U.N. LOOKS TO THROW HEZBOLLAH A LIFE-LINE

Hizballah's Little Helpers - Editorial
As Israel fights to break the back of one of the world's most dangerous terrorist organizations, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has come up with a very bad idea. He wants to throw a lifeline to Hizballah, dispatching UN peacekeepers to Lebanon. Mr. Annan must explain how his peacekeepers would differ from the current UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which has failed miserably ever since it was dispatched in 1978. UNIFIL has been unable to stop Hizballah attacks but remarkably successful in getting in the way of Israelis defending themselves. "Hizballah would launch military attacks 50 meters from a UNIFIL outpost, Israel would shoot back, and UNIFIL would protest against the Israeli response," explained Dore Gold, a former Israeli ambassador to the UN.

For now, the Israeli military is doing more to enhance the long-term prospects for peace in Lebanon than the UN has ever done. Kofi Annan can perform a great service by staying out of the way. (Washington Times)