Israeli troops reach the Litani River (AP)

[laststeamtrain]

Israeli troops reach the Litani River

By ZEINA KARAM, Associated Press Writer 19 minutes ago

Israeli army units reached the Litani River on Saturday, less than 24 hours after the government ordered an operation to march toward the river in a final push against entrenched Hezbollah guerrillas, Israel Radio reported.

The units were part of a massive force that flooded into Lebanon, trying to seize as much territory as possible before a U.N. cease-fire comes into effect. The objective was to control southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, about 18 miles from the Israeli border, before handing over the area to the Lebanese army and U.N. troops.

<snip>

Airstrikes killed at least 19 people in Lebanon, including 15 in one village, and Hezbollah rockets wounded at least five people in Israel. Long columns of Israeli tanks, soldiers and armored personnel carriers streamed over the border.

More than 50 helicopters ferried Israeli commandos into southern Lebanon in what was called the biggest such operation in Israel's history. It was part of an all-put push to drive Hezbollah fighters behind the Litani River, about 18 miles from the border, before the truce.

<more>

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060812/ap_on_re_mi_ea/lebanon_israel&printer=1;_ylt=AoJTOqD4tvLCoC1IiBQpXOUUewgF;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-

[Briar]

1. Not a land grab - a water grab

Israel won't be dislodged from the wasteland it has made of southern Lebanon so easily.

[High Plains]

2. Israel determined to see that this war doesn't end.

[Spazito]

3. Gosh, I am shocked, no, really, SHOCKED....

The Litani, long desired by Israel in order to control the water, is only, coincidentally, the "line in the sand", I am sure. :sarcasm: (just in case it is needed)

[MrPrax]

6. Notice however...

The UN and it's security council is tacitly supporting this occupation...basically what is going to happen is that an international force is being put together to help Israel occupy Lebanon.

Nice trick, huh?

[Spazito]

9. Yes, it is sure looking that way....

The vote in the Knesset is Sunday but when will the UN force arrive and what conditions will Israel put forward regarding who is acceptable within that force and will Israel insist on continuing to occupy the key area around the Litani until it's conditions re UN force are met? Will those conditions, presuming such conditions are put forth, be such that the UN will be unable to meet them ergo Israel maintains control of south Lebanon including the Litani?

I guess we will have to wait and see. I must admit I am not hopeful anything has been "resolved" with the resolution that was passed, I sincerely hope I am wrong.

[MrPrax]

13. Exactly...

This is just floating headlines...

Israel will probably reject it anyway...then what...another 4 weeks for the UN et. al. to bugger about...or Israel will say, "yeah...OK...but we need another 4 weeks"? Then what?

The whole thing is stupid if Israel still insists on the 'defending itself' as it's veto -- they will simply kill the international forces anyway and then we will be subjected to the disgusting spectacle of seeing national leaders defending the killers of their own national soldiers by being forced to lipsync what the IDF tells them...

[theophilus]

4. What events would prove that Israel is after the Litani's water?

What can they do to take control of this river that is Lebanon's? What do I look for to know that they planned this water grab all along?

[IndianaGreen]

8. Lebanon: It's the water stupid!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x141641

[MrPrax]

12. Hard to find...

but here's a scrubbed page from Haaretz at the time:

Last update - 02:03 15/09/2002
Lahoud: Decision to divert water from Wazzani is 'final'
By Ha'aretz Service and agencies

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud said Saturday that Lebanon's decision to continue to divert waters from a river which flows into Israel to southern Lebanese villages is "final."

"Lebanon's decision to benefit from the Wazzani river to irrigate lands and give drinking water to thirsty Lebanese villages in the south is a final one and there will be no return on this decision," Lahoud said.

He stressed that Israel's threats will not "stop us from implementing international laws regarding water and rivers flowing from our territories."

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon warned Lebanon on Tuesday not to divert water from the springs, telling Army Radio that he sees the attempt to do so as "a pretext for war."

Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, in the U.S. for talks with Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and other officials, said that Israel does not want a flare-up in the region over the pumping of the Hatzbani river, but will not relinquish its waters. He called the diversion of the river by Lebanon an unnecessary provocation, the radio said.

http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:FU1GToWEIgoJ:www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml%3FitemNo%3D208289%26contrassID%3D1%26subContrassID%3D0%26sbSubContrassID%3D0+Hatzbani+River+sharon&hl=en&gl=ca&ct=clnk&cd=2">Cached Haaretz via Google

Here's a JPost story that is scrubbed, but interestingly enough is still posted as a forum topic...which makes for interesting read about what people thought about this back in 2002..

Sep. 10, 2002
Report: Sharon hints military action possible to prevent Lebanon diversion of Hatzbani River
By THE JERUSALEM POST INTERNET STAFF AND ASSOCIATED PRESS


Prime Minister Ariel Sharon hinted today he would weigh military action to prevent Lebanon from diverting a southern river which flows into Israel's main reservoir, Lake Kinneret, Army Radio reports.

Sharon told the cabinet that Lebanon's plan to divert the waters of the Hatzbani River are a "casus belli" for Israel, the report says.

Transportation Minister Ephraim Sneh said Sharon discussed the matter with top officers, adding, "this is a most serious thing and we have to find a good and enlightened way to put an end to it."

Lebanon has been under international pressure to drop the project as a threat to Israel's water supply, according to foreign reports.

After several years of drought, Israel and other nations in the region are facing a severe water shortage. Water is scarce in much of the desert-dominated Mideast in the best of circumstances.
Israel Forum of a JPost story that is no longer archived by JPost

Israel's motives have been on the radar for awhile regarding Lebanon's water use...it's just ignored because it doesn't make Israel's current intentions look good.

Added: can't resist posting this ancient history for January 2005:

Israel hints at new assassinations in Gaza


Monday January 17, 2005
The Guardian

The Israeli government has reportedly ordered the army to resume assassinating Palestinian militants in Gaza after three days of violence.

Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, said the army had been told to take action against terrorism "without restrictions, I emphasise, without restrictions".

Israeli media reported yesterday that government officials were saying the prime minister's remarks referred to assassinations and all other strategies used by the army.

...

Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Fatah factions have all indicated that they want to work with the new president and begin a ceasefire but only if Israel refrains from assassinations, invasions and house demolitions.

Israeli officials insist a ceasefire is not enough and that Abu Mazen must also arrest and disarm militants even though it might lead to a civil war in Palestinian society.

The Guardian

Defending Israel without restrictions...has been SOP for decades...how quickly we forget

[theHandpuppet]

15. Check out these two threads

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=1696420 and
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=1698430

[grytpype]

5. Those Israelis sure like their real estate, don't they...

Just grab it.

[IndianaGreen]

10. 7 IDF dead, 60 wounded so badly they had to be medevac

and that's only today. MSNBC just showed IDF tanks laying smoke to cover themselves while some of their tanks are clearly in flames.

[breakaleg]

7. This whole thing stinks.

[IndianaGreen]

11. IDF probably reached Litani at its closest approach to Israel, 3 miles

rather that the 9-10 miles the river is from Israel's border. This means that in a month of war, IDF has only succeeded in penetrating 3 miles of Lebanese territory.

[daleo]

14. If they are going to hand the land over to Lebanese/UN troops

Why the big push? They seem to have lost a lot of troops and tanks today. If it is just for symbolic purposes (to claim a big victory before handing the land back) it seems utterly pointless. Nobody will be fooled, in Israel or the rest of the middle east. But more graves will be filled.

[Lurking Dem]

16. Not a water grab, positioning.

Forcing Hezbollah north of the river will put the international force between Hezbollah and the IDF.

It's all about getting Hezbollah where they can't reach Israel with their missiles.