After a tenth day of fighting, there is no sign of the violence being stopped and no sign of the US and UK governments putting pressure on both sides to stop. This is a humanitarian disaster on a huge scale. Over 300 civilians have been killed by Israeli rockets in Lebanon, as a result of their vicious attack on a sovereign nation. And things appear to be getting worse. As Israeli reservists are called up in preparation of further action, Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz claims that
"we have no intention of conquering Lebanon but... we will do it without thinking twice".
The Israeli government is not hiding its intentions. It will invade Lebanon if it has to. A small, sovereign nation is on the brink of occupation by an invading force - a violation of international law. And yet still there is no condemnation of Israeli action by Western leaders. But then, why should there be?? It is already been talked of by some as World War III in an effort to secure electoral support. Of course, this is all part of a wider effort to draw Iran into the conflict and voila, the perfect excuse for military action.
The right are really making no sense at all over the ongoing violence. Melanie Philips comments:
Hezbollah, whose rockets are tipped with ball bearings in order to murder and maim as many innocents as possible, but against Israel for waging a war of self defence in which, as in all wars, civilians tragically will lose their lives. Even though Israel, unlike Hezbollah, is delivering repeated warnings to those civilians in advance of its attacks in order to minimise the loss of innocent life whereas the aim of Hezbollah and Hamas is to maximise their murder rate.
What I can't understand is, given that Hezbollah are so evil that they make their missiles as dangerous as possible, how come so few Israeli's have been killed?? Not to mention the massive civilian losses in Lebanon, considering the 'warnings' given by Israel. So Israel is trying to minimise civilian losses and yet failing and Hezbollah is trying to maximise civilian loss and failing. This, of course, gives the impression that Israel would never dream of being involved in vile human rights abuses, the truth is, as always, very different. Human Rights organisations in Israel have reported that Israeli soldiers have used Palestinian civilians as human shields. And yet, is this even mentioned in the MSM?? Once again, the answer must be no. Israel is not capable of committing human rights abuses in the eyes of the hypocritical right.
Philips also goes on to claim, as do much of the media, that this is a
war of self defence.
She argues that Israel is merely defending itself against the aggressor, when the reality is far different. Israel started firing missiles into Lebanon when the two soldiers were kidnapped. However, this action in itself was conducted as a retaliation for the kidnapping of a doctor and his son in Gaza. Very few people have pointed this out in the media, and once more it is left to the likes of Chomsky and Pilger to speak out. Normally, I wouldn't publish their letter in full, but I feel that these circumstances demand it:
Sir: The latest chapter of the conflict between Israel and Palestine began when Israeli forces abducted two civilians, a doctor and his brother, from Gaza - an incident scarcely reported anywhere, except in the Turkish press. The following day the Palestinians took an Israeli soldier prisoner - and proposed a negotiated exchange against prisoners taken by the Israelis, of which there are approximately 10,000 in Israeli jails.
That this "kidnapping" was considered an outrage, whereas the illegal military occupation of the West Bank and the systematic appropriation of its natural resources, most particularly that of water, by the Israeli defence forces is considered a regrettable but realistic fact of life, is typical of the double standards repeatedly employed by the West in face of what has befallen the Palestinians, on the land allotted to them by international agreements during the last 70 years.
Today outrage follows outrage; makeshift missiles cross sophisticated ones. The latter usually find their target situated where the disinherited and crowded poor live, waiting for what was once called justice. Both categories of missile rip bodies apart horribly - who but field commanders can forget this for a moment?
Each provocation and counter-provocation is contested and preached over. But the subsequent arguments, accusations and vows all serve as a distraction to divert world attention from a long-term military, economic and geographic practice whose political aim is nothing less than the liquidation of the Palestinian nation.
This has to be said loud and clear for the practice, only half declared and often covert, is advancing fast these days, and, in our opinion, it must be unceasingly and eternally recognised for what it is and resisted. JOHN BERGER NOAM CHOMSKY HAROLD PINTER JOSÉ SARAMAGO MIEUSSY, FRANCE
Of course, this wouldn't be reported in the Western media as it doesn't suit the agenda that is being prescribed, that is regime change throughout the Middle East. And the first step on this path is the removal of the regimes in Syria and Iran, hence the increasing blame beingapportionedd to these states. It is merely an attempt to drag them into the conflict and thus allow the pretext for action. No matter if Lebanon lies in ruins as a result. No matter the civilian deaths on both sides. We are witnessing the Project for the New American Century at work.
Despite all the evidence that is available, many people do not even care about recent events. There are those on the left who are prepared to bury their heads in the sand and refuse to condemn the slaughter in Lebanon. There are others who believe that there is no point worrying/moaning about it, nothing will change. On the contrary, the more we speak with one voice, the more governments will be scared of us. By doing nothing, you are lending your support to the bombs raining down on Lebanon. You have as much blood on your hands as Bush, Blair and others. We have the power to fight back, that is what they are fearful of. Unless we fight back we will witness the destruction of all we hold dear. Unless we fight back.
For more info, read the Lebanese Blogger Forum.
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