I still have electricity and an internet connection. I'll post entries until I am unable to.
Update 1 - 8:20 AM : The number of deaths in Lebanon has risen to twenty seven.
Update 2 - 8:23 AM: The Israeli Army has declared that one of the soldiers captured by Hizballah is Jewish, and the other is Druze.
Update 3 - 8:30 AM: Hizballah claims that it has launched over 70 missiles into Northern Israel. Naharaya. Kiriyat Shemona. Kiriya Shemona Airport. Roshbina. Roshbina Airport. Mt. Hermon. And other regions and towns that Hizballah boasts have never been hit since 1982.
Update 4 - 8:32 AM: Beirut's southern suburbs are being bombed. Israeli Navy ships can be seen from Beirut's airport.
Update 5 - 8:42 AM: Saad el Hariri was on his way to Beirut from China when the Israeli Air Force destroyed the airport runways. Hariri's plane was diverted to Larnaka, Cyprus.
Update 6 - 8:56 AM: The Israeli raid on Beirut's airport was conducted at 6:00 AM. Israeli Army radio declared that Israel is implementing an "air blockade" on Lebanon as a means of punishing the Lebanese government for not disarming Hizballah. The airport was hit with six rockets.
Update 7 - 9:05 AM: All exams for current and prospective students at the Lebanese University have been postponed indefinitely.
Update 8 - 9:14 AM: The main artery that connects Beirut to the South is a highway that pass underneath the airport runways that were just destroyed. Some of the Israeli missiles hit the runways at precisely the point where the tunnels pass. The tunnels are no longer usable.
Update 9 - 9:32 AM: Israeli fighter jets have just bombed the town of Bouday in the Baalbek Valley.
Update 10 - 9:38 AM: The Israelis actually bombed a Shi'a Mosque in Bouday.
Update 11 - 9:43 AM: Hizballah claims that it has repelled an Israeli force attempting to enter into Lebanese territory. They also claim that they have hit several major Israeli military bases with missles, and hit the Nahariya settlement again.
Update 12 - 10:01 AM: Israeli artillery is pounding the Hasbayya region. Aircraft have bombed the village of Bayyada.
Update 13 - 10:22 AM: The Middle East Quartet has just announced that its members are in the midst of intense discussions, the aim of which is to diffuse the situation on the Lebanese-Israeli border. They are trying to prevent the situation from developing into all-out war - i.e. Israeli invasion.
Update 14 - 10:23 AM: The Israeli Navy has just initiated a maritime blockade on Lebanon to complement the aerial blockade.
Lebanon's tourist industry employs around 500,000 individuals in a country with a population of 3.5 million. It is the country's largest employer. Projections for 2006 were that Lebanon would gain $4.5 billion from tourists. Poof!
Update 15 - 11:02 AM: The North-South Highway between Beirut and Saida was cleared of rubble about an hour ago by the Lebanese Army's Core of Engineers. It is now clear for those daring or desperate enough to pass through.
Update 16 - 11:10 AM: Israeli Defense Minister: We will not allow Hizballah to return to its positions on the Lebanese-Israeli Border.
Update 17 - 11:17 AM: Lebanon's Minister of Transportation, Mohammad Safadi: Segment of runway can be fixed within 48 hours, but allowing planes to land and take off will need a political decision.... An MEA plane landed and taxied away from the runway seconds before the Israeli strike.
Update 18 - 11:30 AM: Lebanese who can are beginning to seek refuge in Syria, of all places!
Update 19 - 12:14 PM: Family and relatives are starting to top of their vehicles' gas tanks.
Update 20 - 12:25 PM: Israeli artillery pounding eastern and southern entrances of Ayta village in the South, trapping the residents in their homes. Developing story...
Something tells me that everything the Israelis are doing right now is preparation for something much bigger. Going somewhere safer. Will try to update as much as I can.
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84 comments:
I had initially heard that they were both Druze; so much for my source. Do you think that this has any significance on the Lebanese side of the border? I am unfamiliar with the Druze dynamic when it comes to cross-border issues, but it does appear that in general Israeli Druze tend to be quite loyal to the state. Any thoughts?
thank you for your updates. i've been trying to find an online news-source that provides up to the minute details but i was unlucky until now...allah ysa3ed libnan.
God Help Lebanon...thank you for all the updates.
Maybe this will rid us from Hizbulla for good and next would be Bashar the fucker
Thanks Raja for these updates.
God help Lebanon!
Who can blame Israel? Any country would do the same thing. Although there is a lot of anger at Hezbollah, the Israeli attacks may backfire. I fear that if this continues Israeli ground troops will soon be a Beirut, and the bloodshed will continue on both sides. Lord save us.
Thanks for your updates Raja. I'm Israeli, and hope that no innocent labanese get hurt in this.
Peace and love
Raja, thanks again...
I'm sorry to wake up to hear Libanon was attacked i/o Syria on which I had my hopes build.
I hope no further innocents get hurt and that the Hizb will be wiped from the face of the earth for ever, together with their evil leaders in Syria.
In Nehariya a woman died from a katushiya attack from the Hizb.
I heard on tv here (Israel) that citizens of Beiruth received a warning from the IDF of an upcoming airstrike on that city, is that so? Did you hear anything about that?
I hope that will be meant as a warning to the Lebanese gov't i/o actual plans.
Stay strong....
Tse..
eh raja, thanks. you're my only link to what's happening right now.
I’m Lebanese and I am not happy about what is going on but Israel is doing what it needs to do. This may actually be a good thing if you think about it, the more casualties and damage the more people are going to point there finger at Hezbollah, and eventually remove this rotten organization. This is all not worth it, and for what? For a few stinking terrorists in Israeli jails? I cant believe this.
Can a lebanese here or maybe the person updating this blog be more specific about the bayyada strike ? what tv station did you hear this on ? and do you mean bayyada like the area near rabbieh and mtayleb ? please respond as soon as possible...like someone else said...this is my only link to the news
thank you so much for the updates; no news service here (US) is covering this in depth at all.
salem alekem and god bless
keep up the updates, thx!
Samir, in my opinion, said it best and represents my fear.
"Who can blame Israel? Any country would do the same thing. Although there is a lot of anger at Hezbollah, the Israeli attacks may backfire. I fear that if this continues Israeli ground troops will soon be a Beirut, and the bloodshed will continue on both sides. Lord save us."
How far is far enough but not too far? Thank you for the continuous updates. As someone sitting in the U.S. trying to figure out why our news stations are not covering this story but rather trivial matters, this site has been a one-stop source of constant news.
Anthony
Anon 3:17
Its not the rabieh Bayada..
Its Bayada in the south.
bayyada next to Hasbayya in the south.
The Israeli air force issued a warning to the residents of the suburb of DAHIA, to leave the area. They say they are going to attack this suburb because it is a Hezballah stronghold.
According to the IDF source, at least 30 Hizbullah operatives were killed and over 100 wounded
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?apage=2&cid=1150885985413&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Thank you for the updates.... I hope things get resolved soon, Lebanon really doesn't need this.
Raja
thanks for the updates.
it's outrageous that Hizbullah and Hamas, the two Iranian puppets in our region, should have brought us to this!
god help us all!
peace, shalom, salaam
Dry Bones
Israel's Political Comic Strip Since 1973
this is very unfortunate for lebanon ,I hope the outcome of this yields some positive result (getting rid of hizbullah,and those who support it )
our minds and hearts with you.
Nice blog indeed; will follow.
One correction: Naharia is a town
not a settlement.
.
Raja,
You deserve an award for your diligence.
They give a Pulitzer for best breaking news. It normally goes to people in areas at critical times who spread the news around the globe: New York 9/11, New Orleans Katrina, Phuket tsunami. If they gave it to bloggers, you'd be my nomination.
Wonderful job, Raja. Thank you for being a lifeline to Lebanon.
raja, why don't you use your digital camera? we all get those news updates here, what the blog platform offers is a unique personal prespective, the feeling of your relatives, the street, the faces of people... the worse about wars are the demonization both sides do to each other. for so many people here lebanon equals hizbullah... i would appreciate reading and seeing the real people through your eyes.
Is there any independent information available about the alleged kidnapping of Israeli soldiers?
(a)The Western/Zionist media provides no details, just a kidnapping in a border area. So on what side did it happen, I assume on the Libanese.
(b)The alleged kidnapping from the Gaza strip is disputed, the official story is not convincing. Two out of three israeli soldiers were shot, as it seems most likely on Palastine Territory, the third one was captured injured. There was never any kidnapping operation in the first place but an accidental clash.
(c)The arrest of the Hamas government was planned weeks before, the alleged kidnapping is a pretext and overly exposed in the notorious 9/11 manner.
(d)Kidnappings of Israeli soldiers are a new genre in the propaganda war. It was a big success and sells better than hit and run attacks, that's why we have them now in western media. Did Israel sent the two Druzes into a trap?
Anon: The Israeli soldiers were captured on the Israeli side, between Shtula and Zarit.
Can anybody confirm what I read on very anti-Israel forums that 47 innocent civilians were killed by Israel in Lebanon?
I'd appreciate some lebanese input on this very much....
Tse.
tsedek,
a quote from reuters (reuters.com)
"- Israel struck Beirut airport and blockaded Lebanese ports on Thursday, intensifying reprisals that have killed 47 civilians since Lebanese Hizbollah fighters seized two Israeli soldiers and killed eight a day earlier"
My God, things are bad. I wish you and the rest of the good people of Lebanon safety and security and as little inconvenience as possible. I have absolutely no care for the many many Lebanese who think that this is bad simply because of the reprecussions that it will bring the Lebanese, but I know that there are a great many good and peaceful Lebanese who (in the cliched vernacular) wish we could all "just get along" and be able to live freely as human beings.
These Lebanese are my brothers and sisters and, though I support Israel's attempts to stop attacks on her and to free her captive children, I'm also pained to know that good people are being hurt in Israel's doing so.
May those who attack others without cause either leave this world or see the light and may the rest of "just get along" as plain ole human beings.
mnuez
Something tells me that everything the Israelis are doing right now is preparation for something much bigger.
a lot of rumors flying around, obviously, but the one i'm hearing most often (and from the more reliable sources) is that israel is planning to temporarily reoccupy a 20km strip along the southern border, after which they will stop the raids. apparently the IDF has already begun isolating southern villages in preparation.
btw, tse-- the civilians killed include at least 10 children.
Ok, I 've had it with this logic:
"Oh, Lebanese, we support you, we feel sorry for you, but we support out country's bombing of Lebanon".
I guess in some warped universe this makes sense. But in my real world, where my family's life is threatened it does not. You cannot support us and other innocent Lebanese and support the IDF's unproprortional use of force which will inevitably cause civilian casualties (what you call "self defense"). You cannot support peace and support the bombing of Lebanon at the same time. It is like me saying "I am against the slaying of innocent Israelis but I support the Palestinian's right to suicide bombing." Well, I have news for you: I don't!
If Hizballah is a rogue element that is causing instability in the region, what does that make Israel? A peace loving country? Spare me the BS!
Excuse the outburst. This was directed at Mnuez who wants us all to "just get along".
Thanks for the info,
I am Israeli and i do not want to see any inoccents killed. (jewish or non-jewish - it should be clear from the fact that Israel is doing this over BOTH soldiers, one of whom is Druze, that Israel is not racist in any way)
I am generally left-wing in my opinions but there is a time for war and this is it! Israeli territory was bombed than invaded by Hizbullah, who sit on the Lebanese government. We have no venedetta against the Lebanese people - restrain those who want to hurt us and we can live in peace!
I pray for the the day when this all seems like a dream
You cannot support peace and support the bombing of Lebanon at the same time.
Suha, in World War II the allies wanted peace but knew they could only achieve it by bombarding and invading Germany. Lots of Germans, innocent or not, died that way.
The Europeans learned a terrible lesson: that war is for self-defense only, not thievery. For the most part, Arab populations were spared that experience.
The "Party of God", tolerated on Lebanese soil, started this fight and their ultimate aims are not pretty. If Israel wasn't a "peace-loving country" they would never have withdrawn from the Sinai, Gaza, Lebanon, etc. at all. It isn't like anybody was powerful enough to force them to do it.
Suha, I'm not there and have never experienced what you are going through, I can only imagine it. You feel powerless. I suppose you rail against Israel and its supporters because you know we are democrats who listen to many points of view. Railing against us might do something. Railing against Hezbollah seems useless or worse.
I have no suggestions as to what you should do. I hope you and your family survive. But I pray that Israel and Lebanon succeed in ridding the world of the great menace of Hezbollah even more.
I am not Lebanese, nor Israeli, but I want to bring out the fact that Israeli attacks are not-justified. According to the UN Charter, any democratic country desiring peace (like Israel claims they are) should result to diplomatic settlement before the crisis escalates and advice from the Security Council. The Israelis have done nothing of this sort but retaliated in less than a day with a full blown war on Lebanon (which does not recognize having taken part in the action). While the Hezbollah have captured two Israelis, Israel army has killed 27 people last night, including 10 children. The Hezbollah have opened themselves for discussion and negotiation. Why hasn't Israel considered at least trying to resolve the conflict on peaceful terms?
That already happened. The UN essentially ordered Hezbollah to disarm several years ago. That didn't happen. Once Hezbollah resumed its attacks, there was nothing more to do.
There are several things you can say about a situation like this. One is that two wrongs doesn't make one right, i.e. Israeli reactions of this scale is not justified by the Hezbollah wrong doing.
The second is that the decision on how to handle a situation always lies with the stronger part, also being Israel.
It's therefor entirely up to Israel how this will end, Israel has the power and ability to turn southern Lebanon into a parking lot and will probably do so if they think it will serve their purpose.
If this can be perceived as peace loving can be debated...
"Who can blame Israel? Any country would do the same thing."
No Samir, not all countries do that. Take the Lebanese for example. The Syrians and the PFLP shot at our soldiers a few months ago and kidnapped some for a few hours and yet the government remained passive.
"Is there any independent information available about the alleged kidnapping of Israeli soldiers?"
Anon, the Hezbollah has confirmed it and the Israeli as well. What do you need exactly? Olmert in your house giving you their photos?
Solomon,
If only in light of the imbalance of powers, the comparison you make with WWII is invalid.
The rest of your analysis is extremely simplistic: how does the withdrawal from occupied lands make a country peace-loving? The Israeli government itself made clear that those lands are burdens that it wanted to get rid off. And how does the continuous expansion of West Bank settlements fit into your theory of Israel as a peace-loving country?
I am willing (and do) criticize Hizballah and its supporters. The question is are you prepared to engage in a criticism of the IDF and thus initiate a fruitful dialogue?
Finally, you are right: you have no idea how it feels. You are at a very safe distance. In general, I have discovered that it is more fruitful to hold discussions with Israelis than with American supporters of Israel. I can assure you that a friend of mine who lives just north of Tel Aviv is just as unhappy with BOTH Hizballah and the IDF as I am.
"(a)The Western/Zionist media provides no details, just a kidnapping in a border area. So on what side did it happen, I assume on the Libanese."
Are the "Zionist media" those who talk of an Israeli "attack" but of Hizbollah "retaliation"? Where are the Zionist media when Israel needs them?
"(b)The alleged kidnapping from the Gaza strip is disputed, the official story is not convincing. Two out of three israeli soldiers were shot, as it seems most likely on Palastine Territory, the third one was captured injured. There was never any kidnapping operation in the first place but an accidental clash."
An Israeli military outpost in Israeli territory just happened to be on top of a tunnel dug by the terrorists, hence the accidental clash.
Hamas confirmed the kidnapping. I don't know of any sources that dispute Hamas' announcement about that.
"(c)The arrest of the Hamas government was planned weeks before, the alleged kidnapping is a pretext and overly exposed in the notorious 9/11 manner."
Yes. That is very likely true. The arrest of the terrorists was long planned. Everybody knew Hamas are on the world's wanted list as a terrorist group.
"(d)Kidnappings of Israeli soldiers are a new genre in the propaganda war. It was a big success and sells better than hit and run attacks, that's why we have them now in western media. Did Israel sent the two Druzes into a trap?"
In a way, yes. Israel knew that the satanists were close by. Everybody knows that sending any decent human being near them results in bad luck.
Suha! I'm the target of your attack? Come on, I don't even disagree with you! (saying I AGREE woulod be a stretch, but I certainly don't disagree). Please do have a look at my blog. I just posted there a comment that I had priorly posted on Sandmonkey. I think you'll see that do in fact sympathize with your sentiments.
Cheers ~
nueez
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.
MNUEZ,
I took this "...though I support Israel's attempts to stop attacks on her and to free her captive children..." to be a support of the current attack on Lebanon. Reading your blog, I realize that it was not. I apologize. I've read one too many calling for the destruction of Lebanon in the Haaretz comments section and elsewhere.
You are right, we don't agree (or disagree) but I respect your position.
Suha, why should power have to be "balanced" to determine right from wrong?
how does the withdrawal from occupied lands make a country peace-loving?
This question rips apart the entire logic of land-for-peace. That's what Israel has tried bargaining for over half a century. Clearly, by your reasoning, the amount of territory Israel yields to others has nothing to do with peace. How, then, would you define a peace-loving country when it responds to an attack by an aggressor?
Expansion of West Bank settlements? Israel is building a wall. Not only does it succeed in keeping terrorists out, it is even more effective at keeping Israeli settlements inside; they will not expand beyond it.
I have no criticisms of the IDF to offer at this time.
I'm so sorry to hear innocent people got killed. Although I support Israel attacking Hizb strongholds in Lebanon AND holding the Lebanese gov't responsible for what's been going on from her territory, I most definitely do NOT stand behind attacking innocent people or villages - my strongest condemnation for this....
I now see people on tv from Zfad. 1 Person was killed there by a katushiya and 25 wounded of which 1 fighting for his life. They are angry. Very very angry....
Tse.
Suha, talkbacks of newspapers bring out the worst in people. I myself was drawn in by cries for my destruction to wish other people's destruction (and personally I couldn't and wouldn't hurt even a fly).
Tse.
Just great,
with the exception of Suha who is trying to shed a reasonable light on the situation, this blog has been taken over by pro-Israelis!
Bravo to the Lebanese whose hatred of Hizballah prompts them to egg on an enemy that has wrought havoc in the area since its illegal creation over 50 years ago. Go ahead Israel, I love my country Lebanon, please keep bombing away! Bomb the airport-bomb the bridges-bravo Israel-kill my countrymen-I love it!
Hizballah may have miscalculated and the lebanese have a right to question it- but to encourage your enemy, whom, as we speak, is suffocating over 1 million Palestinians, cutting off their power, water and food and killing them wholesale while they sleep in their miserable dwellings, for a single soldier...FOR A SINGLE SOLDIER...and now you're asking them to keep bombing your country...What? you want the Gaza treatment from the Israelis?
You are either insane, or you are the same self-deluded, racist bunch whose first loyality is not to your country, but to your ethnic group-with or without Hizballah's latest action, the venom you spew is indicative of a mentality that still sees lebanon as belonging to a "superior" few and reagrds some Lebanese, mainly the Shia, as outsiders whose presence in Lebanon you wish you could annihilate..
Are you not the same bunch who fought with the Israelis when they invaded Lebanon back in 1982 and committed massacres on their behalf?
So spare me your fake patriotism. Your critcism, tinted with blinding hatred and racism, carries no credibility. There is nothing that HA and its supporters can do to win you over. You were and have always been on the other side.
GO ahead Israel, you beautiful enemy-Kill our children-kill, kill, kill..............
There is a lot of confusion over what is actually happening in the country. Most official news networks are not covering any activity (considering the strong jewish influence, this is no surprise).
As an "outsider" on this subject I have to agree that it seems that Israel is up to do something bigger. After all there is a basic strategy behind military operations. T (Transportation) T (Telecommunication) S (Supplies)
All of this might just be a cover up to divert attention from the activities in Palestine?
Most politicians are also useless in the current situation.
Da Germans - "They are gonna work it out (cause we cannot say anything to criticize)"
The Americans - "We do not mean to enslave the arab world, only the countries with oil"
As I understood Hizb, needed leverage to reopen negotiations with israel. (Thus the "If you wanna see them again, we will talk remark"
The attack basically was a death sentence to the kidnapped soldiers.
I hope that Hizb does not plan to retalliate otherwise the vicous circle of violence is not likely to close any time soon (1978)
Hope to hear from you soon.
Solomon2,
Shut your trap and go back to the Zionist hole you came from..
there is no arguing with you..
Go check what your own Israeli human rights group B'etselem says about settlements, the wall, the daily cruelty you inflict on the Palestinians..You stand on two crippled and rotten feet.
I wonder what would happen if Lebanese simply surrenderred, unconditionally, to Israeli forces?
Anon 10:11
Just because someone is anti-Hezbollah does not make them pro-Isreali. It is not mutually exclusive. All Lebanese have a right to voice their feelings against Hezbollah - specially after those self-centered idiots gave the Isrealis this excuse to retaliate. All the self-centered bunch of hooligans can think of is how to protect Syria's interests or Iran's beliefs. Do they even think of Lebanon? Do they take a minute to be patriotic? So please get a grip yourself and don't make any invalid generalizations.
May Hezbollah be completely disbanded and torn apart and my it's self-righteous leader rot in hell for all he has caused to happen to Lebanon.
a VERY fed up Moslem Lebanese
The attack basically was a death sentence to the kidnapped soldiers.
For those who believe the kidnapping of the soldiers was just an excuse for Israeli action, consider that Israel might have been robbed of its excuse had Hezbollah used the good offices of the Red Cross to assure the world that its prisoners were alive and well.
The attack basically was a death sentence to the kidnapped soldiers.
What is it with you people.
Someone tells you: "Let's talk about it"
Reaction: "KA-BOOM"
second try: "Let us please talk about it"
Reaction "BOOM"
Hizb does not represent the entirety of the Lebanese Government.
I understand the strategic point to add pressure on them via industry and civillian wars.
But how is this going to improve anything?
There is no "reboot" button for a country. This is only going to cause more violence, cause the only rational thing Hizb is left with if the own country is no longer support it is to get the backup of Syria or go on suicide missions.
You make a mistake in believing that Israel is a democracy, it is not. They do not have free open elections and there is no constitution.
Funny when you think about it.
They escaped Germany to become nationalistic-fascists themselves...
Anon 10:20,
You have not been reading the blogs carefully, including mine:
Take these comments from above for example:
Samir said-"Who can blame Israel? Any country would do the same thing."
Aaabish said...
"I’m Lebanese and I am not happy about what is going on but Israel is doing what it needs to do. This may actually be a good thing if you think about it, the more casualties and damage the more people are going to point there finger at Hezbollah.."
Add to that the Israeli vultures who are now crowding this blog smelling blood..
This is getting sickening and ugly..
any updates on the death tolls?
What are they shelling?
Is there anyone from Beirut in this Blog?
I would really like some "facts" rather than semi-fiction.
Solomon2 said:
I have no criticisms of the IDF to offer at this time.
Uhuh, right. They are perfect. Well then, there is nothing to discuss. You don't even have a clue how many NEW settlements have been built in the West Bank since the Oslo Accords. Do you? This is clearly a waste of time.
Funny when you think about it.
They escaped Germany to become nationalistic-fascists themselves...
10:40 AM
It is not surprising. Who knows better the power of Fascism than the Jews who forged a country after living through or escaping the Holocaust.
Anon:
I guess your "lets stir the pot and make these two sides do the fighting for us" routine isn't working out for you.
Unfortunately you found a bunch of people a little too smart for your paranoia, conspiracy theories and outright lies.
any settlement is one too many if it does not come out of peace.
building you happiness upon the unhappiness on ohters
i think we should go back to work and NOT ridicule each other. otherwise i will never marry got fiancees are annoying.
"Why can't we all just get along?" -Planet of the Apes
to borrel:
Thank you so much for that link
Eeuhhhh are there many Lebanese as nice as this:
"Add to that the Israeli vultures who are now crowding this blog smelling blood.."
Then I'm outta here....
Tse.
i too fear this small operation might evolve into a second war like the one we had in the 80s. i thought we're so beyond this.
i suspect hizbullaha are planning this for a long time. they know how we think so well, they know what to do in order to make us start a war. i feel it's part of a bigger plan to keep us in war mode, to drive us crazy, to get us further away from a normal life. and what i fear most is that we won't resist the temptation to respond. we were never good at holding back. people like hizbullah and el-qaeda will never be satisfied with reality in the modern world anyway, i'm not even sure they remember thier initial reasons to pick on us. the palestinians you say? i have to wonder why do they care about them so much.
Bombing near the Syrian border makes sense. This may please the US, especially Rice who has a thing for them, but it seems history. The Mossad will use the Lebanon and Syria for terrorist there acting on their behalf as was done in the past.
The US needs to close the Air base in Isreal and cut out the checks.
Carmel,
Another deluded Israeli..
What is "reality of the modern world?" Perpetual Israeli land theft and occupation, incessant killings and cruel and inhumane treatment of a weaker adversary?
It never fails to astonish me how pro-Israel Jews will want to appear cultured, sensitive and humane while still holding the blood-dripping knife they just used to slaughter their victims..
Look under your nose what you've been doing to the hapless Palestinians..
Please spare us your sanctimoniousness..
"Look under your nose what you've been doing to the hapless Palestinians.."
You mean giving them Gaza even though they still want us all dead?
"but to encourage your enemy, whom, as we speak, is suffocating over 1 million Palestinians, cutting off their power, water and food and killing them wholesale while they sleep in their miserable dwellings, for a single soldier...FOR A SINGLE SOLDIER..."
It's impressive, isn't it? Perhaps kidnapping Israelis is too expensive after all?
"and now you're asking them to keep bombing your country...What? you want the Gaza treatment from the Israelis?"
Hizbollah evidently did.
"You are either insane, or you are the same self-deluded, racist bunch whose first loyality is not to your country, but to your ethnic group"
Like those Lebanese who supported a Hizbollah attack against Israel for the sake of Palestinians in Gaza? Or is that a totally different, much better kind of first loyalty to one's ethnic group and not one's country?
"You make a mistake in believing that Israel is a democracy, it is not. They do not have free open elections and there is no constitution."
And you make a mistake when you believe that sane people believe that stupid propaganda. Israel is THE ONLY country in the middle east where Jews and Arabs participate in free elections.
I'm sorry if that bothers you.
But if your case against Israel relies on lies rather than reality, you must clearly believe that in reality Israel isn't so bad. Because if it was, why lie?
P.S.: Nazi Germany was not feared because of her habit to strike back when attacked. It was feared for her trying to kill all the Jews and occupy all of Europe. If you are looking for parallels, look among the "drive the Jews into the sea" pan-Arabist Nazis. They not only co-ordinated their actions with Nazi Germany (before Germany was invaded), but they even continue to make up stories about evil Jews.
"It never fails to astonish me how pro-Israel Jews will want to appear cultured, sensitive and humane while still holding the blood-dripping knife they just used to slaughter their victims.."
No doubt.
And the Jews are even very bad in slaughtering their victims!
Not only are the Palestinian Arabs still there, after 60 years of slaughtering, but the evil Jews didn't even manage to kill as many Palestinian Arabs as the other Arabs managed to do.
Suha,
You cannot support us and other innocent Lebanese and support the IDF's unproprortional use of force which will inevitably cause civilian casualties
Don't expect a "proportional" response to a violent attack. Whether it's police, militray, or a fistfight amongst civilians. The purpose is not to be "proportional" - the purpose is to remove your opponents abilty to do you further harm! Period!
The whole idea of "proportional" responses is a creation of the UN and it just plain doesn't work. You'll never see that. Never. You'll only see diplomats and politicians using the concept to condemn the side (whichever it is) that they stand against.
The suicidial idiots just bombed Hiafa!
These comments haven't been taken over by Israelis, its been taken over by Palestinian trolls pretending to speak for the Lebanese.
2 katioucha hit haifa but the hezbollah denies that they sent them
Stay safe, Raja; my condolances to the Lebanese people trapped between the Hizballah thugs and the Israeli war machine. I pray some day that Lebanon will not have to be in the middle of other people's insanity.
i'm lebanese... and i say to IDF, Kick Nasrallah's Butt and avenge us also the 25 year war caused by the Palestinians Trolls also in your Gaza Operation. oh... and if u can drop a couple of bombs on those Criminal Pits called "refugee camps" i would be grateful. I'm usually not so Sadistic but these guys really have a talent for screwing things up, and what they excel at is being the "noisy guests".
As a Lebanese I'll say it's too bad that regular lebanese are caught in the middle of this awful mess...otherwise i'd be so happy with what israel is doing to these terrorists.
"2 katioucha hit haifa but the hezbollah denies that they sent them"
They were clearly fired by one of the other groups in the area.
How many people bomb Haifa on a normal day?
a late love letter to lebanon
we used to be friends!
remember?
we used to fight together against the primitives that tried to take over you back then
sadly we seperated i am not sure if you stopped loving me or found someone else that you love more.
but i remember we had our times.
we had dreams we were about to fullfill
we had hopes
then 6 years ago you left me.
i am not sure if it was just because of me or was it barak who came between us and your goverment which thought our relationship are pailing the face of islam
i really dont know
now i will have to hurt you inorder to bring you back to me
i will have to open your weak eyes to face the light of hope
and i will
but i miss you
i still miss you
your x friend
Israel
Samir sais: "I fear that if this continues Israeli ground troops will soon be a Beirut..."
This is very unlikely. There is very little public support in Israel for land invasion into Lebanon, let alone more than a few km from the border. For what I know of the defense minister, I am preety sure he will not get us into such a mess.
I hope, and preety convinced, that this situation of mutual air and rockets attacks will not continue more than a few days.
p.s
a piece of info not mentioned in this blog: Hizabblah katiushas hit, among other targets, the muslim Arab village of Majdal Krum. One man was seriously wounded there and a few other people lightly wounded.
David, Israel
hi neighbors!
God bless you there in Lebanon!
we wont let politics to break us all
be safe,
from the Israeli side
Yoav
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