Analysis: A nice idea in theory Although US and European officials agreed in Rome on Wednesday on the creation of a multinational force to oversee a post-cease-fire era in southern Lebanon, and although Israel has put aside longstanding reservations over such a force, the international community is showing acute signs of cold feet about contributing the necessary soldiers. UN removes observers from border The United Nations has decided to remove 50 unarmed observers from their posts along the Israeli-Lebanese border, moving them in with the peacekeeping force in the area, a spokesman said Friday. The decision came after one of the posts of the observer force, known as UNTSO, was destroyed by an Israeli air strike earlier this week, killing four. Halutz released from Ichilov Hospital IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz was released from Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv on Friday after he arrived at the hospital's emergency room earlier Friday evening suffering from abdominal pain. UN official fears Israel will raze Tyre A top UN peacekeeping official on Friday said he feared the war in southern Lebanon would continue until the end of August and voiced fears Israel would flatten Lebanon's southern villages and destroy the port of Tyre "neighborhood by neighborhood" if Hizbullah rockets keep slamming into the Jewish state. Aksa Brigades claims murder of Israeli The Aksa Martyrs' Brigades claimed responsibility on Friday night for the murder of 60-year-old Yakir resident Dr. Daniel Ya'akovi. Ya'akovi's body was found in the trunk of a car that was completely burned. He was found on Thursday near the Arab village of Abus about 20 km east of the West Bank city of Kalkilya.

Weekend Wrap, July 29

Aksa Brigades claims murder of Israeli; UN removes observers from border.