Israel Sticks To Ceasefire Demands, And Demands Their Kidnapped Soldiers Back
Ryan R. Jones - All Headline News Correspondent Jerusalem, Israel (AHN) - Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz Tuesday reiterated that Jerusalem will not be party to any ceasefire along its northern border that does not result in the return of two abducted Israeli soldiers and the disarming of Hezbollah's fighting force in southern Lebanon. Peretz made the remarks during a meeting with Labor Party officials at the Knesset, even as the international community scrambled to piece together an acceptable UN Security Council resolution dealing with the crisis. Earlier, Israel expressed satisfaction with a draft resolution authored by the US and France, which allows for the continued presence of Israeli forces in southern Lebanon until the deployment of UN-sanctioned peace-enforcing troops and demands the unconditional release of two soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah. Lebanon, however, rejected the text, igniting fresh negotiations over a revision diplomats hope will be voted on and adopted by week's end. Israel is in turn unlikely to back a resolution based on Beirut's demands for an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces, negotiations over the surrender of the disputed Shebaa Farms region, and a prisoner exchange.
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