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Blockade remains in place
14/08/2006 07:33 - (SA)
Jerusalem - The Israeli army will continue to enforce an air and sea blockade on Lebanon despite a ceasefire that took effect on Monday morning, a military official said.
The embargo will remain in place until there is a system in place to oversee and prevent arms from reaching Hezbollah fighters, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to be quoted by the media.
Intense fighting
Intense fighting continued right up to the UN-brokered ceasefire to end the month-old conflict in Lebanon came into force on Monday morning.
Israel launched an 11th-hour wave of air strikes on Lebanon and Hezbollah fighters unleashed a barrage of rockets just hours before the agreed "cessation of hostilities" took effect at 05:00 GMT (07:00 SA time).
Israeli forces shelled areas around Tyre and Khiam in the war-battered south of the country, while combat jets flew over Beirut, dropping warning leaflets, and bombarded the ancient eastern city of Baalbek.
At least 38 Lebanese civilians and four soldiers were killed by Israeli fire on Sunday as fighter jets kept up their deadly bombing in Beirut and across the country. Five Israeli soldiers were also killed in action.
Leaflets dropped over Beirut
Just before the ceasefire took hold, Israeli warplanes also dropped leaflets over Beirut blaming Hezbollah and its Iranian and Syrian "masters" for the destruction in Lebanon.
"With its isolationist, reckless and false policy, Hezbollah has brought you many achievements: destruction, displacement and death," said one leaflet.
"Can you pay this price a second time? Know that the Israeli defence forces will return and work with the required force against any terrorist act that will be launched from Lebanon to harm the state of Israel."
UN resolution to end conflict
The timing for the cessation of hostilities was announced by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Saturday following the adoption of a UN security council resolution which calls for the deployment of an international peacekeeping force in south Lebanon.
Both the Israeli and Lebanese cabinets endorsed the resolution, while Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said his fighters would abide by any ceasefire - but would also continue to fight until the last Israeli soldier left Lebanon.
'This is the moment of truth'
On Sunday, a Lebanese cabinet meeting to discuss the thorny issue of Hezbollah's disarmament was postponed because the Shi'ite movement was standing by a refusal to give up its weapons, a cabinet minister said.
"This is the moment of truth and they do not want to give up their arms," the minister told AFP.
Hezbollah 'must be dismantled'
Israel has urged the world to apply the UN resolution firmly, warning that Hezbollah must be dismantled and the Lebanese army quickly deployed in the militia's stronghold in the south.
"The application of the resolution will depend on the will of the Lebanese government, but especially on the determination of the international community," foreign minister Tzipi Livni said.
"It is clear that Resolution 1701 foresees the dismantling of Hezbollah and not only the disarming" of the militant group, she said. "We want to see the Lebanese army deployed immediately in south Lebanon."
The agreement to halt fighting raised hopes of an end to the bloodshed which has claimed the lives of close to 1 150 people in Lebanon, most of them civilians, and 155 Israelis.
AP and AFP
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