OMEN
08-15-2006, 11:33 AM
BEIRUT: A fragile truce took hold in Lebanon on Monday, prompting a wave of refugees to return to bomb-blasted villages in the south, as Hizbollah claimed victory in the month-long war and Israel vowed to hunt down its leaders.
Ground clashes, Israeli air strikes and Hizbollah rocket fire ceased after the 0500 GMT (5pm NZ time) deadline, but the Israeli army said its troops had shot five Hizbollah guerrillas, killing at least one, after the truce. The troops had felt threatened.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he was relieved that the cessation of hostilities "appears to be generally holding".
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told parliament Israel would pursue Hizbollah's leaders "everywhere and any time".
Hizbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said his fighters had achieved a "strategic and historic victory" over Israel and that it was the wrong time publicly to discuss disarming them.
US President George W. Bush said Hizbollah had suffered a defeat and accused Iran of meddling in Lebanon and Iraq.
"In both these countries Iran is backing armed groups in the hope of stopping democracy from taking hold," Bush said.
The truce prompted tens of thousands of Lebanese who had fled the fighting to head south, choking bomb-damaged roads with their cars in spite of a warning from Israel not to return to the area. Drivers honked their horns in celebration.
Ahmed Nassereddine arrived in the village of Shihabiyeh to find out that his building and petrol station had been destroyed by an Israeli air strike just 10 minutes before the truce.
"Thank God, we survived. Property can be replaced, souls can't," he said, holding back tears.
In northern Israel, soldiers returning from Lebanon were greeted with hugs and handshakes by their comrades. Streets became busier as residents emerged from homes and bomb shelters.
"I feel safer," said 12-year-old Johnny Wena, riding his bicycle through the streets of Metula.
Israel launched the war after Hizbollah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid on July 12.
Nasrallah said Hizbollah would immediately begin repairing homes damaged by Israeli strikes and would pay a year's rent and other costs to help the owners of about 15,000 destroyed houses.
Annan urged the sides to consolidate the halt to hostilities and move swiftly to convert it to a lasting ceasefire.
The White House said border security would need to be tightened in Lebanon to block weapons deliveries to Hizbollah from Iran and Syria – both of which deny arming the guerrillas.
The UN resolution calls for a ban on arms supplies to groups in Lebanon, but does not say how it should be enforced.
An Israeli military source said an air and sea blockade of Lebanon would remain until the arms embargo was implemented.
About 1110 people in Lebanon and 156 Israelis have been killed in the war. Israel says it killed about 530 Hizbollah fighters. Hizbollah has acknowledged only about 80 dead.
Thousands of Israeli troops remain in southern Lebanon. Israel has said they will not withdraw fully until an expanded UN peacekeeping force arrives alongside Lebanese troops.
The commander of an existing UN force in Lebanon, Major-General Alain Pellegrini, met senior Lebanese and Israeli army officials at the border to discuss implementing the UN resolution on ending fighting.
Olmert acknowledged "shortcomings" in the conduct of the war and told parliament he bore full responsibility.
Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz pledged a "wide and thorough" investigation of the war. Opinion polls show almost all Israelis supported it, but many criticise its handling.
Aid groups said they needed swift access to the south to help 100,000 people stranded south of the Litani River.
"There can no longer be any no-go areas in Lebanon," said David Shearer, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Lebanon.
Under the resolution adopted by the UN Security Council on Friday, Israeli forces must start to withdraw as UN peacekeepers and Lebanese soldiers deploy in the south.
Hizbollah has said it will co-operate with the Lebanese and UN troops, but has not promised to withdraw its fighters or disarm – even though it has accepted the UN resolution which says no unofficial armed group should be in the south.
Reuters
Ground clashes, Israeli air strikes and Hizbollah rocket fire ceased after the 0500 GMT (5pm NZ time) deadline, but the Israeli army said its troops had shot five Hizbollah guerrillas, killing at least one, after the truce. The troops had felt threatened.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he was relieved that the cessation of hostilities "appears to be generally holding".
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told parliament Israel would pursue Hizbollah's leaders "everywhere and any time".
Hizbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said his fighters had achieved a "strategic and historic victory" over Israel and that it was the wrong time publicly to discuss disarming them.
US President George W. Bush said Hizbollah had suffered a defeat and accused Iran of meddling in Lebanon and Iraq.
"In both these countries Iran is backing armed groups in the hope of stopping democracy from taking hold," Bush said.
The truce prompted tens of thousands of Lebanese who had fled the fighting to head south, choking bomb-damaged roads with their cars in spite of a warning from Israel not to return to the area. Drivers honked their horns in celebration.
Ahmed Nassereddine arrived in the village of Shihabiyeh to find out that his building and petrol station had been destroyed by an Israeli air strike just 10 minutes before the truce.
"Thank God, we survived. Property can be replaced, souls can't," he said, holding back tears.
In northern Israel, soldiers returning from Lebanon were greeted with hugs and handshakes by their comrades. Streets became busier as residents emerged from homes and bomb shelters.
"I feel safer," said 12-year-old Johnny Wena, riding his bicycle through the streets of Metula.
Israel launched the war after Hizbollah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid on July 12.
Nasrallah said Hizbollah would immediately begin repairing homes damaged by Israeli strikes and would pay a year's rent and other costs to help the owners of about 15,000 destroyed houses.
Annan urged the sides to consolidate the halt to hostilities and move swiftly to convert it to a lasting ceasefire.
The White House said border security would need to be tightened in Lebanon to block weapons deliveries to Hizbollah from Iran and Syria – both of which deny arming the guerrillas.
The UN resolution calls for a ban on arms supplies to groups in Lebanon, but does not say how it should be enforced.
An Israeli military source said an air and sea blockade of Lebanon would remain until the arms embargo was implemented.
About 1110 people in Lebanon and 156 Israelis have been killed in the war. Israel says it killed about 530 Hizbollah fighters. Hizbollah has acknowledged only about 80 dead.
Thousands of Israeli troops remain in southern Lebanon. Israel has said they will not withdraw fully until an expanded UN peacekeeping force arrives alongside Lebanese troops.
The commander of an existing UN force in Lebanon, Major-General Alain Pellegrini, met senior Lebanese and Israeli army officials at the border to discuss implementing the UN resolution on ending fighting.
Olmert acknowledged "shortcomings" in the conduct of the war and told parliament he bore full responsibility.
Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz pledged a "wide and thorough" investigation of the war. Opinion polls show almost all Israelis supported it, but many criticise its handling.
Aid groups said they needed swift access to the south to help 100,000 people stranded south of the Litani River.
"There can no longer be any no-go areas in Lebanon," said David Shearer, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Lebanon.
Under the resolution adopted by the UN Security Council on Friday, Israeli forces must start to withdraw as UN peacekeepers and Lebanese soldiers deploy in the south.
Hizbollah has said it will co-operate with the Lebanese and UN troops, but has not promised to withdraw its fighters or disarm – even though it has accepted the UN resolution which says no unofficial armed group should be in the south.
Reuters