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Israel Calls Peacekeepers to Arms
Israel will intensify the ground campaign in Lebanon and create a buffer zone of few kilometers, intending to stay there till international peacekeepers arrive. Apparently not willing to have peacekeepers nearby, Syria has called partial mobilization.
The basic idea of the plan that the Israeli cabinet passed Tuesday is accelerating and expanding the ground campaign in Lebanon. In an effort to protect Israel from shelling, the troops will create a buffer zone on the bordering territory of Lebanon. For this purpose, Israel will double the number of troops in the scene of the conflict, where three brigades are fighting now.
The depth of the buffer zone is yet unclear. The zone had extended up to the Litani River, i.e. 20km to 25km from the border, till 2000, when Israel pulled out of Lebanon. But Israel isn’t targeted at reaching the Litani this time, Reuters reported referring to an anonymous source with the cabinet. The troops will punch bordering territory of 6km to 7km and endeavor to drive Hezbollah to other bank of the river. Israel will stay in Lebanon till the world peacekeepers arrive.
But it won’t probably end the campaign. Another cause of concern is Syria and its response to what is happening in the region. Syria fired missiles at reconnaissance aircraft of Israel yesterday, a few newspapers of the Middle East reported. So far, Syria has been holding back from direct military clashes with Israel, but the rhetoric of President Bashar Asad is becoming more warlike.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Aug. 02, 2006
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