IAF drops leaflets over downtown Beirut threatening 'painful' response to Hezbollah attacks
Israeli helicopter gunship hits disused radio tower in first air strike on heart of Beirut in weeks.
By The Associated PressIsrael Air Force warplanes dropped leaflets over downtown Beirut on Thursday, threatening a "painful and strong" response to Hezbollah rocket attacks and warning residents of three southern suburbs to evacuate immediately.
"The Israel Defense Forces intend to expand their operations in Beirut," the single-page leaflet read. It said the move came after statements from "the leader of the gang" - an apparent reference to Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, who made a taped television address the night before.
"To the residents of Hay el-Sulloum, Bourj el-Barajneh and Chiah: For your own safety, you must evacuate those neighborhoods immediately, and evacuate every place where Hezbollah members or aides exist or carry out terrorist operations," it read.
"You must know that the expansion of Hezbollah terrorist operations will lead to a painful and strong response, and its painful results will not be confined to Hassan's gang and criminals," it added.
The leaflets were signed, "The State of Israel."
Radio tower hitAn IAF helicopter earlier fired at least two rockets at a disused radio broadcast tower in the heart of Beirut, lightly wounding two people and damaging a number of cars, Lebanese security sources said.
Minutes later, Israeli helicopters rocketed old antennas belonging to Lebanon's official radio station in the coastal village of Amsheet, north of Beirut.
The attack on the tower in Ras Beirut is the deepest Israeli strike into the Lebanese capital in a month-old campaign against Hezbollah. The tower, next to the Lebanese American University, had not been in use for many years.
At least three people were killed in air strikes and ground fighting across south Lebanon.
An IAF drone fired a missile into a minibus near Rayak, in the eastern Bekaa Valley, killing one person and wounding 12, residents said.
Another missile hit a motorcycle and killed its driver near a hospital on the southeast edge of Tyre, civil defense officials said. It was the second motorcycle hit there in the past week, they said.
In the southern village of Kfar Tibnit, one man was killed and his wife wounded when an Israel Defense Forces artillery shell hit their house, security officials aid. Several villages around the market town of Nabatiyeh came under heavy artillery shelling, residents and officials said.
IAF bombing severely damaged a road linking the city of Baalbek, traditionally a Hezbollah stronghold, with the Syrian city of Homs, witnesses said.
Lebanon hospitals cut off, running out of suppliesHospitals were running out of food, fuel and other supplies in southern Lebanon on Thursday and aid groups said fighting and a ban on movement meant they could not reach thousands trapped in the area.
Medecins Sans Frontieres said that since an IAF strike destroyed the last coastal river crossing for trucks to the south on Monday, aid agencies had been reduced to carrying supplies by hand over a log across the Litani river.
It said Israel's warning that it might attack any vehicle south of the Litani that was not part of an aid convoy with Israeli clearance significantly undermined the chances of the tens of thousands of people still believed to be trapped in the region.
"The people in the south are afraid. They are terrified to move," Rowan Gillies, president of MSF International, said in Beirut. "To forbid all forms of movement, without distinction, will lead to even more civilian deaths and suffering."
MSF said it had suffered close calls with shelling and air strikes close to two of its convoys earlier this week. On Monday, warplanes attacked two cars travelling near a UN Nations convoy, killing three people.
The United Nations World Food Program said it sent a 15-truck convoy to the eastern town of Baalbek but was still waiting for two planes carrying about 10 tons of supplies each which had been delayed since Tuesday.
The agency was also trying to send a 10-truck convoy to the battered town of Nabatiyeh in the south, but had not received security guarantees.
"We had hoped to get down to Nabatiyeh [Thursday], but were denied clearance," WFP spokesman Robin Lodge said.
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May God spread his protective spirit around all Israel and especially around the young soldiers as they do battle with the world's most dangerous death cult! Selah!
Why aren't you "Angry" at the organization who is responsible for your country's present condition? I know the state of Israel would love nothing more than to fight the cowardly Hezbollah "face to face"! That is however quite impossible, since they are dressed as civilians, hide in civilian areas, and keep thier wives and children around them. All weapons are stripped off the dead "fighters" by the IDF, or other Hezbollah, so of COURSE the dead appear as civilians! You live there, YOU should know this, as most reasonable, intelligent people know. The death toll of "civilians" is much, much lower than your hero organization would have the world believe. And people like you, with only hatred in your hearts, believe it like Gospel. Wake up! Peace is the only way! Terrorists DO LIE! To believe a word they say is but to go to misery and more war. But I guess you must have it to the full.
If Adam, of London, hostage to BBC lies, believes that Israel is using Arabs as human shields, then I invite those Arabs to move to any one of the 18 Arabs countries where they think they are being treated better. Israel puts its soldiers in danger to protect innocent Arab (remember Jenin), and will treat an Arab terrorist at its hospitals as well as any Israeli. Israel has no concept of hating, destroying, and humiliating her enemies. Adam; I wish you were right, but I'm afraid you are just spouting the lies you hear in the press every day because England fears its Moslem population.
Those who love life will do what it takes to survive. Those of the Judaic religion have tried peace, war, dispersion, and with the creation of Israel in 1948, a land base from which to fight for survival. Good luck.
TWO WRONGS DO NOT MAKE A RIGHT Israel could have done any of the following: - Commandos can Kidnap Hezbollah leaders - Workout a swap of prisoners - Go to UN and complain - Get international forces to deploy in South - Special Operations to weaken Hezbollah only They did the mistake of their lives, now the world started to hate Israel for their bloody actions. They look as bad as Hezbollah, Good job Israel for joining the list of terrorists countries. The definition of terrorism is killing civilians (bombing buildings) and destroying infrastructure (like 911) to attain political objectives. Both sides are doing the same thing.
THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM How can Israel be stupid enough to concentrate on Hezbollah alone, they need to focus on Syria and Iran who are the ROOT OF THE PROBLEM in this war. Hebollah is nothing but a puppet used by Iran and Syria to destroy Israel influence in the Middle East. Israel need to wake up with the rest of the world and focus on the ROOT OF THE PROBLEM, destroy Syria and Iran or this war will never end for years to come. Stop aiming on empty buildings and bridges, it is not helping you a bit, the same amount of rockets still falling on Israel. Can't you see that the current plan is not working.
Well most likely the terrorists are launching rockets from there, so it will be a legimate target, like it or not. Don't want it bombed? Get the Hezbollah to stop attacking from there! SIMPLE! Nasrallah has declared to attack Tel-Aviv, if Beirut is attacked! So of COURSE the Hezbollah will move thier launchers there! More sympathy value in the "worlds eye" BULLSHIT!
Yes Mark, it's more moral to attack civilians with precision guided weapons. You kill the civilians clean and don't make them suffer. Israel is against making innocent Lebanese civilians suffer after all. Also, Israel is doing a favor to the Lebanese people and their government (as I've heard on so many contributions). After all, when you kill an innocent Lebanese civilian clean, you relieve his government and family from the burden of a permanently maimed, dismembered and entirely dependent member of society. Such high moral standards. We should all learn from Israel guys! If only Bush could help Nasrallah by giving him the means to fight more "morally".
"IAF has Moral standards above Hezbulla" - RastaRich You mean it is more moral to attack civilians with precision guided weapons than unguided ones? I had never considered that.
And just a week ago the Bushiz were planning to ride into Beirut on a white horse and and accept the acclaim of a joyous nation for their saviour. You think they shouldn't come? ;-)
why why why..israel are such angels, they throw leaflets acting like they care, but continue the killing of innocent people...
"God will judge Hizbollah, the IDF will arrange the meeting" No problem, bring another 30,000 maniacs with "supurb training", just be sure to order body bags for them so they dont stink the country up
To answer you on some points: 1)We want to fight Hizbollah face to face, their just too much of sissies and hide under hospitals, to prove my point: Our leader, Olmert, was at the knesset yesterday; WHERE is Nasrallay, probably with bin laden up a camels ass hiding and scared like a baby. 2) Israel only attacked lebanon AFTER it killed 8 soldiers and kidnapped 2, a day before Hizbollah did this there was no war, so suck it up like a big boy. 3) I'm pretty sure Israeli bases and soldiers are not too difficult to find, the fact that not 1 katyusha has landed on a military base proves that Hizbollah aka cowards are aiming at civilians, not military. If your so angry, go complain to nasralah, ah, I forgot, you can't becouse you are lebanese, they would probably cut your head off on national tv if you voiced your opinion. I on the other hand can easily say what I want without having my grandmother BBQ'd!
Indeed, if I had to choose I'd pick american weapons, but I dont have that choice, so I take what's available. I need to defend myself with something more efficient than stones, no ? And second why would I go start another civil war to fight hizbullah and deprive myself of the only ones who are willing to protect me ? And finally, just for your info the 8000 H fighters figure is a joke, Hizbullah has tens of thousands of men (at the very least) ready to die for their country, and the more you kill of them, the more volunteers will come...
I really really dont think so. First if we had that kind of weapons, we wouldn't need to use them beacause israel wouldn't dare treat Palestinians the way it does, and wouldnt dare attack us on any pretext and ravage our country... Second you say Hizbullah throws rockets inhumanely ? sounds like a joke ! Hizbullah started throwing rockets only after israel started massively bombing civilians in lebanon and there is notting humane in the way israel uses it's bombs. Maybe you should go see some photos of beheaded babies or others with their guts spilling out before you start talking about humanity. and please dont tell me it's because "hizbullah is hiding amongst civilians", because it would then justify the rockets on kiriat shmona (idf soldiers were "hiding amongst civilians in a kibutz") same logic no? If you are so mighty and you want to fight hizbullah, go fight them face to face, on the ground, not from 30,000 feet throwing 1000kg bombs on cities full of civilians!
It is a lie that the two sides have equal moral standards. IAF has released video proving that they fire at military targets only. This has been proven a thousand times, yet fools continue to believe the lying jihadis. Regrettably, HezBull puts rocket launchers next to innocent civilians' homes. And, Hezbullah shoots rockets at civilian areas indiscriminately.
There is no hope when people in the 21st century still identify themself by their religion. I would have understood this in the 14th century but not now and not after all the violent concequences of stupid religious pride and lack of individualism. You are the cause of all these ridiculous conflicts! Get some education before using religion as justification for your hatred.
I dont know what he says, ne ways he always lies. What matters is what he does, and that is giving wepons to israel and giving a green light to use them... so no I still hate him :)
I am 54 years old. My whole life this has been an issue. Let Israel finish the job once & for all. All the cowards that hide behind women & children have only one goal, that is to kill others not of there kind. If the cowards do win they will only turn on themselves. Thats all they know. Finish the job & send them back to the stone age where they belong!!!
# 45: You want american aid now, what, Iran and Syria's equipment isn't worth that much is it? Be a man, if you want peace, its easy, there are 3 million lebanese, about 8000 hizbollah fighters, go out and take care of your own garbage! To # 46 I'm on your side bro, you misinterpreted me, I was being sarcastic about there terrorists civilian killers aka Hizbollah.
George Bush tells us he supports Lebanon and is doing all he can to help. And you don't love him?
that's the point. if you had F-16's, you would use them as inhumanely as you use katyushet rockets. why is the world so worried that Iran obtain nuclear power. Because when you give a nation living in the dark ages a weapon of mass destruction, there is a probability of 1 that they will use it. And Hezbolla is Iran - and it lives in the dark ages. Israel shows tremendous restraint by NOT using is firepower to bomb - only selected targets to remind the LEBANESE THAT IS THEIR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY TO STOP HEZBOLLA, FIRST AND FOREMOST, AND NOT ISRAEL'S. otherwise, Israel will drop different things besides paper, as the letters indicate.
"Why is the IAF bombing "downtown" Beirut" - Mario In the immortal words of George Mallory, "because it is there."
"One man`s terrorist is another man`s freedom fighter" - Angry Lebanese Sometimes one man's terrorist is his freedom fighters. Ronald Reagan, proud father of what became Al-Quaeda, called them "Freedom Fighters."
So Hezbollah did not distribute leaflets, you say, and this makes them terrorists. Maybe the IAF could lend one of their F-16s to Hezbollah, who, as you should know, have no aircraft. Anyway, Hassan Nasrallah, called on inhabitants of Haifa to leave. I do acknowledge that the shelling of Hezbollah, which kills innocent civilians in Israel, is a war crime. But the destructive power of Israel far outweighs that of the missiles coming from Lebanon and the same can be said of Israeli war crimes.
Who is responsible? THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM The Syrians with US & Israel?s blessing occupied Lebanon from 1990 until 2005 a period during which their Iranian masters armed their Hezbollah proxy up to their teeth. How cowardly it is to shoot at Lebanese infrastructures and Lebanese civilians sitting ducks! Go get the Iranians & Syrians and seal off the Syrian - Lebanese border or all that will never stop. What you are doing to helpless Lebanese taken as hostages will come back to haunt you. THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM IS SYRIA AND IRAN NOT HEZBOLLAH ALONE. The US and Israel are paying the price for the mistake they did with their policy when they let Syria invade Lebanon and then the Syrians let Hezbollah build up all these rockets they have now. Bombs should be directed to Syria and Iran not Hezbollah only.
Maybe the Hezbollah could use the leaflets as toilet paper, since they are probably running out.
joe is right: watch out. don't you dare bombing beirut: your ennemy is the hezbollah , so stick to it or you will defeinitely lose your war, because bombing the city means reinforcing syria and iran's power...BTW, learn how to write english, if you really live in the USA !
The Israelis can do nothing more than live peacefully and attack with passion when provoked. Israel, be proud, and defend that right with everything you have. Hopefully, your worries can be eliminated once and for all, despite the obvious international ignorance.
The Lebanese civilians should thank IDF for dumping leaflets demanding them to evacuate their homes so the IDF air force could reduce them into rubble. Expect a thank you letter. Has everybody become insane?!!!
tell bush to give us the same F-16s you were given and we'll drop you all the leaflets you want
I wish we could elliminate our dependence on oil. Then I would be happy to let all of you fight in your little sand box to your hearts content.
Hizbullah is not a terrorist organisation it is our national resistance against those who want to kill us, steal our land and take our water. Why do you think idf want to go up to the Litani ? it's their plan since the begining, and freeing the two prisoners is merely a pretext; why engage in such a war, kill so many civilians, loose tens of soldiers etc.. to retreive two captured soldiers when they could have simply liberated the Lebanese that have been rotting in israeli dungeons for decades ? Why would it be acceptable that israel takes Hisbullah fighters AND Lebanese civilians to use them as "trading chips" and not the opposite ? Add to that the fact that israel has been violating Lebanon's border almost every single day (even between 2000 and 2006) with their warplanes, tanks and bulldozers (If you dont want to take my word for it, see UNIFIL's reports)
Didn't Nasrallah state he will bomb Tel Aviv if the IAF bombed downtown Beirut? Is Halutz and the IAF trying to get Hezbollah to bmb Tel Aviv so they can have the extended air campaign that was not approved in the last security cabinet?
Lennert, the Hezbollah movement had the temerity to challenge Israel's deterrent force and weaken it. The past few weeks have shown that in order to restore it, the Israeli military are prepared to go to almost any length. If you can't get at the Hezbollah fighters, get at their families and children, destroy their lives, their houses. Target the whole of Lebanon's civilian infrastructure and its people. Show absolute ruthlessness, forget about moral values. I believe that Israel's targetting of civilians and civilian infrastructure is a matter of policy. By doing this Israel is committing war crimes. The indiscriminate shelling by the Hezbolla gunners, which kills innocent civilians is also a war crime, but not on the scale of Israel's awesome destructive power. And don't forget, that it was the State of Israel which chose to escalate things from a limited military confrontation to the widespread shelling of civilian targets in Lebanon. Israel has a lot to answer for.
Who is responsible? THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM The Syrians with US & Israel?s blessing occupied Lebanon from 1990 until 2005 a period during which their Iranian masters armed their Hezbollah proxy up to their teeth. How cowardly it is to shoot at Lebanese infrastructures and Lebanese civilians sitting ducks! Go get the Iranians & Syrians and seal off the Syrian - Lebanese border or all that will never stop. What you are doing to helpless Lebanese taken as hostages will come back to haunt you. THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM IS SYRIA AND IRAN NOT HEZBOLLAH ALONE. The US and Israel are paying the price for the mistake they did with their policy when they let Syria invade Lebanon and then the Syrians let Hezbollah build up all these rockets they have now. Bombs should be directed to Syria and Iran not Hezbollah only.
I haven't heard about or seen one single Hizbollah leaflet asking Israeli civilians to evacuate before they launch missiles. Enough proof that these are TERRORISTS???????
Bor de Wolf wrote: "An endless supply of toilet paper." - Mark Lincoln They may need it. The IAF hit a tissue paper factory in the Bekaa valley." Toilet paper is the least of Nasrallah's worries. Having been to hammams in Saudi Arabia, I can verify that most muslims do not use toilet paper. Harry
I found the following interview to be very enlightening.
"An endless supply of toilet paper." - Mark Lincoln They may need it. The IAF hit a tissue paper factory in the Bekaa valley. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/629/629/5218106.stm
Let's hope this bit of the text will be picked up by media and readers... Sometimes when extreme or irrational fear takes hold of our minds, we no longer act rationally. Let's hope that explains much of what is happening and that someone will intervene soon to end this madness and all sides.
Leaflets dropped on Beirut from the state of Israel today reads: "Residents of El-Sulloum, Bourj el-Barajneh and Chiah (3 Areas population 600,000)For your own safety, you must evacuate those neighborhoods immediately". "You must know that the expansion of Hezbollah terrorist operations will lead to a painful and strong response, and its painful results will not be confined to Hassan's gang and criminals. Leaflets were signed, "The State of Israel." I do call the conscious of you readers all over the civilized word, especialy in the (USA the supplier of the F-16s and the smart bombs of all sizes that kill and sprea dual hatred). Those 3 areas do not belong to Hizbullah nor have any military targets, but families (fathers, mothers, children hardly own water no milk and medicines. The state of Israel is warning them to leave their homes so Israel will destroy their apartments, leaving them homeless to live in the jungles. That changes humans into beasts with minds full of hatred.
Half the Lebanese Army is sympathetic to the terrorists. The other half is outgunned. The majority of the Lebanese population is the group that came in from Syria and exterminated the previous population, so why should we care who is hit in retaliation? This is war, an industrial war that requires elimination of the infrastructure. No aid for the enemy, no comfort, no supplies. Stop dropping leaflets and start dropping bombs.
Like every army in a war, Hizbullah may not acting in a humane manner. But it is demonstrably acting according to the same standards as the Israeli army -- and possibly, given Israel’s siting of military targets in civilian areas, higher ones. The fact that the contrary view is almost universally held betrays our prejudices rather than anything about Hizbullah’s acts. http://counterpunch.org/cook08092006.html
Speaking of calls for people to leave... Didn't the armies of the Arab states try this one out in 1948?
Rather than begging Kofi to pronounce his two-faced antisemitic views and pressure the French to cave in as the French are expected to cave, you should put pressure on Hizbullah to wear an easily identifiable uniform (bright yellow would be an excellent choice) and stop hiding among civilians. Muslim terrorists' tactics are well documented not only in Israel or Lebanon. Lets see Hizbollah wearing bright colors while keeping away from general population. If you cant stand up to Hizbullah ( i.e. closeted supporters) shut up and read the leaflets- morons!
You say, "Believe it." Am I supposed to take this on faith, just because you say so? Then you go on with, "They`re stationing their troops and military bases in predominantly Arab cities and neighborhoods across the north hoping that Israeli Arabs either get killed or leave." Which is information that you must have received from someone with an agenda, since, while Israel does have large military bases in the north (duh, isn't that close to the borders with the two neighboring states that it does not have peace agreements with?), they are not actually in any cities, Jewish, Arab, or otherwise. The only places with military installations are Jewish and other ethnic communities who have fences, gates, and defensive bunkers as a means of self-protection. Up until now, Israeli Arabs didn't have to worry about their neighboring brothers killing them. Lastly, you ask, "Who can deny it?" How about this - anyone who has actually been there.
Do you believe that if Israel stops fighting that Hizballah will stop firing its missiles - what guarantees that these monsters will cease shooting, from amongst Lebanese civilians, indiscriminately on Israeli civilians? Israel and Lebanon were on the brink of signing a peace agreement in the 1980s when Syria assassinated the Lebanese president. Since then, Israel has been forced to protect itself from Arafat's PLO (who, by the way, terrorized the local Shiite communities in S. Lebanon) and now from Hizballah. Israel withdrew completely to the international, UN-defined border or blue line in 2000. Now, in light of that, does your posting make any sense?
"painful results will not be confined to Hassan's gang and criminals," it added. The leaflets were signed, "The State of Israel." If this isn't an admission of targeting innocent people in violation of the 4th geneva convention, I dont know what is.
For complement of information, on why a lot of conflicts involving muslims, refer to this western neutral made video. If you really want to know the truth, watch it to the end. If you reject it , it simply means you are "belligerants" and don't want peace http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7828123714384920696
"IAF drops leaflets over downtown Beirut . . ." - Associated Press No matter what shortages the Israeli blockade and attacks has caused the Lebanese, the IDF has made one kind humanitarian gesture. An endless supply of toilet paper.
Adam wrote: "They`re stationing their troops and military bases in predominantly Arab cities and neighborhoods across the north hoping that Israeli Arabs either get killed or leave. Who can deny it?" Response: Any Arab living in Israel's north and the BBC, Reuters, AFP, CNN, etc.
"Stop dropping the leaflets, its stupid and a waste of paper!" No, it's a way to show the world how "humane" you are, to warn the civilians they will be bombed. That those same civilians cannot flee because the roads have been bombed, is something the average MTV or FOX watcher with a 5-minute attention span long has forgotten. "What`s next sending text messages or emails?" Actually, in Gaza they phone people to tell their house will be targetted. A very shrewd way to instill terror in the population.
Believe it. They're stationing their troops and military bases in predominantly Arab cities and neighborhoods across the north hoping that Israeli Arabs either get killed or leave. Who can deny it?
I realize this is a translation from the original arabic, but as reported above, an excerpt from the leaflet text: "You must know that the expansion of Hezbollah terrorist operations will lead to a painful and strong response, and its painful results will not be confined to Hassan's gang and criminals." Clearly, Israel is directly threatening innocent civilians - "its painful results will not be confined to Hassan's gang and criminals." If this translation is correct than I am shocked and can no longer shut my eyes to the possibilities that Israel does believe their desired end justifies the means; that they are not remorseful for civilian deaths; that they believe one dead Hezbollah is worth dozens of dead civilians; if hitting a suspected 'military' target means killing loads of civilians then that's all in a day's work. And now, Israel explicitly threatens people who are NOT PART OF "Hassan's gang and criminals" with their wrath and retribution. Do I hear 'war crimes' anyone?
Hi Sunny Muslim. I hope you stay safe there in Beirut. If there were more people like you "on the other side", I don't think this war would go on much longer. Stay well, Your Jewish friend.
Leaflet dropping is for local comsumption so that the israeli population thinks that it has a moral army. Also, it is part of the psychological war.
Does not surprise me at all. As this article shows, the IDF is again and again targeting civilians while its soldiers are killed by Hezbollah fighters where the fighting is going on. It looks like the IDF is seeing Hezbollah fighters everywhere, in other words getting paranoid. Or it is punishing civilians since they did not revolt against Hezbollah? These are the actions of a weak army that is targeting civilians and not being able to get ahead while fighting fighters.
Answer me this, why shoot a disused radio tower in a crowded beirut neighborhood?...why? Read the article up hear. You and the rest of israel always avoid these questions. I am sure you will not respond. What purpose could this possibly have other than to scare residents or kill inocents in the area. Is this not terrorism. Scaring the general population with threats of violence to exert political will. It is! What about the milk factories. These also have nothing to do with hezb. Just that i cant get milk. This is about collective punishment and it is the way your country will continue to lose. The war against the palestinians, and especially this one. Have fun getting the crap kicked out of you in southern lebanon. you know i used to respect the intelligence and cultural know-how of the israelis. It seems that you are all just a bunch of fanatics that know absolutly nothing except how to make shitty excuses about self defence.
Stop dropping the leaflets, its stupid and a waste of paper! I am not sure which birdbrain in the IDF thought this one up, but they should be promoted so they can spend their time on something else. What's next sending text messages or emails?
if you all provileged citizens in the US would make a tiny effort to try and see a little beyond the easiest explanation you would be able to help the entire world far more that you have done in at least in the bush administration. 3 wars...do you really think this is a war of civilisation? are you so narrow minded to think like the worst dictators that there is one very truth and it lies on your (and your israeli lobby) side? why israel and the us should have nuclear weapons that are not allowed to other countries? what make oyu think that you are better than the others? your country though its richness has 30 millions (10%) poor not assisted by the NHS, a high percentage of obese eating junk food, and most of your soldiers who are dying in iraq (where no nuclear weapons were ever found) are from the poor social classes and have no choice than enrolling in the army and die. do something for your society that is imploding and leave us alone.
There is no comparison between Hizbollah indescriminate shelling of civilians and Israel's targeted attacks at civilians. In fact, Hizbollah indescriminate shelling resulted in a much higher percentage of military deaths than israel targeted raids. Israel targeted many civilian locations/installations without any warning and resulted in killing many civilians (Liban lait, Major Glass factory, many many civilian factories, broadcast antennas of LBCI, bridges, civilian cars, not to mention the many apartment buildings that were hit and resulted in many civilian deaths.)
http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=w060807&s=behe080706
Barak threatened Arafat with a ?painful response? if the violence did not end in 24 hours, That was back in October 2000. That 24 hours turned out to be 4 years and Barak still will never admit he was deceived by a terrorist. "...a month, likely two" in Israeli political doublespeak means simply multiplying by a factor of 10-15. Israel's military leaders know that using GATOR mines to prevent movement south of the Latani and Daisy Cutters in the Beka Valley to flush out Hizbolla underground bunkers would end the war in several days but Olmert is a lawyer and knows very well that he can't get away with what the US and England did in Tora Bora. He will sacrifice whatever and whoever it takes to avoid being labeled a war criminal by the Hague and continue to talk about his ?convergence plan? and ?complete and utter victory? while everyone else will be waiting for that ?month or two? to end.
Your not a Christian, I know many and they laugh at what you say. Maybe concider why Extremist muslims are involved in 14 on going world conflicts before you talk about WAR crimes..
This war has gone far enough. Stop this violence against the innocent people. Israelis have a problem with Hezballah, then go after him and not the innocent. The israelis keep saying that Hezballh has humans as shields...well the war in Lebanon has been going on for over 24 yrs, and the jews have been killing the innocent for years. How do you expect the Lebanese to trust jews when all they have been doing is destructing their country over and over again. Why don't the Israeilis be the hero and pull out of lebanon. But that is wishful thinking because they think that by killing the innocent and hitting infrastructrure that they will win the war. Think Again!!!
The Lebanese government allowed hexbullah rockets from Lebanese soil for years to fall on Israeli civlians. It cannot be a crime now that lebanese civilians are dieing but not when israeli civilians died. Israel is bombing Hexbullah areas so it is not targeting indiscriminately. In these areas are also hexbullah shiite supporters. If Lebanon wishes to live in peace they must dismantle hexbullah and stop killing Israelis and kidnapping Israelis. If it was the US they would have fully dismantled lebanon by now as they did iraq and afganistan. What do you want: war or peace?? Siniora seems to be in support of Hexbullah so you must want war.
Believe me it is a concern when any innocent civilian is targeted. No matter if it was a Jew,Christian,Moslem, or an atheist ;after all, we are called human beings.
The bombing of civilians wether north or south of the Lebanese Israeli border is of course completely unacceptable.What Hizbullah is doing, when it bombs civilians like it did today, is Illegal, immoral and with Nasrallah last spin about hesitating to target Haifa till now because of its Arab population( a lie of course), simply sickening!! I am afraid to say I dont have sweeter words ro describe the IDF and IAF actions in Lebanon.The IAF drops leaflets for people to flee while at virtually the same time dropinng other leaflets enforcing a curfew by threat of bombardment.They bomb a historic lighthouse strategically situated between four symbols of an Anti-Syrian politics in Lebanon.The American University of Beirut, The Saudi embassy, The Harire Villa and a French school. Dont you think that is kinda strang!!! In anycase, one things seems clear, the people of Lebanon and Israel seem to manage to agree on what is right and what is wrong much faster than their leaders.
You stated "There is no indiscriminate action on our part." That statement alone will place Israel's leadership on charges of crimes against humanity. Israel's deliberate attacks against civilians are state-sponsored terrorism, which others describe as war-crimes, and your assertion that they are no indiscriminate acts only incriminates Israel's leadership more.
This is a war of civilizations, Judeo-Christians vs. Islamic-Facism. The total human sufferering is extremely low considering the stakes in this conflict. The IDF is showing amazing restraint considering what it should do to win.
You should know, there is much discussion and consideration of preventing civilian casualty BOTH for the innocent Lebanese and innocent Israelis. There is no indiscriminate action on our part. However, Hezbolla continue to rain down rockets on innocent civilians. Today killing and Arab women and her infant child. That's right. Hezbolla killed Muslim Arabs in Israel. Arabs who live freely in Israel. Who, when asked, want to remain in Israel. Because in Israel, there is no element of radical Islam that rules or poses a threat to its everyday citizens. Israel besides dropping bombs, drops paper carrying messags that warn Lebanese citizens of which areas to evacuate BEFORE they are bombed with bombs. Israelis are concerned for Lebanese Christian and Muslim innocent civilian lives. Can I assume the same concern exits of Lebanese citizens for Israeli Jewish civilian lives being targeted by Hizbolla every day??????
No missiles are being fired from Beirut. Bombing Beirut is a form of collective punishment against sections of the Lebanese people. The sense of ultimate power of the IDF will wain after they are killed in their hundreds by a few thousand Hizbolla soldiers. IAF pilots and their commanders will then become aware of the International War Crimes commission in the Hague. The future is a different place and all will be answerable for their war crimes. This includes Hizbolla.
Eyewitnesses say IDF took the town. A Lebanese general denies this. Full story at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4778591.stm