Violence erupts on Israel-Lebanon border

[bemildred]

BEIRUT (AFP) – Israel fired three rockets on south Lebanon on Saturday, the Lebanese army said, in a tit-for-tat exchange after a rocket slammed into Israeli territory.

Israeli public radio said a woman was lightly injured by flying glass when the rocket landed near the town of Maalot near the Lebanese border.

In Lebanon, panicked residents were fleeing the border area, an AFP correspondent said.

UN peacekeeping troops have set up checkpoints and were preventing people from heading into the area of the clashes, residents said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090221/wl_afp/mideastconflictisraellebanonrockets_20090221070956

[Chulanowa]

1. Just one question...

Did the three rockets "slam" into Lebanon too?

[azurnoir]

2. Hopefully nothing more comes of this

Katyusha hits western Galilee lightly wounding three people

No one has claimed responsibility for the rocket firing, but Israeli officials stressed that the government holds Lebanon responsible for the attack, carried out from its territory, Israel Radio reported.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304838750&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

I wonder if the Lebanese government will get to investigate and find it self innocent

[MidwestTransplant]

3. I am sure they are smart enought to know it's Hezbollah but the Lebanese gov't doesn't have much

control over them.

[Chulanowa]

4. I'd think a Palestinian faction is more likely.

First, there's no reason for Hezbollah to do this. Second, Hezbollah is always like "Fuck yeah I rocketed yo' shit, what ya gonna do, huh, HUH? Punkass bitch!" or... you know, however thug talk sounds in Arabic. Having smacked Israel around twice (by their own estimation - mine is Israel wasn't that interested) they wouldn't hesitate to claim responsibility.

'Course, given the way politics work in hte region, it could be one of Israel's "friends" in Lebanon trying to start some shit, like Fatah keeps doing from Gaza

[bemildred]

5. One hopes not.

There was some stuff about a missing Israeli up around the N border too, flares and search parties. So I sort of wonder if something is up. Seems more likely to be palestinians than Hezbollah. There have been several stories about rockets being found before firing up there, so maybe they just didn't get found in time.

[oberliner]

6. Hezbollah denies firing Katyusha into north Israel

Hezbollah on Saturday denied having fired a rocket from Lebanon that hit northern Israel earlier in the day, lightly wounding two people.

Ibrahim Mussawi, a spokesman for the militant organization, told AFP that Hezbollah had "nothing to do" with the attack, which was launched from a region largely controlled by Hezbollah and its Amal party ally.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1065824.html

[henank]

7. I like the headline and the first words

Not. They turn the events upside down, as if violence erupted because Israel fired missiles into Lebanon. As an afterthought the katyushas are mentioned.

Nevertheless I have heard from relatives who live in the area that Israel's missiles in the north are set to auto-fire whenever anything is fired from Lebanon. Don't know if that's true but if it is it should give pause to any of the terrorist organizations operating from there before they fire.

[aranthus]

8. No, violence did not "erupt."

Someone started the violence. In particular, someone in Lebanon fired a rocket at Israel.

[IndianaGreen]

9. Here is the script in the age of Bibi/Lieberman

Israel's enemies will provoke a reaction from Bibi/Lieberman knowing full well that they will overreact.

Bibi/Lieberman will follow their harsh rhetoric with equally harsh measures which will further demonize and ostracize Israel in places where it really counts, i.e., the United States.

Israel's enemies will respond to Bibi/Lieberman's excesses by upping the ante.

Bibi/Lieberman will respond in kind and up the ante.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

BTW, the fact that countless of innocent people will get killed, injured, or displaced is a non-factor to the above endless cycle.

[shira]

10. the real question to you and others on your side is....

why would Hezbollah or Hamas WANT to provoke an overreaction from Israel against Arab citizens who trust their leadership to protect them? What kind of political/religious movement intentionally incites violence against its own citizens and deserves to be treated "fairly", or with equal respect that a Western civilized nation deserves?

Can you riddle us that one?

[azurnoir]

11. See comment #6

or do you choose to ignore that?

[shira]

12. okay, this time

but Hezbollah 2006 and Hamas 2009 have shown that they try to provoke an overreaction that intentionally puts Arab citizens in harm'sway. My question still stands. Do you have an answer for it?

[azurnoir]

17. trying to provoke an overreaction?

In 2006 Hezbollah stated quite unequivocally that they were surprised by Israels reaction, they expected more negotiations less bombing something that rings true as that is what had happened in the recent past
In Gaza 2008-2009 I really do not know at the time Hamas refused to extend the "tahidya" I stated they were being stupid because what Israel was going to do was going to happen regardless of Hamas actions, as far as provoking an "over reaction" and glad to see you admit that is what it was, Israel was only too glad to "over react" wasn't it, well at least until........

[IndianaGreen]

13. My side is the one that is fed up with the two sides in the I/P conflict

You both have shown that you are too irresponsible, reckless, cruel, and infantile to be trusted to act as responsible adults. Neither of you deserve Jerusalem!

[shira]

14. so how does one deal with a PA leadership that

intentionally provokes the enemy into attacking its own civilians - hoping that as many are killed as possible? Forget what Israel can do about that - what can any country or host of nations do about such a leadership?

[Vegasaurus]

15. We are supposed to be supportive of Hamas

"the democratically elected leadership of Gaza".

That murders its opposition.

[ohio2007]

16. Thats what "they" say but seeing is believing

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1d6_1234539823

Wonder if JK saw that vid ?

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LK616977.htm