Israel Sets Conditions for Cease-Fire

Posted on July 17, 2006

Israel would agree to a cease-fire in its six-day-old offensive against Hezbollah if the Lebanese guerrillas withdraw from the border area with Israel and release two captured Israeli soldiers, a senior official said Monday.

The official, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the diplomacy, said Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had conveyed Israel’s position to Italy’s prime minister, who is trying to broker a cease-fire deal.

Israel had previously demanded the full dismantling of Hezbollah as a condition for ending hostilities.

We all want peace, but a ceasfire under these conditions, as unlikely as they are to be met, will not solve any of the problems going on over there. It most definitely will not bring peace in any lasting sense. It seems the world community has the philosphy that putting a problem on the shelf is the answer, but appeasment in any form only postpones the inevitable. The only way peace will ever come about is to cut out the root of evil that fuels the hatred of that region. How to do that is the difficult thing to answer, but completely dismantling Hezbollah would be a step in the right direction.

I am more apt to agree with this Op-Ed at the Jerusalem Post:

The problem, of course, is that Lebanon cannot be trusted to lift a finger against Hizbullah, which has ministers in its government, once Israel’s military pressure has been lifted. Accordingly, there is near-unanimity in Israel, including among our citizens who are bearing the brunt of the missile attacks, that Israel must itself take whatever time is necessary to destroy Hizbullah and obtain concrete international guarantees for Lebanon’s promises.

Israel should continue to state clearly that it will not end its operations nor be satisfied with anything less than permanently removing Hizbullah’s threat to Israel.

Israel blogger, The Whole Megillah says it should go even further.

The only explanation of why we are stalling is that we are negotiating a cease-fire behind the scenes. Any cease-fire at this point will just prolong the suffering on both sides. It’s time to put this war to an end once and for all, come what may.

AJ Strata is a little more merciful.
Atlass Shrugs has Bolton’s opinion.
Kim Priestap has encouraging news.
Greg Tinti has video of Olmert’s cease fire speech.
Captain Ed explains why the conditions will not be met.
Hot Air notices a lot of “Axis of Evil” talk.
Meanwhile, the rockets continue!

» Filed Under News, War On Terror

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One Response to “Israel Sets Conditions for Cease-Fire”

kerwin_brown on July 17th, 2006 6:08 pm

I like Hamas better than Fattah. Fattah would say one thing and then do another while Hamas does what it states. I am confident in Israel’s ability to defend itself as long God does not change sides.

Peace through strength seems to be the best answer with Muslims.