-General Alain Pellegrini gave to The Jerusalem Post last week and in which he said the peacekeeping force would not actively engage Hizbullah guerrillas even if they were on their way or in the midst of an attack against Israel.

Having a bunch of soldiers standing around with their shiny blue helmets might look like peacekeeping in operation, but unless they're disarming Hizbullah, all these troops do is delay the inevitable next round, and Hizbullah is using this time to regroup and rearm, especially considering that the rules of engagement do not permit UNIFIL soldiers to engage and disarm Hizbullah convoys that have been identified as containing arms shipments.

The UN thinks that Gaza has turned into a prison. Well, that's what the Palestinians have made of it - though I'd consider calling it an insane asylum, where the inmates are running wild with guns, ammo, and lots of explosives. Instead of focusing on improving the economy, building schools, health facilities, and focusing on a future, Hamas and Fatah are racing to outdo each other and curry favor among the terror thugs that rampage through Gaza. Hamas refuses to recognize Israel, and therefore fails to meet its obligations to receive foreign aid, and yet this is Israel's fault. Israel has sealed off Gaza because it continues to pose a threat to Israel's citizens.

Anyone think that the Palestinians are committed to a peace deal? Think again. 63% think that Hizbullah's tactics should be emulated. Hizbullah's core tenet is the annihilation of Israel by all means necessary. Thus far this month, Israeli forces have thwarted 10 terror attacks. Yet, the rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel continue.

Yet another smuggling tunnel was destroyed between Egypt and Gaza, this time by the Egyptians.

The UN also notes that there could be 1 million unexploded cluster munitions in South Lebanon hindering recovery efforts. No word on Hizbullah's presence hindering efforts, even though Hizbullah's presence was the source of the violence in the first place.

And count on the media outlets breathlessly reporting that Hamas will accept prior deals between Israel and the Palestinians, but not the fact that Hamas refuses to recognize Israel's existence. What kind of recognition is that? It's one that will get pressure on Israel to adhere to the deals, while absolving Hamas of doing anything since they don't recognize Israel, or its right to exist.

Technorati: terrorism, fatah, Gilad, Shalit, Olmert, Eliyahu, Asheri, Ashri, Abbas, Regev, Goldwasser, PRC, Hamas, Gaza, palestinian, Israel, hizbullah, hezbullah, hezbollah, lebanon, syria.