Attack on Israel From Lebanon Threatens 2nd Front

[tekisui]

Source: AP

JERUSALEM – Lebanese militants fired at least three rockets into Israel early Thursday, threatening to open a new front for the Jewish state as it pushed forward with a bloody offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed nearly 700 people.

Two people were lightly injured, and the rockets that exploded in Israel's north raised the specter of renewed hostilities with Hezbollah, just 2 1/2 years after Israel battled the guerrilla group to a 34-day stalemate. Hezbollah started the 2006 war as Israel was battling Palestinian militants in Gaza.

No group claimed responsibility and Lebanon's government, wary of conflict, quickly condemned the rocket fire. Israel fired mortar shells into southern Lebanon in response.

For a second straight day, Israel said it suspended is Gaza military operation for three hours to allow in humanitarian supplies.

Before the lull on Thursday, Israel killed at least 11 people in Gaza, including five militants, raising the death toll from its 13-day offensive to 699 people, according to Palestinian medical officials. The offensive is meant to halt years of Palestinian rocket attacks on southern Israel, but with roughly half the dead believed to be civilians, international efforts to broker a cease-fire have been gaining steam.

One of the Lebanese rockets went through the roof of a retirement home in Nahariya, about five miles from the border, and exploded in the kitchen as some 25 residents were eating breakfast in the adjacent dining hall. One resident suffered a broken leg, another bruises, apparently from slipping on the floor after emergency sprinklers came on.

more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090108/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians

[virginia mountainman]

1. I guess Hezbollah wants invited to the party...

I feel for the peaceful Lebanese people.

[tekisui]

2. Hezbollah, Lebenon and Israel are saying it is not Hezbollah.

Israel seems to be shrugging off, or at least giving those who fired the rockets a chance to reconsider an attack on Israel.

[Duckhunter935]

3. This will just cause more to be fired

Someone is just testing the waters

[tekisui]

4. I'm afraid I agree.

Twitter reports say more have been fired from Lebanon, awaiting confirmation or a link.

[bdamomma]

5. oh crap, this is not good, I wouldn't put it past Cheney he has

something to do with situation in Israel. No one is stopping Israel, plus we are supplying them with weapons.

[virginia mountainman]

6. Why wont someone stop Hamas instead??

Take away Israel's excuse??

[bdamomma]

7. both are at fault, both Israel and Hamas.

and Hamas turned down the ceasefire, so in the meantime innocent people are being killed. I hate this.

[virginia mountainman]

8. I agree, but remember..

The Palestinians in Gaza overwhelmingly ELECTED Hamas as there government, knowing full well what the consequences of those votes will bring.

[soulcore]

9. Please stop with this talking point. Voting, even for Hammas...

...shouldn't be a blanket death penalty to all Palestinians.

[virginia mountainman]

10. No it shouldn't

But when they elected Hamas, with its stated goals, the end result is not surprising.

If they truly wanted peace, their would be peace, but all they want is war...With an extremely powerful neighbor..

So, they get an extremely lopsided war...

Put yourself in Israels shoes for just a moment..

Their is no way in hell would I(Israel) tolerate a neighbor (Gaza Palestinians)taking pot shots at my home, and family, even if they never hit us, if the police (UN)refused to do anything about it but lecture ME, on how I should act and give.

I would get pissed, and get my own guns out, and defend my home...

So would the vast majority of us.

This whole thing could be avoided, if the Police (UN) would go over to the neighbor's house (gaza Palestinians) and disarm them by force...

But no, the UN refused to do that..

[soulcore]

11. And yet, somehow, you still rationalize the murder of civilians. eom.

[virginia mountainman]

12. The "civilians" elected Hamas, knowing full well what that meant.

Now they must deal with the consequences of that election, and the actions of "their government".

[soulcore]

13. Even when you put quotes around words...

...Israel is still murdering innocent men, women and children.

Rationalize away!

[Hugabear]

14. The Palestinians signed their own death warrant by electing Hamas

Isn't that the talking point? I would say it's a RW talking point, except that it's been echoed so many times here on DU also.

[The Magistrate]

15. The People Of Gaza, Sir, Did Not 'Overwhelmingly' Elect Hamas

Hamas did not receive a majority of the vote, in fact, in the contest of parliamentary lists. The Fatah bloc split into two factions, which taken together received a majority of the votes cast by Arab Palestinians in Gaza, though the Hamas total was larger than that of either faction. The electoral system included a sort of 'at large' list on top of the direct representation list, to go en masse to the party with a lead in popular vote, which ironically enough was intended to bolster a parliamentary majority for Fatah in case it received only a narrow majority over Hamas. In the event, this worked to give Hamas a decisive parliamentary majority, well in advance of the proportion of votes it actually received. Best laid plans, and all that....

[azurnoir]

16. Hamas turned down the cease fire according to Israeli sources

however

Hamas Team Takes Egypt Truce Plan To Syria

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x240705

nothing at this point has been accepted or turned down Hamas demands the border crossings be open

[Recursion]

17. It's very rare that only one side refuses a ceasefire in a negotiation

Either side could have probably acommodated the other enough to get a ceasefire but neither was willing to. Saying this side or that side is at fault in most cases requires assuming a "correct" outcome of the negotiations (and in that sense picking a side).