The UN Security Council Friday passed Resolution 1701 calling FOR the cessation of attacks by Hezbollah and of military offensive by Israel. It also "called upon the government of Lebanon and UNIFIL as authorized by paragraph 11 to deploy their forces together throughout the South," and called upon "the government of Israel, as that deployment begins, to withdraw all of its forces from southern Lebanon in parallel." The Resolution further enhances UNIFIL force in numbers, equipment, mandate and scope of operations, and authorizes an increase in its force strength to a maximum of 15,000 troops.

There appears to be a real problem with respect to Israel's stance on the Resolution. As it meets today, the Israeli cabinet seems to be divided. The left sees the war as having been unwarranted and as having incurred a great deal of losses. The right on the other hand views it as an opportunity to return to power. Likud leader Benyamin Netanyahu has been calling for early elections especially that the country has been brought to shame. He describes the incumbent prime minister and minter of defense as lacking state-managing experience.

It is obvious that Resolution 1701 has left neither Israel nor Hezbollah a winner.

Ibrahim Nafei
Al Ahram