Hello Lebanon, Hello Israel ( פוסט מתגלגל - 30.7)

Hello,
I'm a Lebanese citizen who just came across this post of yours. Most Lebanese people are really ired of all the violence and aggression from all sides. Our only desire is ultimately to live in peace where no one feels oppressed or persecuted, and I hope one day we'll reach that goal. These are tough times, and I'm just taking this opportunity to thank you for trying to open up channels between the people I think there's too little communication between the people, an d this a real shame, because once all these borders and restrictions are placed between us, suddenly the people on the other side are dehumanized, and we seem to forget how much we are alike in different ways.
I'll end my post here.... to better days :)

Thanks Elie

thank you, ami

I feel the same way too. As if our leaders work hard to keep violence going by saying the other side doesn't want peace, instead of listening to the people, instead of remembering we're all humans who deserve to live.
Sometimes it's clearer, sometimes less, but it seems they would pay with our lives for political gain.
-- Ruthi

Thanks Ami, for letting us know this interesting Lebanese blogger, who's reports seem to make so much sense and clarity in all this crazy situation.
it is very important for us Israelis to know, that there are sane norm all people like us on the other side, that want to live in peace, that are not feed by hatred and that resent to aggressions of extreme Muslim groups.
this exchange of ideas and feeling - i hope and believe is one of the most promising path for getting to change on the move, the more people will talk, and get to know the other side, the more we will be able to push away the crazy-insane minority of extremists from all sides who are interested only in killing and deforming the religion into some kind of horror regime.

התגובה הזו הגיעה במייל. היא מופיעה כעדכון גם למעלה. מטעמים מובנים אני לא יכול להביא אותו כאן בנוסחו המלא והמרגש מאד: "תודה על המילים שלך שהופיעו בבלוג הלבנוני ההוא. אני מתפלל לסיומן המהיר של כל האירועים המטופשים הללו. לחוסר המזל, בגלל היותי גר בלבנון, אני לא יכול להתבטא באופן חופשי מידי בציבור באשר לדעותי לגבי מה שקורה בדרום ולגבי ישראל. אנסח זאת כך: מטוסי הקרב הישראלים אינם הסבה היחידה לכך שאני חושש לחיי. ..כמה טוקבקים כתבו בבלוגים שלנו: למה אתם הכוחות הליבראלים בלבנון לא מפגינים בפומבי? ובכן זה משום שרוב השיעים תומכים בחיזבאללה ואנו חוששים שהפגנות מן הסוג הזה יובילו בסופו של דבר לתקריות בין הפלגים ולמלחמת אזרחים עקובה מדם... להיות כנה עימך, אני שמח מאד שבלוגרים ישראלים פתחו צוהר למגזר בלבנון באמצעות הבלוגים שלנו..."

hi from Lebanon,
i'm one of millions who r sad because of this current situation. we r fed up with this war for nothing. its just manipulation of our right to live peacefuly. it's good that there is this internet to keep in touch with people on the other side of the border and know that they too want peace, not only us. but too bad there r some minorities who can get us into this vicious situation again and again. hope it won't be long this time and that they will all come t o their senses soon. thnx for the blog.

Need for peace

"it's good that there is this internet to keep in touch with people on the other side of the border..."

You are right ofcourse :)
ami

אנחנו לא מכירים, למעט תגובות ספוראדיות שלי בבלוגך המצוין, בכל זאת אני מרשה לעצמי להעניק לך חיבוק וירטואלי גדול על הבמה והקאטאליזטור שאתה נותן לדו שיח במקום שבו, כפי שכתב היום דורון רוזנבלום בהארץ. "שיחות תמיד יכולות להמתין: סיבוב מלחמתי לעולם לא." שלך, נגה.

נגה אבל המחמאות מגיעות לטכנולוגיה...:) אני רק עשיתי כמה הקלקות והוספתי כמה מילות חיבור.

israel is NOT fighting against the lebanese people
and has no intentions to harm them.

if lebanese people wants peacefull life they should
exspress their active revolt against the presence of
a terror organization like Hezbullah on their ground.

you can't pretend "i don't see, i don't hear, i don't know,
i don't care" when there's a poisonous snake in your
own backyard.

Hezbullah is an extension of Iran and holds the same
fundamentalist views. the lebanese authorities should
act to terminate this threat if they want to maintain a
modern peacefull society with advanced norms.

i do belive that a lebanon with no Hezbullah can upgrade
this country into a much more attractive place for foreign
investors and turists.

love and peace to all lebanese bloggers out there.


efi cohen, tel-aviv, israel

ממש מרגש. זאת חוויה מדהימה, לקרוא מה כותבים האנשים בצד האחר. אכן, סבלם, כסבלנו רב.
מי יתן ונחיה בשלום
שבת שלום
שולמית

you must arise and go out to the streets
you are the young in your country you need to make a revolution
be brave
look at other revolutionary groops all over the world along our history-you have to create a new one for your own contry and for your children`s future
you must have the courage and change things

מה יהיה מה יהיה,תגיד לי מה יהיה כאן איתי ואיתך...
הו -באינדיאנית ביטוי שאומר "אני מזדהה ומוסיף את קולי לשלך...."

I have some time to check Email now, from Sutherland, South Africa, where the sky is too cloudy now to observe the galaxies I am interested in. Amazingly, although I can ead Hebrew, I cannot reply in Hebrew because the keyboard does not have the letters...

Any way, I will try next to read the news and see what new surprises are available re "the Northern front>

As to channels with Lebanon, I tried recently to contact someone who told me that he was warned by the Surete Nationale that such contacts are very much frowned to by the Lebanese authorities. I hope the Lebanese respondents hide under suitable anonimity, so as to protect themselves from possible harrassment.

הנה למשל בלוג מרתק שאני קורא לאחור ביומיים האחרונים:
http://welcometomydream.blogspot.com

תודה עמי על הקישור הנפלא!

נוח, אכן הרגשתי בפחדים בשני מיילים שקבלתי..
להלל, הקישור שנתת - אחרי מבט חטוף - נראה מדליק לא פחות..

שלום עמי, קודם כל הזדמנות להגיד שאני מאוד נהנית לקרוא את הבלוג שלך, שעשיר ומעניין ומלא הפתעות. ולשאלתי: לאן נעלם הפוסט של על הבלוגים הלבנונים? רגע הוא היה והופ הוא נעלם רציתי לראות עדכונים מכיוון שאני עוקבת בזכותך (כמו גם בני משפחתי) על מה שנכתב אצלך ושם. תודה! יעל

וואו זה נורא מרגש מה שאתה עושה!
אני מאד מעריכה את זה.
תמשיך ככה!

תמשיך לעדכן

גם בפליקר יש הרבה בלוגים של תמונות מזעזעות מהצד הלבנוני והעזתי.
מאוד קשה לקרוא שם את הכותבים נגד ישראל . ובהחלט, התשובה על הסבתא והנכד שלא יוצאים לי מהראש, הילד המתוק הזה, הייתה במקום.
משהו אחר קצת על הרגשות במלחמה
http://www.notes.co.il/riky/21105.asp

הנה קישור לבלוג של מחמוד מבחריין שהפך את המקום שלו לסלון דיונים מרתק מאין כמוהו. הוא מארח ערבים מארצות שונות, אמריקאים, ישראלים ועוד. בימים חסרי נחמה אלה אני מבלה שם שעות רבות.

http://mahmood.tv/?p=2604#comment-29059

ולך תודה ענקית על היוזמה החכמה הזו ועל העדכון היומיומי.

i want to adrees to all lebanese people who will read this.. i belive in you.. i belive you want peace.. but there's a big difference between beliving in peace and doing something to achive that peace. lebanon is a country who have govermant.. have military forces and have lberal thinking population.. you can't come to me and say that it's not the responsability of lebanon what hizbullah did.. it's like me.. israeli guy would say to you that our army is an army of one political party and do not represents israel. you have to take responsabillity of what happens inside lebanon. here in israel we want to leave peacefully exactly like you.. we desereve it like all human do. hizbullah attacked israel several times and israel did not respond because the people in israel wanted to maintain the quite.. but no more!!! we don't care sitting in the bunkers for 3 or 4 weeks if it will lead to quite border.
i promise you.. when here will be quite there will be quite too. we had enough.. i wish there was another way.. i hate war.. and i hate war because i love people..
when i was a soldier i've been in lebanon.. felt bad of being in a countery that is not mine without being welcome there.. hated fighting in a war i don't belive in.. (i felt the same about gaza) every time i brought candies and gave to the kids bouth in gaza and in lebanon.. we don't want war.. but if war is what supose to be for quite so shall be it.. it depends on you.. i hope one day bouth countries will have peace and i will be able to go to lebanon as a tourist.. admire your beautiful country.. drink a coffee with lebanon nice people and say that that how it's suppose to be.

Hello, I am an American, (please don't hate me)),I am very sorry for all of the pain, suffering, i wish for peace for all nations. i am so anxious over all of this love to all

Just dropped in to say sorry for all the innocent life that are lost, for the mess, the wounded, the dead, the scared childrens and the worried mothers.

Just wanted to say that I like Lebanon and its people. I hope there will come a day in which the extremests are gone and we could all sit together at the beach and enjoy life. It isnt likely to happen at all, but at least know that I am your friend and that not all of Israel people are eagers for revenge.

Gabi
Haifa
Israel

Dear People of Lebanon and Israel, Please forgive me for not knowing how to write in hebrew, I cant read it either. I represent a very large group of Americans who support Peace and diplomacy and do not agree with our govt supporting war. I want to say to you that my heart is heavy and my eyes are red with grief with the loss of innocent lives especially children. I want for Israel to stop bombing civilians, isnt there a better way to get your soldiers back and is it worth it to make innocent people suffer for what is not their fault. So many people hate americans because of what our govt does, and do not realize that most of us do not agree with our govt or do not understand and only blindly follow out of a sense of obligation.We have many protests and a huge peace movement. This has divided us as a nation because so many of us do not want war. We love children way too much. Not only our children, but yours too. My heart and prayers are with you as the world watches feeling powerless to help. Please do not judge our country based on what our govt does. We have no control, that is an illusion. Please dont hate us all and know that so many of us send you love and prayer and we are raising hell about this in protest. I will be glad when superior humanity overcomes superior firepower and we can stop bombing each others children. I am on only one side of this issue and that is the side of the innocent people who are suffering. and I hope it stops soon.Please be safe.and know not all americans are selfish rich jerks who want to rule the world. Please hear my prayer for peace, no matter who you call God please help all of mankind learn to resolve our differences without killing each others children

I echo all the sorrow and pain that others here are expressing for the Lebanese, the Palestians and the Israeli people. What horror many of us feel in America at Israel's and Hizbullah's determination to destroy each other. I cannot really imagine what it must be like living in a war zone, but I try to think of my family and what it would feel like to be afraid every day, to hear bombs, to lose water and electricity. I feel shame in some way that our government seems to be using Israel to do its dirty work, and instead of spreading peace, to spread more hate.I have never despised my government as I do now. Iraq was impossible and now this. I am a Jew and I do not support Israel unconditionally and many of us here in America feel the same. We support humanity and that means negotiating not murdering for land, ideas. It is hard to read the hatred of those who feel furious but I would rather hear the hatred in words than in bombs. Blessings, prayers, protests, peace. What I

Ami,
thank you for demonstrating so well feelings of many of us.
I would like to add some of the words of
Noni Darwish, Noni Darwish is the daughter of the leader of the Fedayeen guerilla operations, Lt. Col. Mustafa Hafaz, an organization dedicated to the destruction of Israel. Hafaz who took part in the murder of dozens of Israelis, including women and children, and was eventually assassinated by the Israeli Defense Forces.

Through a series of turning points, Darwish came to the realization that the real solution to the Middle East crisis lies in a severe reform of education as well as re-evaluation by Arabs of their religion.
One of her early epiphanies was when Israeli officers were searching for her father in her home and left without harming women or children in the household.
Another occasion that left a strong imprint was when her brother was injured and the choice was made by Egyptian authorities to send him to Hadassah hospital rather than to Cairo hospital. ...
Darwish today states that “The true freedom fighters are the brave, moderate voices in Arab media who live in the Arab world, the brave voices of Muslim men and women who speak from inside the Arab world.” She longs for a revival of “the precious culture of exchange between Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.” In the words of Golda Meir, Darwish indicated that “peace can be achieved when the Arabs love their children more than they hate the children of Israel.”
* Here's a link to an article, "Brought up to Hate", by Nonie Darwish:
http://frontpagemag.com/articles/readarticle.asp?ID=21322

http://israblog.nana.co.il/blogread.asp?blog=271331

Ami,
Thank you so much for responding and for this site. It is good to hear your thoughts and by the way, your English is perfect . I will keep listening and learning. I do think of Hizbullah as wanting to destroy Israel but since Israe also wants to destroy Hizbullah, is that not the old eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth? I am not an advocate of takng Shylock's life any more than of taking Antonio"s (to quote from MERCHANT OF VENICE). When 9/11 happened, I was not really in favor of how we destroyed innocent Afghani lives in searching for Osama Bin Laden. I cannot condone violence with violence. That said, in a way, I speak so naively because I am not in your shoes or in the Lebanese people's shoes. It's easy to sit here in America and theorize. We are not under attack. Yet. Again, keep talking

what hezbollah has contributed to the world
in medicine, hi-tech, music, science, etc?
what hezbollah has contributed to the lebanese politics?
what hezbollah has contributed to their ignorant and fanatic supporters?
what hezbollah has contributed to humanity
except monstrous amount of hatred?
it's about time to smash this negative energy for a better peaceful world, inshallah.
lebanese people deserves it as well as the whole region

The relationship between Israel and Hizbulla were in a big conflict since Israel got out of Lebanon territories.
Since that moment we tried to stay in our side of the border and NEVER started any fight with Hizbulla people.
I know that this sounds like a children fight but those are the facts.
This time it started with the kidnap of two Israeli's solders who were driving, during a patrol, along the Israeli border (the same patrol US military does on the Mexican border) and few hours after that with bombing north Israel.
Hizbulla didn’t give us (or the world) the chance to figure out what is the best way to solve the kidnap event and were saying load and clear that this time they want us to fight back.
Hizbulla IS NOT a terror group like Hamas or El Kayda. This is a gorilla’s army who sits among civilians (which can not disagree with their “army” thoughts, since they care of their own safety).
If anyone has a better solution for this conflict PLEASE HELP.
(Let me just remind you that people who start fighting without talking about the problem, do not think that talking will solve their problem

נו, דווקא על זה אני בהחלט יכול לענות.
כפר חיטים נמצא במקום בו התחולל אחד הניצחונות המפוארים של האיסלאם.
במקום שנקרא אז "קרני חיטין" התחולל הקרב בו ניצח צבאו של סלאח א דין את הצבא הצלבני, והביא בכך לסיום שלטון הצלבנים בא"י.
אם היה משחק לנסראללה המזל, ופגיעת הטיל שם היתה מביאה למספר הרוגים, אין ספק שהוא היה שמח להזכיר את האירוע בנאומו, ולהצביע על עצמו כממשיך מורשתו של סלאח א דין.

ל-א.
יש כמה ישובים קרובים לקרני חיטין מאשר כפר חטים...התחושה שלי שהכפר הקטן והנחמד הזה "זכה" לקבל את הקטיושה בקצהו המזרחי רק בגלל פספוס ותו לא. היעד היה כנראה טבריה...

It seems that many people are concerned with the Lebanese civilian loss of life, as they should be. However, I would remind them that the so-called "annihilation" of Lebanese people currently amounts to about 300 people, at least some of whom are active supporters of, if not fighters for, Hezbollah. By comparing this to other conflicts, it is obvious Israel is taking great effort to minimize civilian casualties, and is really setting a positive standard. For example, here are two striking numbers from other recent/ongoing wars:
As many as 200,000 people died in Chechnya from 1994 to 2004 as a result of Russia's counter-insurgency. The irony is that Russia now condemns Israel's "disproportionate" response. [http://www.mosnews.com/news/2004/11/19/civiliandeath.shtml] and [http://www.hrvc.net/main.htm]

In May and June 2006 alone, 6,000 people died in Iraq, according to the Iraqi government and medical community. [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5567187]
My point is not to judge the morality of these operations, but to point out evidence that Israel has taken great care to avoid civilian casualties when possible, often by paying a higher price with her own military dead. I'm sure you can find many additional examples of much more brutal counter-insurgencies than the one against Hezbollah.

Further, it is worth noting that Israel drops flyers and communicates to the civilian communities in accordance with international convention prior to attacks, unlike other nations.
I would also remind these critics that they may indeed be hypocrites if they ignore the many far more pressing humanitarian concerns that deserve their attention. For example, below is a list of the top ten most underreported humanitarian stories according to Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres, a well-respected NGO and recepient of the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize: [http://www.doctorswithoutbord....tions/reports/2005/top10.html]

1. Congolese ravaged by war and disease
2. Staggering needs, insecurity, and dismal response for Chechnans living in fear
3. Haiti's Capital wracked by waves of violence
4. No research and development for HIV/AIDS tools adapted to impoverished settings
5. Clashes in Northeastern India take a heavy toll on civilians
6. War is officially over, but urgent needs go unmet in southern Sudan. (btw, this is a different crisis than the one in Darfur)
7. Somalis endure continuing conflict and deprivation
8. Colombians trapped by violence and fear
9. Insecurity worsens already desperate situation in Northern Uganda
10. Crisis deepening in Ivory Coast

I hope these concerned citizens realize that as many as 400,000 people have died in the Darfur genocide, but where is the news coverage and outrage? [http://sudanwatch.blogspot.co....laims-darfur-deaths-near.html] Ironically, some in the Sudanese government have blamed that on the Zionists as well.

And where's the news coverage for the war that's about to start between Ethiopia and Somalia? (http://today.reuters.com/news....US-SOMALIA.xml&archived=False)

I would hope the reason for the disproportionate coverage of Israel is simply that reporters have more access to this war due to its location in a democratic and relatively safe country than they do to most war-zones, and not due to some deeper anti-Semitic sentiment. However, I would suggest that these outraged commentators consider that while every war is brutal, Israel takes more care than most to minimize these costs, as demonstrated by the much higher civilian toll inflicted by other countries with similar operations

I am posting from Austin, the capital of Texas. As an American who once spent several years living and teaching in Israel, I understand that the true picture is deeper and more complex than what appears here in the news headlines. I have been keeping informed on the situation from reports in The New York Times, which is generally reliable in its coverage, and from the Ha'aretz Web site. I think it is unfortunate that Israel does not get its position broadcast in the world as widely as it should. For example, I recall that several years ago the government reduced its short-wave broadcasting schedule to North America. At the time of the 1991 Gulf war I was living in the Boston area and could easily receive the Reshet Bet shortwave relay, and relied on it for news on the situation in Israel. I have wondered if this failure of Israeli "hasbarah" might be due to a remnant of the old "all the world is against us anyway" attitude, which is unfortunate since many people in the U.S could be very supportive of Israel in its fight against Hezbollah if they simply had the full picture, including Israel's side. But as for now, I can only wish you all the best, and may there be peace in the end

dear Ami,
In the Jean Trounstine's letter I detected the sentence following:
"I do think of Hizbullah as wanting to destroy Israel but since Israe also wants to destroy Hizbullah, is that not the old eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth?"

I think there is some misunderstanding here. Israel is a national state, state of its people - Jewish in this case. Whoever is trying to destroy Israel is inevitably tending to exterminate the Jewish - or Israeli - nation. On the contrary, Hizbullah is by no means a state of nation. Even the Lebanese Shia are not supporting it on whole. While speaking on destroying Hizbullah Israelis by no means speaking on destroying Lebanese nation or Shia sect in Lebanon! This is a difference.

Please forgive me, but I have forgotten my Hebrew. I am an American. I have read many blogs from here and from Lebannon. The ignorance and racism I see on tne internet sickens me. Lest we forget, the Arabs and muslims will NEVER let Israel live in peace. Their reason for being is to continue where Hitler left off. Israel is the ONLY country in the Mid-East that practices freedom of religion; when Hezbollah sent rockets to Nazareth(an Arab and Muslim community in Israel!) -is the irony lost on all those who condemn Israel? show me ONE country in the mid-east that allows Jews to openly worship amidst a Muslim population. If Israel wanted to inflict intentional civilian casualties, you would haer about tens of thousands of civilians being killed and wounded. Israel must and will prevail in the face of world ignorance and bias towards Islam.

אני תומך בלחימה מול החיזבאללה, ואני תומך בריסוק קו הביצורים שלו, השמדת מחסני התחמושת שלו בדרום לבנון, ודחיפתו אל מעבר לליטני.
אני גם תומך בפתרון מדיני שיבטיח את בטחונה של ישראל.
קשה לי לראות את התמונות מבירות, צור וצידון. כל כך הרבה הרס, כל כך הרבה אזרחים הרוגים.
הרי ברור שאי אפשר באמת לחסל את נסראללה והבכירים. ברור שלחסל את החיזבאללה כולו זו מטרה טובה אבל לא ריאלית. אז אחרי שכבר פגענו במספר גדול מאד של מעוזים בתוך ערי לבנון, ובצדק, אולי כבר אפשר להפסיק. אנשים שם סובלים מרמות מטורפות. ישראל פתחה מעבר לסיוע אבל איך הוא בדיוק יועבר, אם הכבישים הראשיים והגשרים פוצצו?
מה יעזור להשמיד עוד מעוז פה, עוד מעוז שם? הנקודה הובנה, והנזק לחיזבאללה עצום.
לכן אני תומך בהפסקת הפצצת ערים, אך גם בהמשך ריסוק הביצורים והבונקרים ומחסני התחמושת של החיזבאללה בדרום לבנון.
אחרי זה, צריכה לבוא הפסקת אש מוחלטת, החלפת שבויים (לא אסירים! השבויים ששבינו במהלך המבצע), והצבת כח רב לאומי חזק שישמור על הסדר ולא ייתן לחיזבאללה להתקרב, כולל פיקוח מודיעיני על מאמצים לרכישת טילים, וסיכולם.
בדרך זו, נוכל להגביר את האמון בין העמים, להוריד את השנאה, ולקרב את השלום.

עדיף לקורא/צופה/מאזין האינטלגנט לא להאמין לכלום. הכל זרוע עמוקות בדיסאינפורמציה שזה יותר מפחיד מכל תשעים אלף הטילים שעלולים עוד לנחות כאן. זה הגיע למצב שהיום תוך פיסקה אחת (בנוגע להתרסקות האפאצ'י) סתרה הכתבה את עצמה שלוש פעמים! כן כבל, לא כבל, כן כבל, טיל כתף. הרי בסופו של דבר יגיע יום ונאמר לעצמנו שזה כבר לא משנה מה אנחנו קוראים כי הכל יכול להיות הפוך בעצם...אז הנה, היום הזה כבר הגיע.

As an American born and raised I would like to let everyone know in the Middle East that I have nothing against you. I have gone to college and played sports with people from all over the world and have been friends with all of them. I apologize for the ignorance of the Bush administration, he does not represent me. He stole the presidency anyway. I am from Los Angeles California, and I must say that I do not know anyone who supports the military action in Lebanon. Please do not think we hate you here in America. We are you. We are made up of all cultures and religions. It is only the ignorant rich, white Americans that cannot understand peace. I grew up in a horrible place, in the inner city of Los Angeles, where over 1000 people a year are murdered on average, but you will not see this on the local news. The American government lies to its own people regularly, and the ignorant people simply listen and believe. Please do not give up hope of peace. I know the Israelis must be just as tired. It is only through communication between the average peoples that peace is capable of happening. The governments of all countries are run by those who are corrupt, not caring.

As an American I wish nothing but peace on earth for all. I am friends with all mankind. No man is an island by himself, every man and woman is a piece of the whole. Lets act like human beings and not like animals

זה רק אני או שחצי מהמגיבים באנגלית משוכנעים שהם מגיבים לבלוג לבנוני, ומגנים את ישראל?

אני יהודיה שעלתה מלבנון בשנת 82, במהלך מלחמת שלום הגליל. נולדתי וגדלתי בלבנון .חייתי את כל המלחמות שעברו שם, ממלחמת האזרחים עד מלחמת של"ג. חייתי בצד הנוצרי של ביירות.למדתי שם ועבדתי גם.החיים יפים שם .נכון כמו שאומרים על לבנון "שוויץ של המזרח התיכון"מכל הבחינות. אבל זה לאלה הלבנונים שיש להם כסף ולתיירים מכל הארצות:ערב, אירופה או אמריקה. לאכול במסעדות הכי טובות לשתות בפאבים הכי הכי להתלבש ממותגי האופנה הכי מפורסמים לנסוע לאו שרוצים וכו'.. אבל בעיקר שכחו לנהל מדינה האחראים שם .זה כמו לחיות כל יום ביומו ומחר אלוהים גדול. אם אפשר להשאיר את הבעיות למחר ,עדיף.עד שהבעיות עלו על הגדות ואלה התוצאות.ישנם בעיות רציניות בין הקילות השונות בלבנון הנוצרי ם על כל גווניהם ,המוסלמים שהם מחולקים לסונים ושיעים ועוד קהילות קטנות אחרות כמו דרוזים ועוד ועוד. הקהילות שם לא השכילו להתעלות על האיטרסים הקהיליים שלהם למען לבנון מכיוון שכל קהילה רוצה את לבנון כפי שתופסת אוותו היא וישנו תמיד פחד וחשש בין הקהילות השונות.למשל הנוצרים תמיד האמינו בלבנון "מערבי" מין דימוקראטיה לטובתם(בחוקה) עם סגנון חיים מערבי ופחות ערבי ואטי ישראלי למראית עין.ההלבנונים המוסלמים היו עויינים ללבנון הזה.הם רצו אותו מוסלמי בעיקר ערבי יותר ולוחמני ביותר כנגד ישראל. עד שבאו השיעים שהם חלק מהמוסלמים בלבנון ו"משכו" את
לבנון עם השנים לאירן.התהליך הזה התחי מהמהפכה האיראנית 1978 כאשר חומייני עלה לשלטון.השילוב של המהפכה האיראנית ו השהייה המיותרת של צה"ל בלבנון הוא שהביא את הקבוצה השיעית ברובה
שחזבללה מדבר בשמה ,לעמדת של כוח וחוזק שמפחידה את הקבוצות האחרות ואלה רק רק ילחששו בלבד ויתקשו לדבר גבוה כי אחרת שוב פעם תהיה מלחמת אזרחים . לגבי ה קבוצות הנוצריות והסוניות, אם ישראל תעשה להן את" העבודה המלוכלכת" ישתלם להן הרבה יותר טוב.בנוסף לכך לחץ בינלאומי על
ממשלת לבנון לאכוף את שליטתה בדרום לבנון. ממצב כזה, הם כן יכולים לדבר עם חזבללה . זה, פחות או יותר המצב.לבנון ,תמיד מזכירה לי את סיפור של mister jekel and mister hide. אתם יכולים לנחש מיהו מי.
אבל באמת כואב לי על לבנון כמי שבאה משם,לבנון זה סיפור עצוב. השארתי חברים מאחורי קרובים רחוקים זכרונות רבים. כואב לי לראות את כל ההרס! אני חושבת שישראל הגזימה קצת. לא הבנתי למה תקפה !חלקים משכונות נוצריות ! דווקא שם! אני גרתי בביירות באזור אשרפייה שחטף כמה טילים!זאת הפעם הראשונה שישראל תוקפת שם והופתעתי מאוד!!!!!

אני רוצה להאמין שאפשר אי פעם לדבר על שלום בין ישראל ללבנון .הייתי רוצה לבקר שם,לסגור מעגל כמו שאומרים. אבל אני בספק.חזבללב לא יתן בכלל.הור מונע משנאה חזקה מאוד מאוד לישראל ,הוא לא מאמין בכלל בזכות ישראל להתקיים וימצא כל סיבה טובה לחבל בה .האידיאולוגיה שלו משתלבת טוב עם תוכניותיה הגדולות של אירן להשטלת על המזרח התיכון ולגבי איראן, ישראל היא נורא מפריעה לכן היא צריכה להסתלק.
מקווה לשיבושים לתוכניות השטניות האלה ולימים
טובים יותר על שני העמים.

מפציצים ואנשים נהרגים.

וכן לפעמים צריך לאמר משהו.

הילי יקרה,
מסכים. זה בדיוק מה שאמרתי בצורה אחרת...

מצטערת

i do apologize that i can not write in hebrew . I too live in the U.S. and it is hard to see that our govt. is in support of supplying Israel with artinerary and in support of war with our tax dollars even though many of us are against ISrael invading.. now some may say that Israel has a right to defend itself. .But the way that i see it, Israel has many thousands of prisoners of the Lebanese and many of the Palestines holding them as hostages. Why is it right for Israel to hold so many hostages. Come on, makes no sense. We are risking soo many lives on both sides for two soldiers. These are soldiers and they are still alive. But how many have died in this violence. Qana was a terrible massacre. What do we have to say for ourselves. That this is right! It is totally wrong and terrible and we should stand up and protest \for innocent human life. I mean media is taking one side and that is the Israeli point of view. But we never see the other side of the Muslims. It should be equal. If the Muslims are wrong then they have a right to defend themselves. But why are so hush hush on every issue. As a jew, and I know so many might disagree with me. But I am speaking of the truth. Isreal is now trying to occupy Palestine and now Lebanon? Why? Why dont we just leave everyone alone. Let us live with peace and harmony.as I see it, Israel is always the first to beging everything and I am going crazy that we have to stand up for it. So many Palestinians are dying each day. As you see, they dont have tanks to bomb so they defend themselves by blowing themselves up. We have so many weapons due to our suppliers. doesnt make any sense. A solution would be let Israel stop the war since first since they started it and let everyone live in peace. By the way I am not in support of Hizbullah or the Israeli group. They both should come to a conclusion to end theis war and the occupation. As Jews and citizens of Israel we should protest and stand up in support for human life. I read in the newspaper that our children are engraving horrible messages on the rockets to hit the lebanes children with. I mean is that right to raise our children . Parents, students, everyone stand up. Many voices are better than one. Support peace and harmony for all of Gods children.

אני מוכן לענות לשאלות של מר ג'ון.
כן חיזבלה התחילו את המהלך זה. הסיבה היא פשוטה. שיחרור האסירים שמוחזקים על ידי ישראל. אבל מטרה היא שונה מהסיבה. המטרה היא להביא על ידי ביטוי את האינטרסים של סוריה ואירן במפה הפוליטית באזור. כן, כן אנשים חפים מפשע מתים עקב האינטרסים. החיזבלה התכונן הרבה זמן למלחמה זו, זה רואים לפי תשתית שהיא בנתה. מה שהם ציפו מישראל זו תגובה מאופקת יותר ממה שקיבלו. לא עלה להם על הדעת שישראל לנוכח התנתקות תצא למלחמה רבת עוצמה שכזו, עקב דגילת הממשל במדיניות הפיוס השרר במדינה.
תרתי משמע ישראל מפריעה למדינות ערב לשלוט פה באזור על ידי פחד ואימה שהם מטילים על אזרחי המדינותיהם. אנו כאן קמצוץ של דמוקרטיה שמנסה להסתדר במזרח התיכון אנחנו גם ידידים של אמריקה שהיא האויבת הגדולה של אירן וסוריה במיוחד לאחר מה שקרה בעירק.
לגבי נפגעים רבים בלבנון לעומת אצלנו בישראל|: 1. הם לא היו מוכנים להתקפה של חייל האויר הישראלי (את זה חיזבאללה לא לקחו בחשבון)
ולכן יש הרגשה שלא כל כך איכפת להם מאזרחים החיים בלבנון, אין להם מקלטים (מה שנעשה בישראל על סמך לקחים מין העבר) 2. אזרחים שלנו ברחו מין האיזור המופגז לאיזורים דרומיים יותר ומתארחים אצל משפחות שעימצו אותם.
עוד דבר שאני רוצה להוסיף:
אני שוכחים שויכוח הוא היסטורי.
יהודים רכשו את האדמות שעליהם הם חיים היום מאותם פליסטיניים שהיו גרים כאן לפני קום המדינה. כאדמות אלה לא היו שייכים להם מעולם, אלא למנדט הבריטי. את הויכוח הזה התחיל ארפת כי לטענתו שטח ישראל שייך לעמו והוא שכח את העובדה שאבותיו בעצמם ויתרו עליהם. לכן היום חיזבללה וכל מדינות ערב מנסים להשטלת בכוח באזור.

תודה על ההקשבה וממתין לתגובות

anxious about the fate of the "occupied lands" of Shabaa farms, here's more occupied land to be anxious about.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/744878.html

But then again, if it was taken from the Israelis, I bet everybody's happy...

Dear Mr. V. John

regarding the roots of the conflict, i would start by asking how many should a state have?
Lebanon has one official army, and another one in the south that harasses its neighbor, which happens to be much stronger militarily.
Is this situation tenable?

as you mentioned , it is important to tackle the conflict from its deep bottom roots,only when you come think of it, it becomes more and more obvious that one doesn't have to dig much in order to understand the source for this conflict.
i shall try to explain this by answering the questiones you posed:
why did hezbollah start this war?-because they could!!!
the lebanese people did not choose hezbolla to govern their country in the democratic ellections that were held in lebanon.
nevertheless,hezbollah is taking lebanon as a hostage, as if this country has no goverment.
unfortunately, the lebanese goverment did not manage so far to disarm this melitia,and to take over it's own country,its own property in south lebanon!
remember the P.L.O in jordan?they were kicked out from jordan.
the same should happen to hezbollah in lebanon.

hezbollah does not represent the lebanese people , they represent iran.

why did they kidnapped our soldiers? -because they WANT war. because they do not want israel to live in peace with it's neighbors.
israel, on the other hand has shown the world that it is willing to make sacrifises for long lasting pease. we wethrew from lebanon 6 years ago.
during those 6 years hezbollah was lurking on us, during that time they craved for an opportunity to kidnap soldiers, to start another war.

one might say that what we consider terrorism , hezbollah consideres fighting for freedom.
what freedom do they want?
the freedom to use innocent lebanese cevillians as a human sheild?
hezbollah does not want freedom.
hezbollah wants what the president of iran wants: TO DELETE ISRAEL.

the one that is really fighting for its freedom is israel.
FREEDOM TO LIVE OUR LIFE IN PEACE!.
IN OUR COUNTRY!

peace,
yael

First I wish to say that I love my country dearly and I am a proud Israeli.

I have always seen people in Lebanon in a positive light and felt that if it wasn't for Hezbollah, peace would be possible and vibrant between Israel and Lebanon.

I would be delighted to hear from Lebanese people who have another voice that is not often heard out there. people who see things in a way that is not popular these days to show or express and even dangerous. I promise to respect and gaurd your privacy and security.

I am sorry for the suffering inflicted on innocent Lebanese. How I wish that Lebanon gains full control of Lebanon and its border. That is what Israel wants.

If the situation remains like it was... some time later it will start again but if Lebanon receives the control that it needs and deserves to have, Israel would have absolutely no reason to stay and a lasting peace can be achieved.

I send my love to all people who strive for a real peace and I want to embrace the people who express things that they might be targeted for. You bring light to the world..