Special report: Israel, Lebanon agree on ceasefire

    BEIRUT, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh said Sunday that Lebanon was taking steps to get Israeli blockade lifted, Lebanese official news agency (NNA) reported.

    "The Israeli blockade is in violation of (UN Security Council) Resolution 1701, and we have taken steps to make sure it is lifted," Salloukh was quoted as saying.

    He described Lebanese parliament members' sit-in as "an important step toward helping the executive branch in its efforts to lift the blockade".

    Lebanese parliament members on Sunday continued for a second day their open-ended protest at Israel's continued blockade on Lebanon.

    The sit-in, launched by Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri who took part in the protest along with two ministers and nine deputies, expected to continue until the blockade is lifted.

    Israel imposed blockade and launched massive military offensive against Lebanon on July 12 after Lebanese Hezbollah guerillas kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others in cross-border attacks.

    Although the 34-day-long fighting between the two sides came to a cease-fire on Aug. 14 thanks to the UN Resolution 1701, Israel has vowed to keep its blockade until a UN peacekeeping force takes control of south Lebanon to guarantee the safety of the Jewish state. Enditem