Liveblogging the War: Saturday July 29th - Sunday July 30th
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Today, the IDF pulled out of the southern Lebanon town of Bint Jbail, but not before killing 26 Hizbulah terrorists in what has been described as “one of their most important missions in the framework of the operation in Lebanon.” During the day’s fighting, the IDF seized Hizbullah equipment, including 5 anti-tank missiles, 30 hand grenades, 41 clips and 10 bullet proof vests.
The IAF struck over 60 targets today, including dozens of Hizbullah weapons caches, vehicles that were transporting arms, and the very rocket launchers used by Hizbullah to fire a new kind of missile at the Afula area (the furthest south they have reached until now) on Friday. The IDF is still not certain on the exact extent of damage inflicted on Hizbullah’s rocket-firing capabilities, but estimate that their medium-range rocket arsenal has been definitely reduced.
Hizbullah fired over 90 Katushas at our northern communities today, with 5 people sustaining light shrapnel wounds. And this evening, Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah continued with his verbal barrage of threats, vowing to strike towns in central Israel, and referring to Israel as a “temporary country” (in case you don’t yet understand Hizbullah’s ultimate aim), as well as a “slave of the US.”
Elsewhere in the world, a Muslim gunman “angry at Israel” opened fire inside the building of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, killing a woman and wounding 5 others, Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez met with Iranian President Mahmoud “Gorilla Boy” Ahmedinejad and pledged to support Iran, and pro-Lebanon anti-Israel protesters mobbed Australian prime minister John Howard in my hometown of Perth.
Updates (Israel time; most recent at top)
11:03PM: Ynetnews reports that the Lebanese army opened fire on Israeli helicopters earlier today.
10:31PM: The US is expected to block a United Nations Security Council resolution denouncing Israel for the Qana strike.
10:28PM: In response to the IDF’s theory that the building in Qana collapsed around 8AM, Lebanese villagers in Qana say that the building’s collapse occurred in the early hours of the night.
9:45PM: Kofi Annan is urging the UN Security Council to condemn our strike on Qana.
I’m assuming he is not urging the Security Council to condemn Hizbullah’s deliberate strikes on Israeli civilians, nor Hizbullah’s use of Lebanese civilians as human shields.
9:28PM: An IDF investigation has so far found that the building in Qana fell approximately eight hours after being hit by the IAF. Some possibilities being examined are:
9:16PM: 4 IDF soldiers have been injured after Hizbullah terrorists fired a missile against an IDF tank. 2 of the soldiers have sustained moderate injuries, and 2 have sustained light wounds.
9:08PM: Part 2 of the interview with Egyptian Sandmonkey and yours truly is now up at Shire Network News (Part 1 is available here, if you did not catch it yet).
8:52PM: The IDF are expected to destroy all Hizbullah outposts within a kilometer and a half of the Israel-Lebanon border by Thursday.
8:45PM: Israellycool reader John sends in a link to this picture from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada, which was accompanied by the below caption.
Those Peace alliance people are so full of love, aren’t they?“Z.K. Thiessen of the Canadian Peace Alliance gestures to a heckler from the pro-Israel group at Portage and Main yesterday. The two sides gathered at the intersection yesterday afternoon, arguing with one another about the conflict in the Mideast and jostling for the best position on the corner, but the protests ended peacefully. Police stood by to keep the peace.”
8:30PM: 69 Israelis have been injured from today’s rocket attacks.
Deliberately injured (Actually, Hizbullah has been aiming to kill).
Random thought: If they were all to succumb to their injuries, I doubt the international community would be in as much uproar as they have been over Israel’s justified strike on Qana today.
8:25PM: The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has posted footage showing Hizbullah firing rockets from behind buildings in Qana, as well as this explanation:
This morning, July 30, 2006, the IAF attacked missile launch sites in the area of the village of Qana, an area from which hundreds of missiles were launched towards the city of Nahariya and the communities in the western Galilee.
The IDF will defend the citizens of Israel from attacks by the Hizbullah and the responsibility for any civilian casualties rests with the Hizbullah who have turned the suburbs of Lebanon into a war front by firing missiles from within civilian areas.
Residents in this region and specifically the residents of Qana were warned several days in advance to leave the village. Eighteen Israeli civilians have been killed and over 400 have been wounded by these rocket attacks which have disrupted the lives of tens of thousands of Israeli citizens.
The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved civilians, but this is the result of Hizbullah terrorist organization’s contemptible use of Lebanese civilians as human shields.
“To all citizens south of the Litani RiverDue to the terror activities being carried out against the State of Israel from within your villages and homes, the IDF is forced to respond immediately against these activities, even within your villages. For your safety! We call upon you to evacuate your villages and move north of the Litani River.”
A special unit of undercover IDF troops arrested four Palestinians in Qalqilyah overnight for the murder of Israeli doctor Daniel Yaakovi last week.One of the four detainees is a member of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement, and the other three are his assistants.
Harsh but true. Right from the beginning, Zionist fanatics were comfortable with European anti-semitism and even collaborated with Nazis and other anti-semites to drive reluctant jewish populations towards “The Promised Land”.
Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora thanked Hizbollah on Sunday for its “sacrifices” In its war against Israel.
Has anyone noticed how Hizbollah & Lebanon so conveniently claim the death of Israeli children as being necessary “martyrdom” for the Muslim cause (a reference to the 2 Israeli Arab children killed by a Katusha in Nazareth last week - ed) but when their own children are killed by the bombings it’s a different story, they express outrage.
The images, obtained exclusively by the Sunday Herald Sun, show Hezbollah using high-density residential areas as launch pads for rockets and heavy-calibre weapons.Dressed in civilian clothing so they can quickly disappear, the militants carrying automatic assault rifles and ride in on trucks mounted with cannon.The photographs, from the Christian area of Wadi Chahrour in the east of Beirut, were taken by a visiting journalist and smuggled out by a friend.—-The images include one of a group of men and youths preparing to fire an anti-aircraft gun metres from an apartment block with sheets hanging out on a balcony to dry.Others show a militant with AK47 rifle guarding no-go zones after Israeli blitzes.Another depicts the remnants of a Hezbollah Katyusha rocket in the middle of a residential block blown up in an Israeli air attack.The Melbourne man who smuggled the shots out of Beirut and did not wish to be named said he was less than 400m from the block when it was obliterated.“Hezbollah came in to launch their rockets, then within minutes the area was blasted by Israeli jets,” he said.“Until the Hezbollah fighters arrived, it had not been touched by the Israelis. Then it was totally devastated.“It was carnage. Two innocent people died in that incident, but it was so lucky it was not more.”The release of the images comes as Hezbollah faces criticism for allegedly using innocent civilians as “human shields”.Mr Egeland blasted Hezbollah as “cowards” for operating among civilians.“When I was in Lebanon, in the Hezbollah heartland, I said Hezbollah must stop this cowardly blending in among women and children,” he said.
11:23PM: The IDF has killed an Al-Quds Brigades commander (i.e. senior terrorist) in Nablus.
But please don’t be shedding any tears. Amongst his work was a deadly terror attack on the pedestrian mall in Tel Aviv’s Neve Shaanan Street just three months ago, which left 4 Israelis dead.
10:25PM: US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice is in town, and is currently meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Saturday 10:20PM: Aaron has posted footage of John Howard being mobbed in Perth.
An Australian immigrant to Israel, Aussie Dave has been blogging since early 2003.
July 29th, 2006 at 8:52 pm
Just one quibble: “further” is used in the context of abstract concepts, such as time. “Farther” is used in a more concrete sense, such as with distance. Thus, the Khaibar missile has penetrated the farthest, not the furthest.
July 29th, 2006 at 10:13 pm
It’s hard to believe with all that’s happened, Olmert still intends to turn over more land. He’s meshugah.
July 30th, 2006 at 4:10 am
I think you’ll find that the world sent the message “that terrorism works” when it permitted the establishment of the state of Israel on land acquired through acts of terrorism.
By the way my dictionary defines terrorism as “the systematic use of violence and intimidation to coerce a government or community, especially into acceding to specific political demands”. Sounds to me exactly like what the IDF has been doing to the Lebanese in an attempt to force the Lebanese government to act in respect of the UN resolution. Try comparing that to the tactics adopted by the Palestinians to get Israel to honour other resolutions. “War is just terrorism with a bigger budget”.
I just hope Hisbollah holds out long enough for the international community to force Israel back to negotiating table with some real intent to work for a just peace. Maybe then the Lebanese won’t have suffered in vain.
As a British citizen I am absolutely disgusted and ashamed of my country’s response to this crisis.
July 30th, 2006 at 4:11 am
Seeing news of an airstrike in Lebanon that killed a bunch of kids… I fully support Israel in its war against Hezbullah, but damn… this kind of thing really isn’t helping them…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5228224.stm
July 30th, 2006 at 4:13 am
Anon… it’s Hezbullah that needs to be forced to negotiate, not Israel. They just want to be left alone. None of this would be happening had Hezbullah not invaded Israel, killed 8 IDF soldiers, and kidnapped 2 of them. Remember that.
July 30th, 2006 at 4:22 am
Hezbollah started this war. Hezbollah is a terrorist group that is integrated into the nation of Lebanon, and Lebanon does nothing to remove Hezbollah. In fact, I believe that polls show that the majority of Lebanese citizens support Hezbollah. Israel is just defending itself. My sympathies and support are for Israel, not Lebanon, not Syria, not Iran and not Hezbollah.
July 30th, 2006 at 4:53 am
I don’t think Israel can expect to be “left alone” when there is so much unfinished business. Peace will only come with a just solution for the Palestinians and the sooner Israel and the US accept that the better for all of us.
You should remember that Israel is in a permanent state of aggression against the Palestinians, continuing to murder scores of civilians and children in Gaza even after the so-called withdrawal and despite the ceasefire from Hamas. Both parties are to blame - this is just the latest, tragic, round.
July 30th, 2006 at 5:36 am
So your country’s British Armed forces were nothing more than murderous terrorists when fighting and defeating the Nazis in WWII? Should they be condemned and hounded for war crimes they committed? If we could, should we drag Britain’s war time generals politician, pilots and soldiers to some international kangaroo court of justice and dish out the punishment your country deserves, according to your thinking?
Do you really want to continue down this path of logic?
Shy Guy
July 30th, 2006 at 5:47 am
Dear Anonymous,
How appropriate that you should be expressing your opinions anonymously. Just like the nameless, faceless, sludge of humanity that is the islamist terrorists. The herd that has no individuals, that hide behind their women & kids and fire missiles and plant bombs on other country’s civilians, and then since they have no human identity, they blame it on allah, or islam, and call thier war Holy.
And yes, to finish this disease, a war, a terrorism with a bigger budget is required. But this terrorism is aimed at dealing with terrorists, not killing innocent civilian people just to make your point.
Hizbollah, LeT, Al-quieda and other terrorist outfits are cowards, they, and their so called islamist belief Jihad is a disease thats eating up bright young men and turning them into criminals.
A straight thinking logical country like Israel has been pushed too much, and they are doing what is a logical response of an intelligent nation that wants its citizens not to get senselessly killed by mad muslims.
Again, its not possible to come to a negotiating table with the terrorist muck like hizbollah as there will be no one to talk to. There is no intelligence in there that can listen to reason.
Guns are the only language they understand.
Anonymous voices don’t matter.
Arjun.
July 30th, 2006 at 6:02 am
And you Sir, should remember that fundamentally, ALL land , almost everywhere ,at one time or another was taken and held by others and defended.
Nations have armies to defend their freehold.
Since modern Israel’s founding, 30 or 40 nations have been formed and not all peacefully.
Your argument is so weak it denies how humankind have been operating since the year dot.
And why would there be an exception in this pattern be made for Israel?
What, because they’re Jews?
What in essence this is about is the Arab nation refuses to accept Israel’s existence full stop.
It’s the Palestinians who deliberately, as a matter of course, look for civilian causalities on both sides and then play up to do-gooders like you, who swallow their bait and pan Israel.
They pander to gullible people like you. They love it.
I applaud your government’s actions – you don’t deserve to be there. Sharia Law and its ‘freedoms’ are the go for you.
Get a load of this lady; she’s got something to say to you about the Muslim mentality
July 30th, 2006 at 6:24 am
Here is how I think the war has gone and will go.
Tactics, Strategy, Grand Strategy
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he [it is] that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Deu 31:6
July 30th, 2006 at 6:40 am
When the Palestinians act like they deserve their own state, talks can start. The way they are acting now shows otherwise.
July 30th, 2006 at 6:43 am
Hezbulah is trying to maximize civilian casualties in both Lebanon and Israel. Israel then gets blamed for the civilian deaths and Hezbulah wins a political victory. I don’t claim to know the answer to how Israel can turn this around. How can we win politically, as well as on the battlefield. This is the challenge. Radical Islamists are masters of the political battle. They have convinced their most hated enemies (western countries) to support them.
Stan
July 30th, 2006 at 7:09 am
I’m pleased to see that as a British citizen you are absolutely disgusted and ashamed of your country. So you should be.
You see, Israel the nation came about from the same process that Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Saudi etc - the fall of the Ottoman Empire at the end of WW1. The original terrorists were the Arabs, google Al-Husseini, Hebron; and the effect was the loss of intended land for the jewish homeland to appease these miserable Arabs. And who were the major appeasers - the British. Who allowed Al-Husseini to avoid trial as a Nazi war collaborator and criminal - the British.
Take your revisionist history regurgitating out of your backside and dump it in the sewer where it belongs.
July 30th, 2006 at 7:16 am
ariya on Sun 30 Jul 2006 11:11 AM IDT .
It appears that human shields are helping Hizbollah.
July 30th, 2006 at 7:16 am
Yet again the vermin Hezb-Allah sacrifice their own, including children, to the great Western Media and its drooling shit-for-brains minions to get sympathy and pressure applied to Israel.
If G-d is listening, let Hezb-Allah fail.
July 30th, 2006 at 7:18 am
Israel is making enemies and committing atrocities because you cannot fight terrorism like this!
Why are you blind? US tried to fight Al Qaeda this way - by bombing Afghanistan. Is Al Qaeda significantly weaker?
Btw if you try to force only one side to negotiate you will not succeed. It doesn’t even fit with the definition of negotiation.
Hezbollah are terrorists. You need to act in support of the innocent Lebanese AND innocent Palestinians and show them you are with them and against bloodshed. Alienate those who use terror. Don’t try and compete with them - look at UK response to the Omagh bombing - it put the IRA in a very difficult position. Look at Spain with ETA - they do not bomb the Basque because IT DOES NOT WORK.
The IDF are working against Israel’s (all of Israel - jewish, muslim, christian, european, arab) long term interest. They will continue to kill and be killed. This justifies religious rhetoric and large defence budgets - no one wins (apart from right wing racists, Lockheed Martin etc).
Why don’t you see this?
You can argue about responsiblity until the cows come home - each side will say something different. Amos Oz says both sides have a right to the land - he argues it saliently. What do you think is the best COMPROMISE to stop bloodshed? Because you will need to compromise - not for Hezbollah, but for the arab people whose lives you have destroyed.
Stop acting like a US-backed bully and make mature decisions.
July 30th, 2006 at 7:49 am
I just heard that number of fatalities at Qana cant be established conclusively. That bodies have been moved around in an effort to bump up the numbers.Who is counting the dead?
Could it be the whole thing was orchestrated by Hezbollah?
Scott, NZ
July 30th, 2006 at 8:10 am
Fine sentiments, and they would be really worthwhile applying to people that think and reason LIKE US.
But honestly, I don’t think Hezbollah or the Palestinians are interested in negotiations or compromises that don’t leave them with the State of Israel no longer in existence.
It is their stated aim and as time goes on , especially with all the evidence of Hezbollah’s extensive preparations for war in Lebanon – that they fully intend to destroy Israel one way or another and will keep trying.
Appeasement doesn’t work with these people and it’s incredibly difficult to negotiate anything whilst one group or another antagonizes causing defensive or offensive actions to take place to nullify a threat in an immediate sense. Constant distraction.
So Israel is forced to “compete with them”.
I mean, there has never been any period that could be classified as a true ‘ceasefire’.
During these periods the IDF claims to avert countless acts of terror that are never reported by the mainstream media outside of Israel. Incidents only rise to become newsworthy when its something spectacular.
July 30th, 2006 at 8:17 am
“War is just terrorism with a bigger budget”
i’m British, Roman Catholic, and i find your attitude reprehensible.
are you really saying that the RAF and the soldiers of D-Day were just terrorists with a bigger budget?
have you completely lost your mind?
July 30th, 2006 at 8:26 am
Qana is destined to become the next Jenin. Dave, you should see the way the western media is covering this. NBC news just had a report which featured, among other things, a reporter who was interviewing an Israeli government spokeswoman. The reporter essentially accused Israe of at best indiscriminately murdering civilians, and at worst deliberately targeting them. She then asked the spokeswoman what Israel should do so as to avoid any civilian casualties.
Comments and attitudes like that are “Exhibit A” as to why the West can never hope to defeat the Islamofascists. They are prepared to to die for their beliefs and to sacrifice anyone and anything to get what they want. We are not. It’s that simple.
July 30th, 2006 at 8:33 am
Intervie with Pierre Revov
Read the interview - its deeply troubling. And to be quite honest, I cannot see how Israel will ever be at peace with these lunatics.
The Islamists raison d’etre is death and destruction - and the killing of all Jews. How can you “negotiate” with such Nazism? You can’t. We Brits tried it with Hitler in the 1930s and it didnt work.
Why do we expect Israel to “negotiate” with fascist scum like Hezbollah?
(regards : A non-Jewish Brit who fully supports Israel in this war)
July 30th, 2006 at 8:36 am
At least your pro-Hizbollah stance is now clear for all to see.
If you had enough of that tough Dunkirk spirit, you’d be over in Lebanon joining the “just cause’ of resisting the “Israeli terrorists”.
The Lebanese government lost the world’s sympathy when they spurned the unique opportunity - through united French and US assistance no less - to face down Hizbollah. Instead, they opted to let Hizbollah remain armed and a threat to Israel and therefore to themselves. The government are reaping what they sowed. No tears for them.
You should be thanking Israel for implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1559 - disarming Hizbollah. Or is this a convenient time to forget about the UN?
As for those killed in Qana today - all loss of life is tragic - with the exception of members of Hizbollah, Hamas, al Qaeda, Iranian theocracy, Syrian despots, and that guy who cut in front of me this morning at the traffic lights.
20,000 French civilians were killed in the attacks of D-Day. Perhaps the invasion of Europe by US and British forces shouldn’t have happened? I want to know why civilians remain in war zone areas when they have been warned to leave. I suspect Hizbollah can answer that one.
Note the Geneva Convention and the laws of war. Those hiding behind civilians are themselves responsible for the deaths of the civilians. So I believe you should be taking up your issue of civilian deaths with Hizbollah not with Israel.
Or do you just like to pick on democracies, because you can do that from the safety of your comfy sofa?
Contrary to the hyperventilating media and activists, Israel has done very little wrong in this war. As always, they have shown themselves to be the most humane army in the world. Israel would win any Pepsi challenge for maximising attacks with the minimum number of civilian deaths.
As Bibi Netanyahu said, if Israel wasn’t minimising civilian deaths, there would be tens of thousands dead in Lebanon. Full credit to the IDF for being so careful.
Of course, people can quote a few tragic incidents where civilians get killed. Note though that it is just that - a few.
Contrast that with every one of the 3,200 rockets that Hizbollah has fired so far - each went with the wish of Nasrallah that it would kill Israelis.
July 30th, 2006 at 8:41 am
The answer to your question “Is al Qaeda weaker?” is yes, they are weaker.
That’s what killing them does. It makes them weaker.
Hizbollah will be too shortly. Because they are being killed.
Kill terrorist and they can’t kill you. Quite simple really.
July 30th, 2006 at 8:47 am
Hi all!
Just want to post a link about a Lebanese man and an Israeli who exchange emails on the conflict in their countries.
Maybe you do not know it yet.
Greetings,
Pete
July 30th, 2006 at 8:54 am
Hmmm…
Apparently it is not possible to announce a HTML link under mozzilla…
Here is the text:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5209962.stm
Greetings,
Pete
July 30th, 2006 at 9:32 am
“1. Hizbullah used Qana as a center for launching rockets at Kiryat Shmona and Afula.
2. The residents were warned to leave.”
I think the relevant question here is how many civilians is one ready to sacrifice for a handful of terrorists. I personally wouldn’t allow anyone to destroy a building with fifty civilians just to get a few “insignificant” terrorists who just happened to fire from the building. Hezbollah might be responsible for bringing the battle there but still - I think the decision to destroy the building was a bad one.
July 30th, 2006 at 9:36 am
Chrisse - it’s a long video and I’ll watch later - tell me how different are fundamentalist muslims from:
fundamentalist jews (assassinated Yitzhak Rabin, created the Hebron problem, invade arab houses using the 48 hour expulsion rule)
http://www.palestinecampaign.org/pdf/settlements.pdf
or fundamentalist christians?
fundamentalist christians = neo-cons = Norman Podhoretz: “WW IV: How It Started, What It Means, and Why We Have to Win.”
Podhoretz begins by alleging that “the malignant force of radical Islamism” has as its objective “to conquer our land” and to destroy “everything good for which America stands.”
Podhoretz blames the 9/11 terrorist attack on American cowardice. He argues that four US presidents (Carter, Reagan, Bush I, and Clinton) spent 24 years convincing Muslims that America is a wimp. Insane polarizing agument.
See article: http://www.lewrockwell.com/roberts/roberts68.html
Israel is siding with powerful, crazy, religious extremists.
Show me how Al Qaeda is weaker - they’ve bombed how many places since 9/11? Kill terrorists they can’t kill you. Kill civilians, you make everyone remember and hate you = more terrorists against you.
If someone took your land, attacked your people and gave you no rights, what would you do? Understand the Palestinians have rightful claims.
Then talk about us versus them and you polarize the battle to religion - talking about the Palestinians as if they are all at fault. It’s exactly what Hezbollah and the Israeli govt want - both their power bases grow.
There are many moderate people living in Israel. To be opposed to the IDF campaigns is not to be opposed to Israel. Supporting military restraint will win you respect in the arab world - you have to live together.
July 30th, 2006 at 10:01 am
Yeah well as a Brit I’m ashamed of your scumbag comments
Maybe you were in Liverpool yesterday with your other International Socialist nazi sympathizers proclaiming Hessbollah as freedom fighters. Was that you anon?
Maybe you were that 18 year yoof intio whose face I got to to explain how he was a nazi sympathizer. He looked quite shocked — him having such a high tolerance of dead Jews, like most Europeans.
Go back to the Grauniad and al-Beeb to get your talking points.
July 30th, 2006 at 11:05 am
Lebanese Ambassador Nouhad Mahmoud just said — on NBC’s Meet the Press — that he respects Nasrallah, echoing Lahoud’s comments earlier this week. He also said that disarming Hizbollah is not “on our (the Lebanese government’s) agenda.” At this point, I can’t understand why anyone wants us to talk to these people anymore and why we care what anyone in the world thinks about us. They’re not even pretending to want peace and yet we’re the war criminals?!
July 30th, 2006 at 11:30 am
I’m not really a history buff, but I have been forced to do a lot of reading and study since 2001.
I’m not only scared and pissed by what I have read but I am convinced that Islam is the world’s most evil cult ever.
Islam is also the Muslim’s greatest enemy. It will be their downfall. This by their own hand and by others.
This has been true for centuries, but it is only within the last few decades that weapons have been available to do this with more efficient means. The Persians will be the ones to try and accomplish this in the very near future. They are engineering the destruction of the Islamic world.
‚ÄúOur revolution‚Äôs main mission is to pave the way for the reappearance of the 12th Imam, the Mahdi,‚Äù Ahmadinejad said in the speech to Friday Prayers leaders from across the country.”
It is said that, as mayor of Tehran, he [Ahmadinejad] had city plans drawn up for the return of the 12th Imam. At his address to the United Nations General Assembly in October, 2005, he indeed ended his speech with a prayer imploring God to hasten the return of the 12th Imam for the good of humanity.
“From the beginning of time, humanity has longed for the day when justice, peace, equality and compassion envelop the world. All of us can contribute to the establishment of such a world. When that day comes, the ultimate promise of all Divine religions will be fulfilled with the emergence of a perfect human being [12th Imam] who is heir to all prophets and pious men. He will lead the world to justice and absolute peace. O mighty Lord, I pray to you to hasten the emergence of your last repository, the promised one, that perfect and pure human being, the one that will fill this world with justice and peace.”
There is his vision, his want and our destruction. It can’t get much more real to those that understand.
It is to our everlasting sorrow that the world’s leaders do not want to acknowledge or understand what is going to happen.
Papa Ray
West Texas
USA
July 30th, 2006 at 12:40 pm
UPDATE: The IDF has released a film clip which shows Hezbollah firing rockets from a building which is very similar to the one which was bombed in Qana. From what I have seen, it is not conclusively established that it is THE building, but it would not surprise me at all if it were. Hezbollah is nothing if not smart. This is a true “win, win” for them. Either they get to continue launching rockets at Israel without interruption, or Israel kills a bunch of children. It’s good PR for them either way. The world reaction to what has happened is ample proof of this fact.
Here is what Israel needs to do: It IMMEDIATELY needs for Olmert to call a press conference, and to show this video. He needs to in no uncertain terms be able to link this building to the firing of rockets into Israel. And, he needs to pointedly direct remarks to France, Russia, Spain, and the rest of the dhimmi-loving countries of Western Europe to ask them if they would put up with this. Will he do it? Of course not, but it is what needs to be done.
The bottom line to me: Israel has already lost this latest war, unfortunately…………..
July 30th, 2006 at 1:23 pm
i agree. i’m in the UK, this is very bad PR for the Israeli cause.
Even Sky News, which is normally sympathetic to the Israelis realise that Qana is an own goal for the Israelis.
Tony Blair is finding it very difficult because of the dhimmis in his party. Qana will make it even more difficult for him.
I agree with the poster above - Olmert needs to go on the news offensive. Show that video!
July 30th, 2006 at 2:10 pm
RAH, RAH, HEZBOLLAH!
Rick Moran rates left-wing cheerleaders for Hezbollah. *** Josh Trevino weighs in on Qana: Let us call the childrens’ deaths in Qana what they are: a horrific freak of war. They were not intended; they were not actively sought; and…
July 30th, 2006 at 2:28 pm
Israel should be willing to absorb all incoming missiles as a form of passive resistance. Tis’ better to let your own civilians get killed than to attack the enemy’s missile launchers if those launchers are in civilian populated areas. “Never Again” should Israel attack missile launchers in civilian populated areas in Qana,or anywhere else. Many Israeli civilians may die as a result of this, but in the end Israel will recieve nothing but praise from Kofi Annan, Nasrallah and other world leaders. It’s worth it.
July 30th, 2006 at 3:14 pm
anti israeli comments do not equate anti semitic comments…..
NOAM CHOMSKY: Yeah. Well, he’s correct that hundreds of rockets have been fired, and naturally that has to be stopped. But he didn’t mention, or maybe at least in this comment, that the rockets were fired after the heavy Israeli attacks against Lebanon, which killed — well, latest reports, maybe 60 or so people and destroyed a lot of infrastructure. As always, things have precedence, and you have to decide which was the inciting event. In my view, the inciting event in the present case, events, are those that I mentioned — the constant intense repression; plenty of abductions; plenty of atrocities in Gaza; the steady takeover of the West Bank, which, in effect, if it continues, is just the murder of a nation, the end of Palestine; the abduction on June 24 of the two Gaza civilians; and then the reaction to the abduction of Corporal Shalit. And there’s a difference, incidentally, between abduction of civilians and abduction of soldiers. Even international humanitarian law makes that distinction.
AMY GOODMAN: Can you talk about what that distinction is?
NOAM CHOMSKY: If there’s a conflict going on, aside physical war, not in a military conflict going on, abduction — if soldiers are captured, they are to be treated humanely. But it is not a crime at the level of capture of civilians and bringing them across the border into your own country. That’s a serious crime. And that’s the one that’s not reported. And, in fact, remember that — I mean, I don‚Äôt have to tell you that there are constant attacks going on in Gaza, which is basically a prison, huge prison, under constant attack all the time: economic strangulation, military attack, assassinations, and so on. In comparison with that, abduction of a soldier, whatever one thinks about it, doesn’t rank high in the scale of atrocities.
July 30th, 2006 at 3:15 pm
Obsession:
What The War on Terror Is Really About
You can watch this documentary film here:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6162397493278181614&q=obsession
(highlight and scroll all the way to the right)
Some quotes:
“The world is in denial over this radical Islamic enemy.”
“All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing”
“America has to be woken up, because we are strangling ourselves with political correctness”
“This is exactly what happened in Germany. Like in Germany, they are corrupting a generation of youth mostly through propoganda in their schools.”
“We are in the 1930’s again and the world is sleeping again. The world refuses to see that this is Nazi Germany all over again.”
“They learned from the Nazis how to indoctrinate their young. They have the same goal - the extermination of the Jews.”
“The worst form of child abuse is teaching a child to hate.”
It ends with a quote from one of the Arab preachers
“It is only a matter of time until we rule Earth…until we control Earth.”
July 30th, 2006 at 4:37 pm
I looks like the brave resistance in Qana have scored an own goal.
I just love it when Hizbollah kills their own women and children. True guardians of civilization. Reminds me of a Brit paper which shall remain nameless.
July 30th, 2006 at 5:14 pm
Noam Chomsky is a liar, a coward and a traitor. Why are you posting his propaganda here?
Hizb’allah are not only enemies of Israel, they are enemies of civilization. So many here are cheering for their victory. Well, I hope you get what you deserve, and hard.
July 30th, 2006 at 5:46 pm
Be wary of all religious extremists - I watched the video too, and I am angry that the makers used my town (London) to make their points. As the video states but doesn’t deliver: education is key, and don’t let the extremists increase their influence.
Btw, what Tony Blair says in the video are the best things he’s said in the last 2 yrs. Shame he doesn’t back them up with more. Here are some quotes:
“These bandits…have sought to stand between the common people of all the lands” (Churchill)
For “bandits” now read religious extremists - christian, muslim and jewish.
“There is an inherent flaw in the Arab culture. This culture glorifies violence and lacks the ability to conduct a peaceful dialogue.” (Dr Wahid Abd Al Maquid)
Isn’t this a huge generalisation (a whole culture??)? And does this not describe the US? And maybe “eye for an eye” Israel?
“Our determination to defend our values and way of life is greater than their determination to cause death and destruction to innocent people in a desire to impose extremism on the world.” (Tony Blair)
Note we defend.
One other point - one speaker (Daniel Pipes?) states 3 ways how extremist muslim propoaganda and nazi propaganda are similar:
1. hate speeches.
2. paranoia.
3. “us” against “them” attitude.
Beware of political leaders using these same tactics to garner support for their actions. The US and Israel are guilty of 2. and 3. for sure. It’s just propaganda.
The video only mentioned twice that: “The vast and overwhelming majority [of muslims] are decent and law-abiding people who abhorr this terrorism as much as we do.” (Tony Blair).
It is so important we do not lose sight of the moderates - don’t let extremists from either side divide and conquer the moderate opinions shared on all sides.
July 30th, 2006 at 7:32 pm
BBC Panorama investigates charity InterPal’s financing of Hamas terrorism
Tonight BBC chief investigative programme Panorama follows the trail of charity money from Interpal to Hamas suicide bombing of Israeli civilians. Interpal is the UK based Palestinian charity backed by George Galloway MP.
If you missed the programme (…
July 30th, 2006 at 8:36 pm
This is getting ridiculous. Today you (the owner of this blog) posted about how a new record was set for the number of rockets launched into Israel. This is after HOW MANY weeks of bombing, and 500 innocent lebanese killed?
How can ANYONE justify the continuation of the IDF campaign into lebanon? There is not a single shred of evidence the IDF has done anything except inflame the situation further.
Look at the reasons for going into this battle. 1) kidnapped soldiers… 2) rockets being fired into Israel. What has been done to remedy either of those situations… the soldiers are still missing, and the rockets are falling with GREATER FREQUENCY.
In addition to all of this, Israel has killed HUNDREDS of innocent civilians, creating more terrorist recruits with every single death. In addition, the entire world (with the exception of the U.S. which is at the mercy of AIPAC) is now against Israel’s campaign.
Independent of the justifications for starting the air/ground campaign into Lebanon, can anyone here give any good reason to continue this campaign. (That fits within Israel’s supposed reasons for starting this offensive.)
July 30th, 2006 at 8:43 pm
Israel is doing all it can to prevent atrocities. In doing so, they are causing more risk to their own military forces. The civilian casualties that are occurring are the result of Hezbollah embedding itself with civilians and using them as human shields. Then, Hezbollah uses the civilian deaths as part of their propaganda campaign. And, most of the world is willing to swallow it.
The “innocent Lebanese” and the “innocent Palestinians”, for the most part, support Hamas and Hezbollah and hate Israel and the US (as well as Europe and all “infidels”). Islamic terrorists cannot be compared to the IRA or the ETA and will not react as those groups do.
Israel has compromised over and over, and it has done no good. The Arabs have seldom if ever compromised. The Islamic people see compromise as weakness and claim any Israeli or American compromise as a victory for the terrorists. The only thing they understand and respond to is power and victory. Negotiation with them is hopeless. Their goals are to destroy Israel and, eventually, to take over the world. This is what they themselves say (and boast about) frequently.
Why don’t you see this?
July 30th, 2006 at 8:46 pm
Yes, I think it is entirely possible that the whole thing was orchestrated by Hezbollah.
July 30th, 2006 at 8:50 pm
Its worth it?! Are you OK in the head?
Lets see you put your arse underneath a Katyusha . Oh I’d love to be praised after I’m blown to pieces or I have discovered I’m in hospital and have an arm missing.Unbelievable peacenik drivel.
July 30th, 2006 at 9:04 pm
Liora, I agree with you 100 %. I agree with all who are with Isreal 100 %.
I only hope that my government will commit to supporting Isreal militarily. I hope and pray for Isreal to prevail and wipe out these terrorists who vow to wipe out both of our countries.
Keep the faith ! My family prays for Isreal to prevail.
Richard
July 30th, 2006 at 9:17 pm
More terrorist recruits? Excellent.
More justification for bombing.
I suggest the terrorists surrender and impliment UN1559, and return the two soldiers.
So far those two are worth 600 Lebanese. How high a price do you think the terrorists will put on those two ultimately? 1,000? 2,000? 10,000?
Evidently the Israelis put a very high value on the lives of those boys. The terrorist put a low value on the lives of the Lebanese.
So be it.
Return the boys. Disarm. Move back from the border or the war continues.
If you want it to end plead with Hizbollah. The Israelis are not listening.
July 30th, 2006 at 11:07 pm
I think it is crucial that Israel re-commence the air war after the 48 hours (if not before).
July 31st, 2006 at 12:26 am
Caught on tape
Apparently, the building in Qana did not collapse immediately following an IDF airstrike: “The attack on the structure in the Qana village took place between midnight and one in the morning. The gap between the timing of the collapse of the building an…
July 31st, 2006 at 12:42 am
The justification for this campaign is to protect Israel’s citizens from deliberate rocket attack. Hizbullah’s stated aim is to destroy Israel, and we are not going to lie down, despite the fact that you seem to desire that particular solution.
But feel free to keep on blaming Israel for the deaths of the Lebanese civilians, and not Hizbullah.
July 31st, 2006 at 3:00 am
Last time I checked Chomsky was a professor emeritus at M.I.T. and the eighth most cited living scholar between 1080 and 1992. What have you done? Oh, wait you weren’t man enough to post your name.
And even if you did, it’s not like you actually critiqued the substance of the argument put forth before you. That is what has infuriated me about the discussions on this website, 80% of the posts are full of hate-fueled nonsense (both pro-israel and pro-hezbollah).
If someone posts something you disagree with try actually attacking their argument rather than resorting to mud-slinging like an idiot.
July 31st, 2006 at 3:02 am
Dave… maybe you didn’t fully read what I just posted. The frequency of rockets has only been increasing since you started the campaign. How is this protecting the Israeli population??? Nobody seems to be able to answer that question.
July 31st, 2006 at 3:56 am
Is Cana another Pallywood Production?