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IMPORTANT // Please look after your loved ones, yourself and be kind to others. If you are feeling that the world is too hard to handle there is always help - I implore you not to hesitate in contacting one of these wonderful organisations Lifeline and Beyond Blue ... and I'm sure reaching out to our PRE community we will find a way to help. T.
Palestine and Israel
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Re: Not Good News From Israel
Thanking the USA for @%^&%$# what?
That statement just made me throw up my lunch thanks to you.
On a different note, my prediction is the USA are just sitting back with an itchy trigger finger waiting for Iran to come into the 'party', that'll give the yanks the perfect opportunity to bust the whole situation into a world war.......................just remember my words. The yanks are praying for the Iranians to come in.
Liverpool said:
Thanking the USA for @%^&%$# what?
That statement just made me throw up my lunch thanks to you.
On a different note, my prediction is the USA are just sitting back with an itchy trigger finger waiting for Iran to come into the 'party', that'll give the yanks the perfect opportunity to bust the whole situation into a world war.......................just remember my words. The yanks are praying for the Iranians to come in.
Re: Not Good News From Israel
Well, if the Iranians were smart, or let me say, not so fanatical about trying to end Israel's existence, and their hatred towards anything Western/Christian...then they wouldn't get involved, would they?, and the USA would be left with their so-called 'itchy trigger finger', wouldn't they?
Its a pity people like you don't vomit your lunch, when the Iranian PM wants to rid the world of Israel altogether.....or when North Korea threatens to "destroy the world"...or when Hussein was using chemical weapons to kill and torture his own people....or when al-Zarqawi beheaded people, including many Iraqis, with a blunt knife live over the internet....or when Hezbollah kidnap Israeli soldiers to start this whole conflict up again.
Oh....and you should be on your knees thanking the Yanks mate...if it wasn't for them, you'd be speaking Japanese by now, if you existed at all.
How quickly we forget...
geoffryprettyboy said:Liverpool said:
Thanking the USA for @%^&%$# what?
That statement just made me throw up my lunch thanks to you.
On a different note, my prediction is the USA are just sitting back with an itchy trigger finger waiting for Iran to come into the 'party', that'll give the yanks the perfect opportunity to bust the whole situation into a world war.......................just remember my words. The yanks are praying for the Iranians to come in.
Well, if the Iranians were smart, or let me say, not so fanatical about trying to end Israel's existence, and their hatred towards anything Western/Christian...then they wouldn't get involved, would they?, and the USA would be left with their so-called 'itchy trigger finger', wouldn't they?
Its a pity people like you don't vomit your lunch, when the Iranian PM wants to rid the world of Israel altogether.....or when North Korea threatens to "destroy the world"...or when Hussein was using chemical weapons to kill and torture his own people....or when al-Zarqawi beheaded people, including many Iraqis, with a blunt knife live over the internet....or when Hezbollah kidnap Israeli soldiers to start this whole conflict up again.
Oh....and you should be on your knees thanking the Yanks mate...if it wasn't for them, you'd be speaking Japanese by now, if you existed at all.
How quickly we forget...
Re: Not Good News From Israel
Well Michael, I hope your daugher remains safe throughout and returns home in the same.
As for the conflict itself and all the history, I don't pretend to know the half of it.
All I know is that its one sad and sorry mess unfortunately......
Well Michael, I hope your daugher remains safe throughout and returns home in the same.
As for the conflict itself and all the history, I don't pretend to know the half of it.
All I know is that its one sad and sorry mess unfortunately......
Re: Not Good News From Israel
I don't know a thing really. Gaza, Zionists, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbolla etc are all foreign langugae to me. Don't have a clue about any of it. I don't know who's bombing who, and why. Seems all the talk is about Israel doing the damage but I don't know why or if Lebanon is fighting back.
Tonight is the first time I've seen anything about it on the news, and despite my ignorance I really feel for all those innocent families being blown to smitherines.
The carnage and the destruction is sickening.
Redford said:
I don't know a thing really. Gaza, Zionists, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbolla etc are all foreign langugae to me. Don't have a clue about any of it. I don't know who's bombing who, and why. Seems all the talk is about Israel doing the damage but I don't know why or if Lebanon is fighting back.
Tonight is the first time I've seen anything about it on the news, and despite my ignorance I really feel for all those innocent families being blown to smitherines.
The carnage and the destruction is sickening.
Re: Not Good News From Israel
I watched that movie The Kingdom of Heaven the other night and that was set in 1164 where there had been ongoing conflict for some time previous. And even in the movie, I still didn't understand what was behind all the hatred to be honest.
Its all too much for me, I'm afraid.
I watched that movie The Kingdom of Heaven the other night and that was set in 1164 where there had been ongoing conflict for some time previous. And even in the movie, I still didn't understand what was behind all the hatred to be honest.
Its all too much for me, I'm afraid.
Re: Not Good News From Israel
What makes it even more tragic is that religion is often cited as the cause of the conflict, yet the two opposing sides worship the same God.
What makes it even more tragic is that religion is often cited as the cause of the conflict, yet the two opposing sides worship the same God.
Re: Not Good News From Israel
Its religion.
There isn't a lot to understand mate.
Iran hasn't got a border with Israel, so what reason would Iran want to "wipe Israel off the map"?
Why do muftis here in Australia keep ranting about Islam is THE only thing that should be in their lives, and that we are "infidels"?
Why does Bon laden call the USA and its Allies "crusaders"?
as you said mate...its been going on for years:
http://www.medievalcrusades.com/
....and won't stop overnight.
Redford said:
Its religion.
There isn't a lot to understand mate.
Iran hasn't got a border with Israel, so what reason would Iran want to "wipe Israel off the map"?
Why do muftis here in Australia keep ranting about Islam is THE only thing that should be in their lives, and that we are "infidels"?
Why does Bon laden call the USA and its Allies "crusaders"?
as you said mate...its been going on for years:
http://www.medievalcrusades.com/
....and won't stop overnight.
Re: Not Good News From Israel
I noticed in that movie The Kingdom of Heaven that the Knights Templar got a mention. Portrayed them completely differently to the way Dan Brown portrays them in the Da Vinci Code. In the Kingdom movie they are accused of being murdering religous zealots who kill innocent Arabs.
Again, just further evidence of conflicting religous interpretations, I guess.
All so pointless.....
I noticed in that movie The Kingdom of Heaven that the Knights Templar got a mention. Portrayed them completely differently to the way Dan Brown portrays them in the Da Vinci Code. In the Kingdom movie they are accused of being murdering religous zealots who kill innocent Arabs.
Again, just further evidence of conflicting religous interpretations, I guess.
All so pointless.....
Re: Not Good News From Israel
Hi Rosy & Redders,
I'd love to explain it, but it would take ages. Gee, where do I begin?
OK, I'll do it in bits and pieces from my aspect. Maybe L&B could do something similar from his aspect so all of us could get a much deeper understand from different angles.
I'll try to start tonight when I have some references handy.
The structure will be titled:
Chapter 1 - The Middle East, circa 1500BC - 1100BC
It will deal with who occupied the land prior to the arrival of Abraham & the early Hebrews into Canaan, and the arrival of the Phillistines. The empires around it.
Chapter 2 - The Rise & Fall of the Kingdom of David, 1100BC - 200AD
Will tell of the moulding of Hebrew settlers into a kingdom, the Babylonian expulsion, the return, the Hasmonian Kingdom, the Roman expulsion.
Chapter 3 - The Rise of the Levant & the Crusades, 800AD - 1450AD
The development of Islam, and its off-shoots, up to the fall of Constantinople.
Chapter 4 - The Diaspora, 1000AD - 1850AD
What happened to the Hebrews after the destruction of the ancient kingdom.
Chapter 5 - Zionism, 1850 - 1948
What led to the creation of the state of Israel.
Chapter 6 - The Middle Eastern Conflict 1915 - now.
The Middle Eastern Wars, from the destruction of the Ottomon Empire to now. Looking at the development of the Arab Kingdoms. The resettlement of the Hebrews. The ensuing conflicts within & between the related groups.
L& B, I would be grateful if you could enter your aspect & thoughts as a juxtaposition to my own, for deeper understanding.
Hi Rosy & Redders,
I'd love to explain it, but it would take ages. Gee, where do I begin?
OK, I'll do it in bits and pieces from my aspect. Maybe L&B could do something similar from his aspect so all of us could get a much deeper understand from different angles.
I'll try to start tonight when I have some references handy.
The structure will be titled:
Chapter 1 - The Middle East, circa 1500BC - 1100BC
It will deal with who occupied the land prior to the arrival of Abraham & the early Hebrews into Canaan, and the arrival of the Phillistines. The empires around it.
Chapter 2 - The Rise & Fall of the Kingdom of David, 1100BC - 200AD
Will tell of the moulding of Hebrew settlers into a kingdom, the Babylonian expulsion, the return, the Hasmonian Kingdom, the Roman expulsion.
Chapter 3 - The Rise of the Levant & the Crusades, 800AD - 1450AD
The development of Islam, and its off-shoots, up to the fall of Constantinople.
Chapter 4 - The Diaspora, 1000AD - 1850AD
What happened to the Hebrews after the destruction of the ancient kingdom.
Chapter 5 - Zionism, 1850 - 1948
What led to the creation of the state of Israel.
Chapter 6 - The Middle Eastern Conflict 1915 - now.
The Middle Eastern Wars, from the destruction of the Ottomon Empire to now. Looking at the development of the Arab Kingdoms. The resettlement of the Hebrews. The ensuing conflicts within & between the related groups.
L& B, I would be grateful if you could enter your aspect & thoughts as a juxtaposition to my own, for deeper understanding.
Re: Not Good News From Israel
the only part of relevence phantom would be 1945 to present day. from 1945 to 1948 was when jewish terrorists attacked the british through ways of terror such as bombings of innocent britons as a way to put pressure on the western world to "get their land back" and it is in 1948 that the state of israel were awarded sovergnity (spelling). it has been since the arrival of a jewish state that we have seen hezbolla, hamas and many more militant rebels rise and the escalation in violence from both sides that have lead to the events of the last week.
of course there is a lot more to it.
the only part of relevence phantom would be 1945 to present day. from 1945 to 1948 was when jewish terrorists attacked the british through ways of terror such as bombings of innocent britons as a way to put pressure on the western world to "get their land back" and it is in 1948 that the state of israel were awarded sovergnity (spelling). it has been since the arrival of a jewish state that we have seen hezbolla, hamas and many more militant rebels rise and the escalation in violence from both sides that have lead to the events of the last week.
of course there is a lot more to it.
Re: Not Good News From Israel
this website was emiled to me this morning, i must warn though there are some graphic images and not everyone will want to see them. some may find them offensive.
im not thinking this will put a stop to the violence but a few days ago phantom asked me if there was anything we could do to help. this is a small but worth signing. what do you think phantom?
http://www.fromisraeltolebanon.org/
this website was emiled to me this morning, i must warn though there are some graphic images and not everyone will want to see them. some may find them offensive.
im not thinking this will put a stop to the violence but a few days ago phantom asked me if there was anything we could do to help. this is a small but worth signing. what do you think phantom?
http://www.fromisraeltolebanon.org/
Re: Not Good News From Israel
'Open war' declared in Middle East PRINT FRIENDLY EMAIL STORY
AM - Saturday, 15 July , 2006 08:00:11
Reporter: Matt Brown
ELIZABETH JACKSON: This morning we go straight to the Middle East, where the situation has deteriorated dramatically overnight.
Israel and Lebanon have exchanged rocket fire for air strikes as casualties continue to climb on both sides.
At least 70 people have died and hundreds have been wounded, most of them civilians.
Israel bombed the home of the Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in the Shi'ite southern suburbs of Beirut, but he emerged unscathed.
Soon afterwards a rocket fired by the Hezbollah struck an Israeli navy ship patrolling offshore, and there are reports that four men from that vessel are now missing.
As a result of the escalation in violence, both sides have declared 'open war', promising even more strikes on military targets.
Our Middle East Correspondent Matt Brown has arrived in Beirut.
MATT BROWN: Israel has bombed a number of very important targets in southern Beirut, a stronghold for Hezbollah, the Shi'ite militia that snatched the soldiers at the start of this crisis.
They bombed the headquarters of Hezbollah and tried to kill Hassan Nasrallah, the head of the organisation. Now, they missed him. He appeared, in fact, on television some time later. That attack on Hezbollah's headquarters followed a sustained series of attacks throughout the day, and it followed open threats made by Israeli political figures in Jerusalem.
Israel's also bombed infrastructure in that area, broadcast antennas, and also roads that are going to make it very difficult for local people to move around.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: So what has been Hezbollah's reaction?
MATT BROWN: Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah chief that was missed in this air strike, appeared then on Hezbollah television and declared open war against Israel, indicating some sort of an intention to escalate the conflict that his organisation began.
He has said that his organisation will fire missiles that will reach beyond Haifa. Haifa is an important industrial city in northern Israel; it was hit by a Hezbollah rocket fired yesterday, and that's the furthest one of these rockets has ever been fired into Israel.
So he's threatening to hit Haifa, in fact, threatening to go beyond Haifa, promising surprises. And this is very important, Hassan Nasrallah actually said, 'Look out your windows now… look at what we're going to do,' and a missile was fired from the shoreline, or from the city of Beirut, into the sea where Israeli warships are stationed. A missile, I believe, hit one of the warships. Hezbollah says it hit the ship.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: And what has been the public response to that?
MATT BROWN: Immediately after that there was quite a lot of gunfire, a tracer fire flying up into the air, people essentially celebrating this action. That was in the southern suburbs, but also some of it, I have to say, here in the centre of town, and there were reports that in the Bekaa Valley, which is a Hezbollah stronghold, there was also similar celebrations.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: Now, Matt, the Israeli strategy seems to be to place more and more pressure on the Lebanese Government, but is it working? It doesn't appear as though either side are prepared to make any concessions at this point.
MATT BROWN: No, that's right, and this broadcast from Hassan Nasrallah was very defiant, very fiery.
Although, Hezbollah has come in for a little bit of criticism from some Arab states, for being a little bit adventurous, for bringing this trouble upon the people of Lebanon, and not everyone in Lebanon supports them. There's a good number of people who of course are not Shi'ites, but also who want to get on with their lives and continue to rebuild the country after decades of civil war and occupation.
Israel wants a halt to the rocket attacks, the release of the soldiers, and the disarming of Hezbollah, which is a UN resolution backed by the international community. That's not going to happen. And the Lebanese Government can't do it. So at the moment we're at an impasse and this crisis is escalating.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: Is there any way out of Beirut now?
MATT BROWN: I believe there is.
I came into Beirut through a back road after the main road between Beirut and Damascus was bombed. A high mountain pass was bombed. A number of sites along that road were bombed.
I'm told that the hotel across the road from the hotel we stayed at in the south of the Bekaa Valley was bombed not long after we left, that the immigration post between Syria and Lebanon was bombed an hour or two after we moved through.
So there's a lot of unpredictable activity on these routes between Lebanon and Syria, but there are still ways to get through, and certainly if the bombing's aimed at sealing the area off and making it impossible for these soldiers to be spirited north in Lebanon, or to be spirited to the east and into Syria, then it won't have that guaranteed effect, because there are ways to get through still.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: And, Matt, when you arrived in Beirut, what did you see, what does the city look like now?
MATT BROWN: There are still people on the streets, but not very many. It's a ghost town compared to… I've been here around five other times; it's usually a very, very busy town and the traffic's usually dreadful.
The streets are pretty well empty, a huge plume of smoke coming from the airport, which has been bombed so many times, the occasional sounds, similar to rolling thunder, of bombs falling in different parts of the city and echoing off the high hills that back the city, and a lot of very worried people, mostly staying indoors.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: Our Middle East Correspondent Matt Brown speaking from Beirut.
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2006/s1687343.htm
I think this is war
LidsandBling said:
'Open war' declared in Middle East PRINT FRIENDLY EMAIL STORY
AM - Saturday, 15 July , 2006 08:00:11
Reporter: Matt Brown
ELIZABETH JACKSON: This morning we go straight to the Middle East, where the situation has deteriorated dramatically overnight.
Israel and Lebanon have exchanged rocket fire for air strikes as casualties continue to climb on both sides.
At least 70 people have died and hundreds have been wounded, most of them civilians.
Israel bombed the home of the Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in the Shi'ite southern suburbs of Beirut, but he emerged unscathed.
Soon afterwards a rocket fired by the Hezbollah struck an Israeli navy ship patrolling offshore, and there are reports that four men from that vessel are now missing.
As a result of the escalation in violence, both sides have declared 'open war', promising even more strikes on military targets.
Our Middle East Correspondent Matt Brown has arrived in Beirut.
MATT BROWN: Israel has bombed a number of very important targets in southern Beirut, a stronghold for Hezbollah, the Shi'ite militia that snatched the soldiers at the start of this crisis.
They bombed the headquarters of Hezbollah and tried to kill Hassan Nasrallah, the head of the organisation. Now, they missed him. He appeared, in fact, on television some time later. That attack on Hezbollah's headquarters followed a sustained series of attacks throughout the day, and it followed open threats made by Israeli political figures in Jerusalem.
Israel's also bombed infrastructure in that area, broadcast antennas, and also roads that are going to make it very difficult for local people to move around.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: So what has been Hezbollah's reaction?
MATT BROWN: Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah chief that was missed in this air strike, appeared then on Hezbollah television and declared open war against Israel, indicating some sort of an intention to escalate the conflict that his organisation began.
He has said that his organisation will fire missiles that will reach beyond Haifa. Haifa is an important industrial city in northern Israel; it was hit by a Hezbollah rocket fired yesterday, and that's the furthest one of these rockets has ever been fired into Israel.
So he's threatening to hit Haifa, in fact, threatening to go beyond Haifa, promising surprises. And this is very important, Hassan Nasrallah actually said, 'Look out your windows now… look at what we're going to do,' and a missile was fired from the shoreline, or from the city of Beirut, into the sea where Israeli warships are stationed. A missile, I believe, hit one of the warships. Hezbollah says it hit the ship.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: And what has been the public response to that?
MATT BROWN: Immediately after that there was quite a lot of gunfire, a tracer fire flying up into the air, people essentially celebrating this action. That was in the southern suburbs, but also some of it, I have to say, here in the centre of town, and there were reports that in the Bekaa Valley, which is a Hezbollah stronghold, there was also similar celebrations.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: Now, Matt, the Israeli strategy seems to be to place more and more pressure on the Lebanese Government, but is it working? It doesn't appear as though either side are prepared to make any concessions at this point.
MATT BROWN: No, that's right, and this broadcast from Hassan Nasrallah was very defiant, very fiery.
Although, Hezbollah has come in for a little bit of criticism from some Arab states, for being a little bit adventurous, for bringing this trouble upon the people of Lebanon, and not everyone in Lebanon supports them. There's a good number of people who of course are not Shi'ites, but also who want to get on with their lives and continue to rebuild the country after decades of civil war and occupation.
Israel wants a halt to the rocket attacks, the release of the soldiers, and the disarming of Hezbollah, which is a UN resolution backed by the international community. That's not going to happen. And the Lebanese Government can't do it. So at the moment we're at an impasse and this crisis is escalating.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: Is there any way out of Beirut now?
MATT BROWN: I believe there is.
I came into Beirut through a back road after the main road between Beirut and Damascus was bombed. A high mountain pass was bombed. A number of sites along that road were bombed.
I'm told that the hotel across the road from the hotel we stayed at in the south of the Bekaa Valley was bombed not long after we left, that the immigration post between Syria and Lebanon was bombed an hour or two after we moved through.
So there's a lot of unpredictable activity on these routes between Lebanon and Syria, but there are still ways to get through, and certainly if the bombing's aimed at sealing the area off and making it impossible for these soldiers to be spirited north in Lebanon, or to be spirited to the east and into Syria, then it won't have that guaranteed effect, because there are ways to get through still.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: And, Matt, when you arrived in Beirut, what did you see, what does the city look like now?
MATT BROWN: There are still people on the streets, but not very many. It's a ghost town compared to… I've been here around five other times; it's usually a very, very busy town and the traffic's usually dreadful.
The streets are pretty well empty, a huge plume of smoke coming from the airport, which has been bombed so many times, the occasional sounds, similar to rolling thunder, of bombs falling in different parts of the city and echoing off the high hills that back the city, and a lot of very worried people, mostly staying indoors.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: Our Middle East Correspondent Matt Brown speaking from Beirut.
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2006/s1687343.htm
I think this is war
Re: Not Good News From Israel
Israel says it is ready for talks but the strikes will continue
From Stephen Farrell in Nahariya
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2276422,00.html
ISRAEL began talking for the first time yesterday of a diplomatic solution to the Lebanon crisis, but insisted that its military offensive would continue, perhaps for weeks, until it had crushed the threat from Hezbollah.
“We are beginning a diplomatic process in parallel to the military operations, which shall continue,” Tzipi Livni, the Israeli Foreign Minister, said after talks with a United Nations delegation.
“The diplomatic process is not intended to reduce the time available for the Israel Defence Forces’ operations, but as an extension of it in order to avoid the need for additional operations in the future.”
Israeli political and military leaders are careful to put no time limits on their artillery and aerial bombardment of Lebanon, which killed at least 31 people yesterday. This brings Lebanon’s death toll to about 240, mostly civilians. An Israeli was also killed in Nahariya by Hezbollah Katyusha rockets, raising the Israeli toll to 25.
Ms Livni’s remarks offered the first hope of a negotiated end to the crisis. Israel apparently wants to inflict enough damage on Hezbollah to allow Lebanon’s weak army to take control of the border area, avoiding the need for a high-risk Israeli ground invasion.
Ms Livni also signalled an apparent softening of her Government’s initial opposition to the idea of the UN deploying an international stabilisation force in southern Lebanon. Securing that region required “activity by the Lebanese Government with the oversight [and] assistance of the international community”, she said.
Major General Udi Adam, head of Israel’s Northern Command, said that the campaign could continue for some time. “I think that we should assume that it will take a few more weeks,” he said.
Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary-General, tried to assure Israel that the new force would be much stronger than the 2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon, which has failed to disarm or restrain Hezbollah. The role of the force would not be to disarm Hezbollah, but to “give the Government of Lebanon time to . . . organise and prepare to eventually extend its authority throughout the territory, including the south”. Mr Annan is to present proposals to the Security Council tomorrow. José Manuel Barroso, the European Commission President, gave the idea his backing.
Tony Blair, another eager advocate of an international stabilisation force, emphasised in the Commons that it would not fight its way in and would have to await a ceasefire.
The United States remains sceptical, however. “It’s not an idea we’re supporting at this juncture,” a State Department spokesman said. “Our approach is focused on promoting a ceasefire . . . Once that is achieved we can explore other options to promote long-term stability.” Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, will hold discussions with Mr Annan tomorrow and is expected to travel to the Middle East on Friday. Señor Solana and Russia’s Middle East envoy will also visit the region this week.
Avi Dichter, the Israeli Public Security Minister, has also fuelled hopes of a political solution, by floating the possibility of prisoner swaps to free the two Israeli soldiers. “If one of the ways to bring home the soldiers will be negotiations on the possibility of releasing Lebanese prisoners, I think the day will come when we will also have to consider this,” he said.
THE CRISIS
Hezbollah rockets hit Israeli city of Haifa, as well as Safed and Nahariya
11 Lebanese soldiers killed near Beirut
Israeli aircraft destroy lorries allegedly supplying Hezbollah with weapons
Unicef says half a million displaced by Israeli attacks
Evacuation of foreigners; British warship HMS Gloucester docks in Beirut
86 per cent of Israelis say operation is justified; 58 per cent want it to go on
Kofi Annan, UN chief, calls for international force to stabilise southern Lebanon
Israeli dead: 25
Lebanese dead: 245
Hamas, Hezbollah and others talk of destroying Israel.
Again, Israel takes the lead by being the first to ask for a diplomatic solution.
The only one to talk of peace.
Israel says it is ready for talks but the strikes will continue
From Stephen Farrell in Nahariya
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2276422,00.html
ISRAEL began talking for the first time yesterday of a diplomatic solution to the Lebanon crisis, but insisted that its military offensive would continue, perhaps for weeks, until it had crushed the threat from Hezbollah.
“We are beginning a diplomatic process in parallel to the military operations, which shall continue,” Tzipi Livni, the Israeli Foreign Minister, said after talks with a United Nations delegation.
“The diplomatic process is not intended to reduce the time available for the Israel Defence Forces’ operations, but as an extension of it in order to avoid the need for additional operations in the future.”
Israeli political and military leaders are careful to put no time limits on their artillery and aerial bombardment of Lebanon, which killed at least 31 people yesterday. This brings Lebanon’s death toll to about 240, mostly civilians. An Israeli was also killed in Nahariya by Hezbollah Katyusha rockets, raising the Israeli toll to 25.
Ms Livni’s remarks offered the first hope of a negotiated end to the crisis. Israel apparently wants to inflict enough damage on Hezbollah to allow Lebanon’s weak army to take control of the border area, avoiding the need for a high-risk Israeli ground invasion.
Ms Livni also signalled an apparent softening of her Government’s initial opposition to the idea of the UN deploying an international stabilisation force in southern Lebanon. Securing that region required “activity by the Lebanese Government with the oversight [and] assistance of the international community”, she said.
Major General Udi Adam, head of Israel’s Northern Command, said that the campaign could continue for some time. “I think that we should assume that it will take a few more weeks,” he said.
Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary-General, tried to assure Israel that the new force would be much stronger than the 2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon, which has failed to disarm or restrain Hezbollah. The role of the force would not be to disarm Hezbollah, but to “give the Government of Lebanon time to . . . organise and prepare to eventually extend its authority throughout the territory, including the south”. Mr Annan is to present proposals to the Security Council tomorrow. José Manuel Barroso, the European Commission President, gave the idea his backing.
Tony Blair, another eager advocate of an international stabilisation force, emphasised in the Commons that it would not fight its way in and would have to await a ceasefire.
The United States remains sceptical, however. “It’s not an idea we’re supporting at this juncture,” a State Department spokesman said. “Our approach is focused on promoting a ceasefire . . . Once that is achieved we can explore other options to promote long-term stability.” Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, will hold discussions with Mr Annan tomorrow and is expected to travel to the Middle East on Friday. Señor Solana and Russia’s Middle East envoy will also visit the region this week.
Avi Dichter, the Israeli Public Security Minister, has also fuelled hopes of a political solution, by floating the possibility of prisoner swaps to free the two Israeli soldiers. “If one of the ways to bring home the soldiers will be negotiations on the possibility of releasing Lebanese prisoners, I think the day will come when we will also have to consider this,” he said.
THE CRISIS
Hezbollah rockets hit Israeli city of Haifa, as well as Safed and Nahariya
11 Lebanese soldiers killed near Beirut
Israeli aircraft destroy lorries allegedly supplying Hezbollah with weapons
Unicef says half a million displaced by Israeli attacks
Evacuation of foreigners; British warship HMS Gloucester docks in Beirut
86 per cent of Israelis say operation is justified; 58 per cent want it to go on
Kofi Annan, UN chief, calls for international force to stabilise southern Lebanon
Israeli dead: 25
Lebanese dead: 245
Hamas, Hezbollah and others talk of destroying Israel.
Again, Israel takes the lead by being the first to ask for a diplomatic solution.
The only one to talk of peace.
Re: Not Good News From Israel
I would be extremely disappointed if you sent such a PM, L&B.
It was my hope to extend the hand of friendship to you.
I could never contemplate the extermination of any race of people on this earth.
[/quote]the next big thing said:
I would be extremely disappointed if you sent such a PM, L&B.
It was my hope to extend the hand of friendship to you.
I could never contemplate the extermination of any race of people on this earth.
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