Category: Politics

The war was a very dramatic event. Its deadly cost was terrible. In Israel, more than 150 people were killed during the conflict. In Lebanon, the numbers pass the 1000 mark. In addition, lots of people were severely wounded, and their lives are destroyed. Also the economic damage is devestating, and it will probably take a long time to estimate it. I doubt that the Israelis that were damaged will be compensated. And the Lebanese refugees? The chance is lower.

The ceasefire that began Monday morning seems to hold. 3 and half days after it was declared, the dispopulated north of Israel came back to life. Even the more militant people of the north cannot hide their sigh of relief. In Lebanon, refugees jammed the roads heading south, wanting to get back home, even if it is only a pile of rubble.

What’s next? Where do we go from here?

Yesterday, I’ve been at a meeting in the Peace Now offices. As I previously wrote, I’ve been just one week ago to a demonstration against the war, that was organized by Peace Now. There, someone walked around and collected details from possible activists. I wrote mine, so I soon got an invitation to this meeting.

The meeting was a discussion about what the organization should do. Peace Now is an ideological movement, but is always connected to actual affairs. Of course, it is much easier to react to something that is going on now, than to push your own agenda. It was easier taking a stand against the war (well, only in its last days) or supporting Sharon’s disengagement plan last summer. Currently, there is a vacuum or blackout. Nobody knows what exactly happened. There are different explanations of what happened, and should have been done. Talks about the future aren’t really heard. There were 7 participants and about 8 or 9 opinions. That’s how it is with Jews. Some said that the Palestinian problem should be brought back to life, some said that peace with Syria should head the agenda, some said both. I still don’t know what Peace Now should do. I guess the events will dictate the agenda.

An interesting idea was raised by a veteran Israeli blogger Ofernicus. I like reading his posts and especially his jokes (In Hebrew). Ofernicus, aka Ofer Lando, is a right wing voter, quite far from my left wing stand. A few days ago, he wrote a letter to Israeli foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, calling her to start a peace initiative with Lebanon. I commented doubtful thoughts to his (Hebrew) post, but wished him luck.

I don’t want to write these doubts again in English. I haven’t changed my mind completely. I still think that there would be lots of problems on the Lebanese side. On the other hand, I became enthusiastic about the initiative. Making the initiative itself is great. Its nice that people promote what they think, and not just think or whine about it. Its also for a very good cause.

Ofer and his friend Eliram, took an extra step. They opened the Peace between Lebanon and Israel blog in English. This is somewhat similar to Ingrid’s Blogger Round Table which I read regularily with great interest. The difference is that the new blog focuses on one issue: bringing peace between Israel and Lebanon. The blog’s writers are currently only Ofer and Eliram. They are trying to recruit Lebanese bloggers, as well as other,  to contribute their as well.

I’m putting my skeptical thoughts away, and changing them with optimistic and hopeful ones. It might be naive, but I don’t mind.

I wish them luck and success.

 

On Thursday evening I’ve been in yet another demonstration against the war. This time, it was organized by Peace Now. That made a big difference. Here are all the pictures. Up to now, the demonstrations were organized and dominated radical / extreme left organizations. The contination of the war, the uncertainty of its goals and the large number of victims also moved people to opposition. But the previous demonstrations didn’t move anyone, maybe even created antagonism.

On Thursday morning, Peace Now and the left wing Meretz party joined the opposition. It took them a full month, but nevertheless, its a good development. The slogan “Peace Now” seems somewhat irrelevant, but the brand name is very meaningful. Peace Now is connected with the famous 400,000 demonstration in 1982, after the Sabra and Shatila massacres in Beirut. It has always been active in the Israeli left. In addition to the people that are joining the opposition because of whats going on, now there is a chance that the protesters will also draw more people.

The demonstration itself was already different. Instead of the red communist flags, flags of Palestine and symbols of anarchy, this demonstration saw lots of blue and white flags, and also flags of Meretz party. The demonstration was small, but it attracted the media, and that’s important. It was on a narrow sidewalk in front of the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv, and it was organized in the last moment. I’m sure that if there will be no ceasefire, they will produce a giant demonstration in Rabin Square. They have the money and skills.

I hope it will not be necessary.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and I hope it doesn’t turn into train coming to run us down…

In the last days, new hope has come and gone. Saturday’s agrrement between USA and France seemed like a good development. Later on, as the violence continued and the proposal was rejected by the Lebanese, new despair came in. It seemed like the negotiations between the USA, France, Arab countries, Israel and others could take forever, especially during the westerners’ summer vacations.

Yesterday, after the Lebanese government took a brave decision to send it’s army down south, things have changed. Countries around the world were happy with this decision. Our PM also referred to it as good development. New hopes.

This decision could be due to many reasons. Its possible that Hizbullah is in a bad situation and wants to finish the war. Hizbullah’s ministers also supported the government’s decision.

I doubt that its true. They still keep firing the same amount of rockets upon us every day. Luckily, since Sunday, no Israeli civilian was killed. I think it was due to good luck, and Sunday’s 15 casualties suffered from very bad luck. In southern Lebanon, the fighting on the ground continues. Every day, the Hizbullah suffers tens of casualties, but also our soldiers are killed on a daily basis.  

Unfortunately for my country, other outcomes of the war are not so pleasing as well. Our might army, with the briliant air force and the hi-tech missiles, has falied (at least in the meantime) to crush the tiny Hizbullah. The small organization’s stand has made Nasrallah a hero in the Arab world and has weakened our might and deterrence. I’m sure this wasn’t the intention of our leaders.

So, I don’t see the Hizbullah losing yet. Nonetheless, I hope that the Israeli government will present this decision as a sign of weakness from the Hizbullah, or a victory for Israel. This is very important for the ISraeli public opinion. Since this has turned into a war of attrition, there won’t be “facts” that will tell who won and who lost. This is not a game of chess. A symbol like this decision by the Lebanese could be presented to the Israelis as a sign of the victory, something that could also allow us to lay down our weapons and remain united.

The decision could also be due to a promise about Shabaa farms. There are talks about handing this tiny territory to the hands of the UN, until the fate of it will be decided. Syria, Israel and most of the world claim that it is occupied Syrian territory while Hizbullah claims it is Lebanese and fights for the sake of releasing it (oh yeah). An Israeli retreat from this land, even if it is handed into the hands of Unifil, could be presented in Lebanon as a great achievement and a victory. Maybe such a promise was given by the international community to Lebanon, something that could motivae Hizbullah to agree to the decision.

Lebanese control of the south of the country is a mutual interest of both the Lebanese patriots (who are pleased that the Lebanese government takes an initiative) and Israel. Maybe it’s good news.

This couldn’t have been done in previous years. Hizbullah was too strong (maybe we weakened it militarily). Sending troops south instead of  “Hizbullah’s resistance” was problematic for Lebanese politicians. Especially when they where supposed to disarm Hizbullah, and thus help Israel. Now, due the messy war, when everything is possible (and destroyed), there is a chance for such a move.

I hope that the beginning of the deployment of the Lebanese army (including reservists) in the south will really happen. This will come hand in hand with an Israeli retreat, so some friends of mine will come home. It should also trigger a ceasefire.

My parents planned on going for a vacation abroad soon. Currently they decided to cancel it. They don’t have any children in the army, and they also don’t have any relatives in the north of the country. Nothing to personally worry about. So why? They just feel like it. They are depressed because of the war. I screamed at them and tried to use logics to explain them why they should go. I told them that I will take a small vacation abroad with my girlfriend. I couldn’t figure out why they preferred sticking their nose to the TV and watch the news instead of taking a break. I found out that they are not alone. Many Israelis cancelled their summer vacations because of the war. Many of these cancellations are due to bad mood and not personal worries.

So maybe the war will be over, so that this Saturday I won’t attend an anti-war protest and I’ll hear that my parents bought a flight ticket…

 

Today was the hardest day of the war in Israel. At noon, arocket hit a gathering of reserve soldiers in a small village near the border. 12 were kkilled, 13 were wounded. This was the deadliest single strike.

In the evening, a rocket attack on the city of Haifa killed at least 3 people. Tens of wounded are currently taken care of in various hospitals. The rockets hit 7 different places. In one place the building collapsed and some people were trapped there. Some the rockets hit Arab neighburhoods in Haifa. Hizbullah stopped distinguishing between Jews and Arabs in Israel. The launching of the rockets was filmed by AP. They were launched from the city of Tyre in Lebanon, in the middle of a residential area.

All in all, about 200 rockets were launched today. The high number of rockets is the average in the last few days. In total, more than 300 rocket landing have been reported. Since Wednesday, there have been scores of civilian casualties every day. The northern border city of Kiryat Shmona is severely damaged, and many people call the government to evacuate it immediately.

Why am writng all this? Many times, the international media focuses on the casualties and destruction in Lebanon, and neglects what happens here. Sure, things are much worse in Lebanon. The total numbers there are much higher. But sometimes people around the world aren’t aware of the  serious damage inflicted on Israel as well.

I hope that this terrible war will finish soon. I will keep attending anti-war protests. Unfortunately, the keys for ending this conflict are in Iran, Syria, France and the USA.

Maybe maybe the upcoming UN resolution will be the beginning of the end.