Alright, I am sympathetic towards israel and their need to defend themselves. And I agree that what Hezbollah did was outrageous and deserving of action.
But was absolutely no diplomatic option available aside from this? Would it be impossible to ask other parties to pressure Lebanon to reign in on Hezbollah, and
assist in finding the two IDF soldiers?
Is the Lebanese government SUCH a Syrian puppet that this wouldn't be an option?
What is President Bush, Tony Blair, and co. doing? This whole thing seems to be unraveling really, really fast, and it doesn't seem to have provoked the appropriate response from the West.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5175160.stm
Israel attacks Beirut's airport
Israeli aircraft have fired rockets at the runways of Beirut's international airport in Lebanon, forcing its closure and the diversion of flights.
It follows the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah militants.
Meanwhile, 10 civilians were killed in fresh Israeli air raids in southern Lebanon, security sources said.
Israeli jets have pounded targets in southern Lebanon in retaliation for the soldiers' capture. Israel has said it holds Lebanon responsible.
The Beirut airport is Lebanon's only international airport.
It is located in the Lebanese capital's Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs.
Shortly after Israeli shells began falling on the runways, a senior airport official announced the facility was closed and asked scheduled flights to divert to Cyprus.
Israeli PM Ehud Olmert said the soldiers' capture was an "act of war", but Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah insisted the two would only be returned via talks.
Mr Olmert said he held Beirut responsible, but Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora denied any knowledge of the Hezbollah operation and refused to take responsibility for the soldiers' capture.
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In a related story.....
This story just amazes me. To have the head of "political" Hamas, housed in SYRIA, present himself as the chief negotiating power in Palestine boggles my mind.
" Whether you want it or not, I am the only partner you can speak to about the release of prisoners and suspending the Qassam rocket attacks. "
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/736816.html
'I'm the man,' Meshal says in first comments since crisis broke
By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff
The first speech yesterday by Khaled Meshal, the Damascus-based head of Hamas' political bureau, since the abduction of Corporal Gilad Shalit was intended mainly to reinforce his leadership position vis-a-vis both Palestinians and Israel. His statements contained little real news. He reiterated the Hamas promise not to hurt Shalit and the position that he would be released only in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
What Meshal did do was to declare that he and not the chairman of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, in Ramallah, or Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza, is the sole spokesman for the Palestinian people in the territories and beyond.