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U.S. asks Israel to consider talks on land
By UPI Staff
United Press International
July 27, 2006

JERUSALEM (UPI) -- U.S. officials have advised Israel to consider a deal that would give the Shaba Farms area, occupied by Israel since 1967, to Lebanon.

The issue was broached by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during a meeting Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, The Jerusalem Post reported Thursday.

The Post said the Israeli government pushed the idea aside after bitter fighting and Israeli loses Wednesday at Bint Jbail, the Hezbollah capital in Lebanon.

When asked about the possibility of Israel relinquishing the area, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mark Regev told the Post, "As far as I know, no one in the international community believes that Shaba Farms is part of Lebanon."

The area, which covers about 100 square miles on the border Israel shares with Lebanon and Syria, is considered by the United Nations to be part of Israeli-occupied Syria, and the Post said Syria would be unlikely to give the area up to Lebanon if asked.

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