So what's next?

More than two weeks passed, Israel's air strike is still engaged harshly in destroying Hezbollah's posts and headquarters, de facto Lebanon's Infrastructure. North of Israel is still facing hundred's of rockets every day. The number of missiles lunched daily didn't decrease over time; it just went further, deeper and increased its range inside the Israel's territories. (July 28, five rockets struck Afula in northern Israel which has been the farthest point Hezbollah rockets has reached since the beginning of July 2006 war). The present situation is just the same as the first day when this war started as long as we don't have a winner either by knock out or by points. Backwards, specifically 17 days ago, to the 12th of July when Hezbollah's guerillas succeeded to capture two Israeli soldiers (Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev) after a remarkable brilliant raid in a cross borders attack, which left the battleground with eight dead soldiers and another twenty-two wounded.
In a trustful and confidential appearance of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah a 46 years old, the chief of Hezbollah resistance group, on television the same night addressed the nation, the western countries, and the government of Israel with one clear message: "What we did today ... is the only feasible path to free detainees from Israeli jails.", Called the operation the "Loyal Promise" and proposed an "indirect negotiations and an exchange of prisoners" and end this crisis without confrontation. It was obvious that Hezbollah's chief predicted or at least hoped the Israelis' response will be miniature and limited to a few incursions.
On the other side of the chessboard Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert accepted the challenge and was thinking of more than one move ahead in a game Israel did not choose its timing but definitely was enthusiastic and longing for sometime to play it. Sometime that goes back to May 2000 when the Israeli troops unilaterally withdrew from self-proclaimed 'security zone' in south of Lebanon, leaving behind Hezbollah as a strong and yet growing key player in the politics of Lebanon especially in its defense strategy and war declaration solely decision maker. At his press conference early that day Olmert vowed that "Israel will respond and that it will respond in an unequivocal fashion that will cause those who started this act of war to bear a very painful and far-reaching responsibility for their actions". Later answering a reporter he supplemented: "I want to make it clear: This morning's events were not a terrorist attack but the action of a sovereign state that attacked Israel for no reason and without provocation. The Lebanese government, of which Hezbollah is a member, is trying to undermine regional stability. Lebanon is responsible and Lebanon will bear the consequences of its actions."
The reply of the Lebanese government, which is the third participant in this conflict is in no doubt a "Silent Partner", didn't take much time to be revealed, Prime Minister Fouad Seniora after an emergency cabinet meeting said: "The government was not aware of and does not take responsibility for, nor endorses what happened on the international borders."
Later on Nasrallah in a taped message broadcasted 14th of July, shortly after his Beirut offices were bombed pledged an open war with Israel, "You wanted an open war and we are ready for an open war.", and vowed to strike even deeper into Israel with rockets. In another statement dated few years ago, On April 24, 2003, he cited that: "Since May 2000, the resistance has been preparing for war, because Israel wants to avenge its defeat in Lebanon".
So both disputed parties have been preparing for this since May 2000, now they are vis-à-vis, what's next? But before any attempts to predict or figure out, the initial question should be, what were the strategic objectives and aims of those preparations for both sides?
From Israel point of view, the most instantaneous goal is to stop the current rocket attacks, and to do it with the least number of casualties. In addition to some other multiple targets ranging from: "The need to put Hezbollah out of business", as Brigadier-General Ido Nehushtan told the Associated Press, to Disarming Hezbollah and implementing in a way or another the UN's 1559 act, with the help of major world key players starting with UN itself, the United States, the Arab world leaders (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan..), the European Union and the Russian federation, and teaching the Lebanese government a painful lesson never to be forgotten, and finally to creating a buffer zone in the south of Lebanon; not to forget also the return of its two captives.
As for Hezbollah, the main purpose is to resist and survive and mostly maintain the shelling routine of the missiles on the north of Israel. Also in addition of other secondary objectives, as to pull Israel into a ground confrontation and face counterinsurgency operations in which Hezbollah showed itself to be an innovative and determined ferocious enemy, Overcome in a defensive battle the performance of all Arab armies that fought against Israel and break the quote about its "Invincibility".
If there will be a cease-fire in the present conditions, Hezbollah in no doubt the winner by points, politically and military wise, In Lebanon and the outer world. Israel hasn't completed any of its tasks, it is the LOSER.
But this is not the final result; neither Israel will accept the score, nor the United States. For the first time since 1948 Israel will lose a war, not versus Arab countries united and not against "nuclear" Iran, it will lose against a "Terrorism militant group" (as the American dictionary defines it) which resides in the weakest country in the Arab world, Lebanon, the country on its borders.
Again, the question: "What’s next?" pops up again, so either the IAF (Israeli Air Force) has failed in its mission because it has been misled by the military intelligence about Hezbollah's infrastructure, or the objectives of the air-strikes are something that is not expected anymore. Israel has lost its tactical surprise when it deployed its troops on the borders. And lately most of the Israeli statements and analysis spread in the Media were convinced a mobile ground operation is just a distant option not to be chosen.
Will Israel play its last card and go for an offensive urban operation inside Lebanon, probably approaching to the Litani River? Will it be able to generate a new situation that shifts the balance of powers, thus gives it a comfortable seat on the negotiation table?
The upcoming days might be the most ruthless and brutal nightmare since the beginning of this war. The new question will be: the nightmare of which opponent?

Pascal Assaf
29 July 2006

Qana Massacre... twice

Qana, in the hills east of the southern port city of Tyre, has a bloody history. In 1996, Israeli artillery killed more than 100 civilians who had taken refuge at a U.N. base in the village. That attack sparked an international outcry that helped end an Israeli offensive. Source Yahoo News

Again, Israel attacks a building in Qana of 3 storys, while refugees were hiding and sleeping in the ground floor thinking it is safe from the fighting. 56 dead, among them 34 children and the others are mostly women.

Again, Israel has drawn the attention of the International society which shed some light on the kind of massacre Israel has pulled on South Lebanon today.

This destroyed building that resulted with 56 martyrs, is among several buildings who were hit on Sunday while people were still sleeping to wake up on the horrible act of Olmert's army.

Qana is where Jesus has done one of his many famous miracles, Qana is a village where Jesus has turned water into wine after his mother Virgin Mary has asked him to in a local wedding. The famous Qana wedding, what is it now? Qana Massacre... twice

Watch video of the Israeli attack on Qana.


Courtesy Yahoo News.

To view pictures about what happened in Qana, please click here.

L.A.

Reactions to Qana's Massacre

In an impassioned television address, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said: "Out of respect for the souls of our innocent martyrs and the remains of our children buried under the rubble of Qana, we scream out to our fellow Lebanese and to other Arab brothers and to the whole world to stand united in the face of the Israeli war criminals."

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The Syrian Arab News Agency reported that Syrian President Bashar Assad called Lebanese President Emile Lahoud and "expressed his shock and sorrow over the ugly massacre Israel has committed today against the innocent civilians in Qana that clearly reflect the barbarism of this aggressive entity and the state --terrorism it practices before the eyes and the ears of the world."

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Javier Solana, the European Union's high representative, said he spoke to Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and "expressed profoundly dismay and deep sorrow at the attacks and death of innocent civilians in Qana.

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Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Union external affairs commissioner, said the "attack on the city of Qana means an escalation of violence that is unjustifiable at a time when the international community is jointly working to find a solution to the conflict."

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"France condemns this injustifiable action which shows more than ever the neeed to reach an immediate cease-fire without which other tragedies can only be repeated."

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Jordan's King Abdullah, the first Arab leader to react to the Israeli airstrike, said it was an "ugly crime" that was a "gross violation of all international statutes."

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Clich here to read full article

Thank you to the Lebanese Red Cross and all other brave volunteers

15 Martyrs till now from the volunteers of the Lebanese Red Cross. They are afraid, yes, but this doesn't stop them from going all the way when there is a wounded that can be saved, they get in their ambulance car, and reach their destination in hope to save another life, while the enemy is hoping that they wouldn't, which explains why so many times Israel's air-strikes beside from bombing the children (who apparently are members of the Hezbollah Militants), and women, and old men, and even men... bombed the ambulance cars of those volunteers, while they're on their way to do their job.
Israel perhaps believe that there might be some ammunition, weapons supply to Hezbollah in Ambulance cars? so they bombed them.



World look at this, volunteers who's job that they love, is to save people, have sacrificed their lives for them. They knew at any second they might die, but this didn't stop them.

Respect and appreciation for all those courageous and brave volunteers. Thank you for saving lives, and hope you stay safe. Humans like you make this world a better place giving us hope for tomorrow.

Watch video from "Kevin Sites in the Hot Zone - Reporting from Lebanon" about the Ambulance Attacks

L.A.

ليس للجبان صوت

بقلم/سمير عطالله

جريدة الشرق الأوسط 24/7/2006

كان لبنان السياسي مضحكا لدرجة أن مثل هذه الكارثة كان متوقعا. طبعا كان مضحكا من النوع المأساوي، حيث يرى المواطن أمامه سيركا ومهرجين وكذبة، ويدرك انه عاجز عن أي شيء. فالسيرك السياسي في مكان، وهو في مكان آخر. وبلد آخر، ومصير آخر. فقد كان المهرجون غارقين في معركة رئاسة الجمهورية، فيما الجمهورية على حافة الزوال. وكانوا يطمرون قاماتهم الصغيرة بالصغائر فيما المصير على الأعتاب. وكانوا يتحاورون متكاذبين خلف أقنعة سخيفة، من اجل ألا يقولوا شيئا وألا يتفقوا على شيء. لم يستطع سياسي منهم أن يعلو قليلا فوق صغره، لكي يرى أين هي القضية، وأين هو المصير، وماذا يجب أن نفعل لكي نحمي البلد اليتيم من التفتيت الأخير.

تفرقوا يغنون، كل واحد لبلد وكل واحد لمشروع. وكل واحد لكرسي. أو لأجر كرسي. وكان لبنان يئن فقرا وخوفا وكانوا يغنون. وكانوا يرفعون صورهم الملونة من دون أن يذكروا معها إنجازا واحدا في كل تاريخهم، سوى إنجاز الخراب والدمار والتشريد. حيثما حلوا يكون خراب ودمار وتشريد وأطفال يهربون على ظهور البواخر المعرضة للقصف.

منذ اغتيال رفيق الحريري بدا كم هي المأساة اللبنانية كبيرة. الدولة مفككة والوطن مشرذم والتوافق الوطني سراب والمؤسسات فساد وفراغ. وقد وقعت 14 جريمة سياسية كبرى لم يعتقل بعدها مشبوه واحد. وبقي القضاء جثة معلنة أمام هول الارتكابات. وحكمت الحكومة باللاحكم. ومنع عليها اتخاذ أي قرار وطني، ولم تجرؤ حتى على نقل سفيرها في واشنطن الذي ترفض الخارجية الأميركية استقباله أو التعاطي معه. وبقيت مناقلات جميع الديبلوماسيين الآخرين، حتى الكتبة الناشئين، ممنوعة.

وظهر بعد الانتخابات النيابية طقم جديد من المعتدين على أخلاقيات العمل الوطني. فازداد الشعور العام بان السيرك يتسع وادوار القردة تكبر.

كان سهلا على أي كان، وليس فقط على عدو في حجم إسرائيل، أن يضع مشروعا للانقضاض النهائي على دولة لاهية في عروض القردة والكذابين والمهرجين والمتنافقين لجميع الأمم والواقفين في جميع الأعتاب، وكل صوت هو صوت سيده ولا صوت حقيقيا لأحد. فالجبان لا صوت له. وفاقد الشعور بالأرض لا صوت له. والساكن في بيوت لم يتعذب في بنائها لا يعرف قيمة البيوت. لقد جعله خناسو السياسة بلدا مستعارا. وها هم يتفرجون وإسرائيل تدكه وأطفاله يهربون. ربما إلى غير عودة.

Israel's surgical precision

Watch this video, very sarcastic and funny. John Stuart from the Daily show.
(The first couple of seconds are blurry, then things catch up. If it cuts in the middle, please try again later)

It’s a loss-loss scenario

Here we are on the 25th of July, the 13th day of aggression against Lebanon. The clock is reset on every midnight but the number of civilians killed is still rocketing, leaving the already moaning country in a deep bloodshed that would affect the whole society for months and maybe years to come. It’s conspicuous that the whole world endorsed a punishment for Hezbollah (with the exception of Iran and Syria for sure) in a way or another. What they are betting on is that Hezbollah will go for some compromises after some Israeli incursions inside the Lebanese territory, at least to accept a buffer zone in the South that couldn’t halt the attacks on Northern Israel theoretically, but could practically. Why am I saying that? The deployment of a special force in the South can’t be used as a shield for future attacks on Israel on both military and legal point of view. Such deployment will follow a mutual treaty forcing both sides not to use military means using any territorial or aerial space of the buffer zone. By that, both sides will declare, at least not a short-lived cease-fire under the UN and the International Community supervision. Until such agreement, the bloodshed and destruction will continue unfortunately for further “clean-up” of Hezbollah fortified posts in the Southern region of Litany. This should come at a cost for the IDF (ironically, it calls itself “defense” forces but most of its campaigns have been offensive) that makes the Hezbollah leadership more comfortable in its defense strategy by increasing the casualties in the Israeli side in a hope for fewer compromises. It is time for the Lebanese government officials to scratch their heads for a feasible solution with adequate procedures that satisfies the International Community as well as Hezbollah. Time is running out, we are losing civilians, time and money.

The civilian casualties have been frightening. As for material losses, the costs are compounding with every minute and every raid. Some people say that Israel is hit as well, but the casualties have been much less in a country that can secure tons of free money from abroad , either from its Diaspora or through governmental grants from the US and EU mainly. The Israeli economy is not paralyzed except in the upper north at the time the Lebanese economy is utterly paralyzed with the destruction of some infrastructure, the closure of the seaports and airports which provide the necessary cash flows to the treasury to keep up with its due payments, let alone the siege imposed since the beginning of the war. The private sector is obviously hit as well due either by direct damages by air raids or by shrinking consumer spending or a bit of both. Even if Hezbollah thinks that it has enough rockets to pound Israel for months, the economy doesn’t have enough oil to lubricate its wheels for that long. The opportunity cost has been already high, but any procrastination in a cease-fire process is going to lead to a lethal financial distress. The tax revenues almost dried up, with huge due payments for debt services coming up, along with the wages for the public sector employees.

The opportunity cost encompasses all missed revenues due to the war. This cost should be capped accompanied by a post-war sagacious plan leading to a fully-efficient reconstruction of the infrastructure and the build-up of the consumer confidence again. The ministry of tourism staff is supposed to go for a blueprint concerning the winter vacations and go ahead with their marketing plans with the help of the Lebanese embassies over the world. No time to moan the missed opportunity!

The ministry of finance is strongly responsible for an enhanced lucrative plan to borrow at reasonable cost to assist with the post-war rebuilding. I say “reasonable” cost because as long as the situation is getting worse, the probability of a hike in interest rates will increase which could widen the already ailing budget deficit. The taxpayers aren’t supposed to get taxed twice, one through paying for the damages and one by paying direct and indirect huge tax bills. I am not going to go into details concerning this plan but I should outline the most cutting-edge ideas; tax incentives (and breaks) for the damaged industries by the raids, significant reductions on some of the import products used for the reconstruction.

A for the service sector, mainly the banking sector, is responsible to proceed with soft (low-interest) loans helping to get reconstruction in place for the public and private sector. In addition, the consumer confidence should be restored as soon as possible, so the economy gets back on track (or close to it, to say the least). Our biggest problem in this war lies in being a service-oriented economy, depending on the tourism and the foreign capital wired from the Diaspora. This helped much in the vulnerability of the economy since our industrial capacity is very limited to some humble local industries. Remember! The wired capital could leave our border overnight and we could end up busted.

The biggest question is: is it going to be the last war? Well, the elected officials are supposed to come up with a final solution that protects us from future risks due to any geopolitical problems before it is too late.

Bachir Nasr

Rising probability for a ceasefire

Many incidents and statements of main actors in the Middle East new crisis appeared lately in the Medias, all pointing that the two parties involved in the war are now reading the same script and ready to take this play to a newer chapter. Alongside, with an international effort for a ceasefire led by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and top European diplomats, mostly everything is pointing to an upcoming ceasefire.

July 20th, Defense Minister and Deputy Premier Elias al-Murr, issued a statement to Al-Jazeera television that the Lebanese army, which has been aside in Israel's war on Hezbollah, will fight against any land invasion:

“The Lebanese army – and I stress – the Lebanese army will resist and defend the country if necessary”, he added, specifying “we will battle he Israelis alone and will not accept to fight alongside the resistance”.

July 22nd, Lebanese president Emile Lahoud in an interview with the CNN called for a ceasefire and said the Lebanese army is prepared and will fight the invaders.

"Of course, the army is going to defend its land, and inside Lebanon
they can do a lot. They cannot be strong enough to be against Israel on the frontier, because they have much stronger materiel and weaponry. Inside [Lebanon] they know the land and, of course, they will fight the invading folks of Israel if it tries to come inside."

July 23, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton said on "Late Edition" and "Fox News Sunday" that the Bush administration would seriously consider an Israeli suggestion for an international peacekeeping force -- preferably led by NATO -- along Lebanon's border

"We have been looking carefully at the possibility of a multinational force, perhaps authorized by the Security Council, but not a U.N.-helmeted force,"

July 23rd, Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz told the Cabinet that the army's current offensive is not an invasion of Lebanon, but rather a series of limited raids into the area.
July 23rd, Another statement by the Israeli Defense Minister Peretz the same day only one hour before his first, suggesting a deployment of a multi-national force in Lebanon, lead by NATO troops to lead such a force. And that the key to solve this on growing crisis is to find a solution for the two abducted soldiers on July 12th.

"Because of the weakness of the Lebanese army, we will support a wide national force … which would deploy in the south,"

July 23rd, Lebanese Foreign Minister, Fawzi Salloukh, who is close to Hezbollah, told the reporters earlier today:

“The Israeli soldiers are in good health and in a safe place”

July 23rd, Lebanon's parliament speaker Nabih Berri told CNN in a televised interview:

"The government of Lebanon, by way of a third party, will handle the negotiations, [and] not any other political party or group, … This is accepted by our brothers in Hezbollah and by us."

A major shift in Hezbollah attitude, as many analysts commented, Hezbollah for the first time is granting the Lebanese government authority to negotiate a prisoner swap.

July 23rd, Syria, warned that if Israel invaded Lebanon it would have no choice but to respond, Information Minister Moshen Bilal told the Spanish newspaper ABC.:

"If Israel makes a land entry into Lebanon, they can get to within
20 kilometers of Damascus," … "What will we do? Stand by with our arms folded? Absolutely not. Without any doubt Syria will intervene in the conflict."

It is clear that all parties have stated their positions and demands, with only one thing in consideration their people judgment.
Israel has prepared their public opinion either by the two different polls done lately which showed 81% Of Israelis back Military effort to crush Hezbollah, either by the cinematic preparations of the troops on the borders with Lebanon.
Lebanon's courageous statements about deploying Lebanese army into an unfair and uneven fight against one of the most well equipped armies in the world. Lebanese PM statement that Lebanon will not attend the international conference in Italy in case Israel will participate.
Syria's warning after ten days to interfere on the Behalf of Lebanon! A total clone of the threat issued by Iranian Republic to Israel if it moves the war onto Syrian territories.

But the question remains, for how long this chance is going to last?

Pascal Assaf,
July 23rd, 2006

How does it feel?

How does it feel to be on the outside and watch your country get destroyed? I can tell you, it feels horrible. It feels horrible to sit there helpless not being able to do anything for your country. This country is my home, Lebanon is where I was born, Lebanon is where I went to school, Lebanon is where I met my friends, Lebanon is the home of my family. My ancestors, who my mother's part had escaped to the safe Lebanon, to the beautiful Lebanon, that they have become Lebanese themselves.
How does it feel to be just another civilian watching her fellow civilians die with no reason. I always think that there must be a way to solve problems without the need of a war.

Israel has made a war on us. Israel has detroyed a lot of innocent people's homes. Where will they go now? What will they do? They're living right now in schools. What happens when school is bound to start in September? Should we stop teaching the kids? Should our country stop from functioning. No. You got that right. We have survived war over and over again. But does this make us entitled to be the one who has war? again? over and over again?
I can post another article, another analysis about the possible ceasefire with conditions imposed by Israel, repeated by Washington, the United Nations, Rice, Blair, John Bolton...
I can post the condemnations of Israel by some arab countries, France, Italy and others.
Oh Rice paid us a visit, what a great opportunity to see the hope open up of a possible ceasefire.

Cease-fire... is there an undo-fire? Why isn't there an undo-fire? What did we reach? Did we accomplish anything? Is the world going to get better? Is force ever a solution to deprive some people from living; living the lives they are entitled to?

Is this really normal? In war everything goes and some people have to die. We all know this is much bigger than us. We all know that what leaders say on TV is something else from what they say "under" the TV, the agreements they make. It is so funny and offending at the same time. The US saying that it did not accept the offer Syria has made yesterday. It's a sharade, we should prepare oscar trophees and make a special celebration on E! Entertainment TV to reward the best lying politicians.

Politicians, the scum of this world. Thank you again for applying the balance of the Yin Yan. Evil and Good. Good and Evil. Make sure you always do your part in Evil, so others do their part in Good.

Care to do your part in Good, then don't forget to donate and help.
http://www.saveleb.org/Donate/donations.html
http://www.netlebanon.com/RescueLebanon/
http://donatetolebanon.blogspot.com

L.A.

Let them hear your voice

Who is right who isn't? Who's fault it is? Is what Israel doing to Lebanon justified? fair? right? Are you with Hezbollah? What do you wish? What do you think will happen?

Let us hear your feedback.

Israeli air raids attacking Media and Cell Services

The air strikes hit transmission towers for LBCI satellite television in the Kesrwan mountains northeast of Beirut and mobile telephone networks in northern Lebanon. Source Bloomberg.com

LBCI can be watched from Israel, and most probably Israel does not want their public to see the defeats that Israel's troops have been facing trying to go in Lebanon as they are confronting Hezbollah resistance on ground.

Also Israeli Air Raids have cut the roads on staffs from Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya while moving from Marjaayoun to Hasbayya in South Lebanon; there are no injuries.

Katia Nasser and one of other colleagues from Al Jazeera staff have been threatened and pressured from Israel concerning the news they have been reporting. Same as their colleagues in Palestine have been pressured by the Israeli government.

Give us your feedback concerning these latest actions taken by Israel.

From pictures of this week in MSN

Lebanese citizens watch Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah speak on television as smoke rises from Israeli attacks on the Hezbollah stronghold in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, on July 16.

Taken from Picture of the week 13 - 20 July from MSNBC.

No Ground Invasion!!!

Even through many indications point to a nearly ground invasion into Lebanon in the upcoming hours or days, many other signs indicate a totally contradictory scenario.
The propaganda used in the evacuation of Westerners from Lebanon with several countries (United States, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Australia, Bulgaria, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates any many others) announcing plans to evacuate their citizens overland via Syria or by ferryboat to Cyprus. Russia has already evacuated 1,407 of its nationals and citizens of former Soviet republics. Canada has chartered six ships to help trapped Canadians escape Lebanon. Britain is sending two royal warships in preparation for a mass evacuation. U.S. Marines picked up hundreds of U.S citizens in an amphibious landing craft that arrived to a beach north of Beirut. The image aired on local Medias of U.S Marines back in the Lebanese capital after 23 years. This cinematic turmoil accompanied by several ground attacks and the attempts to infiltrate deeper in the southern Lebanon, the call for troops in reserve, the mobilized more forces on the boundaries, all these acts are loud indications that Israel is likely to send its forces across the border for a major offensive against Hezbollah bases in the near future.
A quick glimpse at the situation after nine days of a ferocious war, The Israeli air campaign continues. The Hezbollah rocket campaign also continues. Israel says it has destroyed 40 to 50 percent of Hezbollah's military capability, while a Hezbollah spokesman said earlier today that Hezbollah has enough rockets to carry out strikes against Israel "for months" and Israeli warplanes have not cut the organization's supply lines. Military speaking it seems both sides has been testing their opponent's force. They both know now their adversary's capabilities. A knock out is far to be achieved in the upcoming days, while the let go period given by the Bush administration to the Israeli government is approaching to its end. Soon the international pressure will mount and the diplomatic efforts will be matured enough to force a cease-fire on both fighting parties. A military conclusive is far from reach in the near future as long as the two enemies are sharing the same chess game techniques. Many factors encourage me to think the next play is a shift into political/diplomatic move.
Israel has achieved till now many major goals; the first is making Lebanon pay an expensive bill for the abducting of the two Israeli soldiers by destroying its infrastructure. Many Arab leaders especially Saudi Arabia, supported by Jordan, Egypt, several Gulf States and the Palestinian Authority, criticized Hezbollah and held the organization accountable for "its irresponsible action". The Lebanon government vowed from the first day it didn't know about the operation nor it is responsible. Many ministers including PM Seniora have been publicly talking about deploying country's army in the south, statements that couldn't be uttered ten days ago. Many have been talking about accountability after this crisis finishes, and who holds the decision of war. People in the south of Lebanon have been punished (in the Israel view) for electing Hezbollah members.
Plus Israel has destroyed all the bridges and main roads that tie all the cities of the south, which pops up a question if Hezbollah can't use those bombed bridges to facilitate its transportation, how could Israel.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has postponed again her peace mission visit to the Middle East for sometime next week. So Israel will continue in a way air bombing the so called Hezbollah bunkers, and hits every few and then some civilian targets either by mistake or by increasing the bill Lebanon has to pay for the 12th of July incident. And in another way wait for the Lebanese government to take over and tries to implicate the UN's 1559 resolution along with the Lebanon's part of the G8 summit Middle East declaration (Also to note that the pope Benedict XVI has fully supported it) by the aid of the European Union, the United States, the Russian federation and the United Nations.

Analysis provided and written by Pascal Assaf

IDF lying to their public?

The public opinion in Israel is expressing worry and disappointment in Olmert and his army. Some believe that in 9 days all the IDF was able to accomplish is kill civilians in Lebanon without really achieving their goal, which is finish Hezbollah.

"The Israeli leaders are cheating us! We don't trust them, we are just fighting from sky! On the ground, the reality, we are losing. In 24 hours we lost more than 5 soldiers and 15 wounded. Perts and Ulmert mysu go home soon." said Shlomo from Tel Aviv (07.20.06)

Some think that Israel has been hiding the truth by saying they have killed Israeli leaders while they really haven't, as rockets are still arriving to North Israel.

"We need to know the truth! After 9 days of this war, We know nothing about reality. You said Nassrallah and his colleagues were killed yesterday, then nobody was killed in that place! You are saying 50% of Huzballah power has been damaged and we still have rockets! I see the face of Olmert and others in Isreal, they are worried and scary? Tell us the TRUTH and stop this war now better than later." A post by Ben Jamen, Lod - Israel (07.20.06)

Concerning the ground operations which the IDF has been attempting the past few days, the Israeli citizens are waking up to see that Hezbollah is stronger.

Why is IDF hiding the truth from their people, why aren't they giving them the real reports of what is really happening. Most of the public in Israel believe that IDF has killed 40 Hezbollah Resistants until now, and demolished 50% of Hezbollah bases, which is not true.

If Israeli citizens learned what is happening in Lebanon and what their government is doing to it and how they are hiding the truth, what will they say?

Source of the public comments: http://www.ynetnews.com/

Lebanese and Arab prisoners in the Israeli jails, is still in shade

Israel and John Bolton (US) claimed that it is not possible to negotiate with "terrorists" in order to return the two israeli captive soldiers by Hezbollah.

In the beginning Hezbollah's purpose behind the kidnap of the two soldiers was to open the door to negotiations perhaps an exchange between the soldiers and Lebanese prisoners can take place.

Some of the prisoners spent two thirds of their lives in the Israeli jails, such as the Lebanese Samir Kuntar who's been emprisoned for almost 28 years. 34 of them have spent more than 20 years in captive.

How come until now the international media didn't mention the Lebanese captives, and only the two kidnapped soldiers?

Blair said the only way this war would end is by undoing the actions that caused it in the first place, implying that Hezbollah should return the captive soldiers.
No support for the Lebanese prisoners has appeared yet, 183 of them have died either from execution, medical neglect or physical torture. Currently there are 9850 captives in the Israeli prisons, 79 of them are Arabs.

How come the media didn't shed any light on this issue yet. Discuss and share with us your opinion.

Israelis vs Hezbollah on ground

Israel's series of small ground forays across the border have aimed to push back Hezbollah guerrillas who have continued firing rockets into northern Israel despite more than a week of massive bombardment — raising the question of whether air power alone can suppress them. Guerrillas fired 25 rockets into Israel on Thursday, which caused no casualties.

But the guerrillas have been fighting back hard on the ground, wounding three Israeli soldiers Thursday, a day after killing two. An Israeli unit sent in to ambush Hezbollah guerrillas also had a fierce gunbattle with a cell of militants.

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But an Israeli army spokesman refused to rule out the possibility of a full-scale invasion. Israel broadcast warnings Wednesday into south Lebanon, telling civilians to leave the region — a possible prelude to a larger Israeli ground operation.

"There is a possibility — all our options are open. At the moment, it's a very limited, specific incursion but all options remain open,"

Capt. Jacob Dallal, an Israeli army spokesman, told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

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Deadliest Day Yet in Assault on Lebanon

Wednesday's ferocious bombings included the first airstrikes inside Beirut's main Christian enclave, and extensive bombardment of a bunker that Israeli officials said was sheltering Hezbollah leaders. An Israeli military official who spoke on condition of anonymity said dozens of planes were involved, dropping about 23 tons of explosives on the bunker. Hezbollah told news services that none of its leaders or members were killed in the strike.

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"If you don't die of something from Israel, you're going to die of sickness, food or thirst," said Katya Taleb, 26, who gathered Wednesday with hundreds of others at the beachfront Tyre Rest House, seeking shelter and hoping for evacuation.



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Arming of Hezbollah shows link with Iran and Syria?

The power and sophistication of the missile and rocket arsenal that Hezbollah has used in recent days has caught the United States and Israel off guard, and officials in both countries are just now learning the extent to which the militant group has succeeded in getting weapons from Iran and Syria.

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American and Israeli officials said the successful attack last Friday on an Israeli naval vessel was the strongest evidence to date of direct support by Iran to Hezbollah. The attack was carried out with a sophisticated antiship cruise missile, the C-802, an Iranian-made variant of the Chinese Silkworm, an American intelligence official said.

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How Israel censors Media to prevent Hezbollah from right aims

The range of issues subject to censorship in the latest conflict with Lebanese guerrillas are all related to the goal of preventing Hezbollah from using the media to help it better aim rockets at Israel.

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The rules include no real-time reports giving the exact locations of guerrilla missile hits; no reports of missile hits — or misses — on strategic targets; and no reports telling when citizens are allowed to leave their bunkers for supplies.

Journalists are also not allowed to give details about senior Israeli officials going to the north, where Hezbollah's rockets are falling, until the officials have left the area. They also cannot report places where there aren't enough shelters or where public defense is weak.

So far in this conflict, about one rocket in 100 fired by Hezbollah has killed an Israeli. The rest usually explode in empty fields, tear concrete from abandoned streets or plunk into the Mediterranean. Fired blind, Hezbollah's thousands of mostly short-range, inaccurate munitions simply pose a random peril to Israeli citizens.

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Highlights from "Analysis: What Israel hopes to accomplish"

Meanwhile reports from southern Lebanon indicate that Israel in aiming to clear a swath of at least 36 miles between its northern border and the militias, and this by any means possible. A United Press International correspondent in the area seems to think Israel might create a DMZ -- a demilitarized zone -- along its frontier with Lebanon. At that point the Lebanese army could move its units into southern Lebanon and assume control of the region. In the aftermath of hell and high-fire that rained down on South Lebanon as part of Israel`s campaign to expel the Shiite militants from the area, south Lebanese villagers would welcome the legitimacy of the national Lebanese army. But as in all occupations, or call it deployment of troops, the honeymoon period between the newly arrived military and the villagers is a short-lived one.

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