Israeli foreign minister says war not over yet

NEW YORK, Aug 16 (Reuters) Israel's war with Hizbollah is not over until the U.N. resolution to end the conflict is fully implemented, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said today.

Livni, who will meet U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan in New York later on Wednesday, said there was a need for robust and effective foreign forces to be deployed with Lebanese troops in the Hizbollah stronghold of southern Lebanon.

''The war is not over yet,'' Livni told the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

''At first there was the military battle and then there was the diplomatic battle and now it is crucial that the international community and the Lebanese government will implement fully the resolution 1701.'' The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution calling for a truce last week. It authorized up to 13,000 troops to augment the 2,000-strong UNIFIL force now in Lebanon and wants up to 3,500 new soldiers deployed in south Lebanon within two weeks.

Israel said today it would stop withdrawing from southern Lebanon unless Lebanese troops moved there within days.

At least 1,110 people in Lebanon and 157 Israelis were killed in the conflict that erupted after Hizbollah captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid on July 12.

''Part of the Security Council resolution calls for the unconditional and immediate release of these soldiers. The fact that these soldiers are being kept by Hizbollah is in violation of the Security Council resolution,'' Livni said.

Livni said it was also crucial that the international community and Lebanese government stop Hizbollah, which has roamed Lebanon's south for 20 years, from re-arming by closing Lebanon's border with Syria.

She said this would stop Iran and Syria from supplying money and weapons to Hizbollah.

''I truly hope and believe that maybe this is a new road that can lead to stability and maybe even peace in the future between Israel and Lebanon,'' Livni said.

''But it depends not only on Israel, it depends firstly on the Lebanese government and the international community and that is the reason for my visit here.'' ''The ball is also in the court of the international community.

There's a need for international forces, robust effective forces that can join the Lebanese forces,'' she said.

Reuters BDP DB2117