Reply #11: according to both the Syrian government and Lebanese government [View All]

[Douglas Carpenter]

Sheba Farms belongs to Lebanon; but either way it does not belong to Israel.

The World Court in its 27 July 2004 decision reaffirmed the principle that all the land occupied after 4 June 1967 is occupied land. This decision also clearly and unambiguously (15 to 0 on this specific matter) described the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem as Occupied Palestinian Land. -- link: http://www.globalpolicy.org/wldcourt/icj/2004/0727utmost.htm

Regarding the proportionality issue I thought the article below by Professor Tanya Reinhart of Tel Aviv University was interesting. Also the reports from B'Tselem - the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights - link:
http://www.btselem.org/english/special/20060723_Lebanon.asp
Human Rights Watch - link: http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/08/02/lebano13902.htm
and Amnesty International - link: http://web.amnesty.org/pages/lbn-210706-action-eng

Israel's "new Middle East" by Professor Tanya Reinhart

link:

http://www.nimn.org/articles/whats_new/000547.php

snip: "The Israeli government, however, did not give a single moment for diplomacy, negotiations, or even cool reflection over the situation. In a cabinet meeting that same day, it authorized a massive offensive on Lebanon. As Ha'aretz reported, "In a sharp departure from Israel's response to previous Hezbollah attacks, the cabinet session unanimously agreed that the Lebanese government should be held responsible for yesterday's events." Olmert declared: "This morning's events are not a terror attack, but the act of a sovereign state that attacked Israel for no reason and without provocation." He added that "the Lebanese government, of which Hezbollah is a part, is trying to undermine regional stability. Lebanon is responsible, and Lebanon will bear the consequences of its actions." (2)

At the cabinet meeting, "the IDF recommended various operations aimed at the Lebanese government and strategic targets in Lebanon," as well as a comprehensive attack on southern Lebanon (where Hezbollah's batteries of rockets are concentrated). The government immediately approved both recommendations. The spirit of the cabinet's decision was succinctly summarized by Defense Minister Amir Perertz who said: "We're skipping the stage of threats and going straight to action." (3)

At 21.50 that same day, Ha'aretz internet edition reported that by that time Israel had already bombarded bridges in central Lebanon and attacked "Hezbollah's posts" in southern Lebanon. (4) Amnesty International's press release of the next day (13 July 2006) stated that in these attacks "some 40 Lebanese civilians have reportedly been killed... Among the Lebanese victims were a family of ten, including eight children, who were killed in Dweir village, near Nabatiyeh, and a family of seven, including a seven-month-old baby, who were killed in Baflay village near Tyre. More than 60 other civilians were injured in these or other attacks."

It was at that point, early on Wednesday night, following the first Israeli attack, that Hezbollah started its rocket attack on the north of Israel. Later the same night (before the dawn of Thursday), Israel launched its first attack on Beirut, when Israeli warplanes bombed Beirut's international airport and killed at least 27 Lebanese civilians in a series of raids. In response, Hezbollah's rocket attacks intensified on Thursday, when "more than 100 Katyusha rockets were fired into Israel from Lebanon in the largest attack of its sort since the start of the Lebanon War in 1982". Two Israeli civilians were killed in this attack, and 132 were taken to the hospital. (5) When Israel started destroying the Shiite quarters of Beirut the following day, including a failed attempt on Nasrallah's life, Hezbollah extended its rockets attacks to Haifa. "

link to full article:

http://www.nimn.org/articles/whats_new/000547.php