Mideast Cease-Fire Fails Early Test

(CBS/AP)  The uneasy truce between Lebanon and Israel faced further erosion Sunday as leaders from both countries leveled threats and accusations a day after Israeli commandos raided Lebanon despite agreeing to a cease-fire agreement last week.

Lebanon's defense minister said he was certain Hezbollah would not break the cease-fire but warned rogue Palestinian groups of harsh measures and a traitor's fate if they incited Israeli retaliation by launching rockets into the Jewish state.

Also, Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, a Sunni Muslim, toured the devastated Hezbollah stronghold in Shiite south Beirut on Sunday and decried the destruction wrought by Israeli bombs as "crimes against humanity." Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a Shiite and Hezbollah backer, stood at the prime minister's side and said they spoke with one voice.

In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he would name a panel to investigate government and military conduct of the conflict, in the face of criticism that authorities prosecuted a messy war with an unclear outcome and waffled over key decisions.

A day after Israel conducted a pre-dawn commando raid deep into the Bekaa Valley, prompting U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to declare the Israelis in violation of the Security Council cease-fire resolution, there were no reports of fresh incidents and the truce held into a seventh day.

Residents in the mountains east of Beirut, however, reported continued Israeli overflights. And the Lebanese army issued a statement accusing Israel of not abiding by the cease-fire because of the airspace violations, which were a prelude the Bekaa Valley commando raid.

Defense Minister Elias Murr's strong warning to rogue rocket teams indicated concern that Syrian-backed Palestinian militants might try to restart the fighting by drawing retaliation from Israel. He insisted Hezbollah would hold its fire.

"We consider that when the resistance (Hezbollah) is committed not to fire rockets, then any rocket that is fired from the Lebanese territory would be considered collaboration with Israel to provide a pretext (for Israel) to strike," he said.

In other developments:

About 30 members of Palestinian Journalists' Union gathered in Gaza City to protest the kidnappings of Fox News correspondent Steve Centanni and cameraman Olaf Wiig. The two were seized Monday near the Palestinian security services headquarters in Gaza City.

Israeli troops on Sunday detained a senior Hamas legislator, pushing forward with a crackdown on the Islamic militant group, Palestinian officials and relatives of the man said. Troops surrounded the home of Mahmoud al-Ramahi, secretary-general of the parliament, in broad daylight and detained him, said his sister, Yaqeen. Al-Ramahi had evaded arrest since Israel began its crackdown on Hamas officials following the June 25 abduction of an Israeli soldier by Hamas-linked militants in the Gaza Strip.

Forty-nine French peacekeepers came ashore Saturday at southern Lebanese coastal town of Naqoura, about 2 miles north of the border with Israel. About 200 more were expected next week. The French troops were the first contingent of what was to become a 15,000-strong international force to police the truce with an equal number of Lebanese soldiers. France already leads the U.N. force, known as UNIFIL, and had 200 soldiers in the country before today's fresh arrivals.

Israeli soldiers returning from the war in Lebanon are complaining they were hindered by short supplies, a lack of information, poor training and untested equipment.

The Lebanese army has deployed more than 1,500 troops in three sectors that Israeli forces have left, and the U.N. force — which currently numbers 2,000 — has set up checkpoints and started patrolling the areas.

Olmert has put his plans for a unilateral pullout from much of the West Bank on hold for now, but has not abandoned the idea altogether, a top Olmert aide said Friday, confirming a newspaper report. The Haaretz daily said Olmert told Cabinet ministers this week that in light of the Israel-Hezbollah war, the pullout was no longer his top priority.

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[zeta22-2009]

This discussion has got into little less than complete hogwash. I%u2019ll be out.
But before leaving, I would like to just add an additional comment to what I previously said about this subject. And it is that now it has become clear why France, who has fought hard for a UN resolution together with the United States, offering since the very beginning to contribute with a substantial portion to the UN force and even to lead its operations, France, as I was saying, is now dragging its feet about the whole deal, and is even reluctant in committing many soldiers to such a UN force... Why? Because the UN resolution mandates that the international force is allowed ONLY to respond with force in self-defense, and NOT to make sure the terms of the UN resolution are actually implemented!!!... What a pitiful state of affairs... What a ridiculous disarray into which all the UN resolutions and actions (or lack of them!) have fallen...
Just remember what I said in my previous comment: No nation trusts the UN anymore to solve any problem. They either CANNOT or WILL NOT take any serious action to discipline a few rascals around the world... Look at Iran: They are doing whatever they please with their so called %u201Cpeaceful%u201D nuclear program and sticking their middle finger towards the UN resolutions!
What options does this leave to the World? Quite simply, nations who still can, need to take justice into their own hands. What a sad state of affairs!
And so goes our world...

[kilghardwolf]

i am 18 years old and i think that all the comments i have read on this one page make you all look like a bunch of children. You need to stop fighting like little girls and GET A LIFE!!!!

[ronniehm]

Instead of relying on what you heard, you should research these names:

Mohammad Amin al-Husayni

Rashid Ali al-Kaylani

Incidentally, I'm a devout atheist. Since you keep trying to impose a religion on my views, may as well clear that up.

[grazinggoat]

Remind you Mr RonnieHM, that the ones who killed and burnt 6 millions jews, were not arabs, not moslems. Those who killed the 25 000 000 to 50,000,000 (READ WITH ME FIFTY MILLION) humans in Europe in the second world war were not moslems. You know who they were, and still are. But they were not moslems. So please don't **** the whole world off with your hatred and intolerence toward whoever doesn't eat Kosher or doesn't stand in salute in front of the US flag/ Star of David.

By the way I'm not an Islamic expert, but I heard that Fundamental Islam is the naturel son of Fanatical Christianism and son of Fanatical Judaism. Seems that the Judaism is still closer to Isalm than Christianity. Some told me the five daily prayers in Islam and Judaism, the women in both religions who cover with scarves, the guys who get slicked when circumcised (Outch), the same Prophets and Kings, same books, no food but Halal or Kosher, no alcohol, no Pork... They say Islam is a softer version of Judaism. Is that true...? Because maybe they say Islam gave females the right of Ownership and the right to worship, whereas untill recently in the western hemisphere, they were still wondering if the female had a soul... the rest are details.

[grazinggoat]

(...Continued)
What has been forgotten in the successive revelations is the nature and the environment. It seems that GOD has kind of forgotten or did HE do it on purpose. HE forgot to tell about the natural selection as a way of improving the creation. Albert Einstein who said time is relative and for someone who is out of the time is eternal. Since GOD created the time, He who is Eternal, can SEE the future and present and the past at the same moment. So what we humans see as past-present and future are in fact the same moment for the Creator. He can see how one looks like when young, teen, adult, elderly and why not dead, and why not after death... the soul...

Where in the holy books is said that The Creator has not chosen the natural selection His way of making humans good and better, more beautiful, more intelligent, (some more stubborn!).
Peace on yall and on every creature on earth, amen

[reuben110-2009]

There is a lot of confusion about terrorism particularly in our country. As well as there being some very appropriate fears that the scum of the earth will try profusely to kill civillains, there are legitimate fears among the population of middle-eastern countries that in favt our troops will come and invade and kill their loved ones.

No one talks about the IRA, or ETA, no one talks about the Israeli who killed Palestinian workers with a mindless gun rampage after the pullout of Gaza. Perhaps we should use him as an example. Perhaps people ought to recognize that he felt powerless, weak, and insufficient as his Government did not protect his interests, and the interests of his nation. It isnt wrong for middle-eastern muslims to feel the same way, a lot of them ought to feel that way. Al Qaeda is the scum of the earth in my opinion there is no lower being then those who are members or supporters.

At the same time however to put Hizbollah into this category is nonsensical. Perhaps people ought to look at it from another perspective, if you were lebanese, and it was your loved ones and neighbours that were dieing, would you be moderate? would you back Israel? Not a chance and rightly so.

People must realise,that all of a sudden if you are elected, it doesnt mean that if you bomb schools and hospitals and deny aid that you have moral high ground.

But I will say something in favour of the Israelis, at least they rape less and don't run prisons like Abu-Ghuraib!

[ronniehm]

I'm comfortable knowing that civility is one of my stronger traits. No matter how many times you call me stupid and ignorant, I'll have no contempt for you.

[reuben110-2009]

if intellect isnt one of your stronger traits..at least you can console yourself that honesty is..i think i have said enough now..take care

[reuben110-2009]

no i have contempt for stupidity...shame that that is all you could come up with...a measly 2 lines. your almost as pathetic as your views, though i dont want to embarass you further, before you get the impression that i am mad...which i very truly am not..let me re-iterate..i feel sorry for you..

[ronniehm]

P.S. If by Islamophobe, you mean someone who's scared of Islam, then yes, I guess I'm one.