New UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has been showing signs that he may actually recognize Israel's right to defend itself.

In a statement based on observations from the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon, Mr. Ban said the Lebanese armed forces fired the initial shot in the first armed clash on the border since the war with Hezbollah last August. Mr. Ban also indicated that their target, an Israel Defense Force bulldozer, was operating inside Israel's territory.

But the Security Council, which later issued its own statement, made no reference to the secretary-general's comments. Instead, it reverted to familiar U.N. language and appealed to "all parties" to respect the cease-fire.

Unlike his predecessor Kofi Annan, it seems Mr. Ban is not afraid of telling the unvarnished truth. Hopefully Mr. Ban can continue to lead the UN on this path.

Labels: Hezbollah, Israel, politics, United Nations