U.N. Resolution 1701 has temporarily ended the hostilities between Hizbullah and Israel but after what price has been paid? Billions of dollars in damage, over a thousand civilians dead and countless others injured in Lebanon with deaths and injuries being reported from Israel as well.
The question though is now no longer when will it end but when will it start again. Both sides have said they will adhere to the ceasefire but neither side has done so as yet. There have been a few minor skirmishes reported since the beginning of the cease fire but nothing major. Unfortunately, with the U.N. lagging in getting the Peace Keepers in there, the potential for a fresh outbreak is ripe and ready.

n a very interesting turn of events, Hassan Nasrallah (leader of Hizbullah) said "Had we known that the kidnapping of the soldiers would have led to this, we would definitely not have done it," in an interview with a Lebanese TV station. Funny that, this man who is well known for understanding his enemies’ weaknesses could not have predicted this response but he knew that Olmert was under heavy pressure over the kidnapping of a soldier in Gaza. He also had to have known that Olmert was not going to be seen as lacking when compared to his predecessor Ariel Sharon. I find Nasrallah’s statement to be too little far too late and I also find it to be lacking in honesty. Hizbullah work for Syria and Iran; Iran needed a diversion from its nuclear program and looked to Hizbullah to provide it. Hizbullah needed a reason to justify their continued possession of weapons and they took the opportunity presented to them by Iran. Only someone completely snowed by Hizbullah’s propaganda would believe that statement since we all know that Hassan Nasrallah is not a stupid man nor is he a poor strategist. He is in fact quite brilliant and known to be a great strategist.

For now, there is a tenuous peace in our home country, our precious Lebanon. How long it holds and who breaks it first remains to be seen but one would hope that whoever breaks it will have a greater regard for human life than in the previous outbreak of hostilities.