Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel would not accept the presence of peacekeepers in Lebanon from countries that don't have diplomatic relations with the state, officials said on Sunday.

The decision complicated efforts by the United Nations to form a 15,000-strong peacekeeping force to help enforce a truce that ended 34 days of fighting between Israel and Hizbullah.

The decision was made at a meeting of Olmert's inner Security Cabinet, meeting participants said.

"We will not agree that countries which do not have relations with Israel will participate in the multinational force," Olmert was quoted as saying ....

[Read on. H/T: Dan Riehl]

*** Update and bump. Original timestamp 206.08.20.15:58

Israel Rejects Peacekeepers Who Reject Israel

Israel has formally rejected the UN's plan to comprise its bolstered UNIFIL force with nations who do not recognize Israel. Ehud Olmert has warned Lebanon and the UN that it will not abide by 1701 if the UN stations hostile troops on its northern border:

ISRAEL said last night that it would veto the presence in Lebanon of peace-keeping forces from nations with which it does not have diplomatic links.

Ehud Olmert, the Prime Minister, ruled out countries that do not recognise Israel, complicating the already difficult task of assembling 15,000 troops to oversee the United Nations’ ceasefire resolution and bolster Lebanese forces.

Malaysia, Indonesia and Bangladesh — Muslim states that do not have diplomatic links to Israel — are among the few countries that have offered troops for the stabilisation force that is expected to be led by European troops.

[Read on.]

Contributed by Bill Faith on August 21, 2006 at 09:43 AM in Bill Faith, DisUnited Nations, Hezbollah, Islamism Delenda Est, Israel, Lebanon, UNuseful | Permalink

Comments

Posted by: Scarlett

This brings new meaning to;
"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer"

Read this somewhere, can not recall where...

If Hezbolla, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad put down their weapons, there would be peace.

If Israel put down their weapons, there would be genocide.

Posted by: Scarlett | Aug 21, 2006 9:55:10 PM