Rocket hits detergent plant in northern Israel

July 28, 2006 - 12:31AM
www.smh.com.au/news

A Hezbollah rocket slammed into a detergent plant in the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shemona on Thursday, security officials said.

A warehouse belonging to Galim Chemicals, which manufactures laundry detergent, suffered a direct hit.

Huge flames and smoke billowed from the building as at least six fire trucks rushed to the scene.

Farej Fares, a local police commander, said no one was in the building when it was hit, and that there was no threat of toxic materials being released into the air.

During Israel's 15-day offensive in Lebanon, Hezbollah has fired more than 1400 rockets into Israel, including 48 that fell on Thursday.

24th July 2006
Only today do I see anywhere a bolster to the obvious "The Israelis want the Litani River water"
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Ralph Nader writes to George Bush

"History, George, does not start two weeks or two months ago. You must read about past U.S. Presidents who, at least, sent high-level emissaries to quell similar border fighting. It worked and prisoners were often exchanged. (...)

You can't take sides and be an honest broker. Just about all our knowledgeable retired military, diplomatic and intelligence officials believe resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the key to deflating other agitations in the region. Freedom and justice for the Palestinian state and security and stability for the Israeli state must both be achieved.

You have turned your back on the courageous and prominent Israeli peace movement which normally reflects the positions of half of the Israeli population. You've never met with any of its leaders – even those in the Knesset or former officials in the military, intelligence and Justice Ministries. Hundreds of reserve combat officers and soldiers of the IDF have refused, in their words, "to fight beyond the 1967 borders to dominate, expel, starve and humiliate an entire population." They pledged only to fight for Israel's legitimate defense. (www.seruv.org.il/defaulteng.asp)"

http://www.counterpunch.org/ Nade...er07222006.html
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Blog comment by NK on xymphora blogspot:I think the only vaguely realist solution would be a threat from european powers allied with Turkey, Russia and China to send in a force to stop Israel. Just that would force the US to sober up a bit. But it'll take long before we get there. Boycott of Israel and the US is the only reasonable line now.
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23rd July 2006

Israeli use of chemical weapons against Palestinians in Gaza
IMEMC & Agencies - Sunday, 23 July 2006, 02:40
An Egyptian legal committee has warned of the serious consequences of the Israeli use of chemical weapons against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip for more than a week now, and have called for an international investigation of the claim.

The committee for citizens' rights in northern Sinai, adjacent to the Gaza Strip, charged that the Israeli warplanes have been releasing chemical materials against the Palestinian populace in the Strip for the past week.

It said that the chemical agents cause extraordinary burns that could turn into cancer and added that they could also cause miscarriages and death of patients especially those suffering chest diseases.

The committee said its members saw the warplanes releasing those chemicals from the Egyptian-Palestinian borders.

Doctors treating Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have called for an international investigation of the types of weapons being used by Israel, as many of the patients have burns that are indicative of possible chemical weapon use by Israel. The organs, particularly the kidney and spleen, of the victims continue to burn even after the person has been declared clinically dead, according to doctors in hospitals throughout the Gaza Strip

Palestinian Center for Human Rights releases report detailing Israeli war crimes

PNN - Friday, 21 July 2006, 13:58

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights released a report today calling attention to the 26 Palestinians killed during the past week by Israeli forces. The report highlighted the lack of accountability of Israeli officials committing war crimes, in violation with the Fourth Geneva Convention and specifically, the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.

In addition to targeting innocent civilians, the report noted that Israeli forces are also targeting press crews working to cover the Israeli attacks. Such targeting is preventing journalists from doing their job and is hindering the ability of the international community to see the inside of the conflict.

In the report, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights also detailed the crimes committed against the Palestinian people beginning with the Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip on 25 June 2006. The crimes have included:

* 115 Palestinian citizens killed, more than half of whom were unarmed

* Around 550 Palestinian citizens wounded, including 134 children and 19 women

* 124 bombings of civilian and military targets in the Gaza Strip, as well as the release of hundreds of artillery shells from land and sea

* The destruction of the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Minstry of the National Economy, and the Prime Minister's Office in Gaza, along with the destruction of several educational institutions

* The destruction of power stations, which provide 45% of the electricity to the Gaza Strip, which resulted in power outages for over half of the population

* The destruction of six bridges in the central and northern sector, and the destruction of several roads, hindering movement of the civilian population.

THE TWO ISRAELI SOLDIERS WERE CAPTURED IN LEBANON

The Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement announced on Wednesday that its guerrillas have captured two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. "Implementing our promise to free Arab prisoners in Israeli jails, our strugglers have captured two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon," a
statement by Hezbollah said.

"The two soldiers have already been moved to a safe place," it added.The Lebanese police said that the two soldiers were captured as they"infiltrated" into the town of Aitaa al-Chaab inside the Lebanese border. [Hindustan Times 7/12/06]

The Lebanese Hezbollah movement announced Wednesday the arrest of two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. Lebanese police said that the two soldiers were arrested as they entered the town of Aitaa al-Chaab inside the Lebanese border. Israeli aircraft were active in the air over southern Lebanon, police said, with jets bombing roads leading to the market town of Nabatiyeh, 60 kilometers south of Beirut. [Bahrain News Agency 7/12/06]

TRANSLATION: According to the Lebanese police force, the two soldiers were captured in Lebanese territory, in the area of Aïta Al-Chaab close to the border, whereas Israeli television indicated that they had been captured in Israeli territory. [fr.news.yahoo 7/12/06]

In the afternoon, the scene changed in the streets of southern Lebanon, which was the target of 32 Israeli raids that mainly targeted areas near the area where the two soldiers were captured in Aita al Chaab, close to the border with Israel. [news.monstersandcritics.com 7/12/06]

It all started on July 12 when Israel troops were ambushed on Lebanon's side of the border with Israel. Hezbollah, which commands the Lebanese south, immediately seized on their crossing. They arrested two Israeli soldiers, killed eight Israelis and wounded over 20 in attacks inside
Israeli territory. [Asia Times 7/15/06]

TRANSLATION: In a deliberated way, Tsahal sent a commando in the Lebanese back-country to Aïta Al Chaab. It was attacked by Hezbollah, making two prisoners. [voltairenet.org 7/18/06]

{comment - KL} Do you get it yet? Israel sent troops across the border into Lebanon. They then claimed the captured invaders were "kidnap victims" and launched their attacks. {end}

JERUSALEM, July 21 (Reuters) - Israel dropped leaflets across Lebanon on Friday offering "attractive material rewards" to people who give information about Hizbollah that helps the Jewish state's offensive against the guerrillas. An army spokeswoman said the rewards could be a range of things, such as cash or a house. It was not clear how such items would be delivered or exactly what information Israel wanted. The leaflets, worded in Arabic, call on people to "remove the sore known as Hizbollah from the heart of Lebanon", gave a phone number and Web site where information could be passed on. Confidentiality was assured, said the leaflet, entitled "All 4 Lebanon".
Rowan Berkeley | 07.22.06 - 2:53 am | xymphora.blogspot.com

germany calling ... germany calling ...

BEIRUT, July 21 (Reuters) - At first, Bushra Khayyat tried to ignore the incessant ringing of the phone at her house in Lebanon's southern port city of Sidon. It was 4 a.m., but she finally got out of bed. "I said hello and got a recorded message from Israel," she told Reuters. In clear Arabic, the strong voice on the phone said: "Oh Lebanese people, we tell you not to follow Hizbollah. We will continue to strike and no one will bring your prisoners back from Israel except the Lebanese government." Other residents of the south have received similar calls. "My grandmother got two calls at 5 and 6 in the morning saying the Israeli state would not stop the attacks and asking everyone to leave the area south of the Litani," said one woman who is stranded in Sidon. "She slammed the phone down." Israel has dropped flyers on Lebanon during its 10-day-old conflict with Hizbollah guerrillas, warning people to stay away from the group's strongholds, warning them to evacuate their villages in the south or caricaturing the chief of Hizbollah. But there was something eerie about the phone calls. "It was a shock to get a call from Israel," said Khayyat, who has since fled the bombardment to Syria and then France. "I have caller ID on my landline and when I checked it came up as 'out of area'. It's not that I was scared, I just wished I could talk back to the voice but it was a recorded message." Khayyat got a similar call two nights later, this time answered by her maid, who, panicking when she heard a voice announce "this is Israel", immediately put down the phone.
Rowan Berkeley | 07.22.06 - 3:08 am | xymphora.blogspot

430 killed Lebanon - 400 of them civilians

The Bush administration has complied with Israel's request for an expedited delivery of satellite and laser-guided bombs, the New York Times reported Saturday. Meanwhile, the reports coming in from southern Lebanon have documented that Israel is engaging in massive, indiscriminate carpet-bombing of villages and refugee camps, as well as firing missiles at bus convoys evacuating refugee families from southern Lebanon.

One US official said normal procedures usually do not include rushing deliveries of weapons within days of a request, but said special arrangements were made in this case because Israel is a close ally in the midst of hostilities.

Pentagon officials declined to describe in detail the size and contents of the shipment to Israel, and they would not say whether the munitions were being shipped by cargo aircraft or some other means, the Times said.

But the paper noted that the expedited missile shipment will likely include as many as 100 GBU-28s, which are 5,000-pound (2,268-kilogram) laser-guided bombs intended to destroy concrete bunkers. These were part of a multi-million dollar arms package agreed upon last year between Israel and the U.S., which also provides for selling satellite-guided munitions, the newspaper said.

Gaza Doctors: "We will run out of medical supplies soon if offensive continues"

Dr. Jom'a Al Saka, the spokesperson of Al Shifa hospital in Gaza, said in an interview with the IMEMC that if the Israeli "Summer Rain" military operation continues, Gaza will run out of medical supplies soon.

He said, "We depend on medical supplies coming from outside, through the terminals surrounding Gaza. Since the military offensive started, those crossings are closed, so the stock of medical supplies we had will run out soon."

The Israeli army have closed all border crossings, both foot-passenger and commercial, and stopped food, fuel and medical supplies from coming into Gaza since the start of the army offensive over three weeks ago.

A human rights centre in Gaza said that 26 people had been killed, and more than 200 injured during this week alone. Among the casualties, women and children. The continued army attacks on the towns and cities of the Gaza Strip have raised fears among doctors that there will soon be no medical supplies left in the Gaza hospitals.

"Soon we will be unable to send ambulances to get patients" Dr Jom'a Al Saka added.

Meanwhile, the General Manager of Ambulances and Emergencies for the Ministry of Health, Dr. Muawiya Hassanein, said in a report published by Ma'an news agency on Thursday, "Ten Palestinians were killed and more than 108 injured, 14 of them seriously, during the last two days in which the Israeli forces penetrated Al Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip,

Hassanain added, "The Israeli forces are using internationally prohibited missiles that contain chemical materials and burning metals and in addition, have shrapnel in the shape of nails". He pointed out that the injuries received in the hospitals as a result of these missiles are very dangerous because the human tissues and muscles are torn and in addition, the injured suffer from severe bleeding, loss of limbs and broken bones.

IMEMC gained interviews with several doctors working in different hospitals in the Gaza strip, and all confirmed the use of non-conventional weapons. One of the doctors we spoke to, Dr. Saeed Jodah, told us, "When the Shrapnel hits the body; it causes very strong burns that destroy the tissues around the bones. When this shrapnel enters the body, it burns and destroys internal organs, like the liver, kidneys, the spleen and other organs, and makes saving the wounded almost impossible. As a surgeon, I have seen thousands of wounds during the Intifada, but nothing was like this weapon."

The latest case that matched these symptoms was Muhammad Muhra, 17, from Al Bureij refugee camp. He was killed on Thursday. His body arrived at the hospital in an almost unrecognizable condition.

To the FREE PEOPLE of the World:
Lebanese Civilians (Christians, Muslims, Druzes & Jews)
Are being SLAUGHTERED
DO NOT TURN YOUR BACK ON US
PRESSURE your government to stop this GENOCIDE!

Paris 22 July 2006

Frank Rynne

Paris demonstration against Israel's bombardment of Lebanon and Palistine.

Nearly 2000 people marched in Paris today to protest against the Israel's offensives against Lebanon and Gaza and the US led war in Iraq. Speakers also denounced the UK's escalating role in the conflict in Afghanistan and called on the international community not to fall in behind the USA in its slow diplomatic response to the crisis. The protestors marched from Barbes to Place de Clichy where a rally was held.

Protestors carrying Lebanese, Palestinian, Iranian, Hamas and Hezbollah flags stood side by side with group from Americans against the War. Behind a banner which read "Jews and Arabs unite for Justice", The French Jewish Union for Peace (Union Juivé pour Paix) and the French Association for Magrebi Workers (Association de Travailleers Magrebins de France) joined together to protest.

The speakers called on people to stop their silence demanded an immediate halt to the hostilities. The French government was criticised for not doing enough to help the situation. French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkosy was also condemned by the speakers. His recent anti-immigrant legislation and his proposal of a "selective immigration" policy has angered many of France's six million Muslims as well as people from other ethic backgrounds who feel increasingly marginalised.

This protest is the first of many which are planned in the coming week. Protest will also be held in St. Denis and other suburbs. On Wednesday next demonstrators have been asked to meet at Place de l'Opera at 18.00 pm. Organisers are hoping for a high turn out.

French TV reports that a protest in Amsterdam was attended by 3000 people.

AND SHAME SHAME, IN IRELAND HERE ONLY A GROUP OF THE SOCIALIST YOUTH MOVEMENT AND JOE HIGGINS TD MARCHED FROM THE CENTRAL BANK TO THE POST OFFICE O'CONNELL ST. THE HANDSTAND EDITOR AND HER DAUGHTER ALSO ATTENDED WITH A PAINTING FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE MIDDLE EAST , A LADY WITH A LARGE PALESTINIAN FLAG AND A GENTLEMAN, FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE WHO ATTACKED THE AIRCRAFT IN SHANNON ( PRESENTLY UNDER PROSECUTION.)

PETITIONS WERE AVAILABLE FOR SIGNING BY BOTH SOCIALIST YOUTH AND IRISH PALESTINE SUPPORT GROUPS AT CENTRAL BANK.

2photos Frank Rynne, Paris protest march