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Israel to lift Lebanon blockade

A Lebanese soldier paints the cedar tree of the Lebanese flag on a checkpoint on the road in Kfar Kila, south Lebanon, near the border with Israel, on Wednesday. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Ravi Nessman Associated Press
A Lebanese soldier paints the cedar tree of the Lebanese flag on a checkpoint on the road in Kfar Kila, south Lebanon, near the border with Israel, on Wednesday. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

JERUSALEM – Israel said it would lift its stifling air and sea blockade of Lebanon today, marking a crucial breakthrough in international efforts to rebuild from the war between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas.

The move, announced Wednesday by the prime minister’s office, will be the first major test for the U.N. force charged with keeping the peace and preventing arms shipments from reaching Hezbollah.

It was also a victory for U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who has repeatedly demanded that Israel end the blockade, and showed some disagreements can be resolved with U.N. mediation.

Israel is slowly pulling its troops out of southern Lebanon as international peacekeepers arrive. However, a deal on the thorniest issue – the return of two Israeli soldiers whose July 12 capture sparked the fighting – will be far more difficult to broker, since Israel has demanded their unconditional release but Hezbollah has insisted on a prisoner swap.

Israel imposed an air, land and sea blockade shortly after the war against Hezbollah began. Israel said it was vital to stopping the guerrilla group from resupplying itself with arms from its major patrons, Syria and Iran.

There are no estimates of losses from the blockade, but at one point it caused severe fuel shortages in Lebanon, leading to long lines at gas stations and forcing the electric company to ration power.

Israel had said it would not end the blockade until a beefed up U.N. force in southern Lebanon could prevent arms shipments to Hezbollah.

On Wednesday, a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s office said Annan and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told Olmert the international force was ready to monitor the airports and seaports, so Israel agreed to lift the blockade at 6 p.m. today.