In other news from Lebanon, the UN has drawn pledges of more than 3500 troops for a new peacekeeping force. 2,000 soldiers will come from Bangladesh. On Thursday, the French government set back hopes for an immediate deployment by announcing it will commit just 200 troops, far less than had been expected. Meanwhile, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon commander Alan Pellegrini vowed a stronger presence.

• UNIFIL commander Alan Pellegrini: ”UNIFIL now will be very different from the previous one. I want to make it understood that the old UNIFIL is dead and the the new UNIFIL will be stronger, enhanced with more people, and above all, with new rules of engagement in order to enable UNIFIL to enforce the task given by the mandate.”