IAF strikes religious building in southern Lebanon, 4 wounded

Perhaps you should look at the cancer within your own borders, perhaps it has spread from the illness that the state of israel has in it's desire to control and step on their own neighbors rights, is the fear you feel just the product of years of hatred towards you neighbors turning back on the mess you created?

Amazing how you're response only addresses my screen name and not any of the facts I brought up, I'm NOT your bro, I am ashamed of my country's support of YOUR regein of TERROR, you call my view point feeble?? Please address the issue's I have raised of how the state of israel is now paying the price of their actions, enlighten me on how I have misstated your treatment of you fellow humans, you reap what you sow, hello Linichka take some responsibility for you're country's actions and the horrific position it has created or are you too feeble to address the facts?

Stalin killed Millions as the WORLD befriended him. Hitler killed millions of jews as the world appeased Him. Only when Britain Stepped UP did the world follow! Islams goal is to murder and plunder all Jews, Christians, and the like. Do you not see that the WORLD as it is. Is far from the caring, thoughtful, peace-loving crowd that all the war haters would like you to think. Its about time that the brave soldiers of the IDF and American military are kicking butt and have the backing of THIER countries and all the sellouts and terrorist sympathisers HATE them for it. SO BE IT. If they could do anything about it it might matter. IF a Muslim puts a bomb on his back and blows your family up. I'll bet peace is the farthest thing from your mind. Bets are you'll want to go and destroy your enemy. So then let Israel protect itself and root out the evil in its mist. Stop going along with the crowd , almost ALWAYS the crowd is WRONG.............May God Bless Israel.

As usual, Haaretz leaves out the most important fact. The dstroyed most was a Hezbollah arsenal. Whose side are you guys on anyway?

You cant really be God, He is all knowing and loves the Jewish people. Neither one can be said of you. Dont worry about Israel taking care of the situation, they will. Achieving a goal in war or liberating a country (like Iraq) is not like placing an order at a McDonalds, it doesnt happen in minutes. About the WMDs, check into what there is in Syria. And by the way, one of the largest WMDs has already been found, he is on trial right now and on a hunger strike. I guess every one has forgotten all that have been killed under him because they are blind with there hatred for Bush, America, and Israel. It is no Vietnam (at least not according to soldiers I have spoken with. Unfortunately, people spend more time listening to Michael Moore than they do listening to those who are there.

No.. Oklahoma grows tornado shelters.

Yes, it's hard to believe we are actually witnessing the unfolding of God's plan. Exciting and frightening at the same time. So, Oklahoma, do you have a bomb shelter ?

You Muslems call us ugly Americans. We as Americans perceive you as UGLY MUSLEMS. You say, "We Muslems are peace loving people". Yet, you make no effort to stop or speak out against Islamic terrorist. Your people here in America enjoy peace, freedom and democracy but, you are silent against Jihad. You have no regard for innocent people. You are even heartless toward fellow Muslems. I just read on the internet, "A VAST auditorium being used to house emergency aid in Beirut lay empty last night as relief agencies criticised Britain and other Western countries for their lame response to Lebanon’s worsening refugee crisis." Why aren't Muslems helping their own people? Muslems suffer Sunamis, earthquakes, and now war and where is Saudi Arabian, Syrian or Iranian aid???????

Yes, where is the outcry against the Hezbollah organization that knew what they were doing by ensconcing themselves and their weapons amongst the civilians ? Where was their warning to their own innocent citizens when the rockets began to fly ? They have built themselves up into a formidable guerrila warfare force, preparing for this opportunity.

Oh I agree with you that many nations and regimes have fallen due to their illegitimate hatred for Israel. But, there is at least one more war yet to be launched against Israel and the alliances we see building in the Eastern Hemisphere between certain Arab countries and Russia are working up to that final attempt to destroy Israel. When it happens all Arab countries will join in the attempt the world will stare open-mouthed in awe at the outcome. The problem most people in the world have is that the situation with Israel has been "simplified" down to nothing but political and/or geographic issues based on mankind?s innate refusal to accept ?the truth? and realize what is happening with Israel is of much, much more importance than a tiny piece of land. You see, this was all predestined to take place, exactly as it is happening.

Mark, you seem to miss so much of the big picture in your assessments. It's would be difficult to tell if it's because you are young and naive, or if you simply lack any military experience, or if it's that you intentionally overlook certain aspects. But the fact that you continue to draw parallels to the U.S. campaign in Iraq that are equally lacking in substance and filled to the brim with political rhetoric is very telling. My suggestion would be that you set your political opinions aside, discuss both the US/Iraq campaign and the Lebanon(Iran/Syria/Hizbollah)/Israel campaign with someone who has real military experience and then attempt to formulate your opinions.

Ecuse me ? You dont have your facts straight . Israel has always been Jewish land .Read Genesis ch .26 verse 2 thru 5 and Genesis ch .28 verse 12 thru 15 and Genesis ch.35 verse 9 thru 15 read : andGenesis ch .48 verse 4 read : Exodus ch .6 verse 2 thru 8 read :Joshua ch 14 verse 9 read : 2 Samuel ch .7 verse 12 thru 16 and verse 24 read :1 Kings ch .8 verse 18 thru 21 read :The bible is full of Promises GOD Almighty made to His people and His Nation Israel .Israel belongs to the Jews and not another people who are laying false claims to Israel . And GOD Almighty has not forsaken HIS people ( THe Jews ).

Adams: Israel problem needs to be simplified. The time to do that is now. During the 60 years since the establishment of the State, Israel was implicated in almost the entire problems of the World. The Cold War,Arab Nationalism, Islamic interfaith infighting etc. Say it, and you will find Israel blamed for it. Israel at a time was hated by almost half the world populatiion. Add to that Israel stands to fighting six Arab countires with a total population of over 200,000.000. Israel population was not in excess of 3,000.000 most of them living from hand to mouth. Add to that during Israel's 60 years ; supper powers disappered, world leaders perished, regimes in many countries erased from the world map.. Look at it this way: Why Israel became the most hated number one in the world. Simply because ISREAL is a JEWISH COUNTRY. Israel took it upon itself to fight on behalf of all the Jews. It is time for all the Jews to repay back the favour. Akram Zekaria.

Evan wrote: "fuel air bomb, sucked the air out when it was ignited and roasted them at the same time." There are several version. The Daisy Cutter was Vietnam era. It was called by that name because it was used to make landing pads in the jungles for helos. When it ignited, it cut down trees to groound level like they were daisys for about 200 feet in every direction. A version of this was used in the first Gulf War mostly to scare the crap out of the enemy. You could hear them and even feel them in your chest 30 miles away. Another version of this was used in Afghanistan and an even more powerful version called MOAB(tested in Fla) is combat-ready, but I don't believe it has never been used.

Is Dan Halutz still predicting limited incursions? Is he dishonest or a fool? I doubt if he rose to his current position by being a fool. If the goal is to stop rocket attacks, then Israel has to control all ground from which such attacks can be mounted. Thus the ground operations cannot be limited in duration, or depth. If the goal is to exterminate Hizbollah, then nothing less than the occupation of all Lebanon will work. I don't think Dan Halutz is a fool. I think he thinks Israel is a nation of fools who will believe him.

Evan the name is Fuel Air Explosives. Very potent anti-personnel weapons and they have been used in large number in Lebanon. The Lebanese reports call them "implosion bombs" because the explosion occurs in a large space and those things in the middle tend to be imploded.

Marc, the Bush plan is typical of a group which has FAILED repeatedly and consistently for exactly the same reasons. The failures have very common features. The primary feature is that they depend upon wish fulfillment instead of real circumstances. Just because you wish an outcome to happen does not mean it will. Indeed, if the wish is based upon fantasy. chances are it wont. Another factor is ignoring reality. Pretending that after bombing people, and killing their relatives, that they will love you is a pretty insane assumption. Third, the belief, that having achieved the appearance of victory as seen at home, you have achieve victory and can then ignore reality is a dangerous trap. The head of NATO forces in Afghanistan says the nation is on the brink of anarchy. A year ago, when I pointed out the situation was rapidly deteriorating, the psycho-right insisisted I must be lying. Three years after Dubbya declared "mission accomplished" Iraq is further from stability than then.

Mr. Ben Gurion, there are more than a few similarities between the war against Lebanon and the war in Iraq. We have soldiers, charged with murder, who are now arguing that they were ordered (or instructed - a difference) to kill all Iraqi men of "military age" so they did. Can I say they were given no such orders? No. Why can't I? Because of how willing the administration has been to discard every value of American society in pursuit of it's desires. I am torn between the clear evidence of what has been happening in Lebanon and what I would like to believe about Israel. Hizbollah is just the kind of religious right extremists gun lovers I don't like. I have no problem with destroying Hizbollah, except that I doubt it can be done by military force alone. I don't think Israel could just ignore the attack or hostage taking. I don't think that a war of extermination against Lebanon was either an appropriate or intelligent response. Killing every young man in Iraq will is foolish.

hizbolla could end Lebanons suffering this very day. But would they swallow their pride and hand over their 2 hostages????? And why doesnt Lebanon pressure them to do so to end the bombing???

The arab apologist among us, you know the one with the logical mind minus the kop. There is no emotion there, just a fine tuned thinking machine who flies off in a rage at the slightest errr slight. It's amusing to see him imploding while NOT responding to my posts....but being so predictable he has no choice but mount his steed and OY VAY DonG and Mark Panza are off on their quest again. To dream the impossible dream to craft the craftiest craft to be clever and pose as he poses to fool as many as he can this is the quest to gain what he can capitulation if only he can Man, you're a sad case, predictable, emotions on your sleeve, an arabist apologist au bout. He he of course he'll be answering these posts after I'm off. That's as sure as he's in the states somewhere and never has set a foot in Israel.

Why do you contradict yourself?

The only response I can give you for all that you said here is.. Would you like to make a wager on any of that?

Don't remember the correct name, but it was a fuel air bomb, sucked the air out when it was ignited and roasted them at the same time. Great instrument of destruction. Evan

It is a shame to waste an effort on exposing the Peter mind towards the end of the day. But I figure, if I preserve these posts, I will be able to post them again if and when the talking ass repeats his act. So let's go to work. First, what distinguishes a talking ass from anordinary fool? The ass not only talks like a fool but can also see angels and other imaginary things that ordinary humans can't. Take Peter, for example. Peter will solve the Hamas problem by expelling all Palestinians. Brilliantly imaginary. Oh yes, the victors are the ones who write history, so nobody will know. I don't think even Balaam's ass, the prototype, was capable of more. And the Lebanon problem? Just take 1000 Palestinian prisoners (not enough Lebanese available) and shoot them if the 2 IDF captives are not released. Repeat the process daily. Balaam's ass would have been mighty proud of her descendant. Let's continue with today's particulars.

The thesis: You are an Israeli Arab and being paid by HaHaAretz. Proof: You have an aversion to using "Judea and Samaria" in your posts. Proof: Hamas is the smartest Rat on two legs.They are freedom fighters that only murder( Minor indiscretion) Proof: Hezbolla is not a terror organization, does not take orders from Syria and Iran. Proof: The Jews hace created the PLO, Hamas, Jihad, Hizbulla, Baath, Mullahs in Iran, Al Qaida etc Proof:The world revolves around your logic. Proof: There is NO ALLAH but "Ben Gurion". I Think it is Mousa or Salah. Proof: All your idiotic posts get through. Conclusion: Once an arab always an Arab. And you are an Arab Homicidal Apologist. Note that I may have left out your other proclivities in order to get past the censor.So hard to make a case with all the censorship going on.

You should do some reading before judging the People of Israel.Israel was a tiny kingdom that fought against gigantic empires for over 1000 years,not to conquer lands but to preserve its Covenant.The victorious Maccabean wars against the Seleucid Empire and the two great Jewish wars (read Flavius Josèphe)against the mighty Roman Empire were feats of extraordinary courage as witnessed by Greek & Roman authors. But above all, we had the courage to stay ISRAEL for over 1800 years despite savage and endless persecutions, whereas the Gauls became Gallo-Romans within a few years after Caesar's conquest.Except for the 100 years war and for 1914, your wars (Italy under François I,Louis XIV, Napoleon, and your atrocious colonial wars were only motivated by imperialistic rapacity and "LA GLOIRE" (POUAH!).No foreign power "regained" Israel for us.It was regained by the fantastic energy and resilience of the Jewish People.The rest(Balfour,etc.)is what historians call "contingences historiques".

Howdy Mr. Jeff Northridge # 740 Dear readers. Further to my suggestion # 712(that Israel pull back to the 4th of June 1967 line ? the green line) was a sincere one, and an application of UN Resolution 242 as the only way to real Peace between Israel and all the Arab States. You said that it won't work! Why we close our eyes about previous UN resolutions 242, 338, and 1559 are of equal power and the same purpose. Your two proofs were speculations and assumptions. In the North Israel didn't withdraw from Sheb'a Farms, and Prisoners case was not solved. Real peace with the Arab nation means a complete withdrawal from all the occupied territories of (Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine - West Bank and Gaza). A complete and simultaneous withdrawal will achieve real peace signed in washington D.c. on one table in the same moment, Witnessed by UN big powers.

"Iran is directly involved" - Cipora. Yes, this is recent news. Why do you mention such facts that many of us are learning from the papers? Do you have some THESIS you are attempting to support? Please formulate it FIRST, then support it with some evidence. Once you present your thesis to the public, there might arise an anti-thesis, then perhaps a synthesis, and the rest you know from school. I will speculate about your thesis. Since you first called my attention to my Iranian non-prophets (your post #534), this may be related. My claim was that Iran did not plan the soldier kidnapping (to divert attention from its nuclear issue). I said that nobody would have predicted that Israel would react in this strong way, and without it there would have been no gain for Iran. Iran is involved today. Does it mean it planned the attack of 10 days ago? Better think. If the US todays is shipping Israel smart bombs, did the US plan anything in Lebanon? Reality is your weakest link, Cipora.

At the Southern History Museum in Fort Bend County, Texas, I am referred to as "Johnny Reb."The rabbi at my synagogue in Houston calls me "Reb Johnny." So, and in what ever order, I am also proud of my southern heritage and my Jewish heritage in standing strong for Israel in these difficult times. I truly appreciate your understanding of the predicament that Israel finds itself in. The initial attack on the Lebanese border and kidnapping and murder of the Israeli soldiers was Israel's "Fort Sumpter."

Lebanon was finished 6 years ago when they turned their heads and let the ugly snake hezbollah take over in so.Lebanon. They reneged on their promise to keep the snakes out of so.Lebanon and they did not keep their promise. Now you are paying for it and paying big time. Your leaders made a pact with the devil and its time to pay the piper. You'll never learn will you?

The invincible army has become invisible in his 20 meter long key-stroghold.

*...Agas, a good plan is one with a chance of working...Mark L." Ah, duh! What do you think THE ENTIRE WORLD has been trying to do? UN Res1559 is for Hezbollah to be disarmed in Lebanon and passed years ago. Mark L. you remain a clueless idiot years behind reality. You will never understand why.

I wish you were right, I wish it was the way, I wish it worked. Reality gets in the way. For every season there's a time.

DonG and Mark Panza aren't clouded in a sea of clever and crafty arguements, they are drowning in a sea of clever and crafty traps. The mantra of capitulation drones on, with a sarcastic snipe at any who show the folly in it. No emotion just the clear logical mind minus the Kop. Note: the Israeli response in gaza over the kidnapping of Gilad wasn't a precurser of Israel's reaction to the kidnappings up north according to the arabist apologist. The arabs of yesha are brokering a ceasefire and return of Gilad as they've been worn down and they want to make separation between themselves and hizbullah. Syria is muttering offers to help broker an end to the northern engagement. The IDF begins to make headway the arabs begin to perhaps ready to talk. All is far from over, very far but the table is being set. The arabist apologist will have to pick another day and another time to counsel capitulation. He'll find another clever and crafty way to try and muddy affairs.

One of the advantages of the present 'war' in Lebanon is the fact that many faces are uncovered and many cards left open on the table. We are never so much nearer to the truth now than any time since the establishment of the State of Israel. Everyhting is clear both nationally and the internationally. So where Israel now ?: Israel has two problems:(1)The Pelestinians. (2)Antisamitism which I prefer to call the 'Anti-Juwdaism'. 1- All Israel enemies of yesteryears ;mainly the Arab Countries are no more a threat to Israel. They exhausted themselves as far as the Plalestinian Israeli comflect. The last war between Israel and Egypt ends up with Peace with Egypt followed by peace with Jordan. The rest of the Arab countries most of them are wrestling with their own problems.The expectation of War with any of them with Israel almost nil. 2-Anti-Judaism we have lived with it. It is more of a 'none jews' problem than a Jewish problem. Akram Zekaria

3 Iranian Revolutionary Guard General Safavi has set up two command posts to coordinate the war with Hizbollah chief of staff Ibrahim Akil. One center is in the cellar of the Iranian embassy in Beyruth. This command center controls rocket fire into Israel and directs Revolutionary Guard members taking part in Hizbollah engagements with IDF groung forces. The second command is in the basement of the Iranian embassy in Damascus. Its purpose is to to control communications and intelligence and to get weapons into Lebanon. 4 The deliveries of weapons were made to Abu Ad Dalur airfield because of the large number of Iranians working at the joint Iranian-Syrian Scud missile factory at the airfield.

So there was this guy M. in the 7th century. Some would describe him as an oppotunist others as a gigilo or even pedophile. Married an older woman for her money. When she died he married a six year old girl! He "consummated" the marriage when she was nine and he was fifty-three! He supplemented his income by robbing innocent people on the road. He also had a penchant for personally chopping off the heads of his detractors. Not a nice guy, but it seems that a lot of folks in the hotter parts of the planet think he was the cat's pajamas.

You've noticed Lincoln shows his true colours by falsely claiming Israel is fighting a war of extermination in Lebanon; how battle fatigued he has become after first coming on here and affecting an almost neutral position. The problem is that Lincoln doesn't recognise the fundamentals of this conflict. Six years after Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon we discover the extent of the Hizbollah's hegemony in the souht of that country, how totally embedded among the civilian infrastructure the Hizbollah killing machine has become. As the IDF took its first town in southern Lebanon we can all see what six years of appeasement will bring unless something is done about disarming terrorist groups. In 2003, the Road Map (sponsored by the internationals) called for Arab militias in Palestine to be disarmed, UN Res1559 called for Hezbollah to be disarmed in Lebanon and UN Res1556 demanded Sudan disarm the Janjaweed militia. None of these militias have been disarmed by negotiation or talk.

Stop your hypocritical manipulation. I have read that the resolution in US Congress supporting Israel was nearly unanimous. You might be the only supporter of Hizbollah left.

Dear MB: On forum of HAARETZ you could find many false and fake statements, like the message from 'Christioan'. Among others there are numerous massages from socalled 'Dutch'. 'Dutch' is not your countryman. Her real name is Doris Cadigan from Massach. USA. Noone knows why she is using such a strange (for her) name 'Dutch'. Please don't consider her belonging to the good Dutch People. Regards. Vittorio.

Israel is fighting FOR the sake of humanity, their own, and inadvertantly ours as well. "Humanity" is not achieved by sitting back while your blood sworn enemy does all in its power to wipe you out. Israel did NOTHING to deserve the aray of blood-enemies it has, unless one considers surviving just cause. As certain radical Islamist elements across the world continue to acheive their plainly stated goal of world domination, Israel stands nearly alone on the front lne. Israel is only the first. We ALL are next in line. This IS a battle between GOOD and EVIL. There's no grey middle. We can't afford the luxury of obfuscation. Hitler made plain his goals for years leading up to war, yet many ignored his own words, chosing to ignore, to iterpret in a less offensive manner. Hizbolla MEANS what it says. There is no peace to be made, no altering of their clear basic aims. The ONLY question to be decided is whether the death they seek will be their own, or that of Israel.

To all who advocates the use of force and asks of Israel to destroy and kill should know better that killing and destruction will not yield any results. No one knows this more than the Jewish people, they have been in that hole before. Preach restrain, tolorance and a non violent solutions to conflicts. That is how we become civilaized people, worthy to inherite this earth. Killing will only lead to more killing and destruction will always yeild more destruction. To all who contributed to 867 talk back preach love, peace and forgiveness.

"Israel responded with 100`s of sorties over civilian areas. This is what triggered the rocket launching, and thus the war. It was Olmert, not Nasrallah, who declared 'this is war'." "Hundreds of Israeli sorties over civilian areas" Fact Strangler caused Nazirallah to kidnap the Israeli solies and fire katyushas at Israeli civilian areas - rubbish! The sorties started after Nazirallah's handiwork began and remember it was he who called them "prisoners of war".

Since Hizbollah uses mosques and other "religious" buildings as munitions depots, planning facilities, hideouts, etc. Israel has no choice but to hit these military targets. It's a perfect fit, given that Hizbollah's justification for striving to wipe out Israel rests enirely on their intepretation of the Koran. This "controversy" reminds of a time when the USA would not strike targets on various lslamic holidays. How silly was THAT? Does Hizbollah abide by ANY sense of respect for the other side? Do they even respect human life? Do they even respect other sects of Islam? No. Their religion IS death, whether it be the deaths of others or themselves. I think targeting their religeous structures is no different than when Russia targeted Hitler's bunker.

Benny Ganz is getting rolling and the IDF are beginning to tighten the noose.

Dear Paul, i am not actually american, my cousins are, i visited Seattle once. I'm french-lebanese, and live in Toulouse.My english is not as good as yours, certainly.My posts were not to offend you nor your compatriots in general, but it is easy for some US to make a post using a hundred times words like: terrorists, arabs, arab terrorists, lebanese muslim terrorist, smash those terrorist, kill everyone so Israel can be freed from "Terrorists"... My point is that these offending posts come from uneducated,and certainly people following their heart, not understanding the mid east conflict. I've seen as much hatred and racism in 2 days in this forum as in my whole life. Certainly millions of americans are not manipulated and brainwashed, it's good to read from those, sometimes....

So Mark, were you invited to those Israeli cabinet meetings where they "decided" all these things? Olmert call you up and tell you what he planned and why? If not then how do you know about these decisions that you claim were made? There is no logical reason for anything you stated here because nothing you stated is true. What is truly insane is the fact that there are actually people like you out there, who due to your hatred of Jews, or your political agenda have chosen to argue on behalf of those who are truly guilty in this ongoing war. You wouldn't be a socialist would you?

Hello Christian, before posting nonsense, at least try to make your allegations look like facts. You miss the boat on reality. M. ---

it would be wrong to divide lebanon and hizbollah. hizbollah is part of lebanese society, it has ministers, members of parlament.the war is actually started by lebanon and hizbollah their own problem. israel needs peace and has to fight for it by all means, till lebanese undestand that war does not pay

"Being defeatist and apologetic for terrorism is always an alternative but not much of an option for Israel." - Daniel Leopold If I come up with a better way to deal with Hizballah, saving many casualties for the IDF and much destruction for Lebanon, you may call me a defeatist, while I call you a blind mouse fitting to join a few others in my trap. I don't care for any of you "analogies". Bomb Lebanon until they fight Hizballah, like NATO bombed Yugoslavia to get them to stop expelling the Kosovars. With such analogies you can bomb the Iraqis until they fight the insurgents themselves. (Too bad Australians only serve off-shore there in ships.) Better stop walking upside down down under and start thinking. Too much blood pressure in your head.

Agas, a good plan is one with a chance of working. The logical fallacy with the Bush plan is that we will be welcomed as saviors after helping Israel to destroy as much of Lebanon as it can. Like the plan for the conquest of Iraq, it is based upon wishful thinking, ideological requirements, and a total misapprehension of the situation. To Bush the problem confronting Lebanon is "Terrorists" which means Shiite and that is a sizable portion of the Lebanese population, which he assumes the rest hate with a passion. Lebanon has just gotten rid of their Syrian overlords, and I don't think the want another one, particularly one which has done far more damage than Syria did. Bush can't see this. We are back to the "we will be welcomed with rose petals strewn before us" fantasy again. The neocons are seizing the moment. There are arguments for "extermination." Brave men armed with big budgets and keyboards, out to conquer the world - with someone else doing the bleeding.

When terrorists hit the US or Israel or GB or Spain how many of these poor, dear, sweet Lebanese and PAL civilians and their children danced in the streets and passed out candy and sweets in celebration in joy. Answer: Hundreds of thousands. Question: How many of thes sweet terrorist loving violence worshippers are dancing now and passing out sweets?? Answer: None.

hey, i knew ben-gurion, you are not ben-gurion, look in the mirror. sure, syria wants peace after been kicked into ass several times.the same with lebanon, when they understand, that peace is cheaper than iranian money the problem will be resolved, but it might take few times for israel to repeat the lesson.

Okay Julien, but think for just a moment about who instigated this battle, who decided to stage it in cities and neighborhoods filled with civilians in Lebanon. It wasn't Israel. In fact there was a great deal of discussion for the past 5 years about why hizbollo was in Southern Lebanon setting the stage for this battle and Israel talked circles trying to convince Lebanon that they needed to get them out of there. If anyone is to blame for this, hizbollo is. By all appearances, they were punishing Lebanon for kicking Iran and Syria out. Because it wasn't until the media started pointing this out that nastyralla went on television and blamed the IDF for shooting back at them.

"Also there are many other alternatives like a coalition of Christian [phalangist],Sunni Muslim [Amal] and Druze taking over Lebanon and dominating the Shia minority." - Daniel Leopold Last month there was such an coalition working to find a political solution to the Hizbollah militia. Now even Walid Jumblatt is defiant that Lebanon must stand together against the naked agression. Israel destroyed that option when it decided to destroy Lebanon.

"There are numerous examples around the world of similar tactics working quite well like the air campaign in Yugoslavia . . ." - Daniel Leopold Big difference.The campaign against Slobodan took years and was mostly diplomatic. Before the first use of air power the US spent a year arming Croatia and building the diplomatic alliance to ensure there would be sufficient international forces to handle peace keeping. Then when all was ready a crisis was forced, the US bombed, Croatia recovered lost territory and Slobodan had to come to terms. He was given terms at Dayton. Mostly kept them until the Republicans tried to impeach Clinton. Seeing a chance he went back to his old ways in Kosovo. This time the diplomacy had already been done, and the air response was quicker, and as Slobodan's corrupt government had become very unpopular, the campaign, both strategic and tactical brought him down. The reason it worked was the military force was the exclamation point for well waged diplomacy.

Israel has been attacked 100's of times. So, perhaps they're just sick and tired of trying to keep the bas7ards at bay. Perhaps they've decided they're no longer going to be as "tolerant" about proxy mercenaries and terrorists who are hired by maniac regimes to "wipe them off the map". There isn't a country in the free world that would have tolerated what Israel has tolerated for this long.

One Irony about Iraq Mr. Ben Gurion is that the legislature was unanimous in voting to condemn the war against Lebanon. Bush seems to intend to start withdrawals just before the election, while blaming the democrats for the failure in Iraq. This will work because the democrats are too cowardly to fight back. The question is how does Israel deal with it's problem. It will take much more than limited incursions to stop the rockets. Yet I see a government pretending to itself that it won't have to do what needs to be done given the course they have chosen to pursue. If your going to occupy southern Lebanon then Israel might as well get on with it. There is a real revulsion going on around the world as tourists return with very horrific tales. Saudi has been bought off with a $6 billion dollar weapons bribe, but they were going to do nothing anyway. But the chances of the EU doing something Bush can't stop are growing.

Anyone who knows Islam knows it's a religion of peace, and there are plenty of jews/hindus/sikhs/christians/buddhists/etc, who know this, and get along quite well with Muslims. The problem dear rich, lies within yourself, and your incapability, of opening a book about islam (eg. The Qur'an), and realizing its peace.

US Officials: "US will give Israel a week to complete Israel offensive". Even Israel has lost her right to decide by herself .....unfortunately most of the decisions, not only the Lebanon offensive, are made in Bushland....I pay you and I help you... you do what I want....Israel a sovereign country...? a real lack of respect !.

What Arab source did you get that camel crap from? The only people I've ever seen pretending to be victims are the Arab-Palestinians who all seem to have money to buy posters and matching warfare outfits and cute little head pieces that have slogans claiming ownership of Israel for use when protesting, but are too destitute to feed, clothe and house their families. If they had spent half as much on building their country as they've spent on waging jihad against Israel they wouldn't have anything to complain about. Of course there's nothing Israel or anyone else can do about their corrupt leaders, like Arafat who was caught putting millions of their money in a Swiss account. sheeshh.. bunch of whiners.

Jeff Northridge I too don't have hebrew,although I am Jewish. I just means: ISREAL LIVES!!! In hebrew it is prounounced YISRAEL. Regards

The Republican propaganda machine is giving a full court push. The decision has been made. Condi will stall, Boulton will veto, Israel will bomb, and when Hizbollah an Lebanon are destroyed, Bush will ride in and save the Lebanese just like in a bad western. It`s the climatic Shootout at the Notok Corral between Cowboy George and the Terrorist International.-Mark IV Lincoln IS NOT LIFE WONDERFUL. YOUR FRIENDS GET TO MEET THEIR VIRGINS IN HELL.

I'm not for bombing them till nothing is left because I am one of them. I once shed a tear for a small child with a pale smile looking at a camera before he and his mother were dragged to a truck on their way to the Holocuast(In a doc.film I saw in Reitchstag Berlin 1961) The horrible thing, the photographer( was said to be Hitler's private one) kept the camera at the child's face for more time because Hitler loved children, we were told! I can't blame you so much for your savage cruetly as those who did it to you and built it inside you. Now that you've been waging these wars "in defence" of your people remember one thing and tell it to your children that the West that has been hating you for two thousand years can't be falling in love with you overnight. You are virtualy a cheep mercenary state doing their dirty job for them who are afraid of peace with the world. And although you're an army you might not be aware the trigger of your bomb does lie safely in Washingt DC lest you d

Am = People (of) Yisrael = Israel Chai = live or, life to the people of Israel Thank you for your comments

The following has been reported: 1 Iran's Revolutionary Guard commender Brig.-General Yahya Rahim Safavi has assumed command of the Lebanese war from Nassrallah. 2 There was an airlift of weapons from Revolutionary Guard HQ in Bandar Abbas, including large quantities of long range Zelzal and Fajr-3, Fajr-5 missiles, as well as anti-tank and anti-air missiles to Abu Qud Dahur military airfield north of Homs, Syria. More to follow at some other time.

The attack against Israel are intensively tragic, anyone must admitt. But the current escalation and subsequent incurssion into Lebanon demonstrates among other thing the unmistakable pattern of a deception operations from Israels IDF. It follows the same pattern of the old war of the late 6o's early 70's. When armed by a UN resolution and under the auspice of an international ocupation force the muslim forces laid down their arms and were immediatedly invaded by Israel 2 weeks later. I guess the Israeli regime is counting on the innocence of a new generation to repeat their pattern of violence and brutal conquests and continue been the source of terrorism and one of the most evil regimes in the face of the earth in recent history. I was raised a good christian.I believe that the kingdom of god will come at his own time. Not by force. Now my question is: what is the basic claim to land of Israel? And what are the real justifications to thier claim beyond any religious reasonings? Pea

Very few people reply to your posts and none agree with them.Because they are very self serving and idiotic. Why would Israel have to agree to a prisoner exchange when these soldiers were kidnapped from Israeli territory. I would give you guys an ultimatum and than start wrecking havoc in both Gaza and Lebanon. I think that the IDF is way too soft hearted . They should just determine where the projectiles are coming from and just lob shells into the area without prior warning. You should get your own medicine in your face. As far as I am concerned collateral damage is highly overrated. Desist from lobbing Qassams and Katyushas or get your brains blown out in the return fire.

A seemingly recuuring theme in Lebanon seems to be developing that wherever you find a "mosque under construction" or a village mosque , underneath you will also find a Hezbollah bunker or hold/armoury stored with rockets, arms and missiles. It seems house of prayer form a good camouflage for terrorist activity. Sounds a bit like the Finsbury Mosque in London which used to be a terrorist and training centre until the terror groups were removed and dissected out from the peaceful prayer groupsthat had existed before being taken over.

You my dear chap are on the wrong track. Firstly you have not included the Balestiinian dead and secondly these number are not that material. I believe that they should be at a ratio of 100:1 as compared to Israeli casualties.Do you even know or care what the Israeli casualties are? I did not think so. I would suggest that you advise us poor unknowing slobs here as to the number of virgins left in heaven and give us a daily count of how many are still available and have you considered valunteering (as a virgin) for yourself, BG the Arab and Doris.

That (BG) is absolutely right and you have no right to talk to him like that: G-d incarnate has spoken. Israel and the Jews have created the Iranian Mullahs in Iran,the PLO in Jordan, Saddam Husssein in Iraq, the Phalange in Lebanon, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Hizbulla, Hamas, the Baath etc. If the Jews were more compliant now and dead there would be piece and if they were more compliant and dead in 1948 or 1945 than the Middle East would be paradise. Ronnie wake up. This is an Arab HaHaAretz paid apologist and no one will get through to him or persuade him to change his stripes. For an older man you sure are NAIVE. He wants Israel dismembered and plays a double game.

Nicole you write "hundreds of thousands of victims killed by the Jewish state directly or indirectly". Well, remember when your country murdered at least 6 million Jews, INDIRECTLY? Why did not you let them in, women, children, elderly? Your country was not under any threat back then? Before blaming Israel or posting factual lies, please dig deep into your own soul and see whether your little fat country made nice profit on those muddered by the Nazis.

Now is not the time to have civil discussions with the likes of BG the HaHaAretz paid Arab or Mark Lincoln the Jew hater. We must let all these people and Israel know that Hezbolla the Vermin must be extinguished and all of them sent to meet their Virgins. To that end Israel MUST retake South Lebanon that the Four Zon.t persuaded the LEFT to abandon and created this situation we are in now. Katyushas have a certain range and by capturing South Lebanon they will be pushed back so that they cannot threaten some major cities. Prior to sending in infantry they must carpet bomb that area to prevent IDF casualties and kill as many rats that come out of their sewers. We can negotiate with BG, ML and Lebanon later and withdraw from SL only if Lebanon returns the sildiers, disarms the Hizbulla and takes over that area. SL should become a No mans Land without any IDF presence and anything that moves in that area would be pulverized. The same should be done in Gaza.

The state of Israel is a Jewish state indeed. - The main language of the state is Hebrew, the second (officially), - Arabic; then French and English follow. - 2 officially accepted vacation days are Friday (because of significant Muslim population) and Saturday (because Jews constitute a Majority - 80%). Nevertheless, observing Christians usually obtain a Sunday as a vacation day instead of Friday, or Saturday. - All citizens (except Muslim Arabs), including Christian Arabs, Muslim Beduins, Muslim Cherkeses, Arab speaking Druzs, ,and Jews serve in IDF. - I don't expect you to change your negative relation to the State of Israel, but you shouldn't accuse Israel in 'sins' that don't exist.

"why is the idf exactly hitting various christian regions of Lebanon. More specifically, why did the IAF hit the relay station of the LBC: a station that established and is still ran by the Lebanese Forces, Israel`s historical allies in Lebanon." - Charbel The Olmert government has decided to wage a war of extermination against Lebanon and the Lebanese people. I do not understand this. I can see no logical reason for doing so. They are simply moving down a target list that started with Shiites and now seems to be reaching Christian targets. I guess the equation is as simple as it is stated by many on these forums. The only good Arab is a dead Arab, and it doesn't matter if that Arab is someone who used to like Israel (before he died) or not. This policy sounds insane, and it is. It will take Israel generations to repair the damage done to it by Ehud Olmert.

there are no winners only losers in war. but the world has woken up to the terrifying reality of what islam represents. all religions get along with each other - there are no problems between jew/hindu/sikh/christian/buddhist etc but EVERYONE has problems with muslims. why is islam so agressive and hateful ? the world now knows it must stand united to protect herself.

To all the supporters of this war: First I will not hide I am lebanese. In the facts, Israel army is destroying lebanese infrastructure and is mainly killing civilians. The damage to Hizbollah are negligible and they will continue to be because that is the nature of a guerilla organisation. To weaken a guerilla you have to cut its reason to exist and Israel is doing exactly the contrary. This attack may weaken Hezbollah's weapons' supply a bit but it is making it stronger(in support and active members) because it is justifying its reason to exist. The best gift that can be given to an extremist organization(such as Hizbollah is turning to be) is to use violence against it. These attacks are a gift to Hezbollah and a slap in the face to the lebanese governement(a big part of the infrastructure he payed so much is destroyed) whose main objective during the last months was to find the means to apply the 1559 resolution. I do not think it is wise.

"" It is unlikely the force will be willing to fight and kill Hizballah, and worse, get killed by them. It will be another ineffectual UNIFIL, or Israel will remain in occupation, as in pre-2000, suffering weekly losses. The blind mice are getting Israel into a trap. With all this, Hizballah will just move missiles further back."" Being defeatist and apologetic for terrorism is always an alternative but not much of an option for Israel. There are numerous examples around the world of similar tactics working quite well like the air campaign in Yugoslavia and the onslaught in Chechnya. The results are never hundred percent but they keep this fundamentalist terrorist cancer in check. Also there are many other alternatives like a coalition of Christian [phalangist],Sunni Muslim [Amal] and Druze taking over Lebanon and dominating the Shia minority. Everyone has a pain threshold BG and sooner or later Hizb'Allah and their minions will reach theirs and give up.

Emily, Hezbollah threatened in past to abduct soldiers if Israel does not release it's prisoners. They acted on a known threat. Israel responded with 100's of sorties over civilian areas. This is what triggered the rocket launching, and thus the war. It was Olmert, not Nasrallah, who declared "this is war". If abducting 2 soldiers calls for war, then Israel should have been attacked 100's of times, due to the constant invasion & abduction tactics it routinely employs. Israeli soldiers were abducted in the past; Israel negotiated for their return. So why war this time? Israel used excuses in the past to launch wars. e.g, the 67 and 82 occupation wars. Recently, Israeli US lobbies worked hard to get the US to attack Iraq (see the Harvard paper), then to create UNR 1559. It used the US to partially enforce 1559 by pressuring Syria to get out of Lebanon. Now it uses the 2 abducted soldiers as an excuse to attempt enforcing the other part of 1559.

In the name of humanity. PLease stop fighting.

"Condi will stall, Boulton will veto, Israel will bomb, and when Hizbollah an Lebanon are destroyed, Bush will ride in and save the Lebanese just like in a bad western." - Mark L I suspect the US looks at the Lebanon crisis as that of Iraq. The US is fighting the insurgents in Iraq. Why shouldn't Israel be allowed to fight Hizballah in Lebanon? From this point of view, the US may choose to do nothing (stall). But there is an important distinction. Lebanon is already past its civil war. The US invasion gave rise to the civil war. The US will be lucky if things settle down in Iraq so the civil war ends (eventually) with some militias agreeing to participate in elections etc., while still keeping their arms (as in Leb.). In short, no exact analogy. But Dumbya is always dangerous. Left to their own devices, the neocons will let Lebanon be ruined in order to fight for democracy. But the Arab world will explode perhaps. The danger is real, so we will see how Dumbya adjusts his vision

Those are machine guns that shoot 8,000 shots per minute at incoming rockets. Every USA warship carries them, including some helicopters.

If by key stronghold they mean a few guys with a few rockets than yeah it's a very key stronghold. This operation was so bloated on CNN it's ridiculous, Maroun-Al-Ras is such a tiny village, I spoke to a father of my friend about the IDF has captured Maroun-Al-Ras and his reaction was laugeable: 'Captured? The whole Maroun Al Ras is 20 meters long'. Seems like a real media offensive at work...

Someone's tin-foil hat is leaking. Maybe you should get the lead-lined model. I hear it blocks the "waves" better than straight tin.

Unfortunately, Israel is small and narrow, and there is short distance to the enemy. The Negev is the only place where you can keep nuclear bombs away from people, and the entire area can be knocked out with a few surprise nukes. The 2nd strike capability means submarines. Too bad it is necessary to spend money on this. I pity the bored sailors.

"IDF troops uncovered several anti-tank missiles and several surface-to-surface missiles Friday night during an operation in the village of Marwaheen. They also found a machine gun, a Kalashnikov assault rifle, and ammunition." I guess nobody supposes that this peaceful Lebanese village was being used by Hezbollah as a launching ground for its katyushas?

Either way you see it, Hezbollah is an unwanted group and thus needs to be disarmed if not eradicated. For, if you see this group as part of Lebanon's army, then how come the Lebanese army is not helping the "National Resistance" group and rather leaving them isolated? But if you see them as an independent group inside of Lebanon, then they have formed a state within a state, and if they cause no problems to Israel, they will cause problems to Lebanon. And if they are extensions of Syria and Iran, then who gives them a right to be in Lebanon? Furthermore, where is Syria and Iran to save them?

4. A mishmash of claims, relevant to something, I am not sure what. There are distinctions between Egypt and Syria. You forgot to mention that Syrians have a darker complexion, and Egyptians have rounder faces. Now what? Does this mean that Syria does not want to make peace with Israel? It does want to. Bashar offered to negotiate peace. His father already made the decision to go for peace (as we know from recent history; check the Ross book, or any book covering up to year 2000.) 5. "the main problem is Iran." - Cipora Main problem for what? What are you trying to solve, the nuclear threat? Then you deal with Iran (but it is hard; see the US difficulties). If you want to deal with Hizballah, there are 3 ways: (a) Fight Hizballah directly, as is done today. (b) Fight Iran, or get them to stop support of Hizballah. (c) Get Syria to stop supporting Hizballah, and then they are dead. (This is a well-known wisdom in Israel; see some quote I brought today.) Pick the best way. Think.

People said similar things about the US in 1910 after the Spanish American War. 1916 US involvement in WW1 brings quick end to German Aggression. People said similar things in the 1930's blaming the US for worldwide depression. 1941 US involvolvement in WW2 helps defeat Axis aggression in Europe Africa and Asia People said similar things in 1968 during Vietnam. 1989 The cold war and APARTHEID end as a result of Ronald Reagan's cowboy diplomacy. 1980-2005 The US assists Muslims in Lebanon, Kuwait, Somalia, Kosovo and Iraq who are being oppressed by dictators. Reward. Everyone hates us, ESPECIALLY the Muslims. They hate us because we are not Muslim and we are successful. That makes them question the efficacy of their religion. BTW, India is especially liking us right now. The Muslims

I do not pretend to now all that is currently going on..but, my feeling is that israel has to protect itself from a force that is determined to erase them from the universe, and has been sending rockets into their territory in an attempt to kill civilians.I do feel for the civilian population of lebanon,and if hezbollah felt so strongly, why are they putting the innocent lebonese at risk....

The Israelis have spent years and years pretending being the victim of the Muslims in the Middle East. The last years we witness the real face of this state which doesn't know excpet the killing and the destruction. In the last 60 years, the Middle East witnessed hundreds of thousands of victims killed by the Jewish state directly or indirectly. It's obvious that the instabilty in the Middle East is due to the existance of a state know only killing of children and destroying houses.

REMOVE) Henryk, Why don't you stop calling names and get the latest on the war on terror and stop blowing off your Isearli propaganda on me. Please read Bob Deans who isn't afraid to speak the truth and leave behind the spin of sin. Thanks, Dutch P.S. The American columnist/Opinion Editor Bob Deans who has written extensively on Global terrorism--telling it like it is. "What the US is losing, is simply ,THE WAR , the war it launched on Afghanistan and Iraq for the sole reason ovf becoming Israel's poodle". "There was no "terrorism "in the Middle East and there were no "terrorists" in the Middle East that the US was coming to save the world from. The sooner American people understand this fact, the better chances of saving their country, and their loved ones(who are being sent all over the world to fight for a non-exist-ing cause.) ...not to mention our countries , and people in the Middle East. According to the Webster's New World Dictionary, the definition of he word terrorism is as follows: terrorism (iz'm)n. 1.the use of force and violence to intimidate, subjugate, etc., esp. as a political policy 2. the intimidation produced in this way ? ter?ror?ist n.,adj ? ter?ror?is?tic adj. If I am not mistaken , Isn't the US with its lord and master Israel, that is using force and violence to intimidate and subjugate the people of Palestine,Afghan -istan and Iraq???? Isn't the US which is occupying and /or financing the occupation of those countries?? No body saw Afghanis, Iqaris , or Palestinians launch a war against the United States !!! It is shameful that writers and reporters should be parroting the favoriite media phrase "growing terror" in the Middle East. Instead of facing reality, that what is growingin the Middle East is A LEGITIMATE PATRIOTIC MOVE- MNENT OF SELF DEFENSE against the terrorism of greed and violent occupiers and colonizers. By who's definition do the occupied people resisting occupation become "terrorists" while the occupier retains the title of liberator???" Shame on any journalist who uses the word "terror" to describe to describe a people in defense of THEIR own homeland while the real terror in this this world,is emating directly from the United States and the "poor little victim-state " Israel. (http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/nation/14928128.htm) God Bless men of truth, instead of the spin masters of sin. Dutch

I think the bodies of the Hezbollah soldiers converted into pig food for the stupid Muslim murderers. This act would prevent them from going to heaven and blanking with the virgins, instead they would become ONE with the Almighty Muslim Pig Deity (Mr. P). It's time to send them Porkey Pig Heaven. BTW, I am serious. Michael S.

I don't care who gets the credits and how he does it. The Hizballa is dangerous as much or more than Al Qaida. The work for Ahmedinejab. Let's hope that your government can get him next!

Now is not the time to have civil discussions with the likes of BG the HaHaAretz paid Arab or Mark Lincoln the Jew hater. We must let all these people and Israel know that Hezbolla the Vermin must be extinguished and all of them sent to meet their Virgins. To that end Israel MUST retake South Lebanon that the Four Zon.t persuaded the LEFT to abandon and created this situation we are in now. Katyushas have a certain range and by capturing South Lebanon they will be pushed back so that they cannot threaten some major cities. Prior to sending in infantry they must carpet bomb that area to prevent IDF casualties and kill as many rats that come out of their sewers. We can negotiate with BG, ML and Lebanon later and withdraw from SL only if Lebanon returns the sildiers, disarms the Hizbulla and takes over that area. SL should become a No mans Land without any IDF presence and anything that moves in that area would be pulverized. The same should be done in Gaza.

3. "As I had said before, the missiles furnished to Hizbollah are purely offensive in nature, and that indicates beyond the shadow of doubt that Hizbollah was preparing for an attack, as opposed to some defensive posture." - Cipora It is nice that you can quote yourself as an expert, except here it isn't true. Hizballah was arming itself with missiles in order to be able to respond to possible IDF attacks on civilians. That was the way they used them up to now, according to a "deal" in force since 1996. Short range missiles could attack Kiryat Shemonah (and did on special occasions), longer range - Haifa. But I worry about your basic military logic. A counter-threat is a way to prevent an offense. But in your mind, an insignificant militant force (outside its boundaries) will go and threaten Israel directly. I would have called it paranoia if not for your military expertise.

That (BG) is absolutely right and you have no right to talk to him like that: G-d incarnate has spoken. Israel and the Jews have created the Iranian Mullahs in Iran,the PLO in Jordan, Saddam Husssein in Iraq, the Phalange in Lebanon, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Hizbulla, Hamas, the Baath etc. If the Jews were more compliant now and dead there would be piece and if they were more compliant and dead in 1948 or 1945 than the Middle East would be paradise. Ronnie wake up. This is an Arab HaHaAretz paid apologist and no one will get through to him or persuade him to change his stripes. For an older man you sure are NAIVE. He wants Israel dismembered and plays a double game.

"...Israel offers to conduct peace talks with Syria in return for immediate return of the soldiers and a cease fire..." BEN GURION Syria is an Iranian tool. You might as well suggest talks with Ahmedinejad. Dearm on! Even good ideas need "real-life" takers!

My 'flower garden' response was to #6, but somehow the numbers shifted afterwards. 'Out of Warsow' maliciously compares between the 1943 Jewish Ghetto fighters and the people of 2006 Gaza. I told him it does not work to only copy those aspects of the Jewish national history that one likes. Fate is a package deal and each identity has its own (severe) consequences. The Arabs of Gaza and the West-Bank have gotten used to be fed by the world and produce NOTHING. Except, of course, victimhood. I told him that one day, the world will lose its patience and steamroll their neighborhood. I meant it as an encouragement, of course.

I will take an Israeli soldier over a Hizbullah any day of the week, as you can see, the bad guys -- Hizbullah is losing badly.

"It is amazing to discover that the guys expressing the most extreme feelings and solutions (e.g. "flatten Lebanon") are ... Americans" Just because they say they're Americans, doesn't mean that they are. They're probably wannabees. Most Americans are strongly pro-Israel.

"Dutch - I thought this war started because a terrorist organization (Hizbollah) made an unprovoked attack on a soveriegn state - Israel - " ... Ben Avrahom "terrorist organization": That is your definition. It is a resistance movement that kicked Israel's Butt out of Lebanon after 2 decades of Occupation. "Sovereign": A sovereign state is one whose borders defined by it's government is agreed upon by the international community and mainly by it's neighbors. Can you draw us a map of where such borders lie? You can keep your head in the sand if you choose, but like it or not, Israel is an occupying state, built on the concept of theft of lands that belong to others, and claiming the land as it's own, after turning it's inhabitants into refugees in other countries. Israel still holds many thousands of Lebanese and Palestinians hostages, many picked up in illegal operation such as the invasion of the evil murderer Sharon into Pal areas. Where is the sovereignty in this?

Cipora, if you float closer to earth you might observe some important details. (Why do I have to go through this, can't you ask somebody else for explanations? Pleeease.) 1. "Your claim that Israel escalated unnecessarily is wrong. No sovereign state would leave without response the violation of its sovereignty" - Cipora Please check your dictionary. Does a violation need to be answered with an escalation? (a) yes; (b) no; (c) always except Saturdays; (d) never. 2. "kidnapping..was accompanied by a barrage of rockets fired at the Israeli town of Shlomi" - Cipora Here is the Haaretz report on the incident. See if you can distinguish between a town and a military outpost at/near the town. "Two Israelis were wounded when gunmen in Lebanon began pounding the IDF`s Zarit position and other posts along the border before 9 A.M." - Haaretz , July 14th

Sam, New York doesn't want cowards either. Maybe you should move to Paris.

Anthony, my man. I know you probably grew up in Iowa and were a cowboy in Texas before you moved to France, but I have a problem with your posts. You sound a lot like a native French-speaker trying to pretend like you are an American. I'm just sayin....

Anthony, Anthony, "the peace"? "the books"? You've been in France too long. You make as much sense as Marcel Marceau at a blind man's birthday party.

For once i understand Israelis. In general, as manyy in Europe, i support palestinians because i think they fight Israel to live as free men in their country (according to all UN resolutions). however, if palestinians receive my support i must say that this time i understand Israel. Hezbollah has no major territorial claims such as palestinians. They are just a bunch of extremists, toys of Iran, ready to create more problems in the region. So Israel's forces should kick them hard... On the other hand, i think Israel should stop destroying bridges, roads, airports (i don't think hezbollah carries it's weapons in airplanes!) because the fate of Liban is at stake... If lebanese see their country destroyed by Israel, they will feel sympathy for hezbollah, which will look as the defender of the country and will therefore increase its grip on the society. So my advice would be: kick them hard (hezbollah) but don't touch Liban's vital infrastructures!

Take away the exitentialist threat from Israel and there will be absolute peace and sharing of territory in a two state solution

Really ! I thought the IDF were already in the Lebanon sorting out your mess. Since you are in Beirut can't you and your friends help and find the courage to join in a protest to get rid of Hizbollah and have peace in your country - the terroerists have been ruining your beautiful country for years now.

In an interview on TV tonight I heard a displaced LEbanese woman thanking Allah for Hizbollah who is protecting them against the Israelis. Poor sods are so brainwashed they know not that Hizbollah is responsible for causing the Israeli attack in the first place.

El Shaddai - Praise His Holy Name

why is the idf exactly hitting various christian regions of Lebanon. More specifically, why did the IAF hit the relay station of the LBC: a station that established and is still ran by the Lebanese Forces, Israel's historical allies in Lebanon. You guys are alienating the whole lebanese population (muslims and christians) and are boosting Hezbollah's popularity. If the IDF was really serious about dealing with the roots of the issue, Tehran and Damascus would have already been targeted: This is complete BS!

Actually the parts that weren't desert were mainly swamp and malaria infested stretches of land.

Indeed, that time of the month. What's in a name?

Fact is salbando there's no value in asking about Hezbollah's massacre of two young Arab children in Nazareth because the world's media doesn't care to focus on the murders being committed by the war criminal Nasrallah or what caused the conflict in the first place.

The Republican propaganda machine is giving a full court push. The decision has been made. Condi will stall, Boulton will veto, Israel will bomb, and when Hizbollah an Lebanon are destroyed, Bush will ride in and save the Lebanese just like in a bad western. It's the climatic Shootout at the Notok Corral between Cowboy George and the Terrorist International.

Yeh Alex, Shame on the Israelis for wanting to live, not die for nothing! I am sure the Australians don't have an airforce and that the only thing you have is infantry....hope there is never a kangaroo rebellion, oh, you shoot those from helicopters don't you?

"2. Second strike capability." - Ben Gurion Aside from the US and USSR no nation has deemed it necessary to have more than about 300-400 weapons to feel quite secure. Even when the US could have delivered many thousands of bombs on the Soviet Union, and the could have delivered perhaps few dozen on the US during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the US wad deterred.

HizbAllah have vowed to liberate the whole of Lebanon, they are and will work towords that goal. The troops where taken prisoner INSIDE Lebanon. Israel NEVER realy left Lebanon. (Occupation) HizbAllah kills 50% enemy troops and 50% civillians. IDF kills 400 civilians and maybe, just maybe 100 troops, despite "precision weapons and raids" AND bombs hospitals, water supplies etc etc (crimes against humanity) Youre goverment are just trying to persue the old goal of an GREATER Isarael.(Colonialisation) Israel is a jewish state i.e its not for all - get A BILL OF RIGHTS. (South Africa modell?) Get peace by treating your fellow man as just that, man are all alike, the one that tryes to opress the other becouse his not the right etnical group MUST be destroyd and will be just that. Who whants such a neighbour that looks att you and say "I'm more then you, becouse im white, black, jew etc". Who can accapt that? Wake up now, before its too late.

My name is a riddle for you to solve. Even with an 'open mind', one may not 'achieve' the peace. Perhaps peace is not so much the result of an effort, but rather a quality in itself, waiting to be chosen and realized. I think many Arab people have a difficult time because their culture encourages them to hold on to their rage rather than sublimating it into something for the common good. It is ironic that they fight against the Jews instead of JOINING them. The Arab countries are among the least developed in the world. False pride prevents them from welcoming the arrival of freedom and prosperity.

To Yehudi: Hashem ishmor otkha ve kol ham Israel

"Soon the US, with this latest news of support, will take the brunt of the heat, but Israel is hated like never before." - Amanda Hollingworth This is true, sad to say.

see above.

The ordinance that killed the family members on the beach was a Kassam. The shrapnel evidence provided to the Israeli Govt by the PA proved this. It was an explosion in a Hamas weapons stockpile that was the culprit. From the AP that provided the original report you cited: ??Shortly after we stopped defensive firing at Hamas rocket launch pads which were deployed behind Palestinian human shields, members of Hamas scrambled to fire more rockets at our positions,? said Col. M. ?We have eyes on every meter of Gaza, from the sky, from the ground and from the sea. One of their rocket tripods collapsed inadvertently setting off an explosion of a stockpile of Qassam rockets."

IMAGINE that you actually get a life and stop dreaming rubbish and feeling miserable. Help build your country up and fight to get rid of Hizbollah.

No point in talking to that Arab who calles himself B.G. He is an Arab from Lod called Salah. There it is zadok.No doubt he will pooh,pooh it and deny the truth.Jew he is not! Not by a long shot zadok. And to add insult to injury to our people,he gets paid for wrting here. Now! I wonder if Haaretz will have the guts to put this out eh?? We`ll see...

as a frenchman, how do you trust arabs unless you're one of them

Israel will conduct the kind of warfare that best suits her and nothing, absolutely nothing will influence IDF otherwise. Do you see any arab country interfering? They won't say it publicly but in fact they are very happy that Israel is crushing the islamo-fascist organization. This time, the new moroccan-born israeli defense minister set out new rules of engagement that were not in effect in previous wars. Basically: you fire from a building, the whole building becomes legitimate target. that change, with the time required to do the job thoroughly will determine the end of your brothers in Hezbollah and Hamas as a matter of fact. I am already starting hearing things about white flags! I understand that you can be frustrated by so much stupidity but please, keep your dignity and composure and stop lying, delusioning and whining. Good day.

Of course France know how to deal with the arabs so they are kind with you....by selling them many many many weapons like Chirac did yesterday. It's just remember me when Chirac sold a nuclear plant to Saddam some years ago........remember ? They are realy very nice with you the arabs...hahaha

just like Judaism and Christianity, the Muslims will deal with enlightenment theology/philosophy. The billion plus Hindu's in India could have chosen to crush the Muslims or the Jain's or the Jews or the Christians...but they joined the movement away from a totalitarian interpretation of religion. We hope to build a world of difference where we can all allow free access to religious and non religious places of importance. The survival of the world depends on it. And so Mohamad Junaid does yours and your groups survival. Minority rights...without this there is only tyranny and you are speaking like a tyrant who does not respect the minority or the different. Shame on you...

That ass (BG) is absolutely right and you have no right to talk to him like that: G-d incarnate has spoken. Israel and the Jews have created the Iranian Mullahs in Iran,the PLO in Jordan, Saddam Husssein in Iraq, the Phalange in Lebanon, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Hizbulla, Hamas, the Baath etc. If the Jews were more compliant now and dead there would be piece and if they were more compliant and dead in 1948 or 1945 than the Middle East would be paradise. Ronnie wake up. This is an Arab HaHaAretz paid apologist and no one will get through to him or persuade him to change his stripes. For an older man you sure are NAIVE. He wants Israel dismembered and plays a double game.

Ali , I have to disagree with you Hezbollah is not the greatest evil in the free world today but Israel's oppression of the Pale -stinian people and the denial of their lawful and just rights. This is what's disturbing the world and fueling terrorism. Thank you, Dutch

Now is not the time to have civil discussions with the likes of BG the HaHaAretz paid Arab or Mark Lincoln the Jew hater. We must let all these people and Israel know that Hezbolla the Vermin must be extinguished and all of them sent to meet their Virgins. To that end Israel MUST retake South Lebanon that the Four Zo...t persuaded the LEFT to abandon and created this situation we are in now. Katyushas have a certain range and by capturing South Lebanon they will be pushed back so that they cannot threaten some major cities. Prior to sending in infantry they must carpet bomb that area to prevent IDF casualties and kill as many rats that come out of their sewers. We can negotiate with BG, ML and Lebanon later and withdraw from SL only if Lebanon returns the sildiers, disarms the Hizbulla and takes over that area. SL should become a No mans Land without any IDF presence and anything that moves in that area would be pulverized. The same should be done in Gaza.

Well JR I see your comparing the GOD of Abraham ,Isaac and Jacob to ole allah .Well allah ,( the moon god of the arab muslims or zin ) is not the GOD of the Jews and believers. And all of Israel even Lebanon belongs to Jews and Gaza and Jordan . And the only peaceful muslim I've seen is dead . And Ishmael was not the promised heir ,but Isaac was the chosen heir of Abraham .Ishmael was a (bastard son ) whom Sarah disobeyed Adonai and told Abraham to sleep with the slave woman . Also ,you need to stop believing in fairy tales ,like muslims want peace ? ROFL ..your kidding right ?o go to google and research what their koran actually teaches ,then your eyes will be opened .

Mark, The one's I saw blow up were on their launchers. On the ground. In Iraq. The launchers were destroyed.

Lincoln, you once used to occasionally write something sensible but you know that the conclusions 'a' to 'd' are palpably false. You're starting to sound more and more like Khalid. To give you the benefit of the doubt, I suggest that it's time for some R and R, lest the battle fatigue you're suffering from at the moment becomes something a little more permanent.

The mosque, wherever it may be, has an 80% chance of being a cesspool of terror. It must be destroyed.

Well JR ,I see you know as little about the war between the North and the South and the Muslims .All muslims world wide has the same mind set and that is to conquer the world . Israel needs to go in with the daisy cutters and litterally obliterate Syria and Demascus and Iran and Lebanon and the Gaza strip and rid themselves of the infestation of the vermin ( aka: Arab Pali's )that is seeking Israel's demise .

Otherwise they'd have had a bomb dropped on their HQ - aka Iranian embassy

And Hezbollah hides rockets in mosques or shelter their arms among civilians and expect not to be attacked. Chutzpah indeed!

Dutch - I thought this war started because a terrorist organization (Hizbollah) made an unprovoked attack on a soveriegn state - Israel - by firing around 80 Katusha rockets and crossing the international border, killing soldiers and taking two wounded soldiers hostage. That was an

I am reading news from the british foreign minister and an interview with some deputy, advising of the Israeli response on the attacks perpetrated by this cowards. They are warning Israel of excesive force. My point are these people so short of memory or their antisemitism is such, that they forgot that a year ago their civilians were bombed by these same cowards who choose to attack the innocent and hide behind them.

I am just curious to find out wht the hizb targeted Nazareth. Was it the case that the rockets went haywire or was there some other reason?

"Huzb Allah is a Lebanese organization, comprising of Lebanese fighters. Anything else is a lie." Where do you get your interesting information from? Why are there so many reports of Farsi being spoken by the terrorists?

Ali , I have to disagree with you Hezbollah is not the greatest evil in the free world today but Israel's oppression of the Pale -stinian people and the denial of their lawful and just rights. As St. Augustine noted all human errors contain a degree of evil: "Men's errors vary very much in the magnitude of the evil they produce, but every error is in itself an evil" Surely, then Zionist greed "to inherit the land" and 'spirit" the penniless population across the border and expropriate their land is form of great evil in the world today as it seeks to deny a whole population their lawful and just rights? Dutch

"I will restore my people Israel They shall rebuild ruined cities and inhabit them They shall plant vineyards and drink their wine They Shall till gardens and eat their fruits And I will plant them upon their soil Nevermore to be uprooted From the soil I have given them Said the Lord your G-D" Amos 9:14-15 But first lets bring down pure hell upon the heads of our enemies, the wicked men of Hizballah and HaShem will be with us..then we will be back to rebuild the ruins of our cities.

Hey Simon, What a great posting! Keep them comming. Some Arabs are reading this material and even if we can get one of them to realize that they can have a better life when they will decide to go for Peace, it will all be worth it.

You bitrayed your own country. Hezballah become a tomb and you will be the doorkeeper of the Hezballah Cemetary. Afterall you deal with deads and you will feel good in your new surrending.

The Jewish goevernment is a cower government. The war that it leads today doesn't give pride to its population. This war will be registered in history. it will not gives pride to your children Jewish. I know that there is a lot of you that are nice people, and mostly receiving distorded information by the media. The truth that you believe in isn't the one that the world recognise and claim. Be carefull where your government takes you. Peace leads you everywhere and Arab people are nice people if you know how to deal with...

You cannot compare Egypt and Syria. Egypt is a unified nation state, whereas Syria is made up of different sects and clans, and the Alawites who are the rulers, are a minority sect. The regime is weak almost by definition and is therefore very open to influence from Iran. The Syrians have considered Lebanon as part of their dominion. The ostensible departure of the Syrian army from Lebanon did not end their military ifluence in that country. Indeed, everything that Hizbollah has in terms of armament comes from Syria and from Iran. Bashar has the arrogance of the weak. He is also inexperienced. His calculations can be counted on to be rash and impulsive. All that said, the main problem is Iran. The country is run by fanatics who have, at the very least, regional ambitions. They are ruthless, and they care not one bit about the consequences of their actions. They are typical of hard core totalitarian regimes. Only the worst can be expected of them, and they have not disappointed.

"The Israelis deeply resent the muslims for forcing them to kill for their survival." - Simon Simon's quote offers us a classic example of chutzpah. Israelis kill innocent Lebanese civilians and then have the gaul, according to Simon, to be resentful for having to do it! Way to go, Simon. You should receive some kind of prize for your little gem.

How many years - the world despised the apartheid in SA darling? And genocides in Africa? Think before posting idiot remarks. The Jews were discriminated and killed in Europe for centuries. Who carred about. Not Libanon and not Palestine is the problem. The Muslim terorrist are. Deal in your prayers with yourself. Before all the Christianism will be well "jihaded" by your friends. We are just some milions. The rest will come after.

Speaking of genocide, Ahmadinejad basically voiced the sentiment of Muslims everywhere, when he called for Israel to be wiped off the map. Wow, if Israel is as evil as you say, then shouldn't you leave it in order to distance yourself from its "evil policies"? Why do you stay? Hypocrite!

war is not about being polite...the technique of "political islam" is to use the mosques...everyone knows it and NO ONE is about being delicate in war....getting the goods is about saving lives...and don't worry women soldiers and soldiers with boots on are also allowed into the arms storehouse. But glad to know you are on top it jeez!!!!!!!!!!

You sir are no idiot. Amir has not watched TV to see what happens when we, the US, are on a mission. The Arab world does not know how we come togather to get a job done. What they see and make mistakes about is how we react when the job is done. Our mistake is attempting to treat previous enemies as human beings with rational thought.I don't see a lot of rational thought going on with the Hizbullah or Hamas or Palestinians or Lebonese, just macho swagger. Thank you for your interesting presentation, we will discuss our differences of opinion regarding the civil war another day.

Your claim that Israel escalated unnecessarily is wrong. No sovereign state would leave without response the violation of its sovereignty, which resulted not only in the kidnapping of two of its soldiers, but the deaths of eight others, and which, most importantly was accompanied by a barrage of rockets fired at the Israeli town of Shlomi. It is obvious that Hizbollah, with Syrian and Iranian help, had been preparing for this for a long period of time. As I had said before, the missiles furnished to Hizbollah are purely offensive in nature, and that indicates beyond the shadow of doubt that Hizbollah was preparing for an attack, as opposed to some defensive posture. Since Israel had withdrawn from Lebanon in 2000, there was no legitimate reason for the aggression carried out against her. You always want to put Israel in a position where she is in a defensive posture. You constantly assume that the other side is rational, when all indications are to the contrary.

Ricardo, The Israelis are not the only one that are being killed for the last 6 year, so is the Palestinian. Approximately 5000 Palestinians and 1000 Israelis have been killed in the last 6-year. Of course all Palestinian, for most people in this forum, are just terrorist, they don’t count. Many of the comments posted in this forum seem to enjoy using the word “terrorist”. It seem that any one who resist the Israeli occupation or fight Israel is a terrorist, like any one who dare to criticize Israel is anti-Semites and therefore Israel does not and will never have any conventional enemy, but "terrorist". Killing any civilian intentionally any were is terrorist act. Israel does it all the time.

Pls stay in hell and wait until hizbollah will join you My be you will find some virgins Ha ha ha

1) Israel and USA to free Palestine. Truth shall let you free: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7828123714384920696 2)Against the terrorists that have hijacked Islam. 3)Fight for democracy against monarchs and dictators.

Hezbollah hides their rockets in mosques, and Lebanese civilians shelter Hezbollah and their artillary in their homes. I want Israel to avoid causing the death of civilians in Lebanon. But one has to wonder how purely surgical an Israeli strike can be, when Hezbollah militarizes many in the Lebanese citizenry.

where does egypt get its arms from ? ps. do you want to see shia domination of the arab countries in the middle east ?

Howdy Oetis; I'm afraid that you're wrong on this one. The UN gave Israel a clean bill-of-health after her withdrawal from every square inch of Lebanon in early 2000 (the UN does not recognize the Shebaa Farms as being part of Lebanon, but rather, as Israeli-occupied Syria). Contrary to your assertion that Israel is in noncompliance with UNSCR 425, the UN and the entire international community (except for Iran) disagree with you.

i guess we should just let hex keep firing rockets into Isreal, that would keep you happy

The Lebanese media is saying right now that IDF did not cross the borders!!!! who is saying true ????

How many lives of young Israeli soldiers we can afford to loose in order to preserve our image to the international community, who does nothing else but to attack Israel because of their excesive force on the response to the kidnapping of soldiers, invasion of our sovereign country and merciless and indiscriminate bombing with rockets aiming to our civilians. Is time for Israel top stand up for their citizens, our survival is at stake once again, and even if we end this conflict victoriously, how many lives we need to loose for such end. Let's send them a clear message from Dimona, to the real sponsors of this escalation to Teheran and Damascus, as the americans did in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and end once and for all this nonsense. Let's save lives.

The EU is about to lose the world's cup for winning a war by aerial bombardment for the 84 consecutive days(12 weeks) of bombing on the Christian Serbs in support of the Kosovo islamo-facists. Israel plans to be victorious over the Nazibollahs(party of nazi g-ds)within 4 to 6 weeks,just in time,before the United Naziations(UN) prevents an Israeli Victory with a one-sided ceasefire .The UN should then declare Israel the winner of their Humanitarian Nation Of The Year For Restraint in their battle for survial.Also Israel should then be nominated for the Nobel Prize For Proportional Retaliation at a ratio of 1:50(6 million Israelis vs 300 million Arabs).

Thank you for your enumeration of Israeli attrocities. Now maybe you can go back to killing each other in Thailand, Indonesia, India, Sudan, Iraq. I won't waste time with the places where you're killing non-Muslims, since it would be preferable if you kept your bloody internal struggles for power within your own peaceful religion.

What surprises me is the lack of any mention of the true root cause of the current situation in Lebanon. That would be Iran. Iran is and has been funding and arming Hezbollah to fight as it's proxy against Israel. As long as Iran is allowed to maintain support to Hezbollah and Syria continues to allow shipments of weapons to Hezbollah through Damascus, Israel will always be having to conduct these types of operations. The reality is that Hezbollah wants to fight Israel. Just look at whast Hassan Nassrallah has stated recently. Both Hezbollah and Hamas want Israel to be annihilated. Not just defeated but to be "wiped off the map" as Mr. A. from Iran would like. So when you wonder why this is all happening and want to find a way out. Look to root cause of this. The reality is Israel is not going away. Will Iran stop supporting Hezbollah? Probably not. Now what?

Couldn't agree with you more...Israel is a tumour in the Middle East...and it will be excised one day.

I hope that you are also boycotting all of the meedical, pharmaceuticaland technological advances that have come out of Israel, or are your principles not that important. As Linichka said in his/her post, keep on boycotting Israel. Who cares.

The present Israeli government lacks political will to achieve the end result. Olmert has not changed his mind about unilateral retreats. Therefore after invading south lebanon they will again retreat then Hezbollah will come again and re-occupy. Unless there is a strong government in Israel this ground invasion will be futile. Hezbollah needs a permanent and unforgettable lesson to be taught which can be achieved by occupying south Lebanon again.

Ben,discounting the charter doesnt make it go away.It IS a point.You want to forget it fine but it was an important indication of Hamas's ideas and intentions. Also the fact that they hired Haniyeh as a soft spokesman while keeping Meshaal alive and well in Damascus and Meshaal was as hard line as the charter itself. Meanwhile where is your boy,Abbas????? 'Nobody would have predicted such an overreaction by Israel. Without it, there would have been nothing for Iran' This an overeaction? Hibullah's kidnapping was totally unprovoked.And do you think this alone caused the reaction to where we are today? this reaction was because of the hundreds of rockets fired at Israel (This was planned too) The 'irrationality' of arab decisions (as you previously mentioned)is now matched by irrationality by Israels decisions on defence. You are the only rational one but remember men that live in Test Tubes shouldnt throw irrational stones around either.

At least 618,000 Americans died in our Civil War, and some experts say the toll reached 700,000. Now today, A Southerner can live at home or visit the Northern States without fear for his life. Consequently a Yankee can live and travel where he may in the Great USA. How many lives will you in the Middle East sacrifice before you can enjoy the peace we have in the USA? I pray that you will wake up sooner than we did and be able, in the future, to jokingly refer to this dark period in your history. We still say, "The South will rise again." but we will do it without blood shed. May you one day be free from that which prevents your happiness. (Hate and Envy and Bigotry and the foolish traditions of your fathers!) Sincerely, "Alabama Idiot", Johnny Reb

"hizballah fears noting and no one they are at peace with god and death" Well hamid its almost comforting to think that at the end of this pathetic display of islamic inhumanity there will be so many of you at peace with death. Why not take some time to think intelligently firstly about destruction and defeat and then how you might be able to develop a creative life and help to reconstruct a beautiful country. Get real and get a life.

That ass (BG) is absolutely right and you have no right to talk to him like that: G-d incarnate has spoken. Israel and the Jews have created the Iranian Mullahs in Iran,the PLO in Jordan, Saddam Husssein in Iraq, the Phalange in Lebanon, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Hizbulla, Hamas, the Baath etc. If the Jews were more compliant now and dead there would be piece and if they were more compliant and dead in 1948 or 1945 than the Middle East would be paradise. Ronnie wake up. This is an Arab HaHaAretz paid apologist and no one will get through to him or persuade him to change his stripes. For an older man you sure are NAIVE. He wants Israel dismembered and plays a double game.

It is true that if there were no Arab terrorists (as you would like to call them), everybody will live peacefully. we can use the same logic that if the oppressed and the occupied don't stand for their right then there will be no wars and everybody will live peacefully but not justly. But in real life, as long as there is greed and landgrabbing, peace remains to be an illusion or shall I say an excuse used by the greedy to keep what is not rightfully theirs. Give back the land to its owners and free all prisoners, only then you can ask for peace.

Do you know that Israel is engaged in ethnic cleansing in southern Lebanon? Israel has ordered all the villagers to clear out. Israel then destroys their homes and murders the fleeing villagers. That way there is no one to come back and nothing to which to return, making it easier for Israel to grab the territory, just as Israel has been stealing Palestine from the Palestinians.

dear "someone who cares"! what in your opinion is this? holding 10.000 palestinians , most of them without any proove, illegally in israelian prisons? Kidnapping of one third of an democratical elected government? aimed killings, because its too much work probably to catch them and bring them to regular court...? destroying of universities, schools, electricity-plants, infrastructure .....? i could continue.... What is this in your opinion? is this right? for this TERROR, executed by the state....it doesnt matter, who is doing the terror, state or guerillas-groups, the result is always same...think about it....

Your message was " Pity the man who knows not his God" We pity you Miss Kohn. You know not how much sympathy we feel for you for your God is surely not the God of Israel.

In response to Feras. I do understand. I understand you defiance and antisemitism and anti western rhetoric in the name of peace. I understand that there was not one Muslem in a billion that would go to Afghanistan to stand up for a man about to be executed for converting. I understand that there is not Muslem in a billion that will condemn terrorism from the streests of Beirut, Damascus, or Tehran. I understand the editorials claiming a peaceful Islam from the saftey of western newspapers directed at westerners. Persuade Muslems that Islam is peacful--then Iwill listen.

Here's another difference between the WArsaw Ghetto and Gaza: the people in the Warsaw Ghetto were coralled in; the people in Gaza have coralled themselves in, or in no small part helped to do so. Who are their real jailers? First they had the good old Soviet Union. Then Arafat and Suha stealing the money that could have been built to use a country. Let's not forget the Jordanians and Egyptians and Syrians and Lebanese who wouldn't allow them to become proper citizens. And there's always Hamas, eager to spend every resource to support their militias. And how about the people who smashed the economic infrastructure left behind when they managed to get a Judenrein Gaza? Sorry, you do the people of the Warsaw Ghetto an injustice. Let them rest in peace.

You are right about that. His (Mark Lincoln) ignorant posts continue and it is hard to imagine anyone is that foolish or uninformed. There is another side to any story but this fool takes his hatred and vitriol to a new level. He and his ilk, if they have things their way, will one day wake up realizing that Islamo-Fascists have taken over the world. How scary is that?

I feel for the state of Israel, with all these Terrorist and palastinins around... There is no time for Israel to relax and put thier guards down.. They have to fight all these terrorist groups around them until they are defeted.. Iranian goverment instead of helping their own people in the country, sends 25 million dollars a month to hezbollah gurillals to brign terror to Israel and the world.. Israel be known that this time the world is behind you... I am sure now it is Israel that is being targeted and in the future is the whole western world...

Labanon-Pros go for a party with Israelis. This the most funny thing I have heard since long long time.

That's how long this will go on. We must be steadfast in our determination to remove this cancer from our region. If we do not erradicate this evil then better head to Tel-Migido

"Sheikh Ahmed Yassin once said that Israel would be destroyed whithin 20 years.He was being to pessimistic.I think that Israel will cease to exist whithin 10 years from now." Maybe we should ask him if he agrees with you ?

There are a billion Muslims in this world, all of them see Israel as an enemy. There are millions of people from other religions including some Jewish people who believe Israeli state is immoral, brutal and medieval in its barbarism. The more Israel kills and maims innocents in Lebanon and Gaza and West Bank, the more it kills its chances of being seen as a respectable member of the world community. In the present war in which Hamas and Hezbollah have taken three IDF personnel as prisoners of war, and Israel has kidnapped hundreds of civilians, including democratically elected MPs in Palestinian Parliament; in which Israel has killed around 400 civilians and only four Hezbollah gunmen (and 20 Lebanese Army personnel, who are not even fighting), and Hezbollah has killed 19 IDF and only 14 civlians; a war in which Hezbollah and Hamas are fighting with ageing Katyushas and Kalashnikovs, and Israel is fighting with the best of US armoury; the selfdeluding Israelis think they are winning.

I guess this is not the way to solve this issue,OK fine,you can destroy military capability ,kill hundreds of them,..but in the end you cannot deroot the ideology of hezbullah..then what is going to happen exactly what happened to the fighter in afghanistan...(the arab afghan) whome they were sponsered by CIA fighting against the russians....so hezbullah will be dormant cells all over the world hitting your targets all over...is this your wisdom ....by the way iam totally agaist all types of extremismm

Israelis should be asking themselves how much longer can they survive with the policies they live with. It used to be when we were at war we were sure that anything we heard above us was an Israeli gunship or jet, now for the first time our cities and villages are really being attacked and our own people are being terrorized, I mean really knowing terror for the first time. Do we want this to go on because we have no support except from the leaders of the US and I do not think that will go on for much longer and the same goes for the rest of the western world. Just take a look at the impromptu demontrations that brought hundreds of thousands anti Israel demonstrators out onto the streets worldwide today (Jewish groups among them) who believe we are committing genocide in Lebanon and Palestine. Do we need genocide on our consciences as well. The world will not forgive us for this!! By the way, the soldiers were captured inside Lebanon.

I'm always impressed by how reverent Islamists are. For their women, whom they wrap up in suicide belts. For the sanctity of mosques, where they hide their rockets. For the lives of the civilians, whom they prop in front of them as cannon fodder. These are definitely people with a noble, holy mission. How could we not all want to be dhimmi in the umma?

Very attractive offer Mickey, but it takes me to a IDF first. No, No, No thank you.

John boy..don't you have another parade to plan in Tel Aviv. Me tinks ya need to busy yourself with something less stressful than defending Israel, the state that supports your @...

I may be an idiot, But, Amir, sometimes you can even learn from an idiot. What I was saying is that it should be up to the Muslems to end this senseless bloodshed. Palestine should have cleaned up the Hezbolah and the State of Zion would not have to do it. I am hearing so much of peaceful Muslems. I am not hearing of any Muslem action being taken against the terrorist to show the world that they truly want peace. The North cleaned up the South and they did it brutally! The USA did not need any other country to do it for them. If the Muslem community does not take care of their problems The United North and South USA may be forced to really get into the fray. Woe unto you then.

Very attractive over, but it takes me to be a IDF first. No, No, No thank you

So Mustafa shows us grauitously sensational and graphic pictures of Lebanese war dead. Wow, I guess then the Israelis must be so wrong. Grow up, Mustafa. Hizbulla (party of "God") wanted their "Glorious" war, and threatened to exterminate Israel, the rest of the Lebanese wanted to play ostrich, and now pathetic Lebanon got Hizbulla's "Glorious" war. Grow up Mustafa, people die in war. Typical hysterical muslim journalism feeding the bloodthirsty frenzy of their constituency. The modern West doesn't do this as it doesn't come within light years of the muslim concept of "slaughtering" the "infidels" and "rivers of blood". The Israelis deeply resent the muslims for forcing them to kill for their survival. Anyways, we can't wait for Lebanon to get its act together already so we can go party with our Leb bros on week-ends.

Among the other military objectives of the IDF, it seems to me that the capture of an Iranian Pasdaran-type engaged on the battlefront should be seriously considered. This would have tremendous public relations advantages for Israel, as well as having some value in terms of intelligence.

The difference is that the people in Warsaw were fine upstanding righteous people . The people in Gaza are either terrorists, or people who help and abett terrorists. All of them support terrorists . So Warsaw is too good for them.

...the nations do their dirty wars.... common people, you and me, pay the price....that's just the way it is...

You seem intellectual about what is happening in Lebonon. Maybe we don't get the close up and whole picture you get over there. Be it as it may from our perspective it seems that provocation provided by Hezbullah and Hamas triggered not just retalliation but the ultimate consequence for harboring terrorist in neighboring states to Israel. Your defiance is towards Israel is misplaced. Why can't the Lebonese people realize that the world has changed, no longer are terrorist pacified. They are the target of the war. Why have the target in your country? Ironically I believe the Lebonese army should join the Israeli army and destroy the Hezbullah. Humility will bring lasting peace.

Feras, we do understand and realize that not all 300M Arabs and Muslims are all hardcore islamists that are out to destory the World. But what we dont understand is why 300M of you cant rise up against those few who are radicalizing your religion. Why no one is speaking out against Al-Qeada? All we hear that iscoming from mosques are hate and rage against those trying to fight Al-Qaeda. Now do you understand what is happening? Cmon step up to the plate, lets hear those voices of good Muslims and then we will change our ways of thinking about you. Only then! Peace out

Ms.Soraya Steen wrote that the IDF had killed 254 women and children,but then who initiated the crisis? Wasn't it Hizbullah who murdered 253(?)Marines in Lebanon around 1983. Hasn't it been Hizbullah supported by Syria and Iran who have distablized the Lebanese government? While Hizbullah wishes to destroy Israel jointly along with all the Arab jihadists,Israel is fighting to preserve its sovereighty. By the way,254 men,women and children killed included Arab Christian which Hizbullah has been using as human shields!

IDF will whipe out those hizbollah terrorists. civilians should go out before it is too late. why do lebanon people give hizbollah so much power. it is iranian organization who is using you (the people) to their own purposes. lebanons leaders are weak.

Howdy No Name; So President Ahmadinejad of Iran said that he could destroy the State of Israel within 5 hours? Well, he better hurry up because the U.S. can destroy the Islamic Republic of Iran within 30 min. Where do you think that those eighteen Trident II missle submarines are parked? In San Diego, CA, or Bellingham, WA, perhaps?

It really pains me to see the destruction of Lebanon which, in my opinion, is the least deserving of such punishment. Hizballah appears to have lost sight of reality. Religious famatics are the curse of this world. All religions, and certainly the three monotheistic ones preach 'hope, love and charity'. The Kor'an quotes the Prophet as sayong that 'there is no compulsion in religion, you have your religion and I have mine.' The Bible enjoins us to 'love thy neighbour as thyself.' Yet we seem to have such an urge to visit destruction on our neighbour. Is there is really a quarel that cannot be resolved by dialogue ? We should try harder to work together or we are all doomed.

Hey, everyone: Pay attention: I offer all fighters and IDF soldiers a FREE, 7-day stay, all expenses paid at my pad here in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States. Included airfare, multi-park unlimited access, and lodging and meals at any of our theme resorts. The only condition is that you leave your weapons with a United States representative before you board the plane. How about that? Call me now! I wish you all peace, health, and eternal salvation.

Thank you JUNE. Israel does need the support of the Christians! I am originally from Israel living in NE and married to a methodist. We go to both temples and the war worries us. Israel always lives on a string and any support even if spiritual, goes very far! thank you from Omaha, and the tiny state of Israel.

Israel didn't comply with SC resolution 425. Israel left Libanon after 18 years of occupation because it was becoming to costly in money and personnel, due to Hezbollah. But not out of respect for the law. Israel has NEVER OBEYED TO THE SC-RESOLUTIONS.

I was quite impressed by the topic of flowers during this current military crisis that Israel is having. I believe that if Israel is to win all future wars,which it will as the Lord has promised it,the nation must win the hearts and souls of Arab women and children.:) Give them flower seeds,and rose bushes because these folks love gardening and what a better,inexpensive way to accomplish this end. Above all...pray Israel. I love you Israel.

You can see measures to avoid civilian causalities in the following site: http://www.fromIsraeltoLebanon.org

The truth hurts. but if no arabs were terrorists, israel would live peacefully with the arabs, and nobody would be hurt. but, the terrorists have no logic/rational to understand this simple concept. when will they understand that israel is here to stay, and the more terrorizing they do, the bigger israel will retaliate. those who blame the jews for this whole problem are avoiding to look at the truth. howcome all the problems in this world are a result of muslim terrorists? ( i dont think that can be answered) and as for the rest of the world and what they think of israel, let me tell you this: Israel couldn't care less what others think. Israel would rather have peace then having money.

to stop the war.there is no time limit.the war depends on good intelligence on hizbollah.as long as we remain in direct touch with the lebanese population we will get more good intelligence. we left gaza so we had no information on the region.we are in the west bank and intelligence is excellent.

Are you blind Lucy??? are you stupid Mary??? i have a few questions: what happend in New York What happend in Madrid? what happend in London? what happend in Bombay? what is going to happend if Israël does not fight the terrorists? i will answer this question, the answer is: YOU ARE THE NEXT TARGET, now what do you say please?

Howdy Wilson; In the first place, Hezbollah is not fighting to defend the State of Lebanon. They are fighting to defend Hezbollahland as a state within a state and to expand their dominance over all of Lebanon and to destroy the State of Israel as per their instructions which come directly from Pres. Ahmadinejad of Iran. In the second place, the IDF isn't stupid. They know full-well that Hezabollah is well entrenched in southern Lebanon and that it will take a lot of casualties on both sides to eradicate the threat to Israel. The Japanese had four years to prepare their defenses on Tarawa, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, etc., but the U.S. went in anyway and took those islands at great cost to ourselves but at a much higher cost to the Japanese. The IAF does not lose its efficiency in close ground support. Where did that crazy idea from?

I am not sitting in a moral or ethical quandry, you clearly are. You project your feelings and insecurities about Jews, Israel, Arabs vis a vis good and evil.

Under UNSC (United Nation Security Consil) resolution 425 Isreal completely withdrew behind the so-called Blue line in 2000. The 8000 man UNFIL(United Nation Force In Lebanon)monitoring force was established to make sure of complance on both sides. Under SYRIAN military occupation from 2000 to 2005 Hezbullah was allowed to mitiartize the Isreali- Lebonease boarder with over 10,000 missles and fortified bunders under UNFIL WATCHFUL EYES in volation of UNSC resolution # 425. The UNSC passed resolution # 425 which stated that all milita including Hezbollah sould be diarmed by Lebanon. Lebanon failed to exert its soverinity in south of its own country. Hezbullah orders coming from Damascus and Theran made a joke out of Lebonese apirations, even after Assad's army had withdrawn physically from Lebonon.

Ronnie, when you have a problem, the idea is to look for a solution. It could be that the present situation is better than any "solution'; but if not, take the lesser evil. This is just general philosophy; in the present case, little reason for great fear. Your points: 1. Israel has to maintain its strength so, regardless, troubles can be handled. 2. The "charter" - least indicative; also hardest to change, so you got yourself paralyzed. I hope somebody can release you; I tried. (No more arguments here.) 3. "The kidnapping..of the soldiers were a tactic designed to align with Iran and a deflection from its nuclear pressure." - No. Nobody would have predicted such an overreaction by Israel. Without it, there would have been nothing for Iran. 4. "Syria has aligned itself with the worst." - Another logic of paralysis. Whom did Egypt align itself with before it made peace? My enemy's enemy is.. Syria has a strong government which keeps the border with Israel quiet. Keeping obligatio

I just wasnt to let you Israelis know that there has never been such anti-Israeli sentiment in the world as there is now. For years the world has witnessed your atrocities against the Palestinian people and now in Lebanon. In South Africa all the citizens are in favour of sanctions against Israel but our govt wants to trade with you - they do not hav eour mandate. To the people of Lebanon and Palestine - you are in our prayers.

If they have taken the measures to avoid such high scale of civilian casualties, this is a grave situation. If they have not taken measures, this is the grave disaster.

don't think for a minute that b. gurion and comrade mark lincoln stand for all americans, they dam sure DON'T. every thing you've been saying about these two is right on, they should join up with hizbulla and anyother leftwing whiners and snivelers club. huurrraaaaa for Israel and the usa and pres. Bush!!!!!!!! kick some butt Israel!!!

"what is being done to Lebanon is just plain insane." Mark Lincoln Hey Mark, I would love to hear your take on the following "senario": "What if" Before September 11, you'd have known that the Al Qaeda people are hiding in several apartment buildings in NY. and they have to get out even when sorrounded by a large police force. And, you'd tell all the residence to leave but, some of them decide to stay and, the only way to get these Al Qaeda people is to demolish the buildings. Would you take a chance that Sep. 11 won't happen after all? Israel is doing the right thing by eliminating the Hezbola and their supporters, making the people of Lebanon realize that managing a state is a responsability that they have to take or else.

Few of us Arabs (Muslim and Christian) support these extremist Islamic idiots. For your own justifications, the media has find ways to generalize the concept to all the 300M Arabs. One thing that we the Arabs today all agree on is how humiliated and angry we feel and this through out the whole Arab world. But defiant we are and we will remain. Defiant to the peace that America?s tool called Israel, want to impose, Defiant on the Karazai style democracy, defiant of Israel has the right to defend itself, because I assure you we have the right to defend ourselves too with all the settlements building and land stealing, house demolition and the killing that you always have ways to justify with no feeling. Defiant we will remain to the dictators that America has always supported (Mubarak and King Abdullah) not to forget Syria?s Assad emperor. The Arab street is boiling, the people, young, normal and motivated are boiling. Change is on the way as now it is clear to everyone that Israel

Sam, the mistake is you and not Israel. Unfortunately you do not know what the word patriotism means. Go to New York and hide there. Yet what happens to you if there is another Al Quaida attack on New York? Where will you run to then? Luckily when you leave you will be replaced by the hundreds of olim from America that arrived yesterday. Unlike you they realize the importance of the Jewish homeland!

A lot of great opinions here lately. I understand frustration from Dutches of today's world that many civillians age getting killed. Let me ask you thes questions: How many leaflets were dropped on or around World Trade Center buildings in 2001 warning to get out and that there is going to be an iminent attack? How many leaflets were dropped on Bali Night Clubs warning of attacks? How many leaflets were dropped in Madrid train stations? UK buses and trains? Russian Theater and Beslan school? Hmmm none that I can remember. cOULD THAT MEAN THAT iSRAEL ACTUALLY CARES ABOUT TRYING NOT TO HARM lEBANESE PEOPLE? Try entrataining that thought for a minute! Wake up and smell the coffee. Extrimists like Hezbollah are hiding behind their so called humanitarian aid to Lebanon by day, but plan terrorist attacks around the World by night! Don't be afraid to confront those murderers. Stop ignoring the reality. World is slowly being taken over by Islamo-Fashists!

For those of you who are convinced that Israel was always victorious. Have you forgotten your humiliation in Lebanon. Despite all of your state of the art weapons, few thousand Hizbollah men kicked your a$$. Even now you don't dare to step one foot in lebanon, not even your Mama America dares to do this.

Sam 722 sounds very much like a Palestinian masquerading as an Israeli. The credibility of many people who post their comments here is an absolute zero. I'm all for people being allowed to speak and for dialogue but surely, the biggest mistake surrounding this talkback is its failure to have a proper system of registration of posters. There are so many around here who profess to be what they are not that, this entire forum is becoming nothing more than a very sick joke.

"Dutch" in teality is not a Dutch at all. Her name is Doris Cadigan from Massach., USA. From time to time participants of the forum address her their massages, but she is unable to be impartial. Actually, such individuals with a distinct anti-Jewish and anti-Israel pathology are Communists, Fascists, Islamofascists. I suppose she is an ultra-Leftist person. Recently Doris-"Dutch"-Cadigan promised to become a "Human Shield" in Labanon. Probably, she is a liar even regarding this intention. Dutch's messges really irritate the Real Dutch People, but she prefers to remain a fake 'Dutch'

Howdy Kim; Could you please translate into English what "Am Yisrael Chai" means. I think that "Yisrael" = "Israel", but my knowledge of Hebrew is limited to such words as "kosher", "chutzbah", "shalom", "mench", etc. which have been absorbed into the English language. Thank you.

As long as the us is being run by a bucnch of hillbilly idiots like the idiot from alabama(#740)there will be no hope for any kind of peace in the world and if muslims have to pay the cost then muslims will make sure that this world will be hell for the rest of you too. (i.e. Jews and hillbillies)

The State of Israel is a Homeland for millions of Real Men, and Real Women. The citizen of Israel are Proud Israelis, who help each other.

In the end the use of overwhelming force can be in the best interest of the losingHez. and Lebanon, rather than a longer protracted war. This is not just a chess game . We are not here trying to start out even. The goal is to get it done.It affects the whole world and the sooner completed the better. Your contempt for Israel clouds your thinking Dutch ,as you desparately search for "facts" to support your vedetta.

It will only take his country 5 hrs to destory Jew state. I hope they dont start fight.

Razor , I think you should read anthony's comments to his fellow americans that was posted here above. He was referring to people like you who know nothing about their countries' policies and therefore post stupid comments. Wake up Americans - the world despises u as much as it despises your friends in Israel. You dont know what a bad image you have in the world. The world is weeping for the Lebanese and they curse you , the perpetrators -even your own media can see your crimes and are finding it hard to swallow.

Americans in IRAQ and Afghanistan have found that 90% of all armaments used by the terrorists are stored in the MOSQUES of those militant mullahs who are the true leaders of the terrorists groups. The only way you are going to root out those armaments is to check every MOSQUES of every militant terrorist supporting mullah. By the way, they have no regrets or worries or sympathy for the innocents of those MOSQUES where they store explosives and armaments. In a few you will even find mass murder weapons such as chemical or biological or nerve weapons.

its very easy for countries to sit back and judge Isreal. Just as the Jewish people were ignored by the world from 1933-45. Thease semites are cousins, let them work it out. Let them choose peace. The world sold the Jewish people out at close of ww2 by not letting the survivors have half of Germany. Now its back to the holyland thats always been a Jewish homeland, and everyone complains. They will choose it or not, not you.

Hear, hear! 'The destruction of the infrastructure, the death of so many children and so many people. These have not been surgical strikes. If they are chasing Hizbollah, then go for Hizbollah. You don't go for the entire Lebanese nation.' And remember, IDF, Louise Arbour is watching you. It may take years but we'll see you brought to justice for your crimes in Lebanon.