United Nations ? The United States and France have split over key provisions in a compromise resolution to end hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, triggering intense diplomatic scrambling, according to European and U.S. officials.

The two cosponsors of the resolution had agreed on the need for changes after Lebanon’s proposal Monday to deploy 15,000 troops in the south, but Washington and Paris have basic differences over the issues and the scope of other modifications that Beirut had requested.

France wants to incorporate ideas from Lebanon’s new proposals, particularly on two issues: deploying Lebanese troops alongside a more robust version of the U.N. force now in Lebanon as a means to expedite an Israeli withdrawal and settling the status of Shebaa Farms, the officials said.

But the United States, which has accepted Israel’s concerns on both issues, thinks that a strong international force still needs to be in place before an Israeli withdrawal to ensure that the Shiite militia is not able to resume control of southern Lebanon or shoot at Israeli forces as they pull out, U.S. and European officials say.

The Bush administration also does not want to offer more specific language on Shebaa Farms – the disputed border area that abuts Israel, Lebanon and Syria that Hezbollah has used to justify keeping its weapons – for fear it would be seen as a reward to the Shiite movement, European officials say.