Free Republic

From Tourists Streaming into Syria from Lebanon, post 47: To: cinives You all might find this damn funny, but my sorry ass is marooned in Beirut, where I have been working for the IMF. If anybody has any helpful suggestions on how I can get out of this war zone, I would be most grateful. Right now, the road to Syria is the only way out of Lebanon for anyone, including U.S. citizens, and the Israelis are bombing that road. I am NOT happy with the Israelis right now. I understand their concerns about their kidnapped soldiers but bombing the...

that's it for now

Israel turned up the pressure on Palestinian militants to release a captive soldier Wednesday, sending its warplanes to bomb a Hamas training camp after knocking out electricity and water supplies for most of the 1.3 million residents of the Gaza Strip. The Hamas-led Palestinian government called for a prisoner swap with Israel, saying the Gaza offensive would not secure the soldier's release. Hamas-affiliated militants holding the hostage previously made that demand, but this was the first time the government did. Tensions escalated Wednesday evening as the military fired artillery near Gaza City - the first time Israel has targeted that...