Every Saturday night, I log on to my computer with much apprehension. Having just spent the previous 25 hours observing the Jewish Sabbath, my state of blissful ignorance is about to be overtaken by the feeling of dread as I read the news. And tonight I have read that today was anything but a day of rest for my fellow Israelis in the north. 170 Katushas were fired into Israel, with 130 landing between 4:00PM and 5:00PM. Hizbullah even managed to fire more of their long-range missiles, some landing near Hadera, 75km south of the Lebanese border, making it the southernmost point hit by a missile since the start of fighting. And as usual, these attacks were not without their casualties. A Bedouin woman and her 2 daughters were killed after a Katusha directly hit their home, and an 87-year-old Israeli woman died of a heart attack after taking cover in a bomb shelter. Many more were injured, including an IDF soldier, after a rocket hit an army base.
The IAF attacked
70 strategic targets early today, including a road linking the town of
Hermel with the Syrian city of Homs (no prizes for guessing the reason
for this strike). This brought the number of raids within the last 36 hours to 160.
On the ground, the IDF continued to battle Hizbullah. In an operation called “heroic”, naval commandos raided Hizbullah headquarters in Tyre, killing at least 7 terrorists (among them senior operatives responsible for launching of rockets into Israel). 8 soldiers were wounded in the operation, including 2 seriously. This afternoon, IDF soldiers battled Hizbullah terrorists (who were firing anti-tank missiles), in the village of Aita al-Shaab, with 10 soldiers being wounded. Sergeant Or Shahar, one day before his 21st birthday, died of wounds he sustained last night after the vehicle in which he was travelling was hit by a mortar shell. And another soldier was seriously injured today after being hit by a mortar shell while standing on the Israeli side of the border.
On the southern front, the IDF attacked a Kassam rocket launcher in northern Gaza, as well as terrorist cell planning to shoot Kassams from the launcher.
In other news, the US and France reached agreement on a UN Security Council resolution calling for a “full cessation” of fighting between Israel and Hizbullah, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez compared us to Nazis (how original), a neighbor of his was killed fighting for Hizbullah, and Iran admitted to the bleeding obvious.
Updates (Israel time; most recent at top)
Monday updates here.
11:26PM: IDF forces operating in the Tyre area have destroyed 7 rocket launchers and killed 3 terrorists since this morning.
11:20PM: IDF soldiers have killed at least 16 Hizbullah terrorists in clashes this evening. One soldier has been seriously wounded, and 4 others lightly wounded.
11:10PM: The IDF says it attacked Qana, and destroyed the launchers that fired on Haifa.
9:38PM: Brian posts:
I’m watching the TV pictures from Haifa and the people are speaking Arabic. Hezbollah have hit an Arab neighbourhood and I’m seeing religious Jews and Arabs, side by side, digging people out and saving lives.
9:14PM: The latest count from Haifa is 3 dead, over 40 wounded.
9:04PM: One dead and at least 30 wounded in the Haifa rocket attacks.
8:27PM: At least 20-30 people have been injured in the Haifa strikes.
How much more of this are we going to take?
8:09PM: Dozens are said to be hurt in the rocket strikes on Haifa.
8:08PM: The death toll has risen to 12.
7:03PM: Hizbullah have just fired rockets in to Haifa.
6:48PM: Random thought: I find it curious that Reuters can find the time to doctor their photos, yet not find the time to take one picture from Nablus (where we know they have photographers), where palestinians were celebrating today after they heard many Israelis were killed by Katushas.
6:30PM: Getty Images suggests that 10 reservists were killed.
6:25PM: I have it on good authority that the vast majority of those killed in today’s Katusha attacks on Kfar Giladi were IDF reservists.
Despite this, Kfar Giladi is a civilian area, and Hizbullah were, as usual, trying to kill innocent people.
6:15PM: Introducing PA President Mahmoud Abbas, so-called peace partner:
Palestinian Authority (PA) president Mahmoud Abbas praised Hizbullah
terrorist shortly after the lethal Katyusha rocket attack on northern
Israel that killed 11 soldiers.
He told reporters after arriving in Yemen that the Hizbullah war has
re-wakened the Arab world with honor and is an example for others to
follow.
6:13PM: Quote of the day:
“Where do they get the right to preach to Israel? European countries attacked Kosovo and killed ten thousand civilians. Ten thousand! And none of these countries had to suffer before that from a single rocket…I’m not saying it was wrong to intervene in Kosovo. But please: Don’t preach to us about the treatment of civilians.”
– Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, referring to European leaders’ criticism of Israel’s actions in this conflict.
6:08PM: The IDF has reportedly captured one of the Hizbullah terrorists responsible for the kidnapping of soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. Needless to say, he is being interrogated.
5:58PM: The death toll from today’s Katusha attacks has risen to 11.
5:53PM: ABC Australia are running with the doctored photo, despite Reuters “killing” it hours ago. Israellycool reader Martin says “there is a solid case here to challenge the ABC for embarrassingly poor due diligence at the very least, for two reasons:
1.The photo was posted on the ABC News Online website some 10 hours after it was revealed on the Little Green Footballs website that the photo was doctored, and
2. Over 100 websites had explicitly referenced this Little Green Footballs article before the ABC posted its article (using Technorati‚Äôs search).”
1:48PM: In the aftermath of Charles’ post, Reuters has admitted the offending photo was doctored, and has “killed” it:
PICTURE KILL FOR LBN20 TRANSMITTED AT APPROXIMATELY 1408GMT ON AUGUST 5, 2006. PHOTO EDITING SOFTWARE WAS IMPROPERLY USED ON THIS IMAGE. A CORRECTED VERSION WILL IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW THIS ADVISORY. PLEASE REMOVE THE IMAGE FROM YOUR SYSTEMS. WE ARE SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE. REUTERS LBN20 Smoke billows from burning buildings destroyed during an overnight Israeli air raid on Beirut’s suburbs August 5, 2006. Many buildings were flattened during the attack. REUTERS/Adnan Hajj (LEBANON) REUTERS NEWS PICTURES
1:40PM: Since the morning, aproximately 100 rockets have been fired into Israel, 40 of which have landed in the Kiryat Shmona area.
1:35PM: More rockets have landed near Kfar Giladi.
1:34PM: Here’s the text of the draft UN resolution presented to the full 15-nation Security Council yesterday.
The Security Council,
PP1. Recalling all its previous resolutions on Lebanon, in particular resolutions 425 (1978), 426 (1978), 520 (1982), 1559 (2004), 1655 (2006) and 1680 (2006), as well as the statements of its President on the situation in Lebanon, in particular the statements of 18 June 2000(S/PRST/2000/21), of 19 October 2004 (S/PRST/2004/36), of 4 May 2005 (S/PRST/2005/17) of 23 January 2006 (S/PRST/2006/3) and of 30 July 2006(S/PRST/2006/35),
PP2. Expressing its utmost concern at the continuing escalation of hostilities in Lebanon and in Israel since Hezbollah’s attack on Israel on 12 July 2006, which has already caused hundreds of deaths and injuries on both sides, extensive damage to civilian infrastructure and hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons,
PP3. Emphasizing the need for an end of violence, but at the same time emphasizing the need to address urgently the causes that have given rise to the current crisis, including by the unconditional release of the abducted Israeli soldiers,
PP4: Mindful of the sensitivity of the issue of prisoners and encouraging the efforts aimed at settling the issue of the Lebanese prisoners detained in Israel,
OP1. Calls for a full cessation of hostilities based upon, in particular, the immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations;
OP2. Reiterates its strong support for full respect for the Blue Line;
OP3. Also reiterates its strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized borders, as contemplated by the Israeli-Lebanese General Armistice Agreement of 23 March 1949;
OP4. Calls on the international community to take immediate steps to extend its financial and humanitarian assistance to the Lebanese people, including through facilitating the safe return of displaced persons and, under the authority of the Government of Lebanon, reopening airports and harbours for verifiably and purely civilian purposes, and calls on it also to consider further assistance in the future to contribute to the reconstruction and development of Lebanon;
OP5. Emphasizes the importance of the extension of the control of the Government of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory in accordance with the provisions of resolution 1559 (2004) and resolution 1680 (2006), and of the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords, for it to exercise its full sovereignty and authority;
OP6. Calls for Israel and Lebanon to support a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution based on the following principles and elements:
– strict respect by all parties for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Israel and Lebanon;
– full respect for the Blue Line by both parties;
– delineation of the international borders of Lebanon, especially in those areas where the border is disputed or uncertain, including in the Shebaa farms area;
– security arrangements to prevent the resumption of hostilities, including the establishment between the Blue Line and the Litani river of an area free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons other than those of the Lebanese armed and security forces and of UN mandated international forces deployed in this area;
– full implementation of the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords and of resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006) that require the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon, so that, pursuant to the Lebanese cabinet decision of July 27, 2006, there will be no weapons or authority in Lebanon other than that of the Lebanese state;
– deployment of an international force in Lebanon, consistent with paragraph 10 below;
– establishment of an international embargo on the sale or supply of arms and related material to Lebanon except as authorized by its government;
– elimination of foreign forces in Lebanon without the consent of its government;
– provision to the United Nations of remaining maps of land mines in Lebanon in Israel’s possession;
OP7: Invites the Secretary General to support efforts to secure agreements in principle from the Government of Lebanon and the Government of Israel to the principles and elements for a long-term solution as set forth in paragraph 6 above;
OP8: Requests the Secretary General to develop, in liaison with key international actors and the concerned parties, proposals to implement the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords, and of resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006), including disarmament, and for delineation of the international borders of Lebanon, especially in those areas where the border is disputed or uncertain, including by dealing with the Shebaa farms, and to present those proposals to the Security Council within thirty days;
OP9. Calls on all parties to cooperate during this period with the Security Council and to refrain from any action contrary to paragraph 1 above that might adversely affect the search for a long-term solution, humanitarian access to civilian populations, or the safe return of displaced persons, and requests the Secretary General to keep the Council informed in this regard;
OP10. Expresses its intention, upon confirmation to the Security Council that the Government of Lebanon and the Government of Israel have agreed in principle to the principles and elements for a long-term solution as set forth in paragraph 6 above, and subject to their approval, to authorize in a further resolution under Chapter VII of the Charter the deployment of a UN mandated international force to support the Lebanese armed forces and government in providing a secure environment and contribute to the implementation of a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution;
OP11. Requests UNIFIL, upon cessation of hostilities, to monitor its implementation and to extend its assistance to help ensure humanitarian access to civilian populations and the safe return of displaced persons;
OP12. Calls upon the Government of Lebanon to ensure arms or related materiel are not imported into Lebanon without its consent and requests UNIFIL, conditions permitting, to assist the Government of Lebanon at its request;
OP13. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council within one week on the implementation of this resolution and to provide any relevant information in light of the Council’s intention to adopt, consistent with paragraph 10 above, a further resolution;
OP14. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
1:28PM: The suspected bomb was a tape recorder.
1:22PM: Delicious irony: The Hebrew press reports that the suspected bomb at the Prime Minister’s office was in the case of a BBC journalist.
1:12PM: An IDF soldier has been moderately injured in the village of Kila in Lebanon, by an anti-tank missile.
1:10PM: Officials have stated that the bomb scare was a false alarm.
1:06PM: Arutz Sheva reports that an x-ray inspection of a bag being carried into the Knesset has revealed a high likelihood of a bomb. The area is being sealed off.
1:05PM: Sirens are now sounding in Haifa.
12:58PM: Palestinians in Nablus are celebrating over the latest deadly Hizbullah rocket attacks.
12:53PM: Israeli television reports of sirens warning of more rocket attacks on the Kfar Giladi area.
12:48PM: Ynetnews are reporting at least 10 dead.
12:44PM: Ha’aretz reports that at least 9 people were killed, and 9 more were injured (4 seriously) in the rocket attack.
12:42PM: Here is a news story (footage) on the IDF Leaflets unit. It is in Hebrew, but I think the main point – that the IDF take the distribution of leaflets to civilians so seriously, that they have a special unit dedicated to such a task – should be clear.
12:35PM: Ha’aretz are reporting there are at least 20 casualties from the direct hit on the house.
12:33PM: The latest news is that 5-10 people are in critical condition after a rocket slammed into a building in the northern community of Kfar Giladi.
12:21PM: The rockets are landing in the north again, and several casualties have been reported after one struck a house.
11:00AM: Ynetnews reports that during the last 48 hours, the IDF killed a number of Hizbullah terrorists south of the city of Tyre, and destroyed 3 rocket launchers, a bunker, 3 ammunition caches, and 3 vehicles used by Hizbullah.
10:57AM: In the few hours since I last posted, a number of Katushas landed in the north (a few near Ma’a lot and one in the Golan Heights).
8:40AM: An English memorial page for fallen IDF soldier Michael Levin has been launched.
8:13AM: Charles shows evidence of Reuters photo manipulation. You be the judge. I personally believe he has hit one out of the park, as he did with the fake CBS memos.
7:42AM: It has been cleared for publication that 2 reserve soldiers were killed in Ayta a-Shabover the weekend: Dr. Igor Rothstein, and Kyril Kashdan, 26.
7:17AM: Ynetnews reports how the international media has largely ignored the deaths of the latest Israeli civilian casualties, and brings other examples of media bias.
7:12AM: And speaking of France, it looks as though Australia is heading in that direction.
An Israeli has been stabbed to death by a gang of men who jumped out of a car and cornered him outside a general store in Sydney’s Bondi.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Vic Alhadeff today said witnesses to the brutal attack in Bondi had told him the 36-year-old victim was an Israeli national.
I’m guessing the gang was Lebanese, but that’s just a guess at this stage.
Sunday 7:08AM: Whatcu talkin’ ’bout Willis? Ha’aretz reports that Israel has lifted its demand for the deployment of a new multinational force in southern Lebanon, and has agreed that UNIFIL would oversee the cease-fire. The reason for this backtrack?
Political sources in Jerusalem said Saturday night that Israel received assurances through diplomatic channels that UNIFIL will be bolstered by quality troops from France.
Oh gee, I feel so much better now.
11:10PM: The Jerusalem Post reports: 10 terrorists taken out in Gaza Strip
Rest assured, this does not mean they were wined and dined at a fancy restaurant.
11:04PM: Ha’aretz reports that Hamas refused to allow Red Cross officials to visit kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.
10:52PM: The IDF has located a 120 mm mortar and 100 mortar bombs, in the Lebanese village of Mahbib. Yep, in a village. You know, a place where civilians live.
10:50PM: “The house is located on the main road in the center of the village and has become for many years now an intermediate station for any person passing in the area. Under the Margosa tree and next to the swing, Muslims, Druze, Christians and Jews would sit side by side. The real meaning of coexistence and peace was expressed in this house.” So said a friend of the Jamaa family, who lost Fadia, and her two daughters Samira and Sultana, in one of today’s Katusha rocket attacks.
10:12PM: That’s just great: The level of alert has been raised in the Sharon area (central Israel), after intelligence information received indicated that a suicide bomber might be en route to perpetrating an attack.
Saturday 10:05PM: The IDF have stated that more than 3,000 Hizbullah rockets have hit northern Isrel since July 12.
