Dec. 11, 2006 9:53 a.m. EST
French Troops Can Fire on Israelis
Stewart Stogel files this report from New York.
The Jerusalem Post is reporting that French military forces in southern Lebanon have been given the authority to "fire at" Israeli forces "if they feel threatened."
France leads a multinational U.N. force patrolling a cease-fire between Jerusalem and the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah.
The Post adds that Paris has deployed a "squadron" of drone aircraft to the region for "intelligence" gathering activities.
The French have complained that repeated flights by the Israel Air Force over southern Lebanon violates the terms of the cease-fire arranged by the U.N. Security Council last September.
Jerusalem counters that such IAF flights are needed to ensure that Hezbollah does not try to undermine the terms of the cease-fire.
The war between Israel and Hezbollah broke out shortly after two IDF soldiers were kidnapped by the Lebanese terrorist group near the Israel-Lebanon frontier last July.
The two soldiers remain in Hezbollah captivity, despite demands by the U.N. for their release.
French Troops Can Fire on IsraelisTalk about a catch 22 for Israel............
