Israel's northern border heats up

[sharonbn]

IDF outposts bombarded

Mortar shells fired at IDF outposts in Mount Dov area, on northern border; no injuries reported, army estimates Palestinian groups in Lebanon behind attacks. Latest violence comes on heels of rocket fire Thursday

MOUNT DOV - Tensions mount: Mortar shells were fired at IDF outposts in the Mount Dov area, on the northern border, Friday afternoon.

No injuries were reported in the mortar attacks, which prompted IDF forces to respond by firing into Lebanese territory. At least nine mortar shells landed in Israeli territory, the army said.

'If anyone on the Lebanese side believes Israel will remain with its hands tied for long, he is wrong," he said.

Annan "concerned"

Following Wednesday's attack, a spokeswoman for U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he was "gravely concerned" over the incident and urged Lebanon to put an end to all such attacks.

"The secretary-general urges all parties to fully respect the Blue Line and reminds them that one violation of the Blue Line cannot justify another," Annan's spokeswoman said, referring to the U.N.-drawn frontier marking Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3084727,00.html

[sharonbn]

It seems there is someone on the Lebanese side who wishes to provoke Israel into attacking Levanon in self defense. Of course, no one in the world will remember this provocation one minute after the Israeli attack.

[scattergood]

"The secretary-general urges all parties to fully respect the Blue Line and reminds them that one violation of the Blue Line cannot justify another," Annan's spokeswoman said, referring to the U.N.-drawn frontier marking Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon.


What a bunch of . If one party's violation of the Blue Line doesn't justify a response, then why the hell have a Blue Line in the first place? If Israel shelled across the line, would he say to Lebanon: "Israel's violation of the line doesn't justify a response by you which would violate the Blue Line?"

Of course not.

[golani]

What a bunch of . If one party's violation of the Blue Line doesn't justify a response, then why the hell have a Blue Line in the first place? If Israel shelled across the line, would he say to Lebanon: "Israel's violation of the line doesn't justify a response by you which would violate the Blue Line?"

Of course not.

I don't get it with those hizbulla terrorists

Don't they have to feed their kids??
Easier to launch katiushas than sweating to rebuild their war torn country...

[Mediocrates]

It's called relevance. You have to demonstrate that you serve some purpose in the eternal war against the Jews and infidels. You're absolutely right that the arab world and most of europe would chose to ignore any level of provocation or attack at Israel should Israel decide to respond in kind. That is Kofi Anna's 'grave concern' - not that Israel is attacked but that it might shoot back.

[Luke90]

What a bunch of . If one party's violation of the Blue Line doesn't justify a response, then why the hell have a Blue Line in the first place? If Israel shelled across the line, would he say to Lebanon: "Israel's violation of the line doesn't justify a response by you which would violate the Blue Line?"
Of course not.
Do you really expect the head of an organisation dedicated to world peace to suggest that Israel should retaliate?
His "grave concern" is escalation, as it should be.

[KettleWhistle]

Doesn't really seem that way. And why do we not hear any condemnation of this attack?

[Luke90]

A significant paragraph from the end of that same article:
“These tiny organizations are uncontrollable,” said one spokesman. “Therefore, we have a fundamental problem responding to them. They have no means to wage a broad fight (against Israel), but they certainly have the means to drag the region to escalation."

[Womble]

A significant paragraph from the end of that same article:
“These tiny organizations are uncontrollable,” said one spokesman. “Therefore, we have a fundamental problem responding to them. They have no means to wage a broad fight (against Israel), but they certainly have the means to drag the region to escalation."
Nothing significant about it. An attack originating from the territory of a state constitutes a valid casus belli, and is the responsibility of the host state, even if it was not carried out by the "official" armed forces.

[KettleWhistle]

A significant paragraph from the end of that same article:
“These tiny organizations are uncontrollable,” said one spokesman. “Therefore, we have a fundamental problem responding to them. They have no means to wage a broad fight (against Israel), but they certainly have the means to drag the region to escalation."

That's a comment by some unnamed spokesperson at the very end of an article from an Israeli newspaper. Now exactly the type of furious outrage we face whenever Israel has to defend itself or takes out a terrorist.

[Luke90]

Nothing significant about it. An attack originating from the territory of a state constitutes a valid casus belli, and is the responsibility of the host state, even if it was not carried out by the "official" armed forces.
I wasn't trying to imply lack of blame. Just that escalation was a relevant concern.

[KettleWhistle]

Yes, and that's a concern for everyone, including Hizbollah, which wants a broad conflict in order to regain the recently-lost political grounds. But you have to look at the root of the problem, not ignore it, and focus exclusively on the symptoms.

[Luke90]

That's a comment by some unnamed spokesperson at the very end of an article from an Israeli newspaper. Now exactly the type of furious outrage we face whenever Israel has to defend itself or takes out a terrorist.

It seems there is someone on the Lebanese side who wishes to provoke Israel into attacking Levanon in self defense. Of course, no one in the world will remember this provocation one minute after the Israeli attack.
Israel already has responded to these attacks. If you click on the original link, the story's been updated.

[Gilgamesh]

I wasn't trying to imply lack of blame. Just that escalation was a relevant concern.
Why, do you think, the Arabs don't fear escalation? Why is it only Israel's fault?

Much too often it seems that the very existance of us Jews, is a legitimate reason for "concern" and fear of "escalation" by the U.N.

High time Israel pull out her amabsador and kick out all U.N spys... sorry, "personal" out of the country. We already have more European spies then what we can handle with.

[Gilgamesh]

Israel already has responded to these attacks. If you click on the original link, the story's been updated.

Yes, to such "responce" we call over here "blowing rocks and trees", or simply hollywood pyrothecnics. I've been in Lebanon, I know. IDF does "such a responce" only for the record, for internal purposes. IDF has no authority to do anything bigger, effective.

Mind you, the people do not care for such "signals" anymore. A better PM who can deliver his duty of ensureing peace and security is likly to replace Sharon on the next election (November 2006).

Even by far chance, few Hizzballa Arabs get killed, it has absolutly no affect.

[scattergood]

Do you really expect the head of an organisation dedicated to world peace to suggest that Israel should retaliate?
His "grave concern" is escalation, as it should be.

Luke, he said that Israel has NO RIGHT TO PROTECT ITSELF. Anan said:

"The secretary-general urges all parties to fully respect the Blue Line and reminds them that one violation of the Blue Line cannot justify another," Annan's spokeswoman said, referring to the U.N.-drawn frontier marking Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon."

He could have said, "While Israel has a right to defend itself from attacks across the Blue Line, the UN suggests moderation in order to avoid escalation. The UN will press upon the Lebanese government the seriousness of this offense and apply the standards of the international community to demand that they effectively police the area around the Blue Line to avoid attacks such as these." But he didn't. He said that even though there is a causus belli originating from Lebanese territories, Israel has no right to respond.

All law is limited by the enforcment of the law. We have speeding laws that everybody ignores because they aren't enforced consistently. Why have a Blue Line if the response by the body that helped put it there to a clear and gross violation of it is "hey don't respond"?

[sharonbn]

Following escalation of violence along northern border, senior IDF official says ‘Lebanon has no one to hide behind anymore’

Lebanon must act fast, or it may the price, a senior IDF officer told Ynet Friday after Hizbullah fired at least 12 mortar shells at army outposts in the Mount Dov area, on the northern border.

Hizbullah claimed responsibility for the barrage, saying it was fired in response to Israeli attacks on Lebanese targets.

In response to the mortar strike, IDF fighter jets, helicopters, and tanks bombarded Hizbullah positions in Lebanon.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3085104,00.html

[sharonbn]

so it seems that:

1) Hizbuallah is indeed responsible for at least some of the attacks.

2) With no effective Lebanese police action, escalation seems inevitable.

3) Once again, although fully justified, Israeli action will be condemned