Annan announces 5am ceasefire
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan said in a statement today that a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel would take effect tomorrow morning and urged an immediate halt to the fighting.
Annan said he had been in touch with prime ministers Fuad Saniora of Lebanon and Ehud Olmert of Israel to discuss the exact time and date when the cessation of hostilities called for by a UN Security Council resolution would enter into force.
“I am happy to announce that the two leaders have agreed that the cessation of hostilities and the end of the fighting will enter into force on August 14, at 0500 hours GMT (5am Irish time),” the statement said.
Last night the Lebanese government unanimously accepted the resolution and Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah grudgingly joined the government in backing the ceasefire plan.
The Israeli government is expected to endorse the plan today.
Annan said he preferred an immediate halt to the fighting “to respect the spirit and intent of the council decision” and to spare civilian lives on both sides. “So I urged the parties to stop immediately,” he added.
Hezbollah and Israeli forces were locked in heavy ground combat last night. Hundreds of Israeli troops were airlifted to positions deep inside southern Lebanon and tanks punched across terrain in an attempt to grab more territory before the ceasefire.
Annan assured the both Lebanon and Israel that the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, a 2,000-member peacekeeping force deployed in the south of the country, “will work with them to implement the agreement and will monitor compliance”.
Under the plan, an expanded Unifil will deploy with the Lebanese army in southern Lebanon.
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