Monday, August 07, 2006

I had a hard time locating the 7 point plan presented by the Lebanese government for a ceasefire. But finally found it here.
It was presented I believe on July 26:

  1. An undertaking to release the Lebanese and Israeli prisoners and detainees through the ICRC.

  2. The withdrawal of the Israeli army behind the Blue Line, and the return of the displaced to their villages.

  3. A commitment from the Security Council to place the Shebaa Farms area and the Kfarshouba Hills under UN jurisdiction until border delineation and Lebanese sovereignty over them are fully settled. While in UN custody, the area will be accessible to Lebanese property owners there. Further, Israel surrenders all remaining landmine maps in South Lebanon to the UN.

  4. The Lebanese government extends its authority over its territory through its own legitimate armed forces, such that there will be no weapons or authority other than that of the Lebanese state as stipulated in the Taef national reconciliation document.

  5. The UN international force, operating in South Lebanon, is supplemented and enhanced in numbers, equipment, mandate and scope of operation, as needed, in order to undertake urgent humanitarian and relief work and guarantee stability and security in the south so that those who fled their homes can return.

  6. The UN, in cooperation with the relevant parties, undertakes the necessary measures to once again put into effect the Armistice Agreement signed by Lebanon and Israel in 1949, and to insure adherence to the provisions of that agreement, as well as to explore possible amendments to or development of said provisions, as necessary.

  7. The international community commits to support Lebanon on all levels, and to assist it in facing the tremendous burden resulting from the human, social and economic tragedy which has afflicted the country, especially in the areas of relief, reconstruction and rebuilding of the national economy.



Compare and contrast to the US/French plan

A few naive questions:

  1. Why this plan did not get much reporting in the press?

  2. Why Siniora's speech contained in the above link was under reported?

  3. Since BushBlair are all for promoting democracy in the Middle East, why this plan was not used as the basis of the UN proposal?

  4. Why the UN proposal is asymmetric in who can continue violence?

  5. Why the UN proposal allows continuation of Israeli occupation?

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