Security cabinet okays decision to expand ground operation in Lebanon

[sabra]

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/748019.html

Security cabinet okays decision to expand ground operation in Lebanon

The security cabinet approved Wednesday a broader ground offensive by the Israel Defense Forces in Lebanon, authorizing troops to push to the Litani River some 30
kilometers from the Israel-Lebanon border.

Nine of the 12 ministers in the cabinet voted in favor of the move, while the other three abstained. There were no votes against.

Some ministers had argued that the military must deal more blows to Hezbollah before a Middle East cease-fire is imposed.

Industry and Trade Minister Eli Yishai (Shas) said after the meeting that the proposed new ground offensive in Lebanon was expected to take 30 days.

:-(

[rodeodance]

1. I believe they are talking of the Israel Secur. cabinate-invading more

of Lebanon.

[bemildred]

2. No surprise, sorry to say.

Stay safe, Sabra.

[bemildred]

3. Israel votes to push deeper into Lebanon

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It is unclear if the agreement allows Israel to call up more reservists. About 10,000 Israeli troops are on the ground in southern Lebanon, according to Israeli military analysts.

A dramatic troop deployment began early Wednesday along the Israeli-Lebanese border. Israeli tanks headed across the border as machine gun fire rattled the darkness. Heavy barrages of artillery, including rocket-propelled grenades and tank shells, fired from multiple Israeli locations.

The Israel Defense Forces reported some casualties among its soldiers in heavy battles with Hezbollah fighters in the southern Lebanese towns of Aita Al-Shaab and Debel.

In Lebanon, Israeli helicopter gunships took the fight to the country's largest Palestinian refugee camp Wednesday.

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/08/09/mideast.main/index.html

[sabra]

4. UPDATE: MK Gal'on: decision to expand war a 'deathtrap'

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1154525840021&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

MK Gal'on: decision to expand war a 'deathtrap'


MK Zehava Gal'on (Meretz) said Wednesday that the government's decision to expand IDF operations in Lebanon to the Litani River would turn into a "deathtrap" for IDF soldiers.

Gal'on added that expanding ground operations in Lebanon would reduce the chances for a cease-fire and hinder the recovery of the North.

[bemildred]

5. Cabinet: Lebanon must return kidnapped soldiers immediately and unconditio

Concurrent to a cabinet decision to expand IDF operations in Lebanon, the cabinet also decided to demand from Lebanon the immediate and unconditional release of the two kidnapped IDF soldiers, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev as one of Israel's conditions regarding any ceasefire agreement arrived at by the UN Security Council.

Likewise, the cabinet decided to demand a cessation of terror operations in southern Lebanon directed at Israel, particular rocket attacks, and the implementation of UNSCR 1559, which includes deployment of the Lebanese armed forces in southern Lebanon, the deployment of a multinational forces on the border and an embargo on arms transfers to Hizbullah. (Ronny Sofer)

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3288863,00.html

[bemildred]

6. Israel agrees to widen Lebanon offensive

Excellent summary of current situation.

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Eleven soldiers were reported by Arabic television to have been killed in fighting with Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanese border villages, while nine people, including children, were killed in Israeli air strikes.

In northern Israel, residents of Kiryat Shmona were piling on to buses in the first evacuation of an entire town since the creation of Israeli in 1948, as a barrage of almost 100 rockets landed from across the border.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora said there had been no progress on drafting a new resolution to try to end the four-week-old war, which has killed more than 1,000 people and created a major humanitarian crisis.

"There is no progress so far. We are still at the same place," he said after meeting US Middle East envoy David Welch, on a surprise visit to Beirut.

http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=136900