Israel agrees to open negotiations with Lebanon over Shebaa Farms

The United States has begun mediating between Israel and Lebanon in an effort to resolve their dispute over Shebaa Farms in the hope they would then start peace talks. US President George Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice informed Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of this during his visit to Washington two weeks ago, and Rice repeated it during her visit here earlier this week. According to a senior Israeli official, Rice gave Lebanon a message from Olmert on this issue on Monday.

The London-based Arabic daily Al-Hayat reported Tuesday that during her brief visit to Beirut on Monday, Rice told Lebanese officials that the US was working to obtain an Israeli withdrawal from Shebaa. "Our efforts are continuing, and will be stepped up in the coming weeks," the paper quoted Rice as saying. Next month, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will brief the Security Council on the implementation of Resolution 1701, which ended the Second Lebanon War. His report is expected to clarify the UN's position on the Shebaa dispute.

A senior Israeli official said that both Rice and Bush told Olmert they want to support Prime Minister Fuad Siniora's government in Lebanon and weaken Hezbollah. The best way to do this, they argued, is to cede Shebaa to Lebanon, thereby eliminating Hezbollah's claim that only it can liberate Shebaa. Moreover, they argued, progress on Shebaa may lead to the opening of peace talks between Lebanon and Israel. Beirut has previously said that a withdrawal from Shebaa is a precondition for talks. Olmert responded that he agreed in principle, but had several conditions. First, he said, any resolution of the Shebaa dispute must include full implementation of Resolution 1701, which, inter alia, requires Hezbollah's disarmament and an end to arms smuggling from Syria. Moreover, he said, until the UN decides whether Shebaa is Syrian or Lebanese, there is no point in discussing its future. In general, he said, the outstanding issues between Lebanon and Israel are not complicated, and should be easier to resolve than Israel's disputes with Syria. "I'm willing to sit down to direct negotiations with Lebanon in order to resolve everything necessary, including Shebaa Farms," the official quoted him as saying.

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