Have your say on Lebanon crisis

To read a selection of earlier comments click here

I hope Lebanon’s Shia, whom I belong to, realise that Hizbollah is just a puppet to Iran and Syria. They couldn’t care less for Lebanon as their ultimate goal is the destruction of Israel. Unfortunately, My beloved Lebanon is being destroyed in the process. Wake up Nasrallah.

– Hassan, US

Politically, Hezbollah is now stronger than ever in Lebanon and in Arab world opinion. It has defintively proved Israel can be halted and defeated. We can suppose Syria and Iran will not leave their ally alone and the Lebanese know they need help. What is important is not what bureaucrats think but what masses feel. And they feel Israel can be stopped. Lebanon in this sense was a new Stalingrad and we can suppose Palestinians learned that too.

– Drweski, France

Hezbollah can gloat only because Israel was not allowed to unleash its full power, due to world opinion. While Hezbollah was allowed with impunity to launch thousands of rockets towards Israeli civilians, Israel was daily criticised for hurting Lebanese civilians.  If Israel had ignored public relations, it could have destroyed Hezbollah very easily.

– Niatum, US 

Our unquestioning support for Israel and democracy by bombing will someday come home to the US and I fear it won’t be pretty. The world is too complex for our current leadership and I know we are headed for a radicalized world due to our drunken disregard for the rest of the world.

– Dyke Vondale Davis, US

To obtain peace in the Middle East you must first solve the Palestinian homeland problem. The Palestinians must choose between having a homeland or having revenge, you can’t have both. If the choice is a homeland, negotiate with Israel. Abbas is the best hope of the Palestinian people but he can’t negotiate because Hamas will always attack Israel because Hamas doesn’t want peace, they want Israel destroyed. The same is true in Lebanon; Hezbollah doesn’t want peace with Israel they want revenge. Lebanon didn’t attack Israel, Hezbollah attacked Israel from Lebanese soil and in the process, hijacked Lebanon’s sovereignty. Israel will negotiate for peace, if you need proof, refer to the peace between Israel and Egypt.

– Jamal Brown, US

The very people they are supposed to be defending are decimated, and Hezballah declares a victory?

– Robby, US

 
Hezbollah claim victory at the cost of Lebanese blood, how brave. Hundreds of innocent civilians, mostly women and children, died. It is time for Lebanese to take over their country, they should disarm Hezbollah. Lebanon has a government, if they chose to go to war with Israel let their parliament declare war on Israel. Not some Iranian puppets.

– Mitch, US

I’m angry at many – Israel for all the civilian casualties, and the economic devastation to a country, Hezbollah for taking action that led to a war in Lebanese territory, the UN – for not inforcing ANY UN resolutions, not only 1559 but all the preceeding UN resolutions that they have been allowing Israel to do whatever they want. Their resolutions are not worth the paper they are written on. I’m also angry at the US – for using my tax dollars to support the Israel military. I watched US military technology and arms destroy the Lebanese infrustructure and the Lebanese Government – for not getting their act together since the election. There are no winners – only losers; mainly the Lebanese people whose homes and lives have been needlessly lost.

– Dawn, Lebanon/US

If these people who were slaughtered in their homes had been Amercian citizens, all hell would have broken loose as soon as the first bomb hit the ground. I can’t believe the ridiculous comments I’ve been hearing, that the citizens allowed Hezbollah to hide in their homes, that Hezbollah struck first, etc. I don’t believe either Israel or Hezbollah were right in their decisions, but maybe the world should start listening to the reasons why there is a Hezbollah. There were other ways this could have been handled and knowing that
my government funded the killing of innocent civilians makes me sick and ashamed to be an American.

– Dala, US

After just two days of the truce, Syria and Iran are playing again their negative role. They don’t want peace, they want to increase their power in the Middle East at the expense of their own people. I think that the time as come for the international community to take action against these two renegate states, particularly Iran.

– Jacquelin Ouellette, Canada

Hezbollah are justified to claim victory against Israel.They fought with such attrition. Hezbollah has now set a trend in the Middle East,for moderates to stand up and protect their territories and interests. Hezbollah has stood bravely against this ruthless war machine and emerged victorious.

– Maxwell, South Africa

It is so interesting and disheartening that Israel is seen as the aggressor. Israel, in their small steps towards peace pull out of territories and are then attacked. Does anyone think that any other country would sit back while rockets were being launched into their land? Of course not! Do you see Hezbollah sending out leaflets to civilians in Haifa warning of the rockets? No. They directly target Israeli civilians and then embed themselves among the Lebanese civilians so the poor victims are the innocent. Hezbollah has no value for life and all those who support them are just fooling themselves.

– Nina, US

Let us hope this last war shall mean a turning point; meaning that the world starts taking care of the problems of the Palestinian people in their long wait for a country and not always giving the Israelis first choice! I pray for a better future for this part of the world

– Christine, location not given

I do not understand, if you are going to defend yourself why do you carry out airstrikes and kill civilians? It is so unaccepted and immoral.

– Mohd, Malaysia

I don’t understand why people are upset at Israel for defending itself.  Last I checked Hezbollah attacked Israel first, yes they took only 2 soldiers but people forget they also killed other soldiers during the raid. They say Israel killed innocent civilians; I ask, name ONE military target of Hezbollah over 2,000 rockets fired into Israel.

– Jamal, USA

Cease fire…its a farce and a joke. There will never be any peace till the rights of the Palestinians and the Lebanese are addressed. The greedy West will not let up till they have annexed as their playing fields to test their latest weaponry on the people of these regions.

– Nobu, Japan

Doesn’t it bother anyone that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is already publicly stating that Israel has no intention of abiding by the truce? He stated that they will continue to hunt down the leaders of Hezbollah. That doesn’t sound like a truce to me.

– Chris, USA

Israel, with the help of the US, planned its invasion of Lebanon over a year ago, and used the capture of soldiers that Hezbollah planned to use for prisoner exchange as their excuse to attack.  It outrages me that the Bush administration funds this violence and death with my tax dollars and borrows billions every month to continue its own immoral war in Iraq. Israel may fool itself by insisting they are the “victims” but surely do not fool anyone else.

– Bernice, USA

Bush administration supplies bombs and missiles to Israel and yet complains about Muslim countries like Syria and Iran helping Lebanon.  To see all the destruction and bloodshed of women and children, only very insensitive people could stay untouched.

– Yasmin, Canada

The de-facto defeat of Israel in the four week war with Hezbollah marks a new and significant signpost in creation of the “New World Reality.”
Hezbollah may not have won in the conventional sense, but in the minds of the masses of the region it has. The message from Lebanon is simple, Israel is no longer invincible, the US is no longer unbeatable. We can win!

– Stephen Morgan, Belgium

Both sides are losers for the destruction they both inflicted on each other.

– Anonymous, USA

Israel, the settler state is the real terrorist and they have duped and tricked the USA. We are the fools to believe any of their lies! The media here in the USA has twisted the story again and again… The Arab governments in my eyes have disgraced themselves; since I am not from there I can not understand why they do not stand up for the rights of their peoples. They have the power and yet they do not use it.

– Lauraz, US

The world community is so worried about offending Israel that they will not condemn them and shout out the truth…”You’re committing murder against the Lebanese people”! How many more times must Lebanon rebuild their lives and home and bury thousands at a time before Israel and the rest of the world acknowledges their right to live (in peace) on the land they live on?  As for those who believe Hezbollah are defending Lebanon, think again – they are nothing but hoods and criminals who have their own agenda and helping the people of Lebanon isn’t among their priorities!

– Joan, Canada

It is the citizens and parents of Lebanon that permit Hezbollah to hide amongst them that are to blame for innocent deaths. It is unconscionable to hide criminals in your midst and then claim they are hitting innocent children and people.  They or their neighbors are to blame. Stop it and you will be fine. Fathers and brothers need the courage to stop allowing this.  It is not Israel’s fault, it is your own.  Take control of your own streets and you will have lasting peace. 

– Joe, US

Rice and the Administration will now have to step back and re-think the situation. Hezbollah has not been destroyed and Israel did not prevail. The USA needs to be pragmatic and not go onto a wild goose chase after Islamo-Fascists: they are there but not of real consequence in this current leb/Israel situation. The USA must recognise Hamas and Hezbollah as political entities and involve them in yet another round of ” land for peace ” and try to hold Israel’s feet to the fire in ensuing talks.

– Donald Hart, US

This is a most significant defeat for the Israelis which will really hurt their psyche. They had three war aims, the release of their soldiers, the destruction of Hezbollah and the ending of rocket attacks on northern Israel. They failed in all three aims. Hezbollah is now politically the strongest organisation in the Arab world and has not suffered too much militarily. They are undoubtedly the big winners.

– Alan McPartland, Ireland

Lebanon has lost 1,000 innocent people over 2 kidnapped soldiers. Israel and the U.S. feel that this is totally justified. Will the U.S. feel that there is justice if someone retaliates for the rape and vicious murder of a 14 year old girl by U.S. soldiers? Or will they maintain their double standard?

– Pamela, US

What exactly have the Arab and Muslim leaders done? The Arab world has the biggest and most effective weapon in the world i.e. oil. why not use it?? Arab leaders are more concerned about filling their pockets than protecting Arab/Muslim lives.

– FK, UK

All this is instigated by relatively small groups of extremists (Hezbollah, Hamas, et al. The Palestinian and Lebanese people should not allow these organizations to control them. It’s time for the Palestinians and Lebanese (and all others) to stand up to the terrorists and eliminate them. Then you will have peace with Israel. Read a history book: Israel never attacks without a pretext, all Israel wants is safety for its people.

– Jim, US

I do not believe that a cease fire will bring a lasting end to the Israeli-Arab conflict. There have been various ceasefires issued in the past many times before (that were associated with Israel) and those did not result in peace, what makes this cease fire any different? It may bring peace for a short period of time, however I have acknowledged the fact that it will never last. I say that with frustration because I usually think in an optimistic manner, but in this case realism has kicked in. As long as Israel remains unable to rightfully settle its past – no, more like historical problems with Lebanon and Palestine, peace will stay forever as a dream that will never come true.

– Mahdi, Canada

Israel wants to show that might is right. To solve all the problems of terrorism one must first and foremost solve the Palestinian problem by doing justice with the Palestinians then and only then every thing will turn normal. Israel and the US and the UK do not want to solve the problem, though.

– Amjan, India

I think in my own opinion and in the opinion of many other people that this so called “ceasefire” is only a short term fixture of the war between Lebanon and Israel as Israel still occupies some of Lebanon’s land and all Lebanon is trying to do is get its land back for its people. I also reckon that Hezbollah is not a terrorist organisation as America and Israel say it is, it is a resistance force that helps its people and its country to defend itself.

– Ahmz, Australia

No, there will not be peace unless there is a comprehensive regional peace between Israel and Arabs. Israel should end the killing of Palestinians and the occupation of Arab lands. Also Arabs should acknowledge Israel as a state. The killing of more Palestinians will increase hatred towards Israel and America. The world will not be a safe place unless the powerful leaders bring solution to the Middle East crises. The world does not want to know the root causes of the problem. The Lebanese crisis is not a new phenomenon created by Hezbollah and Israel. 

– Hussain Faiz, Australia

With the exception of Iran, most Arab governments in the Middle East are just happy with spending the money that flows from their natural resources on frugal pleasures; these governments are not protecting the long range future of their countrymen. For them, life is a carnival to be enjoyed away ( in Europe or America). Hezbollah is giving them a wake up call. Soon many corrupted Arab regimes will be overthrown; that is the legacy of Israel’s defeat in Lebanon!

– Aristides Garcia, Amsterdam, Holland

It’s a game that politicians are playing with innocent civilians and make it like they are very sorry for the loss of life and property. I just wonder if they will do anything about it? How can they sleep at night? Israel will never be held accountable for their atrocities but Hezbollah is the bad guy. Yet, Nasrallah has been very correct by accepting UN resolution with great dignity and moral for the sake of the Lebanese people. Of course, Israel just has to complete playing its game like a child and talk about getting their soldiers without condition. What kind of a game is this?

– Yvonne Siblini, India

Lasting peace will only be possible when Lebanon controls its borders with its own military, under the control of the elected government. Hezbollah is a stateless militia with responsibility to no-one, and as such can only destabilise the region.
The same could be said for the IRA in Northern Ireland. Similarly, the forces of Hamas must become integrated into a Palestine government controlled military.
Nation states cannot be viable until they have control of their own military.

– Ian Murdoch, UK

The UN brokered peace will only provide a temporary halt in the hostility.  The assault on Lebanon under the pretense of rectification of the militia is a charade.  This ground work for an assault as such has been worked with great insight.  The assassination of Rafik Hariri and the pressured withdrawal of Syrian army has been well writ.  The minuscule excuse of soldiers being abducted and the border assault is truly imbecilic. Israel has carried out much blatant assault on the neighboring sovereign states along with abduction without any international outcry.  This temporary respite if any may provide a breather for the destitute civilians but holds no long term bearing promise.

– Tabish Ahsan, NJ, US

 

The ceasefire may not bring a lasting end to the conflict, however Israel may consider accepting negotiation offers in the future instead of hostile and offensive deeds such as tearing down a country; because Israel will now consider Lebanon more powerful than what it had thought before.

– Nazila Safavi, California, US