Italy, which is expected to lead a U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon, said on Tuesday it would contribute 2,000 to 3,000 troops provided Israel did not violate the U.N.-brokered ceasefire. Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema called for a special meeting of European Union foreign ministers as early as Friday in Brussels to discuss Europe's contribution to the 15,000-strong international force. Italy's contribution would represent about one third of the total sent from Europe, said D'Alema. That would put the European contingent at anywhere from 6,000 to 9,000 troops in a force authorised by the U.N. to total up to 15,000. D'Alema, ahead of talks on Thursday with his Israeli counterpart, said Italy would be unable to send troops to Lebanon as long as Israel "keeps shooting". "From Israel, we expect a renewed effort, this time truly binding, to respect the ceasefire," D'Alema told La Repubblica newspaper. "It's fair to expect that Hizbollah put down their weapons, but we cannot send our troops to Lebanon if the (Israeli) army keeps shooting," he was quoted as saying by Reuters.
