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GUEST: Nubar Hovsepian, Professor of Political Science and International Studies at Chapman University

A ceasefire brokered by a UN resolution this past weekend, temporarily halted offensives between Israel and Hezbollah. As late as Monday morning, Israeli planes flew over Beirut dropping leaflets that said: “Know that Israel defense forces will return and work with the required force against any terrorist act that will be launched from Lebanon to harm the state of Israel.” Residents were seen tearing up the leaflets according to one reporter. Israel officials say they will still be entitled to use force to prevent Hezbollah from rearming even after the UN truce takes effect. In fact Israel has already broken the ceasefire by killing two men that Israel claims were Hezbollah fighters even while thousands of displaced Lebanese people began to make their way home. Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said yesterday that his guerrillas achieved a “strategic, historic victory” against Israel. Meanwhile a storm was brewing in Israel over Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s handling of the war and preparations on the home front. Critics are asking how Israel could have failed to crush Hezbollah with the huge amount of air power at its disposal and the backing of the US. Olmert addressed the Knesset yesterday for the first time since the war began on July 12th.