Conflict..

Olmert: There will be no cease-fire in coming days Ha''aretz 8/1/2006 Prime Minister Ehud Olmert''s political-security cabinet voted in the early hours of Tuesday morning to expand Israel''s ground operation in south Lebanon. Under the plan, and similar to last week''s operation carried out in Bint Jbail, IDF forces will mount raids on villages that have served as Hezbollah bases. The plan was presented to Olmert during meetings held Saturday with Defense Minister Amir Peretz and defense establishment heads. The cabinet voted nearly unanimously in favor of the plan, with.. one abstention. Political sources in Jerusalem said on Monday that the UN Security Council would call for a cease-fire on Friday that would take effect starting Saturday. The fighting, however, may continue for a few more days, sources estimated. more.. Desperate survivors use truce to flee for safety The Guardian 8/1/2006 They came in sorry procession down the hill from Bint Jbeil yesterday, the last four patients from the abandoned hospital pushed in wheelchairs, families holding sticks with white flags, a father struggling with four small children propped on pillows in a wheelbarrow. Taking advantage of an Israeli pledge not to bomb southern Lebanon for 48 hours, the last survivors of the town''s two-week siege seized the chance to escape, fear and exhaustion etched on their faces. Bint Jbeil has seen the fiercest fighting of this war in which nine Israeli soldiers died. The Israelis withdrew from the town four days ago. Coming out of the basements for the first time yesterday the people of Bint Jbeil found their town in ruins, as though an earthquake had struck. more.. Rescue teams recover dozens more bodies The Daily Star 8/1/2006 Rescue workers began on Monday the gruesome task of digging up dozens of bodies from under the rubbl e of villages in South Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, taking advantage of a 48-hour suspension of Israeli air attacks. Rescuers recovered 28 bodies from the rubble of collapsed houses in the South, Lebanese Red Cross sources said. They said 12 bodies were recovered in the village of Srifa, nine in Zibqin and four in Qleileh, all east of the port city of Tyre. Three other bodies were recovered in three other villages. They added that rescue workers were looking for dozens more bodies believed to be buried under the rubble in a cluster of border villages and towns bombarded by Israeli aircraft over the past three weeks. Lebanese Health Minister Mohammad Khalifeh put the number of unrecovered bodies and missing at 200. more.. Mother and Two Children Killed in Israeli Attack on Gaza By Sami Abu Salem, Electronic Intifada 7/31/2006 Photo Story -- 15-year-old Somaia Okal ignored her sister Maria as she asked her to leave the swing for her, while their mother Asma, 30, played with her 8-month-old infant Shahd, in Jabalia, north of Gaza. This Wednesday, an Israeli shell hit their house and put an end to the laughing and chatter of the innocent Maria and Shahd. The mother was also killed, and Somaia critically wounded in the head; the 5-year-old, Amani, was wounded in the foot. Samir Okal, 35, a father of seven, did not expect that the Israeli tanks will hit his house as he lives in the "serene" neighbourhood of Abd Rabbu. Even his relatives wanted to leave their homes and stay at his house because it enjoys a reputation for "safety. "... When the dust had vanished, Samir was grief-stricken when he saw that blood covered his wife and children. more.. Mass burial of unclaimed bodies in Tyre, Lebanon Ma''an News 7/31/2006 TYRE, 30 July (IRIN)-- Lebanese authorities buried 32 unclaimed bodies in a mass grave in wasteland outside Tyre on Saturday. The Lebanese soldiers retch as they unload maggot-infested body bags into coffins laid out for the mass burial. The bodies had lain unrecovered for up to ten days in the burned-out shells of cars, or scattered around the devastated villages of south Lebanon. "We just cannot hold onto them anymore," says Salman Zaynadeen, director of the government hospital in the al-Bas Palestinian camp in Tyre, where the bodies of villagers recovered this week were taken for storage. The sound of nails being hammered quickly into thin wooden coffins mixes with the thump of Israeli missile strikes on suspected Hizbullah positions and the buzz of an airborne drone scouting for targets. more.. Furious mob damages United Nations headquarters in Beirut to protest Qana The Daily Star 7/31/2006 BEIRUT: Thousands of angry demonstrators attacked the UN headquarters in Beirut, breaking windows and burning curtains in an outpouring of anger and grief at the Qana massacre of Sunday morning. "We are angry at the whole world for their silence on the massacres happening in Lebanon," as one demonstrator put it. Speaking to The Daily Star, Sawsan Ali, who hails from the South but who was forced to become a "refugee in my own country," said that she heard and saw on television the "newest Israeli massacre against my people. ""They have hit Qana. They killed 55 people, half of whom were children. "Though she didn''t take part in attacking UN House, Ali said she wishes the UN would "disappear because its presence is as useless as its non-presence. " more.. Hezbollah fires on Israeli warship off Tyre, Israel denies, new raid on Masnaa The Daily Star 7/31/2006 (AFP) - The Israeli army onMonday denied a claim by Hezbollah guerrillas that they had fired amissile on one of its warships off the coast of Lebanon. Hezbollah''s military arm, the Islamic Resistance, said in astatement that its guerrillas had "destroyed a Zionist warship... off Tyre. "But an Israeli army spokesman denied that any of its ships offLebanon''s coast had been targeted by a missile, saying: "The reportis simply not true. "Hezbollah had vowed revenge following the killing of 52 people,most of them women and children, in an Israeli air raid on thevillage of Qana on Sunday. On July 14, just two days after Israel launched its offensiveagainst Lebanon, Hezbollah fired a rocket into warship off Beirut, killing four Israeli sailors. more.. Lebanon: We’ll deploy army in south YNet News 8/1/2006 Lebanon''s acting foreign minister presents UN with long-term solution for country, including withdrawal of Israeli army, disarmament of militias. Ambassador Gillerman: Isn’t it time that Lebanon take its fate into its own hands and not cry out to the Security Council? -- A top Lebanese official asked the UN Security Council on Monday for an international inquiry into the Israeli raid on the southern Lebanese village of Qana that killed at least 54 civilians, mostly children. Tareq Mitri, Lebanon''s acting foreign minister, also renewed a government plea for an immediate end to the fighting between Israel and Hizbullah, which has raged since July 12. "The onslaught continues unabated. It has to stop," Mitri, who is also Lebanon''s culture minister, told the council. more.. Air strikes shatter pause as Israel starts new ground assault The Guardian 8/1/2006 48-hour bombing respite not a truce, says Israel · Lebanese soldier killed and three others hurt -- The 48-hour pause in bombardment announced by Israel to allow civilians to leave southern Lebanon was interrupted within hours of its start yesterday when the Israeli military launched three air strikes at targets near the border. Israeli troops also pressed on with a ground offensive around the Lebanese villages of Kfar Kila and al-Taiba. A separate ground incursion began yesterday, with infantry troops and armoured vehicles closing in on the village of Aita al-Shaab, the military said. The village is west of Bint Jbeil, the scene of heavy fighting last week. An Israeli military spokeswoman said the pause in bombing, which began at 2am yesterday, was a "partial suspension". more.. Israeli airforce violates commitment to pause airstrikes in Lebanon; bombs have not stopped falling International Middle East Media Center 7/31/2006 Local sources in southern Lebanon have reported that Israeli air strikes have continued unabated despite public promises made by Israeli officials Sunday night that the strikes would pause for 48 hours. On Monday, Israeli defense minister changed the tone of the Israeli plan, saying they will not halt, but will expand their attack on southern Lebanon - despite a bombing that killed 60 civilians and sparked international outrage just the day before. A Lebanese soldier was killed, and three were injured in an Israeli naval attack on a Lebanese military base north of the city of Tyre in southern Lebanon. Al-Awayda area, Kafr Shuba'' and Kafr Hamam were all hit Monday morning by heavy Israeli shelling, local sources reported. more.. 600 Palestinians taken prisoner by Israel over the past month International Middle East Media Center 7/31/2006 In an official report, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Israeli soldiers took 600 Palestinian residents prisoners since the abduction of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit from a military post in the southern Gaza Strip last month. The minister added that a total of 10,073 detainees are currently imprisoned in 30 prisons, detention facilities and interrogation centers. Following the capture of Shalit on June 25, Israeli soldiers carried out wide scale invasions in the West Bank and Jerusalem, taking a total of 600 Palestinians as prisoners. Among the arrestees are 27 elected legislators with the Palestinian Legislative Council, and 7 Hamas cabinet ministers, the ministry reported. Also, the ministry added that 31 members of the Palestinian police and security force are among the arrestees. more.. Israeli artillery bombardment kills Palestinian youth, 16 Ma''an News 7/31/2006 Gaza -- Medical sources at the Kamal Adwan hospital in the Gaza Strip said that a Palestinian youth, Nahed Muhammad Ash-Shinbari, 16 was killed by Israeli artillery bombardment of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. Eyewitnesses said that Muhammad was standing in front of his home when he was hit by shrapnel which caused his death. [end] more.. Robert Fisk Reports From Lebanon on the Israeli Bombing of Qana That Killed 57, Including 37 Children Democracy Now! 7/31/2006 AMY GOODMAN: Following Israel’s bombing of the town of Qana, that killed nearly 57 people, we turn to veteran war correspondent, Robert Fisk. I reached Robert Fisk early this morning at his home in Beirut. Robert Fisk''s reporting in Lebanon led to the United Nations condemnation of the Israeli attack on Qana ten years ago, in 1996. Early this morning, when we reached Robert Fisk, he had just returned from Tyre, where victims from Sunday’s Israeli air strike in Qana were taken, following the attack.... RF: "... When I arrived there, there were a number of, maybe 20, 30 children, the corpses of children, lined up outside the government hospital, hair matted, still in their night clothes. " more.. Qana relives 1996 massacre as air strike kills at least 60 civilians The Daily Star 7/31/2006 QANA: The bodies were carried into daylight one by one, all gray-skinned with dust, one small boy his mouth stuffed with dirt, a stiffened arm pointing accusingly into the air. Wasps and flies buzzed with greedy excitement around his face and blood-sodden hair. "It''s Ali Shalhoub," muttered an onlooker as the child was placed on a stretcher and carried away. Ten years after Israeli forces slaughtered more than 100 civilians sheltering in a United Nations base in Qana, mass death has visited this straggly hill village once again. "Where is the humanity? Why are these massacres being committed against civilians? " asked Naim Raqa, the head of the Lebanese Civil Defense unit in the nearby village of Jawaya, who was assisting in the rescue operation. There were dozens of people drawn from two extended families sleeping on the ground floor of an unfinished house when an Israeli jet dropped two bombs on them... more.. UN denies that UN security staff used tear gas against demonstrators in Gaza on Sunday Ma''an News Agency 7/31/2006 UN property was severely damaged on Sunday -- Ma''an- The Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO) issued the following statement on 31st July 2006: Suggestions that United Nations security officers used tear gas against demonstrators at the UNSCO office in Gaza yesterday, or that UN staff clashed with demonstrators, are completely untrue. The UNSCO office in Gaza is a weapons-free compound. When it was violently attacked by demonstrators yesterday, United Nations staff left the compound, and responsibility for the security of the premises was handed over to the Palestinian authorities. We should add that the demonstrators wreaked substantial destruction to the UNSCO Gaza office, damaging buildings, office equipment and vehicles. more.. Photos: Another Qana Massacre The Daily Star 7/31/2006 Photos from the Israeli attack on civilians in Qana, Lebanon. more.. Two Israeli tank rounds hit UNIFIL position in Hula Electronic Intifada/UNIFIL 7/31/2006 NAQOURA -- According to UNIFIL reports, there were no incidents of rocket firing or aerial bombardment in the UNIFIL area of operations since 4am this morning, except in the area of At Tayyabah in the eastern sector, where two air strikes were reported around 10am. It seems that IDF forces maintain their presence in two locations inside Lebanese territory, in the general area of Marun Al Ras in the central sector, and the general area of Kafr Kila in the eastern sector. It was reported that some of the IDF forces withdrew from the area of Marun Al Ras yesterday evening. The situation in these areas is relatively quiet this morning, and there are no reports of serious fighting. Heavy shelling from the Israeli side is reported this morning in the general area of Ayta Ash Shab and Ramyah. more.. Homeless and alone after devastating Israeli strike The Daily Star 8/1/2006 NABATIEH: He stepped out to get some water for his family and when he came back, he found a demolished home and no one left but his dead wife and four children. Adnan Harakeh from Nabatieh wandered the street where his home once stood and holding pictures of his family, cried and screamed: "I am responsible for their death. I wish I had moved to Beirut. " An Israeli raid that hit their home in Nmeirieh had left the man homeless and alone. "You went and left me alone... What will I do without you? " he cried. "I went to bring some water for my children... 20 minutes later, Israeli warplanes raided my house, killing my wife and kids," he told The Daily Star. Harakeh is a civil defense worker who worked on aiding dozens of civilians killed and wounded during Israel''s strikes on Nabatieh. more.. Shortages of fuel and funds threaten relief effort The Daily Star 8/1/2006 BEIRUT: The United Nations held a news conference Monday to highlight ongoing relief work in Lebanon, as well as obstacles to getting supplies where they are needed. "The UN is well aware that Lebanon and the Lebanese government would have been capable of providing for the entire country had there not been a military blockade by land, air and sea," said Mona Hammam, the United Nation''s resident coordinator in Lebanon and humanitarian coordinator. "We are assisting the government to do what they cannot do - to provide for its people during this time," Hammam added. "If we run out of fuel everything will come to a standstill," said Hamman. According to Hammam, Beirut could start to feel the effects of an oil shortage in less than 48 hours. more.. Closure imposed on West Bank due to terror alerts YNet News 7/31/2006 Security forces receive 17 specific warnings regarding terror groups’ intent to carry out suicide, mortar, rocket and shooting attacks from West Bank; officials say terrorists aim to open third front against Israel -- The IDF and Israel Police have imposed a full closure on the West Bank Monday, this in light of 17 specific warnings received by the security establishment regarding the terror groups’ intent to carry out attacks in Israel. The majority of warnings relate to possible suicide, mortar, rocket and shooting attacks emanating from the West Bank, as well as attempts to kidnap Israeli civilians and soldiers. However, it was decided to allow the passage of Palestinians in humanitarian cases and to allow Christian worshipers to pass through thecrossings as well. more.. A Refuge That Became a Place of Death Washington Post 7/31/2006 Victims Were From Two Extended Families; Most Suffocated ''in Debris'' [from implosion effects of the bomb - Ed. ] -- QANA, Lebanon, July 30 -- The bulldozer slowly clawed at the rubble Sunday, in motions gentle for a machine. In its path were what was left of life: a bag of onions and a can of beans, a dirt-crusted sandal, a baby bottle, a plaid bag with a diaper still tucked inside and a punctured picture of a young boy, posing awkwardly, his arms stiff at his side. As the sun arced overhead, Israeli shelling thundering in the distance, the shouts went out: "Stop! Stop!" Rescuers surged, then one emerged, his back slightly stooped.... The victim''s name was Abbas Hashem, and he was 1 year old. His blue pacifier still dangled from his green tank top. more.. 25 more bodies dug up in south Lebanon YNet News 7/31/2006 Rescue workers begin gruesome task of digging up dozens of bodies from rubble in cluster of villages, towns bombarded by Israel -- Rescuers recovered 25 bodies on Monday at the start of the gruesome task of digging up dozens of bodies from the rubble of south Lebanon during a 48-hour suspension of Israeli air attacks. Lebanese Red Cross sources said 12 bodies were recovered in the village of Sreefa, nine in Zibqeen and four in Qleileh, all east of the port city of Tyre. They said rescue workers were looking for dozens more bodies believed to be buried under the rubble in a cluster of border villages and towns bombarded by Israeli aircraft over the past three weeks. Israel''s three-week offensive in Lebanon has killed around 575 people, mostly civilians. more.. Olmert refuses to apologize to the victims in Lebanon Ma''an News 7/31/2006 Israeli PM Olmert (Ma''an)Bethlehem --Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has refused in a speech delivered on Monday evening in Tel Aviv to apologize to the civilian victims of the Israeli atrocities committed in Lebanon. He said: "Despite our sorrow for the civilians who were forced to evacuate their homes and flee away, and despite the unintentional casualties, we don''t apologize because the residents of southern Lebanon know quite well that their enemy is Nasrallah and his associates. " [end] more.. Fresh ground assault on Hizbullah villages The Guardian 7/31/2006 Israeli troops backed by dozens of tanks launched a new ground operation in southern Lebanon yesterday under the cover of a massive wave of artillery. Troops pushed towards the villages of Taiba and Adisa, which are close to the border but further north-east than previous ground offensives. Yesterday''s operation began even as the US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, was discussing the possibility of a ceasefire with government leaders in Jerusalem. It marked Israel''s third ground incursion since the conflict began nearly three weeks agoOne Israeli soldier was shot and wounded near Adisa, the military said. The village has been used as a launching site for Hizbullah''s Katyusha rockets.... Soldiers who have fought in southern Lebanon have said anti-tank missiles were one of the biggest challenges they faced. more.. ''Hizbullah has only few launchers left'' Jerusalem Post 7/31/2006 The IDF assessed on Monday that Hizbullah''s rocket launching capability was significantly compromised by the fighting that took place in the past three weeks. It was estimated that, while the organization still has hundreds of rockets with a sufficient range to reach Afula and Haifa, there were only a number of launchers remaining with launching capability. The Hizbullah still had several Zilzal rockets left that could reach central Israel, Army Radio reported. In the course of the fighting, the IDF asserted that it had killed some 200 Hizbullah operatives. Though most of the names were not released, one of the more prominent targets hit was Jihad Atiya, who was said to be responsible for the killing and kidnapping of IDF soldiers Benny Avraham, Adi Avitan and Omar Sueid in 2000. more.. Mine explodes near Israel-Syria border YNet News 7/31/2006 Landmine exploded Sunday on Syrian side of Israel-Syria border on Sunday; military officials say incident possible attempt by Hizbullah to drag Syria into conflict -- Channel 2 TV reported that a landmine exploded on the Syrian side of the Israel-Syria border on Sunday. Military officials said the incident, which took place near the Kunetra crossing, may have been an attempt by Hizbullah to drag Syria to the conflict withIsrael. The circumstances of the incident remain unclear at this point; it is possible that an explosive device was attached to the mine and set it off. Security forces are also looking into the possibility that the mine exploded by accident. No injuries were reported among IDF soldiers. more.. Hezbollah claims destruction of Israeli warship Ma''an News 7/31/2006 Bethlehem--Hezbollah has confirmed in a statement on Monday evening that their fighters were able to destroy the Israeli naval warship "Sager", opposite the shores of Tyre, which carried 56 Israeli soldiers on board. This is the second warship that Hezbollah claims to have destroyed since the beginning of the war 19 days ago. An Israeli spokesperson denied the news. Hezbollah had earlier announced that their fighters had destroyed five Israeli tanks and two military bulldozers, in addition to an armored jeep. [end] more.. Evening Roundup: Hizbullah Claims it Attacked 2nd Israeli Warship Since the Beginning of the Onslaught as Villagers Flee en Masse An Nahar 7/31/2006 Hizbullah claimed its fighters fired a missile on an Israeli warship off the coast of the southern port city of Tyre on Monday as a lull in raids allowed thousands of villagers to flee the war-ravaged south. The group''s military wing, the Islamic Resistance, claimed in a statement that its fighters had "destroyed a Zionist warship... off Tyre. " "At 4:30 pm (1330 GMT), the Islamic Resistance attacked with its blessed missiles an Israeli SAAR 4. 5 (fast attack missile boat), with a crew of 53 officers and soldiers, off the coast of Tyre," it said. "It was hit and destroyed. This is the beginning of the vengeance for the children of Qana. " Hizbullah had vowed revenge following the killing of 60 people, most of them women and children, in an Israeli air raid on the village of Qana on Sunday. more.. Israel and Hizbullah engage in fierce fighting The Daily Star 7/31/2006 Heavy clashes broke out between Israel and Hizbullah Sunday in the border town of Taibeh, after an elite Israeli team attempted to sneak into the Lebanese territory. Hizbullah issued a statement saying the elite Israeli Army team named Goulani tried to sneak into the southern town of Taibeh, a few kilometers to the west of Fatima Gate, a sealed border crossing into Israel, but Hizbullah fighters fought them. "Hizbullah''s fighters are still engaged in ferocious clashes with the Israeli military... and have inflicted severe casualties among the Israeli military. " The Hizbullah statement said its militants had inflicted casualties on the Israeli forces. "Our fighters are following the Israeli military elite team members from one place to another while the Israeli helicopters were not able to evacuate the wounded and casualties... " more.. Israelis withdraw from Hizbollah border stronghold The Guardian 7/30/2006 Israeli forces pulled out of the Lebanese border town of Bint Jbeil yesterday on the 18th day of the Middle East crisis. Israeli troops had raided the Hizbollah stronghold, 2. 5 miles from the Israel-Lebanon border, earlier in the week as part of a major offensive but were taken by surprise by the strength of resistance from militia. Israeli Military Northern Command chief Udi Adam said the army would continue to operate in southern Lebanon, saying: ''We will continue to fight in the area of Bint Jbeil. We hold commanding positions in the areas. ''Adam told reporters that troops killed 70 to 80 Hizbollah guerrillas in the territory over the past few days. The army had suffered its biggest losses in fighting with Hizbollah in Bint Jbeil and nearby areas. more.. My journey on the highway of fear with families who lost everything By Peter Beaumont, The Observer 7/30/2006 The Observer''s Foreign Affairs Editor records his remarkable week with Lebanese refugees fleeing the Israeli onslaught -- You can hear the bombs detonate and see the damage in Beirut, but something changes in people''s faces as you drive out and down along the coast road. South of Sidon you reach the war. By Tyre, the faces are desperate as they race their cars north, seeking some element of safety. Israeli gunships shell the coastal road. They sit out of sight, just over the horizon. All you hear is the buzzing of the Predator drones transmitting GPS coordinates of targets to the ships and planes. Where the coastal road is destroyed you wind on to a track lined with abandoned, dust-covered cars that have run out of petrol. Others are wrecked by shell and missile blasts. more.. Israeli army continues bombardment of southern Gaza Strip Ma''an News 7/31/2006 Khan --Ma''an - The Israeli army continued its bombardment of the southern areas of the Gaza Strip throughout Monday. Ma''an''s correspondent reported that Israeli forces continued their artillery bombardment of the Faraheen area in ''Abasan town, east of Khan-Younis, and in the district of Al-Shokeh to the south east of Rafah. The correspondent added that most of the artillery shells fell on agricultural land near the homes of citizens, causing panic among the residents and their children. It was stated that the eastern regions of the southern Gaza Strip, especially the districts of Al-Shokeh, Al-Fakhari, Al-Farahin and Ksovim, was an area of high tension following daily bombardments for over a month, resulting in the killing and wounding of a large number of civilians, as well as extensive material damage to the homes of citizens. [end] more.. Army installs a military checkpoint to the south of Al Far''a village near Salfit International Middle East Media Center 7/31/2006 Israeli army troops installed a military checkpoint to the south of the Al Far''a village near Salfit for the second day in row Monday. Soldiers stopped residents and civilian cars, searched them, and checked ID cards. Many residents were forced to stand for long hours under the sun, eyewitnesses reported. Residents also said soldiers opened fire at the residents and cars who tried tobypass the checkpoint using a nearby farming road. [end] more.. Army takes one prisoner at military checkpoint near Yatta village north of Hebron International Middle East Media Center 7/31/2006 The Israeli soldiers stationed at the Yatta village military checkpoint took one man prisoner Monday. Troops stopped Mossa Dawoed, 35, at the checkpoint, searched him, then checked his ID card before taking him to an unknown location without giving any reason, eyewitnesses reported. [end] more.. Israeli forces raid West Bank towns, arrest 8 Palestinians Ma''an News 7/31/2006 Bethlehem -- Israeli sources reported that the Israeli forces entered and raided a number of towns and cities in the West Bank. They arrested 8 Palestinians during the raids, claiming that they were "wanted. "The sources added that the Israeli forces arrested 2 Hamas activists, one Islamic Jihad activists from Tulkarem and three Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists from Ramallah. The sources said that the Israeli forces also entered Bethlehem and arrested 2 Fatah activists. The names of those who have been arrested in these raids are not yet available. [end] more.. Army takes one prisoner at a checkpoint near Hebron International Middle East Media Center 7/31/2006 Israeli soldiers stationed at a military checkpoint north of the West Bank city of Hebron have taken one residents prisoner Monday. Ahmad Ebiat, who lives in the near by city of Bethlehem, was arrested while trying to cross the checkpoint to get to the city of Hebron. Ebiat was taken to unknown location and the Israeli army gave no reason behind the arrest. [end] more.. Israeli air strikes hit family home, government buildings in Gaza Strip Ma''an News 7/31/2006 Gaza --Eyewitnesses reported that an Israeli air strike hit a house in Sheikh Radwan in the central Gaza Strip. They reported that an Apache helicopter fired two missiles into the compound housing Palestinian government buildings. One missile landed on the two-storey home of Ismail Abu Hasira, slightly injuring two people and causing great damage to the house. The Ma''an correspondent reported that adults and children are in a state of panic and terror as a result of the continuous Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip. Israeli warplanes also bombarded the home of a Hamas member in the Ash Shaima'' district in Beit Lahiya in the north of the Gaza Strip. According to witnesses the Israeli warplane fired a missile at the three-storey home of Jaber Subohon, a Hamas leader, who was told two days in advance to evacuate the house. more.. Army invades Iktaba area in Tulkarem and takes three prisoners International Middle East Media Center 7/31/2006 The Israeli army troops invaded the Iktaba area east of the West Bank city of Tulkarem Monday morning, taking three residents prisoners. The three were identified as: Mohamed Alariah, 18, Sami Alariah, 19, Baha''e Badawi, 18. According to eyewitnesses, troops surrounded the area and searched several houses after forcing the families out at gun point. The men were taken to unknown locations. [end] more.. Brigades increase launches of home-made projectiles from Gaza Strip Ma''an News 7/31/2006 Gaza --Palestinian medical sources said that Muhammad Al Maghazi, 22, died from wounds sustained during the Israeli invasion and raid of the Al Maghazi refugee camp in the center of the Gaza Strip a week ago. The Israeli invasion led to the death of 18 Palestinians. In related news, the director of the first medical association in the Ministry of Health, said that the Israeli army demanded that the ministry send ambulances to remove the bodies of two Palestinian fighters who were killed near the Israeli military post "of Kissufim, east of Deir Al Balah. Eyewitnesses confirmed that there was firing in the area, but denied that anyone had been killed. However Palestinian ambulances have already entered the area to look for the dead bodies. more.. Al Quds Brigades launch grenades from the Gaza Strip Ma''an News 7/31/2006 Ma''an -- Ma''an- The Al Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, declared launching rocket propelled grenades towards an Israeli military observation tower to the east of Deir al Balah city, located in the central Gaza Strip on Monday at noon. In a statement from the Al Quds Brigades, they assured that this operation was in response to the Israeli aggression towards the Palestinian and Lebanese people. [end] more.. Brigades attack Israeli military post Ma''an News 7/31/2006 Gaza--The National Resistance Brigades, the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), claimed responsibility for launching 3 heavy mortar shells at the Israeli military post of Kissufim. In related news, a joint cell comprising the Al Asifa Brigades and the Baha Iddin Sa''id, two small militant groups affiliated to the Fatah movement, launched two home-made projectiles at the Israeli military post of Miftahim, east of Khan Younis, in the south of the Gaza Strip. The brigades said in a statement that they will continue resistance until the end of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. [end] more.. Probe launched into threats against MK El-Sana YNet News 8/1/2006 Anonymous callers threaten Arab lawmaker: ''We’ll kill you like we killed Rabin. '' El-Sana charges that in current crisis situation, Jewish public using Arabs as scapegoat ‘like in Germany when Nazis rose to power’ -- Chairman of the United Arab List-Ta’al MK Taleb el-Sana requested Monday that the Knesset security administration investigate threats against his life, apparently by extremist Jewish elements. The anonymous warnings included such statements as, “Your end is near,” “We will murder you like we murdered Rabin,” and “Your place is not in the Knesset but under the ground. ” In a conversation with Ynet, el-Sana sounded extremely concerned. “This is a dangerous phenomenon.... people think... that the Arabs are a fifth column. " more.. Crisis in the Middle East Washington Post 7/31/2006 Includes map - The latestnews, photos and videos surrounding the conflict between Israel and militant groups in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. more.. Army stops residents and students from Nablus to enter Ramallah International Middle East Media Center 7/31/2006 Israeli soldiers stationed at several military checkpoints around the West Bank city of Nablus have stopped residents and students from traveling to Ramallah Monday. Troops at Za''tara and Howwara checkpoints south of Nablus only allowed residents older than 35 to pass the checkpoints, eyewitnesses reported. Eyewitnesses also said soldiers were searching residents younger than 35 in a humiliating manner. [end] more.. Israeli air forces: Israeli military intelligence to blame for Qana massacre Ma''an News 7/31/2006 Bethlehem --Officers in the Israeli air force have refused to take responsibility for the massacre in Qana, saying instead that they held Israeli military intelligence entirely responsible for the massacre. They said, "We are not talking here about an initiative by the air forces to strike a particular target. It is military intelligence that decided on the target for us. "Responding to journalists, an officer in the air force said, "You should direct your questions to Israeli military intelligence concerning the importance and nature of the target and its surroundings. They claimed that hundreds of Katyusha rockets were launched from Qana during the last two weeks. " more.. Five killed in Gaza attacks AlJazeera 7/28/2006 At least 150 Gazans have died since the Israeli assault began - half were civilians -- Israeli attacks have killed five civilians in the Gaza Strip, a day after fighting that left 24 Palestinians dead, Palestinian medical workers and witnesses have said. A 75-year-old woman was hit by shrapnel from an Israeli tank shell fired at her house near the town of Jebaliya. Later on Thursday, a 12-year-old boy was killed by Israeli gunfire as he stood on the roof of his house at the edge of the Jebaliya camp. Two civilians, aged 16 and 23, were killed in an air strike in eastern Gaza City. An 18-year-old manwas hit when a tank shell fell near his house in northern Gaza. Also on Thursday, Israeli troops surrounded a house in the West Bank city of Jenin. Residents said they opened fire at stone throwers, slightly wounding two. more.. Israeli bombardment of Gaza continues, killing an elderly citizen; 26 killed in last two days Ma''an News 7/27/2006 Gaza --Israeli artillery bombardment in a region close to the Salah Ad Din Street in northern Gaza City killed an elderly citizen, Thursday morning. Medical sources confirmed that the elderly woman, Kamlah Ahmad An Najjar, 75, was killed by an artillery shell, while she was riding a donkey cart. The sources added that the missile resulted in the scattering of severed body parts and injured another citizen as well. The Israeli artillery bombardment continued on Gaza. Israeli forces bombarded a gathering of citizens with artillery at the Al Qarm junction in the east of Gaza City on Thursday afternoon, leading to the injury of a number of the citizens. Among the wounded was the child, Mariam Al Kafarnah, 9, she was seriously injured by shrapnel in her head. more.. Palestinian child killed in Jabalia International Middle East Media Center 7/28/2006 Palestinian security sources in Gaza reported that a Palestinian child was shot and killed by Israeli military fire in Jabalia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The Media Center that belongs to the National Security Force reported that the child, Anas Zamlat, was killed late of Thursday at night while standing in front of his parents'' house. The center added that the child was killed after the Israeli Air Force opened fire at houses in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. Five Palestinians were killed by Israeli military fire and shells in the Gaza Strip on Thursday. At least 25 residents were injured, five seriously. Troops shelled several houses in Al Qarem area, east of Gaza City, and shelled several areas in the northern and southern parts of the Gaza Strip. more.. Israeli warplanes shell Agricultural College in the Gaza Strip Palestine News Network 7/27/2006 Palestinian security sources and eyewitnesses report that Israeli warplanes shelled Siqsaf Agricultural College in the northern Gaza Strip late Wednesday evening. The college is located just north of the town of Beit Hanoun, which has fallen prey to numerous Israeli attacks and incursions in the past month. The sources told PNN that Israeli forces warned of the attack, citing that members of the Palestinian armed resistance had been using one of the buildings near the college to manufacture projectiles to launch at Israeli targets. In addition to the attack on the college last night, Israeli forces also bombed a home in he Jabaliya Refugee Camp in the northern Gaza Strip. The home belonged to the leader of the Al Qassam Brigades, the armed resistance wing of Hamas. more.. Israel targets the Palestinian governmental institutions International Press Center 7/27/2006 GAZA, Palestine, July 27, 2006 (IPC) - - For the first time and unprecedented war, Israel started to target the Palestinian governmental institutions in its war on the Palestinian people as part of the so-called operation "Summer Rains". The Israeli F16 warplanes bombarded and completely destroyed on Monday, 17/7/2006, the building of the Palestinian ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a number of wounded were reported. The number of the Palestinian governmental institutions has been exposed to the Israeli attacks inflicting grave damages of them while tens of the wounded were reported. On Saturday morning 15/7/2006, the Israeli warplanes shelled the Palestinian ministry of economy in the north of Gaza city. According to the witnesses, the occupation Apache warplanes fired missile at the ministry inflicting grave damages on it. more.. Israeli government confiscating 215 dunams of Palestinian land between Hebron and Bethlehem for Wall Palestine News Network 7/27/2006 Official sources in the Palestinian Office of the Public Land Defense Committee announced Thursday that the Israeli government will confiscate another 215 dunams of land for the Wall. This time the site is between northwestern Hebron and southwestern Bethlehem. The Public Land Defense Committee reported, “The land targeted by the Israeli military order is targeting occupied lands in the West Bank for new sections of the Apartheid Wall. ”The latest statement added, “The military order gave landowners weeks for the necessary legal objections. The confiscation includes lands located from Hebron and into Wadi Foukin in Bethlehem. ”Historically speaking, using the Israeli court system to fight Israeli land confiscation for its Wall in the West Bank, despite the ruling against it by the [ICJ] in the Hague, have proven unsuccessful. [end] more.. One resident killed in Kofer Qadom village, east of Qalqilia International Middle East Media Center 7/27/2006 On Thursday afternoon, sources in the Qalqilia Governorate announced the death of Hamada Da''ass, 18, a resident of Kofer Qadom village, east of the city. Da''ass sustained injuries during a pre-dawn invasion of the village while he was standing in front of his home. Medical sources report that injuries were sustained to his head, neck and shoulder. He was moved to the city hospital where he died later in the day. Meanwhile, during the invasion, local sources said that troops took four prisoners who were identified as: Mohamed Jo''ma, Wahid Barham, Kaiser Jo''ma and Yahid Da''assLocal residents said that troops searched several houses and enforced curfew before taking the four and leaving the town. [end] more.. Israeli forces invade Jenin, injured PNN and Al Jazeera correspondents International Middle East Media Center 7/27/2006 Some 40 Israeli military vehicles invaded the northern West Bank city of Jenin Thursday afternoon. As the raid began, Israeli forces immediately injured six Palestinians. As the attacks continued, Israeli soldiers began targeting journalists, including Ali Samoudi, correspondant of the Palestine News Network (PNN), and a correspondant of the Qatar based Al Jazeera TV. Israeli soldiers hit Sammoudi in the back with a rubber-coated bullet and also targeted a photographer by his side. [end] more.. Israel to increase troop numbers AlJazeera 7/28/2006 Israel said despite the call up it was not expanding its offensive -- Israel has called up 30,000 reservists to support its offensive in Lebanon, but its security cabinet said it would not expand its campaign for the time being. The cabinet said it had authorised the move in case the fighting intensified. In recent days, senior Israeli generals had urged the government to authorise a broader ground campaign in southern Lebanon, which they said would help the thousands of troops already engaged in bloody battles there. Israel''s security cabinet authorised the army to call up three additional reserve divisions to refresh the troops in Lebanon if they were were needed, but rejected the generals'' advice to expand the offensive. more.. Security cabinet okays mass call-up of reservists, but nixes expansion of south Lebanon operation Ha''aretz 7/28/2006 The security cabinet on Thursday authorized the mobilization of three divisions of reservists, "to prepare the force for possible developments," but said that they will be deployed, if necessary, only after further approval by the cabinet. Three divisions of reserve soldiers would amount to around 15,000 soldiers, or 5,000 troops per division, IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz said. The only cabinet member who opposed calling up the reservists was Minister of Science, Culture and Sport Ophir Pines-Paz, who said that he feared that the force is meant to expand the ground operation in Lebanon.... Calling the conflict in Lebanon "a war of no choice," Peretz added, "I say this as a man of peace who has examined all other alternatives. " more.. Palestinians: IDF troops leave north Gaza after two day sweep Ha''aretz 7/28/2006 Early Friday, Israeli troops and tanks pulled out of northern Gaza, residents said, after a bloody two-day sweep. In southern Gaza, an Israel Air Force aircraft hit a metal workshop in the city of Khan Younis early Friday, wounding nine people, including two children, hospital officials said. Nearby buildings were also damaged, and rescue workers were searching through the rubble. The military said the target was a weapons storehouse. The IAF fired three missiles at a house owned by the family of a militant from the ruling Hamas faction in Gaza City late on Thursday, witnesses said. They said the family had left the house after being warned by the Israel Defense Forces that it would be targeted. However, it was still unclear if there were any casualties from the strike. more.. Katyushas hit communities across north; 13 lightly wounded Ha''aretz 7/28/2006 The Upper Galilee was hit by a heavy Katyusha barrage on Thursday afternoon, as 25 rockets landed in and around Kiryat Shmona. Hezbollah guerillas in Lebanon fired over 100 Katyusha rockets at targets in northern Israel on Thursday, landing across the Galilee and Hula Valley. Thirteen people were lightly injured in rocket strikes on Carmiel, Majdal Krum, Kiryat Shmona, and the area of Rosh Pina. Three people were lightly wounded by shrapnel, and 16 went into shock. Buildings, cars, roads and water pipes were badly damaged in the attacks. One Katyusha hit a house, another hit a factory containing chemicals, and a third hit an educational facility. A firefighter was lightly hurt during operations aimed at putting out several fires. more.. Israeli Offensive Triggers ''Worst ''Environmental Crisis in Lebanese History'' An Nahar 7/27/2006 Lebanon''s greens launched an international appeal for help Thursday to combat an environmental crisis caused by a huge oil spill south of Beirut. "The escalating Israeli attacks on Lebanon did not only kill its civilians and destroy its infrastructure, but it is also annihilating the environment," warned the Green Line Association, a Lebanese NGO. It said an air strike two weeks ago on the Jiyeh power plant which serves southern Lebanon had resulted in a 15,000-ton oil spill. "The power plant has six fuel tanks. Four of them have burnt completely, while the fifth one, which is also the main cause of the spill, is still burning," it warned. The spill has hit more than 100 kilometers of the Lebanese coast from Jiyeh to Shekka, in the north, including Beirut''s only sandy public beach of Ramlet al-Baida, said Green Line. more.. Midday Roundup: Israel Intensifies Air Bombardment After Heavy Losses on the Ground An Nahar 7/27/2006 Israel on Thursday intensified its airstrikes on Lebanon a day after its forces suffered heavy losses in ground battles with Hizbullah fighters and as one of its cabinet ministers said disagreement over a ceasefire gave his country the green light to press on with its devastating offensive. Three people, one policeman and two civilians, died in Israeli attacks on the Bekaa hitting cars and trucks, witness said. A woman was killed in a strike near Tyre and two people died in Kafra further south. Warplanes also launched extensive raids on Iqlim al Tuffah, a highland in the south where Hizbullah is believed to have bases and offices. The attacks came as the Israeli cabinet met to decide whether to extend its offensive launched on July 12 after Hizbullah captured two soldiers in a deadly cross-border raid. more.. Palestinian resident killed in Jerusalem International Middle East Media Center 7/28/2006 The Israeli police in Jerusalem reported, on Thursday at night, that Israeli policemen from the border guards division shot and killed a Palestinian resident in east Jerusalem. The police claims that the resident opened fire at policemen before they shot him down. The sources added that a Palestinian youth arrived at a checkpoint near Jabal Al Mokabber area in east Jerusalem, and fired at policemen; one policeman was moderately injured while another suffered mild wounds. Border-guard policemen fired at the youth and killed him, the sources added. Meanwhile, a Palestinian source reported that one fighter was killed after opening fire at Israeli policemen and injuring them in Jabal Al Mokabber. [end] more.. Police discover body of missing settler in Palestinian village Ha''aretz 7/27/2006 Police suspect that a settler missing since Thursday morning from the northern West Bank was killed by Palestinians, who then burned and dismembered his body. The missing man was a resident of the settlement of Yakir in the northern West Bank, east of Qalqilyah. His scorched body was discovered in the [trunk] of a burnt car with Israeli license plates, near the Palestinian village of Kafr Abbus in the northern West Bank. The car belonged to the father of the settler, who apparently had been driving the vehicle at the time of his disappearance. Larges forces had been out since morning searching for the missing settler and his car.... Police are not ruling out a criminal, rather than nationalist, motive in the murder. more.. Israeli forces kill three more Palestinians in Gaza Strip Palestine News Network 7/27/2006 Thursday, 27 July 2006Palestinian medical sources and eyewitnesses reported Thursday afternoon that Israeli forces launched more air raids on Gaza City’s Shafa neighborhood, injuring 15 people. Among them, two are now dead. Eyewitnesses said that an Israeli warplane fired a missile on a group of Palestinian citizens and members of the resistance in the northeastern Gaza City area. Al Shifa Hospital sources reported that five of the injured were in critical condition, with several others requiring amputations. Further north, sources at Kamal Adwan Hospital reported that Israeli tanks shelled the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun earlier today and critically injured a girl.... 75 year old Mohammad Al Najah died, while his son was injured with shrapnel and taken to Kamal Adwan Hospital... more.. Israel kills 23 Palestinians in Gaza: mother & her children, a 3 year old, & many of the resistance Palestine News Network 7/27/2006 [More complete accounting of yesterday''s massacre in Gaza] -- After a full day of attacks that began just after midnight, Israeli forces killed 23 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip yesterday. The Wednesday killings included a three year old a dawn, a mother, and her two young children. The family died during an Israeli air attack on the town of Jabaliya north of Gaza City. Israeli reconnaissance warplanes launched missiles at the Tufa and Shafa neighborhoods, killing three members of the armed Palestinian resistance. Medical sources reported that Israeli forces killed the mother, Amal Aucul, and her two children on Wednesday evening, while the other sisters suffered serious injuries. Israeli tanks then again shelled Jabaliya. more.. Palestinian faction fires at Israeli soldiers occupying a house in Gaza City; one soldier injured Ma''an News 7/27/2006 Gaza --The Al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, claimed on Thursday that they fired at Israeli forces stationed on a house in the Ash Sha''af district in the east of Gaza City on Thursday morning. The Brigades also claimed to have launched a rocket-propelled grenade (RBG) at an Israeli military post in the same district. In a statement, the Brigades said that eyewitnesses had reported that one of the Israeli soldiers stationed on the roof had been injured. The Brigades said that the two operations were in response to the ongoing Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip. [end] more.. Israeli forces arrest three near Nablus Ma''an News 7/27/2006 Nablus --Israeli forces arrested four citizens of Furik, east of Nablus, and another from Khalit Al Eiman region, north of Nablus, early Thursday morning. Several Israeli military vehicles raided Furik, and broke into several houses to search them, claiming that they were searching for wanted persons. They arrested Adel Hanani, Ziyad Hanani and Waheid Hanani and took them to an unknown location. Israeli forces also arrested youth Tha''er Al Ahjbar, 20, from his house in the Khalit Al Eiman region then they withdrew. [end] more.. Israeli forces close off two towns in Jenin area Ma''an News 7/27/2006 Jenin --Israeli forces set up two temporary barriers at the main entrances of the towns of Ya''abad and Araba, west of the city of Jenin. They prevented citizens whose ID cards do not show residence in the towns from entering. Eyewitnesses reported that the Israeli forces at the barriers forced citizens to remove their clothes and prevented vehicles from entering the towns. [end] more.. Izzeddin Al Qassam Brigades hits Israeli bulldozer during incursion Ma''an News 7/27/2006 Gaza --Izzeddin Al Qassam Brigades, Hamas'' military group, launched a homemade projectile at an Israeli bulldozer near the Al Phirdaws Mosque in the east of Gaza City on Thursday morning, during the Israeli military penetration of At Tuffah district. In a statement, the brigades said that the launching operation was in response to the ongoing Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip. [end] more.. Israeli forces clamp down on Tubas area Ma''an News 7/27/2006 Jenin --Israeli forces set up several temporary barriers in different regions in the Tubas area and tightened military measures against the citizens. Palestinian security sourced reported that the Israeli forces set up temporary barriers at the entrances of the Az Zababdah town, the southern and western entrances of the city of Tubas, Al Aqaba, Al Far''a and Al Badhan. Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli forces detained a large number of Palestinian citizens at the Tayasir barrier, in the east of the city of Tubas, and prevented them from passing. [end] more.. Israeli forces arrest three in West Bank on Thursday morning Ma''an News 7/27/2006 Hebron --Israeli forces arrested two Palestinian citizens during a raid of Yatta, south of the city of Hebron, and arrested one from the city of Jericho early on Thursday morning. According to Palestinian sources that: "An Israeli force reinforced by dozens of military vehicles penetrated Yatta and arrested Moussa Makhamarah, 34, and Khalil Al Jabarein, 32, after they broke into their houses. "The Israeli forces also raided the city of Jericho and arrested the citizen Basha''er Amter, 20, at the military barrier in the south of the city. [end] more.. Israeli warplanes target home in Jabalia refugee camp Ma''an News 7/27/2006 Gaza --Israeli warplanes bombarded a Palestinian home in the Jabalia refugee camp, resulting in significant damage to the home, Wednesday night. Israeli sources reported that: "The Israeli warplanes targeted a storehouse of munitions belonging to the Palestinian factions. " The sources alleged that the storehouse contained a Palestinian homemade projectiles and ammunition to be used against Israeli targets. [end] more.. Israeli forces attack Palestinian youth near Nablus Ma''an News 7/27/2006 Nablus – Ma''an -- Nablus – Ma''an- Israeli forces attacked Palestinian youth, Ramzi Hilmi in the Bizzariya, a village west of the city of Nablus on Wednesday evening, severely beating him with their rifles. He was transferred to the Rafidya hospital in Nablus. The arbitrary actions in the surrounding Bizzaraya come after an Israeli bulldozer was stolen from the Anabta Israeli settlement near the village. Israeli authorities accused a Palestinian group from the village of the theft but have not shown proof. [end] more.. One resident injured in Israeli shelling to east suburbs of Gaza city International Middle East Media Center 7/27/2006 Medical sources reported on Thursday at noon that one resident from Al Tufah neighborhood was injured when Israeli army tanks targeted the area. Doctor Muawiya Hassinen, Director of the Ambulance and Emergency department of the Ministry of Health, said that tanks stationed to the east of Gaza shelled several neighborhoods with heavy artillery, and the injured man lies in Al Shifa hospital after sustaining moderate wounds. [end] more.. Israeli forces demand that Palestinian security headqaurters be cleared of all "wanted" persons Ma''an News 7/27/2006 Jericho --Palestinian security sources said on Thursday that Israeli forces ordered them to clear their security headquarters and the governmental organizations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip of all persons whom Israel claims are "wanted. "The sources added that the Israeli army threatened to target their posts if they did not apply the resolution. [end] more.. Army invades Beit Furiq and takes three prisoners International Middle East Media Center 7/27/2006 Three residents were taken as prisoners when troops from the Israeli army invaded the village of Beit Furiq, east of the West Bank city of Nablus, on Thursday morning at dawn. The three were indentified as: Khalid Hanini, Ze''ad Hanini and Wahid Hanini. Soldiers also searched several houses before leaving the village. This is the second invasion in as many days. Yesterday, the village was invaded and four residents taken. [end] more.. Israeli forces shoot Palestinian youth near Qalqilia Ma''an News 7/27/2006 Qalqilia --Israeli forces shot and injured Palestinian youth, Hamadah Shtiwi, 20, when they besieged a home in Kufur Qaddom, east of the city of Qalqilia, Wednesday evening. Eyewitnesses reported that the Israeli forces blockaded the young man in the house using several other young men as human shields. The forces used heavy gunfire in the operation, claiming that there were resistance members in the house. The soldiers claimed that they opened fire on Shtiwi when he tried to escape. The sources added that an ambulance belonging to the Israeli army transferred Shtiwi to an unknown destination and they did not know the extent of his injuries. Israeli forces besieged several abandoned houses in the in the town and used loudspeakers to call on the citizens to evacuate the houses, threatening to demolish them if they refused. [end] more.. A wary defiance in the village Hizbullah''s leader calls home The Guardian 7/28/2006 The village betrays no sign of life at our approach. The shutters of the shops are down and gathering dust. No faces gather at the windows of the stone houses as we walk past. Aside from the drone of Israeli surveillance planes overhead, all is silent. But within moments, the first sentinel appears, then three more: bearded and intense men, who use their mobile phones to receive instructions before allowing us to enter the village - and even then only under their sullen, constant gaze. In a war in which Hizbullah seems almost to be an invisible presence in southern Lebanon, such an appearance is unusual. But then, Bazuriyah, three miles (5km) east of Tyre, merits special attention: the village is the home of Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hizbullah. more.. IAF knocks out Hezbollah missile command in Tyre Ha''aretz 7/28/2006 The Israel Air Force on Thursday scored a successful direct hit against Hezbollah''s missile command center deployed in Tyre, which has been primarily responsible for targeting Haifa and its surroundings. The regional command center was located on the 12th floor of a Tyre building that the IAF destroyed. The IAF bombings continued bombing as Israel Defense Forces artillery pounded townships in the south. According to reports from Lebanon, two women were killed in the attacks, raising the number of Lebanese killed in the fighting to about 400. The western sector of south Lebanon, which was quiet until recently, was also shelled on Thursday, and residents of more villages were ordered to leave their homes. more.. Refugees pour into Syria AlJazeera 7/28/2006 At the Masnaa border crossing between Syria and Lebanon hundreds of people continue to flee the fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli forces. The border zone is a bustling area. A line of cars, taxis and minibuses wait to go through Syrian customs procedures, whilst dozens of volunteers and aid workers hand out food and drink to new arrivals. Although the influx is less frantic than in the earlier days of the two-week-old Israeli bombardment, many poorer families from ravaged areas of Lebanon are still making their way across the border. According to UN figures, more than 140,000 Lebanese, 1,000 Palestinians and 20,000 other foreign nationals have crossed into Syria since fighting began. more.. Not even infants are spared brutal war The Daily Star 7/28/2006 TYRE: There have been thousands of innocent victims in the ongoing war in Lebanon, but somehow it is the tiniest casualties who cause a nation the greatest grief. Two such stories have unfolded in Tyre this week, both involving newborn babies who had no role in the ongoing violence but will nonetheless be forever marked by its ferocity. The first, named Ibn Zahra (son of Zahra) by a mortician at Tyre''s governmental hospital, was born prematurely in the back seat of a taxi under a hail of Israeli bombs as his family fled the South for the safety of this Southern port city. The taxi finally fell victim to an air strike that killed Ibn Zahra''s two brothers and severely wounded his mother. "He lived for only an hour or two," says Abu Chadi, the mortician who named the infant. "He never had a chance. " more.. Thursday: About 80 rockets, some 40 injured YNet News 7/27/2006 VIDEO) Some 80 rockets land in north since Thursday morning; 40 people lightly wounded by evening hours, most suffering from shock. Several rockets land in Tiberias. Fire breaks out near Kiryat Shmona factory -- VIDEO - North under rocket attack: Hizbullah on Thursday evening fired mortar shells at several communities in the Galilee panhandle close to the border fence. There were no reports of injuries. Dozens of rockets landed earlier in the Upper Galilee and Western Galilee communities. The last barrage was at around 7:20 p. m. in Kiryat Shmona, which was hit by three rockets. Three people who were hurt by shrapnel arrived at the city''s emergency room. Another 16 suffered from shock. more.. MKs surprised by Katyushas in Karmiel Jerusalem Post 7/27/2006 Knesset members were in the midst of a makeshift lunch in the rocket-torn city of Karmiel when the siren sounded, tearing MKs away from their food and into a nearby shelter. Not even a Katyusha could tear MK David Azoulay (Shas) from his food, joked the MKs. At the time, they didn''t know that nearly a dozen rockets were falling on Karmiel and its surrounding villages, and that Azoulay''s brother-in-law would be among the day''s injured. It was only when the group arrived at their next stop, at the Nahariya Government Hospital, that they saw the ambulances arriving, and Azoulay was notified that he had a relative among the injured. Doctors told the MK that his brother-in-law, Daniel Vaknin, would be alright. more.. ''IDF may be morally justified in flattening terror strongholds'' Jerusalem Post 7/27/2006 The man who wrote the IDF code of ethics, Professor Asa Kasher, has indicated that in the current circumstances in southern Lebanon, provided the appropriate precautions are taken, it may be "morally justified" to obliterate areas with high concentrations of terrorists, even if civilian casualties result. "I don''t know what the truth is about the circumstances," Kasher stressed. "But assuming that we warned the civilians and gave them enough time to leave, and that the civilians who remained chose, themselves, not to leave, then there is no reason to jeopardize the lives of the troops," he told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.... Israel has been reluctant to use sufficient weaponry to flatten the Hizbullah "terrorist capital" of Bint Jbail, a policy that many have criticized as being overly sensitive toward the enemy and its civilians. more.. Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in photos (1) Mehr News Agency 7/27/2006 BEIRUT, July 27 (MNA) -- Photos of bombed and burned buildings and streets - A selection of images of the Lebanese cities attacked by the Zionist army during the past days. -- See also: Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in photos (2) and Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in photos (3) more.. Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in photos (4) Mehr News Agency 7/27/2006 BEIRUT, July 27 (MNA) -- Photos of bombed and burned buildings and streets - A selection of images of the Lebanese cities attacked by the Zionist army during the past days. -- See also: Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in photos (5) more.. Israel''s heaviest losses fuel doubts over strategy The Guardian 7/28/2006 Soldiers were trying to take border town · Offensive predicted to last several weeks -- Growing evidence that the ground battle in Lebanon will be far tougher than Israel had expected emerged yesterday after firefights against Hizbullah in two border villages left Israeli troops counting their highest death toll in a single day since the conflict began. Up to 13 Israeli soldiers were killed and many more wounded yesterday in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil during the fiercest battle so far in the Middle East conflict. Nearby, in the village of Maroun el-Ras, which troops had entered at the weekend, an Israeli officer was reported killed. Last night the city of Tyre was hit in a major Israeli air strike. Sixteen people, including six children, were injured when a seven-storey building that had been used as a Hizbullah community centre collapsed. more.. The summit fails. War rages The Guardian 7/27/2006 14 IDF soldiers killed · Surprise at Hizbullah strength · US-UK block ceasefire move -- Israel yesterday suffered its worst day since the Lebanon conflict began when 14 of its soldiers were believed to have been killed in fighting with Hizbullah, a military calamity that could prove to be a turning point in the warThe setback appeared to unnerve Ehud Olmert, Israel''s prime minister. Less than a day after he had vowed to fight Hizbullah to the end, he yesterday spoke for a need for a quick end to the conflict. The Israeli military has been taken by surprise by the ferocity of Hizbullah''s resistance and may have to rethink its strategy. Last night Mr Olmert called an emergency meeting of his generals as General Udi Adam, head of the Israeli army''s northern command, said fighting in Lebanon could continue for several more weeks. more.. 24 Killed As Israel Moves Into N. Gaza Washington Post 7/26/2006 Deadliest Day in Strip Since ''05 Withdrawal -- JERUSALEM, July Israeli troops pushed into the northern Gaza Strip early Wednesday, sparking intense street clashes with local fighters that left 24 Palestinians dead and at least 57 wounded, Palestinian security and hospital officials said. They said most of the victims were struck by Israeli tank shells or missiles launched from Israeli drones flying overhead. The fighting made Wednesday the deadliest day in Gaza since Israel pulled out of the strip last year. At least 30 Israeli tanks joined the operation, which began about 3 a. m. and continued throughout the day in the al-Tofah neighborhood east of Gaza City, witnesses said. more.. Israelis ignored repeated warnings before killing UN observers The Guardian 7/27/2006 16 pleas for firing to stop went unheeded · Furious Annan condemns targeting of post -- Israel came under mounting pressure last night to explain why its military ignored repeated warnings and bombed a prominent UN post in southern Lebanon, killing four unarmed international observers. The four UN soldiers, from China, Austria, Finland and Canada, were taking shelter in a bunker at the white, three-storey building in Khiyam on Tuesday after at least six hours of Israeli bombing and shelling, when it was destroyed by what UN sources say was a precision-guided aerial bomb. The UN contacted Israeli forces up to 10 times about the strikes. The UN''s deputy general secretary, Mark Malloch Brown, made several calls to the Israelis to protest at the shelling and to call for it to stop, he told the security council yesterday. more.. Babies among dead on Gaza front line The Independent 7/27/2006 Only the bloodstains on their white shrouds spoke of the tragedy that had unfolded. Two Palestinian girls, one just eight months old, were dead. They were killed when an Israeli tank shell struck a house near Jabalya in the besieged Gaza Strip. Yesterday marked the end of Cpl Gilad Shalit''s first month in captivity and Israel stepped up operations inside the Strip in an operation codenamed Sampson''s Pillar. The ferocity of the response to that kidnapping, and the determination of operations to stop Palestinian militants'' rockets, saw a barrage of air strikes and raids yesterday that killed at least 19 Palestinians, including three children and a handicapped man. Israeli shells struck at a rate of one a minute throughout the afternoon, with the buildings of Beit Hanoun shaking under the sustained fire. more.. Rescuers: Many dead have yet to be counted The Daily Star 7/27/2006 TYRE: The number of fatalities from Israel''s two-week bombardment of Lebanon has been "grossly underestimated," according to paramedics and emergency response crews, with some putting the true tally near 1,000. "In Tyre alone we had 125 dead and 150 missing or buried under the rubble," said Sami Yazbek, the head of Red Cross operations in this southern port town. "Those trapped under the rubble are impossible to reach due to the complete destruction of the roads in the South, so we have no choice but to presume they are dead by now. ""Tyre is the least-hit area when compared with the volume of assaults in the South," Yazbek added. As Israel''s massive assault on Lebanon continues, medical officials are predicting that the true number of casualties will soon be revealed as double the reported figure of 400, according to Yazbek. more.. 23 Palestinians killed in IDF raids in the northern Gaza Strip Ha''aretz 7/26/2006 The Israel Defense Forces killed 23 Palestinians in fighting across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, including at least nine militants, three children and a disabled man, medics and witnesses said. Israel has stepped up air strikes and launched raids into Gaza to stop rocket attacks and recover a soldier abducted by militants on June 25. The IDF has killed 140 Palestinians since it began its assault. About half were civilians. Wednesday''s death toll in Gaza was the highest in two weeks. Among those killed were eight loyalists of the governing Hamas militant group and one gunman from the kindred Islamic Jihad faction, which is also dedicated to destroying Israel. Another two gunmen were killed later, one from the militant group Popular Resistance Committees. The other gunman''s affiliation was not clear. more.. Wounded troops describe Bint Jbail battle as ''hell on earth'' Ha''aretz 7/27/2006 Wounded soldiers who took part in heavy combat Wednesday on the outskirts of the Hezbollah stronghold of Bint Jbail recounted their experiences from their hospital beds at Haifa''s Rambam Medical Center, which received 22 of the wounded casualties of the battle. "They suffer mostly from shrapnel and also from penetration of bullets," said Dr. Micky Hilbertal, who runs the emergency room where the soldiers are hospitalized. "Most of the injuries are in the limbs, a few of them are in the chest and stomach. " Hilbertal said the most similar experience he can recall when he was required to treat this many wounded was during the first Lebanon war. "[Back then], helicopters landed here almost non-stop," he said, noting that Rambam is working in full emergency mode. more.. Hizbullah: Next target – Netanya YNet News 7/26/2006 Senior terror group commander says ‘we have not yet shown the Zionist regime and its supporters our full rocket-launching capabilities’ -- A senior Hizbullah official said that the organization has set a new target for itself - the city of Netanya, as reported by the Iranian news agency Fars in Lebanon. According to the report, Fuad Dirani, commander of the Hizbullah organization, called for the residents of Netanya to evacuate theirhouses because "soon the range of our rockets will reach 100 kilometers (62 miles) into Israel and we will attack military installations and infrastructure. The fact that more than two million Israelis have run away from their homes has put pressure on senior officials in Israel. “Hizbullah has not yet shown the Zionist regime and its supporters its full rocket-launching capabilities. " more.. Hezbollah claims victories in Wednesday''s fighting Ma''an News 7/26/2006 Al-Manar TV channel announced that a special unit performed an operation which resulted in the killing of 4 Israeli intelligence men. Thus the death toll of Israeli soldiers in Wednesday''s battles rises to 17 and 20 injuries. Hezbollah reported that the Israeli forces failed to transfer their dead and injured soldiers from the battle field. In addition 20 more Israelis were injured in Katyusha shelling, on Wednesday, against the Israeli cities of Haifa, Akko, Safad, and the Israeli towns of Karmiel and Karyot. In related news, Lebanese sources reported that Israeli raids continued during the night and Wednesday morning on different southern areas, including the electricity network of Marjayoun. They also continued artillery bombardment of Ibil As-Saqi, Al-Qulayah, Al-Khiyam, Kafr Kila and Matalla. more.. Evening Roundup: Bint Jbeil Faces Fierce Resistance as Civilians Flee en Masse An Nahar 7/26/2006 As Israeli bombardment of the south continued Wednesday, fighting raged on between Hizbullah fighters and Israeli forces that are battling to move deeper inside the border town of Bint Jbeil. The army said 8 Israeli soldiers were killed in fierce fighting with Hizbullah fighters in the key border town, a Hizbullah military stronghold in the border area which Israeli forces first broke into on Tuesday. A ninth was killed in the nearby village of Maroun al-Ras. "Eight soldiers were killed and 22 injured in fighting at Bint Jbeil," an army spokesman said. Al-Jazeera TV network earlier said that at least 13 had been killed. The fierce exchanges came as Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told a parliamentary committee he wanted to establish a security zone of one to two kilometers in southern Lebanon. more.. Beirut classrooms become clinics BBC 7/26/2006 Over 85,000 refugees are staying in Beirut''s public schools -- As a team of doctors wiped down school desks with pungent disinfectant, a group of women with babies in their arms jostled at the classroom door. "Just wait a minute," one of the doctors called to the mothers as he carried a brown box of pharmaceuticals over to the window sill. With Arabic grammar scrawled on the blackboard this does not look like a normal doctor''s clinic - but that is what it is. Lebanon''s social services are overwhelmed after up to a million Lebanese fled from their homes in the south of country and Beirut''s southern suburbs as the Israeli bombardment of these areas continue. more.. Villagers Flee en Masse After a 3-Hour Israeli Ultimatum An Nahar 7/26/2006 Over a thousand inhabitants of eight Lebanese villages close to the Israeli border were desperately fleeing their homes en masse Wednesday after being given a three-hour ultimatum to leave by the Israeli army, a local mayor said. "There are 300-500 families fleeing on foot, with the adults shouting and the children crying, walking in the direction of Tyre" a dozen kilometers to the north, said the mayor of the village of Al-Bustan, Shamman Mohammed an-Nasser. He said at 1:00 pm (1000 GMT) an Israeli military jeep approached the barbed wire that marks the border and an officer threatened the Sunni inhabitants of Al-Bustan, Um at-Tout, Dhaira, Zalloutiye and other villages which lie along a four kilometer stretch on the border. The villagers were warned "that they would be bombed if they did not leave before 4:00 pm (1300 GMT)", he said. more.. Palestinian television journalist seriously injured in Gaza Ma''an News 7/26/2006 Gaza -- Palestine TV''s Ibrahem Al Otlah was seriously injured while covering the Israeli bombardment of the At Tuffah district in Gaza on Wednesday morning. Eyewitnesses said that Al Otlah was recording fast-moving events in the At Tuffah district in the east of Gaza when an Israeli artillery missile hit him. He was seriously injured requiring the assistance of others around him. Muhsin Jabra was also injured at the same time. The spokesman for the Ministry of Health, Khalid Radi, said that Al Otlah has been stabilised once he arrived at the hospital. He had been injured in the chest by the shrapnel, which caused internal bleeding. Doctors at Ash Shifa''a Hospital say that they have managed to stabilise him and are