Publication

This paper describes how the extension of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into Lebanon has created a multifaceted crisis with several dimensions. The author explains how the US administration refuses to condemn the Israeli offensive because it reserves the right to act in the same kind of way. The paper states that the NATO Response Force (NRF) could form the main component of an international security force for Lebanon, but that there are several difficulties with such a deployment that need to be resolved. The author concludes that key principles for a lasting peace solution include the Israeli government immediately halting its attacks on Lebanon, as well as Hezbollah and Hamas immediately stopping their shelling of Israeli targets, and both sides adhering strictly to the rules of international humanitarian law.