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Lebanese Army Moves South
by Sabrina Tavernise and John Kifner
 Lebanese government soldiers began crossing the Litani River at dawn Thursday in a deployment that was more about symbolism than security. The reality on the ground is a kind of murky backroom deal in which Hizballah takes its weapons off the street and the army will not look too hard for them, if at all. "There will be no confrontation between the army and the brothers in Hizballah," said Ghazi Aridi, the Lebanese information minister. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said "the [UN] resolution clearly calls for the creation of a Hizballah-free zone south of the Litani River and anything less would mean the resolution is not being implemented." (New York Times)
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice: A Path to Lasting Peace
 The United States has insisted that a truly effective cease-fire requires a decisive change from the status quo that produced this war. UN Resolution 1701 clearly lays out the political principles to secure a lasting peace: no foreign forces, no weapons, and no authority in Lebanon other than that of the sovereign Lebanese government. Already, we hear Hizballah trying to claim victory. But others, in Lebanon and across the region, are asking themselves what Hizballah's extremism has really achieved: the blame of the world for causing this war. (Washington Post)
"Star Wars" Agency Helps Israel on Rocket Threat
by Jim Wolf
 The Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency has begun working with Israel to help find ways to counter enemy rockets, a much shorter-range threat than the "Star Wars" mission to block ballistic missiles for which is it known, the head of the agency said. Israel's defense ministry recently asked the Pentagon for information about a next-generation chemical-laser system for intercepting short-range Katushya and Kassam rockets. (Reuters)
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Israel's Losses in the War with Hizballah
 159 Israelis were killed - 116 IDF soldiers and 43 Jewish, Christian and Muslim civilians; 4,262 civilians were injured. Over 2 million people - a third of Israel's population - were within Hizballah rocket range; 300,000-500,000 were displaced from their homes. 6,000 homes were hit by rockets. Hizballah fired 3,970 rockets into Israeli cities and towns; 901 landed in urban areas. (Israel Project)
Olmert Welcomes Olim; Discusses War with Hizballah
 Speaking to new immigrants at Ben Gurion Airport last week, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stressed Israel's success in garnering international support for its battle against Hizballah. "As opposed to previous experiences," he said, "the State of Israel was not isolated and not alone. A large part of the international community supported Israel and justified the act that the state of Israel took to defend its people." (Jerusalem Post)
"Silence Begets Evil Actions"
by Etgar Lefkovits
 Yad Vashem deplored the "alarming silence" of most of the world in the face of repeated Iranian genocidal threats against the Israel, warning that the Islamic republic represents a danger to all enlightened nations. "The alarming silence of the world indicates that the West has not yet understood that what is taking place is an attack on Western values and civilization," said Yad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev. (Jerusalem Post)
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