The trek home along dusty roads and brush in southern Lebanon began a short while after midnight. Around the same time, other Israeli forces began reducing their presence and taking up positions overlooking villages used by Hizbullah.
One unit brought with it, on a stretcher, the body of the only female IDF casualty in Lebanon - 26-year-old Keren Tendler of Rehovot, a flight mechanic who was one of five soldiers killed when Hizbullah downed an Israel Air Force helicopter on Saturday night. Her body was recovered only late last night, in an emotional mission, because of heavy fire rained on the area by Hizbullah.
The Lebanese Army says it will begin deploying its forces in the south of the country in the coming days. Israel fears, however - and this is confirmed by Lebanese officials' statements - that Hizbullah terrorists will try to both return to the villages as early as today, and to integrate into the Lebanese Army. It has been said in Beirut that because of Hizbullah leader Nasrallah's refusal to disarm - in violation of the ceasefire agreement - the Lebanese Army may not be able to deploy in the south. The two Hizbullah ministers in the Lebanese Government also said that the terrorist organization would not disarm.
The London-based Al Hayat newspaper reports that a "compromise" agreement being worked on in Lebanon would allow the terrorists to keep weapons - but only in a concealed manner.
Given Hizbullah's refusal to abide by the disarming clause, as well as "the previous poor performance of UNIFIL, it is difficult to envisage a situation in which international peacekeepers would act vigorously to force the disarmament of Hizbullah south of the Litani." This understatement sum-up was penned by commentator Dominic Moran for the Zurich-based ISN (International Relations and Security Network) Security Watch.
UNIFIL Can Only Beg
UNIFIL's helplessness was confirmed by its chief, Maj.-Gen. Alain Pellegrini of France, speaking on BBC last night. Asked what action UNIFIL takes if it sees a ceasefire violation, Pellegrini said, "I try first to make them stop - I call both parties... and I explain to them the situation and I beg them to cease their fire; I am not strong enough to enforce any cessation of confrontation in the field."
Pellegrini, a former French military attache in Beirut who headed the Middle East Division of French military intelligence, said it is "urgent" that the international forces come to support the Lebanese army and reinforce UNIFIL.
As of Tuesday, 118 Israeli soldiers and civilians remained in northern hospitals with wartime wounds. Of them 32 are in serious condition. In Rambam Hospital in Haifa alone, 26 are in serious condition. The hospital absorbed nearly 800 patients throughout the month of fighting.
IDF Northern District Commander Brig.-Gen. Alon Friedman estimates that the reserve soldiers who were called up at the beginning of the warfare will be released in the coming days.
Thousands of northern residents are beginning to stream home. They will be treated to free flights and bus rides home from today until Friday, at government expense. In addition, the Israel Construction Center is offering free expert advise in construction and finance to all those whose homes were damaged by Katyusha rockets.
One unit brought with it, on a stretcher, the body of the only female IDF casualty in Lebanon - 26-year-old Keren Tendler of Rehovot, a flight mechanic who was one of five soldiers killed when Hizbullah downed an Israel Air Force helicopter on Saturday night. Her body was recovered only late last night, in an emotional mission, because of heavy fire rained on the area by Hizbullah.
The Lebanese Army says it will begin deploying its forces in the south of the country in the coming days. Israel fears, however - and this is confirmed by Lebanese officials' statements - that Hizbullah terrorists will try to both return to the villages as early as today, and to integrate into the Lebanese Army. It has been said in Beirut that because of Hizbullah leader Nasrallah's refusal to disarm - in violation of the ceasefire agreement - the Lebanese Army may not be able to deploy in the south. The two Hizbullah ministers in the Lebanese Government also said that the terrorist organization would not disarm.
The London-based Al Hayat newspaper reports that a "compromise" agreement being worked on in Lebanon would allow the terrorists to keep weapons - but only in a concealed manner.
Given Hizbullah's refusal to abide by the disarming clause, as well as "the previous poor performance of UNIFIL, it is difficult to envisage a situation in which international peacekeepers would act vigorously to force the disarmament of Hizbullah south of the Litani." This understatement sum-up was penned by commentator Dominic Moran for the Zurich-based ISN (International Relations and Security Network) Security Watch.
UNIFIL Can Only Beg
UNIFIL's helplessness was confirmed by its chief, Maj.-Gen. Alain Pellegrini of France, speaking on BBC last night. Asked what action UNIFIL takes if it sees a ceasefire violation, Pellegrini said, "I try first to make them stop - I call both parties... and I explain to them the situation and I beg them to cease their fire; I am not strong enough to enforce any cessation of confrontation in the field."
Pellegrini, a former French military attache in Beirut who headed the Middle East Division of French military intelligence, said it is "urgent" that the international forces come to support the Lebanese army and reinforce UNIFIL.
As of Tuesday, 118 Israeli soldiers and civilians remained in northern hospitals with wartime wounds. Of them 32 are in serious condition. In Rambam Hospital in Haifa alone, 26 are in serious condition. The hospital absorbed nearly 800 patients throughout the month of fighting.
IDF Northern District Commander Brig.-Gen. Alon Friedman estimates that the reserve soldiers who were called up at the beginning of the warfare will be released in the coming days.
Thousands of northern residents are beginning to stream home. They will be treated to free flights and bus rides home from today until Friday, at government expense. In addition, the Israel Construction Center is offering free expert advise in construction and finance to all those whose homes were damaged by Katyusha rockets.