Monday, 14 August 2006August 14, 2006 - 2:19 AM
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ordered Israel's army to observe a ceasefire from 2 a.m. on Monday (2300 GMT on Sunday) and to start withdrawing some troops from south Lebanon, the Haaretz newspaper's Web site said.
The truce between Israeli forces and Hizbollah guerrillas is formally due to take effect at 0500 GMT under a U.N. Security Council resolution.
Haaretz said Olmert had met his defence minister and heads of armed forces late on Sunday to discuss the ceasefire.
"Olmert ordered the army to begin abiding by it as of 2 a.m. this morning, other than in cases of self-defence," the newspaper said.
"They also agreed that the army will begin withdrawing some of its forces from Lebanon immediately, but will remain in various positions that offer control over surrounding areas until these positions can be handed over to the Lebanese Army and the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)."
Haaretz said some army reservist units had already begun leaving Lebanon.
Under the U.N. Security Council resolution, a United Nations force of up to 15,000 troops is due to be deployed to help enforce the truce.
Neither Olmert's office nor the army had any immediate comment on the newspaper's report.
Haaretz said the army had recommended troops should be withdrawn as swiftly as possible from Lebanon if the ceasefire holds.
Israel is estimated to have up to 30,000 soldiers in south Lebanon, battling Hizbollah and trying to stop the guerrilla group firing rockets into Israel. The war started on July 12 when Hizbollah captured two soldiers in a cross-border raid.
14 August 2006, Swissinfo |
Monday, 14 August 2006
Middle East Crisis
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