France Calls Israel To End Blockade Of Lebanon
Komfie Manalo - All Headline News Foreign Correspondent Beirut, Lebanon (AHN) - With the cease-fire in the Middle East holding for the third straight day, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy on Wednesday urged Israel to lift it air, naval and land blockade of Lebanon. Douste-Blazy made the appeal while visiting Beirut together with his Turkish counterpart to finalize plan in deploying some 15,000-strong international peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon to establish a buffer zone between Hezbollah and Israel and monitor peace. Lebanon is supposed to provide the initial 15,000 troops south of the country as Israel make its gradual withdrawal from the war-ravaged country. But even as the international community is preparing to send peacekeepers in the region, there is growing doubt that Hezbollah will disarm itself. Douste-Blazy said, "The blockade imposed on the airport and Lebanese ports should be lifted. We ask Israeli authorities to lift the land and sea siege on Lebanon. And we ask the Lebanese government to strengthen monitoring of points of entry to insure Hezbollah weapons are banned." Israel imposed the blockade shortly after the conflict started on July 12 when it bombed Beirut's only international airport and set up naval blockade in the country's seaport. "There is no longer a reason for Israel to continue the blockade," he added. However, Israel defended the continued blockade |
