France waffling over Lebanese problem

As is so often the case, France is the heart of problems. This time the frogs are waffling on their commitment to UN forces in Lebanon. Also, in the excerpt below from The Independent, the Israeli ambassador to the UN, Gillerman, has good observations.

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"To expect countries who don't even recognise Israel to guard Israel's safety I think would be a bit naive," said Dan Gillerman, the Israeli ambassador to the UN. The Malaysian Foreign Minister, Syed Hamid Albar, replied: "We're going to be on Lebanese territory ... We're not going to be on Israeli territory."

Mr Bush raised the pressure on France. "France has said they'd send some troops," he said. "We hope they send more. There's been different signals coming out of France."

UN diplomats said the French military had got cold feet once it emerged that the resolution setting up the ceasefire conditions provided for an expanded UN force, rather than a multinational one, and feared that the proposed rules of engagement would not be robust enough. One French diplomat said "the military has a deep mistrust of the UN, because of Bosnia", where troops were undermined by a weak mandate.

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