I've been a bit confused as of late over the renewed violence in the Middle East - I have to wonder what causes an entire country (Israel) to attack another (Lebanon) over something that yes, was an important & awful event (2 Israeli soldiers were captured by Hezbollah fighters) but is it enough to start a war over? I mean, Lebanon is being bombed by Israel because of the actions of a militant group. Over 200 Lebanese people have been killed, most of them civilians. It completely blows my mind when I think of what is going on over there.
I have a hard time keeping up with the conflicts happening in places like Israel/Palestine/Lebanon, and got even more confused while trying to read up on it today. I'll post some info that might help us understand what is going on there.
-Last wednesday the Hezbollah captured 2 Israeli soldiers...but who is Hezbollah??
"Meaning Party of God...it is a governmental and militant Lebanese Shia Islamic group, with a military arm and a civilian arm, founded in 1982 to fight the Israeli Defense Forces who occupied southern Lebanon until the year 2000.
Hezbollah is regarded by many inside the Arab and Muslim worlds as a legitimate resistance movement and is a recognized political party in Lebanon, where it has participated in government"
-On 12 July 2006, Hezbollah's armed wing initiated their Operation Truthful Promise. Eight Israeli soldiers were killed and two were captured. Israel then responded with Operation Just Reward, later renamed Operation Change of Direction. Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah declared that "No military operation will return them... The prisoners will not be returned except through one way: indirect negotiations and a trade."
-Early on 13 July 2006 Israel sent IDF jets to bomb Lebanon’s international airport near Beirut, forcing its closure and diverting its arriving flights to Cyprus. Hezbollah retaliated by bombarding the Israeli towns of Nahariya and Safed, as well as villages nearby. The attacks killed two civilians and wounded 29 more. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared the attack by Hezbollah’s military wing an “act of war” and promised Lebanon a “very painful and far-reaching response.” Israel is now imposing an air and sea blockade on Lebanon, and has bombed the main Beirut–Damascus highway. IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz said “If the soldiers are not returned we will turn Lebanon’s clock back 20 years.”
-On 14 July, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said that Hezbollah is ready for “open war” with Israel. On 14 July BBC News reported that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert would agree to a ceasefire if Hezbollah returned the two captured soldiers, stopped firing rockets at Israel, and if Lebanon implemented UN Security Council resolution 1559, which calls for the group’s disarmament. Two days later, it was reported that Israel would agree to a ceasefire under two conditions: 1) The return of the two soldiers captured on 12 July and, 2) The Army/Government of Lebanon would have to ensure that Hezbollah would pull back to the Litani River. On Monday, 17 July, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the fighting in Lebanon would end when Hezbollah guerrillas freed two captured soldiers, rocket attacks on Israel stopped and the Lebanese army deployed along the border. But a spokesman for Hezbollah says it wants an unconditional ceasefire. " all text courtesy of: www.wikipedia.com
So that's kind of where everything stands now...I know it's a lot to read but it gives you a pretty good idea of what's going on over there if you're not sure...try and get through it...
on that note, have a good day, and be thankful we live where we do.
~casey
I have a hard time keeping up with the conflicts happening in places like Israel/Palestine/Lebanon, and got even more confused while trying to read up on it today. I'll post some info that might help us understand what is going on there.
-Last wednesday the Hezbollah captured 2 Israeli soldiers...but who is Hezbollah??
"Meaning Party of God...it is a governmental and militant Lebanese Shia Islamic group, with a military arm and a civilian arm, founded in 1982 to fight the Israeli Defense Forces who occupied southern Lebanon until the year 2000.
Hezbollah is regarded by many inside the Arab and Muslim worlds as a legitimate resistance movement and is a recognized political party in Lebanon, where it has participated in government"
-On 12 July 2006, Hezbollah's armed wing initiated their Operation Truthful Promise. Eight Israeli soldiers were killed and two were captured. Israel then responded with Operation Just Reward, later renamed Operation Change of Direction. Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah declared that "No military operation will return them... The prisoners will not be returned except through one way: indirect negotiations and a trade."
-Early on 13 July 2006 Israel sent IDF jets to bomb Lebanon’s international airport near Beirut, forcing its closure and diverting its arriving flights to Cyprus. Hezbollah retaliated by bombarding the Israeli towns of Nahariya and Safed, as well as villages nearby. The attacks killed two civilians and wounded 29 more. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared the attack by Hezbollah’s military wing an “act of war” and promised Lebanon a “very painful and far-reaching response.” Israel is now imposing an air and sea blockade on Lebanon, and has bombed the main Beirut–Damascus highway. IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz said “If the soldiers are not returned we will turn Lebanon’s clock back 20 years.”
-On 14 July, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said that Hezbollah is ready for “open war” with Israel. On 14 July BBC News reported that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert would agree to a ceasefire if Hezbollah returned the two captured soldiers, stopped firing rockets at Israel, and if Lebanon implemented UN Security Council resolution 1559, which calls for the group’s disarmament. Two days later, it was reported that Israel would agree to a ceasefire under two conditions: 1) The return of the two soldiers captured on 12 July and, 2) The Army/Government of Lebanon would have to ensure that Hezbollah would pull back to the Litani River. On Monday, 17 July, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the fighting in Lebanon would end when Hezbollah guerrillas freed two captured soldiers, rocket attacks on Israel stopped and the Lebanese army deployed along the border. But a spokesman for Hezbollah says it wants an unconditional ceasefire. " all text courtesy of: www.wikipedia.com
So that's kind of where everything stands now...I know it's a lot to read but it gives you a pretty good idea of what's going on over there if you're not sure...try and get through it...
on that note, have a good day, and be thankful we live where we do.
~casey
July 18, 2006 at 4:44 PM
wow you are so educational! thanks for giving me my current events for today...and i am being serious not sarcastic
July 19, 2006 at 1:46 PM
Good info to know for us Gov't types!