IDF to ask cabinet to expand operation to Litani
Army representatives expected to present ministers Wednesday morning with proposal to expand ground operation in Lebanon to Litani River. Goal: Destroying rocket launchers. Defense minister in favor of offer, PM's aides fear massive operation will increase international pressure, impose ceasefire on Israel under inconvenient conditions
The defense establishment plans to present the political-security cabinet with a proposal to operate against Katyusha launchers in all of southern Lebanon, aiming to locate and destroy rocket launchers directed at the north.
The ground operations will take place in the entire south of Lebanon, up to the Litani River. The aerial, naval and artillery actions are expected to take place also north of the Litani. Defense Minister Amir Peretz supports the Israel Defense Forces' plan.
The caution the officials are demanding stems from the fear that such a move will accelerate the pressure on Israel to cease the fire also under conditions which do not suit the goals set by Israel. Diplomatic officials fear that Israel will lose the trust of the western world and some of the Arab worlds over its operation in Lebanon.
Another fear expressed by the prime minister's associates, which is not at all negligible, is the possibility of a significant increase in the number of casualties among IDF soldiers. They also fear that such a comprehensive operation in the south will encourage Hizbullah and its operators in Tehran to use the long-range missiles which will hit the Tel Aviv metropolitan area.
However, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert already said in his speech before senior members of the United States' Jewish communities on Monday that Israel will continue to fight in order to eliminate the rocket threat, in spite of the terrible price.
Heading to Litani? IDF soldiers on northern border (Photo: Reuters)
In parallel to the discussion at the national security cabinet, the diplomatic moves continue. Israel is still looking into Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's proposal to station 1,500 soldiers in southern Lebanon as the basis of a ceasefire.
The tendency in Jerusalem is not to accept Siniora's proposal as is, because he suggests that the entry of his forces will lead to a ceasefire and the immediate evacuation of the IDF from Lebanon. Jerusalem is still insisting on "a multinational force with authorities to use weapons, alongside the Lebanese army, until the army's capabilities to prevent the rocket fire and a direct threat on Israel are proven."
Messages from Lebanese government
On the diplomatic side, the efforts of Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Foreign Ministry officials to strengthen to US-French draft, which has been submitted to the United Nations Security Council, continue in spite of Lebanon's objection and the new French reservations.
In the meantime, there has been no confirmation from Jerusalem that Foreign Minister Livni is expected to attend the Security Council meetings over the weekend, as Channel 1 reported on Tuesday.
Among the diplomatic meetings scheduled for Wednesday are a series of meetings with German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier, who will arrive in Israel from Lebanon. The German minister is set to meet with Livni, Defense Minister Peres and Prime Minister Olmert. He is expected to bring with him messages from the Lebanese government regarding the deployment of the Lebanese army in the south.
Officials in Jerusalem told Ynet that they plan to at least listen to the minister.
