Monthly Archives: July 2006

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Rocket Attacks on Israel Continue

July 31, 2006 12:14 pm / 4 Comments /

The IAF is scaling back for 48 hours. Will Hezbollah? Not likely:

Rocket attacks launched by Hizbullah terrorists from southern Lebanon continued on Monday despite Israel’s agreement to honor a 48-hour moratorium on IAF air strikes on terror targets.

The northern border town of Kiryat Shmona was again struck by rocket fire Monday. The rockets fell in open areas near the town, causing no injuries or damage.

I was following the Qana affair closely yesterday but several ongoing projects kept me tied up. Blogs of War will be operating at 150% by the afternoon though.

Posted in: Israel, Politics

Hugo Chavez and Ahmedinejad Meet in Tehran

July 29, 2006 10:24 pm / 2 Comments /

The battle lines are being drawn:

Anti-U.S. leaders Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad met in Tehran on Saturday, pledging mutual support for one another, state media reported.

Chavez’s two-day visit came as Iran faces renewed international criticism for its nuclear program and as a backer of Hezbollah guerrillas, engaged in fighting with Israel since they captured two Israeli soldiers July 12.

The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council on Friday reached a deal on a resolution that would give Iran until the end of August to suspend uranium enrichment or face the threat of economic and diplomatic sanctions.

Following talks, Chavez pledged that his country would “stay by Iran at any time and under any condition,” state television reported.

Venezuela is beefing up it’s military at a rapid pace. We can thank Spain, Russia, and China for that. It’s even more frightening when you read the report in Iran’s state media:

Confirming Venezuelan president remarks that the US era is coming to an end in the world, the ayatollah noted that this reality can be seen right now and the number of nations and countries who resist against the US are increasing.

Referring to President Chavez stances on the world issues, Ayatollah Khamenei said they reminded the stances of Simon Bolivar, the Latin American Revolutionary figure.

The ayatollah also emphasized the necessity of expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries in different fields.

President Chavez, for his part, by expressing pleasure over his new visit to Iran, called Bolivarian revolution of Venezuela as a brother of the Islamic revolution in Iran and said, ” We intend to expand relations with Iran in different areas.”

Chavez said the American empire is coming to an end and the increasing number of governments in Latin America opposed to the US policy is an evidence to prove claim.

He emphasized the necessity of consolidation among countries with the same stance and opposed to the US policies and pointed out that such countries should expand their cooperation and increase their ability and potentials and never be frightened by the US threats.

Posted in: Blogroll, Iran, Venezuela

Israeli Unit Kills Islamic Jihad Commander

July 29, 2006 9:52 pm / 3 Comments /

The Lebanese front has dominated the news but there’s still plenty of activity on the other:

Palestinian witnesses said undercover soldiers in the West Bank city of Nablus opened fire at several Palestinians, killing two gunmen without engaging in a clash. Initial reports from the witnesses said the militants had returned the soldiers’ fire.

The army said troops fought a gun battle with the militants. Palestinian armed groups said the dead men were Islamic Jihad’s most senior commander in Nablus and a member of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, part of President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah faction.

Posted in: Blogroll, Israel, Politics

Lebanon Pulls Hezbollah Towards a Cease-Fire Agreement

July 29, 2006 3:25 pm / 3 Comments /

This effort is an attempt to craft an official Lebanese position. Israel isn’t directly involved at this point:

The plan also calls for the return of displaced Lebanese to their homes, negotiations between Israel and Lebanon concerning the disputed Shebaa farms now under Israeli control, the disclosure of maps showing Israeli minefields near the Lebanese border, the deployment and strengthening of the Lebanese army and the expansion of the U.N. force in the south.

While Hezbollah agreed to a cease-fire with Israel and an increased international presence in southern Lebanon, the group objected to “a robust force” of international peacekeepers in the region, the sources said.

Hezbollah did not specifically agree to disarm, as Israel has demanded, the sources said. The plan does, however, call for the Lebanese military to take control of southern Lebanon, along with the U.N. force, which implies that the Hezbollah militia would not operate there.

Hezbollah is already upset about the prospect of a multi-national force in Lebanon. Once an agreement like this goes through Hezbollah will regroup and start killing peacekeepers. It’s inevitable.

Posted in: Blogroll, Israel, Politics