Hizbullah just released a statement threatening Israel: If the Israeli Army shells the southern suburbs of Beirut (a Hizbullah stronghold), Hizbullah will shell Haifa! And this of course means that Hizbullah will start using some long-range artillery it has.
The Israeli army through Reuters has asked the Lebanese civilians residing in the southern suburbs of Lebanon to evacuate.
Update: Jumblatt released a statement which condemned the Israeli attacks, especially that the government is not responsible for what happened. He also added that now the Israeli soldiers are kidnapped, then perhaps it's a time to talk about getting back the Lebanese prisoners in Israel. He called on the importance of brokering a cease-fire via the help of the international community. (so....a bit soft on Hizbullah this time...)
Update: Raja will have no access to a computer for a while. Arranging for moving out of Beirut.
Update: Hizbullah hit Katyusha rockets on Safad and wounded 11 Israelis.
"Nobody knows how many rebellions, besides political rebellions, ferment in the masses of life which people earth."
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If Hezbollah could shell Haifa, wouldn't they have done it already? That's where the Israeli gunboats are coming from, right?
I'm not sure HB's usable artillery has that kind of range. Maybe they'll attack Akko and claim they struck Haifa?
Over here in Israel the news channels says that Hizb got long-range missiles that can reach Haifa and Hadera, and the Israeli army announced it will attack central Beirut if Hizb will fire to that range.
So far, only the south suburbs of beirot, a known hizb stronghold, are targeted.
if central beirut were hit, the situation-- and possibly, the region-- would properly explode. no holds barred.
god i hope this doesn't happen, for all our sakes.
Sniff, sniff.. I smell a major ass-whooping coming on for Hizb.
They have already played their strongest card - terrorism. And they have galvonized the Israeli (and a good portion of the international) public against them. As witnessed by Lebanon's Ambassador to the US being recalled for pro Hizb statements.
It's been a very long time since Israel last kicked major ass. In fact, a good portion of the younger "martyrs in waiting" have never seen an all out Israeli attack. They are about to get baptised by fire.
Erydan, where is that?
I understand why Lebanese politicians say "We didn't know of the kidnapping, so we are not responsible and not to blame". It is a very comfortable argument. But how valid is it? (Even if/when it is true)
What if the Israeli government said, it is not responsible for IDF, and that it's the IDF's issue and they are not really involved, so... "take it with the IDF and dont blame Israel"... How will that sound?
Should Israel sit back due to politicians on the Lebanese taking no actions for quite some time against terror organization that control parts of Lebannon? Politicians who let those organizations take actions that will effect the future of Lebanon (to the worst), only claiming... "we didn't know, so there is no point complaining to us... Just negotiate with Hizbollah.. It's the best course of action for your own good. (this time and the following times when they will kidnap your soldiers time and again without our knowledge)"
Ain't diplomacy fun? :(
(..a vexed israeli)
it is time hizbollah got his arms taken away from it.
the lebanese leaders who used to meet to discuss this issue used to postpone the meeting each and every time !! Congratulations ! apparently none of our politicians had enough balls to stand up and say, "this is wrong, what are arms doing in the hands of non military people ??"
Congratulations fellow politicians, now the deaths are on your sole conscience ! if there is such a thing !
I hope israel puts its menace to execution: "Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz vows that Hizbullah will not be allowed to return to its positions on the border and demands that the Lebanese army deploy along the frontier."
70% of lebanon's income comes from... tourism... great year in perspective huh, for 2007 !
(a vexed lebanese)
Je ne suis pas d'accord avec hezbollah, en effet je suis même contre leur idéologie, mais l'état terroriste israélien n'a pas de leçon à donner aux autres et n'a pas le droit de tuer des civils et casser tout sous pretexte qu'un terroriste militaire israélien est capturé ou blessé
All I can say is I hope the price that Lebanon is paying brings with it the end of Hezbollah. Why should a whole country be held hostage by them? Specially since a majority of the Lebanese do NOT support Hezbollah and are completely fed up with them. I just hope scale of the Isreali response does not back-fire and cause people to support Hezbollah.
Enough is enough. PLEASE let this be the end of Hezbollah.
30 people injured from Hizb Katyushas in Majd Al Kurum, an Israeli Arab village between Akre and Safed.
Frog 9:26
Funny how you called the israelis terrorist twice and not Hezbollah. Don't worry... Being frienly to the real terrorist won't stop them from burning your cars in France.
"qu'un terroriste militaire israélien est capturé ou blessé" would you please provide an example of a terrorist act that israeli commited?
why does hizbollah have to support the palestinian cause ??
Don't we have enough domestic problems ???
what is the reason for supporting another people (whose former leader, by the way, tried to make christian lebanese go extinct) ?
why is hizbollah trying to f*ck up the tourism season in its "beloved country", at the worst possible time ?
Hizbollah loves lebanon, it says, well, I pain to see that..
hizbollah may love palestinians, syrians, iranians, muslims, but I can't see how it loves lebanon ..
Israel isn't what we would call the perfect rightous nation, but hizbollah's provocation is yet to be matched..
For all the hizbollah leaders, please, stop pretending to be speaking in the name of the lebanses people..
NOT IN OUR NAME !
(.. an even more vexed lebanese)
Hizbollah is acting as a proxy for Iran. They acted without consent, but the Lebanese government condones their behavior and allows them in parliament. Lebanon is going to be destroyed by Hizbollah, and therefore Iran. That is why this is happening.
Why not fight in Syria? Or even bomb Iran? Why Lebanon? Why hit Lebanese infrsstructure that has nothing to do with Hizbollah? Why turn the tide from hardly tolerating Hizbollah to having no choice but to give them some inkling of support? Why such a large scale response that is sooooooooo over-broad? Why?
Lebanon will never be destroyed (the even more vexed lebanese).
do you really think that you can cut down lebanon to hizbollah, or even its politicians ??
We are a great nation, mister, not by the power of our guns, but by the power of our pen, our ideas, our ideologies ..
this nation will never die, but this nation seriously needs to get rid of all the parasites trying to push it over the edge.
You have tolerated Hizbollah for far too long. You have made no significant effort to disarm them, and now they have come under the conscript of a foreign army right under your nose. The Lebanese people have expressly permitted Iran to dictate its foreign policy by suffering the presence of Hizbollah. You had plenty of time to disarm them before.
Now you want to embrace Hizbollah? This can only be described as a mistake. Israel will no longer appear weak in the Middle East, and these bombings are only the beginning. You have had ample time to dismantle Hizbollah. Time's up.
nice comment... unfortunately for you, we are not living in some jungle..
i know if i weren't here, i'd want every detail. so, what i can see from my balcony:
there are a ton of large boats in the med right now quite close to the coast, i assume to enforce the blockade. just minutes ago, i watched a very small whitish object (it reflected the sun in flashes a few times, so presumably made of metal) move through the water towards the port before it disappeared behind the cranes (right by the shore). no idea what it was-- maybe the scope of a submarine?
as long as hizbolah is in lebanon they will speak for you.
as long as hizbollah is in lebanon the innocent lebanese will be made to pay.
get out on the streets and kick em out.
nice comment.. unfortunately for you, we are not living in some jungle..
doha,
when you hear from raja that he is ok, please let us know.
- manar
Lebanon needs, wants and deserves peace and quiet.
How likely do you think this is when Hizbollah is in power on the southern regions of Lebanon? How likely do you think it is when Hizbollah is accepted as a political party and allowed in the parliament?
Why is the Lebanese military command states publically that it respects the right of the Hizbollah to defend Lebanon against the israeli agression? Is Hizbollah the Lebanese army? IS Hizbollah the leaders of Lebanon? Do Lebanese and Hizbollah share the same values and aspirations? Hell no..
It is time (was the time long ago as well) for the Lebanese people to declare Hizbollah an illegal party, it's armed forces a terrorist organization and any Hizbollah, Iranian and Syrian activity and in Lebanon a treason act again the country and its people. It it's not that.. then how can politicians claim they are not responsible for what is hapenning? Are they the one that should take responsibility for whatever happens in their led country?
People of Lebanon should let their voice be heard.. Banish Hizbollah, replace the military command with one that behaves in the best interest of Lebanon, not against it.
There was no reason for conflict between Israel and Lebanon until yesterday.. Israel is no longer an occupying force in Lebanon. Why were there no diplomatic relations with Israel? Why can Egypt and Jordan have such relations and Lebanon don't? Answer is plain and simple "Hizbollah". And the effect of that is very clear... watch the TV.
...a still vexed israeli :(
If Israel attacks Syrai, Iran will get involved and give a good reason for the US to remove those to regimes.
Vexed Israeli: Why blame us for not being able to get rid of Hizballah when the 6th strongest military nation in the world (i.e. Israel) cannot solve its own problems? Bomb Syria and Iran first, we'll get rid of Hizballah. How about that for a deal, macho?
sweet, just sweet. the country is being pounded by the IDF, and here is my lovely compatriots showing off to the israelis just how right they are in bombing us.
reminds me of 1982 where we were rejoicing that israel came to kick PLO's ass in lebanon, and forgot that this was just the excuse to come in.
to the geniuses using the "gvt should have disarmed HA a long time ago" i remind them that not only the government itself was run from syria less than a year ago, and that HA political position still represented a significant portion of the populace, and that the lebanese army is militarily incapable of disarming them by force.
lesson 101 in patriotism: you stick together when under foreign attack, you solve your internal political issues afterwards. (learn from your new best friends goddamnit!)
Ryak and klaiaat airport are out of function
the israelian minister of defense intend to bombard the beirut - damascus international highway cutting beyrouth from the remaining of the country
it prefigure an attack over beirut as well as we have an ultimatum to evacuate the civilans from dahié
They also hit the Qoulai'at airport in Akkar a while ago.
The hits at least in Beirute Airport have been pretty mild not like some hyperbolic journalist that said it was "destroyed". In Tv i only saw hits in the runways. Not even a plane appeared to be hit.
Time to make lemonade out of lemons:
The majority of the Lebanese don't like being held hostage by Hizbollah? Right now Israel is helping you to get rid of them once and for all.
March in the streets, contact your government, tell them you want action against Hizbollah.
Win yourselves a quiet southern border and rid yourselves of the Syrian handpuppet at the same time!
This has been posted two blogs down, but make sure you check out this link. Shows areas hit in the strikes. Link it to google earth:
http://almashriq.hiof.no/lebanon/900/910/912/maps/Lebanon_July_2006.kmz
Seems pretty obvious that Israel is trying to cut off any ways of escape for the Hizbullah with their 2 Israeli prisoners so that they must remain in Lebanon.
People ask "why bomb Lebanon?"
Because it's complicit. If not, they would arrest Nasrallah for kidnapping and extortion of foreign nationals.
This is illegal in Lebanon, right?
Froggy,
ta gueule.
Vexed and bitter,
'lesson 101 in patriotism: you stick together when under foreign attack, you solve your internal political issues afterwards. (learn from your new best friends goddamnit!)'
Obviously you are still stuck at lesson 101 for some reason, here are some additional lessons for you, hopefully you'll pass the test soon:
Lesson 102 in patriotism: You stick to your fellow countrymen and you defend them first and do not use them for the sake of a so-called Arabism (as if the other Arabs give a shit to what is happening right now in Lebanon) and you do not use them either for the interests of other 2 terrorist countries.
Lesson 103 in patriotism: You do not gamble with the life of your fellow country men.
Lesson 104: You do not cause destruction of your own country.
Lesson 105: If you want to go nuts, you do it on your own without dragging a full nation to hell with you and you definitely do not buy the attitude of 'I'm in the shit, you deal with my shit'.
A.
It is way past time for patriotic Lebanese to stand up for LEBANON, and kick out Hizbullah (the armed wing for Iran). Think about it, with Hizbullah out of the picture there are no border issues with Israel, and there could be a peace treaty like Israel has with Jordan and Egypt. You could have massive tourism, and Lebanon would return to what it was in the 1950s. Think about it!!
Vox Populi, I agree that IF they are determined to get them out they could. My point is that Israel's air strikes are targeted on sealing off entry/exit points at this point. Israel has been warning Labanese to leave areas where certain of these strikes were taking place.
Can anyone there in Lebanon tell me what your army is doing right now?
Carine, please keep posting updates on what is happening as most of my family lives in Beirut. It's torture to just sit here and not know.
Praying for you all.
Durka
israelian security sources in israel do not exclude a terrest offensive till beirut now
the israelian were wrong, leb is not back 20 years ago but 24 years ago
Vox , the airplanes could have been rerouted to klaiaat's aiport
Asking the Lebanese to "fix" the Hezb problem is unfair to the Lebanese. Hezb. territory was foisted upon the country by the UN as a part of the post-civil-war "agreements". If you're cynical like I am: doubtless the UN peace brokers took money from Syria to make sure their proxies held he territory just north of Israel. In effect, Hezb-controlled Lebanon is a part of Syria and/or Iran.
Clearly, they operate from instructions from Damascus and Tehran and not from Beirut.
Where's the UN now? Helping Lebanon? [sound of crickets]. Bah.
Hezbollah loves Iran and Syria, not Lebanon. They've started a war in their own name, not in the name of Lebanon.
Hang in there, guys. You're between a rock and a hard place again. But hopefully, this time, Lebanon comes out of it whole, self-governing, 100% Lebanese and free of the imbeciles in Damascus and Tehran.
The Hizbollah are not your compatriots. They are not your fellow countrymen in the sense that they have the best interests of Lebanon in mind. They are acting as the Iranian army and do not care about the safety of Lebanon. This should be obvious as they acted without your consent or knowledge. Now the Hizbollah want to act like proud Lebanese and they seek to fall back upon Lebanese kindness and acceptance under the guise of a fellow countryman. The Hizbollah do not care about Lebanon, they care about their friends in Iran who pay their salaries.
Smart Lebanese will realize that Israel's true enemy is Iran, and that Israel would rather not have engaged Hizbollah at this time. The Hizbollah of Iran have plunged your proud nation into war, and the Lebanese must do something about it. You must expel the Hizbollah from your government, your borders, and your homes. If you do not, you will become an Israeli target.
Please be smart, please rid yourselves of the Hizbollah Iranian army so we can all live in peace.
BORRE: Google Maps can display the kmz files content as well. and this way you can always get the latest version of the kmz...
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=http://almashriq.hiof.no/lebanon/900/910/912/maps/Lebanon_July_2006.kmz&ie=UTF8&ll=33.788279,35.705566&spn=2.026961,3.114624&om=1
I’m losing my edge for the kids in Jordan Israel Lebanon Palestine Syria
Barak made a huge mistake with the way we left south Lebanon we just left the south Lebanese to the Hezbollah
to deal with them alone. we should have strengths them and support them rather then just leave them there like that as
an easy pray to Hezbollah.
I am sorry but part of this problem is really cause because of the stupidity of Ehud Barak
sadly I believed since ever that we lost the only true friendship in the regime.
my heart is broken but I feel no mercy to Hezbollah and I cant stop thinking about the families which are breaking
to pieces
the Israelis the Lebanese and Palestine
but I see no other solution for Israel
its sad that we have to pay for Barak mistakes like that
I wish it was possible somehow to put him to trail or make him stand responsible along with the Lebanese government which never supported the southern area of its country
orrovo Israel
IsraeliJew,
Tell your terrorist state to leave Lebanese land; release Lebanese prisoner; stop violating Lebanese airspace; stop violating Lebanese sovereign sea waters..
While you’re at it, you can also take back the ½ million Palestinians you displaced and whose land you stole who live in squalid conditions in refugee camps in Lebanon…
You may also, to show good faith, dismantle your illegal settlements in the West Bank and, if you still insist on building a wall, build it on your side of border rather than steal more land from the powerless Palestinians; heck, why don’t you stop torturing and release the 10,000 Palestinians you have buried in your prisons, quite a few of whom are women and children under 18?
It is too bad my compatriots are not balancing their criticism of Hizballah with condemnation of your vicious, arrogant tactics, that they invite pompous fools like you to lecture us on what our interests are….
Jumblatt released a statement which condemned the Israeli attacks, especially that the government is not responsible for what happened.
But, they are. One of the contributors here told me to shut the hell up about Hezbollah about a year ago on this blog when I pointed out there could never be peace in Lebanon as long as Hezbollah is there. I knew what was coming. You knew what was coming. The government of Lebanon, didn't know what was coming? I don't believe it.
He called on the importance of brokering a cease-fire via the help of the international community.
No offense, Raja, but the last time the US tried to interced on behalf of the PLO in 1982, Hezbollah murdered 241 of our peacekeepers. Maybe the French will help? Oh, but Hezbollah murdered 56 of THEIR peacekeepers. So, maybe not. I apologize for being a smart-ass, but Jumblatt is whistling in the wind if he thinks the "international community" is going to intercede again.
I just hope the war-by-prxy ends and the real combatants step forward to fight their war directly. Prxy wars never seem to punish the people who instigate them.
lebanon doesnt have the army nor the equipment to treat the hezbollah problem anyway
and i m not talking about the political will when i think that the hezbollah is present into the government anyway.
the only way to deal with the hezbollah was to build a strong executive, provide to the population social services that would compete with the hezbollah's ones etc...
did they acted to push toward that strategy ?
no, it is an incompetent government anyway
It’s a real tragedy of Shakespearian proportions
And these few precepts in thy memory
See thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue, [no doubt a prophetic criticism of Druze war criminal W.K. Djumbalad]
Nor any unproportion’d thought his act. [that one is for Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah]
Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.
The friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel;
But do not dull thy palm with entertainment
Of each new-hatch’d, unfledg’d comrade. Beware
Of entrance to a quarrel; but being in,
Bear’t that the opposed may beware of thee.
Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice; [a precept the senile bishop of Bkerké and his many officious March 14 speakers should meditate]
Take each man’s censure, but reserve thy judgement.
Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, [100+ Lebanese civilian deaths in exchange for the life of 2 miserable Druzo-Pharisaic soldiers…well that’s a steep price to pay for the latest Hezbollahi-sponsored summer festival]
But not express’d in fancy; rich, not gaudy; [that one is for Koreytem’s goateed faux sheikh]
For the apparel oft proclaims the man,
And they in France of the best rank and station [unlike say effeminate East-Beirut bourgeois types, the aspiring Ayatollahs of Lebanonistan have shunned the decadent outfits produced by decrepit Parisian couture houses for the pristine (“Al-Taqiyy l’Naqiyy” as Imam Ali used to say) pashmina headscarves of Persepolis]
Are most select and generous in that.
Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. [in reference to the hidden costs for Lebanon’s sovereignty of the loans contracted by Mrs. Gaga and the other March 14 fools with greedy Wahhabi lenders]
This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man
Farewell; my blessing season this in thee!
(Hamlet, Act I, Scene III)
Sheikh Anon Seqitûrr Ibn Muscat Al Shiraz Al Wineri
Hezbollah clearly runs Lebanon and has the hearts and minds of the Lebanonese people. Syria is basically gone yet not even Jumblatt will risk crossing them this time. How troubled and weak is the state that Lebanese need to turn a blind away to internal politics and get kicks from martyrs and heroic proxy actions for Iran. Lebanese should be focusing on the next world cup, rebuilding their economy and a better life for their children.
A HA rocket just hit Haifa.
God help us all.
They just bombed Hiafa! Now is that suicidal or what? And they expect us to support them! Yeah right!
Israeli News: Katyusha on Haifa
not sure...
Eran from Haifa
I think we are going to a total war.....
There was once a country with a problem of a foreign militia controlling a large part of it's territory, enitiating attacks from it's territory, and then making the country's army repel the reprisal. read more at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_September_in_Jordan
UPDATE: hezbollah has denied firing the rockets at haifa on lebanese tv. which pretty much means they didn't do it (they take responsibility for their attacks).
not sure what difference this will make in terms of israeli response. and *awesome* that someone else is now joining all the fun...
i'm now officially freaked.
Of course Hebollah fired that rocket. They will deny it so Hamas in Syria and Lebanon can take credit for it. Or maybe they will let Al Queda call it. Not that far fetched if Hebollah shias can work with Syria and Hamas.
well i wasnt lecturing..
i was saying what was on my mind.
=/
its funny !
yesterday "mister" nassralala himself said they have missiles that can hit haifa ...
hhmmmm
Je ne suis pas d'accord avec hezbollah, en effet je suis même contre leur idéologie, mais l'état terroriste israélien n'a pas de leçon à donner aux autres et n'a pas le droit de tuer des civils et casser tout sous pretexte qu'un terroriste militaire israélien est capturé ou blessé
hey you annonymous French-speaking terrorist supporter, on what do you base your claim that Israel is a terrorist state? Or that the soldiers kidnapped are terrorists? They were BORDER GUARDS. they didn't go into Lebanon or do anything at all to deserve their deaths/captures.
Israel is acting, now, in self defense to destroy Hizballah, and (it seems) most of the Lebanese here are glad that they will finally be rid of of the terrorist organization that their own government has been refusing to disarm for years.
Why don't you name a single terrorist act Israel has committed, or give any basis for the absurd accusation that it is a "terrorist state."
The only real terrorist state in the region is Hamas- controlled Gaza.
and hizbola - in lebanon
One question, for this thread and some others...who is running Lebanon today, the Lebanese government or Hizzballah? Who among the two has Lebanese interests at heart, versus exterenal interests?
My "Nic" is the name of my dog, not an indicator of my politics or heritage. I am as Irish as you can get. This question truly puzzles me.
The most important thing for Lebanese at the moment is to stand together because whats done is done. Hizballah overstepped its lines by acting on behalf of an entire country - a weak and divided country. But to aggravate that division would give Israel and Syria dangerous pretexts to intervene in Lebanese politics and that would make matters much worse. We need to be unified and firm against Israeli violence and we can start showing our anger at other Lebanese once the crisis is over.
Hizballah overstepped its lines, but -
Lebanese are supposed to support Hizballah anyway? Why "stay united" when uniting means accepting 100% the Hizballah point-of-view? 'Cause they have the guns and will ram it down your throats once they have the chance, right? Lebanon hasn't been successful in ridding itself of this tumor in six years. Don't you think that "uniting" with it will kill the entire body?
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