Haaretz: Occupied Shibaa talks would serve Hizbullah not Saniora

Haaretz: Occupied Shibaa talks would serve Hizbullah not Saniora
"UN becoming increasingly convinced occupied Shibaa Farms Lebanese"
Source: Compiled by Daily Star, 20-10-2007
"Israel" has rejected a recommendation by a United Nations ambassador to begin negotiations with Lebanon over the disputed (occupied) Shibaa Farms area, "Israeli" newspaper Haaretz reported on Friday "According to the envoy, Geir Pedersen, the UN is becoming increasingly convinced that the (occupied) Shibaa Farms belong to Lebanon," the daily said During a meeting recently with Amos Gilad, the head of the Political-Military Bureau at the Defense Ministry, Pedersen, who is the UN Secretary General`s personal representative in Lebanon, said that "the UN believes there is merit in the Lebanese claims of sovereignty over (occupied) Shibaa Farms."
According to Haaretz, Pedersen stressed that it would be beneficial if "Israel" initiated negotiations over this issue.
During the coming weeks the UN Security Council is expected to receive another report on the implementation of Resolution 1701, which put an end to the summer 2006 war.
"Pedersen authored the first report, which made no mention of the (occupied) Shibaa Farms following intense "Israeli" pressure," the daily said.
However, the several-months hiatus this pressure bought "Israel" may be coming to an end following a series of meetings Pedersen held in "Israel" recently with senior officials at the Foreign and Defense ministries and with the "Israeli" Army.
The (occupied) Shibaa Farms, situated in a sensitive spot where the borders of Syria, "Israel" and Lebanon meet, has long been a point of contention but assumed added significance after "Israel" withdrew from Southern Lebanon, because both Syria and Lebanon insist it is Lebanese territory still under "Israeli" occupation.
The farms are part of what was the French Mandate over the territory that today is Syria and Lebanon. The border was established in a 1923 agreement between Britain and France and was not precisely marked on the ground.
Following "Israel`s" withdrawal from Southern Lebanon, Lebanese argued that (occupied) Shibaa Farms is part of their sovereign territory. However, after "Israel" pulled out of Lebanon in May 2000, the UN maintained that the territory was part of Syria`s Golan Heights and its future would be decided in negotiations between Damascus and Jerusalem.
After last year`s war the efforts to mark the border between Syria and Lebanon began. Since then, "Israel`s" stance was that it would not discuss the sovereignty of the farms until a decision was made whether the area was Lebanese or Syrian.
In recent months, both Lebanon and Syria proposed that the disputed land temporarily be placed under UN control, until the demarcation of the border is completed. "Israel" refused.
Haaretz reported that during his meeting with Gilad, the Pedersen noted that the evidence boosts the Lebanese claims. Pedersen said it may be advisable for "Israel" to agree to separate negotiations with the government of Lebanon on the (occupied) Shibaa Farms to resolve the issue.
Gilad turned down the proposal, saying: "We will not agree to resolving this issue separately. Every agreement with Lebanon will be part of a single package."
In recent months, UN cartographer Miklos Pinter has been working on determining the size of the (occupied) Shibaa Farms. His report has still not been completed.
The daily added that the upcoming report on Resolution 1701, might include some of the findings of Pinter`s report will be included.
In a report to UN headquarters, Pedersen wrote that "Israeli" officials, including Gilad, were critical of Pinter`s work, claiming "there are technical mistakes in the UN work on the (occupied) Shibaa Farms issue."
"Nonetheless," Haaretz added, "in `Israel` officials are confident Pedersen`s upcoming report to the Security Council will not require `Israel` to carry out significant steps in the matter.
"From our point of view this issue is off the agenda for good," senior political sources told the newspaper. "There is no point in talking about this any more. We have no room to show flexibility on this matter because that only strengthens Hizbullah and does not serve [Premier Fouad] Siniora."