Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Israelis take key high ground


On Thursday, a man walks on the rubble of an apartment building destroyed in an Israeli attack late Wednesday, in the Hezbollah stronghold of the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon.
 (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Christopher Torchia Associated Press

IBL EL-SAQI, Lebanon – Israel grabbed strategic high ground in south Lebanon on Thursday but delayed a major push northward, as diplomats cited progress toward agreement on a U.N. cease-fire resolution that could soon go to a vote.

With Israeli troops moving closer to Beirut, diplomats said they were close to unlocking the stalemate over a U.N. effort toward a cease-fire. The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., John Bolton, said a vote was possible today.

The United States and France have been trying to bridge differences over a timetable for an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.

Early today, eight powerful explosions resounded across Beirut and local media reports said Israeli jets were pounding Hezbollah strongholds in the southern Dahieh suburb. The reports said a bridge was also hit in Akkar province, 60 miles north of Beirut. There was no immediate word of casualties.

Israeli ground troops took control of the mainly Christian town of Marjayoun before dawn Thursday and blasted throughout the day at strongly fortified Hezbollah positions in several directions.

An Israeli soldier was killed and two were wounded in fierce battles with Hezbollah guerrillas Thursday, a day after the Israeli military suffered its worst one-day military loss, with 15 soldiers killed. More than 800 people have died in the month-long conflict, including 715 in Lebanon.

By taking Marjayoun the Israeli army was closer to Beirut than at any time since the fighting began July 12 after a cross-border raid in which Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers and killed three.

Diplomatic efforts had stalled as the Lebanese called for Israeli troops to start pulling out once hostilities end and Beirut sends 15,000 troops of its own to the south, while Israel has insisted on staying in southern Lebanon until a robust international force is deployed, which could take weeks or months.

“We’ve closed some of the areas of disagreement with the French,” Bolton said.

Suggestions that a new resolution was in the works also emerged.

“A new proposal is being drafted, which has positive significance that may bring the war to an end,” Israeli member of parliament Otniel Schneller quoted Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as saying. “But if the draft is not accepted there is the Cabinet decision.”

The Israeli Security Cabinet authorized Olmert to expand the current offensive in Lebanon, but Israeli officials said they would hold off to give diplomacy more time to work.

“If we can achieve that by diplomatic means and are sure that there is an intention to implement that document, we shall definitely be in a position where the military operation has achieved diplomatic space and a new situation has been created here in the north,” Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz said.

But he warned Israel was ready to use “all of the tools” to cripple Hezbollah if efforts toward a cease-fire failed.