'Israel near goal in Lebanon, UN vote next week'

Milan, Aug 3: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in a newspaper interview published today that Israel was ''very close'' to its goal in Lebanon and the United Nations would likely vote on a truce next week.

Olmert told Italy's Corriere della Sera newspaper that US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice did not expect a truce to end fighting in Lebanon in the next few days.

''It's more likely that there will be a vote in the United Nations next week,'' he was quoted as saying.

''The process is long,'' he said. ''From our standpoint, we will cooperate with any reasonable proposal.'' Asked what Israel's objectives were, Olmert said the Jewish state should no longer face the threat that existed before fighting broke out last month.

''The new equation will spell out a completely different balance in the area,'' he said. ''Hizbollah will think twice, three times, many times before attacking us, and I think we are very close to that goal.'' Olmert reiterated that Israel will keep fighting Hizbollah guerrillas until a strong international force is deployed in south Lebanon.

He said the deployment of any international force should come immediately after the start of a ceasefire.

''Let's say if we stop firing at midnight, they should be deployed on the ground and replace us by two o'clock in the morning,'' Olmert said.

The Israeli leader said any international force should be able to fight and be modelled on the Enduring Freedom mission in Afghanistan, and called the UN forces currently in south Lebanon inefficient.

Reuters

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