Peres says UN resolution 'vindicates' Israel

Jerusalem, Aug 12: Israel's Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres today welcomed a UN resolution calling for an end to hostilities between Israel and Hizbollah and said the deal vindicated Israel's month-long military campaign.

''Without the military pressure we would not have had the diplomatic deal,'' elder statesman Peres told Israel radio.

''The UN decision vindicates Israel all the way through and says that Hizbollah was the aggressor and that they need to return the abducted soldiers ... We achieved all we could from the UN'' The UN Security Council unanimously backed a resolution on Friday calling for a ''full cessation of hostilities'' based on ''the immediate cessation by Hizbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations''.

Israel's cabinet is expected to express its support for the resolution at a meeting tomorrow. In the meantime, Israeli forces have stepped up operations in Lebanon, driving north towards the Litani river, 20 km inside the country.

The conflict, which has killed at least 1,060 in Lebanon and 124 Israelis, began on July 12 when Hizbollah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers in a raid inside Israel.

Reuters

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