Six people killed in rocket strikes in northern Israel

[bemildred]

A barrage of Hezbollah rockets slammed into northern Israel on Thursday, killing six people. Three people were killed when a rocket crashed directly into a house near the northern town of Tarhisha, and another three were killed when a rocket exploded near their vehicle in Acre.

Three other people were wounded in the strike on Acre, and another four were wounded when rockets hit the town of Horfesh.

Also Thursday, two Israel Defense Forces soldiers were killed and two others were seriously wounded Thursday in heavy fighting with Hezbollah guerillas in south Lebanon.

Hezbollah gunners fired at least 30 rockets across the north on Thursday, also striking Kiryat Shmona, Haifa, the Ma'alot area and the Golan Heights.

Haaretz

[hadrons]

1. yup, Israel is soooo much safer now

[poskonig]

9. Ooooooh, Hezbollah is so much safer now.

[newyorican]

14. Come on guys...

NO ONE is safer now.

No need for one-upmanship.

[ckramer]

16. Over two captured soldiers, and the whole

Israel is now up-side-down.

The Israeli leader is a fool imo.

[Eugene]

2. AP: Police Say 100 Rockets Hit Israel

Police Say 100 Rockets Hit Israel


Thursday August 3, 2006 3:16 PM

AP Photo JRL142

JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli police say some 100 rockets hit northern Israel
within half an hour. At least five are reported killed. Meanwhile, Hezbollah's
chief spokesman said that his group will not agree to a cease-fire until all
Israeli troops leave Lebanon.

The five rocket fatalities were the most in a single day since eight people
were killed July 16, when a rocket struck a train maintenance depot in Haifa.

At least 40 rockets hit northern Israel within several minutes, killing two people
in Acre and three in Maalot. Several people, including children, were injured,
rescue officials said.

-snip-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-5991660...

[bemildred]

3. Clearly, Hizbullah has been completely destroyed.

I wonder how Halutz' tummy is doing?

[endarkenment]

4. I condemn Hezbollah attacks on civilians.

I condemn IDF attacks on civilians.

There is no difference.

[bemildred]

6. Me too. Attacks on cities should always be condemned. nt

[poskonig]

10. If Israel targeted civilians, EVERYONE would be dead

That's the difference. Israel bends over backwards to minimize civilian deaths. The Party of God (the Hezb'Allah) deliberately targets civilians. Intent matters.

The entire raison d'etre of the Hezb'Allah, like Hamas and Islamic Jihad, is the death of every Jew living in Israel, so their current behavior isn't mystifying when context is provided.

[ShortnFiery]

12. "Israel bends over backwards to minimize civilian deaths. "

It's difficult for me to understand why you STILL believe that with so much mounting evidence to the contrary?

[The Stranger]

13. Well, nearly 1000 of them are dead, so that argument doesn't fly.

Intent is a funny thing -- if you shoot into a crowd at someone, and hit someone else, you have committed murder.

Look it up.

And everyone knows Israel's existence is not threatened, so save it. Israel is the fourth most powerful nuclear power in the world. These little desert regimes pose no threat to its existence.

[Minstrel Boy]

15. 15% of Israeli fatalities have been civilians, and only one

in the six years since the IDF retreat from Lebanon until its current escalation. A review of Hezbollah's strikes in that period shows an intent to select military targets.

70% of Lebanese fatalities have been non-combatants. Israel's Justice Minister has said everyone left in southern Lebanon is a terrorist. Ethnic cleansing looks to be Israel's intent.

[endarkenment]

21. Somehow I knew this response would appear.

Sorry no wrong. And you should be ashamed.

The IDF is conducting an ethnic cleansing campaign designed to move the shiite population of the border region northward. They are not trying to eliminate the entire population.

However your logic is flawed. One can indeed target civilians without intending to kill all civilians. One might for example be intending only terrify an entire population without actually killing all of them.

[ButterflyBlood]

24. THANK YOU! Finally some common sense

Such a position is so simple, I don't see why it's so difficult for many to get.

[sabra]

5. Haaretz has the count now up to 7 civilians and 2 soldiers

[bemildred]

7. Busy day. You doing OK?

[sabra]

8. all my relatives have left Northern Israel

so that helps. Thanks for the post.

[uppityperson]

17. that is good, hope they got far enough away from all this crap

[sabra]

18. unfortunately my cousin is being called up at the end of the month

[uppityperson]

19. USA or Israel?

blech

[sabra]

22. Israel

[uppityperson]

23. best of luck to your cousin

sorry that it is now. Hope he/she gets through it safe and sane.

[David__77]

11. They'd better start organizing against the aggression.

Stopping the Israeli aggression is the surest way to safeguard Israeli lives, in the long run. The Arab resistance will not be quashed militarily.

[daleo]

20. Both sides have shown they can kill civilians

And that their soldiers can kill the other guy's soldiers, and be killed by them in return.

In practice, these realities would seem to be grounds for a ceasefire.