To Leave or not to leave?

Lebanon urges UN to demand Israeli withdrawal

On the one hand I have no problem with a withdrawal from Lebanon.

We withdrew once and we can withdraw again.
If this time it is not only Israel paying heed to the UN resolution and it is actually the Lebanese, rather than Hizbollah, on our border I have hopes we could live in peace. The Lebanese know how to enjoy life and would doubtless be more concerned with turning Beirut back into ‘The Paris of the East’ rather than destroying The State of Israel.

Our soldiers would much rather be this side of the border. Despite stories about the beauty of the Bekaa Valley there are too many sour memories for Israelis not to dread a permanent presence there.

On the other hand an Israeli withdrawal gives me a mental image of Lebanon, the UN and Hizbollah forming a secret club and closing the door in Israel’s face. A club door on which, like so many club doors before it, hangs a notice ‘No Jews, No Blacks, No dogs’. Of course an exception is made for Kofi Annan, as Head of the UN, on condition that he doesn’t try to interfere and do any real peacekeeping. That shouldn’t be a problem, it never has been before.

From the other side of the door Israel can hear what sounds suspiciously like smug laughter and the stockpiling of weapons but when she demands that a UN observer explain what is happening the observer smiles indulgently, pats Israel on the head and replies “Don’t get everything so out of proportion.”
Finally Israel is sure she hears gunfire coming in her direction and forces the door open to witness a familiar scene:

Kofi has his back to the room pretending he doesn’t see what is happening. He is talking into his mobile saying ‘Just dismiss it all as Israeli aggression’. Lebanon, dressed in an elegantly tailored suit, is backed into the corner and sporting a black eye. He is pulling ineffectually on Kofi’s jacket tails while silently mouthing some plea. His terrified gaze is transfixed by Hizbollah who - dressed in a wig, headscarf and heels - is trying desperately to look like a civilian woman but is falling miserably due to the nuclear weapon it has balanced on its shoulder aimed directly at Israel’s heart.

ES