FinalCall.com News: War in the Middle East
July, 2006
(FinalCall.com) - As of Sunday, July 23, 2006, the world watches as the 12th day of war in the 'Middle East' between Israel and Lebanon continues unabated and threatens to spill over into a possible regional and even world war. So far, the Lebanese health ministry has reported over 360 civilian deaths and over 500,000 displaced by Israeli bombing raidswhile Israeliofficials havereported over 30 civilian and military deaths from retaliatory attacks by the Lebanese militia, Hezbollah.
The latest conflict began on July 12, 2006 whenHezbollahcapturedtwo Israeli soldiers who were part of an Israeli unit that was ambushed aftercrossing the borderintoLebanese territory. Hezbollah'sstated goal for capturing the soldierswas tonegotiatea prisonerswap with Israel which currentlyholds over 9,000 Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
Although Hezbollah and Israel had negotiated prisoner swaps in the past and according to Lebanese police officials, the Israeli soldiers were captured after crossing into Lebanese territory, theIsraeli President, Ehud Omertdeclaredthat the incident was an "act of war" and promptlyproceeded to implementwhat many observers believeto have been a well in advancepreplannedwarby orderingbombing raids onthe entireinfrastructure of Lebanon.
In an effort todeliver updated news as well asbackground information onvariousperspectives on the conflict, we are presenting a number of web links including articles, links tomaps and Internet-based audio/video features.
Lebanon, with its Capital city Beirut, covers approxmiately 3,950 sqare miles and lies at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea north of Israel and west of Syria. It is four-fifths the size of Connecticut.
See map: http://www.finalcall.com/absolutenl/...?n=35&l=62
Lebanon's estimated population of 3.8 million people speak Arabic (official), French, English and Armenian. It is made up of 95% Arab, 4% Armenian and 1% other. Is main religions are 60% Muslim and 39% Christian.
News and Analysis
Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, its causes and consequences
Perspective by Dr. Abbas Bakhtiar
http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publ...cle_2776.shtml
The two Israeli soldiers were captured afterinfiltrating Lebanon territory
http://www.finalcall.com/absolutenl/...?n=35&l=63
In U.S. Mainstream Media's eyes, not all casualties are equal
News analysis of America's 'mainstream' media coverage
http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publ...cle_2785.shtml

Hillary Clinton and "anti-war"Democrats celebrate Israeli war crimes (WSWS)
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/ju...clin-j19.shtml

The U.S. Congress and the Israeli Attack on Lebanon: A Critical Reading
http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/3381
Patrick Buchanan: Where are the Christians?
http://www.blackelectorate.com/print...le.asp?ID=1692

Fact File: What is Hezbollah?
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exer...4D7C89A333.htm
Audio/Video (Highly Reccomended Viewing)
Bypass the narrow one-sided reporting of MSNBC, FOX, CNN, NPR, BBC and conservative Talk Radio. Visit LinkTV for news from the Direct perspectives of Lebanon, Iran, Syria, Israel, etc.
(Requires QuickTime Media Player)
http://www.finalcall.com/absolutenl/...?n=35&l=64

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan Press Conference:
"Guidance to America and the World In a Time of Trouble"
http://www.finalcall.com/pressconference/
Related'Middle East' BasedWebsites (English Versions)
Lebanon-based Future TV
http://www.futuretvnetwork.com/
Lebanon-based Dar Al-Hayat News
http://english.daralhayat.com/
Isreali-based News Service Haaretz
http://www.haaretz.com/
Iran-based News Service IRIB
http://www.irib.ir/worldservice/englishRADIO/
Syrian-based News Agency SANA
http://www.sana.org/index_eng.html
Lebanon based Al-Manar TV's English Website (Affiliated with Hezbollah)
http://www.almanar.com.lb/news.aspx?Language=en
Note: The U.S. Government has attempted to censor Al-Manar TVfrom the public therefore satellite transmission of the station is noteasily availablein America and itswebsite is not always accessible.

1)I’m just wondering weather or not you are a citizen of the United States?

. I ask this because of the way it’ s being reported in the u.s. media you’d think that hizzbollah(?) were the ones who started shelling first…. without looking at your various links, I’m already up to date with lots of the relevant background history that has caused this latest (and not the last) mid east crisis. This is because the British news channels usually give you doco’s about current conflicts with historical background … Within the British media most of the major news channels have to be seen to be impartial even though the conflict has clearly been escalated by one side…(Israel)



2) Since Israel’s creation consecutive U.S. media outlets and u.s governments have always taken Israel’s side regardless of the severity of the immediate conflict or whom it was stared by…

I remember watching ‘C-span’ on Sunday and all most laughing at some fat republican justifying 300 ( conservative estimate) lebansese deaths, and bullshiting as to why the Lebanese PM was calling for an immediate end to the civilian deaths ‘ but what he really wants is American help’ …

I think those so called precision guided missles that are being fast tracked to Israel is all the American help Lebanon wants …. I was also angry when john Bolton ( u.s.’s u.n. rep) said that –and it’s burned in my memory-

“There’s no moral equivalence between and Israeli and Lebanese death�

3) You could argue that with the jewish lobby being so strong and the Christian fundamentalists actively wanting Israel to destroy the ‘ heathens’ ( those that would defy/ defile jerusalum,) bush would be compelled to be biased…
But this is what the u.s. did when the mere whiff of communism was smelt on the south American continent. The us. Then, like they are doing now sponsors second parties (then it was right wing dictators i.e.Pinochet, now it’s right wing Israel ), but now the enemy is instead of an ideological one, a religious one)….as long as the united states can afford it it will always sponsor others to fight proxy wars for it……. It’s not the great Satan it’s the great hypocrite

Actually this is about two groups of idiots with guns Hezbollah for kidnapping soldiers when everything is semi peaceful and then acting surprised when the other group of idiots Israel react by going wayyyyyy overboard and leveling the country......

This is why I say nuke the whole f****in middle east starting in Israel and working all the way through Iran.........100 years of glowing peace......and with that statement right there, I will never be elected president.....LOL

Believe Bush is right in the heart of it.

Safety-Blitz wrote:Actually this is about two groups of idiots with guns Hezbollah for kidnapping soldiers when everything is semi peaceful

nothing was semi peaceful this type of thing used to happen all the time, for history shows the only way to get israel to release some of the thousands of arabs prisoners is to kidnap a few of their soldiers.However for some reason or another israel this time decided to take out a whole country.Must be something to do with iran wanting nuclear weapons?

Whilst no one would deny a nations right to self defence, Israel has acted in gross disproportion. It has enacted collective punishment on a people and a country. I feel the only solution is a ceasefire wherein prisoners are swapped, followed by some sort of peace keeping operation to the border.

Thanks for all the comments, views and analysis.

Just a point to reflect on with reference to the whole Israel-Palestine Conflict and the film 'Kingdom of Heaven'. Has a historical precedent being set that will today come back to haunt America, England, Europe, Australia and Canada and any other nations aligned to these imperialist nations of the Muslim World?

I am well aware of the imperialism of so-called Muslims against Africans!

In 1187 Saladin rose up, united the Muslims and took back Jerusalem for the Muslim world. No Iman or religious leader has the power to unite the Muslim world today, but President Bush can do what no Imam can do, bring about the Unity of the enitre Muslim World.

Unlike Saladin when he re-took Jerusalem he spared the Crusading armies and allowed them to stay in the so-called Middle-East. The hatred of the West, today because of its Foreign policies and the behaviour of Israel towards the Muslim world will bring about a unity that once unleashed in that region, 'blood will rise up to the horse's bridle' and this time no 'Westerners' will be spared including the state known as Israel.

The Muslim World is going to rise up and unite and the scenario for Israel does not look good.

The UK is hypocritical about citizenship for Black people and would class me as one of its subjects. But I would prefer to define myself as an 'Honoured Servant' of the Creator, by whatever name you wish to call HIM.

Peace.

quint2black

err I doubt that the united Muslim countries could conquer Israel for the simple reason of nukes and like the other fanatical countries in that region if pressed as a last resort, I am sure they would use them in a heartbeat.

There is an oft-repeated statement that say's 'seeing is believing'. But if people stopped breathing just because they can't see air around them a lot of people would drop dead. If Israel is so powerful just because of Nukes, as with America and other European countries, then we are looking at a world and existence of perpetual strife that will strech into the eons of time with all nations and people in total subjugation to powers with nuclear bombs. 'Time' and universal laws of justice do not subscribe to such an eventuality.

We have to agree to disagree, but I sincerely believe in a greater power than Israel that will stand with the Muslim world and whislt we cannot see it with our eyes its existence is a reality studied by all military bodies of the West, including Israel and Russia.

The Muslim World is going to rule in this Millennium, whether Israel, England, America or any other nation disagrees or does all it can to thwart it.

Peace.