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Thursday, July 13, 2006

Israel attacking on two fronts - Gaza and Lebanon

There has been some speculation that Iran and Syria are directly behind or guiding what is going on with Hamas in Gaza and and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

This could be supported by this:


Israel has information that Hizbullah guerrillas who captured two Israeli soldiers are trying to transfer them to Iran, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said.

....

Hizbullah guerrillas, who are backed by Iran, seized the soldiers Wednesday in a cross-border raid.

Link

Could this be guided or instituted by Iran, being that Hizbollah is backed by Iran, and Iran is going before the UN Security Council about its nuclear ambition?

Could this be a diversion?

The Israeli's hold the Lebanese Government responsible for Hezbollahs actions:


Trapped between the two sides was Lebanon, which Israel said it held responsible for Hezbollah's actions. The Lebanese government insisted it had no prior knowledge of the Hezbollah raid and did not condone it.

Hezbollah fighters operate with almost total autonomy in southern Lebanon, and the government has no control over their actions. But Lebanon has long resisted international pressure to disarm the group.

Link

So, Israel is holding the Lebanese government responible for Hezbollahs actions, and the Lebanese government condemns the actions but does nothing to rid itself of this group, nor does it do anything to get control of the group. I have no problem with Israel making the Lebanese government responsible for Hezbollah's actions. If enough pressure is put on the Lebanese govenrment, say with war declared because of Hezbollah's actions, perhaps the Lebanese government will finally start taking direct action at removing Hezbollah from their country.


Western countries, Russia and the United Nations called for restraint and demanded the return of the soldiers. The Arab League called an emergency meeting of foreign ministers in Cairo on Saturday. The Lebanese Cabinet urged the U.N. Security Council to intervene.


The Lebanese governemnt wants the UN to intervene (which is a joke I think), yet will do nothing to remove the threat of Hezbollah themselves. Until the Lebanese government begins removing this terrorist organization from their midst, I do not think there should be any help for them.

Calls for restraint?!?! C'mon people, Israel has been attacked on two fronts, from Hamas in Gaza, and Hezbollah in Lebanon. They have made incursions INTO Israel, to kill and to take Israeli soldiers prisoner and people are calling for restraint?

At least they decided to add in that they demand the return of the soldiers.
If that doesn't happen, what will the UN do, issue a strong letter of reprimand to be laughed at?
Beg and plead for the US to try and force Israel into submission or to send troops to the region?

This has been brewing for sometime, and Hamas and Hezbollah very well may have pushed Israel past its limits, and we may begin seeing a war in Lebanon to wipe out Hezbollah, and another to go in and kill Hamas.


The European Union criticized Israel for using what it called "disproportionate" force in its attacks and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said he was planning a peace mission.


This is a joke right?

If you go to war, you do everything you can to win, you don't try and match your soldiers to the enemies soldiers and say, ok, we can fight now, we are evenly matched!

Has the European Union suddenly gotten a severe case of stupid?


Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned that Israel's Lebanon offensive "is raising our fears of a new regional war" and urged world powers to intervene.


I think Abbas may want to try and get control of Hamas instead of trying to make them out as the victims.

Hamas instituded an act of war, by raiding into Israel, killing and taking prisoners, and Abbas has the gaul to beg the world powers to intervene?

Clean your house first Abbas before asking for help.

Poweline notes that the New york Times has taken sides in its reporting.
Israel is invaded, it's citizens / soldiers have been kidnapped, but the NYT writes it not as Israel is the victim, but as the terrorists are:
Once Again, Gazans Are Displaced by Israeli Occupiers.

This action would not have taken place had not Hamas invaded into Israel and provoked this retaliation.

It is time the Palestinians look at what they elected, because the elected Hamas terrorists have brought them this.

Some the actions taken so far and running updates from Lebanese Bloggers that are live blogging as much as they can of the conflict at this time:


Update 1 - 8:20 AM : The number of deaths in Lebanon has risen to twenty seven.

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 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 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 18 - 11:30 AM: Lebanese who can are beginning to seek refuge in Syria, of all places!

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.

....

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...)

Read More at the Lebanese Bloggers.

I don't think Israel has even begun yet.
They are an angry hornets nest that Hamas and Hezbollah hit with sticks, and now that the angry hornets are out, they are going to get stung over and over again, till they remove the threat once and for all. They feel they have been provoked, and they have been. They feel they are completely justified in their actions.

Funny thing now is:

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.


They suddenly recognize Israel now, don't they?


*** NEWS UPDATE ***
Reports of a Fox News reporter David Lee Miller broadcasting Israeli troop movements and then shortly afterwards getting fired on... See the video Here or Here.


Others blogging on this Issue:

Sister Toldjah with "The latest developments in the Israel vs. Lebanon conflict (UPDATED)"

Michelle Malkin with "ROCKETS' RED GLARE"

Interesting Theory at Austin Bay with "UPDATED: Israel squares off against Hamas and Hezbollah"

Macsmind with "Israel: This IS War"

Atlas Shrugs with "War with Iran"

Stop the ACLU with "Hizbullah wants soldiers moved to Iran"

Woman Honor Thyself with "Israel BashinG"

Something... and Half of Something with "Lebanon Has Declared War On Israel"