Israel agrees to ceasefire
13/08/2006 14:06  - (SA)  

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War claims 1st female soldier 'US, Israel planned ME war' 24 Israelis killed in Lebanon UN sets ceasefire date UN calls for Lebanon ceasefire UN struggles over ceasefire text War 'will strengthen Hezbollah' Hezbollah wants immediate truce

Jerusalem - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's cabinet on Sunday approved a United Nations security council resolution calling for a cessation of hostilities with Hezbollah in Lebanon, a political source said.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan had said the prime ministers of Israel and Lebanon agreed the fighting would end on Monday at 08:00 (05:00 GMT).

Olmert had urged the cabinet to accept the UN resolution.

All but one of the cabinet voted for the resolution that was approved by the security council on Friday to end a month-old war that has killed over 1 060 people in Lebanon and 140 Israelis. Shaul Mofaz, the former defence minister, abstained.

The resolution envisages a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon when violence subsides and deployment of 15 000 Lebanese troops and 15 000 UN peacekeepers.

Hostilities began on July 12 when Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers and killed eight in a cross-border raid, then unleashed rocket fire at northern Israel after Israel launched an aerial offensive in Lebanon.

Despite the resolution, Israel has expanded its offensive in south Lebanon, tripling its forces there on Saturday in a bid to wipe out Hezbollah rocket launch sites before the ceasefire takes effect.

Nearly 30 000 troops were operating against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon on Sunday.

- Reuters

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