The "Real" Middle Eastern War

[Miulang]

Re: US sailor caught spying for Israel?

Spies for other countries, get far less time, for far greater crimes than Pollard's one offense.

Hmm...this story is getting curiouser and curiouser...CNN finally filed a report on this guy, but says he was caught spying for Russia. As I said in my earlier post, the original source of the report in the Middle East was al-Watan, a Saudi newspaper and the story was picked up by the Jerusalem Post.

It'll be interesting to see which country will admit that the sailor was passing secret information to them. Eventually it will all be revealed.

Miulang

[Levia]

Re: The "Real" Middle Eastern War

Finally some sense coming out of Israel, but from a very unlikely source:
The Zionist Meretz party and others calling themselves the "Zionist peace camp" have now stated that an increased ground war in Lebanon will only make it harder to restore peace and would end up killing more Israeli soldiers.

And ultimately, save more Israeli lives.

I don't understand how in your view, Miulang, the Meretz is an "unlikely source" and how you happened to conjoin "Zionist" with "Meretz". A large percentage of this, small political party, are Arabs, are anti-Zionist and anti-Israel.
But isn't it magnificent that Israel has such varied opinions? And that groups are able to exercise their right to protest and express themselves through freedom of speech? This is what happens in Democratic countries.
You won’t find the same rights in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia....

Miulang, your posts are so carefully misleading and contain a large amount of deceitful language and misinformation, it is hard to believe they are placed randomly and without the intention of trying to scam or trick the reader.

[Miulang]

Re: The "Real" Middle Eastern War

And ultimately, save more Israeli lives.

I don't understand how in your view, Miulang, the Meretz is an "unlikely source" and how you happened to conjoin "Zionist" with "Meretz". A large percentage of this, small political party, are Arabs, are anti-Zionist and anti-Israel.
But isn't it magnificent that Israel has such varied opinions? And that groups are able to exercise their right to protest and express themselves through freedom of speech? This is what happens in Democratic countries.
You won’t find the same rights in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia....

Miulang, your posts are so carefully misleading and contain a large amount of deceitful language and misinformation, it is hard to believe they are placed randomly and without the intention of trying to scam or trick the reader.

If you read that JPost story, Levia, Meretz calls themselves Zionist. But they also call themselves leftist and not radical Zionists. I guess there are some degrees of differences in Zionists too, just like there are Conservatives and Neoconservatives in this country.

Miulang

[Levia]

Re: The "Real" Middle Eastern War

Did the current conflict in Lebanon really begin with the kidnapping of 2 Israeli soldiers?

No. The long, ongoing battle Israel has endured with Hezbollah, goes far back. Since the birth of the Party Of God.(Before that, it was the PLO.)

Hizballah Terrorist Attacks Since May 2000

With explicit permission from Dr. Mitchell Bard:

24 Jul 2006 - Hizballah fired more than 70 Katyusha rockets into Israel, several of which landed in Nahariya, Safed, and Kiryat Shmona. Medics treated at least 49 people who were lightly to moderately wounded. More than 2200 rockets have been fired at Israeli cities since July 12, killing 17 Israelis, all of them civilians. 20 Israeli soldiers were killed in other incidents.

Skip to what Arabs claim is the reason for "Israel's disproportionate use of force".

20 Jul 2006 - Five IDF soldiers were killed and five wounded in continuing exchanges of fire in the Lebanese village of Maroun al-Ras, near Avivim, where two soldiers were killed on Wednesday. The body of the fifth soldier, St.-Sgt. Yonatan (Sergei) Vlasyuk, 21, of Kibbutz Lahav was retrieved on July 22. At 16, Yonatan immigrated alone to Israel through the Jewish Agency's "Na'aleh" program. He was adopted by Dalia Gal, a member of Kibbutz Lahav in the Negev. An IDF officer was killed and three soldiers were wounded as two Apache (Cobra) combat helicopters on their way to Lebanon to assist IDF forces operating against Hizballah terrorists near Avivim collided and then crashed south of Kiryat Shmona.

19 Jul 2006 - St.-Sgt. Yonatan Hadasi, 21, of Kibbutz Merhavia and St.-Sgt. Yotam Gilboa, 21, of Kibbutz Maoz Haim were killed and nine soldiers were wounded...

18 Jul 2006 - Andrei Zelinksy, 36, was killed Tuesday evening in Nahariya outside a bomb shelter. Though he managed to save his family by rushing them into the shelter, he returned home to get a blanket for his daughter and was killed.

Let's jump to 2005

29 Jun 2005 - More than 20 mortars were fired from across the border. Cpl. Uzi Peretz of the Golani Brigade was killed and four soldiers wounded...

7 Apr 2005 - Two Israeli-Arabs from the village of Rajar near the Israel-Lebanon border were kidnapped by Hizballah operatives and held in captivity for four days. The men, identified as Muki Ben-Jamal and Nuef Maharj Ben-Ali, said they were interrogated by their captors who wanted information on Israel. They were later released. Israeli officials did not believe that any security information had been compromised.

Skip over a bunch of Hizbullah attacks in and against Israel, and jump to 2004

20 Jul 2004 - Hizballah sniper fired at an IDF post in the western sector of the Israeli-Lebanese border. Two IDF soldiers were killed.

7 May 2004 - Fire in the Mt. Dov sector. IDF soldier Dennis Leminov was killed, and two other soldiers were severely wounded. The IDF returned fire.

19 Jan 2004 - An anti-tank missile was fired at IDF D9 while neutralizing explosive charges near Zari’t. An IDF soldier, Yan Rotzenski, was killed and another soldier was severely wounded.

Broad jump to 2001

28 Apr 2001 - A 60 year-old Israeli man was found stabbed to death in Kfar Ba'aneh, near Carmiel in Galilee. The terrorists responsible for the attack were apprehended in July. Six members of a Hizballah-linked Palestinian terrorist cell responsible for the murder were arrested in July. The murder was the initiation rite of the organization.

Back to the Future: 2000

26 Nov 2000 - A charge was detonated near an IDF convoy. IDF soldier Khalil Taher was killed and two other soldiers were wounded.

7 Oct 2000 - Kidnapping: Three IDF soldiers: Adi Avitan, Omer Soued and Binyamin Avraham were kidnapped by the Hizballah from the Mt. Dov sector.
Sources: Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Foreign Affairs Summary of Events; RAND Terrorism Database; The Institute for Counter-Terrorism; U.S. State Department Report on Human Rights Practices for 2004

And this is only back to 2000 - since Israel pulled out of Lebanon.
See what happens when you take your eyes off Islamic terrorists?

Levia

[Levia]

Re: The "Real" Middle Eastern War

And if you read what I wrote, Miulang, "A large percentage of this, small political party [Meretz], are Arabs, are anti-Zionist and anti-Israel."

A rose called by any other name...

Levia

[Miulang]

One Pro-Palestinian Israeli Voice in the wilderness

We are justly concerned about the welfare of northern residents, proud of their fortitude, understand those who leave, are shocked by the death of each person and by every rocket hit, and identify with those suffering from anxiety. Take what the northern residents have been going through for a month, multiply it by 1,000, add an economic blockade, power and water cuts, and no wages. This is how the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been "living" for the past six years.

Amira Haas, Ha'aretz

[Levia]

Re: One Pro-Palestinian Israeli Voice in the wilderness

Here's another Pro-Palestinian voice... along with millions of Jews, Israelis, Americans, Europeans, and democratic peoples all over the world.

Children Of The Middle East

The murdering of innocent Palestinian Children has to stop.

There is no hope for peace, or even a semblance of, in the Middle East if the Palestinian Authority [PA] is allowed to preach hate and terrorism to the innocent, young minds and hearts of their children. Under the disguise of "religious schools" Arab/Palestinian children are brainwashed into believing that heaven awaits them if they kill, not only Israeli's and Jews, but anyone who does not have the same beliefs as they do.

From early on, in their impressionable, learning years, Palestinian children are taught to loathe Jews and Israelis. The PA schoolbooks use abusive language to characterize their "enemies" with terms like Wild Animals, Treacherous and Zionist Enemy.

Quotes taken from PA distributed schoolbooks:

The Evil Enemy:
"One must beware of the Jews, for they are treacherous and disloyal." [Islamic Education for Ninth Grade #589, p. 79]
"Racism: Mankind has suffered from this evil both in ancient as well as in modern times, for, indeed, Satan has, in the eyes of many people, made their evil actions appear beautiful... Such a people are the Jews..." [Islamic Education for Eighth Grade #576, p. 95]

Islamic Sources Used To Create Stereotype:
"Treachery and disloyalty are character traits of the Jews and therefore one should beware of them." [Islamic Education for Ninth Grade #589, p. 87]

Israel Must Be Fought Through Jihad:
From the poem "Palestine"
"My brothers! The oppressors [Israel -ed.] have overstepped the boundary. Therefore Jihad and sacrifice are a duty.... are we to let them steal its Arab nature... Draw your sword... let us gather for war with red blood and blazing fire...Death shall call and the sword shall be crazed from much slaughter... Oh Palestine, the youth will redeem your land..." [Reader and Literary Texts for Eighth Grade #578, p. 120-122]

Look at http://edume.org/

Each year, thousands of dollars are poured into promotions by the Palestinian National Fund. Broadcasts calling on their children to seek death are repeated to them by PA television.

Many of you may not remember or know the incident of Muhammad Al-Dura, a young Palestinian boy who was "caught" in crossfire in the Gaza strip in October of last year. Israel took blame, but after a deep investigation it was revealed that the child was not hit by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) gunfire, but by a Palestinian, his own people. There was much controversy and strong speculation that "the boy was a victim of a cruel plot staged by Palestinian sharpshooters and possibly a cameraman" that documented the entire event.

The shooting, child's death and funeral, were replayed thousands of times on PA television. In the days to come promotions (songs and clips) were transmitted over PA airwaves showing live footage as well as re-enactments of this boys death, he became the intifada poster child.

One clip opened with the boy calling on other children to join him with a banner across the screen saying, "I'm not waving 'goodbye', I'm waving 'come, follow me'. [signed] Muhammad Al-Dura."

His afterlife is portrayed as idyllic, playing in green fields, flying a kite... as he speaks to his father, "'til we meet, my father! 'til we meet! I go with no fear, with no tears, how sweet is the fragrance of the Martyrs! I shall go to my place in heaven, how sweet is the fragrance of the Martyrs!"

In order for peace to prevail for Israelis and Palestinians this type of brainwashing has to stop, and stop now. Damage has been done, it won't be easy to re-educate these children and teach them that they don't have to fear, hate or murder Israelis, Jews or anyone; but if the Palestinian Authority is not allowed to distribute and teach from these books, and if the preaching of murder, under the disguise of religion, stops now, these children, these beautiful, but tormented Palestinian kids may have a real fighting chance to live better lives in the future.

Write your congressperson, open their eyes if they don't already know of the atrocities going on behind closed, classroom doors. Perhaps there is a chance that something can be done now, perhaps we CAN make a difference.

Levia - circa 2000

[Miulang]

Re: The "Real" Middle Eastern War

Interesting official document from the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs which details the "Basic Guidelines of the 31st Government of Israel". I guess these guidelines get drawn up everytime there's a change in the leadership, kind of like a party platform. If Olmert follows through on these guidelines, Israel would definitely be a better place to live in.

Miulang

[Miulang]

"A new kind of war"

Israel faces a "new kind of war" from Hezbollah.

"The problem for the army and the problem for the Israeli government is the concept of military victory which was inscribed in the minds of Israelis in wars like the Six-Day War or even the Yom Kippur War," said Ezrahi. "That is utterly irrelevant to this kind of war, to the war of a regular army against a terrorist network."
...One of the most significant military debates spawned by the conflict is over the investment in a state-of-the-art military that appears to be ill-equipped to combat weaponry such as Hezbollah's rockets.
...The United States and Israel invested in developing a multibillion-dollar missile defense system after Saddam Hussein fired Scud missiles at Israeli cities in the 1991 Persian Gulf War. But the Arrow-2 system is incapable of hitting Hezbollah's long- or short-range rockets, which are launched too close to Israel and land too quickly.
...The Israeli military has "not been able to break their spirit, yet," said Van Creveld, referring to Hezbollah. "Unless it is stopped diplomatically, it could go on for a long time."
...The debate over sending Israeli ground troops into southern Lebanon was one of the most emotional of the conflict.
..."The Israeli army didn't move quickly and decisively as it should have," said Frisch, the military analyst. "The big debate is the change in ethos. Now soldiers' lives have become more precious than losses in the rear."

[Miulang]

Israel now bombing Christian Beirut?

OK, so I could understand why the IDF was launching missiles at Southern Lebanon and areas where the Shia lived, but now they're starting to bomb central Beirut (where the upper class Lebanese live). What is their intent? To level Lebanon completely? I thought their beef was with Hezbollah?

Miulang

[Miulang]

UN cease fire resolution vote on Friday?

Ha'aretz reports that there has been a "breakthrough" in UN Security Council talks about a cease fire between Israel and Hezbollah that might have the proposal available for a vote as soon as tomorrow.

The revised draft calls for a "progressive" Israeli withdrawal, a senior Lebanese political source said on Thursday.
"The Americans have moved their position. A deal with the French is very close in the next hours, but most likely on Friday," he told Reuters.
"The breakthrough is based on the inclusion in the call for a cessation of hostilities for a progressive Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory to go simultaneously with the deployment of the Lebanese army backed by reinforced UN peacekeepers."
...After 30 days, the source said, there would be a more comprehensive resolution that declares a ceasefire and sets out solutions for the Shaba Farms issue, the release of captive IDF soldiers, the release of Lebanese prisoners and the disarming of Hezbollah.
...The resolution will stop short of requiring peacekeepers to disarm Hezbollah but will call for an embargo to prevent the group from bringing in arms from Iran and Syria, a senior Israeli official said on Thursday.

As I said before, diplomacy is when both sides get most of what they want, but not everything they asked for.

Miulang

[Miulang]

Re: The "Real" Middle Eastern War

Israel wants us to ship them some M-26 cluster bombs, but some people in the State Dept. are dragging their feet...they're worried about too many extra civilian lives that would be lost. Israel already has bunker busting bombs from us (we just shipped them more a couple of weeks ago).

The M-26 “is a particularly deadly weapon,” Bonnie Docherty, a researcher with Human Rights Watch, who helped write a study of the United States’ use of the weapons in the 2003 Iraq invasion. “They were used widely by U.S. forces in Iraq and caused hundreds of civilian casualties."
...After the Reagan administration determined in 1982 that the cluster munitions had been used by Israel against civilian areas, the delivery of the artillery shells containing the munitions to Israel was suspended.
...Israel was found to have violated a 1976 agreement with the United States in which it had agreed only to use cluster munitions against Arab armies and against clearly defined military targets. The moratorium on selling Israel cluster weapons was later lifted by the Reagan administration.
This week, State Department officials were studying records of what happened in 1982 as part of their internal deliberations into whether to grant approval for the sale to go forward.

Miulang

[Miulang]

Re: The "Real" Middle Eastern War

whoops double post. Sorry.

Miulang

[Miulang]

Olmert pledges humanitarian aid access

Prime Minister Yehud Olmert today personally pledged that Israel would allow more access by international relief agencies into Lebanon to ease the suffering of the civilians who are injured or trapped in Lebanon.

Miulang

[Miulang]

Interesting proposal to end Israel-Palestine conflict

Interesting proposal to end at least part of the conflict now going on in the Levant from the Jerusalem Summit. Pay them to leave their country and make them wealthy enough so they can survive in an Arab country!

Miulang