A Report Card For UN Security Council Resolution 1701

J.G. Thayer gives a rundown of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 that brought the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War in Lebanon to a close--what the resolution called for, and how successful it has been:

1. Calls for a full cessation of hostilities based upon, in particular, the immediate cessation by Hizbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations;

Well, that one went all right. Both sides stopped shooting. Of course, since Hezbollah was getting the crap kicked out of it at the time, they were willing to go along. And Israel was, as always, vulnerable to international pressure to end its stubborn and entirely unreasonable policy of hitting back at those committed to its destruction.

2. Upon full cessation of hostilities, calls upon the Government of Lebanon and UNIFIL as authorized by paragraph 11 to deploy their forces together throughout the South and calls upon the Government of Israel, as that deployment begins, to withdraw all of its forces from southern Lebanon in parallel;

This one was partially fulfilled. Israel pulled out, and UNIFIL went in. But the Lebanese government never sent its armed forces south to fill the void. Rather, Hezbollah simply re-fortified and re-ardmed.

3. Emphasizes the importance of the extension of the control of the
Government of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory in accordance with the rovisions of resolution 1559 (2004) and resolution 1680 (2006), and of the relevant rovisions of the Taif Accords, for it to exercise its full sovereignty, so that there ill be no weapons without the consent of the Government of Lebanon and no uthority other than that of the Government of Lebanon;

This one is almost laughable. It’s a declaration that there will be no armed forces within Lebanon’s southern sector that are not part of the Lebanese armed forces. In other words, Hezbollah has to disarm entirely. That one, too, turned out to be utterly toothless.

4. Reiterates its strong support for full respect for the Blue Line;

Whatever.

5. Also reiterates its strong support, as recalled in all its previous relevant resolutions, for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized borders, as contemplated by the Israeli-Lebanese General Armistice Agreement of 23 March 1949;

So Israel can’t keep any Lebanese territory. Seeing as how that was never Israel’s intent, they might as well have declared an import tax on cheese from the moon and forbidden people from kissing their own elbows.

6. Calls on the international community to take immediate steps to extend its financial and humanitarian assistance to the Lebanese people, including through facilitating the safe return of displaced persons and, under the authority of the Government of Lebanon, reopening airports and harbours, consistent with paragraphs 14 and 15, and calls on it also to consider further assistance in the future o contribute to the reconstruction and development of Lebanon;

Yup, Lebanon gets rebuilt by the international community. How about the towns and cities in Israel that were bombarded before and during the war?

7. Affirms that all parties are responsible for ensuring that no action is taken contrary to paragraph 1 that might adversely affect the search for a long-term solution, humanitarian access to civilian populations, including safe passage for humanitarian convoys, or the voluntary and safe return of displaced persons, and calls on all parties to comply with this responsibility and to cooperate with the Security Council;

This was mainly directed at Lebanon and Hezbollah. And the only “interference” they made was in making sure there were plenty of (often staged or faked) photos showing just how much the people of southern Lebanon had suffered under Israel’s attack.

8. Calls for Israel and Lebanon to support a permanent ceasefire and a longterm solution based on the following principles and elements:

– full respect for the Blue Line by both parties;
– security arrangements to prevent the resumption of hostilities, including theestablishment between the Blue Line and the Litani river of an area free of anyarmed personnel, assets and weapons other than those of the Government of
Lebanon and of UNIFIL as authorized in paragraph 11, deployed in this area;
– full implementation of the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords, and of resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006), that require the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon, so that, pursuant to the Lebanese cabinet decision of 27 July 2006, there will be no weapons or authority in Lebanon other than that of the Lebanese State;
– no foreign forces in Lebanon without the consent of its Government;
– no sales or supply of arms and related materiel to Lebanon except as authorized by its Government;
– provision to the United Nations of all remaining maps of landmines in Lebanon in Israel’s possession;

Again, the elements aimed at Israel have all been met, occasionally under threat of force, while those aimed at Hezbollah are ignored.

9. Invites the Secretary-General to support efforts to secure as soon as possible agreements in principle from the Government of Lebanon and the Government of Israel to the principles and elements for a long-term solution as set forth in paragraph 8, and expresses its intention to be actively involved;

10. Requests the Secretary-General to develop, in liaison with relevant international actors and the concerned parties, proposals to implement the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords, and resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006), including disarmament, and for delineation of the international borders of Lebanon, especially in those areas where the border is disputed or uncertain, including by dealing with the Shebaa farms area, and to present to the Security Council those proposals within thirty days;

Blah blah blah.

11. Decides, in order to supplement and enhance the force in numbers, equipment, mandate and scope of operations, to authorize an increase in the force strength of UNIFIL to a maximum of 15,000 troops, and that the force shall, in addition to carrying out its mandate under resolutions 425 and 426 (1978):

(a) Monitor the cessation of hostilities;
(b) Accompany and support the Lebanese armed forces as they deploy hroughout the South, including along the Blue Line, as Israel withdraws its armed orces from Lebanon as provided in paragraph 2;
(c) Coordinate its activities related to paragraph 11 (b) with the Government f Lebanon and the Government of Israel;
(d) Extend its assistance to help ensure humanitarian access to civilian opulations and the voluntary and safe return of displaced persons;
(e) Assist the Lebanese armed forces in taking steps towards the
establishment of the area as referred to in paragraph 8;
(f) Assist the Government of Lebanon, at its request, to implement paragraph 14;

Considering that the Lebanese have not sent their armed forces into southern Lebanon, this one has been largely moot.

12. Acting in support of a request from the Government of Lebanon to deploy an international force to assist it to exercise its authority throughout the territory, authorizes UNIFIL to take all necessary action in areas of deployment of its forces and as it deems within its capabilities, to ensure that its area of operations is not utilized for hostile activities of any kind, to resist attempts by forceful means to prevent it from discharging its duties under the mandate of the Security Council, and to protect United Nations personnel, facilities, installations and equipment, ensure the security and freedom of movement of United Nations personnel, humanitarian workers and, without prejudice to the responsibility of the Government of Lebanon, to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence;

Again, Lebanon has essentially ceded its southern portion to Hezbollah, not sending its troops in as required.

13. Requests the Secretary-General urgently to put in place measures to nsure UNIFIL is able to carry out the functions envisaged in this resolution, urges member States to consider making appropriate contributions to UNIFIL and to respond positively to requests for assistance from the Force, and expresses its strong appreciation to those who have contributed to UNIFIL in the past;

Yup, UNIFIL has covered itself in glory in the past. For example, they skillfully avoided a previous shooting war when they actively covered up (if not actually participated) in a prior kidnapping invasion of Israel by Hezbollah, who used UNIFIL-marked vehicles.

14. Calls upon the Government of Lebanon to secure its borders and other entry points to prevent the entry in Lebanon without its consent of arms or related materiel and requests UNIFIL as authorized in paragraph 11 to assist the Government of Lebanon at its request;

Again, that’s worked out quite well. If you don’t mention that Hezbollah is now far better armed than ever before.

15. Decides further that all States shall take the necessary measures to revent, by their nationals or from their territories or using their flag vessels or aircraft:

(a) The sale or supply to any entity or individual in Lebanon of arms and elated materiel of all types, including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles nd equipment, paramilitary equipment, and spare parts for the aforementioned, hether or not originating in their territories; and
(b) The provision to any entity or individual in Lebanon of any technical raining or assistance related to the provision, manufacture, maintenance or use of he items listed in subparagraph (a) above; except that these prohibitions shall not apply to arms, related material, training or ssistance authorized by the Government of Lebanon or by UNIFIL as authorized in aragraph 11;

DARN those munitions fairies who have rearmed Hezbollah!

16. Decides to extend the mandate of UNIFIL until 31 August 2007, and expresses its intention to consider in a later resolution further enhancements to the mandate and other steps to contribute to the implementation of a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution;

17. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council within one week on the implementation of this resolution and subsequently on a regular basis;

These pledges have zero substance, or at least zer demonstrable substance to date.

18. Stresses the importance of, and the need to achieve, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, based on all its relevant resolutions including its resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967, 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973 and 1515 (2003) of 19 November 2003;

Because it must be constantly reasserted that the core problems of every problem in the Middle East is the fault of Israel.

19. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

God help the innocent people of Lebanon and Israel if the United Nations is going to “remain actively seized” of this matter.

The UN has botched the intent of this resolution thoroughly, yet it is the re-establishment of the State of Israel that the UN regrets.

Technorati Tag: UN Security Council Resolution 1701.