Bloody night in Beirut as Israel intensifies aerial bombardment(May attack UN if bridges repaired)

The Guardian ^ | August 8, 2006 | Clancy Chassay

[RWR8189]

 Israel inflicted one of its deadliest attacks on Beirut last night when an air strike on a southern district killed at least 15 people, just hours after the departure of a delegation from the Arab League.
At least 30 were injured in the strike, which capped another day of violence in Lebanon in which more than 50 people died, including three Israeli soldiers.

As night fell, Israel declared a curfew in southern Lebanon, warning that all vehicles apart from humanitarian traffic would be at risk. Ground forces continued to run into fierce resistance in southern Lebanon. Hizbullah militants fired more than 100 rockets into northern Israel, wounding at least one.

<SNIP>

Israel also threatened to attack UN peacekeepers if they attempted to repair bomb-damaged bridges in southern Lebanon. UN officials contacted the Israeli army to inform them that a team of Chinese military engineers attached to the UN force in Lebanon intended to repair the bridge on the Beirut to Tyre road to enable the transport of humanitarian supplies.

According to the UN, Israeli officials said the engineers would become a target if they attempted to repair the bridge.

Senior UN officials reacted angrily to the destruction of a temporary causeway over the Litani river overnight. "We must be able to have movement throughout the country to deliver supplies. At this point we can't do that," said David Shearer, the humanitarian coordinator for Lebanon. "The deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure is a violation of international law."

International aid groups have blamed Israel for not providing security guarantees, thereby paralysing the delivery of aid to the south. Even

[redgolum]

That was different. It was Christians getting bombed and by the UN.

[Toby06]

Why do they report about defensive actions, and not those of the Hezbollah agressors? Geez, agenda here or what?

[saalebhosdike]

I think the UN should accept responsibility that as it has been incapable of keeping the peace

I don't think it has shirked from reality. Peace Enforcement was not on the mandate.

of preventing Hezbollah from building up vast stores of arms.

That's not (and never was) the UN's job. Gaad.. how difficult is it to understand that?

The UN knows those repaired roadways would be used to send in yet more armaments to Hezbollah, They had better take care of their "peacekeepers" and get them the heck away from all bridge repair..

Point.

Israel has asked people to leave the war zone.

Awwww.... how nice of Israel to do so. Where are they going to go? And how? (I know you don't care.. and that's OK) Oh wait... the bridges are gone! Now how do ya thunk that happened? And what about defence of the homeland? I guess the Lebanese have American values too...

Who is the UN wanting to give humanitarian aid to..

To the poor sods starving/dying due to lack of food? Medical supplies?

the kidnappers and rocket firers and their aiders and abettors?

The Department for Education I hope! I really can't understand this blanket hate for the U.N.

Israel is fighting people who think they have no right to exist and want Israel destroyed..

Sure. But it's killing many times more who are not.

This is war..and the UN is notoriously anti Israel..Just stay out of the way UN!!

Good advice General.

[buck61]

After all, weren't the UN soldiers part of the reason the
Hezbollah were allowed to stock pile the rockets?

[saalebhosdike]

Really? How?

[verity]

"So that's a 'Yes'?"

Yes!

[PghBaldy]

Where is the evidence that Israel is doing this: Sure. But it's killing many times more who are not. Lebanon has said it provides figures of "civilians" dead by subtracting numbers Hezbollah gives from the total killed. WHY would anyone think this is a reasonable way to count dead is beyond me.

[saalebhosdike]

Soverign nations like the US founded and are party to the UN

[saalebhosdike]

All right professor, lets have your body count formula?

[TheBattman]

Senior UN officials reacted angrily to the destruction of a temporary causeway over the Litani river overnight. "We must be able to have movement throughout the country to deliver supplies. At this point we can't do that," said David Shearer, the humanitarian coordinator for Lebanon. "The deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure is a violation of international law."

IN other words, Kofi is pissed that he cannot deliver more Syrian arms to the Hezzies because the roads are out.

And that bit about "deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure" is a joke, right? Is he saying that there is a seperate and unique set of roads and infrastructure used by terrorists that should have been destroyed, and that "civilian" roads should be left alone? They MUST be kidding....

[Dionysius]

You must understand how it works. When Israeli soldiers are killed they become the honored dead; when Hezbollah are killed they become civilians.

[saalebhosdike]

Write to your senator? ;-)

[DungeonMaster]

Aim for the blue helmets!

[DungeonMaster]

Are you saying that you want UN soldiers to be killed?

The UN is the international ACLU. Imagine if our ACLU also had soldiers along with it's lawyers. Hell yes I'd want them targeted.

[saalebhosdike]

So you'd gladly kill any US or Allied servicemen? How nice.

[DungeonMaster]

The UN stinks out loud. It is a shame than any American soldier should ever have to take orders from any UN commander.

[processing please hold]

BACKGROUND on the Michael New story

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

High volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. also

2006israelwar or WOT

..................