Israel halts air attacks in south Lebanon
(AP)
Updated: 2006-07-31 16:16
Israel suspended air attacks on south Lebanon for 48 hours starting early
Monday in the face of widespread outrage over an airstrike on a house that
killed 56 Lebanese, almost all of them women and children.
The announcement - made by a State Department spokesman with US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Jerusalem - appeared to reflect
American pressure on Israel to make some concession after the strike.
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An Israeli soldier
takes a position in the grass as a unit moves along the border with
Lebanon in northern Israel Sunday, July 30, 2006. Israel's ambassador to
the United States said Sunday that the fate of the disputed Chebaa Farms
territory will not be part of any deal to end the 19 days of fighting
between Israel and the Hezbollah guerrillas in south Lebanon, however
Israel did not rule out withdrawing from the area.
[AP]
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In addition to suspending air attacks, Israel will also allow the opening of
corridors for Lebanese civilians who want to leave south Lebanon for the north
and would maintain land, sea and air corridors for humanitarian assistance,
officials said.
Israeli officials confirmed Prime Minister Ehud Olmert agreed to an immediate
48-hour halt in the airstrikes beginning at 2 a.m. Monday while the military
concludes its inquiry into the attack on the south Lebanese village of Qana. The
officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to
talk to reporters.
Israeli warplanes struck suspected guerrilla positions in eastern Lebanon
near the border with
Syria just before the suspension took effect,
security officials said. It was not known what was hit in the area, where
radical Syrian-backed Palestinian factions have bases.
The officials left open the possibility that Israel might hit targets to stop
imminent attacks, and that the suspension could last less than 48 hours if the
military completes its inquiry before then.
Lebanon said the Israeli suspension was inadequate.
"There is no cease-fire and there is no cessation of hostilities," Lebanese
special envoy Nouhad Mahoud told reporters at the United Nations late Sunday.
"We are looking for something much more than that."
Hezbollah did not announce any reciprocal gestures and there were no reports
of rocket attacks on Israel overnight.
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