Should Israel stop the bombing?

Question

Should they begin swapping prisoners as Hezbollah has suggested, or should they keep up the bombing even though something is 'on the table' for negotiation

Answer 1

Before anyone starts accusing me of anti-Semitism (which is the usual reaction when Israeli government policy gets criticised, however outrageous it is by any objective measure), I certainly don't deny Israel the right to defend itself.

Problem is, the Israeli government isn't defending itself, it attacked Beirut without warning, without even asking the Lebanese Govt to try and put pressure on Hizbollah to return the hostages. They went straight from a standing start to a military offensive. ("Pre-emptive strike" is a euphemism for "we'll attack first")

The Israelis should stop bombing civilian infrastructure, as it is not the Lebanese government which is firing rockets at them Even if there are a few Hizbollah members of parliament, they don't control the Lebanese government. And I suspect they were democratically elected.

As a side issue, have you noticed how the US government is always talking about democracy, until the "wrong" people get elected? (American democracy doesn't function all that well either. I haven't forgotten what happened in Florida November 2000, even if Dubbya finds it convenient to do so).

Attack the launch positions by all means, bomb the fundamentalist loonies off the face of the planet, beacuse we're better off without that kind of thinking (whatever belief system is allegedly followed, and that includes Creationists, paranoid rightwing militias, neoNazis, and so on), but leave the 95% of the population who had nothing to do with this well alone. Mainland Britain was attacked repeatedly by the IRA for 80 years, but we never carpet-bombed Dublin, as far as I know.

Have you noticed that the Lebanese Govt. is actually just sitting there and taking all the damage without retaliating (or even protesting very much, beyond a few whimpers to the UN)? Shows pretty amazing restraint in my view.

Certainly the Israeli government is not showing a "proportionate response" to terrorism. How is 300+ civilian deaths in Lebanon "proportionate" to about 30 civilian and military deaths in Israel - does that imply that 1 Israeli is worth 10 Lebanese?

The hypocrisy of the US and UK governments here is horrifying - if Israel had been a Muslim state, then Ohmet would be standing next to Saddam, on trial for war crimes. (But then again, if Israel was Muslim-controlled, this would be a non- issue in the first place...)

Answer 2

If you believe, it all started because two soldiers were kidnapped, and exchanging prisoners would put a stop to this , you are very naive !
Israel wanted to attack Lebanon, for a very long time, other countries, as well as "Hezbollah" wanted to attack Israel ! now that it has started, Israel is hoping that in a few years most western people will forget what is happening now ( Just as they had done before ) , so, they will not stop, until they know, Lebanon can not get on it's feet for another 50 Years or so.
But as Fact is usually stranger than Fiction , the final outcome may even be more sinister ....

Answer 3

Stop the bombing yes...swap prisoners...no! Swapping prisoners means that these wretches (Hezbollah and Hamas) can indeed profit just by kidnapping making them worse than thugs and not ending the cycle of pain which we have seen it that horrid dirt trap called the Middle East.

Israel's overkill is stupid and senseless. If I were the Israelis I would have used assasination and elite sniper squads (of course not an invasion) to hunt down Nasrallah and his filth and find the soldiers. No one group of terrorist filth could take on their infantry anyways unless they are heavily outnumbered. And this can send a stronger message than any bombing campaign without killing the innocent civilians.

Yes I am aware of the political consequences of resorting to assasination, but then again which is worse...killing off the political morons and terrorists from both sides who are truely to blame for this madness or killing the innocent people from both ends who have no desire or compunction to fight each other?

Answer 4

There is no way to negotiate with a terrorist group like Israel. They will keep attacking. Just remember the way they invaded the region, evicted thousands of so-called inferior dark-skinned peoples, and set up a country with the help and arms of Western countries.

Answer 5

Did anyone read the first answer? It lays it out pretty clearly.

Also, the last time the US stopped a strategic bombing campaign to negotiate (Vietnam) we wound up leaving the country with our tail between our legs. I hope Israel doesn't do that.

Answer 6

in the course of the finest end hearth.Israel jet rocketed 39 human beings in Gaza.After 4 months Hamas has sufficient and retaliated.The retailiating is remembered by using the west,however the killing of 39 is forgotten. Now the retailiation isn't retaliation in accordance to each and every person yet an act of aggression. u.s. and Britain provide numerous the guns to kill Palestinian toddlers.yet Iran is condemed for imparting guns to Hamas. shame on you the west,shame on you Israel.Britain rejected the UN ceasefire mandate 12 cases in 12 days so as that Israel can get it is killing performed earlier they huge-spread on the 13th day

Answer 7

yes, immediately and also should refrain from use of excessive forces in future.
at the same time Hezbollah should also stop bombing.
both should learn to live together on the same land sharing.
Jerusalem should not be Israel's exclusive property who according the Christians have crucified Jesus.
all three brothers should have access to it.

Answer 8

Yes , @ 4-30 pm on Friday 2010

Answer 9

Maybe Hezbollah should return the kidnapped solders first

Answer 10

yes.

at some stage one side has to back down. There will never be an end to conflicy in the middle east if retribution is seen as the outcome of any action.