By Nicholas BlanfordChristian Science Monitor July 30, 2002 At
an outpost overlooking Lebanon's southern border with Israel,
Hizbullah, an anti-Israel militant organization, is digging in.
A mini-earth mover wheels to and fro, building ramparts and
fortifications.About 20 yards away stands an observation post,
protected by sandbags and concrete retaining walls and manned by
Fijian peacekeepers of the UN Interim Force In Lebanon
(UNIFIL).The calm remains fragile along this troublesome border
between Lebanon and Israel, described by some as potentially
more dangerous to Mideast stability than the conflict between
Israel and the Palestinians. The UN Security Council is expected
to vote Wednesday on extending UNIFIL's mandate, which expires
that day. Although the mandate is likely to be renewed for
another six-month period, there is a growing feeling within the
Security Council that the 24-year-old peacekeeping force is
close to outliving its usefulness." The Security Council has
been discussing this for two year