Free Republic

But for some of the Christians who had made it out in this convoy, it was not just privations they wanted to talk about, but their ordeal at the hands of Hezbollah — a contrast to the Shiites, who make up a vast majority of the population in southern Lebanon and broadly support the militia. “Hezbollah came to Ain Ebel to shoot its rockets,” said Fayad Hanna Amar, a young Christian man, referring to his village. “They are shooting from between our houses.” “Please,’’ he added, “write that in your newspaper.” In past wars, Christian militias were close to Israelis,...

Israel says its naval ships are in Lebanon's territorial waters to enforce a blockade after Hezbollah guerrillas captured two soldiers yesterday in a border clash. "Since this morning, Israeli naval vessels have enforced a full naval closure on Lebanon because Lebanon's ports are used to transfer both terrorists and weapons to the terror organisations operating in Lebanon," a military spokesman said. Israeli planes earlier attacked Beirut's international airport and other sites in southern Lebanon, killing at least 27 people. An Israeli Defence Forces spokesman, Captain Jacob deLal, says the airport was used to transfer weapons and supplies to Hezbollah. "We're...

LEBANESE Prime Minister Fouad Siniora thanked Hezbollah for its "sacrifices" in its war against Israel. "We are in a strong position and I thank the Sayyed for his efforts," Mr Siniora said when asked about a statement by Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah calling on the Government to take advantage of Hezbollah's steadfastness against Israeli military might. "I also thank all those who sacrifice their lives for the independence and sovereignty of Lebanon," he said. Mr Siniora, a member of Lebanon's anti-Syrian coalition, has often been at odds with the Syrian-backed Hezbollah, but the 19-day-old conflict appears to have brought...

Israeli ground troops enter Lebanon By RAVI NESSMAN, Associated Press Writer 16 minutes ago JERUSALEM - Israel declared Tuesday it was ready to fight Hezbollah guerrillas for several more weeks, raising doubts about international efforts to broker an immediate cease-fire in the fighting that has killed more than 260 people and displaced 500,000. The military said early Wednesday it sent some troops into southern Lebanon searching for tunnels and weapons. Despite the diplomatic activity, Israel is in no hurry to end its offensive, which it sees as a unique opportunity to crush Hezbollah. The Islamic militants appear to have steadily...

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has imposed three conditions for a ceasefire in Lebanon, where Israel has been waging a deadly three-day assault, a Government spokeswoman says. "The Prime Minister is prepared to finish our operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah releases our two soldiers, stops its rocket fire and if the Lebanese Government decides to implement UN Security Council resolution 1559," spokeswoman Miri Eisin told AFP. The resolution calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah, the Shiite movement based in Lebanon that abducted two Israeli soldiers on Wednesday. "If these conditions are met, we are ready to cooperate with a delegation from...

One thing is lost in all the press coverage of the whining Americans who went to Lebanon of their own accord and now want us to pick up the tab to get them out. THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS IN LEBANON ARE HEZBOLLAH SUPPORTERS. Most of them are Shiite Muslims, many of whom hold dual U.S. and Lebanese citizenship. Many are anchor babies born here to Muslims in the U.S. illegally. Some are illegal aliens who became citizens through rubber-stamping Citizenship and Immigration Services (and its INS predecessor) coupled with political pressure by spineless politicians. Of the 25,000 American citizens and...