Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., March 16, 2007 Adar 26, 5767 | | Israel Time: 09:47 (EST+7)
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Lebanese soldiers patrolling a road along the frontier with the northern Israeli village of Metulla in the southern town of Kfar Kila, Lebanon on February 8. (AP)
Last update - 06:24 15/03/2007
U.S. failed to give Israel all drafts of UN resolution ending Lebanon war
By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service

The U.S. government failed to give Israel all the drafts of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 ending last summer's Lebanon war in real time, so Israel had to obtain some of the documents from other sources, Israeli government sources said.

The sources, however, said senior government officials ultimately did get all the drafts in time, and there were no delays or information gaps that impeded decision-making during the war.

According to some sources, Israel obtained the drafts not supplied by the Americans from intelligence sources.

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The United States usually represents Israel's positions in the Security Council, and did so during the war as well. Since France served as Lebanon's proxy, Washington and Paris were the main negotiators on Resolution 1701.

The resolution underwent several drafts, some tilted more toward Israel and others toward Lebanon, and these drafts affected Israeli moves during the war, particularly toward the end. As a result, it was critical for Israel to obtain real-time versions of the drafts. However, American-Israeli coordination on this issue was imperfect.

In particular, the second-to-last draft, which Prime Minister Ehud Olmert received on the morning of August 11, seemed to him much less favorable than the version on which he and Washington had agreed the previous night.

He later said this draft convinced him to launch a major ground operation during the war's final days in an effort to influence the Security Council. During these three days of fighting, 33 soldiers were killed.

Defense sources have accused the Winograd Committee, which is investigating the war, of not subjecting the diplomatic maneuvers to the same scrutiny given to military moves.

In response, Foreign Ministry sources have insisted that the ministry performed all its assignments successfully, that all drafts of the resolution were given to the government in real time, and that Israel's information campaign during the war enjoyed success until the bombing in Qana, which killed more than two dozen Lebanese and turned public opinion against Israel.

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  1.   Time for a mole hunt 05:30  |  Mark Lincoln 15/03/07
  2.   False hopes 05:47  |  John 15/03/07
  3.   M.LINCOLN.How do you know info. was gathered from USA? 06:58  |  PETER SM 15/03/07
  4.   Comment re John #2 08:21  |  Esther 15/03/07
  5.   Looks like Olmert has found a new fig leaf 08:22  |  ManInTheMIddle 15/03/07
  6.   Another Pollard in the US State Department 09:14  |  Clickfool 15/03/07
  7.   #3 PETER SM up to his old tricks - PROVE IT! 09:48  |  Johnboy 15/03/07
  8.   Clickfool from the Country of Moles,England 10:19  |  Absolutel Sweden 15/03/07
  9.   Esther would you give your home back for peace. 11:31  |  Jabadini 15/03/07
  10.   JOHNBOY.Just prove that the intelligence came from the USA not 11:43  |  PETER SM 15/03/07
  11.   Interesting.... 12:51  |  Clickfool 15/03/07
  12.   ? my post was here, now its not? 13:08  |  Tamir Gaza 15/03/07
  13.   IMPOSSIBLE.Ask all the lunatics who claim Israel controlls the US 13:43  |  PETER SM 15/03/07
  14.   38 ABSOLUT YOU FORGOTHAROLD WILSON THE PRIME MINISTER 13:48  |  paul harris 15/03/07
  15.   #11 Clickfool - I haven`t been silent at all 14:11  |  Yonatan 15/03/07
  16.   The next time don`t wait for drafts, make a STONE AGE to HEZBALLA 14:25  |  Vittorio 15/03/07
  17.   Just like Pollard rots in jail- US didn`t give intelligence data 14:35  |  Yacov 15/03/07
  18.   For Absolute Sweden # 8 15:11  |  Clickfool 15/03/07
  19.   For Yonatan # 15 15:13  |  Clickfool 15/03/07
  20.   Nice way of describing Israeli spying on America # 17 15:15  |  Clickfool 15/03/07
  21.   c-fool & jonny boy connecting imaginary dots 15:18  |  ross 15/03/07
  22.   #17 Pollard in Jail 15:43  |  ballistic 15/03/07
  23.   For Paul "Mr Caps" Harris # 14 16:02  |  Clickfool 15/03/07
  24.   #10 PETER SM, So Very Tedious. 05:53  |  Johnboy 16/03/07
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