Just now, CNN’s Paula Zahn interviewed the Syrian Ambassador to the UN. He’s just depicted the Israelis as warmongerers for the last 60 years, and Syria and Palestine as victims. (Apparently it’s irrelevant that the Israelis have been living for years with Palestinian and Syrian suicide bombers around every corner.) The ambassador would not answer Paula’s direct question about whether Syria expects that Israel will attack them, instead replying that Israel does this whenever peace is at hand. Syria also skated the question of whether the Syrian or Lebanese government was in touch with Hezbollah. When Zahn asked the ambassador if he could confirm that the Israeli soldiers abducted by Hezbollah were still alive, he countered with the plight of 10,000 Arab prisoners in Israeli jails. Maybe it’s just me, but the guy looked like he was reading from a teleprompter - his eyes were darting back and forth faster than a tennis ball at Wimbledon. At this very moment, Israeli warplanes are bombing the hell out of a suburb of Beirut.
To recap, Israel today took out the fuel depot at the Beirut Airport, struck Lebanese army bases, and a bridge or 2 in both Lebanon and Gaza. Then, in response to Iran’s statement that a strike on Syria would be an attack on the Arab world, the Israelis bombed the road to Damascus (how poignant that sounds) - on the Lebanese side, just to show the Syrians and Iranians that route is closed. They’ve also blocked Lebanon’s ports, effectively cutting off supply routes to Hezbollah or any other militant faction holed up in Beirut. Hezbollah militants totally deny they launched a rocket which hit the Israeli city of Haifa - a city of civilians. This morning Fox News correspondent David Lee Miller was fired upon by Israeli forces in Gaza while broadcasting on Fox and Friends. Miller, after leaving the scene with his photographer, reported that he thought that the Israeli troops wanted them to "move." I guess that’s one way to get the message across, hm?
Meanwhile back at the barely effective UN, a group of Arab states introduced a resolution to condemn Israel’s actions, which was veto’d by the US- the vote being 10 to 1, with 4 countries abstaining. BTW, someone should tell Condi to get on the same page as her boss, since Condi made a statement advising Israel to maintain some "restraint" while the President says Israel should be able to defend themselves. (That may be on purpose so George W. wouldn’t have to say it.)
It’s gonna be a busy news night....stay tuned. Before I forget, oil rose above $78 bucks a barrel.
Update 9:24pm: Fox News reporting Israel believes that Iranian forces working with Hezbollah militants launched the rocket that hit Haifa today. Woo boy.
Technorati Tags: Current Affairs, Lebanon, Beirut, Israel, Hezbollah, CNN, Fox News, UN, Condi Rice, Paula Zahn, Syria
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