Prime Minister Fuad Siniora’s Plan

The Seven Steps of H.E. Prime Minister Fuad Siniora’s Plan
Affiché le: 02/08/2006 02:37:07 م



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.

Darkness everywhere

“All American policy in the Middle East is at stake,” he continued, “because their failure in Palestine, their failure in Iraq and now this failure in Lebanon will lead to a new Arab world where the so called radical Arabs will profit.
“This is the new Middle East. Not the new Middle East of Ms [US secretary of state Condoleezza] Rice. Darkness everywhere.” (Financial Times)

Lebanon

I commented on http://lebop.blogspot.com/ under the thread 'Lebanon a primer' in the following way.

`Thank you for your important summary of events. One wrong does not make a right is I believe a basic truism. THe death of innocents is a failure that we all should share in and not immaturely vent partisan anger.With its power Israel must once again take responsibility in recognising that deaths of the Lebanese are as important and worthy of our grief as individuals in Israel. Their deaths are not inevitable.All persons and nations of goodwill must recognise as a matter of urgency that problems need to be faced together. Once again we must learn in international affairs that we must reacqauint ourselves with trust. Importantly keep working at it when real events attempt to derail you.

Israel should have used Lebanese contacts/government structures and the UN to intervene in the issue of Hezbolah. Oppostion to Israel takes heart from Israel's habit of shooting from the hip which becomes the fuel of justification. Let us also face the fact that what is being played out here with the blood of innocents are the internal politics of Israel and Olmert's need to fill Sharon's shoes.Ironically the invasion and decimation of the infrastructure of Lebanon has again forced the reliance of Lebanon back onto Syria and factional groupings. Israel and its avowed enemies are acting seemingly in concert with each other.

None of these actions and the devastations of the aftermath will convince thinking peoples of this world that Israel has it in it to break the cycle of violence and show that it really does want to engage sewriously with all parties in resolving this regionall dipute which has gone on for too long. It seems clear that it may only be a change in the USA government that may give some hope in facing Israel up to some real truths which in the medium and longer terms are as much in their interests as others in the region.Let us all make a better world from our grieving and recognise the power we have too make it right.
Wed Aug 02, 02:28:13 PM PDT