Israel studies withdrawal from south Lebanon

A source close to the Israeli Foreign Ministry has stated that the Israeli ambassador in Washington, Zalman Shoval, informed the US Middle East peace process coordinator, Dennis Ross, that Israel is currently studying the request of the UN Security Council to convene in order to take necessary measures to ensure Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon.

The Paris-based al-Muharrir news quoted the source as saying in a special statement that Shoval, a member of the Israeli Likud bloc, told Ross that Israel "eventually intend to withdraw" but the UN Security Council has to shoulder its responsibilities, as Lebanon does not comply with what he called "the special proposal concerning UN resolution 425."

Several Arab diplomats in Washington said, replying to a question from al-Muharrir news on the aim of the possible Israeli step (of withdrawing from south Lebanon), that Netanyahu's government seeks to drag the UN Security Council to adopt its proposal under the pretext that it is necessary to have an agreement, even if it is a sort of a technical agreement or a UN commission has to supervise the withdrawal and after the withdrawal. Lebanon has maintained that any withdrawal from Lebanon would have to be unconditional.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Cabinet concluded its meeting tonight under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu after the discussing ways out of the problems facing Israeli forces in south Lebanon.

Israeli official sources said the Cabinet did not take any decision regarding this matter.

The meeting was held after a tour made by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu of the Israeli - Lebanese border area, during which he reiterated his opposition to Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon without security guarantees for it.