Friday, September 01, 2006

How to win friends and influence people

Israel appears determined to make the Lebanese people hate them. According to the NY Times, the residents of a Hezbollah stronghold, Aita Al Shaab, are still being terrorized by the Israelis. Tanks regularly move throughout the area, shooting and smashing houses and walls. Residents have been picked up and held for days in Israel. The flag has been raised a number of times in defiance of UN wishes. The result of all this is encapsulated in the comments of the local schoolteacher, "They destroyed our school in the village, but we will teach the children under the trees. And we will teach them to hate Israel and love the resistance."

The UN reports that Israel has violated the cease-fire 70 times, Hezbollah 4 times. Israel's response: "We are at a cessation of hostilities, not a cease-fire." Apparently since UN resolution 1701 does not specifically use the words "cease-fire", Israelis sleep well knowing that they have not violated the resolution.

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