By News Agencies
Israel will lift its sea and air blockade of Lebanon on Thursday evening, the government announced Wednesday.
A statement issued on Wednesday said Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had been informed by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan that "the international forces are ready to take over control posts over the seaports and airports of Lebanon."
"Thus it was was agreed that tomorrow at 6 P.M. Israel will leave the control positions over the ports in conjunction with the entry of the international forces," the statement said.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh said Wednesday that his country would break Israel's blockade by force if it is not lifted in a 48-hour timeframe indicated by Annan.
"We will wait for the 48 hours given by Kofi Annan, and if the situation is resolved, we will thank him. If it is not, the Lebanese govenrment will take the necesssary measures and we will break the blockade with all our might," Salloukh told journalists on the sidelines of an Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo.
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Haaretz