While meeting in Washington with President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice two weeks ago, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert indicated a willingness to discuss handing over Sheba Farm to the Lebanese.
America is pressing Israel to withdraw from the northern border position, seeking to hand a victory to moderate Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, seeking to weaken Hizbullah and radical elements.
While Israel liberated Sheba from Syria during the June 1967 Six Day War, Lebanon and Hizbullah are both claiming it belongs to Lebanon, while Syria continues to express a claim as well.
Rice is confident that if there is progress on Sheba, it will open the door to negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.
Olmert told the US leaders that he is willing to enter into talks with Lebanon, but there are conditions, including the true implementation of United Nations Resolution 1701, which brought about the end of the Second Lebanon War.
Olmert stated that there are a number of issues to be worked out between Israel and Lebanon, issues that are considerably less complicated than the issues facing Israel vis-à-vis Syria. “If Syria is willing to negotiate with Israel there should be no problem with Lebanon” Olmert stated.
Israel is demanding the implementation of the entire UN resolution, which also calls for a total cessation of weapons smuggling into Lebanon, and the disarming of militias, first-and-foremost Hizbullah. In addition, Hizbullah must cease operating south of the Litani River.
Olmert rightfully pointed out that Syria and Lebanon must complete demarcating the border in the area to end their dispute regarding Sheba.
Upon his return from Washington, Olmert told his cabinet he is willing to launch talks with the Lebanese. The official Lebanese response was a demand that Israel’s withdrawal from Sheba be set as a precondition to talks.
Next month, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will present his report to the Security Council regarding the implementation of 1701. At that time, he is expected to present the UN’s position regarding Sheba.
European diplomats are quoted by the daily Haaretz as saying if the United Nation determines that Sheba belongs to Lebanon, the European community will call upon Israel to withdraw. They add that such a move would demand Lebanon ensure that only Lebanese army force occupy the area along its southern border and halt weapons smuggling to Hizbullah in southern Lebanon.
Following the Second Lebanon War, the UN began demarcating the border between Lebanon and Syria, including the Sheba area, which is 25-30 square kilometers. Since that time, Israel maintained that until the border demarcation process is complete, there cannot be any talks regarding Sheba.
During recent months, Syria and Lebanon favored turning over control to the United Nations but Israel has been opposed to the move.
Hizbullah recently released a message that as far as the terror organization is concerned, until such time that Sheba is under Lebanese control, it views the area as “occupied”.
Sheba is located in the area which was previously a portion of the French mandate on Syria and Lebanon. As a result of an agreement in the 1920s the border between the two countries was not demarcated.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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6 Responses
I think Olmert is a closet Neturei Karta’nik!
Which brings to mind… YW hasn’t had a NK article in a while. We used to, hungrily, get one about once a week. NK, of course, brings us all together in a self-congratulatory indignation (and generates record numbers of comments.) Can’t you find a NK press release or something to report about? There must’ve been a recent protest or an advertisement to rile us all up.
rebshalom – Are you suggesting I be nice the the “Honorable” Prime Minister?
the whole “sheba farms” is basically one grave — the kever of rav ashi, who “sealed” “chatam” the gemorah. all piskei halacha date to ravina and rav ashi’s “chatimat hatalmud”.
maybe we can send talansky to propose a real estate development there, so that olmert can make some $$$ off of the sheba farms!
When Israel withdrew from Lebanon the (Arab) residents of Sheba Farms were interviewed by news services and they said that Sheba never belonged to Lebanon, they don’t want to be part of Lebanon, they wish to remain in Israel.
rebshalom — I do that all the time. Perhaps you should look for the good and you will not overlook it. As far as the “Honorable” Prime Minister is concerned, he is one that deserves no praise.
Sheba Farms were captured from Syria by Israel.
rebashlom, the area is part of the Golan Heights, which are now part of Israel.
MMHY, it’s much bigger than one grave – the point of holding on to it isn’t a grave, it’s the strategic position on Har Dov. If it were just a grave, we’d just give it over un fartig; but giving away Har Dov is giving the enemy a major advantage in the next conflict. In any case, how did Rav Ashi come to be buried in EY? Where is it recorded that he ever left Bavel?