The U.S. and France have agreed on a joing proposal for a U.N. Security Council resolution to end the fighting in Lebanon. The proposal will be taken up by the U.N. next week. In the meantime, the government of Lebanon has rejected the American/French proposal on the ground that it is "biased" in favor of Israel, in part because it calls for an immediate cease-fire, it does not require the immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon. [Via Power Line News.]

I don't think the draft proposal has been made public, but Blog of the Week Vital Perspective has obtained a copy. You can read the full text here. From my review, it appears that Ambassador John Bolton and his staff did an excellent job of conditioning a cease-fire on meaningful progress toward a long-term solution to the problem of Hezbollah. In particular, I suspect that the following paragraphs will make it difficult for Hezbollah to accept the resolution:

6. Calls for Israel and Lebanon to support a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution based on the following principles and elements:

* strict respect by all parties for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Israel and Lebanon;

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* security arrangements to prevent the resumption of hostilities, including the establishment between the Blue Line and the Litani river of an area free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons other than those of the Lebanese armed and security forces and of UN mandated international forces deployed in this area;

* full implementation of the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords and of resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006) that require the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon, so that, pursuant to the Lebanese cabinet decision of July 27, 2006, there will be no weapons or authority in Lebanon other than that of the Lebanese state;

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* establishment of an international embargo on the sale or supply of arms and related material to Lebanon except as authorized by its government;

* elimination of foreign forces in Lebanon without the consent of its government;

Posted by John at 09:44 AM  |    |