Israel lifts naval blockade of Lebanon

BEIRUT - Israel lifted its eight-week sea blockade of Lebanon today, handing control of the Lebanese coastline to an international naval task force.

The end of the maritime embargo, a day after Israel lifted its air blockade, had been a key Lebanese demand to help speed reconstruction of bridges, homes, roads and factories devastated during a 34-day war between Israel and Hizbollah.

"The blockade has ended," said Miri Eisin, a spokeswoman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Major-General Alain Pellegrini, head of UNIFIL peacekeepers in Lebanon, said the Italian-led naval force was operational and had taken over coastal patrols from Israeli vessels.

"The blockade has seriously undermined the Lebanese economy and it is high time for it to end so as to allow the people to get back to their businesses," Pellegrini said in a statement.

Many countries have criticised the embargo, which Israel said was aimed at stopping Hizbollah from re-arming, but which Lebanon saw as collective punishment.

"Israeli ships have been given the orders to turn over the implementation of the arms embargo to the international force. The international community will continue to enforce the arms embargo by sea to Lebanon," Eisin said.

A UNIFIL spokesman said four Italian ships were currently supporting the Lebanese navy in monitoring Lebanon's territorial waters. France said it will supply two frigates, complete with helicopters, and a transport vessel for the surveillance force.

A Greek frigate carrying about 200 sailors left Cyprus for Lebanon today to join the force, a Greek Defence Ministry source said.

The Italian, French and Greek vessels are expected to patrol the coast until a German-led naval contingent can take over in line with a Lebanese request to the United Nations.

UNIFIL said it had already established a naval operations centre, and a team of security experts will start work in Lebanon tomorrow to assess what technical assistance the UN can offer at air and sea ports and border crossings.

Israel ended an air embargo on Lebanon yesterday but held back at the last minute from allowing free shipping movement, saying the naval blockade would be lifted only when ships of an international force were deployed.

Israel imposed the blockade when it went to war with Hizbollah after guerrillas captured two of its soldiers in a cross-border raid on July 12. It bombed Beirut airport and coastal radars and barred most shipping from Lebanese ports.

Flights to and from Beirut resumed from yesterday morning and several international and Arab airlines announced resumption of normal services.

Italy said it would soon deploy more troops to southern Lebanon that along with the dispatch of other European soldiers would comprise an "effective ground force", opening the way for all Israeli troops to leave.

Israel has been gradually withdrawing forces from Lebanon since an August 14 ceasefire. Today its troops detained four armed men in the southern Lebanese village of Aita al-Shaab, an Israeli army spokeswoman said. Lebanese security sources said five men were detained, all of them unarmed.

"I think in a week the multinational force would be at 5000 people," Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema said in Tel Aviv. "The French and Spanish are deploying, it will be possible to have an agreement on the withdrawal of Israeli troops in the next 10 days."

Israeli media have said the pullout was likely to finish by the start of the Jewish New Year, which begins on September 22.

In another area touched upon by the UN resolution, Olmert said Israel would be willing to discuss the disputed Shebaa Farms if Lebanon disarms Hizbollah, Israeli media reported.

The Shebaa Farms is a small patch of land claimed by Lebanon, but occupied by Israel since it captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war.

- REUTERS