War: Israel vs Hizbullah, Hamas: Fiting Islamofascist Terrorists

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I've been scrambling to keep up with events in Lebanon, and Gaza, as Israel enters into a 2-front war reminiscent of its War for Independence. Again a war initiated, first in the South, by Hamas killer missiles, and then Hisbullah's attacks in the North. Here are some of the keen sources I found:

Analysis: Israel at war - Two days of dizzying escalation, and there can be no illusions: Israel is at war, by David Horovitz, Jerusalem Post (Jul 14,2k6)

A tactical failure by the IDF on the Gaza border barely two weeks ago prompted a drastic escalation on that front. Wednesday's still-graver tactical blow in the North has now led to a confrontation affecting immense numbers of civilians on either side of the Lebanese border, with the potential to impact other nations as well.

There are those who have branded this latest conflict a continuation of Israel's War of Independence, and there is no little truth in the assertion. On both of the fronts on which Israel has been drawn into heavy fighting, its enemies can make no legitimate claim to be pursuing a territorial dispute: as of last summer, Israel relinquished its hold on the Gaza Strip; in Lebanon, it pulled back to the UN-certified international border six years ago.

Except that, in both cases, the Jewish state's assailants are indeed pursuing a territorial ambition - to unseat Israel from its own sovereign lands.

Israel has watched Hizbullah build up its offensive capability in the years since the security zone was dismantled - watched it, ever bolder, establishing its positions up against the border fence and saw it developing its missile capability - and chose not to act. That stance was misinterpreted as weakness.

Hizbullah leader vows 'open war' on Israel, by Peter Hirschberg, Irish Times (Jul 15,2k6) reporting from Jerusalem:

Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed to wage "open war" on Israel yesterday after it bombed his home and headquarters in southern Beirut, while in Israel the army chief warned that the Shia organisation had rockets that could reach Israeli cities up to 20km (12 miles)north of TelAviv.

Nasrallah quickly ended speculation in Israel over whether he had been hit in the strike, issuing a defiant statement in a telephone message broadcast on Hizbullah television. "You wanted open war. We are going to (wage) open war," he declared.

[Ireland]s] Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern has criticised the "disproportionate" Israeli response to the kidnappings of its soldiers,saying the crisis can only be resolved through dialogue.

Note that word "disproportionate." It recurs like a refrain thru-out the world newsmedia. It originates in the Just War Theory launched by St Augustine. I don't think it fits the contemporary situation, and I do not subscribe to it. The idea is too archly mathematical, a balance of reaction to the original terroristic action/s. I don't buy it. Of course, Israel should do everything it can not to harm innnocent civilians, but it must take out the terrorist enemy root and branch. There is simply no way around the military necessity, to which the casual bandying about of the term "disproportionate" offers not a scintilla of wisdom. Continuing ...

He condemned the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers and citizens but said: "There are ways around dealing with that situation, not blowing ordinary civilians out of existence."

Lebanon seeks U.S. help to end Israel war, United Press International (Jul 14,2k6):

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora urged the United States to pressure Israel to stop mounting attacks against Lebanon.

An official statement said Siniora received a telephone call from U.S. Presdient George W. Bush Friday during which he briefed him on the dangerous developments in Lebanon and the large-scale Israeli aggression targeting Lebanese civilians, the infrastructure and public institutions.

"Siniora asked Bush to deploy all possible efforts to pressure Israel to stop its aggression and reach a comprehensive cease-fire and end its blockade on Lebanon," the statement said.

It said Bush expressed to Siniora his condolences for the loss of innocent civilian lives and showed understanding of the Lebanese government's stance and appreciation of the remarks and decisions made by the government in the wake of what happened on the south Lebanon border.

Bush also expressed keenness to put pressure on Israel to limit the damage inflicted on Lebanon as a result of military operations and avoid targeting civilians, the statement added.

Analysis: New turmoil empowers Islamists, by Claude Salhani, UPI (Jul 14,2k6).

Israel's pullout from Lebanon gave aspiration to the Palestinians, particularly to Hamas, who shares the same Islamist ideology with Hezbollah, that they could emulate Hezbollah's actions and eventually force Israel out of the Palestinian territories. Hezbollah became the poster child of Hamas and the Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation.

Although too late to be able to change the course of affairs, Israel realized they had committed a major policy mistake in pulling out of south Lebanon as they did under pressure from Hezbollah. Israel's precipitated departure from south Lebanon was hailed as a major victory by the Lebanese Shiite organization. The group's stock among the Lebanese, as well as among the Arab and Muslim streets, skyrocketed. Hezbollah was seen as the first Arab force to have not only successfully resisted, but to have forced Israel's hand militarily.

Many Israeli observers believe the IDF's departure from south Lebanon in 2000 under pressure from Hezbollah was a major error. "We cannot afford another south Lebanon," admitted a senior Israeli diplomat in Washington to this reporter shortly after the IDF's exodus from Lebanon but before their unilateral exit from Gaza.

Now once again a gross miscalculation in foreign policy is being made by Israel. Israel's knee-jerk reaction following the kidnapping of their two soldiers by Hezbollah is not going to turn Lebanese public opinion against the militant Shiite organization, as Israel hopes. In fact, it's quite the opposite that is likely to occur.

The massive bombardment of Lebanon -- now in its third day -- the destruction of the runways at Beirut International Airport forcing its closure, the bombing of roads and bridges linking Beirut to other parts of the country and to the Syrian capital, Damascus, and the killing of more than 60 Lebanese civilians, including women and children, as a result of these bombardments will only help cement Hezbollah's popularity in the Arab world.

Bush urges innocent lives to be spared, by Anne Penketh, The Independent (London, UK; Jul 15,2k6).

President Jacques Chirac [of France] has accused Israel of possibly seeking the destruction of Lebanon as he condemned its "completely disproportionate" military offensive against Islamist guerrillas.

As Israel's war on two fronts threatened to hijack the G8 summit this weekend, President George Bush promised to urge Israel to spare civilians, but refrained from asking Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to halt military operations.

A total 73 people have been killed since Israel retaliated for the capture of two of its soldiers by Hizbollah guerrillas in Lebanon by bombing Beirut's airport and civilian installations. Hizbollah rocket attacks on northern Israel have killed four Israelis and wounded more than 150.

Mr Bush's refusal to press Israel to halt the offensive highlighted a growing rift between the US and European countries, after M. Chirac told an interviewer before heading to the G8: "One could ask if today there is not a sort of will to destroy Lebanon, its equipment, its roads, its communication." While condemning the scale of the Israeli response, he also added that actions of Hizbollah guerrillas in southern Lebanon were "totally irresponsible".

Hizbollah's leader, Sayyed Hassa Nasrallah, emerged from hiding to broadcast a message warning the Israelis of "open war" after warplanes bombed his Beirut office. "You wanted open war. We are going to [wage] open war," Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a telephone message broadcast live on Hizbollah television after the attack. He said an Israeli navy ship was ablaze off Beirut, saying: "Look at it burn. It will sink and along with it dozens of Zionist soldiers." Israel confirmed that a ship had been hit.

It emerged last night that the two Israeli soldiers captured by Hizbollah, and a third captured in Gaza on 25 June were all alive and in "reasonable health". The Syrian-backed Islamic militants want to negotiate a prisoner swap with Israel.

Tony Blair denied there was a split between Europe and the US, as the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting. He added that as soon as possible, negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian authorities must "get back on the road map toward a two-state solution, as it offers the only chance for stability and peace in the future."

President Vladimir Putin said: "No hostage-takings are acceptable ... but neither is the use of full-scale force in response to these, even if unlawful, actions."

Meanwhile, in Gaza, Palestinian militants forced open the border crossing between the territory and Egypt, allowing about 600 people to freely pass through the Rafah crossing, while Israeli helicopter gunships and Egyptian police fired warning shots.

President Jacques Chirac has accused Israel of possibly seeking the destruction of Lebanon as he condemned its "completely disproportionate" military offensive against Islamist guerrillas.

As Israel's war on two fronts threatened to hijack the G8 summit this weekend, President George Bush promised to urge Israel to spare civilians, but refrained from asking Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to halt military operations.

A total 73 people have been killed since Israel retaliated for the capture of two of its soldiers by Hizbollah guerrillas in Lebanon by bombing Beirut's airport and civilian installations. Hizbollah rocket attacks on northern Israel have killed four Israelis and wounded more than 150.

Another source mentions a key fact of the situation: “The government is obviously incapable of taking the lead — Hezbollah long ago did that,” said Lamis Karaoui, 27, a lecturer at a private university in Beirut. Hezbollah, she said, now “makes decisions of war and peace, and acts as if it was the government.”

In a CNN report

U.S. President George W. Bush warned that Israel should take care not to weaken Lebanon's government, and stressed Syria "needs to be held to account."

"The democracy of Lebanon is an important part of laying a foundation of peace in that region," Bush said. "We've worked very hard to get Syria out of Lebanon" through various U.N. resolutions. ... Israel has a right to defend herself," Bush said, and Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad "needs to show some leadership toward peace."

It would be a mistake to overlook Syria, as it would also be a mistake to overlook Iran which is the mother of both Syria and Hisbullah in Lebanon.

-- Politicarp

Further Resources:

Israel-Hisbullah War continues into third day
Lebanon’s Government Appears to Be at a Stand Still