Condi Rice has responded haughtily to reservations expressed by both Hezbollah and Lebanon to the draft UN ceasefire resolution:
Referring to the negative response on the part of the Lebanese government and Hezbollah, Rice said, “I know that Hezbollah said all sorts of things. I heard it all. But after the proposed resolution is approved by the Security Council, we will know who really wants to end the violence and who does not.”
She is of course referring to Hezbollah as the party unlikely to honor the ceasefire. But what she doesn’t realize is that her statement could just as easily apply to Israel, which has already stated that it will use the time before a new peacekeeping force is in place to continue pounding all of Lebanon.
IF there is a UN resolution (a big ‘if’), we will indeed see who wants to end the violence. I’m guessing the answer will be neither side. But one thing I know if that if Israel were to truly end its offensive operations against Lebanon, then Hezbollah would respond in kind. During Israel’s 48 hour pseudo standdown from its air war, Hezbollah ceased its rocket fire into Israel. It has said it would end such fire if Israel ceased its fire and I believe them. So the onus is on Israel in my book.
