Two Israeli soldiers captured seven killed in Hezbollah attack

[Owais]

Israel "pushed button of its own destruction": Iran TEHRAN: Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, declared Sunday that Israel had "pushed the button of its own destruction" by launching its military campaign against the Iranian-backed Hizbullah militia in Lebanon.

Ahmadinejad didn't elaborate, but suggested Islamic nations and others could somehow isolate Israel and its main backers led by the United States. On Saturday, the chairman of Iran's armed forced joint chiefs, Maj.-Gen. Sayyed Hassan Firuzabadi, said Iran would never join the current Middle East fighting.

Ahmadinejad's latest salvo against Israel came as the 12-day-old hostilities in Lebanon continued. The hard-line president drew international condemnation last year after publicly calling for Israel to be wiped out and calling the Holocaust a "myth."

Iran helped create the anti-Israel Hizbullah movement in the early 1980s and is among its main supplier of arms and funds. But Teheran has denied Israeli claims it is sent Hizbullah long-range missiles that have reached Haifa and other points in northern Israel since the battles broke out nearly two weeks ago following a cross-border Hizbullah raid that captured two Israeli soldiers.

"Britain and the United States are accomplices of the Zionist regime in its crimes in Lebanon and Palestine," said Ahmadinejad.

He said "the people of the region will respond" unless Israel and its allies apologize for their policies.

"Arrogant powers have set up a base for themselves to threaten and plunder nations in the region," said Ahmadinejad. "But today, the occupier regime (Israel) - whose philosophy is based on threats, massacre and invasion - has reached its finishing line."


Last week, Ahmadinejad sent a letter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel that contained statements about Israel and the Holocaust that are "not acceptable," said German officials.

Germany has sharply criticized Ahmadinejad's anti-Israel statements.

In Teheran, the government has sanctioned billboards showing Hizbullah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah and a message that it is the duty of Muslims to "wipe out" Israel. Officials also organized a demonstration in the southern city of Shiraz by Iran's small Jewish community calling for Israel's destruction and praising Hizbullah.

 

[Owais]

Resolution of Lebanon crisis to take a long time: Olmert JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told a cabinet meeting that the current Lebanon crisis would last a long time.

"The diplomatic process will not come at the expense of destroying terror infrastructure, and this process will take a very long time," a senior government source quoted Olmert as saying on condition of anonymity.

"The ground operation is focusing on a limited entry of forces," he told the cabinet. "We are not dealing with an invasion of Lebanon."

Olmert said Israel would be ready to negotiate an end to the conflict with the Lebanese government, but did not elaborate on when that would happen.

"Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora is a partner for negotiations when the time is right for that," he said.

Israel launched a massive offensive in Lebanon on July 12 after Hezbollah launched a cross-border raid, seized two Israeli servicemen and killed another eight.

The Jewish state has said that it aims to rout the militant Shiite group from southern Lebanon.

The blitz has killed more than 350 people in Lebanon, most of them civilians, and displaced more than half a million, sparking fears of a humanitarian catastrophe.

"Israel will continue to defend its cities," Olmert told reporters later in the day, after the latest Hezbollah rocket attack killed two people in the northern port of Haifa.

"We will try our utmost to avoid targeting innocent civilians."

"We are using our right to self-defense in the face of a murderous organization that has fired... rockets in order to harm our civilians. We will use all our force in our fight," he said.

 

[melb4aust]

What about those two soldiers, their parents appeared on a media saying both the Israeli government and officials have gone deaf on asking about their sons, according SBS news. The two soldeirs who resulted the war, have become unpopular so quickly as every one is having all attentions on the war and other issues.

 

[Owais]

Israel attack costs $1 billion for Lebanon
BEIRUT (updated on: July 24, 2006, 19:46 PST): Lebanon will need billions of dollars in aid to recover from Israel's indiscriminate attack, which has ruined many civil installations, hit tourism, forced businesses to close and forced hundreds of thousands to flee.

The war is not over yet, but economists say the country's infrastructure has so far sustained $1 billion worth of damage after Israel bombed roads, bridges, ports and airports.

Beyond damage to bricks and mortar, the Lebanese pound has come under pressure, the stock market has temporarily closed, and tens of thousands of foreigners have fled the war.

Traders say the central bank spent $500 million last week defending the pound, though they add that the central bank has plenty of reserves to rely on and pressure is now declining.

Marwan Iskandar, a leading Lebanese economist, said the war could force many firms to close and cause the economy to shrink 2-3 percent. This implies about $2 billion in lost growth, not to mention some $600 million in lost government income.

Lebanon's economy had been growing at a healthy 6 percent or so before the crisis broke on July 12 when Hizbullah guerrillas seized two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid.

"We are talking fairly enormous losses here," Iskandar said. "We will definitely need $3 billion in assistance in the very short term in the nature of donations rather than loans. Much depends on the speed with which reconstruction can proceed, which depends on the speed and size of assistance."

Even before the war broke out, Lebanon was struggling to cut a public debt above $35 billion, worth some 180 percent of GDP.

Lebanese politicians had bickered for months over a draft reform plan, which foresees privatisation of the power and telecommunications sectors, higher taxes and lower spending.

Lebanon had hoped to present the reform programme eventually to potential lenders at an international debt aid conference.

What was a high priority just two weeks ago has been knocked down the list by a growing humanitarian crisis.

SHELVING REFORMS

"The effect on the economy is going to be very, very drastic. Forget reforms for the moment. We will not be in the mood for a while, possibly not for a long time to come," said Shadi Karam, chairman of BLC Bank.

"I hope the mood in the donor countries, which was not to give Lebanon a penny unless it reforms, will tone down."

International credit ratings agencies have already cut Lebanon's outlook due to the violence. Fitch has affirmed its current rating of 'B-' but cut the outlook from positive to stable. Standard & Poor's put its 'B-' credit rating for Lebanon on credit watch with negative implications.

Those ratings are already far below investment grade and Fitch said the war's impact would be worse than the slump after last year's killing of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.

"The government will have to return to the market to borrow. You have to rebuild roads and bridges and get things in and out. Many private concerns in the Bekaa Valley and the south have also been destroyed," said Karam.

"To try to avoid crowding out financial resources for the private sector, which also needs to rebuild, we will need as much from donors as we can get."

Lebanon has a long history of weathering or bouncing back from crises, but bankers and economists say it will not be easy to lure back investors unless a lasting cease-fire is reached.

"If the solution is perceived as final and Lebanon can start rebuilding what is damaged, then we can foresee a medium term recovery," said Joe Sarrouh, adviser to Fransabank's chairman. "People need to re-establish confidence for investment."

Lebanon's financial markets fell sharply after the murder of Hariri, a billionaire tycoon who masterminded the reconstruction of downtown Beirut after the 1975-1990 civil war. But the markets recovered to record highs within months.

Flush with petrodollars, Gulf Arab investors poured over $1 billion into Lebanese real estate alone this year. Arab tourists had descended on Lebanon before the crisis emptied hotels.

Whether Lebanon will recover now depends on a rapid return to stability and a lasting solution to Hizbullah's weapons -- tough challenges for Lebanon's weak and divided government.

"There is no interest in bringing Lebanon back to a very threatening situation, so I think we will get some help," Sarrouh said. "But the situation really is disastrous from a humanitarian point of view, so it is too early to speculate."

 

[Owais]

Sweden gives 5.5 million dollars in aid to Lebanon
STOCKHOLM (updated on: July 24, 2006, 20:44 PST): Sweden said on Monday it was giving a total of 40.5 million kronor (5.5 million dollars, 4.4 million euros) in humanitarian aid to Lebanon, and the foreign ministry said more aid could be announced this week.

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) said it would respond to a UN appeal for humanitarian aid by donating 20 million kronor.

"The need for food, water and health care is enormous, as well as protection for the more than 700,000 people who have fled their homes," the head of Sida's humanitarian unit, Per Byman, said in a statement.

The 20 million would be channelled through Unicef, the UN refugee agency UNHCR and the World Health Organisation, Sida said.

A further 16.5 million kronor has been donated to the Swedish Rescue Services Agency, 13 million of which was in response to a direct request from the World Food Programme to help establish a humanitarian aid corridor. The remainder, 3.5 million, will go towards minesweeping operations in Lebanon.

The Swedish branches of Save the Children and the Red Cross have also received a total of four million Swedish kronor to help with their efforts in Lebanon, Sida said.

A spokesman for Swedish Development Aid Minister Carin Jaemtin, John Zanchi, told Swedish news agency TT that the Scandinavian country may announce further aid donations later this week.

Foreign Minister Jan Eliasson said last week that Stockholm was prepared to contribute "hundreds of millions of kronor" to Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.

Sweden gives 5.5 million dollars in aid to Lebanon
STOCKHOLM (updated on: July 24, 2006, 20:44 PST): Sweden said on Monday it was giving a total of 40.5 million kronor (5.5 million dollars, 4.4 million euros) in humanitarian aid to Lebanon, and the foreign ministry said more aid could be announced this week.

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) said it would respond to a UN appeal for humanitarian aid by donating 20 million kronor.

"The need for food, water and health care is enormous, as well as protection for the more than 700,000 people who have fled their homes," the head of Sida's humanitarian unit, Per Byman, said in a statement.

The 20 million would be channelled through Unicef, the UN refugee agency UNHCR and the World Health Organisation, Sida said.

A further 16.5 million kronor has been donated to the Swedish Rescue Services Agency, 13 million of which was in response to a direct request from the World Food Programme to help establish a humanitarian aid corridor. The remainder, 3.5 million, will go towards minesweeping operations in Lebanon.

The Swedish branches of Save the Children and the Red Cross have also received a total of four million Swedish kronor to help with their efforts in Lebanon, Sida said.

A spokesman for Swedish Development Aid Minister Carin Jaemtin, John Zanchi, told Swedish news agency TT that the Scandinavian country may announce further aid donations later this week.

Foreign Minister Jan Eliasson said last week that Stockholm was prepared to contribute "hundreds of millions of kronor" to Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.

 

[Owais]

Israel seizes key Lebanon border town JERUSALEM: The Israeli army said on Tuesday it had seized a key border town in Lebanon after deadly fighting in the area with Hezbollah guerrillas as its forces pushed deeper into its northern neighbour.

"Beit Jbeil is in our hands," General Alon Friedman, one of Israel's top commanders for its northern region, told Israeli radio.

Beit Jbeil, the main town in the border region and a Hezbollah stronghold, lies north of the strategic hilltop village of Marun al-Ras, which the Israeli army captured at the weekend.

"Our aim in Beit Jbeil is to destroy the infrastructure of Hezbollah and to liquidate that organization's terrorists in order to reduce the (rocket) attacks on the north," Friedman said.

 

[Owais]

Olmert says determined to continue fight against Hezbollah JERUSALEM: Israel is determined to keep fighting Hezbollah and will take ``severe measures'' against the Lebanese guerrillas, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Tuesday, signaling there will be no letup in Israel's two-week military offensive.

Olmert spoke at the start of a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who called for a cease-fire, but not at any price.

Israel has demanded that as part of a truce, Hezbollah be dismantled and the Lebanese army be deployed on the Israeli-Lebanese border, but has indicated it would accept an international peacekeeping force in the area. The Lebanese government insists there be a truce before a longer-term deal is worked out.

``Israel is determined to continue on in the fight against Hezbollah. We will ... stop them. We will not hesitate to take severe measures against those who are aiming thousands of rockets and missiles against innocent civilians for the one purpose of killing them,'' Olmert said.

Olmert acknowledged the Israeli offensive has caused humanitarian problems and said he would work with the U.S. to try to alleviate them.

Some 750,000 Lebanese have been displaced by the fighting. Olmert blamed Hezbollah for the suffering of the Lebanese civilians.

``We are aware of the state of humanitarian affairs of the population of Lebanon as a result of the brutality of Hezbollah,'' he said. ``I think I can say in complete sincerity that Lebanon and Israel are both victims of this organization.''

Rice said both Israeli and Lebanese civilians are suffering as a result of the fighting.

 

[Owais]

Saudi king warns of Mideast war if peace moves fails RIYADH: Saudi King Abdullah appealed to the world Tuesday to stop Israeli attacks on Lebanon, saying that if peace moves fail, the Middle East could be engulfed in war.

In a statement read out on state television, the king said: ``if the option of peace fails as a result of Israeli arrogance, then the only option remaining will be war, and God alone knows what the region would witness in a conflict that would spare no one.''

 

[Owais]

Hezbollah rejects conditional ceasefire proposal by US BEIRUT: Lebanese parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri -- who is acting as an intermediary for Hezbollah in talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice -- has rejected her ceasefire proposal aimed at ending Israel's war on Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ruled out Syrian participation in diplomatic
efforts to try to end the fighting in Lebanon.

A meeting between Rice and Berri was marked by differences. Rice set, as conditions for a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Hezbollah to the Litani river and the deployment of an international force in the area which would, she said, allow the return of displaced people.

The Litani river is about 20 kilometres (13 miles) from the border with Israel, marking an area that is largely under the control of Hezbollah.

Rejecting Rice's proposal, Berri had called for a ceasefire to be followed by a prisoner exchange and for Israel to allow the return of Lebanese who had fled the south "before discussing a complete plan to resolve the conflict," which Rice refused to discuss.

 

[Owais]

Olmert rules out talks with Syria to end crisis OCCUPIED AL-QUDS: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ruled out Syrian participation in diplomatic efforts to try to end the fighting in Lebanon, while OIC secretary-general will address a press conferece today on Middle East crisis.

"Syria is not a partner in the current diplomatic effort," Olmert said, "Syria could get recognition only if it takes its finger off the trigger on the two fronts in Lebanon and Gaza."

Israel accuses Syria of continuing to arm the Shiite Hezbollah militia and of giving asylum to Khaled Meshaal, the exiled political leader of Hamas, the Islamic movement governing the Palestinians.

However Israeli leaders have said several times in recent days that they have no wish to unleash an armed conflict with Syria, preferring to concentrate their efforts on Hezbollah.

Syria has adopted a wait-and-see policy since the Israeli offensive on Lebanon began on July 12 after Hezbollah captured two of the Jewish state's soldiers and killed eight others in cross-border attacks.

 

[Owais]

UN appeals for $150m urgent donations for Lebanon BEIRUT: The United Nations has launched an urgent appeal for 150 million dollars to help 800,000 civilians made homeless by blistering Israeli raids on Lebanon, and warned that prolonged attacks will only add to the humanitarian catastrophe.

The Beirut representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Roberto Laurenti, said that 150 million dollars was a "drop in the ocean".


"It is meant to cover immediate needs and to heighten public awareness about the magnitude of the disaster in Lebanon. It is a tsunami provoked by men, not nature," he said.

Meanwhile, Sweden has announced to donate 5.5 million dollars to help victims of Israeli assault on Lebanon.

The UN has been particularly worried about dwindling food and medical supplies in Lebanon, which has been virtually cut off from the outside world since Israel imposed a sea and air blockade and attacked roads leading to the borders.

 

[Owais]

Israeli bombardment turn 10 Beirut buildings into dust BEIRUT: Israeli warplanes blasted Beirut late Tuesday night and turned at least 10 buildings into dust.

The bombing on the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, a Hezbollah stronghold, ended a 24-hour lull that coincided with a lightning visit to the region by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

With no end in sight to warfare that has already claimed at least 390 lives in Lebanon alone, this was a highly planned Israeli attack during last 14 days assault on Lebanon.

The offensive has left Lebanon virtually cut off from the world, made hundreds of thousands of people refugees in their own country and destroyed billions of dollars of infrastructure.

Lebanese Prime Minsiter Fuad Siniora, who has issued several desperate appeals for a ceasefire, accused Israel of trying to set his country back 50 years in his meeting with Rice.

In the latest bloodshed, an entire family of seven, including five minors, was killed when an Israeli missile slammed into their home in southern Lebanon while troops moved into a key border town where Hezbollah has a military headquarters.

Israeli troops entered the border town of Bint Jbeil, a Hezbollah military stronghold, for the first time late Tuesday as they pushed deeper into Lebanese territory, a UN spokesman said.

However, Israel is struggling to knock out Hezbollah despite its vastly superior military might.

A 15-year-old Arab Israeli girl was killed after a rocket hit her house in a village in northern Israel as more than a dozen rockets fired by Hezbollah from Lebanon pummelled the northern port of Haifa, wounding at least five people.

Two soldiers were also killed in fighting Monday, bringing to 42 the toll of Israelis killed -- 24 servicemen and 18 civilians.

Israel has massed troops on the border and warned residents of southern Lebanon to flee but says it has no plans for an all-out invasion -- for now.

 

[Owais]

14 days deadline for Israel to remove Hezbollah: US WASHINGTON: The United States has fixed a deadline for Israel to remove Hezbollah from its strongholds within 10 to 14 days, while Israeli forces would remain on southern Lebanese border until an international peace forces is deployed in the region.

Israel's stance of keeping the occupation of Lebanese areas was aired after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called on Israeli PM Ehud Olmert in Tel Aviv.

Olmert agreed on safely dispatching international community's donations for Lebanese, but stressed on disarming Hezbollah, displacing the organisation from its strongholds, and deployment of international force on the Lebanese border.

 

[Lahori paa jee]

There is no way Israel could end Hizbollah. They will be back no matter what Israel does.

 

[Owais]

14 Israeli troops killed in clashes with Hezbollah BEIRUT: Hezbollah guerrillas put up fierce resistance against Israeli troops trying to take over a key southern Lebanese stronghold on Wednesday, killing as many as 14 Israeli soldiers, Arab media reported.

A Dubai-based satellite TV channel said at least 14 Israeli soldiers had been killed in the fighting for control of Bint Jbail, a town that has symbolic importance to the militant group as one of the centers of resistance to the 1982-2000 Israeli occupation.