Israel and hezbollah after the exploding pagers

[SpookyFrank]

I hope they said "please".....

US urges Israel to stop shooting at UN peacekeepers in Lebanon

Israel has acknowledged that shots fired by its military injured two UN troops in southern Lebanon on Friday.

www.bbc.co.uk

So, no demands they stop targetting UN personell and facilities, just 'urging' them to do so. I'm sure that'll make Netanyahu quake in his boots.

This just confirms for the record that the US is aware that Israel is committing war crimes but will continue to back them anyway.

Again.

 

[Gramsci]

Israel orders more evacuations in Lebanon and threatens medics who treat Hezbollah members

Military spokesperson demands that medics ‘avoid dealing with Hezbollah operatives’ and claims ambulances used to transport weapons

www.theguardian.com

Says IDF regard ambulances as potential targets. As Israel says they are being used by Hezbollah fighters as transport.

What the article does not explain is that due to parlous state of Lebanon it's left to different political groups to run basic services.

So some of the support for running ambulances comes from Hezbollah.

That's not a unique situation in Lebanon. Which is a borderline failed state.

Just to make clear. This doesn't mean ambulances are being used to ferry fighters and weapons around.

It's just Israel again trying to justify targeting civilians.

 

[PTK]

Don’t quote or refer to
Me you right wing cunt.

Come on, there's no need for that kind of language.

 

[Spymaster]

Come on, there's no need for that kind of language.

Quite right.

You're very rude TopCat

 

[TopCat]

‘They are taking incredible care of us’: Lebanon’s Shia put their faith in Hezbollah

The group, proscribed as terrorists by the west, hands out food, cash and medicines to people displaced in the conflict

www.theguardian.com

 

[tim]

It's actually quite surprising that a country ( Israel) can remain a member at the UN and also be in the habit of targeting UN peacekeepers,as they admit, with tank shells and today live fire

The United Nations is and always has been a cunts club, so it is not surprising at all.

Also that shitty emoji is very popular withconspiraloon antiSemites.

 

[maomao]

The United Nations is and always has been a cunts club, so it is not surprising at all.

The vast majority of the population of the world is represented in some way at the UN so is this any more purposeful than the rather asinine observation that 'most people are cunts'?

 

[HeAthen]

This just confirms for the record that the US is aware that Israel is committing war crimes but will continue to back them anyway.

Again.

Anyone with a functioning brain cell can tell that Israel is comitting war crimes just like anyone can tell that the US and UK governments (previous and current) amongst others are complicit in aiding them.

 

[Duncan2]

The United Nations is and always has been a cunts club, so it is not surprising at all.

Also that shitty emoji is very popular withconspiraloon antiSemites.

If being opposed to Zionism makes me an anti- Semite I suppose I will have to live with that

 

[tim]

The vast majority of the population of the world is represented in some way at the UN so is this any more purposeful than the rather asinine observation that 'most people are cunts'?

The UN represents the regimes that control the vast majority of the world's population many of which are far from benign.

The Permanent Members of the Security Council, the Godfathers, are France, the UK, China, Russia, and the USA. All of the above oppress and slaughter with impunity.

Israel is there with the other minnows including: Myanmar, Saudi Arabia, El Salvador, Iran Belarus, Ukraine, Syria, Mali, Kazakhstan, India, Turkey, Italy, Pakistan etc

 

[Gramsci]

The UN represents the regimes that control the vast majority of the world's population many of which are far from benign.

The Permanent Members of the Security Council, the Godfathers, are France, the UK, China, Russia, and the USA. All of the above oppress and slaughter with impunity.

Israel is there with the other minnows including: Myanmar, Saudi Arabia, El Salvador, Iran Belarus, Ukraine, Syria, Mali, Kazakhstan, India, Turkey, Italy, Pakistan etc

This is one argument to get rid of the veto.

UN general assembly voted to support the ICJ ruling on the occupation by a majority.

Unfortunately use of veto means its unlikely to go further than general assembly.

 

[teqniq]

There was an incident involving UNIFIL troops and the IDF, here is the latter's account of events:



The UNIFIL statement tells a somewhat different accounting of events:

UNIFIL statement (13 October 2024)

Early this morning, peacekeepers at a UN position in Ramyah observed three platoons of IDF soldiers crossing the Blue Line into Lebanon. At around 4:30 a.m., while peacekeepers were in shelters, two IDF Merkava tanks destroyed the position’s main gate and forcibly entered the position. They...

unifil.unmissions.org

and now:

 

[tim]

This is one argument to get rid of the veto.

UN general assembly voted to support the ICJ ruling on the occupation by a majority.

Unfortunately use of veto means its unlikely to go further than general assembly.

The veto won't go because any attempt to get rid of it would be vetoed. As to the ICJ, it is toothless which is why Netanyahu loses as little sleep about it as Assad and Putin do.

 

[Idris2002]

Looks like Hezbollah got a senior IDF commander with a drone attack, along with 40 more dead or wounded IDFers.

"We only have to be lucky once. . ."

 

[teqniq]

Ori Goldberg on the drone attack and the implications:

 

[Gramsci]

By someone who years back was in UNIFIL

Ireland's peacekeepers in Lebanon are putting their lives on the line. I know – I was one of them | Tom Clonan

In 1996, I witnessed the horror as the Israeli army fired on UN positions. Now history is repeating itself, says Irish senator Tom Clonan

www.theguardian.com

Back in 1996,

In the midst of the destruction, we took almost 200 civilians into our UN position. We shared our meagre rations, water and medical supplies with these terrified people. Our neighbouring UN position at the village of Qana also took in civilians. However, it was directly targeted by the IDF and over 100 men, women and children were slaughtered there in shelling on 18 April 1996.

And I thought this was interesting. As ex army he is saying this what the IDF are dong now,

The situation in Lebanon is much worse today. The IDF has for the most part abandoned the traditional military doctrine of “advance to contact” operations, where armies tactically respond to enemy fire. The IDF in Gaza and now Lebanon is operating what military analysts term a doctrine of “reconnaissance by fire”, where it pre-emptively opens fire on everything and everyone its forces encounter in their advance to deter ambushes. In this, they do not distinguish between either Hamas and Hezbollah targets and civilians or civilian objects. Hence the shockingly high civilian casualty rates.

 

[TopCat]

US intervention points to growing concerns over Israel’s air defences

After Hezbollah drone strike, any tit-for-tat strikes with Iran could pose a bigger problem still for Israel’s defences

www.theguardian.com

 

[yield]

Israeli Drone Strike Injures Six UNIFIL Peacekeepers in Lebanon
Malaysian troops attacked after Malaysia proposes suspending Israel from UN
antiwar. November 7, 2024

Earlier this week, Malaysia proposed suspending Israel from the UN over its various wars in the middle east. Israel is currently facing considerable criticism from multiple countries about its continued murderous assaults on Gaza and southern Lebanon. In addition, since the start of its invasion of Lebanon, relations between Israel and UN peacekeepers have also been shaky.

Today, an Israeli drone strike on Sidon injured six Malaysian peacekeepers deployed with UNIFIL. Though there’s not specific evidence that the Malaysians were deliberately targeted over the country’s efforts at the UN General Assembly, some will inevitably arrive at that conclusion.

The attack targeted a checkpoint outside the city, killed three people in a car, and injured the six UNIFIL personnel being transported in a bus. Three Lebanese soldiers manning the checkpoint were also wounded. One of the Malaysian troops was taken to a hospital in Sidon, with the others suffering light injuries.

The international fallout will doubtless be greatest regarding the UNIFIL casualties. While Israel has repeatedly demanded UNIFIL leave Lebanon, the international community has repeatedly warned Israel against targeting the UNIFIL deployment, which has UN Security Council approval.

 

[Gramsci]

I was not sure where to put this as its background to what is going in in middle east with the present conflict and Trump soon being in charge.

It has long sections on Lebanon by Lebanese academic Jamil Mouawad.

So put it up here.

On USA policy Mouin Rabbani was saying must look at not only change with Trump but also continuities over different administrations. Biden in fact was one of the most pro Israel presidents. Trump is a bit of a wild card. But as he pointed out Biden did not roll back on some of the things Trump did re Israel.

Trump is appointing right wing people but he also has to keep in mind some of his base are against US adventures in other countries- isolationist.

End thought of the analysts is that Trump would not want all out war to end the axis of resistance. This would mean crossing a line and putting US soldiers at risk. Israel has shown it cannot do this on its own. Can't even take one Lebanese village.

What may happen is that in exchange for Israel backing off new US administration under Trump would give Israel support to formally annex the settlements in West Bank.

On Lebanon Jamil Mouawad has encyclopedic knowledge of the Lebanese political scene. Which is incredibly complicated.

On USA policy for Lebanon its not foreign policy about Lebanon state its a Hezbollah policy.

He's says US have never really understood Lebanon. Policy towards Lebanon has been driven by war on terror and Hezbollah.

Within Lebanon US funded democracy groups. As Hezbollah is deemed terrorist organisation it got no funding.

US also did little to sanction the corrupt Lebanese banking sector.

So in his view its policy towards Lebanon ended up causing more divisions in Lebanon. It was counterproductive - which comes across as unintended consequence of policy based on ignorance. Unwittingly pushed Hezbollah more towards Iran.

Within Lebanon views on Hezbollah are mixed. There are the old corrupt elites and newer social movements disgusted by the corruption. Neither are all that keen on Hezbollah. However Hezbollah aren't just a militia. They are a political movement with grass roots support in the Shia community. So cannot just be dismissed as terrorists.

Comes across that Israel backed by US weapons isn't helping in any way. If it thinks this is step to remodel the middle east.

Another thing that Rabbani said that pre Biden with the Abraham accords some middle east countries were on board with normalising relations with Israel. Its suited their foreign policy needs.

Now Israel appears bent on wanting all out war on the so called axis of resistance and is committing genocide in Gaza the same leaders of middle eastern countrie now see Israel as a liability regionally. If all out war does start then they will be in the firing line.

Secondly due to what Israel is doing to Gaza the political elites in Arab countries must take into account the anger of their public.

The video is worth a look.

 

[_Russ_]

Point 1: This ceasefire in Lebanon exists while Israel still occupies and controls Lebanese land in the south
Point 2: Polls of Israelis who have been forced to move from their homes close to the border with Lebanese Indicate they would like to have a Non populated safe area on the Lebanese side of the Border

Both are indicative that the mindset of many Israelis is that their security and peace is important but that of any Arab neighbours, less so....they can be displaced with no apparent moral problem.

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

Given a curfew of 30 minutes to those returning home to south Lebanon.

God, I fucking hate bullies.

 

[_Russ_]

Bully is the correct word to describe Israel and its been this for decades
We have some back and forth shooting in Lebanon again obviously with much greater ferocity from the Israeli side, but lets not forget even if you believe the Israeli story that the other side broke the ceasefire and started firing first it comes within the situation that Israel still occupies the area of southern Lebanon in question.
Every move is always on Israel's terms...or else.

Thugs is another word I'd use.

 

[yield]

US shifts $100 million in military aid from Israel and Egypt to Lebanon to bolster ceasefire

WASHINGTON (AP) January 7, 2025 — The Biden administration in its final days is shifting more than $100 million in military aid from Israel and Egypt to Lebanon as it tries to bolster a ceasefire agreement it helped mediate between Israel and Hezbollah.

In separate notices sent to Congress, the State Department said it was moving $95 million in military assistance intended for Egypt and $7.5 million for Israel toward supporting the Lebanese army and its government. The notices were dated Jan. 3 and obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Most of the money will go to the Lebanese Armed Forces, which have a critical role in standing up the ceasefire that was agreed to in November following an all-out war between Israeli and Hezbollah that battered much of southern and eastern Lebanon for two months.

It is intended to help the LAF deploy in the south of the country and supplement the role of the U.N. peacekeeping mission patrolling the so-called Blue Line, which has separated Israel and Lebanon since the end of a monthlong Israel-Hezbollah war in 2006.

Who is Joseph Aoun, a low-profile army chief who is now Lebanon’s president?

BEIRUT (AP) January 10, 2025 — Lebanon’s new president and former army commander Joseph Aoun has maintained a low profile. Those who know him say he is no-nonsense, kind and averse to affiliating himself with any party or even expressing a political opinion — a rarity for someone in Lebanon’s fractured, transactional political system.

Bilal Saab, a former Pentagon official who is now senior managing director of the TRENDS US consulting firm, often met Aoun while overseeing Washington’s security cooperation in the Middle East. He called Aoun a “very sweet man, very compassionate, very warm” who avoided political discussions “like the plague.”

“He really was viciously nonpartisan, did not have any interest in even delivering speeches or doing media,” Saab said. “He wanted to take care of business, and his only order of business was commanding the Lebanese army.”

That might make Aoun an odd fit as Lebanon’s president after being elected Thursday — ending a more than two-year vacuum in the post — but Saab said it could be a boon for the country where incoming leaders typically demand that certain plum positions go to supporters.

“very sweet man, very compassionate, very warm”?
Five killed in Israeli strike on southern Lebanon, health ministry says

BEIRUT, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Five people were killed and four wounded in an Israeli strike on the town of Tayr Debba in southern Lebanon on Friday, the Lebanese health ministry said.

The Israeli military said it had conducted an airstrike on vehicles loaded with weapons used by Lebanon's Hezbollah movement in southern Lebanon.

The army said it "continues to be committed to the ceasefire understandings between Israel and Lebanon, is deployed in the southern Lebanon area, and will work to eliminate any threat to the State of Israel and its citizens".

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah agreed to a U.S.-brokered 60-day ceasefire that calls for a phased Israeli military pullout after more than a year of war, in keeping with a 2006 U.N. Security Council resolution that ended their last major conflict.