Israel sees Lebanon truce only after force deploys

JERUSALEM, July 31 (Reuters) Israel believes a ceasefire with Hizbollah guerillas in Lebanon will only take effect once an international force has deployed despite US hopes for agreement on a truce this week, Israel Radio today reported.

The report, which quoted a senior Israeli political source, came after U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in Jerusalem she believed a ceasefire could be forged this week.

''A ceasefire between Israel and Hizbollah will only take effect once the international forces are deployed on the border between Israel with Lebanon,'' radio quoted the source as saying.

The source told Israel Radio this did not contradict what Ms Rice had said and conformed to Washington's view that the root cause of the war had to be dealt with, such as disarming Hizbollah and removing it from near Israel's border.

France, Italy, Greece and Turkey have expressed willingness to join a stabilisation force in south Lebanon. But any such force would first require a clear mandate from the UN Security Council and is likely to take some weeks to deploy.

Ms Rice won a 48-hour suspension of Israeli aerial attacks in southern Lebanon after a strike yesterday killed at least 54 civilians, mostly children, in the village of Qana, triggering worldwide calls for an immediate truce in the 20-day war.

The suspension does not include retaliation for any Hizbollah rocket strikes, the assassination of the Shi'ite group's leaders or assistance to Israeli ground forces operating in southern Lebanon, the source told Israel Radio.

''If we identify a rocket launch there will be an air strike or if we identify a truck loaded with weapons there will be one too,'' an Israeli army spokesman said.

The Israeli government has not made any formal response to Ms Rice's statement.

Speaking before she left to return to Washington, Ms Rice said she would call for a UN resolution this week on the ceasefire and on setting up an international force for southern Lebanon.

Germany's deputy Foreign Minister Gernot Erler said Ms Rice had achieved more than he expected with the 48-hour suspension.

''We now get the impression that America is exerting a lot of pressure. America understands exactly what potential danger there is for Israel and America from Qana,'' he told Germany's ZDF television.

Israeli Justice Minister Haim Ramon, speaking before Ms Rice's announcement, told Army Radio the decision to suspend strikes for 48 hours did not mean the war was about to end.

''If it ends today it means a victory for Hizbollah ... and for world terror, with far-reaching consequences. Therefore this war is not about to end, not today and not tomorrow,'' he said.

Israel also agreed to allow a 24-hour window for residents of southern Lebanon to leave the area if they wish. Ms Rice said she hoped this could be extended to improve the humanitarian situation and allow the delivery of aid.

Israel's Immigrant Absorption Minister Ze'ev Boim told Army Radio the Jewish state would resume strikes if it saw signs Hizbollah was smuggling arms from Syria.

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