the ADMINISTRATOR
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(8/19/06 3:01) Reply
Israel Breaks Truce
BAALBEK, Lebanon, Aug 19, 2006 (AFP)
The fragile ceasefire in Lebanon was dealt a blow Saturday when Israeli commandos clashed with Hezbollah fighters after raiding a village, as French troops were set to arrive by sea to reinforce UN peacekeepers.
A Lebanese military official told AFP that Israeli helicopters, under the cover of mock raids by warplanes, landed two Hummer vehicles in the moutainous region of Afqa, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) east of Baalbek, a Hezbollah stronghold.
Commandos then drove eastward to the nearby village of Buday where they clashed with Hezbollah guerrillas, he said.
The incident marks the first major clash between the two sides since a fragile ceasefire took effect on Monday.
There were exchanges of fire earlier this week that left at least four Hezbollah fighters dead.
UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which governs the ceasefire, called for a "full cessation of hostilities based upon, in particular, the immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive operations." It also called for Israeli troops to withdraw from south Lebanon in tandem with deployment of Lebanese troops and a beefed-up UN peacekeeping force in the area.
Meanwhile, thousands of families displaced by the conflict continued to flock home to the south, as foreign aid groups voiced concern about getting emergency supplies to the most stricken regions through Israel's continuing blockade.
UN aid agencies said 400,000 people in Lebanon have returned to their home areas and another 107,000 refugees who fled to neighboring Syria have crossed back into Lebanon.
Despite urgent appeals from the European Union and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Israel says it will enforce the air and sea blockade it imposed on Lebanon at the start of the conflict until it has completed its pullout.
Planes and ships will be given clearance only on a case-by-case basis through the United Nations.
The Israeli offensive killed around 1,150 Lebanese, mostly civilians
Israel lost 160 people, mostly soldiers in fighting Hezbollah.-AFP
Edited by: XSha Tell at: 8/19/06 3:03
the ADMINISTRATOR
Posts: 1255
(11/9/06 13:49) Reply
Re: Israel Breaks Truce [Again and Again, and Again]
French troops almost fired at Israel jets
Thu Nov 9, 2006 12:54pm ET
PARIS (Reuters) - French peacekeeping troops in Lebanon recently came within two seconds of firing missiles at Israeli fighter jets that approached as if to attack them, French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said.
Speaking to the lower house of parliament on Wednesday night, she said it was the latest in a string of incidents in which Israeli warplanes had "adopted a hostile attitude" to French and German forces and added it was "not tolerable".
"A catastrophe was narrowly avoided by our troops," Alliot-Marie said, according to a transcript of her comments. A foreign ministry spokesman said the events occurred on October 31.
French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy summoned Israel's ambassador in Paris and told him Israel should ensure such incidents did not happen again, the foreign ministry said.
Israeli F-15s descended rapidly and then rose quickly as if they were dropping bombs or firing at the French ground forces, which are part of U.N. peacekeeping force UNIFIL, she said.
"In legitimate defense, our soldiers removed the covers from the missile battery and were two seconds away from firing at the planes that were threatening them," she said.
Israeli jets have often flown over Lebanon since a 34-day war with Hezbollah guerrillas ended on August 14.
The Lebanese government and the U.N. force say the Israeli flights violate a U.N. ceasefire resolution.
France has repeatedly called on Israel to stop the flights.
The Israeli air force was also involved last month in two encounters with German forces.
The first concerned two planes which a German paper said had fired twice as they flew over a German navy ship.
(Additional reporting by Louis Charbonneau in Berlin and Brian Rohan in Paris)
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