Promoted by Steven D
JERUSALEM (AP) Aug 13 — Israel’s Cabinet approved the U.N. cease-fire plan Sunday, clearing a key hurdle to ending the monthlong Mideast war.
The 24-0 vote, with one abstention, came a day after the Lebanese government approved the agreement, and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah gave his grudging consent.
The truce was to take effect on Monday morning, but the potential for new flareups remained high.
Cabinet session Sunday to vote on a U.N. cease-fire plan, telling ministers he hoped two captured Israeli soldiers would be freed.
● Hezbollah Gains as Lebanon’s Leaders Struggle
● UN Kofi Annan – Cease Hostilities Immediately
TEL AVIV (AP) 10 minutes ago — Hezbollah fired more than 250 rockets into Israel on Sunday, the worst barrage against northern Israel since the fighting began more than a month ago, the army said. The rockets killed one Israeli during the day.
Update [2006-08-13 13:25PM PDT by Oui]
“We’ll talk with Hezbollah on release”
TEL AVIV (Haaretz) Aug. 13 — Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday met with the parents of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldiers Eldad Regev and Udi Goldwasser and told them that Israel will negotiate with Hezbollah over their release. Defense Minister Amir Peretz also attended the meeting.
Olmert gave the parents an update on the UN resolution and on the steps Israel is taking in order to release the three abducted soldiers (including IDF soldier Gilad Shalit abducted on the Gaza-Israel border). The prime minister said that Israel is doing its utmost to bring about the release of the two, who were kidnapped by Hezbollah on July 12 on Israel’s northern border.
The UN resolution on cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon calls for the unconditional release of the abducted Israeli soldiers, but is not included as a binding section in the resolution.
TEL AVIV (The Jerusalem Post) Aug. 13 — MK Zvi Hendel (NU-NRP) said the opposition would resume efforts to topple the prime minister, ending a self-imposed hiatus on attacking the government during the war. He said inquiries would be made into Olmert’s handling of the war and that his mistakes would be exposed.
More than 150 Hezbollah rockets hit Israel on Sunday
“Olmert is not fit to stay in power, he won’t last one day longer,” Hendel said. “The ministers should listen to [Hizbullah leader Hassan] Nasrallah’s satisfaction with the cease-fire to understand how bad it is for Israel.”
MK Silvan Shalom (Likud) said the cease-fire was one of the worst Israel had ever been offered. He said Israel would not achieve any of its goals, including returning its kidnapped soldiers and the disarming of Hizbullah, while issues like the return of Mount Dov (Shaba Farms) and the release of Lebanese terrorists from jail had been put on the agenda.
Hezbollah is Road Runner? ◊ by Larry Johnson
Sat Aug 12th, 2006 at 05:50:21 PM PST
I never thought I would live to see the day that Israel would become the international equivalent of Wile E. Coyote, but that day has come. If Israel signs on to the UN Resolution they are lighting the fuse on the dynamite that will subsequently explode in their hand. This resolution marks a major victory for Hizbullah. Unfortunately for Israel, there appears no other viable course of action.
Israel cannot defeat Hizbullah without paying a price in blood and treasure that it cannot sustain politically.
In fact, Israel runs a real risk of damaging its military effectiveness because of the significant casualties among its officer corps. Unlike the American Army, the Israelis rely on officers rather than non-commissioned officers to lead their units.
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Pat Lang offers the following keen analysis and identifies critical unanswered questions at his blog, Sic Semper Tyrannis
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
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they’ll just have an array of “defensive” operations to kill loads of civilians and of course Bolton will defend their right. If one Hezbollah fighter fores a rifle in self defence Bolton will be on about breach of resolution.
Could be interesting especially now most in the world see Israel as a war criminal regime and Hezbollah increasingly becomes seen as the David fighting the Goliaths.
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By Danny Rubinstein
KIBBUTZ KFAR GILADI, Israel (Haaretz) Aug. 7 — Hezbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah and his followers occasionally mention the fact that in 1948 the “Zionist entity” annexed several Lebanese villages, expelled their residents, stole their property and destroyed their homes. He is referring to seven villages that were part of Mandatory Palestine, and whose inhabitants were Shiite Muslims. At the time they were called Metawalis, a name almost certainly derived from the word wali, which in Arabic means “to be loyal and holy”; the loyalty is to Caliph Ali and his descendants, who are central to Shiite Islam.
Although Nasrallah’s principal demands are Israeli withdrawal from the Shaba’a Farms and the release of Lebanese prisoners, it is clear that when circumstances allow, he will demand the return of these villages to Lebanon and the return of the refugees to their lands.
«« click on image for mapKibbutz Kfar Giladi GalileeBetween 1916 and 1923, struggles, mainly diplomatic, took place over setting the northern border of Mandatory Eretz Israel, which is the present border line. The main players in the dispute were France, which had received the mandate over Syria and Lebanon, and Britain, which had received the mandate over Palestine-Eretz Israel. Other political groups also were involved, such as the Zionist Histadrut and representatives of the Arab National Movement, which was then just starting out …
≈ Cross-posted from my diary — The Borders of Auschwitz ≈
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
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MT. HERZL, Israel (Jerusalem Post) Aug. 8 — IDF Chief Rabbi Brig.-Gen. Yisrael Weiss was evicted from the funeral of slain reserve soldier Yehuda Greenfeld by the soldier’s family, Army Radio reported.
Greenfeld’s sister, in an emotional outburst, blamed Rabbi Weiss for the eviction of Jews from Gush Katif and screamed at him to leave.
“I don’t want you here,” she shouted. “You’re driving people out of Gush Katif. I want you to remove yourself from my brother’s funeral. I want you to get out of here.”
The boot of an Israeli soldier is seen at the scene after a rocket attack in the Kibbutz of Kfar Giladi near the Israeli-Lebanon border.…
In her last conversation with her brother, she said she “beseeched him to come home,” because serving in Lebanon right now was inconsistent with both of their political views. She said that soldiers from Judea and Samaria were being sent to fight, and in return they were being evacuated from their homes.
Shoshi shouted that Yehuda had died for a state that would soon drive his widow and children from their home in Ma’aleh Michmash in Samaria. “What does Olmert care?” she asked.
Ousted soldier gives IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz ultimatum
First Sergeant Hananel Dayan-Meged, a tank driver who was cited as an outstanding soldier, and was expelled from his unit for refusing to shake hands with IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz at the ceremony for outstanding soldiers at Beit Hanassi on Israel Independence Day. Meged, whose family was evacuated from Gush Katif in August, said that he would not shake hands with someone who had been responsible for removing Jews from their homes.
≈ Cross-posted from my diary —
Israeli Strikes Kill at Least 23 ¶ Iraq Bomb Kills 15 ≈
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
Why do these people think the Lebanese will react differently from being driven from their homes by US, delivered by the IAF, bombs?
This ceasefire will not hold. It is merely a truce, a breathing space, for both sides to prepare for the next round of violence.
Last I hears–and this was on TV, so take it for what it’s worth–Israel says it won’t leave Lebanon until the UN forces replace them and Hezbollah says it won’t stop fighting until the Israelis leave Lebanon.
I keep hoping against hope an end to the fighting is around the corner, but fear this peace deal will melt like a popsicle in the microwave.
So it seems
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/i_latestdetail.asp?id=40326
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LONDON (The Scotsman) Aug. 13 — Tony Blair is planning to push through 90-day detention without charge for terror suspects following the alleged plot to murder thousands of airline passengers by blowing their jets out of the sky.
Senior ministers believe public concern about terrorism is now at such a level that they will be able to reintroduce the controversial detention powers, which were rejected in favour of a 28-day limit following the 7/7 attacks.
The 90-day proposal – rejected following a humiliating rebellion by Labour MPs last November – is expected to form the centrepiece of further anti-terror powers to be included in the Queen’s Speech this autumn.
The uncompromising response to the growing threat came as it emerged that the ban on hand luggage on British aircraft is set to continue indefinitely, and could be bolstered by stringent new security screening at all the nation’s airports.
≈ Cross-posted from my diary —
Blair and UK in ACUTE DANGER! ¶ Highest FEAR Level ≈
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
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The letter, signed by three Muslim MPs, three peers and 38 groups, suggested some policies provoked terrorists acts.
It urges the prime minister to redouble his efforts to tackle terror and extremism, and change foreign policy to show that the UK values the lives of civilians.
Lord AhmedMP Sadiq Khan, who was among those who signed the letter, said British foreign policy was seen by many as unfair and unjust.
“Whether we like it or not such a sense of injustice plays into the hands of extremists”
“As moderates we will do all we can to fight extremism. We hope the government will join us in this, not just by changing the rules on hand luggage, but by showing itself as an advocate for justice in the world.”
Ajmal Masroor, from the Islamic Society of Britain, which represents second-generation Muslims, maintained the war in Iraq was why the UK is facing a terrorist threat.
Home Secretary John Reid has described as “a dreadful misjudgement” an open letter in which Muslim groups criticise British foreign policy. Mr Reid said no competent government would remain in power if policies were “dictated by terrorists”.
Terror 'may force freedom curbs'Echoing this stance, former Tory leader Michael Howard said the letter had given “ammunition” to extremists. “It is, I think, completely misconceived to suggest that we should change our foreign policy because it might cause some people to take up arms against us.
“That’s a form of blackmail and I think that letter was completely misconceived.”
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
the day before the ceaefire. Plus they still havent reached the wreck of their helicopter shot down on Saturday. Quite humiliating. No doubt they’ll have to find an excuse launch a few more attacks.
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Justice Minister Haim Ramon announced on Friday to Attorney General Menachem Mazuz that he waives his parliamentary immunity and his right to a special hearing, and plans to resign from his post on Sunday.
This announcement follows Mazuz’s decision to charge Ramon with indecent assault for allegedly having forcibly kissed an 18-year-old female soldier in a government office.
Ramon asked Mazuz to ensure a speedy trial “for personal reasons, but also because of public interest.”
Ramon said that he is certain that he would be successful in court, and that he would prove that a kiss of two, three seconds, based on the complainant’s version, cannot be considered an act with criminal intent.
On Lebanon War
Haim Ramon: … failure of world leaders to call for an immediate cease-fire at a summit in Rome gave Israel a green light to carry on with its campaign to crush Hezbollah.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY