Cease-Fire Commences, Despite Several Skirmishes

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METULLA, Israel — All major combat in southern Lebanon ended yesterday in line with a U.N.-brokered ceasefire, although Israel’s refusal to withdraw all of its troops led to clashes with Hezbollah that left six Shiite militiamen dead.

But with no Hezbollah rockets being fired into Israel for the first day since the crisis began 35 days ago, Secretary-General Annan said hope existed that the temporary cease-fire would be turned into a full ending of hostilities.

As the fighting was reduced to skirmishes, Prime Minister Olmert began to pay the price for what many in Israel believe has been a lackluster performance during the current crisis.

He earlier promised that the war would not finish until the threat of a Hezbollah missile attack had been completely lifted, and the two Israeli soldiers seized by the Shiite militant group on July 12 released.

Neither goal was achieved, a failure that has already led to the first calls by newspaper columnists for Mr. Olmert to resign.

His political rivals have largely observed a policy of national unity during the conflict, but this is expected to end soon and lead to fierce political infighting, which could lead to the collapse of his coalition government.

Mr. Olmert got the first taste of what is to come during an emergency session of the Knesset yesterday when he defended Operation Change of Direction.

It did not convince fellow legislators who heckled him throughout. At one point, he said the crisis could have been handled better and that these would be identified by a national inquiry launched by his defense minister, Amir Peretz.

“There were shortcomings,” the prime minister told members of parliament. “We will have to examine ourselves at all levels. The overall responsibility for this operation lies with me. I am not asking to share this with anyone.”

The head of the opposition Likud Party, Benjamin Netanyahu, sought to score political points against his rival.

“There were many failures: failures in identifying the threat, failures in preparing to meet the threat, failures in the management of the war, failures in the management of the home front,” he said.

With Israel unwilling to remove its troops until U.N. peacekeepers and Lebanese army soldiers have secured the Israel-Lebanon border, tensions were high, with Israeli troops and Hezbollah gunmen in close proximity to each other, heavily armed and mutually suspicious.

Fighting erupted on several occasions. A spokesman for the Israel Defense Force said Israeli troops were under orders to open fire first if they felt threatened.

Plans by Israel to send a column of tanks deep into Lebanon to resupply a unit of troops on strategic heights overlooking the Litani River valley raised the possibility of further skirmishes.


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