Saturday, July 15, 2006

Hezbollah kills Israeli citizens

Why the post that title ? We'll its true, and the BBC has chosen Israel kills Lebanese Civilians. yesterday. (Yesterday all the left links were anti-Israeli - today a bit more Hezbollah criticism, is that a BBC tactic to make them appear impartial - after everyone has read the partial version ? )

It seems to be that Hezbollah are killing less Israeli citizens than Israel kills Lebanese citizens solely down to capability, rather than restraint. The Israelies are making some attempt to avoid civilian damage - though clearly not enough to prevent innocent men, women and children being killed.

In my opinion, unless Israel is moving to finish Hezbollah ( which is probably impossible ), then they should stop. Whatever the rights and wrongs - they are now bleeding support yet further the loner this goes on. However, The Green Ribbon posts that perhaps this is exactly what's planned.

It is all deeply saddening.


Update:

The BBC now have Deadly Hezbollah attack on Haifa - but in the second paragraph go on about Israeli attacks with war planes. The web report doesn't have casualties, but the radio suggests 8 dead. ( More BBC editorial impact ? ) Update 13:04BST - BBC second paragraph now contains "It is the worst attack on Israel since the clashes with Lebanon began." and acknowledges the dead. But again the trick was in the early post - the latter one cover them.(The lesson here tis to take screen shots when I see them ! - I'll remeber next time ! )

You also begin to get the feeling that something much bigger is going on. Hezbollah seem to have a very large and complex arsenal for an organisation that has removed the invading army that was its main purpose before.

4 comments:

wonkotsane said...

I believe the Iranians supply them with weapons.

What's your opinion on the "appropriateness" of the Israeli response? Short range rockets versus warplanes and tanks. International law says the response should be proportionate to the attack.

Man in a Shed said...

I'm not sure. On one side the Israeli weapons are far more powerful - but then Israel is a very small country. The threat that Hezbollah are now presenting is not one they can live with ( especially given the posture of Iran ).

It can't be too long before precision weapons that can operate at great distance become available to Hezbollah - at that point Israel would face a very real terror and maybe - if they aimed at fuel supplies etc - even defeat.

I think we have become programmed to see Israel as a bully without properly appreciating their position. But at the same time Lebanon, a country that looked so promising a few months ago is being dimembered. Their last civil war was as a direct result of Israeli action distabalising the country.

Is the response proportionate -it depends on what is meant by that term - proportionate to do what ? An eye for an eye then the answer is no. Proportionate to stop Hezbollah killing Israeli soldiers and civilians then I think the jury is still out.

IMHO late at night ,,,

Anonymous said...

I dont think it is surprising that Israel has taken the military initiative here. It is acting authoritatively, and it has to.

So far the orthodox Islamic world has failed to provide any mainstream positive message, a compromise which allows for both a Palestinian homeland and a Jewish state in Israel. If it had, then there would be a political movement in the Islamic world to achieve such an outcome.

Until that moral orthodoxy arises, governments which surround Israel will harbour religiously driven terror.

Think of it from Israel's point of view.

wonkotsane said...

Think of it form Lebanon's point of view. Israel has attacked them for something they haven't done. The militants aren't the Lebanese government, not do they represent it. An Israeli official on the telly this morning said they were destroying Lebanese infrastructure to force them to reign in Hezbollah. So Israel recognises that it isn't the Lebanese that have kidnapped the soldiers but it continues to punish them for the actions of others. Israel has been destroying infrastructure in Panestine for years so that the Palestinians are unable to deal with militants and therefore giving Israel an excuse to continue doing what it is doing with the blessing of the Americans.

Many, many more Lebanese and Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli's during this latest "spat" even though the Israeli's themselves acknowledge that the acttions of the militants aren't the actions of the government of those countries.

I'm sorry but I fail to see how Israel can even attempt to claim the moral highground.