Speaking to the Knesset Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee Monday afternoon, Peretz was adamant that Israel would operate throughout Lebanon in order to end the Katyusha rocket attacks on Israel’s northern communities. He said that diplomatic initiatives are continuing, but made it clear that military operations would also move ahead.
“The IDF will operate anywhere in Lebanon and we will take over Katyusha launch sites in order to minimize the fire,” said Peretz. “We are at one of the critical junctions of the war and we are no longer referring to it as a military operation,” he said. “The most important decision before us is curbing the Katyusha fire.”
Peretz, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishai and Retiree Affairs Minister Rafi Eitan met on Monday with 30 reserve duty officers in the IDF’s Northern Command, receiving a briefing on the current fighting with Hizbullah.
The United Nations Security Council was expected to vote Tuesday on the draft resolution presented by the United States and France which calls for a ceasefire. However, the vote was delayed late Monday evening in deference to a request from France. It will not be held until at least Wednesday, possibly even later in the week, according to media sources.
The resolution leaves IDF troops in place until the Lebanese army, backed by a supplemented UNIFIL force, can take over to enforce the peace. In addition, it specifies that Israel must refrain from military “offensives” but also says that the Jewish State has the right to defend itself.
Despite Lebanese pleas for a ceasefire, Hizbullah chief terrorist Hassan Nasrallah, backed by Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, continues to refuse to end the fighting until IDF soldiers withdraw from Lebanese soil.
Israel accepted the resolution, albeit with little enthusiasm for the use of UNIFIL forces rather than a separate multi-national peacekeeping force.
“The IDF will operate anywhere in Lebanon and we will take over Katyusha launch sites in order to minimize the fire,” said Peretz. “We are at one of the critical junctions of the war and we are no longer referring to it as a military operation,” he said. “The most important decision before us is curbing the Katyusha fire.”
Peretz, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishai and Retiree Affairs Minister Rafi Eitan met on Monday with 30 reserve duty officers in the IDF’s Northern Command, receiving a briefing on the current fighting with Hizbullah.
The United Nations Security Council was expected to vote Tuesday on the draft resolution presented by the United States and France which calls for a ceasefire. However, the vote was delayed late Monday evening in deference to a request from France. It will not be held until at least Wednesday, possibly even later in the week, according to media sources.
The resolution leaves IDF troops in place until the Lebanese army, backed by a supplemented UNIFIL force, can take over to enforce the peace. In addition, it specifies that Israel must refrain from military “offensives” but also says that the Jewish State has the right to defend itself.
Despite Lebanese pleas for a ceasefire, Hizbullah chief terrorist Hassan Nasrallah, backed by Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, continues to refuse to end the fighting until IDF soldiers withdraw from Lebanese soil.
Israel accepted the resolution, albeit with little enthusiasm for the use of UNIFIL forces rather than a separate multi-national peacekeeping force.