UPDATED: PEACE NEGOTIATIONS

Israel Signals It May Accept Foreign Forces on Border (NYT)
KIRYAT SHMONA, Israel, July 23 — As Israel again pounded south Lebanon from the air and ground on Sunday and the Hezbollah militia rained dozens more rockets on Israel’s north, diplomatic efforts increased with growing discussion of a multinational armed force being placed in the area. The Israeli defense minister, Amir Peretz, said Israel was interested in a NATO-led force and the prime minister, Ehud Olmert, spoke of one comprised of European Union members with combat experience and the authority to take control of Lebanon’s border and crossing points. American officials said that they too were open to the idea but did not expect American troops to be part of the force.

I CAN'T BLAME ISRAEL FOR NOT WANTING A U.N. PEACEKEEPING FORCE. IN THE PAST, U.N. PEACEKEEPERS ALONG THE LEBANESE BORDER HAVE PALLED AROUND WITH HEZBOLLAH AND AVERTED THEIR EYES WHILE HEZBOLLAH ATTACKED ISRAEL AND KIDNAPPED ISRAELIS. OF COURSE, THEY'VE DONE WORSE IN DARFUR: ALLOWING GENOCIDE TO TAKE PLACE, AND ELSEWHERE: RAPING THE PEOPLE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTING.

UPDATE: DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH ON ANY OF THESE HYPOCRITES SENDING FORCES TO PACIFY THE BOARDER. TALK IS CHEAP BUT TROOPS AND COURAGE HAVE A COST: Nations Reluctant to Commit Troops to Lebanon
SEE ALSO: Lebanese Leader Rejects Deploying NATO

MEANWHILE, THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT, NEGOTIATING WITH SEC. OF STATE RICE ON BEHALF OF HEZBOLLAH HAS REJECTED A U.S. PEACE PROPOSAL:

Hezbollah negotiator rejects peace proposal (MSNBC)
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Lebanon’s parliament speaker, Hezbollah’s de facto negotiator, rejected proposals brought by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday, insisting a cease-fire must precede any talks about resolving Hezbollah’s presence in the south, an official close to the speaker said.
An official close to parliament speaker Nabih Berri said his talks with Rice failed to “reach an agreement because Rice insisted on one full package to end the fighting.”
The package included a cease-fire, simultaneous with the deployment of the Lebanese army and an international force in south Lebanon and the removal of Hezbollah weapons from a buffer zone extending 30 kilometers from the Israeli border, said the official. He spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were private.

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT. LEBANON HAS REJECTED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TERMS OF U.N. RESOLUTION 1559 (2004).

BOMBS AWAY.