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U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. (Reuters)
Last update - 19:58 28/01/2008
Israeli official: Bolton said Rice caved on truce terms to end 2006 Lebanon war
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Condoleezza Rice 

The former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, accused Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice of giving in to French and Lebanese demands over the terms of the cease-fire that halted the 2006 Second Lebanon War, according to a document recently obtained by Haaretz.

The claims were made in a letter sent by Israel's deputy ambassador to the UN, Daniel Carmon, to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem on Friday, August 11, 2006. The content of the letter strengthens Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's claims justifying the last major ground operation of the war, which began that day and claimed the lives of 33 Israel Defense Forces soldiers.

O
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lmert maintains that on Thursday, August 11, negotiations in New York over UN Resolution 1701, which ended the war, took a turn that adversely affected Israel's interests for the resolution. The prime minister has argued that this negative turn of events made necessary the operation during the final 60 hours of the war.

The Winograd Commission report on the management of war, set to be released Wednesday, is expected to focus on the legitimacy of that operation.

The letter is entitled "Security Council discussions - the conversation between Gillerman and Bolton," detailing a discussion between Bolton and Daniel Gillerman, Israel's ambassador to the UN.

In the letter, Carmon emphasized that Rice had agreed that the draft cease-fire resolution would stipulate that the international peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon would operate under Chapter VI of the UN charter, which would give it observer status only.

She also agreed that the disputed Shaba Farms, the border area claimed by Hezbollah as Lebanese territory but internationally recognized as Syrian, would be mentioned in the resolution. Israel opposed both clauses.

Carmon also wrote in the letter that Bolton said that "only a conversation between Olmert and [U.S. President George] Bush can save this situation."

The letter also states that, "Bolton said tonight in a conversation with Gillerman that the secretary of state took the task of negotiations [over the resolution] upon herself, and she is personally involved in all of its details."

"Rice is the one who agreed to the last two changes that were discussed in talks tonight between [former undersecretary of state Nick] Burns and Jerusalem - Chapter VI and Shaba Farms."

"The actions of the secretary of state stem from her determination to bring the decision up for a vote tomorrow, Friday. For that purpose she will arrive here tomorrow at 10 A.M., and will intensify the process... Bolton described with sorrow a situation in which the French surrendered to all of the Arab demands and the United States isn't prepared to give up on the 'holy alliance' with the Europeans."

"[Bolton] promised to try in a meeting tomorrow with the French ambassador to take Shaba Farms out [of the draft]... but he doubts it will help. In his opinion, the French man won't make an effort in that direction. In response to Gillerman's question about what can be done, Bolton responded that only a conversation between Olmert and President Bush can, if at all, change the face of things and rescue the situation."

For more on the Winograd Report, log on to Haaretz.com on Wednesday

Related articles:
  • Bolton: IDF ground push did not influence UN cease-fire
  • Ministers to inquiry: Olmert to blame for late Lebanon war push
  • Ministry disputes PM's claim of divided UN stance during war
  • UN Security Council Resolution 1701 (August 2007)
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      1.   Bolton is a Fanatic 14:01  |  Moshe 28/01/08
      2.   Bolton,the obviously most intelligent of US diplomats 14:10  |  Absolute Sweden 28/01/08
      3.   Bush has embraced the State Dep`t`s Arabist inclinations 14:17  |  Joseph . E 28/01/08
      4.   Bolton is right 14:31  |  Brod 28/01/08
      5.   Arab lobby 14:36  |  Frank 28/01/08
      6.   To #1: real fanatics 14:43  |  Frank 28/01/08
      7.   Bolton, a" true" voice and unashamedly tragic. 14:47  |  Stephen. 28/01/08
      8.   The Etrog rides again. Funny how the letter mysteriously appears 15:01  |  Meir 28/01/08
      9.   Bolton`s comments 15:07  |  Allan leibler 28/01/08
      10.   F.M. P.M. 15:10  |  Jerubolyn 28/01/08
      11.   Realism, humanism or politics. 15:17  |  Harold Lane 28/01/08
      12.   Res 1701 isn`t Chapter VII???? 15:23  |  Johnboy 28/01/08
      13.   #1 Moshe (Musa) 15:28  |  * BEN JABO 28/01/08
      14.   Bolton has been trying to undermine Olmert and here 15:35  |  Scott Hunter 28/01/08
      15.   Bolton was one of the few voices of reason during the war 15:49  |  Richard S 28/01/08
      16.   to Franck and co 15:51  |  Jean-Paul DOGUET 28/01/08
      17.   John Bolton for the next Sec. State 15:53  |  Jack 28/01/08
      18.   for #8 15:55  |  odf 28/01/08
      19.   Bonlers Bolton: that other `israheli" envoy to UN 16:18  |  US citizen 28/01/08
      20.   Rice screwed Israel 16:22  |  Free Gilad Shalit 28/01/08
      21.   This explains the idiotic last minute Israeli cluster bombing? 16:26  |  Natallie Durson 28/01/08
      22.   Bolton was and is a disaster 16:26  |  Mike Friedman 28/01/08
      23.   Bolton proves that it was.. 16:28  |  Arab 28/01/08
      24.   Bolton the coward 16:33  |  American GI 28/01/08
      25.   Protecting Olmert the etrog has begun 16:44  |  Zvi 28/01/08
      26.   Golly, Zionists must be desperate. 16:45  |  ballistic 28/01/08
      27.   Rice lite 16:59  |  dav zee 28/01/08
      28.   As Usual... 17:32  |  George 28/01/08
      29.   Bolton should run for President 17:41  |  David Niles 28/01/08
      30.   This is such BS-" strengthens Prime Minister Ehud Olmert`s claim" 17:46  |  ZADOK 28/01/08
      31.   Bolton has a screw loose 17:57  |  examiner 28/01/08
      32.   "Bolton should run for President" #11 18:00  |  examiner 28/01/08
      33.   Frank and `Islamofascists` 18:04  |  examiner 28/01/08
      34.   Lebanon then Phil.route damaged US&Israel;No thank you 18:05  |  sam 28/01/08
      35.   Condaleeza Rice - The Enemy of Israel 18:08  |  Chaim Gorenstein 28/01/08
      36.   Bolton poisons both Israel, the US and the entire Mideast solutio 18:23  |  Markus 28/01/08
      37.   BOLTON 18:38  |  LARZ 28/01/08
      38.   Bolton liar, a Good offer 18:41  |  Abdul 28/01/08
      39.   Boulton, the liar 18:55  |  Mark Lincoln 28/01/08
      40.   If Israel wanted better terms, should have opened talks 19:04  |  Pablo B 28/01/08
      41.   Liberate the North Bank 19:09  |  Shlomo 28/01/08
      42.   BOLTON SHOULD JUST VANISH... HIS JOB IS FINISHED. BYE 19:25  |  TrippleJump 28/01/08
      43.   Mr Bolton: You are the weakest link. Goodbye! 19:27  |  Eric 28/01/08
      44.   The Massacre at Kana changed it all. 19:39  |  Benjamin 28/01/08
      45.   PLEASE, Mr. Bolton, Run for U.S. PRESIDENT 19:46  |  Linda Rivera 28/01/08
      46.   Bolton - A dying breed of true American heroes. 19:51  |  Jon 28/01/08
      47.   Secretary of state 20:03  |  joe Smith 28/01/08
      48.   Bush has always been most concerned with Saudi good will. 20:10  |  Voice of Reason 28/01/08
      49.   Massacre at Qana #44 20:40  |  Free Gilad Shalit 28/01/08
      50.   Bolton, Condi and Lebanon War 20:55  |  Bill 28/01/08
      51.   Jon 21:26  |  American GI 28/01/08
      52.   If the report is true, it means Israel was betrayed 21:29  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 28/01/08
      53.   massacre of qana 21:35  |  gilbert 28/01/08
      54.   The Empire Strikes Back 21:41  |  Mark of Lewiston 28/01/08
      55.   Rice has been a disaster 21:52  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 28/01/08
      56.   45 Linda Rivera - By All Means 22:16  |  Mark of Lewiston 28/01/08
      57.   Shlomo, the Golani hero # 41 22:37  |  northern banker 28/01/08
      58.   Would you trust Bolton to babysit for your daughter 22:43  |  Wise Syrian 28/01/08
      59.   Gilbert #53 23:18  |  Free Gilad Shalit 28/01/08
      60.   Yes, the Kana fraud and staging led to Rice`s foolishness 00:01  |  David 29/01/08
      61.   The Arabs will suffer more from this Hudna than the Jews 00:04  |  David 29/01/08
      62.   To Jack, Interesting You Chose that Trio 00:06  |  Abe 29/01/08
      63.   Instead of peace, Rice`s actions will lead to a buffer zone 00:07  |  David 29/01/08
      64.   Rice was the Israeli army chief in Lebanon 00:47  |  Dwido 29/01/08
      65.   WHY? T`S HER JOB. SHE`S PAID... 12:43  |  Davis 29/01/08
      66.   Rice caved because of the Saudi money.... 13:42  |  michoel 29/01/08
      67.   Bolton - Letter 19:55  |  Don 29/01/08
      68.   Bolton babysitting is fine but Bashar or Rifat his uncle ........ 23:59  |  Genuine Tosefta 29/01/08
      69.   Ambassador Bolten 02:47  |  Moshe 30/01/08
      70.   #21 Natallie Durson - Speaking of never right... 03:19  |  Alan 30/01/08