Stronger in peace than in war

Israeli PM Ehud Olmert rejected UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's call for Israel to remove its sea and air blockade of Lebanon earlier today. Overall, Olmert is doing much better at protecting Israel's interests thus far whilst trying to establish a peace than he did in commanding the country during its military incursion in Lebanon.

"[The resolution] is not a buffet where you pick up one item and leave others," he said.

"So far as we're concerned we entirely accept this, this is a fixed buffet and everything will be implemented including the lifting of the blockade as part of an entire implementation of the different articles.

As the Captain notes:

Olmert may have botched the military mission in Lebanon, but he has done much better in protecting Israeli interests in the post-[UN Security Council Resolution] 1701 environment. The Israeli insistence on full compliance with 1701 will be the only way that either the Israelis realize their goals in the sub-Litani region or expose the global community for the appeasers they obviously are. The blockade must continue until [Lebanese PM and Hizb'Allah sympathizer] Siniora and Annan understand the concept of the "fixed buffet". If they want Israel to abide by 1701, then they cannot expect to get a pass on its full implementation. If they are unable to meet that standard, then neither should have insisted on the cease-fire at all.

The Monk hopes Olmert sticks to that principle, which few Israeli leaders have ever done -- require full compliance by the Arabs before Israel undertakes further "good faith" measures to encourage compliance. If Olmert does, he'd do a great service to his nation.