Shabbos War News …

Cease-fire Expected to Begin on Monday From AP and Jerusalem Post

Excerpts;

The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1701 Friday evening, calling for a cessation of hostilities between Hizbullah and Israel.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was expected recommend to the cabinet that it accept the UNSC resolution at its weekly meeting Sunday.

The agreement was expected to go into effect by Monday morning.

However, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Dan Gillerman told the UNSC that unless the means to enforce the resolution were to be defined, “We will be back [in the UNSC], if not in a week, then in a month or a year, facing an even greater tragedy.”

He warned that Hizbullah would be embolded by the United Nations’ lack of decisiveness and would undoubtedly be resupplied with even more deadly weapons.

The resolution authorizes the deployment of 15,000 UN peacekeepers in south Lebanon in support of Lebanese army forces, which are to move into the region and replace Hizbullah in parallel with a withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Israel is not required to withdraw until the deployment of UN and Lebanese forces begins.

It explicitly requires Hizbullah to be disarmed south of the Litani River, and imposes an arms embargo on the organization, to be enforced by the strengthened UNIFIL force.

It also calls for the “unconditional release” of the two IDF soldiers captured July 12, but does not make a direct demand for their freedom.

Click here for the Reuters rendering of Text on the UN Cease-fire Resolution on Conflict in Lebanon, here for; Analysis: Not So Bad in Theory and here for explanation regarding U.S. Assures Israel It Will Not Be Forced to Withdraw From Shaba.

Commentary;

The entire reason for including this is that it is newsworthy that an incompetent government has bumbled and buggled all of us into a dubious ceasefire situation open to wide-ranging interpretations depending on which side one is on and what chickens he has to fry. How ironic it is as to what the pullout from South Lebanon and the Expulsions of Jews from Gush Katif have wrought. The very thing that all who are level-headed and realistic have screamed, yelled and stood on our heads about has unfortunately (for lack of a better word), come to fruition. Are we all gifted? Are we seers? No, we’re not, nor was Rav Kahane, Zt’l. He and we saw this all clearly through-out the entire play-out, but no one listened. For it was better to kill, maim and imprison the messenger than to think and get your heads on straight. Yosef Q. Israeli, Yosef !. Head-in-the-Sand American Jew — YOU are now paying the price for your self-delusion and apathy. MB

Over 60 Rockets Strike North on Saturday

Excerpt;

“Rocket fire resumed on northern Israel cities, including Ma’alot, Acre, the Haifa periphery, Karmiel, Kiryat Shmona on Saturday. Some 60 rockets landed in Israel throughout the day.”

Helicopter Crashes in Southern Lebanon

Excerpt;

“An Israel Defense Forces helicopter crashed Saturday evening on Lebanese territory. IDF officials estimated that a missile fired by Hizbullah terrorists at the helicopter, apparently an anti-tank missile, caused it to crash. The chopper managed to drop the fighters, took off, and was then hit. There were reports of injuries.”

IDF Troops Advancing to Litani River

Excerpts;

“IDF operations in Lebanon continued to expand on Saturday. Israel reportedly landed the troops in enemy territory in the largest aerial mission since the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Troops advancing north and west toward the Litani River, 30 kilometers from Israel. Taking territory would take several days following which IDF would operate to remove terror infrastructure and to destroy rocket launchers.”

7 Soldiers Killed, 11 Seriously Wounded in South Lebanon

Excerpts;

“In clashes with Hizbullah operatives throughout southern Lebanon on Saturday. Two soldiers were killed and one more was seriously wounded when a tank reversed into the soldiers from Battalion 51 of the Golani Brigade.”

IDF Destroys Tunnel Found Between Gaza and Egypt

Excerpt;

“The tunnel was more than 150 meters (yards) long and opened into a chicken coop on the Gaza side, the army said. The IDF said it expects to find more tunnels as operations continue.”