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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Israel OKs suspension of aerial activity |
| 2006-07-30 |
| Israel has agreed to a 48-hour suspension of aerial activity in south Lebanon while it investigates an attack on a Lebanese village that killed a number of children, U.S. State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said Sunday. The airstrike killed at least 56 Lebanese, mostly women and children, when it leveled a building where they had taken shelter. The deadliest attack in nearly three weeks of warfare forced Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to cut short a Mideast mission and increased world pressure on the United States to back an end to the fighting. The stunning bloodshed pushed American peace efforts to a crucial juncture, as fury at the United States flared in Lebanon, which said it no longer would negotiate a U.S. peace package without an unconditional cease-fire. U.N. chief Kofi Annan sharply criticized world leaders - implicitly Washington - for ignoring his previous calls to stop the violence. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #13 From Debka Israel accepts a unilateral suspension of its air strikes on S. Lebanon for 48 hours to allow for an investigation into the Qana attack July 31, 2006, 4:51 AM (GMT+02:00) Israel also agreed to coordinate with the United Nations to allow a 24-hour window for residents of southern Lebanon to leave the area if they wished. Israel’s air, sea and land corridors for humanitarian passage remain open. Lebanon police claim 54 civilians were killed in an Israel air attack of Qana. The Red Cross reports 28. US State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said in Jerusalem that Israel reserved the right to “take action against targets preparing attacks against it” – in line with US policy that Israel has the right to defend itself. In other words, if Israel air surveillance detects Hizballah rocket launchers in action, its air force may attack them. Hizballah has not announced any corresponding suspension of its daily rocket attacks on Israeli civilian locations. DEBKAfile adds: The pause in Israeli air strikes comes at a convenient moment for Hizballah after those bombardments forced its 220mm rocket deployment which has plagued Haifa to regroup north of the Litani River. It means that Hizballah will be given the chance to move the rockets back into the south as well as bringing fresh fighters in free of air attack. During the 48-hour suspension, Israel’s military will complete its own investigation of the Qana attack and draw lessons. The United States welcomes Israel’s decision, secured by US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice before she returns to Washington Monday, July 31, and hopes it will help ease the suffering of the children of South Lebanon and their families. Earlier Sunday, The Lebanese government refused to hold diplomatic discussions with the US secretary without an immediate unconditional ceasefire by Israel. Rice who cut her mission short said she was saddened by the tragedy in Lebanon. Prime minister Ehud Olmert and chief of staff Lt. Gen Dan Halutz voiced deep regret at the tragic loss of life at Qana in a building that collapses after the Israeli air force struck Hizballah rocket sites. Halutz said Israel did not know there were civilians and children in the building and blamed Hizballah for using them as human shields. Olmert: This war was not started by us and we did not want it, but we will finish our counter-offensive until northern Israel is safe from Hizballah attack. He spoke of another 10 to 14 days. Hizballah religious leader Sheikh Nabulsi: If international troops come to South Lebanon, we will attack them in the same way as we fight Israelis. |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2006-07-30 22:48 |
| #12 Incredibly disappointing, re Hezbollah For the murder of Americans and blowing up American interests [Hezbollah's past deeds] it should never be given any quarter until it's permanently destroyed. The same goes for Israel and it's interests, Hezbollah must be destroyed. ..waiting for the Hezzis to fire on Tel Aviv |
| Posted by: RD 2006-07-30 21:24 |
| #11 But after reading the shit below, all I can say is.... JUST FUCKING WIN BABY! |
| Posted by: 6 2006-07-30 20:13 |
| #10 I guess it's official. There is no clever Israeli campaign plan happening below the surface that's not obvious to those of us following on the news. They are just mucking around. Damn I'm afraid you're right, I'm kinda unsettled by this. I don't see the rabbit out of the hat now. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-07-30 20:10 |
| #9 Sounds like they need Bibi. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-07-30 19:53 |
| #8 Amir Peretz is a bad defense minister. He is proud to order IDF to phone Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists and supporters before bombing their homes. And now this UNBELIEVEBALE suspension of aerial activity ! Hezbollah will not suspend its firing of rockets and missiles on Israel. Are the Israelis O.K. for dying without fighting now ? What's this mad government ? |
| Posted by: leroidavid 2006-07-30 18:50 |
| #7 How soon does this government fall? |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-07-30 17:55 |
| #6 They're not that dumb. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-07-30 17:53 |
| #5 Means 200 - 300 Katuyshas tomorrow. |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2006-07-30 17:50 |
| #4 I told you so |
| Posted by: Clerert Uneamp2772 2006-07-30 17:48 |
| #3 Anybody else fed up with Kofi? The crook has no moral authority at all and he expects nations to ask "how high" when he says "Jump". I would love to see Bolton absolutely eviscerate the guy, but it will never happen. Don Sensing is right, a spasm, not a strategy. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-07-30 17:42 |
| #2 I guess it's official. There is no clever Israeli campaign plan happening below the surface that's not obvious to those of us following on the news. They are just mucking around. They would not suspend airstrikes if they had ground troops in need of close air support. Hopefully they are smart enough to make this conditional on Hez not firing off another 100 rockets. |
| Posted by: JAB 2006-07-30 17:37 |
| #1 Fox is reporting 24-hour. |
| Posted by: crosspatch 2006-07-30 17:34 |