Israel's Ultimatum to Lebanon or the Arab World?
As the offensive between Israel and Lebanon escalates, Israel has emerged as the more hostile of the mutual aggressors. On Thursday, Israel launched a second round of airstrikes on the Lebanese international airport in retaliation to an attack on its northern port of Haifa. The attack is attributed to the Lebanese Islamist group, Hezbollah.
Both sides have accused the other of "acts of war". Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called the attacks and abduction of two Israeli soldiers an "act of war". Lebanese Interior Minister Ahmed Fatfat called Israel's retaliatory attack on Beirut airport a "general act of war". According to these statements, it would seem Lebanon is responsible for the first 'act of war' in this escalating conflict due to the abduction of two Israeli soldiers. But when compared to Israel's response, airstrikes on Beirut International airport, there seems to be an issue of disproportionality.
Russia, France and the EU have identified Israel's response to the abduction of the two Israeli soldiers as disproportionate. But it is probable that Israel's attack isn't all about abducted soldiers but an attempt to deliver an ultimatum message to the Lebanese government to rid itself of Hezbollah. Israeli ambassador to the US, Daniel Ayalon has said, "We (Israel) will have to continue with the operation until there is no capability of the Hezbollah to do what they are doing."
But Israel's message may have extended beyond Lebanon. Syria for one seems braced to rally the Arab world in war against Israel were Israel to extend its attacks to Syria's boarders. According to Syrian news sources the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has already stated intentions to "fiercely respond" were Israel to attack Syria. Such an attack, Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying, "[would] be considered like attacking the whole Islamic world." While Israel may be able to safely flex its muscles with regards to Lebanon, a collected Arab world may prove a worthier opponent.
Comments
You bring up an interesting point Khary. An invasion of Syria or any attack would be the point of no return. While Iran is too far to directly assist (they would have to request fly-over rights for Iraq from the US government), they would surely provide as much indirect assistance.
This war needs to be diffused quickly. Unfortunately, the first chance for relief--the Arab League's Security Council resolution to order Israel to stop its Beirut offensive--was vetoed by the United States.
I think everyone who is complaining that Israel's operations in south Lebanon, and south Beirut are disproportionate in the wake of Hizballah 'merely' kidnapping 2 soldiers, seem to have overlooked a few details.
1) This is not the first time that Hizballah has tried this. The most recent attempts to abduct Israeli soldiers resulted in firefights that left dead and wounded on both sides. There was no 'strong' Israeli response to this, and the world was content to stay silent, with the possible exception of street parties in Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank.
2) When Hizballah took those 2 soldiers, they also killed another 4 soldiers during the same (unprovoked) attack, whom everyone seems to have conveniently forgotten about.
3) Missile attacks on Israels northern boarder, by Hizballah, have been going on constantly in many forms ever since Israel widthdrew from Lebanon. They also preceeded Israels initial invasion of Lebanon in the early 80's as I can bare witness to, since I was personally pinned down by Katyusha rockets in a bomb shelter while visiting the North of Israel as a child in 1981.
All this was BEFORE Israel launched the 'Peace for Gallilee' operation, and this is what inspired it.
Hizballah has made their own bed, and now they must lay in it. Everything that happens from now on, is a direct result of their own actions, choices, and extremism.
How many abducted soldiers constitute a motive for such an attack, according to the equasions of war? Where do you draw the line?
At least now, they will hopefully think twice before using their 'hosts' country to launch another attack on Israel, and this may save many lives on both sides ultimately, and perhaps wake up the Lebanese to the fact that any independance they currently enjoy is an illusion created by Hizballah, and that they have no say in the actions taken in the name of their country, and this is a very dire situation for them to be in.
I am truly sorry to hear how many ordinary Lebanese have been killed and injured in this operation, however some of them allow Hizballah to use their homes as launch pads for surface to surface missiles, and this cannot be allowed.
I hope that one day, all this bad blood can be put behind us, and that Israel and Lebanon can live as 'normal' neighbours, but this seems a long way off, especially as long as they carry the yoke of Hizballah on their shoulders.
We have weakened Hizballah now, and scattered them. Now is the time for Lebanese to turn defeat into victory, and seize the oppertunity to turn the illusion of their independance into reality, if only someone with enough courage can stand up and sieze the opportunity.