U.N. Reaches Deal On Middle East Ceasefire

Finding peace in the Middle East has been almost as difficult as finding a consensus at the United Nations. 

But the warring diplomats trying to stop the warring armies of Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon finally reached a deal to get the month-long hostilities to stop and amazingly, they did it in unaminous fashion.

France and the U.S. reached agreement on a final draft designed to bring a ceasefire to the war torn country early Friday, and it was adopted in full by the Security Council after an evening meeting.

“I would be remiss if I did not tell you how profoundly disappointed I am that the council did not reach this point much, much earlier,” said UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

The resolution authorizes the deployment of a 15,000 strong U.N. peacekeeping detail in southern Lebanon “as Israel withdraws.” The plan: help the Lebanese regain control over the area that had been under Hezbollah’s control.

Both Israel and Lebanon studied the proposal and but the U.N. said they would vote on the move whether they responded or not.

But Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert endorsed the resolution, though Israeli officials said they would not halt fighting until the cabinet has approved the ceasefire deal in its weekly meeting Sunday.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora also assured U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice his country backs the resolution.

The resolution comes on a day when the war widened again. Israeli strikes on Lebanon have now extended from one end of the country to the other.

Warplanes struck Hezbollah positions in the south in order to take control of strategic high ground, while a bridge to Syria along Lebanon’s northern border was blown up – killing at least 12 people. Only one other official border crossing is in use between the two countries.

There were also nearly two dozen explosions in Beirut. UN peacekeepers were sent to Marjayoun in southern Lebanon to evacuate about 350 Lebanese soldiers and police being held by Israeli forces.

Hezbollah responded to the latest bombardment by launching more than 150 rockets at northern Israel – there were no immediate reports of fatalities.