Demonstrators Rally for Victims in Lebanon in Ramallah, West Bank July 31
Lots of people have asked us for information about Israel’s current aggression against Lebanon. ISM works in Palestine and as such we are not directly involved in Lebanon. However, the terrible situation there is of great concern to Palestinians, many of whom live in refugee camps in South Lebanon. We try to keep up to date with events. The following is a list of some of the most interesting of the articles we’ve been reading. We urge you to not forget that the situation is also getting worse in Gaza and the West Bank right now.
The current phase of the violence started when Israel abducted two Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Jonathan Cook, a British journalist living in Nazareth in the north of Israel, has been writing a brilliant series of articles about the current situation and exposing a lot of the myths appearing about it in the mainstream media There are several other commentators who effectively demolish the false chronology about the current conflict being perpetuated in the mainstream media right now.
While targeting civilians, the Lebanese army (who it claims to support) and UN observers, Israel’s aggression has been aided diplomatically and materially by the US and UK throughout. This attack has included cluster bombs – weapons banned under international law. Although Israeli politicians are publicly saying that the attacks will end soon, it appears that the military is digging in for the long term.
Although the “international community” of governments refuse to call for an immediate ceasefire, there is international disgust and protest against the massacres perpetuated by Israel. Protest in Scotland seems to have even yielded some results. The massacre of 54 civillians in the Biblical city of Qana could yet pale in comparison if Israel is permitted to continue its war of choice in Lebanon.
Meanwhile in Gaza, it looks as if Israel’s non negotiation with Hamas for a prisoner release was simply posturing. It seems that Israel is close to accepting just such an agreement, which Hamas has been offering from the start.
Finally on Hizbullah, it is obvious that despite Israel’s ambitions, Hizbullah is a genuinely popular movement, and driving them out of the south of Lebanon is not a realistic goal. The only way to do so would be to ethnically cleanse the entire Shi’a population of Lebanon. Which is most likely the reason that Hizbullah does not seem too worried right now.
The following is a list of news sources covering the situation there. This list is presented for information purposes only. We are not responsible for the content of external websites and inclusion on this list is not an endorsement of the sources or groups they respresent.
Electronic Lebanon
A new project from Electronic Intifada. Highly recommended.
http://www.electronicintifada.net/lebanon
Tadamon!
A Montreal-based collective working to build relationships of solidarity with grassroots political movements for social and economic justice between Beirut & Montreal. Maintains a list of blogs reporting from the ground.
http://tadamon.resist.ca
Indymedia Beirut
Independent reports from the grassroots in Beirut.
http://beirut.indymedia.org
From Israeli to Lebanon
Photos of Israeli war crimes in Lebanon (warning – some graphic images).
http://www.fromisrael2lebanon.info
Blogging the Middle East
A Lebanese anarchist’s blog. Also maintains an extensive list of links to blogs and other news sources (from many different political perspectives).
http://meastpolitics.wordpress.com
Islamic Resistance Lebanon
Understand the Hizbullah perspective
http://www.alghaliboun.net/english
Israel Defence Forces: the Official Site
Understand the Israeli Military Perspective
http://www.idf.il