Hizbullah’s capture of Israeli soldiers provided the excuse for an assault planned for months.
Whatever we think of Israel’s assault on Lebanon, all of us seem to agree about one fact: that it was a response, however disproportionate, to an unprovoked attack by Hizbullah. I repeated this “fact” in my last column, when I wrote that “Hizbullah fired the first shots”. This being so, the Israeli government’s supporters ask peaceniks like me, what would you have done? It’s an important question. But its premise, I have now discovered, is flawed.
Since Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000, there have been hundreds of violations of the “blue line” between the two countries. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reports that Israeli aircraft crossed the line “on an almost daily basis” between 2001 and 2003, and “persistently” until 2006(1). These incursions “caused great concern to the civilian population, particularly low-altitude flights that break the sound barrier over populated areas”. On some occasions Hizbullah tried to shoot them down with anti-aircraft guns.
http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2006/08/08/israels-attack-was-premeditated
Please also see:
The King of Fairyland
Bush’s view of the Middle East rests on pure fantasy.
http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2006/08/01/the-king-of-fairyland
Behind Bush's "truce" plan: the drive towards a wider Middle East war
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/aug2006/bush-a08.shtml
Huge protest in Baghdad against US-Israeli war in Lebanon
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/aug2006/iraq-a08.shtml
Turkey: Protests in Istanbul against Israeli aggression
Islamic organizations seek to dampen opposition to government
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/aug2006/turk-a08.shtml
Lebanon to deploy army in south
Troops to be deployed when Israel and Hizbullah agree to end hostilities
http://www.guardian.co.uk/syria/story/0,,1839398,00.html
Behind the Moves at the UN
http://www.accuracy.org/newsrelease.php?articleId=1331
UN Draft Gives Israel Undeserved Victory: Analysts
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2006-08/08/01.shtml
Arab League slams UN inaction
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/93AD0506-8B95-4F18-A645-CF50A9911685.htm
Saving Face, Not Lives, by Ian Williams, TomPaine.com; An Israel-Lebanon cease-fire proposal is really designed to protect U.S. political leaders.
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/08/08/saving_face_not_lives.php
Qana attack may illustrate pattern of violations in Middle East conflict: Annan http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=19437&Cr=leban&Cr1=
Southern Lebanon still beset by intense fighting, reports UN mission http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=19440&Cr=leban&Cr1=
UN experts arrive in Syria to assess environmental impact
of Lebanon oil spill
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=19438&Cr=leban&Cr1=
Death toll rises as NATO expands operations in Afghanistan
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/aug2006/afgh-a08.shtml
US admits failure of its anti-Islamic propaganda activities
http://www.kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2006/08/08/5227.shtml
US Policy Not Working in Lebanon
http://www.oaklandinstitute.org/?q=node/view/365
Neocons plan a new mideast map: seriously, by 2 maps
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/08/08/18295574.php
The Five Wars of Hizbullah and Israel
http://www.agenceglobal.com/Article.asp?Id=1004
Whatever we think of Israel’s assault on Lebanon, all of us seem to agree about one fact: that it was a response, however disproportionate, to an unprovoked attack by Hizbullah. I repeated this “fact” in my last column, when I wrote that “Hizbullah fired the first shots”. This being so, the Israeli government’s supporters ask peaceniks like me, what would you have done? It’s an important question. But its premise, I have now discovered, is flawed.
Since Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000, there have been hundreds of violations of the “blue line” between the two countries. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reports that Israeli aircraft crossed the line “on an almost daily basis” between 2001 and 2003, and “persistently” until 2006(1). These incursions “caused great concern to the civilian population, particularly low-altitude flights that break the sound barrier over populated areas”. On some occasions Hizbullah tried to shoot them down with anti-aircraft guns.
http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2006/08/08/israels-attack-was-premeditated
Please also see:
The King of Fairyland
Bush’s view of the Middle East rests on pure fantasy.
http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2006/08/01/the-king-of-fairyland
Behind Bush's "truce" plan: the drive towards a wider Middle East war
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/aug2006/bush-a08.shtml
Huge protest in Baghdad against US-Israeli war in Lebanon
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/aug2006/iraq-a08.shtml
Turkey: Protests in Istanbul against Israeli aggression
Islamic organizations seek to dampen opposition to government
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/aug2006/turk-a08.shtml
Lebanon to deploy army in south
Troops to be deployed when Israel and Hizbullah agree to end hostilities
http://www.guardian.co.uk/syria/story/0,,1839398,00.html
Behind the Moves at the UN
http://www.accuracy.org/newsrelease.php?articleId=1331
UN Draft Gives Israel Undeserved Victory: Analysts
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2006-08/08/01.shtml
Arab League slams UN inaction
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/93AD0506-8B95-4F18-A645-CF50A9911685.htm
Saving Face, Not Lives, by Ian Williams, TomPaine.com; An Israel-Lebanon cease-fire proposal is really designed to protect U.S. political leaders.
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/08/08/saving_face_not_lives.php
Qana attack may illustrate pattern of violations in Middle East conflict: Annan http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=19437&Cr=leban&Cr1=
Southern Lebanon still beset by intense fighting, reports UN mission http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=19440&Cr=leban&Cr1=
UN experts arrive in Syria to assess environmental impact
of Lebanon oil spill
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=19438&Cr=leban&Cr1=
Death toll rises as NATO expands operations in Afghanistan
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/aug2006/afgh-a08.shtml
US admits failure of its anti-Islamic propaganda activities
http://www.kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2006/08/08/5227.shtml
US Policy Not Working in Lebanon
http://www.oaklandinstitute.org/?q=node/view/365
Neocons plan a new mideast map: seriously, by 2 maps
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/08/08/18295574.php
The Five Wars of Hizbullah and Israel
http://www.agenceglobal.com/Article.asp?Id=1004