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America in the Middle East

US slows rush to ceasefire

Says premature truce would accomplish nothing


By Ryan Jones
July 19, 2006

Washington has been actively countering international calls for an immediate cessation of violence between Israel and Hizb'allah, explaining that a ceasefire that leaves the Lebanese terror group intact will only facilitate future bloodshed.

United Nations representatives arrived in the region this week, presenting both Lebanon and Israel with a plan for bringing the fighting to an end. According to Ha'aretz, the plan would see Israel halt its strikes on terrorist positions in Lebanon and Gaza in return for a cessation of Hizb'allah and Hamas rocket attacks and the return of three abducted Israeli soldiers.

Wary of international assurances that have rarely been fulfilled, the Israelis said they would only consider talking truce after the soldiers are returned unharmed and terrorist rocket fire stops. Additionally, Israel will consider no agreement that is not based on the immediate disarmament of Hizb'allah.

During a surprise visit to Haifa Tuesday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert appeared to reject outright UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's desire to insert a new international "peacekeeping" force in southern Lebanon.

"It's a good headline, but our experience shows that nothing stands behind it. Today, too, there is an international force in Lebanon and we see what they're doing."

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, meanwhile, made plans to visit the region early next week, but, according to Ynet, will not come with the intention of forcing the two sides into a ceasefire.

Instead, Rice will express solidarity with Israel and initiate contacts aimed at resolving the problems in Lebanon and resulted in the current crisis, diplomatic sources in Washington said.

Earlier in the day, Rice rejected the idea of a meaningless premature ceasefire:

"We all want a cessation of violence. We all want the protection of civilians. We have to make certain that anything that we do is going to be of lasting value."

White House spokesman Tony Snow reiterated President George W. Bush's position that Hizb'allah must not be remain capable of making war when all is said and done.

"A cease-fire that would leave the status quo ante intact is absolutely unacceptable. A cease-fire that would leave intact a terrorist infrastructure is unacceptable."

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