So after 60 people — at least 34 of them children — were slaughtered in an Israeli strike today, Israeli PM Ehud Olmert is indicating he wants to continue "the battle".
"We will not stop this battle, despite the difficult incidents this morning," Olmert said during Israel’s weekly Cabinet meeting, according to a participant in the meeting. "We will continue the activity and if necessary it will be broadened without hesitation."
Source: [Yahoo News]
This is beyond awful. The Israeli Army is showing the world a terrible ruthlessness. The bloodshed has to end, for the sake of humanity. Israel has made it clear that it will not stop until they disarm Hezbollah. In my humble opinion this will never happen. Hezbollah is more of a concept, an ideology, than anything else. It is an ideology fomented by the continuous frustration Arab youths face on a daily basis. You cannot kill an ideology with bombs. Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s popularity is soaring now more than ever due to the continuing Israeli attacks on Lebanon that have left many innocent civilians dead.
The Washington Post is reporting today how Arab governments that were initially critical of Hezbollah are now applauding the movement.
The United States’ Arab allies — Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt — initially blamed Hezbollah for the violence, calling its seizure of the soldiers miscalculated adventures. But a high civilian death toll, widespread destruction in Lebanon and strong popular support for Hezbollah have forced a shift in their stance.
And now Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora today thanked Hezbollah for the first time for their "sacrifices," saying:
"We are in a strong position and I thank the Sayyed for his efforts," Siniora said when asked about a Saturday statement by Hizbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah calling on the government to take advantage of Hizbollah’s steadfastness against Israeli military might. "I also thank all those who sacrifice their lives for the independence and sovereignty of Lebanon," he added.
Just for the record Siniora had always been known for being at odds with Hezbollah.
My sister who was in Damascus last week told me this morning how she was surprised to see wanton support for Hezbollah amongst the common people of Syria. She saw Hezbollah flags flying on cars while a number of people she talked with were expressing their pride and support for what Hezbollah is now doing.
Articulate Jordanian commentator and blogger Batir Wardam is wondering how many people Al-Qaeda has recruited since the beginning of this Israeli offensive in Lebanon.
Routes for violence are abundant. Organizations like Al Qaeda are ready to exploit this anger, not only against the USA and Israel but also against the Arab countries, communities and regime themselves. This is a twisted response but it is a natural result of the Israeli and American action. As I write now, and as you read hundreds of Arab Youth are being mainstreamed into the Qaeda and fundamental organizations who will provide the platform for angry Arab youth to become what we used to call them: terrorists!
Sadly enough, his argument is plausible. Israel has facilitated Al-Qaeda recruitment. I’m so frustrated. Things are going from bad to worse. The future is bleak. My children will never live in peace.
Jason Osborne
Are you on something? How the hell do you manage to blame everyone for this except the US. Iraq is the sole fault of the US so don’t you try your Jewish propoganda now trying to link Hizbullah to Al Qeada to Iraq. These are all 3 separate issues ok.
Iraq is a big mistake that the US comitted. Al Qeada is a screwed up organization that was empowered by the US during the days of the cold war. Hizbullah is a resistance movement to the Israeli occupation, while I have no particular liking to Hizbullah, you can’t compare it to Al Queada.
This is all just so sad. It seems like everyone involved in this conflict are total idiots. They won’t stop because they don’t know how to stop, and the options they have aren’t acceptable.
Personally, I think Israel has been overreacting since they went after Yassir Arafat. But Israel is not entirely at fault; Hezbollah has made their share of trouble too. So has the Iraqi Insurgency, so has Al Queda, so has members of the media, and Government Officials.
I think anyone who feels violence is the only solution to a problem and refuses to consider any alternative is an idiot. Well, given the problems the Middle East is facing, there has got to be a record number of idiots in the world today.
For the record, the holocaust did happen. Denying it means not acknowledging the horrible mistakes that were made (which is an understatement) and the terrible danger of repeating them.
Hezbollah Rockets Kill 8 Israeli Civilians
Anyone want to place bets on whether Hezbollah will apologize and promise to investigate why it’s rockets went awry or whether they will yell “Allahu Akbar” and hand out candies in the streets?
And what of the rest of the Arab world? Regret or celebration? I have some idea
Appearently, as sad as it is, the wise man who once said the following statement has not been proven to be wrong yet; He saide : ” It appears that when Israelis agree to terms and conditions (T’s & C’s ) for peace, Arabs will not; and when Arabs agree to T’s and C’s for peace, Israelis will not. And when both agree, God will not ! ”
3ogla, I know I’m wasting my time trying to talk to you. You have your agenda and aren’t really interested in the truth. You’ve decided that Israel is Little Satan and all the truth in the world won’t change your mind.
I don’t suppose you care that in 1948, the UN partitioned the land in 2 states, 1 for the Jews and 1 for the Arabs. Things would have been pretty good in the region if the Arabs hadn’t decided they wanted ALL OR NOTHING tried to annihilate the Jewish population.
All the Arab nations told the “Palestinians” living in Israel to leave, to go somewhere safe until all the Jews were pushed into the sea- then they could come back to their homes. So thousands of Palestinians left, despite the Jewish population urging them to stay.
Many also left because the Arab countries also threatened that any who stayed would be treated as collaborators and executed.
Problem: all those Arab countries couldn’t conquer Israel- and all those Arab countries abandoned the Palestinians they had promised to take care of. Use Google and you will see quotes from endless ARABS that admit to this.
The Israelis have built a state while the Palestinians would rather live a life of terrorism and handouts.
The only rapists and terrorists I see are the Palestinians. The only injustice I see is that the Palis are allowed to get away with their terrorism and suicide bombings while the Jews only want to live in peace. They withdrew from Gaza precisely for that reason, you dullard! Didn’t get them too far, though.
I know nothing I just said will make any difference to you. But maybe someone reading this will stop and think for a minute- and do further research online. Everything I said is verifiable through a variety of sources.
You people are always complaining that Jews come from around the world to live in Israel. Israel is a legal, recognized country. Why shouldn’t it be allowed to let Jews from anywhere immigrate?
If the Palestinians had accepted their own state back in 1948, they too could have allowed people from anywhere in the world to emigrate. The Palis have really screwed themselves up over the years, but it’s not the Jews fault. Hell would freeze over before the Palis would EVER blame themselves for their sorry situation.
Bye, 3ogla. I won’t be bothering with you again, I’ve just wasted enough of my time.
No 3ogla, you want the real facts. During WWII, before Israel was formed, Nazi propoganda and copies of Mein Kaumf where being spread all across the middle east by a handful of lunatics, one of which founded the Baath party and chose a variation on the swatztica for their flag. Jews ran to Israel from every place else for the same reason they left Nazi Germany and had the western world not founded Israel as an attempt to stop it, they would have all been killed by the same sort of, “poor us, it must be all the Jews’ fault, because it couldn’t possibly be anything we did”, mentality of that the Nazis used to justify their world conquests. Try reading history, instead of letting the lunatics and madmen that run your countries “tell” you what to believe, maybe you would learn something. Though, I seriously doubt it. One of the first rules of fanaticism and hatred is, “Don’t think for yourself, let us do it for you.”
You know I’m so glad that tommy is an expert on all topics, thank God for idiots like you
I hope someone got Queen Noor’s very interesting comments down somewhere from Larry King Live on CNN from Tuesday night. She spoke about defusing the conflict’s basises for bloodshed, which no one else has really addresses — at least, not that I heard.
I saw it. Who cares? What does it add to the solution? She said nothing other than what I would have expected her to say.
As for George Mitchell,
Retired US statesman George Mitchell, on the same program, noted that even very old conflicts like the 800 year struggle between England and Ireland, with the complete exception of the north, can finally reach a peaceful course.
That fact that the IRA wants to negotiate is in no small measure due to the heavy infiltration of the IRA by British informants. Many of the top leaders in the organization were talking to British intelligence. George Mitchell’s diplomacy in the situation is about as critical as Henry Kissinger’s diplomacy leading to the withdrawal of troops from Vietnam. In other words, not very important at all.
The willingness of the IRA to negotiate peace is due to the fact that the British took a hard line on the IRA for so many years and offered no concessions. You’ll also notice that the British have made the IRA’s disarmarment a condition for any talks.
Bradford
You want facts. The facts are all these Jews moved from Europe took our land by force. My own home was demolished and stollen from my family.
You want facts, they raped our women,they humiliated our youngsters and elders. You want facts, Israel came into existence by force and injustice.
I can go on and on. Dont tell me about facts Mr. I’m not an Israeli basher, i just state the fact that Israel is a state that loves to suck blood, its a terrorist state, it exists based on injustice, and has no desire for peace.
Here, take the facts and learn them
I hope someone got Queen Noor’s very interesting comments down somewhere from Larry King Live on CNN from Tuesday night. She spoke about defusing the conflict’s basises for bloodshed, which no one else has really addresses — at least, not that I heard.
Retired US statesman George Mitchell, on the same program, noted that even very old conflicts like the 800 year struggle between England and Ireland, with the complete exception of the north, can finally reach a peaceful course. So, yes, despite plenty of well-founded frustration, and with the Queen’s input, it appears that one day — hopefully before we’re all old and very gray — there might be peace in that region.