Does Rebel yell know that the State Dept just announced it's too dangerous to get them out now and to stay put? (not what he wants to hear, I am sure)
Haaretz news ticker updates:
21:09 Rice says would come to Middle East to help reduce violence (News Agencies)
21:08 5 Lebanese-Canadians killed in IAF strike in south Lebanon (AP)
21:03 Finance Minister: Fluctuation in stock market completely normal (Channel 10)
20:56 MKs Ibrahim Sarsour, Abbas Zakur blast IDF`s `ugly attack` on Lebanon (Haaretz)
20:39 5 Lebanese-Canadians killed in IAF strike in south Lebanon (AP)
20:31 Official: IAF kills 8 civilians in south Lebanon (Reuters)
20:08 Chirac: G-8 members unanimously call for ceasefire in Gaza, Lebanon (AP)
20:04 IAF: We destroyed some of Hezbollah`s rockets, but they still have more (Haaretz)
19:55 Katyusha rockets land in Safed area (Haaretz)
19:53 Death toll rises to 16 in south Lebanon (Reuters)
19:52 Hundreds, mostly European nationals, evacuated to Cyprus from Lebanon (AP)
19:08 German Chancellor Merkel says G8 wants new observer force in Lebanon (Reuters)
18:41 Two victims of Haifa strike named as Rafi Hazan, 30, and Shlomi Mansura, 35 (Haaretz)
18:37 Katyusha rockets land in Metula in northern Israel (Channel 10)
18:36 Hosni Mubarak: Egypt persuaded Israel against land attack on Beirut (AP)
18:31 Hezbollah leader: You will be surprised again like you were in Haifa (Haaretz)
18:28 Nasrallah to Israeli citizens: We can hit you almost anywhere (Haaretz)
18:28 Nasrallah: Large portion of weapons stockpile not damaged (Haaretz)
18:27 Nasrallah: We will continue as long as Israel continues (Channel 10)
18:25 Nasrallah: Israel has attacked civilians, not weapons (Channel 10)
18:23 Nasrallah: We will work to all ends to protect Lebanese civilians (Ch. 10)
18:22 Hezbollah`s Nasrallah: Our weapons are retaliatory, not preventative (Channel 10)
18:21 Nasrallah: Israel does not understand hints (Channel 10)
18:21 Nasrallah: Attack on ship was first clue that we can hit whoever hurts us (Ch. 10)
18:20 Nasrallah: The IDF entered Lebanese ground and we pushed them back (Ch. 10)
18:19 Nasrallah: Zionists are focusing attacks on civilians and civilian institutions (Ch. 10)
18:06 Pakistan leader condemns Israeli strikes, pledges support for Lebanese people (AP)
18:02 IAF strike kills two Popular Resistance Committees men in northern Gaza (Haaretz)
17:50 Eilat hotels 100% full as visitors extend stay and residents escape north (Haaretz)
17:48 Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah to give speech shortly (Haaretz)
17:37 Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah to give speech shortly (Haaretz)
17:11 Thailand tells its workers in Israel not to go out to the fields or orchards (Haaretz)
17:11 Saudi Arabia donates $50 million to Lebanon following plea by Lebanese PM (AP)
16:53 U.S. Embassy in Beirut: Teams arrived to plan logistics of evacuating nationals (AP)
Hey, Reb! You probably knew this before we did, but State Dept. says it's too dangerous to get y'all out and to stay put. Take care and keep your head down. Remember, get that tub filled and empty the candy and coke machines. Your FRiends are with you.
This is largely what's been said all along (and as I have loved ones stuck, I've been following it as much as possible)...I think they still mean that they need to 'stay put' until a plan that is feasible (temporary ceasefire or agreements with all sides that they will be doing evacs, etc.) is in place, not that they won't be getting them out at all. I think they just keep finding glitches to the plans (thus the reason they had people on the ground today to better evaluate).
Or that's what I'm hearing via the folks I have there (and they are in touch with the embassy multiple times a day)...and they are being told to still stay 'stuck' in the south, as there's still no real passable route up to the area around Beirut, and even if there were, there's still too many dangers for the drive to be worth the risk at this point.
I could be wrong, but I just got an email an hour ago and they had just been in touch with the folks in Beirut, so that's the understanding I have of that comment (State Dept) based on what the stranded citizens are hearing.