United Nations Updates

As things heat up in the United Nations, we will bring you the latest updates on what's happening with the proposed cease-fire (until Shabbat, that is):

6:13 PM: Hezbollah has announced that they will veto any Chapter 7 Resolution put forth in the UN. They have also threatened to collapse the government if the UN goes ahead with any Chapter 7 mandates. A Chapter 7 mandate means that any UN force deployed in southern Lebanon will be able to use force. Until now, the UNIFIL forces in southern Lebanon have had a Chapter 6 mandate, which means that they have no power to use force and are simply a peace-keeping force. That is what Lebanon and Hezbollah wants to continue. In that case, there is already a Resolution in place; 1559. It is also considered a wide failure. However, it is rumoured that America might capitulate to Hezbollah's demands under the threat of the collapse of Lebanon's quasi-democracy. This would mean a victory for Hezbollah and terrorism everywhere.

Hezbollah has also threatened that if any force besides UNIFIL are placed in southern Lebanon, they will be killed. This would be very easy to accomplish since the new draft of the Resolution does NOT call for the immediate disarmament of Hezbollah.

FM Tzippy Livni's delegation are extremely upset that PM Olmert did NOT allow them to go to New York to assist in cease-fire negotiations. Livni was supposed to leave for New York last night, but, at the last minute, was told to stay. One of her delegates were quoted as saying, "We weren't going there to go shopping".

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