This is actually getting to be PITIFULL JERUSALEM — Israel will hold back on its new ground offensive in Lebanon until the weekend to give cease-fire efforts another chance, senior officials said Thursday, a day after the government approved a major expansion of the monthlong war. But prospects for a quick cease-fire resolution by the U.N. Security Council were uncertain, with the United States and France still divided over a timetable for an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.
The deeper push into Lebanon was approved Wednesday by Israel's Security Cabinet, but a senior government official said Thursday that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has decided to delay the offensive until the weekend. The campaign could begin earlier if Hezbollah launches a major attack on Israel, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to discuss the issue with reporters.
What like launching hundreds of rockets into Israeli population centers forcing citizens into either bomb shelters or tent cities in the south? Like they did yesterday the day before the day before that the day before that and I got $20 says it will be today too
Cabinet minister Rafi Eitan confirmed the government's decision to wait. "There are diplomatic considerations," he told Israel Radio, when asked about a planned delay. "There is still a chance that an international force will arrive in the area. We have no interest in being in south Lebanon. We have an interest in peace on our borders."
Everyone now together “Can't we just give peace a chanceeee lalalalalal give peace a chanceeee lalalala cooombiayaaa cooombiayaaaa give peace a channceee
The government's conduct of the war was coming under growing criticism at home. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported an angry exchange between Defense Minister Amir Peretz and his predecessor, Shaul Mofaz, in the Security Cabinet meeting. When Mofaz criticized plans for the new offensive, Peretz reportedly shot back: "Where were you when Hezbollah built up this array (of weapons)?"
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called during the meeting, officials said, and Olmert told ministers after his half-hour conversation with her that the offensive would be accompanied by a new diplomatic push.
Under the army plan, Israeli forces would move to the Litani River, some 20 miles from the Israel-Lebanon border. At the moment, more than 10,000 troops are engaged in house-to-house battles against Hezbollah fighters in a strip less than half that size.
Hezbollah headquarters is the Beeka Valley. The Israeli army and leadership of past bygone would have not worried or been discouraged about killing everyone of the Hezbollah soldgiers in a certain area something that is impossible unless scorched earth is approved, but instead would have gone to shame Hezbollah and destroy their forces that were willing to come out and fight. A push to the Litani then a armoured thrust north into the Bekaa and back to the Litani would have shown Hezbollah nothing more than useless people who cant stop the Israeli army but just hide in his mommaÂ’s house and take pot shots here and their but not stop anything.
Now we got a Hezbollah that will even if disarmed (very doubtfull) will be seen as doing what no other Arab army could do HOLD THE LINE. They will come out proven as the defender of Lebanon protecting the North with their blood in the South. Diplo speak that
Even in the current war zone, Israeli troops have had trouble taking control of towns and villages. Security officials say the guerrillas' bunkers, well equipped with food, weapons and electricity, are a reason for Hezbollah's stamina. During lulls in the fighting, gunmen emerge and set up new ambushes for troops.
The U.N.'s top humanitarian official criticized Israel and Hezbollah for hindering aid agencies' access to trapped civilians in southern Lebanon. "The Hezbollah and the Israelis could give us access in a heartbeat," Jan Egeland said in Geneva. "Then we could help 120,000 people in southern Lebanon. I don't think that any military advantage has been gained in these last days or will be gained in the next few hours."
The NYT the other day had photos with caption of the Red Cross helping Hezbollah wounded across a log bridge some caring IV bags that I would imagine came from the Red Cross.
| And who would know more about military advantage than General Egeland? |
In a major shift, Nasrallah said Hezbollah supported an army deployment, after a cease-fire is declared and Israel leaves. Israeli officials remained skeptical of the Lebanese offer and were not convinced Lebanon's army would take concrete action to stop future Hezbollah attacks.
"It is important that the Lebanese army will be accompanied by an international force that will enable it to reach the south in an organized manner, and to leave the place clean of Hezbollah," Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said.
I donÂ’t mean to sound like a fire breather but this whole situation is just very demoralizing. Israel is humiliating US big time. When this is over Iran is going to come out proven as the Muslim Defender that can defeat Israel. Were Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Syria together failed they will have succeded in holding the line against a Israeli Army. HezbollahÂ’s whole doctrine is that they are the defender of Lebanon the only ones that can hold Israel and so far it is proven fact.
If this ends right now even with a International force that will disarm Hezbollah “in the south” no one is talking all of Hezbollah disarmed, I bet Lebanon will be fully controlled by Hezbollah and Syrian puppets in a matter of months with the army purged of the weak “cedar revolutions” and replaced with proven Hezbollah.
A opportunity to shame/cripple/show impotent Hezbollah has been turned into a opportunity now for Hezbollah to do such to Israel