Biblical countries, in the news.

[Shammu]

Reluctant Israel agrees Hezbollah will survive

By Robin Wright
Washington Post
July 23, 2006
WASHINGTON -- The United States, Israel, the United Nations and the European Union have reluctantly concluded that despite punishing military attacks, Hezbollah is likely to survive as a political player in Lebanon, and Israel now says it is willing to accept the organization if it sheds its military wing and abandons extremism, according to several key officials.

"To the extent that it remains a political group, it will be acceptable to Israel," Israeli Ambassador Daniel Ayalon said Saturday in the strongest sign to date that the Israelis are rethinking the scope and ultimate goals of the campaign. "A political group means a party that is engaged in the political system in Lebanon, but without terrorism capabilities and fighting capabilities. That will be acceptable to Israel."

Reluctant Israel agrees Hezbollah will survive

[Shammu]

Of course here is Kuwait.....................
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Israel alone does not have right to use force   

By Ahmad Khalidi
Much has been made in recent days - at the G8 summit and elsewhere - of Israel's right to retaliate against the capture of its soldiers, or attacks on its troops on its own sovereign territory. Some, such as those in the US administration, seem to believe that Israel has an unqualified licence to hit back at its enemies no matter what the cost. And even those willing to recognise that there may be a problem tend to couch it in terms of Israel's "disproportionate use of force" rather than its basic right to take military action. But what is at stake here is not proportionality or the issue of self-defence, but symmetry and equivalence.
Israel is staking a claim to the exclusive use of force as an instrument of policy and punishment, and is seeking to deny any opposing state or non-state actor a similar right. It is also largely succeeding in portraying its own "right to self-defence" as beyond question, while denying anyone else the same. And the international community is effectively endorsing Israel's stance on both counts. From an Arab point of view this cannot be right. There is no reason in the world why Israel should be able to enter Arab sovereign soil to occupy, destroy, kidnap and eliminate its perceived foes - repeatedly, with impunity and without restraint - while the Arab side cannot do the same.
And if the Arab states are unable or unwilling to do so then the job should fall to those who can. It is important to bear in mind that in both the case of the Hamas raid that led to the invasion of Gaza and the Hezbollah attack that led to the assault on Lebanon it was Israel's regular armed forces, not its civilians, that were targeted. It is hard to see how this can be filed under the rubric of "terrorism", rather than a straightforward tactical defeat for Israel's much-vaunted military machine; one that Israel seems loathe to acknowledge.
Some of this has to do with the paradox of power: the stronger the Israeli army becomes, the more susceptible and vulnerable it becomes to even a minor setback. The loss of even one tank, the capture of one soldier or damage done to one warship has a negative- multiplier effect: Israel's "deterrent" power is dented out of all proportion to the act itself. Israel's retaliation is thus partly a matter of restoring its deterrence, partly sheer vengeance, and partly an attempt to compel its adversaries to do its bidding.
But there is also something else at work: Israel's fear of acknowledging any form of equivalence between the two sides. And it is precisely this that seems to provide the moral and psychological underpinning for Israel's ongoing assault in both Gaza and Lebanon - the sense that it may have met its match in audacity, tactical ingenuity and "clean" military action from an adversary who may even have learned a thing or two from Israel itself, and may be capable of learning even more in the future. There has of course been nothing "clean" about Israeli military action throughout the many decades of conflict in Palestine and Lebanon. Israel's wanton disregard for civilian life during the past few days is neither new nor out of character.
For those complaining about violations of Israeli sovereignty by Hezbollah or Hamas, it may be useful to recall the tens of thousands of Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty since the late 60s, the massive air raids of the mid-70s and early 80s, the 1978 and 1982 invasions and occupation of the capital Beirut, the hundreds of thousands of refugees, the 28-year-old buffer zone and proxy force set up in southern Lebanon, the assassinations, car bombs, and massacres, and finally the continuing violations of Lebanese soil, airspace and territorial waters and the detention of Lebanese prisoners even after Israel's withdrawal in 2000.
It is unnecessary here to recount the full range of Israel's violations of Palestinian "sovereignty", not least of which is its recent refusal to accept the sovereign electoral choice of the Palestinian people. Israel's extraterritorial, extrajudicial execution of Palestinian leaders and activists began in the early 70s and has not ceased since. But for those seeking further enlightenment about Hamas' recent action, the fact is that some 650,000 acts of imprisonment have taken place since the occupation began in 1967, and that 9,000 Palestinians are currently in Israel's jails, including some 50 old-timers incarcerated before and despite the 1993 Oslo accords, and many others whom Israel refuses to release on the grounds that they have "blood on their hands", as if only one side in this conflict was culpable, or the value of one kind of human blood was superior to another.
If there ever was a case for establishing some form of mutually acknowledged parity regarding the ground rules of the conflict, Hamas and Hezbollah have a good one to make. And if there ever was a case for demonstrating that what is good on one side of the border should also good on the other, Hamas and Hezbollah's logic has strong appeal to Arab and Muslim public opinion - regardless of what the supine Arab state system may say. Indeed as George Bush and other western leaders splutter on about freedom, democracy, and Israel's right to defend itself, Tony Blair's repeated claim that events in the region should not be linked to terrible events elsewhere is looking increasingly fatuous.
The slowly expanding war in Afghanistan, the devastation of Iraq, the death and destruction in Gaza and the bombing of Beirut are all providing a slow but sure drip feed for those who believe that the west is incapable of taking a balanced moral stance, and is directly or indirectly complicit in a design meant to break Arab and Muslim will and subjugate it to untrammelled Israeli force. Contrary to what Blair seems to believe, the use of force is unlikely to breed western style-liberalism and moderation. What is at issue here is not democracy but the right to resist Israeli arrogance and be treated on a par with it in every respect, including the use of force. If Israel has the right to "defend itself" then so has everyone else.
Furthermore, there is nothing in the history of the region to suggest that Israel's destruction of mass popular movements such as Hamas or Hezbollah (even if this were possible) would drive their successors closer to western-style democracy, and every reason to believe the opposite. Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982 did away with the PLO and produced Hezbollah instead, the incarceration and elimination of Arafat only served to strengthen Hamas, and the wars in Afghanistan, the Gulf and Iraq gave birth to Bin Ladenist terrorism and extended its reach and appeal.
And we should not be surprised if the summer of 2006 produces more of the same. However Israel's latest adventure ends, it will not produce greater sympathy and understanding between west and east, or a downturn in extremism. Indeed the most likely outcome is that a new wave of virulent and possibly unconventional anti-western terrorism may well crash against this and other shores. We will all - Israelis, Arabs and westerners - suffer as a result.

http://www.kuwaittimes.net/analysis.asp?dismode=article&artid=1144016887

[Shammu]

 Anti-Israel demonstration in Brussels
Brussels, July 23, IRNA

Belgium-Lebanon-Rally
Hundreds of Belgian, Arab and Lebanese nationals gathered in front of the Justice Palace in Brussels Saturday evening to protest against the Zionist atrocities in Lebanon.

"Israel, terrorist," shouted the protestors who held candle lights and waved large Lebanese flags.

"We protect Lebanon with our soul and blood," chanted some protestors in Arabic.

Some demonstrators held placards denouncing the US and Israeli savage acts and called for an immediate end to the Zionist aggression in Lebanon.

Anti-Israel demonstration in Brussels

[Shammu]

Diplomatic flurry in Israel over Lebanon war

By Matthew Tostevin 33 minutes ago

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Envoys from three European countries joined intensifying diplomacy in Israel on Sunday aimed at ending fighting between Israeli forces and Hizbollah that has wrecked swathes of Lebanon and left hundreds dead.

Ministers from France, Germany and Britain are all due to hold separate talks with Israeli officials ahead of the arrival of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who heads for the Middle East on Sunday.

European countries have been far more critical of Israel's offensive than its main ally, the United States, which has resisted growing calls for a ceasefire and made clear that it blames Iranian-backed Hizbollah for the crisis.

Few expect diplomacy to deliver swift results and an Israeli newspaper reported on Sunday that Israeli officials believe they have a green light from Washington to continue the onslaught on Hizbollah for at least another week.

Israeli attacks aimed at Hizbollah have killed some 357 Lebanese, most of them civilians, since the guerrilla group captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid on July 12. Israeli troops have edged into southern Lebanon.

A total of 35 Israelis have died, 15 of them civilians killed by Hizbollah rockets rained on the north of the country.

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and British Foreign Office minister Kim Howells will all hold meetings with Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and other senior officials.

In Cairo on Saturday before flying to Israel, Douste-Blazy reiterated France's call for an immediate ceasefire.

"If not, it will be the destruction of the Lebanese state," he said.

Howells, who during a stop in Beirut delivered Britain's strongest criticism yet of Israeli attacks, said: "We want to find a way to resolve this crisis as soon as possible."

Rice has said that an immediate ceasefire would produce a "false promise" that would allow Hizbollah to re-emerge to attack Israel instead of disarming the group, as foreseen under a U.N. resolution, and removing it from the border.

Foreign ministers from the world's most powerful countries and Arab states are due to hold an emergency meeting in Rome on Wednesday to discuss the crisis. No decision on international action is likely before that.

Israel's Haaretz newspaper said: "Senior officials believe Israel has an American nod to continue operations against Hizbollah at least until next Sunday."

Diplomatic flurry in Israel over Lebanon war

[Shammu]

Israel to move more troops into S.Lebanon: radio

5 minutes ago

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel will move more troops into southern Lebanon on Sunday as it presses an offensive to drive Hizbollah guerrillas away from the border, Army Radio said.

This would amount to a broadening of ground operations just inside the border, Army Radio said.

The army declined to comment on the report, but said forces were continuing to carry out "pinpoint" operations at specific locations close to the Israeli border in southern Lebanon.

An Israeli general said soldiers took control on Saturday of the strategic Lebanese hilltop village of Maroun al-Ras, which overlooks both sides of the border and where six Israeli commandos were killed in heavy fighting last week.

"I can only confirm at the moment that troops are in Maroun al-Ras," an army spokeswoman said.

"We are talking about pinpoint actions in certain villages, but due to operational restrictions, I cannot give any details."

Despite a major military build-up at the border, the army has said no full-scale ground invasion was imminent.

Army Radio did not say how many additional troops would enter on Sunday. Military sources have said several hundred soldiers were inside southern Lebanon trying to destroy guerrilla hideouts, weapons stores and rocket-launching sites.

At most, Israeli forces were operating one or two kilometers inside Lebanese territory, the army has said.

The crisis erupted on July 12 when Hizbollah abducted two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others in a cross-border raid.

Israel to move more troops into S.Lebanon: radio

[Shammu]

Let Israel exercise its right to defense

N ow that there's nearly unanimous international agreement that Israel has a right to defend itself, the question becomes: How much "defense" will the world tolerate?

Already, the cries that Israel is wreaking a humanitarian disaster in Lebanon, wantonly killing innocents and destroying homes and infrastructure, are reaching a hysterical pitch. Calls for an immediate cease-fire are coming from all of the usual squeamish corners.

But to halt Israel in its pursuit of Hezbollah before it dismantles the terrorist group's military support network in southern Lebanon and breaks its stranglehold on that country would be to leave Israel and the Lebanese people as vulnerable as they were before the fighting began.

A premature peace must be resisted, for Israel's sake, for Lebanon's sake, and for the sake of the broader war against Islamic extremism. In crushing Hezbollah, Israel is carrying the water of the West and of the moderate Arab regimes, which recognize the growing power and influence of Iran, Syria and their Islamist surrogates threatens their existence as well.

That's why Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and others in the region for the first time affirmed Israel's right and responsibility to respond to acts of terrorism. And why even the European leaders finally dropped their thoroughly discredited moral equivalency stance and put the blame for Middle East violence where it belongs, on the terrorists.

As always, the devil is in the details. Exactly how far will Israel be allowed to go to ensure its safety?

Give Israel a free hand

When the smoke clears, Israel must have a wide buffer between itself and Hezbollah's Iranian supplied rockets. If Lebanon can't guarantee that safe space, then Israel must be free to do it itself. The current fighting has revealed that Hezbollah is armed with missiles far more powerful than previously thought. That makes pushing it back essential to Israel's defense.

There also must be sign-off on Israel's need to separate itself from the hostiles on its borders. Israel is the most precariously positioned country in the world, nearly surrounded by those openly committed to its destruction.

Compounding the hazard is Israel's tiny size. It's less than one-sixth the area of Michigan, with roughly the same amount of people. The enemy is always within shooting distance. If nothing else, we have relearned during the past two weeks that as long as there are Jews in the Middle East, someone will try to kill them. Israel should not be denied any tool that will keep out the would-be murderers, including and especially the security fence.

And most vital for defensive purposes, there must be recognition that Israel can't be asked to negotiate with terrorists or make any concessions to the demands of terrorist groups, including Hamas.

Before there can be a peaceful solution to the Middle East conflict, the Palestinian people must rid themselves of the Hamas terrorist curse and truly accept Israel's right to exist.

That's what it means to say that Israel has a right to defend itself. An effective defense will inevitably be bloody, and likely brutal. It won't be pretty to watch.

But anything less will bring closer the Islamists' dream of a map without Israel.

Let Israel exercise its right to defense

[Shammu]

 EC condemns world silence on Zionist regime's crimes
Tehran, July 23, IRNA

Iran-Expediency Council-Condemnation
Members of Expediency Council condemned Saturday the silence of international community on numerous crimes of Zionist regime against Lebanese people.

According to the report of EC Public Relation Office, EC members in their daily meeting on Saturday by referring to the last 10 days of barbaric attacks of the Zionist regime against innocent and defenseless people of Lebanon and Palestine and destruction of infrastructures in Lebanon and the bad situation in that country, warned about the emergence of a disastrous human tragedy in the region.

Praising courageous defence of Lebanese people and Hezbollah against the Zionist invasion, the EC members called for prompt action of world organizations and Islamic countries to end the atrocities in Lebanon and Palestine and prevent Israel's military attacks and help Lebanese people.

The Zionist army started a bloody war against Lebanese people 11 days ago on the pretext of two Israeli soldiers being captured by Lebanese Hezbollah.

Hezbollah has also attacked the Zionists to retaliate bombardment of civilian targets in Lebanon.

EC condemns world silence on Zionist regime's crimes

[Shammu]

 Hundreds of Lankan Muslims protest against Gaza, Lebanon attacks
New Delhi, July 22, IRNA

Sri Lanka-Lebanon-Protests
Hundreds of Muslim demonstrators and their supporters protested in Colombo expressing support to the Palestinian government and Hizbollah organization of Lebanon, and shouting slogans against US and Israeli regime.


Muslims assembled in front of the Mosque and started to march along the Galle Road in Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka and marched towards the US Embassy in Colpetty, TamilNet reported.

Lankan police placed barricades at the Colpetty junction to stop the marchers from proceeding to the US Embassy, sources said.

The protesters carried placards denouncing President Bush, Prime Minister Blair, and the prime minister of Israel.

Earlier, a similar protest was also held in Oluvil in Amparai, eastern part of Sri Lanka.

Protestors shouted slogans and carried placards calling the Sri Lankan government to close down the Israeli embassy in Colombo.

Hundreds of Lankan Muslims protest against Gaza, Lebanon attacks

[Shammu]

 Iran, Portugal discuss crisis in Lebanon
Madrid, July 22, IRNA

Portugal-Lebanon-Crisis
Iran's Ambassador to Lisbon Mohammad Taheri in a meeting with the head of Portuguese Socialist Party Antonio Santos discussed the crisis in Lebanon and ways to end the brutal attacks of the Zionist regime on the country.


According to a report released by the Media Department of Iranian Embassy in Lisbon, at the meeting held in Lisbon on Friday, Taheri called for serious action of the European Union to prevent a human disaster in the Middle East.

"The racist Israeli regime has attacked civilians in Lebanon and Palestine, destroyed their economic infrastructures and has inflicted endless pain and suffering on the oppressed people of the region.

"The Zionist regime violated all international as well as human laws and should be condemned for the crimes they have committed," he added.

For his part, Santos expressed concern over the growing trend of the conflict in the Middle East resulting in the deaths of innocent people and called on the parties involved in the ongoing war to end military operations.

"Portugal underlines that attacks should end soon and the issue should be resolved through talks. The release of captive Israeli soldiers as well as Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners should be discussed," he added.

Santos hoped that the EU along with the United Nations and world countries will approve a resolution on ending the current conflict and violence in the region as well as enforcement of cease- fire.

Turning to a draft-bill approved by Portuguese Parliament on the issue, he said that according to it, the government should do its best to end the atrocities in the Middle East and start talks on a sustainable peace.

Military attacks of the Zionist regime on Lebanon over the past 10 days, resulted in the death of hundreds of Lebanese defenseless people.

Meanwhile, thousands others have been wounded and the infrastructural installations of Lebanon have been destroyed.

Though Israel's barbaric measures has been condemned by the world public opinion, including that of the European states, their governments have not yet taken any effective step to stop the attacks of the Zionist regime.

Iran, Portugal discuss crisis in Lebanon

[Shammu]

US trying to sabotage alliance between Syria, Iran?

American government sources say US attempts to loosen ties between Syria, Iran, Hizbullah, New York Times reports. White House to appeal indirectly, through Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan
Yitzhak Benhorin

WASHINGTON - The Bush government is trying to stick a wedge between Syria and Iran, using pressure from neighboring Arab countries: Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt, the New York Times reported Sunday.

US President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are expected to meet with Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud al-Faisal and head of the National Security Council Prince Bandar, in preparation for Rice's trip to Israel. According to the report, Bush will exert pressure on the Saudis to help him in his plan.

The Times report claims that Bush is searching for ways to sabotage the Iran-Syria relationship, but has no intention of appealing to Syria directly. In contrast to the American approach in the past, for example regarding the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, this time, US ambassador to Syria Margaret Scobey has not been returned to the United States for consultation.

The Syrian ambassador to the US Imad Mustafa, was recently described as the loneliest ambassador in Washington. In an interview this week, Mustafa admitted that the US government does not approach him at all.

US government sources explained that they are trying a new approach, in which Saudi Arabia and Egypt will try to influence Syria to stop their support of Hizbullah.

To advance this new line of attack, a meeting will be held in the White House with senior Saudi officials, where Bush, Vice-President Dick Cheney, and Rice will be able to examine Saudi willingness to participate in such a matter.

It seems that the leak to the Times is an attempt to sow the seeds for an effective meeting.

"We think that the Syrians will listen to their Arab neighbors much more than they would listen to us," said a government source.

Arab and Muslim pressure on Syria

Bush's objective is to convince Syria to abandon its alliance with Iran and Hizbullah. It is unclear which incentives the US will be willing to extend to Syria in exchange for severing ties with Iran and the terror organization, but Washington sources say that Syria definitely has more to lose than Iran.

Saturday night, in a weekly radio address, Bush blamed Iran and Syria for direct involvement in the conflict between Israel and Hizbullah. Later, the president spoke on the telephone with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The formal purpose of the conversation was to facilitate humanitarian aid to Lebanon and examine potential Turkish involvement in a multinational force in Southern Lebanon. However, given that Turkey has ties to Syria, it is possible that the real reason behind the chat was to promote Bush's plan vis-à-vis Arab and Muslim pressure on Syria.

Diplomats in the know say that Syrian President Bashar Assad has recently started avoiding calls from Arab leaders who wish to express their concerns about Hizbullah actions.

American State Department sources claimed that the US has begun talking to Syria in an attempt to bring the crisis to an end, although Rice has no intention of meeting with Syrian leaders during her upcoming trip to the Middle East.

US trying to sabotage alliance between Syria, Iran?

[Shammu]

Rocket barrage hits Galilee area

Katyushas land in open areas, no injuries reported. More than 150 rockets hit northern communities Saturday, seriously wounding 40-year-old woman in Safed. Another person seriously injured in Carmiel; Nahariya resident moderately hurt
Hagai Einav

IDF operates in Lebanon, Katyusha fire continues: A rocket barrage hit an open area near Rosh Pina at 6:40 a.m. Sunday. There were no reports of injuries or damage.

A Katyusha barrage also landed on the western part of the northern border. There were no reported of injuries or damage in this incident as well.

At around 7 a.m., a rocket barrage rocked the Upper Galilee communities, near the northern border. There were no reports of injuries or damage.

A massive barrage of 25 rockets hit Israel's northern communities Saturday evening. Two people were seriously injured in the attacks, one sustained moderate wounds and many others were lightly hurt. Some 35 people were evacuated to the Nahariya hospital.

The northern communities faced a heavy barrage of rockets throughout the weekend. At least 150 rockets hit the area Saturday, 54 of them hitting Nahariya, 34 hitting Carmiel, and 26 hitting Kiryat Shmona.

One of the Katyushas that landed in Carmiel directly hit a vehicle. It was unclear whether the local man hurt in the attack was in the car at the time the rocket struck, or if he was nearby and hurt by shrapnel. A Magen David Adom team evacuated the man to the Nahariya hospital.

MDA Director-General Eli Bin, who arrived at the place shortly after the strike, said: "It appears as if the car sustained a direct hit, the entire vehicle is in pieces. The teams that were dispatched to the place provided assistance in this and in other scenes."

A Nahariya building that had already been hit once this week, weas struck again Saturday.

A resident of a nearby building, Yavgeni, told Ynet: "This is the fourth time that rockets have landed in our neighborhood, and the second time the same building is being hit. It's only a miracle no one was killed. My family and two other families are planning on leaving town today. I hope that the IDF kicks Hizbullah's butt and enable us to return home safely within a few days."

674 wounded since fighting began

A 40 year-old woman was seriously injured when a rocket directly hit her Safed home. One of the woman's children sustained moderate wounds, while her husband and second child escaped with only light injuries.

A Carmiel resident sustained serious injuries after rockets fell on the town. A massive barrage of 10 rockets within five minutes hit Nahariya. One person was moderately injured and a girl sustained light injuries. At least 11 other people were treated for shock.

Additional barrages landed in Rosh Pina and Hatzor Haglilit. Sirens were activated in Haifa, in all the Western Galilee, in Afula, in Nazareth and in Migdal Haemek. Dozens of people were hurt since Saturday morning.

Magen David Adom rescue services concluded the number of casualties since the beginning of the fighting in the north: Twenty-eight killed (including soldiers), 674 people wounded, 14 of them sustaining serious wounds, 31 sustaining moderate wounds, 204 lightly injured and 397 treated for shock.

Rocket barrage hits Galilee area

[Shammu]

Syria: We'll join conflict if Israeli troops approach

Syrian information minister says country to enter Israel-Hizbullah conflict if IDF forces invade Lebanon, approach Syria border. in meeting with Spanish foreign minister in Madrid, Damascus envoy slams US for supporting Israel in fighting
Reuters

Syria will enter the Israeli-Hizbullah conflict if Israeli ground troops enter Lebanon and approach Syria, Syrian Information Minister Mohsen Bilal said in an interview published on Sunday.

"If Israel invades Lebanon over ground and comes near to us, Syria will not sit tight. She will join the conflict," He told newspaper ABC.

"We have cooperation forces on alert," He added. "If Israeli troops provoke us, Damascus will act to guarantee the national security of Syrian territory."

Bilal was in Madrid for talks with Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, a former EU envoy to the Middle East, and said he welcomed Spain's willingness to take on a mediating role in the conflict.

US blasted

He criticized the United States for not working towards a ceasefire.

"Are they waiting for Israel to destroy Lebanon and for it to have to be evacuated completely?" He said.

Bilal denied Syria was bankrolling Hizbullah, but said the group had Damascus' moral support and sympathy.

Syria is a main backer of Hizbullah, whose fighters captured Israeli soldiers in a cross-border operation that sparked violent Israeli reprisals that have so far claimed more than 350 lives, mostly civilians in Lebanon.

Syria: We'll join conflict if Israeli troops approach

[Shammu]

Lebanese foreign minister: Abducted soldiers in good health

Iranian news agency reports that Minister Salloukh called on UN to intervene, push for prisoners' release. Meanwhile, Syrian officials conduct efforts to formulate package deal to resolve crisis
Roee Nahmias

Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh confirmed that the two kidnapped IDF soldiers held by Hizbullah, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, are in good health, the Iranian al-Alam news agency reported Sunday.

The Lebanese minister also called on the UN to intervene and push for the prisoners' release.

Meanwhile, Syrian sources in Damascus are trying to formulate a package deal that would include diplomatic initiatives aimed at resolving the security crisis between Israel and Lebanon, the London-based Arabic newspaper al-Hayat reported.

According to the report, the deal calls for a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange simultaneously with diplomatic negotiations with Hizbullah and efforts to revive the peace process with Israel.

Busy diplomatic week

Official sources reported in this regard that the Spanish foreign minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, had informed the Syrian Information Minister Mohsen Bilal two days ago that Madrid is wiling to cooperate with Damascus on promoting "serious solutions for the peace issues in one package."

A busy diplomatic week has opened for Israeli politicians Sunday morning, when a string of international envoys started its pilgrimage to Israel in a bid to bring to a halt the cycle of violence in the region.

The US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, is set to arrive in the country Monday evening and meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Tuesday.

Lebanese foreign minister: Abducted soldiers in good health

[Shammu]

Israel still receives European press backing

Even into second week of Israeli-Hizbullah conflict, Israel receives lion's share of European press backing for its fight. Many journalists and newspapers, however, call for restraint on behalf of Israel to minimize civilian casualties
Ashley Perry, EJP

Even into the second week of the Israeli-Hizbullah conflict, Israel has been receiving the lion's share of European press backing for its fight. However, many journalists and newspapers have called for restraint on behalf of Israel to minimize civilian casualties.

The Italian Corriere della Sera, which has staunchly backed Israel's defense in the past, has continued to do so and even pointed out the fallacy of those who claim that Israel's response to Hizbullah is disproportionate.

Il Messaggero, however, has taken a different line saying "Speed is of the essence, in order to weaken the war between Israel and Hizbullah before it's too late.”

Blaming extremism and radicalization

Austria's Kurierblas has blamed the events in Middle East on Islamic extremism and opined that Arab leaders have to act to prevent further radicalization.

The paper called for social development in Arab countries, saying that "only then can extremist Islam…be stopped."

Otherwise, concluded the paper, the extremists will "write the next chapter in the history of the Middle East – and it will be another bloody one."

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung took a more even-handed approach, saying a cease-fire can not be achieved "as long as Hizbullah doesn't surrender there and the missiles into Haifa are celebrated as a victory, or as long as Israel doesn't reach its military goal -- these are two sides of the same coin."

The Times of London said: "The parameters of the current crisis are simple. Iran, with help from Syria, is trying to maximize its influence. Its arming of Hizbullah with rockets that can reach deep into Israel gives the radical militia group, and ultimately Teheran, the power to sabotage any peace plan."

The most popular British newspaper, The Sun published a sympathetic article about two young Israeli soldiers fighting in southern Lebanon titled 'We are sick of terrorism'. The article commented about the youngsters "bum fluff" beards and how if they were British teenagers "they would be eagerly awaiting A-Level results."

Not all positive

Irish newspaper Forfás decried Ireland's ever decreasing dependency on oil and how it is affected by the Middle East.

"As the bombs fall on northern Israel and Lebanon and as the oil price rises, we need to start thinking about the kind of future we are going back to," Forfás wrote.

The French papers, on the whole, have been in favor of French President Chirac's mediation efforts. Le Monde said Chirac's effort "is without a doubt the most legitimate policy." Liberation and Le Figaro both deplored America's seeming unwillingness to step in and attempt to end the conflict.

Finland's Swedish-language daily Helsinki Hufvudstadsbladet made absurd accusations bordering on anti-Semitic against Israel's offensive, claiming "Jewish life is worth more than Muslim (life). An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is not enough; it is meted out as eyes for an eye and teeth for a tooth."

Israel still receives European press backing

[Shammu]

Man seriously wounded in Akko; rocket barrage on Haifa

One man seriously injured after being hit by rocket in Akko; two lightly hurt by barrage fired at Upper Galilee; two more lightly injured in rocket attack near Tiberias. At around 5 p.m. rocket strikes apartment building in Haifa area; six lightly injured. Earlier Sunday, two people killed in Haifa rocket attack
Ahiya Raved

Shortly after 5 p.m. a rocket struck an apartment building in the Haifa area and ignited a fire, which was extingusihed by firefighters; six people were lightly hurt in the attack.

Police officer Ahuva Tomer said, “The rocket hit the building’s gas balloons and entered the structures bottom level. There was no siren – we look into it later.”

Rocket attack in Nesher

Shoshana Diamant, 60, whose apartment was damaged, said “All of the windows were shattered. There was destruction outside as well; a fire broke out, everything blew up.”

Firchah Sheetrit, whose home was also struck in the attack, said ‘whenever the siren goes off I get scared. I sit at my home all alone and my blood pressure rises; I haven’t been felling well for a few days now.”

Earlier one man was seriously injured after being hit by a rocket in Akko. In Kiryat Shmona two rockets directly hit houses. Two people were lightly wounded by shrapnel. A short while later three rocket landed in open fields near Tiberias; two people sustained light injuries.

Avi Feldheim, who works in Akko, told Ynet: "I heard a siren followed by two blasts. I saw smoke in one of the places in the city. Now the smoke has ascended, apparently a fire hasn't started there."

The siren was heard at around 3 p.m. across Haifa, the surrounding areas, Hatzor, Rosh Pina, Safed and Akko. Police reported that no rockets hit Haifa and the surrounding areas. Residents were called to enter reinforced rooms.

On Sunday morning, two people were killed and 17 were wounded after rockets hit several places in Haifa.

From the onset of the fighting in the north, 12 days ago, 37 Israelis have been killed. 


The rocket that hit the Ramot Yitzhak neighborhood in the Nesher suburb of Haifa penetrated directly into Zohar Bernstein's living room, and created a huge hole in the middle of her home. The hit caused structural damage to the apartment and caused the windows to break.

Demolished carpentry shop

"We were in an inner room," Zohar said. "We purposely weren't in the fortified room, because it is actually on the outer side of the apartment. Thankfully, I wasn't injured. My son and I were in the apartment, but we got out without injuries. I didn't understand at first that the rocket had hit my home directly."

Bernstein was scared and upset and, in response to the question of whether he would remain in his home, he said: "Apparently not."

The apartment itself was completely wrecked. A security official who arrived at the apartment removed part of the rocket from the living room.

Deadly hit near Haifa

An employee of a carpentry shop near Haifa was killed after being directly hit by a rocket. The place suffered great damage. The other workers said that they had began running toward the reinforced room when the missiles began falling. Some of them failed to reach the room and were hurt by shrapnel. One worker was seriously injured and other were lightly hurt.

"We won’t let them break us. We will overcome and will be strong. At the end everything will be okay," the carpentry shop's owner told Ynet.

The shop owner was at the time of the hit in his office located on the second floor.

"We heard the siren, I yelled at everyone to run to the reinforced room. This is a 2,000-meter (6,562-feet) factory, everyone ran, and the worker who reached the entrance first was hit by the missile and was killed, apparently on the spot," he recounted.

The owner, whose four children work with him in the carpentry shop, began searching for them and for his workers.

"I began looking for everyone. My daughter was in shock and began crying. I understood I had an injured worker, and apart from that I saw the rest of the workers in shock but not hurt," he said. 

Carpentry shop hit in Kiryat Ata

The sales manager of an adjacent business heard the noise of the blast and hurried to the location to see if anyone was hurt.

"We wanted to return to our daily routines, but then I heard an explosion and I understood that a rocket had fallen five or six meters (16 or 19 miles) from me. Simultaneously, windows in my building began to explode. I ran in order to see if anyone was hurt and then I saw a man running outside with a stream of blood coming out of his ear. I hurried to him, stopped the blood flow and pressed down on his ear. I didn't let go until MDA arrived," he recounted.

"The whole time, I tried to keep him awake: I tried to cheer him up, asked how old he was, if he was married. He said he was married, with children, and I told him that he had to hold on for their sake," he added.

Pursuant to the event, Kiryat Ata Mayor Yaakov Peretz said that he intends to reexamine the IDF Home Front Command's suggestion that city residents return to business as usual and, instead, recommend that only workers deemed critical by the local authorities continue to go to work.

"There's no reason for additional people to get hurt as they did today in Kiryat Ata and a week ago in the train depot," he said.

Man seriously wounded in Akko; rocket barrage on Haifa