Israel VS Hizbullah Part VIII (MERGED THREADS)

[Biblenuggetlady]

Re: Israel VS Hizbullah Part VIII (MERGED THREADS)

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/1,7...290839,00.html

Lebanon envoy: Truce will be Israel's last

Lebanon's UN ambassador bitterly slammed Israel's month-long bombardment of his country ahead of a hard-won truce, and vowed that the treaty would be Israel's last with any Middle East country.


"Lebanon will be, I think, the last state to sign a peace treaty with Israel," UN ambassador Nouhad Mahmoud told CNN television's "Late Edition" program. The diplomat added that the 15,000 Lebanese soldiers to be dispatched to south Lebanon to help keep the peace alongside a similarly-sized international UN force "are not going to use force" to disarm the Hizbullah militia which has been battling Israel. (AFP)

I wasn't aware of a "peace treaty" were you guys?

[Biblenuggetlady]

Re: Israel VS Hizbullah Part VIII (MERGED THREADS)

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/750061.html

Last update - 07:42 14/08/2006

Eleventh-hour air strikes in Lebanon, alerts for rockets in Israel as truce nears

By Amos Harel and Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondents

Israel launched new air strikes on Lebanon on Monday less than two hours before a UN-brokered truce was due to go into effect at 8 A.M.

Air raid sirens sounded in Haifa, Safed, and other hard-hit communities in the north as the truce deadline neared early Monday, as authorities braced for a possible last-minute salvo by Hezbollah gunners.

The Israel Defense Forces are recommending that once the cease-fire takes effect, Israel should begin withdrawing its forces from Lebanon relatively quickly.

The intention is for the forces to move back to a line north of the border with Lebanon within about 10 days, or as soon as the Lebanese Army is ready to begin entering South Lebanon. This means that the IDF will not be conducting searches for Hezbollah fighters or arms caches in the areas that it has captured over the last few days, which the army defined as "the heart of the operational campaign" against Hezbollah.

Once the Lebanese Army is fully deployed in the south, together with a beefed-up UNIFIL force, the IDF troops will withdraw completely.

Sunday, five IDF soldiers were killed in the fighting and more than 30 were wounded, 10 of them seriously. In addition, despite the IDF's advance, Hezbollah fired some 250 rockets on Israel, the war's heaviest one-day total to date. The strikes killed one person and wounded dozens.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Amir Peretz and the chiefs of the defense establishment met Sunday night to discuss the cease-fire, and Olmert ordered the army to begin abiding by it as of 2 A.M. Monday morning, other than in cases of self-defense.

But Israeli air strikes went on well after that time, targeting areas in eastern Lebanon and near the southern city of Sidon, the security sources said. Fierce clashes between Israeli troops and Hizbollah were also reported early on Monday. (Didn't follow orders or took longer than expected?)

The eleventh-hour airstrike hit an office of the pro-Syrian Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General-Command on the edge of the Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp in the southern city of Sidon. One person, a garbage collector, was killed and three civilians who lived nearby were wounded, security officials said.

Air strikes on the village of Brital near Lebanon's eastern border with Syria overnight killed at least nine civilians, medics said.

Olmert and the defense chiefs also agreed that the IDF will begin withdrawing some of its forces from Lebanon immediately, but will remain in various positions that offer control over surrounding areas until these positions can be handed over to the Lebanese Army and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

As of Sunday night, the IDF had begun removing the first reservist units out of Lebanon. Over the coming days, the remaining forces will be gradually reduced, and in some cases, reservists will be replaced with regular army units.

IDF sources admitted that in the time remaining until the cease-fire takes effect, the army will only manage to reach the Litani River - which was the goal of the current offensive - in a few places.

Late Sunday night, the General Staff drafted new rules of engagement for the forces that will remain in Lebanon once the cease-fire goes into effect. Army sources told Haaretz that the new rules will allow soldiers to open fire at any Hezbollah fighter who endangers them. If necessary - meaning if troops are endangered, if wounded men need to be evacuated or if a pinned-down force needs to be rescued - commanders will also be able to call in helicopter fire, fighter jets and artillery.

IDF to halt advance
As soon as the cease-fire takes effect, the IDF will order its ground forces to halt their advance. In addition, Israel is considering lifting its naval and air blockade of Lebanon. If it does so, it will also cease firing on trucks crossing the border from Syria into Lebanon, which may enable Hezbollah to acquire a new arms supply - particularly since large weapons shipments from both Iran and Syria are known to be waiting on the Syrian side of the border.

In addition, the IDF will not conduct bombing raids in Beirut or other places deep in Lebanon's interior.

The IDF believes that the cease-fire might well lead Hezbollah to stop its rocket fire on Israel, though Military Intelligence also suggested that the organization might try to fire long-range rockets at the Tel Aviv area in the final hours before the cease-fire takes effect, in order to "have the last word."

However, Hezbollah is considered likely to continue attacking the ground forces that are slated to remain inside Lebanon until the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL take over.

As a result, defense establishment officials are doubtful that the cease-fire will hold.

Sunday, the IDF foiled a Hezbollah attempt to send two drones over Israel. It is not yet known whether the drones were carrying explosives.


It is like watching a coming train wreck and you can't do anything to help.

[Biblenuggetlady]

Re: Israel VS Hizbullah Part VIII (MERGED THREADS)

07:51 Air raid sirens sound in Kiryat Shmona nine minutes before truce (Army Radio)

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/ShTickers.html

[Biblenuggetlady]

Re: Israel VS Hizbullah Part VIII (MERGED THREADS)

http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=109977

Nasrallah: We’ll Keep Fighting Until IDF Leaves
07:45 Aug 14, '06 / 20 Av 5766


(IsraelNN.com) Despite the Lebanese government’s official acceptance of the United Nations Security Council resolution mandating a ceasefire with Israel, the Hizbullah terror group which started the war says it will not honor the truce.

Hizbullah chief terrorist Hassan Nasrallah said on Sunday that his group would continue to fight until Israeli forces leave southern Lebanon, according to a report in the Washington Post.

Resolution 1701 – the ceasefire document – calls for a gradual withdrawal of IDF forces as Lebanese regular army soldiers and international peacekeeping troops are deployed in their place.

Israeli officials stand firm that they will not withdraw troops until there is another force to maintain a secure on the Lebanese border with the Jewish state.

[Biblenuggetlady]

Re: Israel VS Hizbullah Part VIII (MERGED THREADS)

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/750061.html

Last update - 08:33 14/08/2006


Tense calm across Lebanon as UN-brokered truce takes effect

By Amos Harel and Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondents

A tense calm took the place of more than a month of bitter fighting between Israel and Hezbollah Monday morning, as a UN-brokered cease-fire went into effect.

Tension was high before and after the deadline. Israel launched new air strikes on Lebanon on Monday less than two hours before the truce began at 8 A.M.

There were also scattered exchanges of fire between IDF soldiers and Hezbollah men prior to the cease-fire, but no injuries were reported.


Air raid sirens sounded in Haifa, Safed, and other hard-hit communities in the north as the truce deadline neared early Monday, as authorities braced for a possible last-minute salvo by Hezbollah gunners. But there were no reports of rockets.

The army is recommending that once the cease-fire takes effect, Israel should begin withdrawing its forces from Lebanon relatively quickly.

[Julian4JC]

Re: Israel VS Hizbullah Part VIII (MERGED THREADS)

Hizbullah claims 'big victory'

Aug. 14, 2006 10:40 | Updated Aug. 14, 2006 13:18

Hizbullah distributed leaflets on Monday congratulating Lebanon on its "big victory" and thanking citizens for their patience during the 34-day war with Israel.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satelli...cle%2FShowFull

[Glorify Him]

Re: Israel VS Hizbullah Part VIII (MERGED THREADS)

Here is an excerpt from what I believe to be an excellent analysis of the whole cease fire agreement and its ramifications for Israel and Olmert:

Columnist Caroline Glick & int'l legal scholar Prof. A. Bayefsky analyze the ceasefire resolution, concluding it is an "unmitigated disaster" for Israel. Columnist Ari Shavit says Olmert must go.
http://www.arutzsheva.com/news.php3?id=109927
18:22 Aug 13, '06 / 19 Av 5766
The conclusions reached by Bayefsky [pictured] and Glick, which appear in a Jerusalem Post article authored by Glick, are summarized below:

* No mention of Hizbullah-patrons Syria or Iran, thus ignoring the regional aspect of the war.

* Rewarding Hizbullah's aggression by giving international legitimacy to its demand for territory - namely, the Shaba Farms - via acts of aggression.

* Though Israel had demanded an an arms embargo against Hizbullah, this issue is put off to a vague date in the future - and the power to oversee such an embargo is placed in the hands of the Lebanese government, of which Hizbullah is a member.

* The resolution calls upon Israel to withdraw all of its forces from southern Lebanon even before Lebanese and UNIFIL forces are fully deployed in the area - creating a vacuum allowing Hizbullah to reinforce its positions in south Lebanon.

* It should be assumed that Hizbullah's presumptive victory in its war against Israel will act as a catalyst for violence by Hizbullah allies in Iraq against the Iraqi government and coalition forces in the weeks to come.

* Iran emerges as the main victor in the current war.

* By handing a victory to Hizbullah, the resolution strengthens the belief of millions of supporters of jihad throughout the world that their side is winning and that they should redouble efforts to achieve their objectives of destroying Israel and running the US out of the Middle East

There are other equally good points made in the article, which seems, to me to summarize why the UN Resolution is doomed to fail.

[Glorify Him]

Re: Israel VS Hizbullah Part VIII (MERGED THREADS)

And here is a bit of the short column regarding Olmert's failures:

http://www.arutzsheva.com/news.php3?id=109927
Shavit Calls for Olmert's Ouster
Meanwhile, Haaretz columnist Ari Shavit called on Friday for an end to Prime Minister Olmert's government. Excerpts:

"...If Olmert runs away now from the war he initiated, he will not be able to remain prime minister for even one more day. Chutzpah [nerve] has its limits. You cannot lead an entire nation to war promising victory, produce humiliating defeat and remain in power. You cannot bury 120 Israelis in cemeteries, keep a million Israelis in shelters for a month, wear down deterrent power, bring the next war very close, and then say, 'Oops, I made a mistake. That was not the intention. Pass me a
cigar, please.'
"There is no mistake Ehud Olmert did not make this past month.

[Glorify Him]

Re: Israel VS Hizbullah Part VIII (MERGED THREADS)

And the war is over?

Aug 14 10:14 AM US/Eastern
Email this story
JERUSALEM

Israeli soldiers killed six Hezbollah fighters in three skirmishes in Lebanon after the U.N.-imposed cease-fire took effect Monday, the army said. The clashes came as Lebanese civilians defied an Israeli travel ban and streamed back to their homes in war-ravaged areas.
Four guerrillas were killed near the village of Hadatha in southern Lebanon after the group approached an Israeli position, the Israeli military reported. The encounter reportedly occurred less than three hours after the cease-fire went into effect at 8 a.m. local time (1 a.m. EDT).

Two other clashes occurred later Monday, with one guerrilla killed in each, the military said.
For the first time in a month, no Hezbollah rockets were fired into northern Israel
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/08/14/D8JG8AB00.html

[Biblenuggetlady]

Re: Israel VS Hizbullah Part VIII (MERGED THREADS)

Shephard Smith from Fox is reporting from Lebanon. Behind him fireworks are going off, Hezbollah celebrating their victory. He went into Beruit today and it was Hezbollah directing traffic, cleaning the streets, etc...Hezbollah is still firmly in control of Lebanon.

[Tennken]

Re: Israel VS Hizbullah Part VIII (MERGED THREADS)

It appears that if there is a victor in this war it is Hizbullah, most of the
dead are Lebanonese civilians, while Hizbullah has suffered major losses
in troops and equipement, Syria has trucks waiting to resupply them and
the Hizbullies are still firmly in charge of Lebanon, and the Israeli soldiers
that were kidnapped to start this are still captive.

[TomT]

Re: Israel VS Hizbullah Part VIII (MERGED THREADS)

21:03 Nasrallah: Lebanese army and int`l troops are `incapable of protecting Lebanon` (AP)

www.haaretz.com

Of course he ignores the fact that if he and his merry band of terrorists would in fact disarm, then there would be no need to "protect" Lebanon

[Julian4JC]

Re: Israel VS Hizbullah Part VIII (MERGED THREADS)

just in on Fox(no link yet)

IDF: Israeli Forces Killed Senior Hezbollah Leader Just Before Cease-Fire Took Effect

[Biblenuggetlady]

Re: Israel VS Hizbullah Part VIII (MERGED THREADS)

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/750941.html



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Last update - 01:41 16/08/2006


IDF: Troops killed top Hezbollah man minutes before cease-fire

By Gideon Alon, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and The Associated Press

Israel Defense Forces troops killed a senior Hezbollah leader just before the UN cease-fire took effect, the army said Wednesday.

GOC Northern Command Udi Adam said IDF forces killed the head of Hezbollah's special forces, identified as Sajed Dawayer, during clashes in Bint Jbail. There was no immediate confirmation from Lebanon.

The IDF said Dawayer was killed moments before the cease fire went into effect at 8 A.M. Monday morning. Both sides continued attacks right up until the last minute.

A Hezbollah official in the southern Lebanese port city of Sidon dismissed the IDF report as "baseless," saying he had not heard of a Hezbollah military leader named Sajed Dawayer. Speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press, he said Hezbollah might issue a denial of the Israeli report later Wednesday.

more at link...

[Biblenuggetlady]

Re: Israel VS Hizbullah Part VIII (MERGED THREADS)

Posting here again, not wanting to open another thread....

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/750483.html

Hezbollah border-line fighters mastered Hebrew

By Amiram Barkat

Hebrew-speaking Hezbollah fighters were stationed at outposts along the border with Israel before the war broke out, according to documents retrieved by the Israel Defense Forces while destroying the organization's line of outposts.

The documents contained transcripts in Hebrew of soldiers' conversations on IDF communications networks and other subjects.

IDF soldiers who had been stationed along the Lebanese border before the war told Haaretz that Hezbollah fighters used to call out to them in Hebrew.

Listening to the radio

"The Hezbollah men on the other side recognized us and asked us, shouting, where our company commander was. They used the company commanders' radio code name, and we understood from this that they hear and understand everything we say on the radio."