WORLD / Middle East

Mideast parties meet to discuss pullout
(AP)
Updated: 2006-08-14 21:16

There were no reports of Israeli strikes on cars Monday - a sign Israel did not want to risk rekindling the conflict. But at least one child was killed and 15 people were wounded by leftover ordnance that detonated as they returned to their homes in the south, security officials said.

The rush to return and rebuild came despite a standoff that threatened to keep the cease-fire from taking root. Israeli forces remain in Lebanon, and Hezbollah's leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, said the militia would consider them legitimate targets until they leave.

The next step in the peace effort - sending in a peacekeeping mission - appeared days away.

A Lebanese Cabinet minister told Europe-1 radio in France that Lebanese soldiers could move into the southern part of the country as early as Wednesday. The U.N. plan calls for a joint Lebanese-international force to move south of the Litani River, about 18 miles from the Israeli border, and stand as a buffer between Israel and Hezbollah militia.

"The Lebanese army is readying itself along the Litani to cross the river in 48 to 72 hours," said Lebanese Communications Minister Marwan Hamade.

A United Nations force that now has 2,000 troops in south Lebanon is due to be boosted to 15,000 soldiers, and together with a 15,000-man Lebanese army contingent is to take control of the border area.

France and Italy, along with predominantly Muslim Turkey and Malaysia, signaled willingness to contribute troops to the peacekeeping force, but consultations are needed to hammer out the force's makeup and mandate.

Officials said Israeli troops would begin pulling out as soon as the Lebanese and international troops start deploying to the area. But it appeared Israeli forces were staying put for now. Some exhausted soldiers left Lebanon early Monday and were being replaced by fresh troops.

Israel also would maintain its air and sea blockade of Lebanon to prevent arms from reaching Hezbollah guerrillas, Israeli army officials said.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert gave the order Sunday to halt firing as of Monday morning, his spokesman Asaf Shariv said. However, "if someone fires at us we will fire back," he added.

Isaac Herzog, a senior minister in the Israeli Cabinet, said it was unlikely all fighting would be silenced immediately. "Experience teaches us that after that a process begins of phased relaxation," in the fighting, he said.

Just three hours after the cease-fire, Israeli troops fired on a group of Hezbollah militiamen approaching "in a threatening way," the army said. One Hezbollah fighter was hit, but it was not known if he was killed or wounded.

Israeli troops later shot a Hezbollah fighter aiming his rifle at them near the village of Ghanduriya. The army did not say if the man was killed.

No fighting was reported elsewhere.


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