JOSHUA FRANK: Kidnapped in Israel or Captured in Lebanon?

[Tace]

Official Justification for Israel’s Invasion on Thin Ice

by Joshua Frank -- World News Trust

As Lebanon continues to be pounded by Israeli bombs and munitions, the justification for Israel's invasion is treading on very thin ice. It has become general knowledge that it was Hezbollah guerillas that first kidnapped two IDF soldiers inside Israel on July 12, prompting an immediate and violent response from the Israeli government, which insists it is acting in the interest of national defense. Israeli forces have gone on to kill more than 370 innocent Lebanese civilians (compared with 34 killed on Israel's side) while displacing hundreds of thousands more. But numerous reports from international and independent media, as well as the Associated Press, raise questions about Israel's official version of the events that sparked the conflict two weeks ago.

The original story, as most media tell it, goes something like this: Hezbollah attacked an Israeli border patrol station, killing six and taking two soldiers hostage. The incident happened on the Lebanese/Israel border in Israeli territory. The alternate version, as explained by several news outlets, tells a bit of a different tale: These sources contend that Israel sent a commando force into southern Lebanon and was subsequently attacked by Hezbollah near the village of Aitaa al-Chaab, well inside Lebanon's southern territory. It was at this point that an Israel tank was struck by Hezbollah fighters, which resulted in the capture of two Israeli soldiers and the death of six.

As AFP reported, "According to the Lebanese police force, the two Israeli soldiers were captured in Lebanese territory, in the area of Aitaa al-Chaab, near to the border with Israel, where an Israeli unit had penetrated in middle of morning." And the French news site www.VoltaireNet.org reiterated the same account on June 18, "In a deliberated way, sent a commando in the Lebanese back-country to Aitaa al-Chaab. It was attacked by Hezbollah, taking two prisoners."

The Associated Press departed from the official version as well. "The militant group Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers during clashes Wednesday across the border in southern Lebanon, prompting a swift reaction from Israel, which sent ground forces into its neighbor to look for them," reported Joseph Panossian for AP on July 12. "The forces were trying to keep the soldiers' captors from moving them deeper into Lebanon, Israeli government officials said on condition of anonymity."

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http://worldnewstrust.org/modules/AMS/article.php?storyid=3947

[snappyturtle]

1. Good luck Tace.

I asked the same question yesterday here at DU and felt a bit jumped upon for even stating I had read differences in the reporting of the capture of the Israeli soldiers! I DO think it is a very important question because U.S. support for Israeli is based on it: their right to self-defense. I'll keep your post tagged to see what happens.

[Benhurst]

2. Know the truth and

you shall be banished forever.

Why do you hate America?

[Igel]

3. There's only one source that I've seen cited.

They all keep going back to the single police account, which hasn't been corroborated by anybody.

But I have to wonder why it is the police would be commenting on a Hezbollah operation.

On the other hand, it's clear why the story lives.

[eyl]

4. Besides the single uncorroberated source

problem, you'd think that Hizbullah would be shouting this from the rooftops if it were true...

[bemildred]

5. Seems moot to me at this point.

But I expect the argument will continue.

[newyorican]

6. It's not clear to me...

Why does the story "live", as you put it?