Israel Moves Thousands Of Soldiers Into Lebanon
By Jonathan Finer and Molly Moore
ZARIT, Israel, Aug. 2 -- Thousands of Israeli soldiers streamed into southern Lebanon on Tuesday, as clashes with Hezbollah fighters in at least half a dozen towns marked an intensified ground campaign to dislodge Hezbollah strongholds that have withstood three weeks of aerial bombardment.
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Full Version: What's Up in the Middle East
Common Ground Common Sense > Issues that Affect Our Lives > Foreign Policy and National Defense > Foreign Policy & National Defense Issues Archive
Europeans, Offering Peacekeepers, Call for End of Hostilities Now
By Colum Lynch
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 1 -- The European Union's 25 foreign ministers called Tuesday for an immediate cessation of hostilities in southern Lebanon and expressed their "readiness" to serve in a multinational peacekeeping force there once Israel and Hezbollah agree to halt their fighting and settle...
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By Colum Lynch
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 1 -- The European Union's 25 foreign ministers called Tuesday for an immediate cessation of hostilities in southern Lebanon and expressed their "readiness" to serve in a multinational peacekeeping force there once Israel and Hezbollah agree to halt their fighting and settle...
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Staying Power Adds To Hezbollah's Appeal
By Edward Cody
BEIRUT, Aug. 1 -- Still in the fight after three weeks of war with Israel, Hezbollah is riding a surge of popularity in Lebanon and has acquired increased influence in the Lebanese government and its component factions, according to senior Lebanese officials and analysts.
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By Edward Cody
BEIRUT, Aug. 1 -- Still in the fight after three weeks of war with Israel, Hezbollah is riding a surge of popularity in Lebanon and has acquired increased influence in the Lebanese government and its component factions, according to senior Lebanese officials and analysts.
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50,000 problematic Canadian smacleans.ca
The scandal isn't a tardy evacuation; it's that we've fostered so many indifferent citizens. Here's one of my favourite numbers: 50,000 -- as in "50,000 Canadians," as in "As many as 50,000 Canadians are believed to be in Lebanon" (CBC News), and "There were an estimated 50,000 Canadians in Lebanon when fighting broke out" (Canadian Press), and "There were some 50,000 Canadians in harm's way, trapped in a country that Israel was relentlessly bombing" (the Toronto Star). The question is: Why are they "in harm's way"? How did "50,000 Canadians" come to be in Lebanon? Is it one of our major trading partners? Has Bombardier opened up a Ski-Doo plant there? Is Beirut where the Quebec Nordiques wound up? 50,000 Canucks out of a total Lebanese population of 3.8 million works out to about 1.3 per cent of the population. Hezbollah claims 400,000 supporters in Lebanon after 20 years of diligent recruiting and investment by Iran, but Canada has managed to amass an eighth of that figure with nary a thought. Despite significantly smaller populations than our G7 colleagues, we have more citizens in Lebanon than the Americans, British and Germans Combined. France is the former colonial power in Lebanon and the Western country with which it maintains the closest ties, yet even the French can muster only 30,000 citizens in the country. Formerly known as "the Paris of the Middle East," these days Beirut would appear to be the Saskatoon of the Middle East. Another decade or two and Lebanon will boast more Canadians than most of the Maritimes. If Canadians were represented within the global population as generously as they are among the Lebanese, there would be over 81 million Canadian citizens living outside Canada. And yet none of the CBC reporters repeating the "50,000 Canadians" line every hour on the hour, day in, day out, apparently had sufficient curiosity to ponder what that bland statistic signified. The Calgary Herald gamely attempted an explanation: "Booming Country Drew Many Lebanese Back Home: Why So Many Canadians Are Trapped By Crisis." But that doesn't explain why it only drew them home from Canada, and not France, America, Australia or anywhere else. Broadway producers, accustomed to going to parties and hearing doctors, bond traders and orthodontists tell them what's wrong with their plays, like to say that show business is everybody's second business. Canada would seem to be everybody's second nationality. The question is whether it's still anybody's first. Not long before 9/11, I picked up a book called Citizenship and National Identity by David Miller. He's a liberal nationalist and in the long-ago summer of 2001 it all seemed very theoretical. "The historic national community is a community of obligation," he writes. "Because our forebears have toiled and spilt their blood to build and defend the nation, we who are born into it inherit an obligation to continue their work, which we discharge partly towards our contemporaries and partly towards our descendants." Well, so much for that. Mr. Miller is a British academic and, rereading his book five years on, I'm struck by how often he mentions Muslims. In doing so, he seems at least to imply that this particular identity group is not quite as others -- Welsh, Jews, Nigerians -- and yet every time he brings up the subject it's to reassure us that there's nothing to worry about. "Consider a Christian facing an Islamic group who declare that their goal is to make Britain into an Islamic state," he posits airily at one point, presenting it as a kind of abstract exercise in the limits of mutually respectful multiculturalism. "Valuing the identity espoused by the group facing you commits you to denying values you already hold: if you are a Christian, then you must believe that the Christian life is a valuable life, and therefore you cannot value the project of eradicating Christianity in the name of Islam." I'd clean forgotten I'd read anything that specific about the Islamification of the West before Sept. 11th. But, as the author notes, the Muslim group Hizb ut-Tahrir were stating plainly and openly in the early nineties their goal of an Islamic Britain. Miller's book is frustrating, in that he managed to identify all the critical questions of the day without appreciating quite how pressing they are. But where he and others go awry is in misidentifying the internal contradictions of multiculturalism. In Multiculturalism and "The Politics Of Recognition," a very early entry into the field, Charles Taylor writes: "It makes sense to demand as a matter of right that we approach the study of certain cultures with a presumption of their value . . . But it can't make sense to demand as a matter of right that we come up with a final concluding judgment that their value is great, or equal to others . . . I have stated this rather flatly," he adds, somewhat superfluously. But, given that multiculturalism is principally an exercise in Western self-abasement, the presumption of greater value is the entire point. The problem, pace Taylor, is not that Group A holds values that are incompatible with Group B, but rather that Group A holds no values at all. In the modern multicultural state, we accord all values equal value: in effect, our values are that we have no values -- and so the best way we can demonstrate our lack of values is by deferring to those values most antipathetic to us. One thinks of Nada Farooq, Mississauga-raised wife of one of the alleged terrorists and moderator of an Internet forum for Muslim teens. In David Miller terms, her "citizenship" may be Canadian but her "identity" isn't: she planned to name her son Khattab, after the Chechen mujahedeen commander killed in 2002. Growing up in a Toronto suburb, she found recent Chechen history more inspiring than Canadian history, assuming she was taught any. That's an extreme manifestation of the problem, of course. I'd wager those "50,000 Canadians" in Lebanon are more typical: the majority aren't Hezbollah terrorists, they're merely indifferent to Canada. It's a fallback position, something in the back pocket for when the powder keg goes up. A year or two or five ago, they stood before the Maple Leaf and pledged allegiance to Her Majesty The Queen and sang O Canada and listened to the citizenship judge blather about all the many races and nationalities in the room that were now joined within the bosom of the Canadian family. And it all meant . . . nothing. Which, in the long run, may be a bigger problem than Nada Farooq. In The Power of Identity, Manuel Castells writes about what he calls "resistance identities" and the challenge they pose to traditional nation-states. I would prefer the term "resistant identities," in the sense that pan-Islamism is resistant to the usual assimilationist pull of Western societies. Yet hard-core jihad is always going to be a minority interest. And, as those "50,000 Canadians" suggests, indifference could be far more contagious. In the thirties, there were chaps who found themselves in tricky situations in Italy or Romania, Poland or France, and so for a small consideration acquired a passport from some potential Latin American bolthole. But Immigration Canada is the first to practise the racket on an industrial scale -- and to give it away. The scandal is not that the government has been tardy in its evacuation plans for these "50,000 Canadians." The scandal is not even that so many Lebanese have gamed Canada's immigration system. The scandal is that there's no system to game and, with the exception of the Toronto Sun's Peter Worthington, no Canadian media bigwigs seem to mind. Indeed, the obvious fact that the bulk of these passports are flags of convenience only intensified the outrage at the sloth and incompetence of Ottawa in standing on guard for these paragons of Canada's post-nationalist national identity. The Toronto Star's lefty lovely, Linda McQuaig, morphed into a postmodern Lord Palmerston, all but demanding Harper dispatch HMCS Rustbucket to blast Tel Aviv. "The first duty of a Canadian prime minister is the safety of Canadians," she huffed. "So, faced with a choice of expressing support for Israel or doing everything he possibly could to protect tens of thousands of vulnerable Canadians, Harper should have opted for protecting the Canadians." To Miss McQuaig, the Zionist Entity's assault on Hezbollah was an unprovoked assault on an outlying Canadian province. And, if Paul Martin's Canada Steamship fleet ever gets impounded in Antwerp, no doubt she'll be demanding the Liberian Air Force bomb Belgium.
By MARK STEYN, < letters@macleans.ca > Columnist
The scandal isn't a tardy evacuation; it's that we've fostered so many indifferent citizens. Here's one of my favourite numbers: 50,000 -- as in "50,000 Canadians," as in "As many as 50,000 Canadians are believed to be in Lebanon" (CBC News), and "There were an estimated 50,000 Canadians in Lebanon when fighting broke out" (Canadian Press), and "There were some 50,000 Canadians in harm's way, trapped in a country that Israel was relentlessly bombing" (the Toronto Star). The question is: Why are they "in harm's way"? How did "50,000 Canadians" come to be in Lebanon? Is it one of our major trading partners? Has Bombardier opened up a Ski-Doo plant there? Is Beirut where the Quebec Nordiques wound up? 50,000 Canucks out of a total Lebanese population of 3.8 million works out to about 1.3 per cent of the population. Hezbollah claims 400,000 supporters in Lebanon after 20 years of diligent recruiting and investment by Iran, but Canada has managed to amass an eighth of that figure with nary a thought. Despite significantly smaller populations than our G7 colleagues, we have more citizens in Lebanon than the Americans, British and Germans Combined. France is the former colonial power in Lebanon and the Western country with which it maintains the closest ties, yet even the French can muster only 30,000 citizens in the country. Formerly known as "the Paris of the Middle East," these days Beirut would appear to be the Saskatoon of the Middle East. Another decade or two and Lebanon will boast more Canadians than most of the Maritimes. If Canadians were represented within the global population as generously as they are among the Lebanese, there would be over 81 million Canadian citizens living outside Canada. And yet none of the CBC reporters repeating the "50,000 Canadians" line every hour on the hour, day in, day out, apparently had sufficient curiosity to ponder what that bland statistic signified. The Calgary Herald gamely attempted an explanation: "Booming Country Drew Many Lebanese Back Home: Why So Many Canadians Are Trapped By Crisis." But that doesn't explain why it only drew them home from Canada, and not France, America, Australia or anywhere else. Broadway producers, accustomed to going to parties and hearing doctors, bond traders and orthodontists tell them what's wrong with their plays, like to say that show business is everybody's second business. Canada would seem to be everybody's second nationality. The question is whether it's still anybody's first. Not long before 9/11, I picked up a book called Citizenship and National Identity by David Miller. He's a liberal nationalist and in the long-ago summer of 2001 it all seemed very theoretical. "The historic national community is a community of obligation," he writes. "Because our forebears have toiled and spilt their blood to build and defend the nation, we who are born into it inherit an obligation to continue their work, which we discharge partly towards our contemporaries and partly towards our descendants." Well, so much for that. Mr. Miller is a British academic and, rereading his book five years on, I'm struck by how often he mentions Muslims. In doing so, he seems at least to imply that this particular identity group is not quite as others -- Welsh, Jews, Nigerians -- and yet every time he brings up the subject it's to reassure us that there's nothing to worry about. "Consider a Christian facing an Islamic group who declare that their goal is to make Britain into an Islamic state," he posits airily at one point, presenting it as a kind of abstract exercise in the limits of mutually respectful multiculturalism. "Valuing the identity espoused by the group facing you commits you to denying values you already hold: if you are a Christian, then you must believe that the Christian life is a valuable life, and therefore you cannot value the project of eradicating Christianity in the name of Islam." I'd clean forgotten I'd read anything that specific about the Islamification of the West before Sept. 11th. But, as the author notes, the Muslim group Hizb ut-Tahrir were stating plainly and openly in the early nineties their goal of an Islamic Britain. Miller's book is frustrating, in that he managed to identify all the critical questions of the day without appreciating quite how pressing they are. But where he and others go awry is in misidentifying the internal contradictions of multiculturalism. In Multiculturalism and "The Politics Of Recognition," a very early entry into the field, Charles Taylor writes: "It makes sense to demand as a matter of right that we approach the study of certain cultures with a presumption of their value . . . But it can't make sense to demand as a matter of right that we come up with a final concluding judgment that their value is great, or equal to others . . . I have stated this rather flatly," he adds, somewhat superfluously. But, given that multiculturalism is principally an exercise in Western self-abasement, the presumption of greater value is the entire point. The problem, pace Taylor, is not that Group A holds values that are incompatible with Group B, but rather that Group A holds no values at all. In the modern multicultural state, we accord all values equal value: in effect, our values are that we have no values -- and so the best way we can demonstrate our lack of values is by deferring to those values most antipathetic to us. One thinks of Nada Farooq, Mississauga-raised wife of one of the alleged terrorists and moderator of an Internet forum for Muslim teens. In David Miller terms, her "citizenship" may be Canadian but her "identity" isn't: she planned to name her son Khattab, after the Chechen mujahedeen commander killed in 2002. Growing up in a Toronto suburb, she found recent Chechen history more inspiring than Canadian history, assuming she was taught any. That's an extreme manifestation of the problem, of course. I'd wager those "50,000 Canadians" in Lebanon are more typical: the majority aren't Hezbollah terrorists, they're merely indifferent to Canada. It's a fallback position, something in the back pocket for when the powder keg goes up. A year or two or five ago, they stood before the Maple Leaf and pledged allegiance to Her Majesty The Queen and sang O Canada and listened to the citizenship judge blather about all the many races and nationalities in the room that were now joined within the bosom of the Canadian family. And it all meant . . . nothing. Which, in the long run, may be a bigger problem than Nada Farooq. In The Power of Identity, Manuel Castells writes about what he calls "resistance identities" and the challenge they pose to traditional nation-states. I would prefer the term "resistant identities," in the sense that pan-Islamism is resistant to the usual assimilationist pull of Western societies. Yet hard-core jihad is always going to be a minority interest. And, as those "50,000 Canadians" suggests, indifference could be far more contagious. In the thirties, there were chaps who found themselves in tricky situations in Italy or Romania, Poland or France, and so for a small consideration acquired a passport from some potential Latin American bolthole. But Immigration Canada is the first to practise the racket on an industrial scale -- and to give it away. The scandal is not that the government has been tardy in its evacuation plans for these "50,000 Canadians." The scandal is not even that so many Lebanese have gamed Canada's immigration system. The scandal is that there's no system to game and, with the exception of the Toronto Sun's Peter Worthington, no Canadian media bigwigs seem to mind. Indeed, the obvious fact that the bulk of these passports are flags of convenience only intensified the outrage at the sloth and incompetence of Ottawa in standing on guard for these paragons of Canada's post-nationalist national identity. The Toronto Star's lefty lovely, Linda McQuaig, morphed into a postmodern Lord Palmerston, all but demanding Harper dispatch HMCS Rustbucket to blast Tel Aviv. "The first duty of a Canadian prime minister is the safety of Canadians," she huffed. "So, faced with a choice of expressing support for Israel or doing everything he possibly could to protect tens of thousands of vulnerable Canadians, Harper should have opted for protecting the Canadians." To Miss McQuaig, the Zionist Entity's assault on Hezbollah was an unprovoked assault on an outlying Canadian province. And, if Paul Martin's Canada Steamship fleet ever gets impounded in Antwerp, no doubt she'll be demanding the Liberian Air Force bomb Belgium.
By MARK STEYN, < letters@macleans.ca > Columnist
Israel expands fight deeper into Lebanon Chicago Tribune
Racing against time before a cease-fire is arranged, Israel expanded its offensive in Lebanon on Tuesday, landing troops by helicopter deep in the country as ground forces battled Hezbollah guerrillas in border villages in the south. Lebanese security officials said a major Israeli operation against guerrillas was under way near Baalbek in the Hezbollah heartland in the eastern Bekaa Valley, some 80 miles north of the border. Troops landed by helicopter after aircraft carried out several strikes in the area, according to the officials. The Israeli army would not comment on the raid, and initial accounts were sketchy. A spokesman for Hezbollah said guerrillas were fighting Israeli commandos trapped in a hospital they had entered west of Baalbek, and witnesses said the building had been hit by an Israeli air strike. The spokesman dismissed reports that the commandos had seized some patients and taken them in helicopters. Hezbollah's capture of two Israeli soldiers in a raid across the border on July 12 triggered the ongoing Israeli offensive. Bolstering thousands of troops in southern Lebanon, Israel prepared to send thousands more into the area after calling up reserves, readying forces for an even wider ground push with the aim of clearing out Hezbollah fighters and controlling the border area until an international force can arrive and take over. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert indicated that the stepped-up military action was aimed at inflicting as much damage as possible on Hezbollah before moves to arrange a cease-fire gain momentum. "Every additional day is a day that saps the strength of this cruel enemy," he said. "Every extra day is a day in which [the army] reduces their stamina and restricts their ability to fire and hit in the future." There were suggestions that the army might drive as far as the Litani River, about 18 miles north of the border, but Meir Shetreet, a member of Israel's security cabinet, said that line had not been set in a meeting early Tuesday to approve the expanded ground offensive. Israeli paratroopers and armored forces backed by air and artillery strikes fought fierce battles with Hezbollah guerrillas in the Lebanese border village of Aita al-Shaab, one of several in which Israeli forces are operating. Television images from the area showed huge explosions and towering plumes of smoke over the village with buildings damaged and collapsed. The army said three soldiers were killed when anti-tank rockets hit two houses they were in, and that 25 more troops were injured. The military said it had inflicted dozens of casualties on Hezbollah. Israeli Justice Minister Haim Ramon said that about 300 of Hezbollah's main force of 2,000 fighters had been killed in the Israeli offensive so far, though the group has said 46 of its fighters were killed. Israeli forces were also operating in the villages of Taibe, al-Adeisseh and Kafr Kila near the border with Israel, the army said, and the area was hit repeatedly by artillery and air strikes. Israeli officials say the ground operations are meant to destroy the forward line of Hezbollah positions, as well as bunkers and arms stocks in villages facing Israel. Olmert has said Israel wants to create a 1.2-mile wide buffer zone that would be free of Hezbollah guerrillas. In other military action, Israel carried out sporadic air strikes across Lebanon after it declared a curtailment of aerial activity for 48 hours following an attack on the village of Qana on Sunday that killed more than 50 civilians. The army said Israeli aircraft struck southern Lebanese villages in dozens of missions, attacking rocket launching sites and supporting troops on the ground. Three civilians were killed when warplanes hit a house in the southern Lebanese town of Lweizeh, Lebanese security officials said. Warplanes struck deep in Lebanon at Hermel, in the Bekaa Valley, targeting a road linking eastern Lebanon to western areas. Another strike in Hermel hit a pickup truck loaded with cooking gas canisters, setting off an explosion, Lebanese security officials said. The Israeli army said it had hit two trucks carrying arms. Another strike nearby targeted the Qaa-Homs road, linking Lebanon and Syria. Two of the four border crossings between the two countries are now closed because of damage, and repeated air strikes have cut the Beirut-Damascus highway. Even as Israel stepped up its attacks, Hezbollah drastically reduced its rocket fire at Israeli towns and villages for the second straight day in an apparent effort to draw Israel into a cease-fire, which the group has demanded. The army reported that about 10 mortar rounds and rockets landed in northern Israel on Tuesday, a sharp drop from the daily firings of more than 100 rockets before the announcement of the curtailment of Israeli air strikes. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday that the United States would seek action by the UN Security Council this week to arrange a cease-fire bolstered by the deployment of an international force. Defense Minister Amir Peretz said that Israel was aware that there could be "a short diplomatic window" of opportunity for military action. He said that ground operations had been expanded "with the intention of creating new conditions so that when an international force arrives ... it will be able to enforce the new situation" in which Hezbollah guerrillas would not be active in southern Lebanon. Olmert said that while the Israeli offensive would not remove all rocket and missile threats against Israel, it would deter the guerrillas from firing them in the future. The campaign "has created a completely new equation in the balance of power between the State of Israel and its enemies," he said. "We are at the start of a political process that I believe will ultimately lead to a cease-fire under conditions that are completely different than those that prevailed on our northern border," Olmert said. "We will cease fire when we know for sure that the conditions on the ground will be different than those that caused this war to break out."
By Joel Greenberg. JERUSALEM < jogreenberg@tribune.com >
Up to 7,000 Israeli troops push into Lebanon International Herald Tribune
Raging battles follow deep push by Israelis Online Athens (subscription)
ABC News - The Australian - San Francisco Chronicle - Forbes - all 689 related »
Racing against time before a cease-fire is arranged, Israel expanded its offensive in Lebanon on Tuesday, landing troops by helicopter deep in the country as ground forces battled Hezbollah guerrillas in border villages in the south. Lebanese security officials said a major Israeli operation against guerrillas was under way near Baalbek in the Hezbollah heartland in the eastern Bekaa Valley, some 80 miles north of the border. Troops landed by helicopter after aircraft carried out several strikes in the area, according to the officials. The Israeli army would not comment on the raid, and initial accounts were sketchy. A spokesman for Hezbollah said guerrillas were fighting Israeli commandos trapped in a hospital they had entered west of Baalbek, and witnesses said the building had been hit by an Israeli air strike. The spokesman dismissed reports that the commandos had seized some patients and taken them in helicopters. Hezbollah's capture of two Israeli soldiers in a raid across the border on July 12 triggered the ongoing Israeli offensive. Bolstering thousands of troops in southern Lebanon, Israel prepared to send thousands more into the area after calling up reserves, readying forces for an even wider ground push with the aim of clearing out Hezbollah fighters and controlling the border area until an international force can arrive and take over. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert indicated that the stepped-up military action was aimed at inflicting as much damage as possible on Hezbollah before moves to arrange a cease-fire gain momentum. "Every additional day is a day that saps the strength of this cruel enemy," he said. "Every extra day is a day in which [the army] reduces their stamina and restricts their ability to fire and hit in the future." There were suggestions that the army might drive as far as the Litani River, about 18 miles north of the border, but Meir Shetreet, a member of Israel's security cabinet, said that line had not been set in a meeting early Tuesday to approve the expanded ground offensive. Israeli paratroopers and armored forces backed by air and artillery strikes fought fierce battles with Hezbollah guerrillas in the Lebanese border village of Aita al-Shaab, one of several in which Israeli forces are operating. Television images from the area showed huge explosions and towering plumes of smoke over the village with buildings damaged and collapsed. The army said three soldiers were killed when anti-tank rockets hit two houses they were in, and that 25 more troops were injured. The military said it had inflicted dozens of casualties on Hezbollah. Israeli Justice Minister Haim Ramon said that about 300 of Hezbollah's main force of 2,000 fighters had been killed in the Israeli offensive so far, though the group has said 46 of its fighters were killed. Israeli forces were also operating in the villages of Taibe, al-Adeisseh and Kafr Kila near the border with Israel, the army said, and the area was hit repeatedly by artillery and air strikes. Israeli officials say the ground operations are meant to destroy the forward line of Hezbollah positions, as well as bunkers and arms stocks in villages facing Israel. Olmert has said Israel wants to create a 1.2-mile wide buffer zone that would be free of Hezbollah guerrillas. In other military action, Israel carried out sporadic air strikes across Lebanon after it declared a curtailment of aerial activity for 48 hours following an attack on the village of Qana on Sunday that killed more than 50 civilians. The army said Israeli aircraft struck southern Lebanese villages in dozens of missions, attacking rocket launching sites and supporting troops on the ground. Three civilians were killed when warplanes hit a house in the southern Lebanese town of Lweizeh, Lebanese security officials said. Warplanes struck deep in Lebanon at Hermel, in the Bekaa Valley, targeting a road linking eastern Lebanon to western areas. Another strike in Hermel hit a pickup truck loaded with cooking gas canisters, setting off an explosion, Lebanese security officials said. The Israeli army said it had hit two trucks carrying arms. Another strike nearby targeted the Qaa-Homs road, linking Lebanon and Syria. Two of the four border crossings between the two countries are now closed because of damage, and repeated air strikes have cut the Beirut-Damascus highway. Even as Israel stepped up its attacks, Hezbollah drastically reduced its rocket fire at Israeli towns and villages for the second straight day in an apparent effort to draw Israel into a cease-fire, which the group has demanded. The army reported that about 10 mortar rounds and rockets landed in northern Israel on Tuesday, a sharp drop from the daily firings of more than 100 rockets before the announcement of the curtailment of Israeli air strikes. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday that the United States would seek action by the UN Security Council this week to arrange a cease-fire bolstered by the deployment of an international force. Defense Minister Amir Peretz said that Israel was aware that there could be "a short diplomatic window" of opportunity for military action. He said that ground operations had been expanded "with the intention of creating new conditions so that when an international force arrives ... it will be able to enforce the new situation" in which Hezbollah guerrillas would not be active in southern Lebanon. Olmert said that while the Israeli offensive would not remove all rocket and missile threats against Israel, it would deter the guerrillas from firing them in the future. The campaign "has created a completely new equation in the balance of power between the State of Israel and its enemies," he said. "We are at the start of a political process that I believe will ultimately lead to a cease-fire under conditions that are completely different than those that prevailed on our northern border," Olmert said. "We will cease fire when we know for sure that the conditions on the ground will be different than those that caused this war to break out."
By Joel Greenberg. JERUSALEM < jogreenberg@tribune.com >
Up to 7,000 Israeli troops push into Lebanon International Herald Tribune
Raging battles follow deep push by Israelis Online Athens (subscription)
ABC News - The Australian - San Francisco Chronicle - Forbes - all 689 related »
Israel takes 'Hezbollah fighters' BBC News
The Israeli army says it has seized a number of Hezbollah fighters in a raid on Baalbek, a town deep inside Lebanon.
After the bombardment, military helicopters then landed an Israeli commando unit near a hospital on the outskirts of the town, which led to fierce clashes with Hezbollah guerrillas lasting several hours. Local residents told AP the hospital was run by people close to Hezbollah and funded by an Iranian charity. The Israeli military says that it seized at least three Hezbollah members in the raid and a spokeswoman told Reuters news agency that the captured militants had been taken to Israel. Hezbollah say they inflicted casualties on the commando unit but a spokeswoman for the Israeli military says all their troops returned safely to base.
'Fading optimism'
Baalbek, which is a Hezbollah stronghold and home to several senior members of the group, has been repeatedly bombed by Israel since the conflict began. However, this is the first time Israel has sent ground troops so far into Lebanon since its offensive began over three weeks ago.
Tuesday saw fierce fighting across southern Lebanon, with casualties on both sides. Israel said an anti-tank missile killed three of its soldiers in the border town of Ait al-Shaab, while Hezbollah said four of its fighters died in clashes further north.
The Israeli army says it has seized a number of Hezbollah fighters in a raid on Baalbek, a town deep inside Lebanon.
Israel has vowed to widen ground operations in south Lebanon
After air strikes on the town, 100km into Lebanon, in which 11 people died, Israeli commandos landed by helicopter and fought a lengthy gun battle. In a statement on al-Manar television, Hezbollah said those captured in Baalbek, one of its strongholds, are "ordinary citizens" not militants. Israeli troops have also pushed further into south Lebanon overnight. The incursion into Baalbek began before midnight with several air strikes. At least 11 civilians, including five members of the same family, were killed in the bombing.'Fading optimism'
Baalbek, which is a Hezbollah stronghold and home to several senior members of the group, has been repeatedly bombed by Israel since the conflict began. However, this is the first time Israel has sent ground troops so far into Lebanon since its offensive began over three weeks ago.
Israeli views on their army's offensive in southern Lebanon
The BBC's Michael Buchanan in Beirut says that there had been a slight mood of optimism in Lebanon that diplomatic efforts to bring about a ceasefire following the deadly air strike on the Lebanese village of Qana, in which 54 civilians died, were gathering momentum. Following this raid, that mood has disappeared, our correspondent says. Meanwhile, Israeli planes attacked a Lebanese army base south-east of Sidon early on Wednesday, killing three Lebanese soldiers. A 48-hour partial suspension of Israeli air strikes, triggered by the raid on Qana, ended overnight. In other developments- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel was "winning the battle" against Hezbollah, but also said a political process that will lead to a ceasefire is now under way.
- US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said an agreement on ending the fighting was possible within "days, not weeks" - in apparent contrast to Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres, who said he thought the fighting would end within "weeks, not months".
- French officials said that France would boycott a meeting on Thursday of potential contributors to an international stabilisation force - the official said France considered the meeting "premature".
Tuesday saw fierce fighting across southern Lebanon, with casualties on both sides. Israel said an anti-tank missile killed three of its soldiers in the border town of Ait al-Shaab, while Hezbollah said four of its fighters died in clashes further north.
QUOTE("Nikki - Warwickshire")
Surely the lives of the innocent should take precedence
More Israeli troops crossed into Lebanon, entering at four different points the border, Israeli officials told the Associated Press. The BBC's Bethany Bell in Jerusalem says many in Israel expect the fighting to intensify over the next few days. The Israeli security cabinet on Tuesday unanimously approved widening Israel's ground offensive. Some reports said troops would move into Lebanon as far as the Litani River - up to 30km (18 miles) from the border. Israel warned civilians north-east of the river to leave their homes. Israel launched the current offensive after Hezbollah militants seized two of its soldiers in a cross-border raid. After nearly three weeks of fighting, about 750 people - mainly civilians - have been killed by Israeli action in Lebanon, according to Lebanon's health minister. A total of 54 Israelis, including at least 18 civilians, are known to have been killed by Hezbollah.
US, France agree UN Lebanon text BBC News
The US and France have agreed the wording of a UN resolution to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. It calls for a "full cessation of hostilities", demanding that Hezbollah halt all attacks and Israel stop all offensive military operations. A BBC correspondent at the UN says the wording would allow Israel some freedom if it argues it needs to defend itself. The US envoy to the UN said it was likely to be adopted within days. Israel has so far reacted cautiously. The UN Security Council began consultations on the draft resolution shortly after 1945 GMT on Saturday. Meanwhile the violence has continued, with Israeli commandos clashing with Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon. The Israeli army said eight soldiers were wounded and several militants were killed in the raid on an apartment in Tyre suspected of housing Hezbollah fighters in the city. Hezbollah has continued to fire rockets into northern Israel - more than 150 were fired on Saturday. Three women were killed in an attack on the northern Israeli Arab village of Arab al-Aramshe.
'Immediate cessation'
The draft resolution follows weeks of disagreement over the precise wording of a call to end the violence in Lebanon. US ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, said he was keen to get the resolution adopted as quickly as possible. He said the text did not include a requirement for an immediate cessation of hostilities. But it does call for "the immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military actions". The draft text - sent to all 15 member states in the security council - also calls for the current UN force in Lebanon to monitor any cessation in fighting. The mandate for a far stronger multinational force will follow, the BBC's James Robbins at the UN in New York says. Swift passage of the resolution now seems likely, he says, and a formal vote could come as soon as Monday. Foreign ministers are expected to come to New York for that vote, to give the maximum political weight to a global call to all sides to stop fighting, and work for a long-term political settlement, our correspondent adds. Israeli cabinet minister Isaac Herzog called the text an "important development", but said Israel needed to know all the details before responding. Until the resolution came into force, the operation against Hezbollah would continue, he said. A Lebanese cabinet minister from Hezbollah, Mohammad Fneish, said the organisation would abide by the proposed resolution only if Israel withdrew all of its troops from Lebanon. UK Prime Minister Tony Blair welcomed news of the agreement, calling it "an absolutely vital first step in bringing this tragic crisis to an end".
Aid warning
Meanwhile, US envoy David Welch held talks in Beirut with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, the leader of the Shia Amal movement and a possible conduit to Hezbollah. Mr Welch said he appreciated hearing the two men's concerns as they discussed ways forward, and he reaffirmed US support for Lebanon. But the BBC's Nick Childs in Beirut said Mr Welch's statement was careful and cautious, with no hint of a breakthrough. As the violence on the ground continues, the Israeli army has warned residents in the Lebanese city of Sidon to stay away from rocket launching sites. In other developments:
The US and France have agreed the wording of a UN resolution to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. It calls for a "full cessation of hostilities", demanding that Hezbollah halt all attacks and Israel stop all offensive military operations. A BBC correspondent at the UN says the wording would allow Israel some freedom if it argues it needs to defend itself. The US envoy to the UN said it was likely to be adopted within days. Israel has so far reacted cautiously. The UN Security Council began consultations on the draft resolution shortly after 1945 GMT on Saturday. Meanwhile the violence has continued, with Israeli commandos clashing with Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon. The Israeli army said eight soldiers were wounded and several militants were killed in the raid on an apartment in Tyre suspected of housing Hezbollah fighters in the city. Hezbollah has continued to fire rockets into northern Israel - more than 150 were fired on Saturday. Three women were killed in an attack on the northern Israeli Arab village of Arab al-Aramshe.
'Immediate cessation'
The draft resolution follows weeks of disagreement over the precise wording of a call to end the violence in Lebanon. US ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, said he was keen to get the resolution adopted as quickly as possible. He said the text did not include a requirement for an immediate cessation of hostilities. But it does call for "the immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military actions". The draft text - sent to all 15 member states in the security council - also calls for the current UN force in Lebanon to monitor any cessation in fighting. The mandate for a far stronger multinational force will follow, the BBC's James Robbins at the UN in New York says. Swift passage of the resolution now seems likely, he says, and a formal vote could come as soon as Monday. Foreign ministers are expected to come to New York for that vote, to give the maximum political weight to a global call to all sides to stop fighting, and work for a long-term political settlement, our correspondent adds. Israeli cabinet minister Isaac Herzog called the text an "important development", but said Israel needed to know all the details before responding. Until the resolution came into force, the operation against Hezbollah would continue, he said. A Lebanese cabinet minister from Hezbollah, Mohammad Fneish, said the organisation would abide by the proposed resolution only if Israel withdrew all of its troops from Lebanon. UK Prime Minister Tony Blair welcomed news of the agreement, calling it "an absolutely vital first step in bringing this tragic crisis to an end".
Aid warning
Meanwhile, US envoy David Welch held talks in Beirut with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, the leader of the Shia Amal movement and a possible conduit to Hezbollah. Mr Welch said he appreciated hearing the two men's concerns as they discussed ways forward, and he reaffirmed US support for Lebanon. But the BBC's Nick Childs in Beirut said Mr Welch's statement was careful and cautious, with no hint of a breakthrough. As the violence on the ground continues, the Israeli army has warned residents in the Lebanese city of Sidon to stay away from rocket launching sites. In other developments:
- Lebanese officials say a Lebanese soldier and at least four civilians were killed in the Israeli raid on Tyre
- Hezbollah says it repelled the commando attack, and fires more missiles at the northern Israeli city of Haifa in retaliation, wounding five people
- An Israeli soldier has died after coming under Hezbollah mortar fire in the eastern village of Taibeh
- Thousands march in London, UK, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon
Israeli tanks push into Lebanon BBC News
Israeli armoured columns have pushed into Lebanese territory, as troops continue operations against Hezbollah.
It added that 40 Hezbollah fighters had been killed in the fighting. Hezbollah fired more than 100 rockets into Israel during the day, but no casualties were reported. Lebanese Interior Minister Ahmed Fatfat told the BBC he did not understand why Israel was continuing its offensive when Lebanon's government - with the agreement of Hezbollah - had offered to deploy troops in the south. "We have a real proposal, two days ago, to send the Lebanese army there to make a real peace zone," he said. "So we didn't understand their reply. They really want war." But Israeli spokesman Mark Regev said that without "concrete action" from continuing UN negotiations, Israeli could not "sit by idly" as its cities were bombarded by Hezbollah rockets.
Diplomatic obstacles
At the UN, diplomats are attempting to reword a draft resolution calling for a ceasefire, to take in Lebanese and Arab League demands for an immediate Israeli withdrawal.
Israeli armoured columns have pushed into Lebanese territory, as troops continue operations against Hezbollah.
Israeli ground troops have been in action close to the border
An Israeli army spokesman said the aim of the overnight raid was to quell rocket fire from the town of Khiam, about 7km (four miles) from the border. The move did not mark the start of a deeper push approved by the government earlier on Wednesday, he added. The security cabinet authorised a push towards the Litani River - which lies up to 30km (18 miles) into Lebanon. Israel says the objective of the planned wider offensive is to destroy Hezbollah positions in the region and prevent the group from firing rockets into Israel. The Israeli army also said on Wednesday that 15 of its soldiers had died in clashes in Lebanese border villages on Wednesday, the highest number in a single day since the conflict began.Diplomatic obstacles
At the UN, diplomats are attempting to reword a draft resolution calling for a ceasefire, to take in Lebanese and Arab League demands for an immediate Israeli withdrawal.
Many homes in Hezbollah strongholds have been flattened
On Wednesday differences surfaced again between France and the US - which co-sponsored the original draft - leading some diplomats to express concerns that diplomacy could collapse. But the BBC's Bridget Kendall at UN headquarters says that there is now a mood of cautious optimism. The five permanent members of the Security Council held a late-night meeting focusing on the main sticking points - how to get agreement on a ceasefire and Israeli troops out of southern Lebanon, without allowing Hezbollah to rebuild their positions. Correspondents say the members states are considering a French proposal to deploy Lebanese forces alongside the existing UN force, which would be strengthened, as the Israelis begin a phased withdrawal.QUOTE("Mohsin Meghji - London")
UN resolutions are not for the dispossessed - they are written by the wielders of power for their own purposes
The US has yet to respond - so far it has insisted that any Israeli withdrawal can only follow the deployment of a new, robust multi-national force. The new proposal is being discussed in members states' capitals before talks resume on Thursday. Hezbollah's leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, on Wednesday commented publicly for the first time on the original draft, describing it as "unfair and unjust". Correspondents say there is still a possibility that the vote - first mooted for early this week - could take place this week, although it may be delayed further. More than 1,000 people, most of them civilians, have been killed in the month-old conflict, the Lebanese government has said. More than 100 Israelis, most of them soldiers, have also died. Israel invaded Lebanon after two of its soldiers were captured by Hezbollah in a cross-border raid on 12 July.
Israel seizes south Lebanon town BBC News
Israeli troops have seized the southern Lebanese town of Marjayoun, a day after the cabinet decided to expand ground operations, eyewitnesses say.
Threats and diplomacy
On Wednesday the Israeli cabinet backed a push towards the Litani river, which lies up to 30km (18 miles) from the border. Speaking hours after the Israelis announced their expanded ground offensive, Hezbollah's leader said his guerrillas would turn southern Lebanon into a graveyard for Israeli soldiers.
Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah endorsed a government plan to send 15,000 Lebanese soldiers to the south. But he repeated his opposition to the idea of sending international troops to the border region to disarm the Shia militia, as demanded by the Israelis and a draft UN resolution. At the UN, diplomats are attempting to reword the draft calling for a ceasefire, to take in Lebanese and Arab League demands for an immediate Israeli withdrawal. On Wednesday differences surfaced again between France and the US - which co-sponsored the original draft - leading some diplomats to express concerns that diplomacy could collapse. But the BBC's Bridget Kendall at UN headquarters says that there is now a mood of cautious optimism. The five permanent members of the Security Council held a late-night meeting focusing on the main sticking points - how to get agreement on a ceasefire and Israeli troops out of southern Lebanon, without allowing Hezbollah to rebuild their positions. Correspondents say the members states are considering a French proposal to deploy Lebanese forces alongside the existing UN force, which would be strengthened, as the Israelis begin a phased withdrawal. The US has yet to respond - so far it has insisted that any Israeli withdrawal can only follow the deployment of a new, robust multi-national force. The new proposal is being discussed in members states' capitals before talks resume on Thursday.
Israeli troops have seized the southern Lebanese town of Marjayoun, a day after the cabinet decided to expand ground operations, eyewitnesses say.
Israel has vowed to move deeper into Lebanon
Troops entered the town, 9km (5.5 miles) into Lebanon, as well as nearby villages overlooking the Litani river. Forces also advanced on the town of Khiam, to quell Hezbollah rocket fire. The army says the action is not the start of a broader offensive, which officials say has been delayed to give more time for diplomacy on the crisis. Wednesday saw fierce fighting in southern Lebanon, with 15 Israeli soldiers killed in action - the highest number in a single day since the conflict began almost a month ago. More than 1,000 people, most of them civilians, have now been killed in the hostilities, the Lebanese government has said. More than 100 Israelis, most of them soldiers, have also been killed.Threats and diplomacy
On Wednesday the Israeli cabinet backed a push towards the Litani river, which lies up to 30km (18 miles) from the border. Speaking hours after the Israelis announced their expanded ground offensive, Hezbollah's leader said his guerrillas would turn southern Lebanon into a graveyard for Israeli soldiers.
Lebanese use blogs to vent frustration at war Yahoo! News
Lebanese blogs have sprung up across the country as the newest way to vent frustration and anger at Israel's month-long war with Hizbollah guerrillas, which has so far claimed over 1,000 lives in Lebanon. Postings on Web logs or online journals range from daily rants at Israeli aggression against Lebanon to reminiscent memories about Beirut's once vibrant night life or to personal poems documenting the horror felt during Israeli air strikes. "I felt besieged, my movement was completely hampered, I enjoyed breaking the siege and having the freedom to write and having space to reach out to people and not feel as isolated," said 37-year-old Rasha Salti, an independent curator and freelance writer, told Reuters on Thursday. Salti moved to Beirut from New York on July 11, a day before Hizbollah captured two Israeli soldiers which sparked war. She said her postings appeal to people who want to know more about the everyday aspect of living in a country surrounded by war as opposed to media coverage which generally focuses on the breaking news developments. "The media look for the breaking news obviously. They look for the stories, but when they find a story, they don't find an ordinary story, one that appeals. I write about the mundane, the everyday," Salti said, whose postings can be seen at www.electroniclebanon.com. "People see a human being, not a reporter doing the job, or an ideologue defending an idea. I get positive responses, people that become sympathetic to our plight as Lebanese."
SCREAMS
Other Lebanese living abroad post blogs of anger and helplessness, torn between feelings of relief that they are miles away mingled with torment and guilt about their fellow unluckier Lebanese caught in the clutches of war. On ajnabiyeh.blogspot.com, Kata posts a frustrated message at people who offer her sympathetic messages about Lebanon. "... while I really appreciate and understand the sentiment that is being offered, human to human, they make me want to SCREAM," she said. "Horrible war in Lebanon hard on me?! I'm in frickin France! I'm not even living it!!! I wish I were living it with my family and friends there so I wouldn't feel like a coward tucked safely away in my life and in my career." One blog even has a petition addressed to 'The Concerned Citizens of the World' to Save the Lebanese Civilians, started since July 15 and which so far acquired over 271,000 signatures. Other postings poke fun at what they say is the biased and unfair nature of the United Nations in its attempts to find a solution to the conflict, which has killed over 100 Israelis. One picture has a superimposed person with a Lebanese flag draped on his back, spraypainting 'ethical' as a suffix to U.N. to read UNethical. Similar pictures show UNjust and UNfair. Another popular blog, Angry Arab, by a Lebanese academic and commentator, mocks apathetic Arabs for failing to voice strong opposition at the war. "To the Arab masses: are you breathing? Just making sure. I have some Danish cartoons if you want me to wake you up," he said referring to cartoons published which lampooned Prophet Mohammad and which elicited protests across the Arab world.
By Yara Bayoumy
Lebanese blogs have sprung up across the country as the newest way to vent frustration and anger at Israel's month-long war with Hizbollah guerrillas, which has so far claimed over 1,000 lives in Lebanon. Postings on Web logs or online journals range from daily rants at Israeli aggression against Lebanon to reminiscent memories about Beirut's once vibrant night life or to personal poems documenting the horror felt during Israeli air strikes. "I felt besieged, my movement was completely hampered, I enjoyed breaking the siege and having the freedom to write and having space to reach out to people and not feel as isolated," said 37-year-old Rasha Salti, an independent curator and freelance writer, told Reuters on Thursday. Salti moved to Beirut from New York on July 11, a day before Hizbollah captured two Israeli soldiers which sparked war. She said her postings appeal to people who want to know more about the everyday aspect of living in a country surrounded by war as opposed to media coverage which generally focuses on the breaking news developments. "The media look for the breaking news obviously. They look for the stories, but when they find a story, they don't find an ordinary story, one that appeals. I write about the mundane, the everyday," Salti said, whose postings can be seen at www.electroniclebanon.com. "People see a human being, not a reporter doing the job, or an ideologue defending an idea. I get positive responses, people that become sympathetic to our plight as Lebanese."
SCREAMS
Other Lebanese living abroad post blogs of anger and helplessness, torn between feelings of relief that they are miles away mingled with torment and guilt about their fellow unluckier Lebanese caught in the clutches of war. On ajnabiyeh.blogspot.com, Kata posts a frustrated message at people who offer her sympathetic messages about Lebanon. "... while I really appreciate and understand the sentiment that is being offered, human to human, they make me want to SCREAM," she said. "Horrible war in Lebanon hard on me?! I'm in frickin France! I'm not even living it!!! I wish I were living it with my family and friends there so I wouldn't feel like a coward tucked safely away in my life and in my career." One blog even has a petition addressed to 'The Concerned Citizens of the World' to Save the Lebanese Civilians, started since July 15 and which so far acquired over 271,000 signatures. Other postings poke fun at what they say is the biased and unfair nature of the United Nations in its attempts to find a solution to the conflict, which has killed over 100 Israelis. One picture has a superimposed person with a Lebanese flag draped on his back, spraypainting 'ethical' as a suffix to U.N. to read UNethical. Similar pictures show UNjust and UNfair. Another popular blog, Angry Arab, by a Lebanese academic and commentator, mocks apathetic Arabs for failing to voice strong opposition at the war. "To the Arab masses: are you breathing? Just making sure. I have some Danish cartoons if you want me to wake you up," he said referring to cartoons published which lampooned Prophet Mohammad and which elicited protests across the Arab world.
By Yara Bayoumy
Israel 'set to widen offensive' BBC News
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has ordered the army to prepare to expand its ground offensive in Lebanon, Israeli officials have said.
Diplomatic window
Following intense negotiations on Friday, the UK Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said the US and France had agreed on a new draft resolution.
Probe call
As the diplomacy continued, fresh violence took a further toll on both Israel and Lebanon.
In one of the bloodiest incidents, 12 civilians were killed when Israeli jets struck a bridge at crossing on the Lebanon-Syria border, Lebanese sources said. There have also been renewed Israeli air strikes on southern areas of Beirut. Meanwhile, Hezbollah fired several volleys of missiles into northern Israel, wounding several people. The UN's Human Rights Council, meanwhile, has voted for an inquiry into Israeli attacks on civilians in Lebanon. The council approved the resolution, brought by Islamic countries, by 27 votes to 11. Eleven countries - many of which criticised the proposal for not condemning Hezbollah as well - voted against the move, while eight abstained.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has ordered the army to prepare to expand its ground offensive in Lebanon, Israeli officials have said.
The Israeli plan had been put on hold to give diplomacy more time
It came as diplomats at the UN continued to try to reach a deal on a resolution to end the fighting. The Israeli ambassador to the UN said Israel was still involved in the talks, despite Mr Olmert's order. Israel radio said troops had been ordered to seize ground as far as the strategic Litani River. The plan to expand ground operations was approved on Wednesday but put on hold by Mr Olmert to give more time for diplomacy to bear fruit. The BBC's Rob Norris in Jerusalem says the announcement could be an act of brinkmanship as the talks in New York reach a crucial stage.Diplomatic window
Following intense negotiations on Friday, the UK Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said the US and France had agreed on a new draft resolution.
QUOTE("Dan Gillerman - Israeli ambassador to the UN")
The Americans are aware of what we can accept and cannot accept
Lebanon had objected to the absence in the previous version of an explicit call for the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the powers of a new UN force to be deployed in the south of the country. In contrast, the US and Israel favoured a withdrawal only after the deployment of a robust international force. The BBC's Daniel Lak at the UN says what remains to be seen now is whether the latest French-US resolution is accepted first of all in Lebanon and Israel and, after that, by the wider UN Security Council. Ms Beckett said the new text would be presented to the council at 1500 (1900) GMT. Israel's ambassador to the UN, Dan Gillerman, said a diplomatic solution was still possible. But, he said, "The Americans are aware of what we can accept and cannot accept. And I very much hope that in the end of the day there will not be submitted a draft that is unacceptable to us." Israeli officials said the expanded ground offensive would be called off if Israel found the resolution acceptable.Probe call
As the diplomacy continued, fresh violence took a further toll on both Israel and Lebanon.
Leaders agree to UN truce timing BBC News
A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah will come into force at 0500 GMT on Monday, the UN Secretary General has said.
Uncertain peace
Although the truce agreement is due to take effect early Monday, it is unclear when hostilities will actually cease. Hezbollah's leader has said his group will abide by the ceasefire plan agreed unanimously at the UN Security Council on Friday. However, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said on TV that Hezbollah would continue fighting as long as Israeli soldiers remained in Lebanon. And Israel has said it will not withdraw from southern Lebanon until Lebanese troops and an expanded UN force are deployed there. It has also said that its troops will respond if Hezbollah violates the resolution. Israel's cabinet began meeting on Sunday morning to discuss and take a formal vote on the UN ceasefire resolution.
Fighting goes on
Announcing the agreed terms of the ceasefire, Kofi Annan said he was "very happy", but added that "preferably, the fighting should stop now". He insisted that the UN would work with the Lebanese and Israeli governments to ensure the ceasefire held. Israel expanded its military operation on Saturday as the clock ticked towards the implementation of the agreement, tripling the number of troops in southern Lebanon. Some Israeli estimates put the number of Israeli troops now in southern Lebanon at 30,000. Israeli troops have reached the key target of the Litani River and jets hit a string of targets in Lebanon on Saturday, killing some 40 Hezbollah fighters. There were heavy clashes elsewhere in the country, and reports from Lebanese sources say that some 15 civilians were killed in an air strike. Hezbollah fired more rockets into northern Israel, but Israeli sources said the number was fewer than in recent days.
'War not ended'
On Hezbollah's al-Manar TV channel on Saturday, Sheikh Nasrallah said the UN resolution was "unfair" in holding his group responsible for the fighting.
A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah will come into force at 0500 GMT on Monday, the UN Secretary General has said.
An estimated 30,000 Israeli troops are now in Lebanon
Kofi Annan announced the timing after discussions with the prime ministers of Lebanon and Israel. However, Israel is likely to continue operations in Lebanon on Sunday in an effort to clear the south of Hezbollah. Twenty-four Israeli soldiers were killed on Saturday, the highest Israeli death toll since the conflict began.Uncertain peace
Although the truce agreement is due to take effect early Monday, it is unclear when hostilities will actually cease. Hezbollah's leader has said his group will abide by the ceasefire plan agreed unanimously at the UN Security Council on Friday. However, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said on TV that Hezbollah would continue fighting as long as Israeli soldiers remained in Lebanon. And Israel has said it will not withdraw from southern Lebanon until Lebanese troops and an expanded UN force are deployed there. It has also said that its troops will respond if Hezbollah violates the resolution. Israel's cabinet began meeting on Sunday morning to discuss and take a formal vote on the UN ceasefire resolution.
QUOTE("Amin HS - Kandahar - Afghanistan")
The crisis of the two countries cannot be solved until the world and UN take active and practical steps into solving the problem seriously
Lebanon has now also approved the UN resolution, which calls for a "full cessation of hostilities", although Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said the government had "some reservations". Lebanese officials said that after the truce only Lebanese forces would be authorised to carry weapons in southern Lebanon. Mr Siniora said the area south of the Litani River, beyond which Hezbollah is expected to withdraw under the terms of the agreement, should be demilitarised. "There won't be any weapons in the country starting from the area which is the zone, which will be south of the Litani. There won't be any weapons other than the weapons of the central government."Fighting goes on
Announcing the agreed terms of the ceasefire, Kofi Annan said he was "very happy", but added that "preferably, the fighting should stop now". He insisted that the UN would work with the Lebanese and Israeli governments to ensure the ceasefire held.
QUOTE("UN resolution text")
The Security Council emphasises the need for an end of violence, but at the same time emphasises the need to address urgently the causes that have given rise to the current crisis
'War not ended'
On Hezbollah's al-Manar TV channel on Saturday, Sheikh Nasrallah said the UN resolution was "unfair" in holding his group responsible for the fighting.
Sheikh Nasrallah said the UN resolution was "unjust"
But he said: "We will not be an obstacle to any decision taken by the Lebanese government," adding that Hezbollah would continue to resist Israel's presence in Lebanon. Sheikh Nasrallah also said Hezbollah would co-operate with the deployment of UN and Lebanese troops in the south. Israel says its troops will remain in southern Lebanon until Lebanese forces start arriving there in a week or two. In the meantime, Israeli forces will respond if attacked by Hezbollah, an Israeli foreign ministry spokesman told BBC Radio Five Live. "If Hezbollah decides to violate the resolution and declare their own terms (...), well the Israeli army will certainy not stand aside and fail to respond, that's for sure," Ylgal Palmor said. Australian Primie Minister John Howard said he had serious concerns about whether the ceasefire could last unless Hezbollah was disarmed. More than 1,000 Lebanese and more than 120 Israelis have been killed in the conflict since Hezbollah militants captured two Israeli soldiers on 12 July in a cross-border raid.
Israel approves UN cease-fire pact International Herald Tribune
JERUSALEM The Israeli cabinet approved a UN cease-fire deal after a stormy debate Sunday, clearing a key hurdle to ending the monthlong Middle East war, the government said. The 24-0 vote, with one abstention, came a day after the Lebanese government approved the agreement. There has been no dissent from the Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah. The truce is to take effect Monday morning, but the potential for new flareups remains high. A heated debate erupted during the cabinet session, with one minister, Ofir Pines-Paz, criticizing the government's decision to order an expanded ground offensive in the days before the cease- fire is to take effect. A former defense minister, Shaul Mofaz, abstained, according to a senior government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the details of the meeting with reporters. News of the approval came as Israeli warplanes launched a fierce strike Sunday on the southern suburbs of Beirut, which are mainly Hezbollah- controlled, witnesses said. About 10 explosions in less than a minute shook the capital as thick white smoke billowed over the stricken suburb, they said. Jets circled over the area after the strike. There was no immediate report on casualties. The Israeli cabinet session came as about 30,000 Israeli troops fought heavy battles with Hezbollah guerrillas in a last-minute push deeper into Lebanon, and a day after 24 soldiers were killed in the highest single-day Israeli toll of the monthlong war. The cease-fire was to go into effect at 8 a.m. Monday. After the halt in fighting, some 15,000 Lebanese troops and an equal number of UN forces are to deploy in coming days in South Lebanon and create a Hezbollah-free zone, from the Israel-Lebanon border to the Litani River. The Lebanese government approved the deal Saturday, and the Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, signaled grudging acceptance, but also warned that "the war has not ended." On Sunday, Hezbollah fired more than 150 rockets at northern Israel, killing an Israeli man in a direct hit on a house, the police said. The potential for more clashes after a cease-fire is high. Israeli troops will remain in Lebanon until Lebanese troops deploy there, and the weekend push by Israel to the Litani River, about 30 kilometers, or 18 miles, from the border means that scores of Hezbollah fighters are caught behind Israeli lines. Israel said it hoped Lebanese troops would start deploying quickly, within a week or two. In the meeting, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert praised the agreement, saying it would prevent a return to the status quo in which Hezbollah ran a state-within- a-state in South Lebanon, participants said. "It's a good decision," Olmert said of the UN resolution. His defense minister, Amir Peretz, said tough questions would have to be asked after the war. "The war exposed many issues, both regarding the fighting and the home front, that require review and drawing of conclusions," he was quoted as saying. "But this is not the time. The central question of the cease- fire is how Hezbollah will implement it." Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres said that while Israel had to learn lessons from the war, "in my view, we came out of this with the upper hand, both politically and military." Approval of the UN deal came despite widespread misgivings about the cease-fire terms. The deal was seen at best as a draw with Hezbollah, and some felt Israel - unable to subdue a guerrillas force - had lost. Neither the Lebanese Army nor UN forces can be counted on to challenge Hezbollah and prevent the Iran-supplied guerrillas from rearming, military experts said. The deal buys a period of calm, at best, and sets the region up for the next war with Tehran's proxy army, critics said. The truce will be "a time-out until the next confrontation, and maybe not even this," Nahum Barnea wrote in Yediot Ahronot, an Israeli daily. The cabinet session was overshadowed by rising Israeli casualties. Twenty-four soldiers were killed Saturday and at least 73 wounded. Hezbollah appeared to be fighting as fiercely as ever. The guerrillas shot down an Israeli helicopter, a first in the war, and killed five crew members. Other troops were killed by Hezbollah anti- tank missiles. The army said it had killed more than 50 Hezbollah fighters. The violence has claimed more than 900 lives: at least 763 in Lebanon - mostly civilians- and 147 Israelis, including 109 soldiers. On Saturday, 19 Lebanese civilians were killed in Israeli air raids, one of which blasted a highway near the last open border crossing to Syria. The big expansion of Israel troop strength, including the army's biggest airlift of soldiers since the 1973 Middle East war, prompted Nasrallah to declare the fight far from finished. "The war has not ended," he said Saturday. "There have been continued strikes and continued casualties." The Lebanese cabinet said Israel's military push presented a "flagrant challenge" to the international community after the UN resolution was issued. President George W. Bush had an 8- minute phone call Saturday with Prime Minister Fuad Saniora of Lebanon to discuss the truce. The White House said it was determined to vanquish the hold of Hezbollah - and that of its Syrian and Iranian benefactors - on the south. "These steps are designed to stop Hezbollah from acting as a state within a state, and put an end to Iran and Syria's efforts to hold the Lebanese people hostage to their own extremist agenda," Bush said. The anti-Syrian Saniora, whose government was extremely weak when the fighting began, appears to have emerged from the crisis considerably strengthened. He prevailed in his insistence that policing of the cease-fire be done by Lebanese soldiers alongside an expanded UN force rather than by an ad hoc assembly of international troops, possibly from NATO. President Jacques Chirac of France has said that his country is ready to contribute troops to the UN force. $@
'Collaborator' killed
Five gunmen on Sunday shot and killed an accused collaborator in front of hundreds of people in a public square in the West Bank refugee camp of Jenin, accusing him of giving information to Israeli authorities, witnesses said, The Associated Press reported from Jenin, in the West Bank. The gunmen, who identified themselves as members of the violent Islamic Jihad group, accused the victim of helping Israel killed two militants last week in a targeted attack, said witnesses and Islamic Jihad members.
Israeli Cabinet to Vote on Cease-Fire Washington Post
Israel pours more troops as heavy fight rages Pakistan Dawn
Voice of America - Ireland Online - Monsters and Critics.com - RTE.ie - all 3,471 related »
JERUSALEM The Israeli cabinet approved a UN cease-fire deal after a stormy debate Sunday, clearing a key hurdle to ending the monthlong Middle East war, the government said. The 24-0 vote, with one abstention, came a day after the Lebanese government approved the agreement. There has been no dissent from the Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah. The truce is to take effect Monday morning, but the potential for new flareups remains high. A heated debate erupted during the cabinet session, with one minister, Ofir Pines-Paz, criticizing the government's decision to order an expanded ground offensive in the days before the cease- fire is to take effect. A former defense minister, Shaul Mofaz, abstained, according to a senior government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the details of the meeting with reporters. News of the approval came as Israeli warplanes launched a fierce strike Sunday on the southern suburbs of Beirut, which are mainly Hezbollah- controlled, witnesses said. About 10 explosions in less than a minute shook the capital as thick white smoke billowed over the stricken suburb, they said. Jets circled over the area after the strike. There was no immediate report on casualties. The Israeli cabinet session came as about 30,000 Israeli troops fought heavy battles with Hezbollah guerrillas in a last-minute push deeper into Lebanon, and a day after 24 soldiers were killed in the highest single-day Israeli toll of the monthlong war. The cease-fire was to go into effect at 8 a.m. Monday. After the halt in fighting, some 15,000 Lebanese troops and an equal number of UN forces are to deploy in coming days in South Lebanon and create a Hezbollah-free zone, from the Israel-Lebanon border to the Litani River. The Lebanese government approved the deal Saturday, and the Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, signaled grudging acceptance, but also warned that "the war has not ended." On Sunday, Hezbollah fired more than 150 rockets at northern Israel, killing an Israeli man in a direct hit on a house, the police said. The potential for more clashes after a cease-fire is high. Israeli troops will remain in Lebanon until Lebanese troops deploy there, and the weekend push by Israel to the Litani River, about 30 kilometers, or 18 miles, from the border means that scores of Hezbollah fighters are caught behind Israeli lines. Israel said it hoped Lebanese troops would start deploying quickly, within a week or two. In the meeting, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert praised the agreement, saying it would prevent a return to the status quo in which Hezbollah ran a state-within- a-state in South Lebanon, participants said. "It's a good decision," Olmert said of the UN resolution. His defense minister, Amir Peretz, said tough questions would have to be asked after the war. "The war exposed many issues, both regarding the fighting and the home front, that require review and drawing of conclusions," he was quoted as saying. "But this is not the time. The central question of the cease- fire is how Hezbollah will implement it." Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres said that while Israel had to learn lessons from the war, "in my view, we came out of this with the upper hand, both politically and military." Approval of the UN deal came despite widespread misgivings about the cease-fire terms. The deal was seen at best as a draw with Hezbollah, and some felt Israel - unable to subdue a guerrillas force - had lost. Neither the Lebanese Army nor UN forces can be counted on to challenge Hezbollah and prevent the Iran-supplied guerrillas from rearming, military experts said. The deal buys a period of calm, at best, and sets the region up for the next war with Tehran's proxy army, critics said. The truce will be "a time-out until the next confrontation, and maybe not even this," Nahum Barnea wrote in Yediot Ahronot, an Israeli daily. The cabinet session was overshadowed by rising Israeli casualties. Twenty-four soldiers were killed Saturday and at least 73 wounded. Hezbollah appeared to be fighting as fiercely as ever. The guerrillas shot down an Israeli helicopter, a first in the war, and killed five crew members. Other troops were killed by Hezbollah anti- tank missiles. The army said it had killed more than 50 Hezbollah fighters. The violence has claimed more than 900 lives: at least 763 in Lebanon - mostly civilians- and 147 Israelis, including 109 soldiers. On Saturday, 19 Lebanese civilians were killed in Israeli air raids, one of which blasted a highway near the last open border crossing to Syria. The big expansion of Israel troop strength, including the army's biggest airlift of soldiers since the 1973 Middle East war, prompted Nasrallah to declare the fight far from finished. "The war has not ended," he said Saturday. "There have been continued strikes and continued casualties." The Lebanese cabinet said Israel's military push presented a "flagrant challenge" to the international community after the UN resolution was issued. President George W. Bush had an 8- minute phone call Saturday with Prime Minister Fuad Saniora of Lebanon to discuss the truce. The White House said it was determined to vanquish the hold of Hezbollah - and that of its Syrian and Iranian benefactors - on the south. "These steps are designed to stop Hezbollah from acting as a state within a state, and put an end to Iran and Syria's efforts to hold the Lebanese people hostage to their own extremist agenda," Bush said. The anti-Syrian Saniora, whose government was extremely weak when the fighting began, appears to have emerged from the crisis considerably strengthened. He prevailed in his insistence that policing of the cease-fire be done by Lebanese soldiers alongside an expanded UN force rather than by an ad hoc assembly of international troops, possibly from NATO. President Jacques Chirac of France has said that his country is ready to contribute troops to the UN force. $@
'Collaborator' killed
Five gunmen on Sunday shot and killed an accused collaborator in front of hundreds of people in a public square in the West Bank refugee camp of Jenin, accusing him of giving information to Israeli authorities, witnesses said, The Associated Press reported from Jenin, in the West Bank. The gunmen, who identified themselves as members of the violent Islamic Jihad group, accused the victim of helping Israel killed two militants last week in a targeted attack, said witnesses and Islamic Jihad members.
Israeli Cabinet to Vote on Cease-Fire Washington Post
Israel pours more troops as heavy fight rages Pakistan Dawn
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Fighting precedes truce National Post
The people of Lebanon and Israel held their breaths last night wondering whether Hezbollah and Israel would honour a United Nations resolution ratified by the two sides that calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities and that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said was to begin today at 8 a.m. local time (1 a.m. ET). Leaders on both sides expressed their desire for peace and the need for an international force -- 15,000 UN soldiers and 15,000 Lebanese soldiers -- to be inserted into the main combat zone in southern Lebanon. But the portents for calm did not look good on the eve of the truce. Plumes of grey and black smoke billowed forbiddingly above both Beirut and the northern Israeli city of Haifa yesterday after Israel launched its biggest air raids of the war on the Lebanese capital and Hezbollah demonstrated that its ability to terrorize its neighbour remained intact by spraying more than 250 rockets across northern Israel -- the most it has launched in one day since the war was triggered on July 12 by Hezbollah's kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers. Foreign reporters embedded with Israeli troops in Lebanon filed vivid reports yesterday of intense fighting along a wildly uneven 70-kilometre front that was as much as 30 kilometres deep in places. Hezbollah answered Israeli attacks by launching potent, Russian-made missiles at Israeli tanks and infantry from fortified positions linked to tunnels. Given the increase in violence over the past three days, it looked as though both sides felt there was still unfinished business. It was difficult to see how the two sides would be able to completely disengage when the truce was set to take effect. Signs from the Lebanese side were particularly discouraging. A Cabinet meeting that had been called to discuss the specifics of the deployment of Lebanese troops to the south was indefinitely postponed without official explanation late yesterday amid Lebanese media reports that Hezbollah refused to lay down its arms. This delay, which followed unanimous approval of the UN initiative on Saturday, will inevitably postpone the full implementation of the UN resolution. It will also provide an additional pretext for both sides to keep fighting. "I am not naive. I am living in the Middle East and I am aware that not every decision is fully implemented," Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said when asked about the prospects for a quick cessation of hostilities after the UN accord was endorsed by the Israeli Cabinet by a vote of 24-0 with one abstention. "A lot depends on the implementation ... and the determination of the UN and the international community to carry out their decisions." After Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah declared on Saturday that his fighters would attack any Israeli soldiers in Lebanon after the truce, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishai said: "The moment a single Katyusha is fired, we should hit their infrastructure very hard -- water, electricity, gas and more." About 20 bombs or artillery shells dropped by Israeli warplanes or fired by Israel warships exploded in Beirut at about the same time that Israel's Cabinet was approving the UN accord. The barrage -- which landed within a span of less than two minutes in the middle of the afternoon -- caused more than the usual panic in the streets of Beirut. It reduced to rubble 11 apartment buildings in a suburb just to the south of the city centre that had previously escaped most of the fighting. As of late last night, only 10 deaths were reported from the bombardment, probably because most people had heeded Israeli warnings to flee the area. The air raids were part of a major Israeli offensive that began early on Saturday when about 20,000 ground troops rushed to join about 10,000 others already in southern Lebanon. Those troops would only "leave in tandem with the deployment south of the Lebanese army along with the international force," Mr. Livni said. When the international force will arrive has been the subject of intense speculation. The force, which Lebanon said yesterday will include troops from France, Italy, Turkey, Spain, Morocco, Indonesia and Malaysia, may start to take up position within 10 days. It will be the beginning of a process that may take as long as a month to complete, according to the UN. An eyewitness reached by telephone in the southern Christian town of Marjayoun said it was relentlessly hammered for hours yesterday by artillery and tank shells. Israel said four days ago that it had captured Marjayoun almost without a fight. Elsewhere, a Shiite mosque was struck in the middle of the Bekaa Valley, where support for Hezbollah was particularly strong. Targets were also hit in the eastern Bekaa. Gas stations in the southern port of Tyre were heavily bombed yesterday by Israeli aircraft, as were the hills surrounding the city, which has been entirely cut off from the rest of Lebanon for nearly one week. After losing a high of 24 soldiers in fighting on Saturday, including a woman helicopter mechanic, with 11 more seriously wounded, Israel said five of its soldiers were killed in combat in Lebanon yesterday. An Israeli civilian was killed by a Hezbollah rocket in Haifa. At least 20 Lebanese civilians died yesterday, according to the Lebanese government, adding to a tally that it claims already numbered about 1,000 civilians. Forty-six Israeli civilians have died in Hezbollah rocket attacks. Israel, which claims to have killed about 550 Hezbollah fighters, dropped leaflets in Beirut yesterday that listed the names of many of the those it said were dead. Hezbollah has only admitted a relatively small number of casualties.
By Matthew Fisher. BEIRUT
Through Democracy, the Rule of Law, and Human Rights CGGL.org
Combat rocks Lebanon Washington Times
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The people of Lebanon and Israel held their breaths last night wondering whether Hezbollah and Israel would honour a United Nations resolution ratified by the two sides that calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities and that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said was to begin today at 8 a.m. local time (1 a.m. ET). Leaders on both sides expressed their desire for peace and the need for an international force -- 15,000 UN soldiers and 15,000 Lebanese soldiers -- to be inserted into the main combat zone in southern Lebanon. But the portents for calm did not look good on the eve of the truce. Plumes of grey and black smoke billowed forbiddingly above both Beirut and the northern Israeli city of Haifa yesterday after Israel launched its biggest air raids of the war on the Lebanese capital and Hezbollah demonstrated that its ability to terrorize its neighbour remained intact by spraying more than 250 rockets across northern Israel -- the most it has launched in one day since the war was triggered on July 12 by Hezbollah's kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers. Foreign reporters embedded with Israeli troops in Lebanon filed vivid reports yesterday of intense fighting along a wildly uneven 70-kilometre front that was as much as 30 kilometres deep in places. Hezbollah answered Israeli attacks by launching potent, Russian-made missiles at Israeli tanks and infantry from fortified positions linked to tunnels. Given the increase in violence over the past three days, it looked as though both sides felt there was still unfinished business. It was difficult to see how the two sides would be able to completely disengage when the truce was set to take effect. Signs from the Lebanese side were particularly discouraging. A Cabinet meeting that had been called to discuss the specifics of the deployment of Lebanese troops to the south was indefinitely postponed without official explanation late yesterday amid Lebanese media reports that Hezbollah refused to lay down its arms. This delay, which followed unanimous approval of the UN initiative on Saturday, will inevitably postpone the full implementation of the UN resolution. It will also provide an additional pretext for both sides to keep fighting. "I am not naive. I am living in the Middle East and I am aware that not every decision is fully implemented," Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said when asked about the prospects for a quick cessation of hostilities after the UN accord was endorsed by the Israeli Cabinet by a vote of 24-0 with one abstention. "A lot depends on the implementation ... and the determination of the UN and the international community to carry out their decisions." After Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah declared on Saturday that his fighters would attack any Israeli soldiers in Lebanon after the truce, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishai said: "The moment a single Katyusha is fired, we should hit their infrastructure very hard -- water, electricity, gas and more." About 20 bombs or artillery shells dropped by Israeli warplanes or fired by Israel warships exploded in Beirut at about the same time that Israel's Cabinet was approving the UN accord. The barrage -- which landed within a span of less than two minutes in the middle of the afternoon -- caused more than the usual panic in the streets of Beirut. It reduced to rubble 11 apartment buildings in a suburb just to the south of the city centre that had previously escaped most of the fighting. As of late last night, only 10 deaths were reported from the bombardment, probably because most people had heeded Israeli warnings to flee the area. The air raids were part of a major Israeli offensive that began early on Saturday when about 20,000 ground troops rushed to join about 10,000 others already in southern Lebanon. Those troops would only "leave in tandem with the deployment south of the Lebanese army along with the international force," Mr. Livni said. When the international force will arrive has been the subject of intense speculation. The force, which Lebanon said yesterday will include troops from France, Italy, Turkey, Spain, Morocco, Indonesia and Malaysia, may start to take up position within 10 days. It will be the beginning of a process that may take as long as a month to complete, according to the UN. An eyewitness reached by telephone in the southern Christian town of Marjayoun said it was relentlessly hammered for hours yesterday by artillery and tank shells. Israel said four days ago that it had captured Marjayoun almost without a fight. Elsewhere, a Shiite mosque was struck in the middle of the Bekaa Valley, where support for Hezbollah was particularly strong. Targets were also hit in the eastern Bekaa. Gas stations in the southern port of Tyre were heavily bombed yesterday by Israeli aircraft, as were the hills surrounding the city, which has been entirely cut off from the rest of Lebanon for nearly one week. After losing a high of 24 soldiers in fighting on Saturday, including a woman helicopter mechanic, with 11 more seriously wounded, Israel said five of its soldiers were killed in combat in Lebanon yesterday. An Israeli civilian was killed by a Hezbollah rocket in Haifa. At least 20 Lebanese civilians died yesterday, according to the Lebanese government, adding to a tally that it claims already numbered about 1,000 civilians. Forty-six Israeli civilians have died in Hezbollah rocket attacks. Israel, which claims to have killed about 550 Hezbollah fighters, dropped leaflets in Beirut yesterday that listed the names of many of the those it said were dead. Hezbollah has only admitted a relatively small number of casualties.
By Matthew Fisher. BEIRUT
Through Democracy, the Rule of Law, and Human Rights CGGL.org
Combat rocks Lebanon Washington Times
Toronto Star - ABC News - San Jose Mercury News - 580 CFRA Radio - all 3,650 related »
Mid-East hope as ceasefire begins BBC News
Thousands of displaced Lebanese have begun travelling home hours after a UN ceasefire to end fighting between Israel and Hezbollah came into force.
Cars packed with luggage and passengers took the highway south from Beirut and others jammed a road leading out of Sidon, as drivers navigated bomb-cratered roads. But Israel said its ban on traffic on Lebanese roads south of the Litani River remained in place, and that anyone found on the road risked attack by Israeli forces. The BBC's Jim Muir in the town of Bint Jbeil, the site of some of the fiercest fighting, described a scene of devastation with few signs of life. The only local residents he found were one man and his disabled wife who had been sheltering in the hospital. Few civilians ventured out into the streets of northern Israel, where the residents who have not fled south to escape Hezbollah rocket attacks have spent much of the last month in bomb shelters.
Victory claims
Within hours of the ceasefire, Israeli soldiers shot at a group of Hezbollah fighters in the town of Hadatha in south Lebanon, killing one of them, the army said. A spokesman said an Israeli patrol felt "under threat" when the fighters approached it and had not broken the terms of the ceasefire.Both sides claimed victory. Hezbollah distributed leaflets congratulating Lebanon on its "big victory" and thanking citizens for their patience during the violence. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said Hezbollah's "state within a state" had been destroyed, as had its ability to fire at Israeli soldiers across the border. Israeli still has thousands of troops deep inside southern Lebanon after expanding its ground offensive throughout the weekend. However, some Israeli forces did start withdrawing as the ceasefire came into effect. Informal talks are taking place within the Lebanese government about how to implement the deployment of UN and Lebanese troops in the south, which is called for in the ceasefire resolution.
Overnight violence
Israeli air strikes continued until 15 minutes before the truce began, hitting areas in the east and south of Lebanon.
Thousands of displaced Lebanese have begun travelling home hours after a UN ceasefire to end fighting between Israel and Hezbollah came into force.
Roads were jammed as some Lebanese risked returning home
Traffic jams formed near the southern town of Sidon, and bulldozers began clearing rubble in southern villages. Fighting ended at 0500 GMT, although in one later clash, Israeli soldiers fired on a group they said were militants. Israel has said its troops will remain in Lebanon until an international peacekeeping force can take control. As the ceasefire came into effect, Israel said it would continue to maintain an air and sea blockade of Lebanon. It also said troops would return fire if they came under attack.QUOTE("RESOLUTION: KEY POINTS")
- Hezbollah must end attacks on Israel
- Israel must end offensive military operations
- 15,000 peacekeepers to enforce ceasefire
Lebanese troops to be deployed to south - Israel to withdraw troops as international force deployed
- Text of resolution
- Mid-East crisis: Key maps
Victory claims
Within hours of the ceasefire, Israeli soldiers shot at a group of Hezbollah fighters in the town of Hadatha in south Lebanon, killing one of them, the army said. A spokesman said an Israeli patrol felt "under threat" when the fighters approached it and had not broken the terms of the ceasefire.
QUOTE("IMPACT: 34 DAYS OF FIGHTING")
- Lebanon deaths: 1,071 (Lebanese govt) | 900 - 1,150 (news agencies)
- Israeli deaths: Soldiers: 114 (IDF) | Civilians: 43 (IDF)
- Lebanon displaced: 700,000 - 900,000 (UNHCR; Lebanese govt)
- Israeli displaced: 500,000 (Human Rights Watch)
- Lebanon damage: $2.5bn (Lebanese govt)
- Israel damage: $1.1bn (Israeli govt)
- The ceasefire so far
- Press unconvinced by truce
The ceasefire came into effect at 0500 GMT
On Sunday, the Lebanese cabinet postponed a meeting on the subject indefinitely after talks broke down. The BBC's Diplomatic Correspondent Jonathan Marcus says the ceasefire is likely to be fragile at best. Numerous Hezbollah fighters may be located in areas through which Israeli troops have advanced and the possibility for encounters or friction is high, our correspondent says. Hezbollah's leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, said over the weekend that his fighters would respect the ceasefire but would resist any continued Israeli presence in Lebanon after the deal came into force.Overnight violence
Israeli air strikes continued until 15 minutes before the truce began, hitting areas in the east and south of Lebanon.
QUOTE("Mark Robertson - Lisbon - Portugal")
All Olmert has, like his fellow appeaser Chamberlain before him, is a piece of paper
At least 23 civilians were killed in Lebanon in a day of violence preceding the ceasefire, while seven Israeli soldiers were killed in action, and Hezbollah fired 250 rockets into Israel. Overnight Israeli raids killed at least seven Lebanese in the east. One person died in a strike on a Palestinian refugee camp near the southern city of Sidon. Mark Malloch Brown, the UN's Deputy Secretary General, told the BBC it might take a month before a joint UN-Lebanese force was fully in place. But EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana suggested that the first international troops could be in place within the next week. Some 1,000 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and 157 Israelis, 114 of them soldiers, have died in the 34-day conflict, which began when Hezbollah seized two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid on 12 July.
Israel begins withdrawal from Lebanon as tense truce withstands early tests Canada.com
Israel began slowly pulling out forces from southern Lebanon and made plans to hand over territory Tuesday on the first full day of a tense ceasefire that already has been tested by skirmishes.
By Joseph Panossian, Canadian Press
Lebanon Truce Holds For Second Day Voice of America
Lebanese return to destruction amid shaky peace Knoxville News Sentinel (subscription)
Dallas Morning News (subscription) - Ireland Online - Reuters.uk - Melbourne Herald Sun - all 3,509 related »
Israel began slowly pulling out forces from southern Lebanon and made plans to hand over territory Tuesday on the first full day of a tense ceasefire that already has been tested by skirmishes.
Israeli soldiers gather after returning from southern Lebanon in the outskirts of the border village of Metulla in northern Israel. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner)
But Israeli and Hezbollah forces held their ground and raised hopes that the United Nations-imposed pact could stick. Hezbollah guerrillas fired at least 10 rockets in southern Lebanon, but none crossed the border into Israel. On Monday, at least six Hezbollah militiamen were killed by Israeli troops waiting for a peacekeeping force before beginning a full-scale withdrawal. Lebanon was under intense international pressure to get soldiers moving south into Hezbollah territory - a key element in the UN Security Council plan to end the 34-day conflict that claimed more than 950 lives. Lebanon's defence minister, Elias Murr, said Lebanon's contribution of 15,000 soldiers could be on the north side of the Litani River by the end of the week. But they still must cross the river and try to enforce the central government's control over Hezbollah areas for the first time in decades. In Jerusalem, Israeli army officials said they plan to begin handing over some captured positions on Wednesday and hope to complete the withdrawal from Lebanon by next week. The plans for territory to change hands shows the complexity of the border zone: Israel transferring it to the UN force that then turns it over to Lebanese envoys. The Israeli army, meanwhile, said it had already begun thinning out its forces in Lebanon, but did not give figures. During a final ground offensive, about 30,000 Israeli soldiers were believed to be in southern Lebanon. The Security Council blueprint calls for Lebanese forces to join up with another 15,000 soldiers in a strengthened UN-backed military mission. Their job would be to patrol a 30-kilometre buffer zone from the Litani River to the Israeli border. Murr said "there will be no other weapons or military presence other than the army" after Lebanese troops move south of the Litani. But he said the army would not ask Hezbollah to hand over its weapons - which remains an extremely volatile issue that no one is yet ready to touch. Murr said international forces could begin arriving next week to bolster the current 2,000-member UN force in southern Lebanon, which watched helplessly as fighting raged over the past month. In Europe, Italy and France have pledged troops. Malaysia, Turkey and Indonesia were among the mostly Muslim countries offering help. The planning has raced into high gear. On Monday, the French commander of the UN force in Lebanon, Maj. Gen. Alain Pellegrini, told The Associated Press that additional troops were needed quickly and any "stray act" could unravel the peace plan. The peacekeeping also must provide security for a huge reconstruction effort across southern Lebanon, where many villages were in ruins and even basic services such as water and electricity may take weeks to restore. Cars loaded down with salvaged possessions began pouring into the area just hours after the truce took effect on Monday morning. As they took stock of the wreckage, more refugees were expected to pour in from Syria, Cyprus and other havens during the war. Israel said it would continue its blockade of Lebanese ports but was no longer threatening to shoot any car that moved on roads south of the Litani. Relief agencies worried about how to move supplies across southern Lebanon over bombed roads and others clogged with traffic. UN officials said 24 UN trucks took more than five hours to reach the port of Tyre from Sidon, a trip that normally takes 45 minutes. Sweden plans to host an international donors' conference Aug. 31 to help fund the rebuilding. In northern Israel - hit by nearly 4,000 Hezbollah rockets - residents emerged from bomb shelters and slowly trickled back to their homes. A few bathers even lounged on the beach in Haifa, which was hardest hit by the guerrilla attacks. On Monday, both Israel and its main backer, the United States, portrayed Hezbollah as the loser - and by extension, its main backers, Iran and Syria. "There's going to be a new power in the south of Lebanon," Bush said. But Hezbollah's leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, claimed a "strategic, historic victory." Much of the Arab and Muslim worlds would agree. Hezbollah's ability to withstand the vastly superior Israeli military - and hit back with deadly ambushes and cross-border rocket volleys - has given it heroic stature. This could complicate any attempts to disarm or sideline the guerrillas - who also have 14 votes in Lebanon's legislature and two in the cabinet. Nasrallah drove home the point by deriding Lebanese officials who have urged Hezbollah to give up its weapons. "This is immoral, incorrect and inappropriate," he said.By Joseph Panossian, Canadian Press
Lebanon Truce Holds For Second Day Voice of America
Lebanese return to destruction amid shaky peace Knoxville News Sentinel (subscription)
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Syria hails 'a new Middle East' BBC News
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says a new Middle East has emerged as a result of what he called Hezbollah's victory over Israel in southern Lebanon.
The defiant speech is the clearest sign of how US opponents in the Middle East have been emboldened by the outcome of the conflict, says the BBC's Jon Leyne in Damascus. Mr Assad said there was no more need for defeatism among Arabs - a feeling echoed across the Arab world, our correspondent adds. As Lebanese refugees continued to pour back to their homes on Tuesday, their government said it was ready to move forward with its part in securing the ceasefire. Defence Minister Elias Murr said that by the end of the week, the Lebanese army would deploy 15,000 troops on the boundaries of the southern Litani River, some 30km (19 miles) from the border with Israel. In the meantime, international troops currently in Lebanon would assume positions vacated by the Israeli army before handing them over to the Lebanese troops. He said it was not the job of the Lebanese army to disarm Hezbollah fighters but he was confident they would withdraw from areas in southern Lebanon as the troops moved in.
French visit
In Israel, army officers said they expected to start giving up captured Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon within a day or two.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says a new Middle East has emerged as a result of what he called Hezbollah's victory over Israel in southern Lebanon.
Displaced Lebanese are returning, but many homes no longer exist
He said the vision of the region the US aspired to had become an illusion. His comments came as the truce between Israel and Hezbollah remains intact despite sporadic violence. Thousands of displaced Lebanese are returning home after a halt to the conflict, in which both sides claimed to have been successful. Mr Assad, speaking in Damascus a day after the UN-brokered ceasefire took effect, was giving his first speech on the crisis since it began more than a month ago. He praised the "the glorious battle" he said had been waged by Hezbollah, and said peace in the Middle East was not possible with the Bush administration in power in Washington. "This is an administration that adopts the principle of pre-emptive war that is absolutely contradictory to the principle of peace," he said. "Consequently, we don't expect peace soon or in the foreseeable future."- Lebanon deaths: About 1,000 - mostly civilians - No precise data on Hezbollah dead
- Israeli deaths: Soldiers: 114 (IDF) - Civilians: 43 (IDF)
- Lebanon displaced: 700,000 - 900,000 (UNHCR; Lebanese govt)
- Israeli displaced: 500,000 (Human Rights Watch)
- Lebanon damage: $2.5bn (Lebanese govt)
- Israel damage: $1.1bn (Israeli govt)
- 'Blame war' looms for leaders
French visit
In Israel, army officers said they expected to start giving up captured Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon within a day or two.
QUOTE("Jeff Smith - United Kingdom")
With one side achieving its aims and the other not, peace will not last.
Overnight, Israeli troops left the southern Christian town of Marjayoun, Lebanese security sources said. Israel's army said Hezbollah militants fired several mortars southwards overnight but it did not respond as none landed over the border and no-one was injured. French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy is travelling to Lebanon to discuss the proposed deployment of an expanded United Nations force, in which France is expected to play a key role. Meanwhile, the presidents of US and Iran have blamed each other for fuelling the crisis. US President George W Bush accused Iran of backing armed groups in Lebanon and Iraq "in the hope of stopping democracy from taking hold". Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad blamed Washington for providing Israel with weapons which he said had been used to target women and children in Lebanon.
Palestinian Fatah official shot dead:
A member of the Palestinian security services has been killed in Gaza during clashes with forces loyal to the Hamas-led government.
http://tinyurl.com/ycnwsx
===
Israel insists on Lebanon overflights:
Sources in the Israeli military say that Israel would bomb Unifil sites in southern Lebanon if Israeli warplanes are intercepted.
http://tinyurl.com/y9tstw
===
Israel admits using phosphorus bombs in Lebanon:
Israel admitted for the first time to using controversial white phosphorus shells against military targets in Southern Lebanon, an Israeli newspaper reported on Sunday.
http://tinyurl.com/ycgn48
===
Feds Probe a Top Democrat's Relationship with AIPAC:
The Department of Justice is investigating whether Rep. Jane Harman and the pro-Israel group worked together to get her reappointed as the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article15370.htm
===
Weary Israel loses faith in its leaders :
The rape allegations against the President are just the latest in a long line of political scandals
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story...1928362,00.html
===
Israel founded using fake British banknotes:
MORE than £130m worth of British banknotes forged by the Nazis was used by the Jewish underground to help establish the State of Israel.
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/inter...m?id=1563532006
===
Putin to Israeli PM: Using force against Iran could end in disaster :
Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced any military operation against Iran in a meeting last week with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Putin told Olmert in the Moscow meeting that foiling Iran's nuclear program could end in disaster for the world.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/777807.html
A member of the Palestinian security services has been killed in Gaza during clashes with forces loyal to the Hamas-led government.
http://tinyurl.com/ycnwsx
===
Israel insists on Lebanon overflights:
Sources in the Israeli military say that Israel would bomb Unifil sites in southern Lebanon if Israeli warplanes are intercepted.
http://tinyurl.com/y9tstw
===
Israel admits using phosphorus bombs in Lebanon:
Israel admitted for the first time to using controversial white phosphorus shells against military targets in Southern Lebanon, an Israeli newspaper reported on Sunday.
http://tinyurl.com/ycgn48
===
Feds Probe a Top Democrat's Relationship with AIPAC:
The Department of Justice is investigating whether Rep. Jane Harman and the pro-Israel group worked together to get her reappointed as the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article15370.htm
===
Weary Israel loses faith in its leaders :
The rape allegations against the President are just the latest in a long line of political scandals
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story...1928362,00.html
===
Israel founded using fake British banknotes:
MORE than £130m worth of British banknotes forged by the Nazis was used by the Jewish underground to help establish the State of Israel.
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/inter...m?id=1563532006
===
Putin to Israeli PM: Using force against Iran could end in disaster :
Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced any military operation against Iran in a meeting last week with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Putin told Olmert in the Moscow meeting that foiling Iran's nuclear program could end in disaster for the world.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/777807.html
ISRAEL IS NOT LINKED TO IRAQ, EXCEPT THAT IT IS - ETHAN BRONNER (NEW YORK TIMES, DECEMBER 10): Most Israelis and many independent analysts see a straight linkage between the Palestinian question and Iraq as something of a mirage.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/10/weekinre...agewanted=print
SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE: JAMES BAKER VERSUS THE LOBBY - MIKE WHITNEY (COUNTERPUNCH, DECEMBER 9/10): On one side we have James Baker and his corporate classmates who want to restore order while preserving America's imperial role in the region. And, on the other side, we have the neo-Trotskyites and Israeli-Jacobins who seek a fragmented and chaotic Middle East where Israel is the dominant power.
http://www.counterpunch.org/whitney12092006.html
THE BIG LIE ABOUT THE MIDDLE EAST - TELL JAMES BAKER: ARAB NATIONS DON'T CARE ABOUT THE PALESTINIANS - LISA BEYER TIME, DECEMBER 10): In lumping the Iraq mess in with the Palestinian problem -- and suggesting the first could not be fixed unless the second was too -- the Baker-Hamilton commission lent credibility to a corrosive myth: that the fundamental problem in the Arab world is the plight of the Palestinians.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout...1568466,00.html
WHAT WOULD JIMMY DO?: A FORMER PRESIDENT PUTS THE ONUS FOR RESOLVING THE MIDEAST CONFLICT ON THE ISRAELIS [REVIEW OF PALESTINE PEACE NOT APARTHEID BY JIMMY CARTER] - JEFFREY GOLDBERG (WASHINGTON POST, DECEMBER 10): Why is Carter so hard on Israeli settlements and so easy on Arab aggression and Palestinian terror? Because a specific agenda appears to be at work here. Carter seems to mean for this book to convince American evangelicals to reconsider their support for Israel.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...0701835_pf.html
BACK TO LEBANON: LEBANESE NATIONALISM ON THE RISE ? JUSTIN RAIMONDO (ANTIWAR.COM, DECEMBER 11): For all the rhetoric about the "global democratic revolution" coming out of the White House propaganda operation, the tragic reality of our actual policy in Lebanon was confirmed by the Israeli aggression, which we not only fully countenanced, but, some say, actively encouraged.
http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=10144
THE COMING OF GULF WAR III: EVEN IF WE LEAVE NOW, WE'LL BE BACK - DAVID ROTHKOPF (WASHINGTON POST, DECEMBER 10): However we may try to extricate ourselves from Iraq today, the best we can hope for is an end to only this latest chapter of U.S. military involvement in the region. There is no getting out of the Middle East. Even if we leave now, we'll be back.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...0801686_pf.html
A GRAND BARGAIN FOR THE MIDDLE EAST: - RAJ PUROHIT AND AMJAD ATALLAH (CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, DECEMBER 11): For all their hype, the 79 recommendations made by the Iraq Study Group (ISG) last week amount to a middle-of-the-road stance instead of a bold new direction. The panel paid lip service to the idea of broader diplomacy, even calling for a regional conference. But its thinking is still too narrow and US-centric.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1211/p09s03-coop.htm
THE REGION: BAKER'S STALE IDEAS - BARRY RUBIN (JERUSALEM POST, DECEMBER 10): What is really needed is a policy that would effectively fight the radicals and help either real moderates or those states whose interests coincide with those of the United States and the West. Instead, the report suggests that what is most important is to get everybody talking.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid...ticle%2FPrinter
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/10/weekinre...agewanted=print
SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE: JAMES BAKER VERSUS THE LOBBY - MIKE WHITNEY (COUNTERPUNCH, DECEMBER 9/10): On one side we have James Baker and his corporate classmates who want to restore order while preserving America's imperial role in the region. And, on the other side, we have the neo-Trotskyites and Israeli-Jacobins who seek a fragmented and chaotic Middle East where Israel is the dominant power.
http://www.counterpunch.org/whitney12092006.html
THE BIG LIE ABOUT THE MIDDLE EAST - TELL JAMES BAKER: ARAB NATIONS DON'T CARE ABOUT THE PALESTINIANS - LISA BEYER TIME, DECEMBER 10): In lumping the Iraq mess in with the Palestinian problem -- and suggesting the first could not be fixed unless the second was too -- the Baker-Hamilton commission lent credibility to a corrosive myth: that the fundamental problem in the Arab world is the plight of the Palestinians.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout...1568466,00.html
WHAT WOULD JIMMY DO?: A FORMER PRESIDENT PUTS THE ONUS FOR RESOLVING THE MIDEAST CONFLICT ON THE ISRAELIS [REVIEW OF PALESTINE PEACE NOT APARTHEID BY JIMMY CARTER] - JEFFREY GOLDBERG (WASHINGTON POST, DECEMBER 10): Why is Carter so hard on Israeli settlements and so easy on Arab aggression and Palestinian terror? Because a specific agenda appears to be at work here. Carter seems to mean for this book to convince American evangelicals to reconsider their support for Israel.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...0701835_pf.html
BACK TO LEBANON: LEBANESE NATIONALISM ON THE RISE ? JUSTIN RAIMONDO (ANTIWAR.COM, DECEMBER 11): For all the rhetoric about the "global democratic revolution" coming out of the White House propaganda operation, the tragic reality of our actual policy in Lebanon was confirmed by the Israeli aggression, which we not only fully countenanced, but, some say, actively encouraged.
http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=10144
THE COMING OF GULF WAR III: EVEN IF WE LEAVE NOW, WE'LL BE BACK - DAVID ROTHKOPF (WASHINGTON POST, DECEMBER 10): However we may try to extricate ourselves from Iraq today, the best we can hope for is an end to only this latest chapter of U.S. military involvement in the region. There is no getting out of the Middle East. Even if we leave now, we'll be back.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...0801686_pf.html
A GRAND BARGAIN FOR THE MIDDLE EAST: - RAJ PUROHIT AND AMJAD ATALLAH (CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, DECEMBER 11): For all their hype, the 79 recommendations made by the Iraq Study Group (ISG) last week amount to a middle-of-the-road stance instead of a bold new direction. The panel paid lip service to the idea of broader diplomacy, even calling for a regional conference. But its thinking is still too narrow and US-centric.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1211/p09s03-coop.htm
THE REGION: BAKER'S STALE IDEAS - BARRY RUBIN (JERUSALEM POST, DECEMBER 10): What is really needed is a policy that would effectively fight the radicals and help either real moderates or those states whose interests coincide with those of the United States and the West. Instead, the report suggests that what is most important is to get everybody talking.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid...ticle%2FPrinter
HOW SYRIA DODGED A NEO-CON BULLET - JIM LOBE (ASIA TIMES, DECEMBER 20): While hardliners such as Cheney's office still have the upper hand on Syria policy, the administration is also finding itself under growing pressure to rethink its strategy there, as in Iraq.
http://atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HL20Ak06.html
A REAGAN STRATEGY FOR IRAN AND SYRIA - ABRAHAM D. SOFAER (WALL STREET JOURNAL, DECEMBER 20): The Iraq Study Group's recommendation that the Bush administration drop its preconditions and negotiate with Syria and Iran has been praised as a "no-brainer" -- and condemned as an improper effort to reward rogue regimes. Neither reaction is correct. Negotiating with enemies can be a useful aspect of effective diplomacy.
http://online.wsj.com/article_print/SB1166...8080955371.html
PAID SUBSCRIPTION
THE CONSPIRACY AGAINST LEBANON: US OFFICIALS MUST MAKE CLEAR THAT THEY ARE NOT SELLING OUT LEBANON TO SYRIA - ADIB F. FARHA (CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, DECEMBER 19)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1219/p09s02-coop.html
WORSE THAN APARTHEID CHRIS HEDGES (TRUTHDIG, DECEMBER 19/COMMON DREAMS): Israel, with no restraints from Washington, despite the Iraq Study Group report recommendations that the peace process be resurrected from the dead, has been given the moral license by the Bush administration to carry out what is euphemistically in Israel called ?transfer? and what in other parts of the world is called ethnic cleansing.
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1219-23.htm
END OF THE STRONGMEN: DO AMERICA AND ISRAEL WANT THE MIDDLE EAST ENGULFED BY CIVIL WAR - JONATHAN COOK (COUNTERPUNCH, DECEMBER 19): The era of the Middle East strongman, propped up by and enforcing Western policy, appears well and truly over. A chaotic and feuding Middle East, although it would be a disaster in the view of most informed observers, appears to be greatly desired by Israel and its neocon allies.
http://www.counterpunch.org/cook12192006.html
REITERATING THE KEYS TO PEACE - JIMMY CARTER (BOSTON GLOBE, DECEMBER 20): ?As recommended by the Hamilton-Baker report, renewed negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians are a prime factor in promoting peace in the region. Although my book concentrates on the Palestinian territories, I noted that the report also recommended peace talks with Syria concerning the Golan Heights. Both recommendations have been rejected by Israel's prime minister.?
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial...o_peace?mode=PF
THE OTHER ISRAEL LOBBY: A NEW ALLIANCE, INCLUDING FINANCIER GEORGE SOROS AND FORMER BILL CLINTON ADVISOR JEREMY BEN-AMI, AIMS TO TAKE ON THE POWERFUL LOBBYIST GROUP AIPAC -- AND RESHAPE U.S. POLICY - GREGORY LEVEY (SALON, DECEMBER 19): The fact is that most American Jews, and many other American supporters of Israel, do not see eye-to-eye on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the most hawkish, knee-jerk Israel supporters in the US government -- even if their presumed leadership, represented by AIPAC, often appears to do so.
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2006/...obby/print.html
NATION BUILDING: PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN HISTORIAN RASHID KHALIDI EXPLAINS WHY PALESTINIANS HAVE FAILED TO CREATE A NATION AND DISCUSSES THE GRAVE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST - JONATHAN SHAININ (SALON, DECEMBER 18): Khalidi: ?In terms of the Palestine issue, Bush ... has done an enormous disservice to the Palestinians and the Israelis by advocating a policy of force -- throughout the region and the world, but in particular in Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon.?
http://www.salon.com/books/int/2006/12/18/khalidi/print.html
ANOTHER MIDEAST CIVIL WAR EDITORIAL (BOSTON GLOBE, DECEMBER 19): The Bush administration, in cooperation with its European and Arab allies, should be working to prevent the outbreak of a full-blown Palestinian civil war.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial...vil_war?mode=PF
A 'VICTORY' PLAN THAT EMPOWERS EXTREMISTS - TRUDY RUBIN (BALTIMORE SUN, DECEMBER 19): In the Mideast we have, moderates are losing ground to extremists, and American policy has strengthened the Islamists' hand.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/o...-oped-headlines
71. MIDEAST RULES TO LIVE BY - THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN (NEW YORK TIMES, DECEMBER 20): Among updated rules of Middle East reporting, which also apply to diplomacy, are Rule 12: The Israelis will always win, and the Palestinians will always make sure they never enjoy it. Everything else is just commentary; and Rule 13: Our first priority is democracy, but the Arabs? first priority is ?justice.?
http://select.nytimes.com/2006/12/20/opini...agewanted=print
PAID SUBSCRIPTION
http://atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HL20Ak06.html
A REAGAN STRATEGY FOR IRAN AND SYRIA - ABRAHAM D. SOFAER (WALL STREET JOURNAL, DECEMBER 20): The Iraq Study Group's recommendation that the Bush administration drop its preconditions and negotiate with Syria and Iran has been praised as a "no-brainer" -- and condemned as an improper effort to reward rogue regimes. Neither reaction is correct. Negotiating with enemies can be a useful aspect of effective diplomacy.
http://online.wsj.com/article_print/SB1166...8080955371.html
PAID SUBSCRIPTION
THE CONSPIRACY AGAINST LEBANON: US OFFICIALS MUST MAKE CLEAR THAT THEY ARE NOT SELLING OUT LEBANON TO SYRIA - ADIB F. FARHA (CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, DECEMBER 19)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1219/p09s02-coop.html
WORSE THAN APARTHEID CHRIS HEDGES (TRUTHDIG, DECEMBER 19/COMMON DREAMS): Israel, with no restraints from Washington, despite the Iraq Study Group report recommendations that the peace process be resurrected from the dead, has been given the moral license by the Bush administration to carry out what is euphemistically in Israel called ?transfer? and what in other parts of the world is called ethnic cleansing.
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1219-23.htm
END OF THE STRONGMEN: DO AMERICA AND ISRAEL WANT THE MIDDLE EAST ENGULFED BY CIVIL WAR - JONATHAN COOK (COUNTERPUNCH, DECEMBER 19): The era of the Middle East strongman, propped up by and enforcing Western policy, appears well and truly over. A chaotic and feuding Middle East, although it would be a disaster in the view of most informed observers, appears to be greatly desired by Israel and its neocon allies.
http://www.counterpunch.org/cook12192006.html
REITERATING THE KEYS TO PEACE - JIMMY CARTER (BOSTON GLOBE, DECEMBER 20): ?As recommended by the Hamilton-Baker report, renewed negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians are a prime factor in promoting peace in the region. Although my book concentrates on the Palestinian territories, I noted that the report also recommended peace talks with Syria concerning the Golan Heights. Both recommendations have been rejected by Israel's prime minister.?
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial...o_peace?mode=PF
THE OTHER ISRAEL LOBBY: A NEW ALLIANCE, INCLUDING FINANCIER GEORGE SOROS AND FORMER BILL CLINTON ADVISOR JEREMY BEN-AMI, AIMS TO TAKE ON THE POWERFUL LOBBYIST GROUP AIPAC -- AND RESHAPE U.S. POLICY - GREGORY LEVEY (SALON, DECEMBER 19): The fact is that most American Jews, and many other American supporters of Israel, do not see eye-to-eye on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the most hawkish, knee-jerk Israel supporters in the US government -- even if their presumed leadership, represented by AIPAC, often appears to do so.
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2006/...obby/print.html
NATION BUILDING: PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN HISTORIAN RASHID KHALIDI EXPLAINS WHY PALESTINIANS HAVE FAILED TO CREATE A NATION AND DISCUSSES THE GRAVE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST - JONATHAN SHAININ (SALON, DECEMBER 18): Khalidi: ?In terms of the Palestine issue, Bush ... has done an enormous disservice to the Palestinians and the Israelis by advocating a policy of force -- throughout the region and the world, but in particular in Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon.?
http://www.salon.com/books/int/2006/12/18/khalidi/print.html
ANOTHER MIDEAST CIVIL WAR EDITORIAL (BOSTON GLOBE, DECEMBER 19): The Bush administration, in cooperation with its European and Arab allies, should be working to prevent the outbreak of a full-blown Palestinian civil war.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial...vil_war?mode=PF
A 'VICTORY' PLAN THAT EMPOWERS EXTREMISTS - TRUDY RUBIN (BALTIMORE SUN, DECEMBER 19): In the Mideast we have, moderates are losing ground to extremists, and American policy has strengthened the Islamists' hand.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/o...-oped-headlines
71. MIDEAST RULES TO LIVE BY - THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN (NEW YORK TIMES, DECEMBER 20): Among updated rules of Middle East reporting, which also apply to diplomacy, are Rule 12: The Israelis will always win, and the Palestinians will always make sure they never enjoy it. Everything else is just commentary; and Rule 13: Our first priority is democracy, but the Arabs? first priority is ?justice.?
http://select.nytimes.com/2006/12/20/opini...agewanted=print
PAID SUBSCRIPTION
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