Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (Kadima) met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, and requested that he act to “intensify” UN efforts to prevent weapons smuggling to Hizbullah units in southern Lebanon. “UNIFIL must act much more intensively,” Olmert said. Reports by UNIFIL commanders have noted that local Hizbullah supporters have effectively prevented the force from efficiently performing its duties under UN Security Resolution 1701 , which ended the 2006 Lebanon War.



Olmert also thanked Moon for the efforts of the UN-appointed German mediator of the ransom deal, Gerhard Konrad. Konrad has passed on a report bearing suspect information-PM Olmert called the report "insufficient"- regarding the fate of captive IAF navigator Ron Arad, and is currently finalizing details for the ransom deal set to go through on Wednesday.