Special Extended Coverage Report:  Israeli-Hezbollah Conflict in Lebanon 

Prelude

On  May 28, 2006,  the United Nations (U.N.) announced that it brokered a truce following incidences involving mutual missile attacks along the Israel-Lebanon border. In one of the most significant attacks since December 2005, Katyusha rockets from Lebanon were fired across the border toward northern Israeli bases around Mount Miron. While no specific militant group claimed responsibility, it the past, such attacks have been carried out by the likes of Hezbollah as well as Lebanon-based Palestinian militants.  In retaliation, Israeli jets fired on guerilla bases in Lebanon.  Clashes between guerillas and Israeli troops then ensued along the boundary between Israel and Lebanon and residents in the area were instructed to take cover. The area has been a particularly volatile zone despite the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon in 2000, following an occupation that lasted close to two decades.  Still, there has remained a contested territory in the border region called the Shebaa Farms, which remains the site of periodic confrontations.

Background and Primer

In mid-July 2006, the leader of Lebanon-based Hezbollah announced that his militant Islamic group had captured two Israeli soldiers.  The Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, asserted that the soldiers would only be returned through a combination of dialogue and prisoner exchange.  He added that the operation had been planned in advance of the capture of another Israeli soldier by Palestinian militants in Gaza. Underscoring his militant stance, the head of Hezbollah also said that if Israel wanted to escalate the crisis, his group would be ready to deal with a possible confrontation.

The Israeli government held urgent cabinet meetings regarding the situation and approved a strong military offensive in Lebanon -- in response to Hezbollah's actions and also for the purpose of finding the two captured soldiers.  Israel warned that it would hold Lebanon responsible for the fates of the two captured soldiers, pointing to the fact that Hezbollah had been allowed to attack Israel from within Lebanese borders with impunity and irrespective of the parameters of international law.  Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert characterized the actions of Lebanon-based Hezbollah as an "act of war." The Israeli leader's promise of "painful" and "far-reaching" consequences was issued just as its forces launched a military assault on southern Lebanon.

The military assault left several Israeli troops and civilians dead, even as roads as well as Hezbollah interests were attacked within Lebanon.  Indeed, as the conflict raged on, parts of the Lebanese capital of Beirut were decimated -- particularly southern suburban areas known to be Hezbollah strongholds.  The country's main infrastructure, including major highways, were bombed in order to prevent Hezbollah from receiving arms and support - allegedly from Iran via Syria.  The human dimension was not to be ignored as hundreds of civilians were killed in Lebanon as a result of Israel's military actions.  On the other side of the border in Israel, the death toll and injury list, albeit in notably lower numbers, continued to rise  as a consequence of a relentless barrage of rocket attacks by Hezbollah.  Indeed, rocket attacks became systematically more pronounced over time -- traveling further distances and more deeply into Israeli territory and with greater frequency.

The two main players in the drama unfolding in the Middle East had their own perspectives as well.  With no sign that the conflict was easing, the government of Lebanon called for a ceasefire with Israel and also requested assistance from the United Nations. Lebanon was desperate for an end to the violence as its terrain bore the brunt of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.  As a result, the Lebanese people, a first outraged at Hezbollah for placing them in an untenable position, had now turned their anger toward Israel.  Meanwhile, Israel maintained the view that its two soldiers had to be returned and Hezbollah rocket attacks against Israel had to be stopped.  To these ends, Israel was willing to take radical actions to achieve a long-term solution. 

On the international scene, leaders laid primary blame for the situation at the feet of Hezbollah. They echoed Israel's demand for the release of the two abducted soldiers and a cessation of rocket attacks on Israel, which had left scores of people dead and hundreds injured. Nevertheless, they also demanded that Israel cease its military operation, which had destroyed several Hezbollah interests at a terrible cost.  They pointed to the devastation of  the city of Beirut, as well as hundreds of civilian Lebanese lives and thousands of injuries, which were taken as collateral damage.  The deaths of the United Nations peacekeepers as well as the deaths at Qana were particularly bleak examples of the high cost of Israel's operation.  Israeli Prime Minister Olmert asserted that his country was cognizant of the humanitarian aspect of the situation regarding Lebanon's civilians.  In fact, his Lebanese counterpart, Fuad Siniora, said on United States television that it was something the two of them had discussed.  That said, Olmert maintained the position that Israel was compelled to defend itself against terrorism.

Diplomatic efforts were underway to try to bring an end to the violence.  Attempts to draft a United Nations Security Council Resolution on the matter were marred somewhat by different policy imperatives of various countries. Lebanon's failure to enforce a previous United Nations Security Council Resolution (1559), which was intended to disarm militias from attacking Israel from within its borders, was a key concern. Indeed, it led to discussions about the creation of a new international force, which would be tasked with ensuring that security was maintained in the border region.  Israel's heavy-handed military operation was also a source of great concern with many critics wondering whether it would not result in increased animosity in the Middle East, rather than regional peace and stability. Iran and Syria became increasingly implicated in the conflict as backers of Hezbollah, while the United States' support for Israel and its refusal to call for an immediate ceasefire became the source of global debate.

On August 11, 2006, United Nations Security Resolution 1701 called for an end to the hostilities and provided for the stablishment of more robust United Nations enforcement in the border region.  By August 14, 2006, the ceasefire was officially in effect.  A few days later, Lebanese troops crossed the Litani River to take up positions on the southern border with Israel.  Their presence, however, was viewed as more of a symbolic development than a strategic one since it remained unknown how they would control the region that had become a Hezbollah stronghold over a period of decades.  The fragile ceasefire was holding despite occasional flare-ups of violence. Still, the United Nation was warning that the ceasefire was at risk of collapsing in the aftermath of a raid by Israelis in the Bekaa Valley due to apparent attempts by Hezbollah to rearm itself. In the last days of August 2006, there were also rising accusations about the violations of humanitarian law during the conflict.

Meanwhile, displaced Lebanese people were returning home.  As well, the United Nations said that it was hoping to establish 3,500 troops in southern Lebanon within two weeks and up to 15,000 in a month.  There was also a call for European countries to contribute troops since Israel objected to the presence of peacekeepers from countries that do not recognize its right of existence.  In addition to the orchestration and deployment of the United Nations peacekeeping mission on the Lebanese-Israeli border, there were also efforts underway to raise funds to be used to reconstruct Lebanon's destroyed infrastructure.

In the backdrop of these developments both Israel and Hezbollah made competing claims of victory.  However, by the close of August 2006, Hezbollah's leader expressed regret that his orders to capture two Israeli soldiers had sparked a war that had left more than 1,000 people dead and which had decimated southern Lebanon.


Editor's Notes: 

Hezbollah (Hizbollah) --

Hezbollah (also known as Hizbollah) is a militant movement founded with the assistance of Iran's late revolutionary leader, Ayatollah Khomeini.  Although it is accused of being a terrorist organization by the West, it is regarded as a legitimate resistance movement by many Arabs and Muslims. The group endeavors to restructure Lebanon as an Islamic state and has called for the destruction of the state of Israel.  Functionally, it has had control of the border region between Israel and Lebanon since the withdrawal of Israeli forces in 2000.  Like the militant group, Hamas, in the Palestinian territories, Hezbollah also has a political wing, which has won representation in government.  Indeed, there is a Hezbollah representative serving as a government minister in Lebanon.


The following countries made pledges toward the peacekeeping mission along the Lebanese-Israeli border --

France: Leadership and 2,000 troops
Italy: 2,500-3,000 troops; also offered to take on leadership of the mission
Bangladesh: Two battalions (up to 2,000 troops)
Malaysia: One battalion
Spain: One  battalion
Indonesia: One battalion, an engineering company
Nepal: One battalion
Denmark: At least two ships
Poland: 500 troops
Finland: 250 troops
Belgium: 302 troops to be increased to 392
Germany: Maritime and border patrols but no combat troops
Norway: 100 soldiers

Introduction to Day-to-Day Coverage: Positions in the Conflict

 The initial assault left several Israeli troops and civilians dead, even as roads as well as Hezbollah interests were attacked within Lebanon. Israel was now dealing with crises on two fronts.  First, it was carrying out an operation in the Gaza Strip to rescue Corporal Galid Shalit, who had been captured by Palestinian militants.  As a result, there was an ongoing conflict between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants taking place in Gaza.  A second operation into Lebanon was now being launched to rescue Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev -- the two soldiers captured by Lebanon-based Hezbollah.  Nevertheless, despite the overwhelming task of fighting on two fronts, Prime Minister Olmert ruled out any negotiations with Hezbollah, just as it had foreclosed the discussions with Hamas.  Additionally, his government filed a complaint with the United Nations, calling on the Security Council to enforce an existing resolution [1559] that required the Lebanese government to disarm militias.

For its part, Lebanon said it had no knowledge of Hezbollah's activities and would not take responsibility for the abduction  of the two Israeli soldiers.  To this end, Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora said, "The government was not aware of and does not take responsibility for, nor endorses what happened on the international border."  Experts on the ground in Lebanon also pointed to the fact that despite the existence of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559, the country simply was not in the position -- politically or militarily -- to disarm Hezbollah on its own. 

July 13, 2006

On July 13, 2006, the situation intensified after Israeli forces bombed the Beirut international airport and later a main Lebanese army base in the Bekaa Valley. As well, Israeli warships blocked Lebanese ports. An assault on targets across southern Lebanon at that time left approximately 50 people -- most of whom were civilians -- dead.  There were also reports of several Israeli casualties as a result of attacks by Hezbollah in the northern part of Israel.

With a war-like scenario unfolding, both Israelis and Lebanese on their respective sides of the border were fleeing to safety. Tourists in the region also joined the exodus, with many trying to cross the northern border into Syria.  Special emergency flights were being planned to pick up stranded tourists trying to escape the escalating violence.
Lebanon's Social Affairs Minister, Naila Mouawad, called for the two Israeli soldiers to be returned home.  She also reiterated Lebanon's previously-noted position that her government was neither aware of Hezbollah's plan, nor supported it.  That said, Mouawad criticized Israel's response for being too heavy-handed, particularly with regard to the lives of Lebanese civilians.  She warned that Lebanon was experiencing a catastrophe and explained that her government could not disarm Hezbollah by force.

In the late hours of July 13, 2006, at least two rockets hit Haifa.  Hezbollah quickly denied firing them.  Nevertheless, the timing of the attacks -- only hours after the group had threatened to carry out this very act -- did little to assuage suspicions that Hezbollah was responsible.   That said, it should be noted that although Hezbollah fired several rockets into Israel over the course of the previous days, none had traveled more than 12 miles  (approximately 20 kilometers).  As such, there was some skepticism that Haifa could be hit at all.  Regardless, the distance traversed by the rockets suggested that since Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon, Hezbollah had been busy accumulating more sophisticated weaponry.  Left unsaid at the time was the matter of who would have furnished more technologically-advanced rockets to Hezbollah. For its part, Israel reacted to the rocket attacks on Haifa by characterizing it as a major escalation. 

Global Reaction

With no sign that the conflict was easing, the government of Lebanon called for a cease-fire with Israel and also requested assistance from the United Nations.  To this end, the United  Nations Security Council was set to meet on July 14, 2006 to discuss the crisis unfolding in the Middle East. The European Union said that it would deploy its head of foreign policy, Javier Solana, to the region to try to assist in bringing an end to the violence. The Arab League was also reported to have scheduled an emergency session.

Meanwhile, there was a growing state of anxiety across the globe, with many countries calling for restraint from all parties involved. United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan condemned both the abduction of the Israeli soldiers as well as the resulting offensive by Israeli forces into Lebanon. Russian, France and the European Union expressed the view that Israel's response to the capture of two soldiers was disproportionate. But Israeli spokesman, Mark Regev, said that Israel was simply responding to an "unprovoked act of aggression."  United States President George W. Bush characterized Hezbollah as terrorists and supported Israel's right to defend  itself.  However, he also warned that whatever action Israel took, it should be mindful of the stability of the Lebanese government. Margaret Beckett, the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, took a similar position saying that while Israel had to ensure its own security, it should do so in a way that avoided civilian deaths.  The Vatican later added its condemnation of the situation - calling for the release of the soldiers by Hezbollah and decrying  Israel's strikes against the sovereignty of Lebanon.

Conditions on the Ground

Amidst these varied calls for restraint, the crisis intensified further. Along the Israeli-Lebanese border, heavy fighting took a toll.  Reports suggested that Israel had endured its worst losses in the area in several  years.  Hezbollah fired rockets in the direction of northern Israel and threatened to attack Israel's port city of Haifa if any attacks on Beirut took place.   As noted above, Israel did, indeed, bomb the airport in Beirut earlier in the day and further strikes on the city followed.

July 14, 2006

By the early hours of July 14, 2006, reports emerged that Israeli forces were carrying out a new round of attacks on Hezbollah targets inside Lebanon.  Among the targets were various Hezbollah interests in the southern part of Beirut --buildings believed to house Hezbollah weapons caches and offices of Hezbollah's leader (Sheik Hassan Nasrallah).   Other strategic targets, such as a power plant and the main highway between Beirut and Damascus (Syria), were also hit by Israeli strikes.  Several spokespersons said that in addition to trying to free their two captured soldiers (as noted above), Israeli forces were also endeavoring to stop Hezbollah's flow of weaponry between Lebanon and Syria, which have been used to carry out terrorist attacks against Israel.  Earlier, Israel had warned Lebanon that  the suburbs of the country's capital city should be evacuated -- presumably a foreshadowing of what was to follow.

Later on July 14, 2006, Israeli forces struck bridges, Hezbollah's media and security headquarters, and the Beirut offices of Hassan Nasrallah.  The Hezbollah leader was not hurt in the attack.  In an address broadcast after the striking of his offices, Nasrallah declared "open war" on Israel.  Meanwhile, Hezbollah continued to systematically launch rocket attacks into northern Israel.  The violence left several people dead on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border.

On that day, the United Nations Security Council met to discuss the crisis, which was taking on the characteristics of warfare.  Lebanon's ambassador to the United Nations, Nouhad Mahmoud, called for an end to Israel's operation in Lebanon saying, "The Security Council meets today in the shadow of a widespread, barbaric aggression waged by Israel to this very moment against my nation, Lebanon." But Israeli Ambassador Dan Gillerman responded by saying that his country had no choice but to respond to Hezbollah's actions.  He also noted that the Lebanese people were the ones suffering because of their government's ineffectiveness in disarming Hezbollah, as set forth in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559.  United States Ambassador John Bolton called for disarmament saying, "All militias in Lebanon, including Hezbollah, must disarm and disband immediately, and the Lebanese government must extend and exercise its sole and exclusive control over all Lebanese territory."

July 15, 2006

By July 15, 2006, the level of violence was escalating.  In one attack by Hezbollah, an Israeli warship off the Lebanese coast was hit by an Iranian-made missile. Three Israeli sailors were reported missing while Israeli media said that the body of a fourth sailor had been found. The leader of Hezbollah had earlier alluded to such an attack in his aforementioned address threatening "open war" on Israel. Then, Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon resulted in the deaths of several Lebanese civilians who were attempting to flee the region.   Israeli strikes on targets across Lebanon, stretching as far north toward the border with Syria, were ongoing. Beirut continued to bear the brunt of the Israeli offensive with the city's port, gas stations, key roads and Hezbollah interests being struck.  Meanwhile, Hezbollah continued its systematic pounding of northern Israel with rocket attacks.  The town of Tiberius was among those hit in Israel. There were reports of casualties on the ground.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora repeatedly emphasized his country's call  for a cease-fire, calling on the United Nations to administer such a move.  In response, the United Nations said it would send a peace delegation to the region to assess the situation.  For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he would concur with a cease-fire so long as certain conditions were met.  He said that Hezbollah had to release the two abducted soldier and cease rocket attacks at northern Israel, while Lebanon had to comply with  the existing United Nations Security Council resolution [1559].  Israel also accused  Syria  and Iran of conspiring with Hezbollah and the Palestinian group, Hamas, against the Jewish state. In this regard, Israel particularly drew attention to the Iranian-made missiles, which allegedly hit its warship, as noted above.  Iran, however, denied supplying Hezbollah with the missiles. Earlier, in a telephone conversation with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reportedly warned of a strong response to any Israeli military offensive against Syria.  

July 16, 2006

On July 16, 2006, an attack by Hezbollah on Haifa killed several Israelis. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned that the attack on Haifa -- the country's third largest city --  would yield grave consequences. Indeed, the resulting retaliation came in the form of  intensified Israeli  air raids across Lebanon, including the northern part of that country.  About seven Lebanese soldiers at a military post at Abdeh were killed  in the strikes.  The city of Tripoli was also among the areas struck by Israeli forces. Israeli air strikes ongoing in southern Lebanon also left a number of  people dead.  An attack on Tyre and a border village left several more people dead, including some holding Canadian citizenship. Strikes against strategic interests, such as fuel tanks at the Beirut airport, also continued. Meanwhile, Hezbollah's rockets were traveling more deeply into northern Israel, as exemplified by attacks on the town Afula, located close to Nazareth.  In this way, the death toll was also mounting on the Israeli side of the Lebanese-Israeli border.  Nazrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, promised that the battle against Israel had only just begun.

July 17, 2006

A day later on July 17, 2006, Israeli strikes resulted in the deaths of about 10 Lebanese as they crossed a bridge; several others died in strikes elsewhere in Lebanon as the death toll in that country rose. There were some reports that Israeli forces crossed the border into southern Lebanon, however, this activity was not regarded as a large-scale operation. In Israel, the continuous series of rocket attacks by Hezbollah resulted in Israeli casualties.  Also, Hezbollah said that it had brought down an Israeli F-16 fighter jet over Beirut, however, that claim was dismissed by Israeli authorities who said all their jets were accounted for.

Within the Israeli parliament, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made it clear that strikes on Lebanon would continue unless the two abducted soldiers were released, Hezbollah was disarmed and Lebanon showed that it was taking control over its own southern border with Israel.  Olmert said, "When missiles are launched at our residents and our towns, our answer will be war waged at full strength, with all determination, courage and sacrifice."   He also noted that Israel was not looking for war or direct conflict, but it would deal with that reality if necessary. The Israeli government continued to assert that militant groups, such as Lebanon-based Hezbollah and Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank, were functioning in tandem with accused state sponsors of terrorism, Iran and Syria.  Those two countries were referred to as "an axis of terror."

Also on July 17, 2006, French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin traveled to Beirut as a measure of French solidarity with the people of Lebanon and to try to advance a ceasefire agreement. As the French head of government was arriving in Lebanon, the foreign policy head of the European Union, Javier Solana, was returning  from his trip to that country and warned that a ceasefire might not be quickly reached.  Likewise, United Nations Special Envoy Vijay Nambiar said that although he had made some initial progress during ceasefire talks in Beirut, much was yet to be done.  Nambiar also noted that it was imperative that Lebanon be more involved in the ceasefire process.  Clearly, Hezbollah's unilateral actions against Israel served to essentially marginalize the Lebanese government.  The government was also faced with the reality that conflicting ideas about where to place blame served only to create dissonance within the military -- a condition that could spark factionalism or another civil war.

July 18, 2006

The following day, Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora again blamed Hezbollah for sparking the conflict and repeated his call for the release of the Israeli soldiers.  At the same time, he condemned Israel for its harsh military response.  Indeed, he reportedly said in an interview with British media that Israel had opened "the gates of hell and madness" on Lebanon.   Lebanon's  pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud took a somewhat different view as he promised to stand by Hezbollah's leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.  The different stances of Siniora and Lahoud laid bare the brewing  political discord within Lebanon. 

July 18, 2006 was also the day a delegation from the United Nations, led by Vijay Nambiar,  was set to meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to discuss the terms of a possible ceasefire.  At that meeting, Livni asserted that there could be no ceasefire until its conditions (delineated above) were met.  Israel also hinted that its offensive in Lebanon could last for another week in order to ensure that it had destroyed as much of Hezbollah's arsenal of weaponry as possible.  A day later on Arabic television, Hassan Nasrallah made it clear that the Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah would only be released if there was a prisoner exchange with Israel.  The respective positions of Israel and Hezbollah made the notion of a resolution appear rather elusive.

The casualty list on July 18, 2006 included the deaths of 11 Lebanese soldiers as a result of Israeli strikes.  One Israeli was killed in Nahariya as a consequence of Hezbollah rocket attacks.  Across northern Israel, a barrage of Hezbollah rockets hit  cities and towns such as Haifa, Safed, Acre, Kiryat Shemona, and the Gush Halav region.

July 18, 2006 also marked the day in which the United States Senate passed a non-binding resolution of support for Israel.

July 19, 2006

The next day saw little change from the previous ones.  Indeed,  July 19, 2006 appeared to have been a day of even greater bloodshed and violence in Lebanon and Israel respectively. Israeli air strikes targeted eastern and southern Lebanon and left over 50 people dead.  In one case, around a dozen people died in one village.  Meanwhile, Israel lost some of its soldiers in heavy clashes with militants from Hezbollah on the ground, just inside the border of Lebanon.  The Israeli forces were attempting to locate and destroy weapons and facilities used for terrorist attacks.  A spokesperson for the Israeli government, Miri Eisin, told both British and American media that her country would not allow a terrorist organization to deploy along its  border. In the city of Nazareth in northern Israel, three people died as a result of rocket attacks by Hezbollah.

July 20, 2006

On July 20, 2006, United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, called for an immediate ceasefire, blaming Hezbollah for sparking the conflict and Israel for using excessive retaliatory force.  The United Nations chief also indicated that because of the destruction of Lebanon's infrastructure, a humanitarian crisis was evolving.  Indeed, several sources noted that there were now hundreds of thousands of displaced people across the country. Annan noted that the crisis could only be dealt with via urgent funding and the European  Union - which had also called for an end to the violence - pledged to contribute financially  to the cause.  Recognizing that a ceasefire would be difficult to achieve but that the humanitarian crisis had to be addressed nonetheless, the French government put forth a proposal for the establishment of safe corridors in Lebanon by which aid could be transported. In response, the Israeli government agreed to the proposal of a humanitarian corridor between Lebanon and Cyprus. 

It was also announced that the Secretary General would hold a private meeting with  the European Union's Foreign Policy Chief, Javier Solana, as well as United States Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice.  For her part, Rice later characterized the notion of an immediate  ceasefire as "a false promise."

The casualty list on July 20, 2006 included the deaths of two Arab Israeli children in Nazareth as a result of Hezbollah rockets.  The Hezbollah leader expressed regret for their deaths.  As well, four  Israeli soldiers died in clashes with Hezbollah fighters on the border.  Israeli forces also lost two of its Apache helicopters when they collided near the Lebanese border.  One officer died and three others were injured in that incident.

July 20, 2006 also marked the day in which the United States House of Representatives passed a non-binding resolution expressing solidarity with Israel.

July 21, 2006

On July 21, 2006, the situation took a turn for the worse when thousands of Israeli reservists were called up for duty in anticipation of a possible land incursion. Although it appeared that Israeli troops were already  in Lebanon fighting against Hezbollah, they had been  operating on a small-scale level.  The call for reservists augured the possibility of a larger-scale operation.  Another ominous warning came in the form of a directive from the Israeli government that civilians exit southern Lebanon as quickly as possible, presumably in order to escape imminent peril.

Israel's Defense Minister, Amir Peretz, said that although Israel had no intention of conquering Lebanon, his country was prepared to do whatever was necessary.  The president of Lebanon, Emile Lahoud, warned that the Lebanese army would battle Israel if it invaded Lebanon.  Syria, through its Information Ministry, warned that it would enter the conflict if Israel carried out a ground invasion of Lebanon that threatened its own security. 

The fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continued across the border.  Israeli strikes further degraded thoroughfares and infrastructure in Lebanon while Hezbollah rockets rained on northern Israel, hitting the city of Haifa once again.   There were at least 15 casualties. A Hezbollah rocket attack hit Masarik and left three people injured. Other incidences were reported, including the striking of a United Nations observation post, however, no injuries occurred in that case. Israel also announced that it had bombed a Hezbollah bunker and destroyed much of that group's stock of missiles.  It was a claim that Hezbollah disputed.

July 22, 2006

On July 22, 2006, fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah resulted in serious injury to an unarmed United Nations observer.  The incident happened in the town of Maroun al-Ras, which according to some reports, had been the site of a major clash between the two sides.  Some reports concluded that the fight at Maroun al-Ras resulted with Israel taking control of the town.

The Evacuation Process and Humanitarian Relief

Meanwhile, with the conflict ongoing, roads across Lebanon were filled with people attempting to flee the aerial bombardment but unsure of where exactly to go.  Foreign nationals were being evacuated as governments of Western countries sent ships and aircrafts to rescue people stranded on the conflict-ridden terrain of Lebanon.  Some governments began considering the need for special operations to rescue foreign nationals trapped in cut-off parts of Lebanon.  In particular, the French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said that France would launch a special mission to rescue some of its citizens trapped in southern Lebanon. 

The evacuation process was winding down by the close of July 2006, although a Canadian ferry was set to evacuate foreign nationals trapped in the southern part of Lebanon from the city of Tyre. At the same time, humanitarian efforts were underway with lorries of food and medical supplies arriving at key points in the conflict, such as Beirut and Tyre.

As the last week of July 2006 began, the evacuation of foreign nationals began to be the source of great consternation among local Lebanese who accused the international community of caring only about people carrying certain passports, while failing to act on behalf of local civilians who were bearing the brunt of the violence. 

July 23, 2006

By July 23, 2006, the head of the emergency relief agency for the United Nations, Jan Egeland, characterized the damage caused by Israeli strikes on Beirut as "horrific." He decried the devastation caused by Israel's retaliatory action against Hezbollah, calling it  excessive, while at the same time condemning Hezbollah for cloaking itself among the civilian population, thus worsening their casualties. He called on both sides to cease their attacks and noted that humanitarian aid would begin arriving shortly in Lebanon. In that latter regard, he appealed for safe access.  As noted above, Israel had earlier said that it would lift its blockade on the port of Beirut and respect a humanitarian corridor.  He also said that the United Nations would be launching an appeal for humanitarian aid amounting to $150 million dollars (USD).

Egeland arrived in Beirut on the heels of an Israeli strike against the Hezbollah-dominated portion of Lebanon's capital city. In Beirut, there were four injuries when one strike hit a mosque. While Hezbollah said the facility was used only for prayer, Israel contended that it was one of several legitimate targets used not only for conventional purposes, but also by Hezbollah for its activities.

On that same day [July 23, 2006], Israel's aerial bombing of southern and eastern Lebanon continued in the early hours of Sunday. In the east, Israeli strikes caused engineers, who had been attempting  to repair impassable roads, to retreat for safety reasons. The southern town of Sidon, where several people had fled seeking safety, was hit by Israeli strikes.  As well, the city of Tyre was the site of action from both sides.  It was one of several places from which some Hezbollah militants were firing missiles and, as such, Israel made it a target of retaliatory strikes. There were eight deaths reported across  Lebanon.  They included a young boy, a photographer, three people fleeing in a minibus, as well as three Hezbollah fighters.  On the other side of the border, two Israelis died in Haifa and over twenty  people were injured as a result of repeated Hezbollah rocket attacks.

In other developments, Kim Howells, a Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom,  was scheduled to meet with the Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister, Tzipi Livni.  Howells issued a rebuke of Israel for essentially attacking the Lebanese nation in its effort to fight Hezbollah. However, he also expressed understanding of Israel's imperative to defend itself and condemned Hezbollah for exacerbating the conflict by hiding weapons in civilian-dominated areas.   For its part, the United States appeared reticent about getting actively involved since the start of the crisis. Nevertheless, United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was expected to depart for the Middle East on July 23, 2006. As well, foreign ministers from France and Germany were expected to travel to Israel for peace talks.  Iran, which had been notably silent for some time, entered the mix with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad suggesting that Israel's current conundrum had been self-inflicted.

Diplomacy and Ceasefire Demands

On July 24, 2006, United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in the Middle East for talks regarding the crisis. Before arriving in the Middle East, Rice mentioned to reporters that the United States still had an embassy in Syria.  Her statement was interpreted by some as a reminder that the United States and Syria still shared diplomatic relations that could be leveraged, if necessary.  Her first stop was Lebanon where she met with Prime Minister Fuad Siniora. In that meeting, she expressed concern for the Lebanese people, while also making clear that Hezbollah's attacks on Israel from within Lebanese territory could not be permitted to continue.  She then left for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.   There was no call issued for an immediate ceasefire.  In the backdrop of these developments, the White House announced that it had authorized humanitarian aid to be sent to Lebanon.

Secretary Rice, and later President Bush, both conveyed the view that the only possible solution to the conflict was a sustainable ceasefire and enduring peace. The United States' stance has been that a ceasefire might result in only Israeli compliance, thus subjecting Israel to future attacks.  Clearly, this view has not been shared by many world leaders and foreign policy chiefs who have called for an immediate ceasefire, arguing that continued hostilities were untenable, regardless of optimal long-term objectives. Many Middle Eastern experts have further said that no long-term objectives can be achieved, at all, without addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Intensive talks between Western and Middle Eastern ministers were scheduled to take place on July 26, 2006 in Rome.  Prior to the meeting, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan said it was crucially important to achieve concrete results aimed at resolving the conflict.

July 24, 2006

On the ground in the conflict zone in the last week of July 2006, Israeli forces moved northward from Maroun al-Ras, the southern Lebanese town it had earlier taken control of, and were engaging Hezbollah fighters around the town of Bint Jbeil.  In that fighting, ten Israeli soldiers were injured while two Hezbollah fighters were captured.  The level of operations suggested that Israel was still carrying out only small-scale incursions across the border in Lebanon. In one case, an Israeli helicopter crashed in northern Israel.  While Hezbollah said it had shot down the aircraft, Israeli authorities said it crashed as a result of technical difficulties.

There was a lull in the Israeli strikes on Beirut on July 24, 2006, presumably due to the presence of Rice in the city on that day.   Clashes and blasts elsewhere in Lebanon ensued nonetheless.  In one case,  there were allegations that clearly-marked Red Cross vehicles had been hit by Israeli strikes.  Israeli efforts in Bint Jbeil appeared to have been successful because it was later reported that they had taken control of the town and were advancing toward Yaroun.  As well, Israel subsequently said during its incursions in southern Lebanon, that it had managed to kill Abu Jaafar, a key Hezbollah commander.  Both Israel and Hezbollah confirmed that several of their troops had been killed in the fighting.

July 25, 2006

On July 25, 2006, the conflict was ongoing with blasts heard on both sides of the border -- from Beirut to Haifa. Clearly, Israeli strikes on Lebanon's capital had resumed with explosions heard in Hezbollah-controlled areas of the city. Hezbollah's efforts against Israel continued with a constant volley of rockets raining down on northern Israeli.  In one case, a young Arab-Israeli girl was killed in the village of Maghar.  At the same time, Haifa continued to endure Hezbollah's ceaseless rocket offensive.  Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, appeared on Lebanese television on this day warning that his forces were ready to attack more deeply into Israeli terrain.

The Deaths of the United Nations Peacekeepers

Meanwhile, several days earlier on July 25, 2006, there were reports  that a United Nations observation post in southern Lebanon had been hit by Israeli military aircraft.  There were unconfirmed reports that four peacekeepers might have killed. This was later confirmed when it was reported that four unarmed peacekeepers from Austria, Canada, China and Finland died when the United Nations post was struck.
 
United Nations Secretary Kofi Annan expressed shock at the "apparently deliberate targeting of the post," especially since he claimed that Israel had assured him of the safety of United Nations personnel.  Israel responded by conveying its regret over the matter. Some Israeli spokespersons criticized Annan for "irresponsibly" accusing their country of deliberate action before an investigation could be carried out.

A day later, an initial report into the deaths of the United Nations peacekeepers was released.  The report indicated that despite repeated contacts by the United Nations -- 10 in total -- with Israeli troops regarding the closeness of Israeli strikes in the area, and regardless of promises from the Israelis that the shelling would stop, the United Nations post was hit by a precision-guided missile following a period of about six hours of constant shelling. 
 
One diplomat familiar with the report argued that if Israel had actually acted on the basis of the contacts, "rather than deliberately ignoring them,"  the peacekeepers would still be alive.  As well, the Irish Foreign Ministry said that one of its soldiers working for the United Nations warned Israel that its military activities were placing the lives of the peacekeepers at risk.
 
United Nations humanitarian aid chief, Jan Egeland, said on United States television that (1) the post had been a known and clearly-marked structure for decades; (2) the Israeli prime minister had given personal assurances of safety to head of the United Nations; (3) repeated contacts by the United Nations had been made regarding the dangerously close range of the shelling; (4) although Hezbollah operated  generally in southern Lebanon, Hezbollah was not in close proximity of that particular post; and (5) the post had, in the end, been hit by a  missile known for its precision.
 
For its part, Israel expressed deep regret regarding the deaths of the four United Nations peacekeepers and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert personally telephoned United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan to express his condolences over what had happened.  

Both Israel and the United Nations agreed to pursue a joint investigation into what transpired. At the same time, the United Nations said that it would meet to deliberate what course of action it should take. After lengthy talks on July 27, 2006 in which no real consensus could be reached on the wording of a position statement, the United Nations Security Council released a declaration expressing deep shock and distress over the Israeli air strikes that killed four peacekeepers.  China criticized the statement for being needlessly weak.

A few days after the deaths of the four United Nations peacekeepers, another two peacekeepers were injured as a result of the ongoing violence.  There was rising concern that many countries might be reluctant to contribute to future peacekeeping efforts, as a result of these incidences.

July 26, 2006

On July 26, 2006 -- crisis talks in Rome ensued and ended with no agreement on the call for an immediate ceasefire, despite an impassioned plea from Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora.  United States Secretary of State Rice was apparently one of few voices arguing against the ceasefire, which gave rise to difficult discussions among the parties present.  The Rome summit ended with the release of a declaration expressing "determination to work immediately to reach with utmost urgency a ceasefire to put an end to the current hostilities." The declaration also included a description of a ceasefire as "lasting, permanent and sustainable." The Rome summit did manage to advance calls for the creation of an international force that would enforce peace and stability along the Israel-Lebanon border.
 
On the ground in the conflict zone, Israeli troops experienced one of their bloodiest and most challenging days. Eight soldiers died and around 22 were injured in clashes with Hezbollah; it was the most significant loss of troops to Israel since the start of the conflict.  The clashes ensued at  Bint Jbeil -- the very town that Israel said it had taken control of a day earlier.  In a separate incident of fighting, a ninth Israeli, this time an officer, was killed.  In the city center of Tyre in Lebanon, a huge explosion destroyed a multi-storey complex, supposedly regarded as the offices of another Hezbollah commander.  On the other side of the border, Hezbollah continued its rocket assault on Israel, leaving about 31 people injured.  It was estimated that Hezbollah was firing rockets at a rate of over 100 per day into Israel. 

The Imperative for Stability

The escalation of hostilities between Israeli forces and Lebanon-based Hezbollah, in conjunction with Israel's ongoing conflict in Gaza, spurred fears that the entire Middle Eastern region was at risk of being acutely destabilized.   Keeping these anxieties in mind, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair called for an international force to be deployed to Lebanon.  The force would be tasked with stopping Hezbollah's attacks on Israel, and in so doing, it would remove Israel's rationale for bombarding Lebanon. Although a United Nations mission, UNIFIL, has been monitoring the Israeli-Lebanese border since 1978, it numbers less than 2,000 in strength and has few means to enforce peace.  As such, a new stabilization force would have to be enshrined with far more power and capabilities.

Amir Peretz, the Defense Minister of Israel, expressed support for the idea of an international peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon on July 23, 2006.  He particularly conveyed his backing for such a force to be led by NATO.  A day later, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert confirmed his country's support for this plan, so long as the forces deployed were both robust and enshrined with sufficient power as to be able to carry out their mandate.  The European Union's chief of foreign policy, Javier Solana, further affirmed the plan when he stated that several European countries would contribute to such a force, which might function under the aegis of the United Nations Security Council. 

Israel announced that it would maintain control over southern Lebanon until the proposed international force was activated.  In this regards, Amir Peretz, Israel's Defense Minister, explained on July 25, 2006 that his country had no alternative saying, "We have no other option. We have to build a new security strip that will be a cover for our forces."  It was not clear if Israel intended to hold control over a security zone even after the deployment of the proposed international force.

Following the Rome summit on July 26, 2006, there had been a call for the creation of an international force, working under a United Nations mandate, and with the mission of fully implementing existing United Nations Security Council resolutions.  The statement also called  for the disarmament of militias and the deployment of Lebanese troops on the border.

July 27, 2006

On July 27, 2006, Hezbollah rockets continued to rain on northern Israel.  Targets hit the town of Kiryat Shmona and ignited fires.  Rockets also fell on fields close to Safed, Carmiel, Maalot and Shlomi. As well, the terrorist group al-Qaida, which has traditionally not worked in sync with Hezbollah, issued a statement suggesting that it would not sit on the sidelines as the conflict in southern Lebanon raged on. That same day, Israeli authorities said that while they did not intend to expand their military offensive in Lebanon, they would call up additional troops from their reserve divisions to fortify their operations against Hezbollah. Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz said that Israel's military operation would go on  until a secure border strip could be established, preventing Hezbollah's  return to current positions.   His statement came a day after failed peace talks in Rome in which no agreement could be reached on a ceasefire.

July 28, 2006

On July 28, 2006, United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair and United States President George W. Bush held talks in Washington D.C.  The crisis in the Middle East factored highly during those discussions, which were followed by a call by the two leaders for "lasting peace" in the region. Bush also said that he and his British counterpart both supported the establishment of an international force, which would work with the Lebanese military to maintain stability along the Israeli-Lebanese border zone. Despite increasing international pressure for the cessation of hostilities, however, there was no call for an immediate ceasefire from the respective British and American leaders.  Meanwhile, the United Nations made its own call for a 72-hour truce aimed at facilitating the transportation of aid and supplies.

On the ground in the conflict zone, Hezbollah reportedly fired a long-range rocket, the Khaibar-1, in the direction of Israel; it landed just south of Haifa.  It was an apparent attempt to make good on an earlier threat to fire longer range rockets more deeply into Israeli territory.  Another Hezbollah rocket -- this one of unknown origin and packed with explosives -- hit an area around the town of Afula.   Several Israelis were injured as a result of these and other rocket attacks on that day.  At the same time, the Israeli military was carrying out strikes against targets in Lebanon, leaving at least a dozen people dead.  Israel also reported that it had killed a number of Hezbollah fighters in the town of Bint Jbei, which had been the site of serious clashes in recent days.  Civilians were again the unfortunate casualties of the hostilities when mortar rounds struck a convoy of civilian vehicles as they tried to flee  southern Lebanon.  There was no conclusive knowledge about who might be responsible for those injuries. Two members of the German media were also injured during the chaos of the day.  Elsewhere in Lebanon,  Israeli strikes left a Jordanian man dead and three people wounded in Kfar Joz.  Strikes were also being carried out on the Bekaa Valley in the east and southern villages around Tyre.

July 29, 2006

A day later on July 29, 2006, Israeli air strikes in the north of Lebanon resulted in the closure of the border crossing between Lebanon and Syria.  It was reported that missiles hit the area between the two countries' respective immigration stations.   Israeli raids on southern Lebanon left several people dead.  There were reports that a mother and her five children were among those killed. Israeli troops were still engaging Hezbollah fighters in Bint Jbeil, however, on  July 29, 2006, Israeli troops withdrew from  the Hezbollah stronghold.  On the other side of the conflict, Israel continued to be hit by volleys of rockets from Hezbollah. Safed was among the towns affected on July 29, 2006.  Israeli anxiety also increased on this day as Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, promised that towns in the center of Israel could well be targeted.

On the diplomatic front, United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in the region for further talks -- this time with a focus on the creation of an international force that would ensure security and stability in the conflict zone.  Rice warned that, at this point, negotiations were expected to be very difficult.  Meanwhile, Rice and other foreign policy leaders were also trying to craft a United Nations resolution, which would set forth key conditions associated with the  long-term resolution of the crisis. 

Also on July 29, 2006, British Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed similar views to those previously-articulated by his American counterpart, saying that there could not be a ceasefire until certain conditions [presumably those that would ensure a long-term solution] were in place.  Jack Straw,  the leader of the British House of Commons and the former Foreign Minister, endeavored to carve out quite a different stance.  Following on the heels of Minister of State Kim Howells, who had issued strong sentiments on the matter, Jack Straw criticized Israeli's military operation in Lebanon as "disproportionate."  International Development Secretary Hilary Benn also raised concerns about the conflict.

Civilian Deaths at Qana

July 30, 2006 was likely to be remembered as one of the darkest days in the conflict taking place between Israeli forces and Lebanon-based Hezbollah.  An Israeli air raid at Qana left more than 50 civilians dead -- the vast majority of whom were women, children and senior citizens.  They had been seeking shelter from the violence in the basement of a three-story house.  Survivors, as well as relatives of those killed, were reported to have been anguished about the bloodshed and confused about why they had been targeted.

Israeli authorities responded  by saying that they had warned civilians to leave the area.  They also furnished aerial footage, apparently filmed two days earlier, which showed  missiles being fired from the area around Qana, as well as what seemed to be a missile launcher surreptitiously hidden in a house there.

Despite this explanation, Lebanon's Prime Minister Fouad Siniora characterized the Israeli strikes in Qana as  "heinous crimes against civilians."  For Siniora, along with many Lebanese, it was possible that this incident at Qana evoked memories of a similar strike that took place a decade ago.  In 1996, Israel launched its "Grapes of Wrath" operation, which was similarly aimed at destroying Hezbollah's base in Lebanon.  A United Nations post was hit by Israeli strikes and approximately 100 people, who had come to the post seeking refuge from the violence,  died as a result.  Now, ten years later, a similar scenario had transpired.

For its part, Hezbollah promised retaliatory attacks.  Hezbollah soon acted upon that ominous promise and fired successive waves of rockets into Israel later in the day, some of which hit the Israeli border town of Kiryat Shemona.  Israelis said that they were experiencing the worst barrage of rocket attacks ever.

Regardless, the deaths at Qana evoked recriminations and condemnations from the international community.  United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan called for a vociferous rebuke by the international community and reiterated his demand for an immediate ceasefire. After several hours of discussions during an emergency session, the United Nations Security Council issued a statement in which it unanimously expressed "extreme shock and distress" over what had happened at Qana and  deplored the loss of life there. The Security Council, however, did not call for an immediate ceasefire, despite Kofi Annan's earlier's appeal for one. 

Nevertheless, the deaths at Qana appeared to have shifted the position of United Kingdom's leader, Tony Blair, significantly.  Only a day after he said that certain conditions had to be met before a ceasefire could ensue, Blair on July 30, 2006 said that some sort of resolution had to be forged "as soon as possible," in order to resolve the "catastrophe" that befallen Lebanon.  Blair said, "What has happened at Qana shows that this is a situation that simply cannot continue." It was apparent that the events at Qana had spurred a notable change in perspective on his part.  Indeed, Blair issued a joint statement with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, asserting that the tragedy of Qana emphasized the "urgency of the need for a ceasefire as soon as possible."

Overall, perhaps the most important outcome of the Qana deaths appeared to have been  a renewed sense of urgency from among the international community to end the crisis, if only to stop further tragedies of this sort from occurring.

July 31, 2006

By July 31, 2006, Israel had agreed to an immediate suspension of air strikes over southern Lebanon for a 48-hour period, in order to facilitate an investigation into what had transpired. Dan Gillerman, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, said in an interview with British media that the suspension would allow the inquiry to take place, while also providing remaining civilians with time to evacuate the area.

The agreement to cease air strikes temporarily was reached following urgent talks between Israeli officials and the United States  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.  For its part, however, the United States had not shifted its position and did not join the increasing chorus of calls for an immediate ceasefire.

That was not to say that the views of all American politicians were unified on the matter.  Despite expressed support by the two houses of Congress for Israel on July 18, 2006  and July 20, 2006  respectively, United States Senator Chuck Hagel, Republican of Nebraska, broke ranks with his party and the Bush administration to call for an immediate ceasefire.  On July 31, 2006, Hagel declared, "The sickening slaughter on both sides must end and it must end now. President Bush must call for an immediate ceasefire. This madness must stop."

August 1, 2006

By August 1, 2006, the Blair government was experiencing some internal dissonance as a result of differing approaches to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah.  Whereas the British Foreign Office indicated its support for an immediate ceasefire, the stance from Downing Street was one that stopped short of that particular call.  The Foreign Office was not the only source of dissonance regarding Blair's stance.  As noted above, comments from the Minister of State, the former Foreign Minister and leader of the House of Commons, as well as the International Development Minister, indicated that several members of the Blair's Labour Party was departing company with the prime minister.  Now, days later,  a number of cabinet ministers were reported to have dispatched notes to the British prime minister during a cabinet meeting suggesting that their silence was not to be interpreted as actual consent for Blair's position.

While the internal struggle was going on within government of the United Kingdom, British Foreign Minister Beckett joined her counterparts within the European Union in the Belgian capital of Brussels to draft a proposal calling for an "immediate cessation of hostilities," which would be followed by a sustainable ceasefire. That two-step process would eventually facilitate both a political accord and the deployment of a multinational force to enforce stability in the conflict zone.  The elements of the proposal were somewhat adapted to accommodate the varying perspectives of European governments on the conditions of a ceasefire.

In other diplomatic efforts, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy was in Beirut and met with his Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki.  Taking a different approach than that of the United States, the French diplomat complimented the Iranian nation and its heritage, presumably paving the way for harmonious discussions aimed at resolving the conflict.  The Foreign Minister's objectives were somewhat frustrated by the call from a senior Iranian cleric for Muslims to lend support to Hezbollah's fight against Israel.

On the ground in the conflict zone, Israeli tanks moved into southern Lebanon.  Following a security cabinet meeting,  Israel had indicated that it was going to expand its ground offensive.    Heavy fighting was reported in the southern part of Lebanon in several locations between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters.   Israeli warplanes struck at targets on the ground, even as Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert claimed that his country was succeeding in its efforts to nullify Hezbollah.  But at the same time,  Hezbollah was responding with fierce resistance. Casualties were reported on both sides as a result of the clashes. In the Lebanese town of Lweizeh, an Israeli strike was said to have left a mother and her two children dead.  In Ait al-Shaab, where the strongest exchange of fire was reported, an anti-tank missile  killed three Israeli soldiers and injured 25 others.  Israel said that it had killed dozens of Hezbollah fighters there.   Hezbollah fighters were also reported to have been killed at Kfar Kila, Adiasse and Taibe, while Bint Jbeil continued to be the site of clashes.   On the other side of the border, Hezbollah fired mortal shells into northern Israel, however, there were no rocket attacks.  The last day rockets were fired at Israel was July 31, 2006.

Despite his claim that Israeli forces were winning the military battle against Hezbollah (noted just above), Ehud Olmert acknowledged that Israel would not be able to completely destroy Hezbollah's arsenal of weapons.  That said, he asserted that Israel's objective was to lessen the threat posed by Hezbollah.  Israel's Infrastructure Minister said that his country's troops would likely require another two weeks to finish this task.  In this regard,  Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said on Israeli Army Radio that this timeline would be needed  "to complete the job, and by that I mean that the area in which we want [an] international force to deploy is cleansed of Hezbollah."   Reports suggested that Israel's operations in Lebanon also involved forcing Hezbollah fighters to retreat as far as the Litani River, located 18 miles (or 30 kilometers) north of the border.

Also on August 1, 2006, irrespective of previous announcements about a temporary halt on air strikes (made in late July 2006) and the establishment of a humanitarian corridor (made in the third week of July 2006), two Belgian aircraft carrying humanitarian aid were prevented from landing in Beirut when Israel warned that it could not guarantee safe passage. Nevertheless, a day later, humanitarian efforts were underway with the  World Food Programme saying that they had been given safe passage into Lebanon. 

August 2, 2006

After a lull, Hezbollah resumed its attacks on Israel on August 2, 2006 with intensity.  Indeed, Hezbollah launched more than 220 rockets into Israel from Lebanon.  It was the heaviest barrage of rockets in a single day since the start of the conflict.  Intensity aside, this spate of attacks was also distinguished for the distance traveled.  Indeed, there were reports that the rockets were hitting the targets deeply into Israeli territory.  One person was reported to have been killed in Nahariya while several others were injured.  One rocket hit  Beit Shean on the edge of the West Bank, while another hit the West Bank itself.

For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that Israel was successfully destroying Hezbollah's infrastructure.  He also foreclosed any hope of an immediate ceasefire by asserting that no such action would be taken until an international force was deployed in southern Lebanon.   His comments suggested confidence in the operations being carried out by the Israeli military.  Indeed, earlier in the day, Israeli troops assaulted a Hezbollah stronghold, Baalbek, located in the north eastern part of Lebanon.  There, Israeli troops raided a hospital that was said to be used by Hezbollah fighters and seized five people.  Israeli authorities claimed that the five individuals were Hezbollah fighters, but Hezbollah disputed the claim and said they were civilians.  Regardless, the fact that Israeli commandos had managed to infiltrate Lebanese territory, even reaching a part of the country located close to the border with Syria, served to bolster Israeli claims of mission success.

In southern Lebanon, clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters were ongoing.

On the diplomatic front the United Kingdom's ambassador to the United Nations expressed the view that an initial Security Council resolution aimed at end the violence was close at hand.

Amidst these developments, Iran's supreme leader echoed the earlier words of  a senior cleric and called on the Muslim world to stand with Hezbollah against Israel.


August 3, 2006

Israel continued to carry out its offensive operation into southern Lebanon, destroying  several interests in the region along the way, but taking a toll in the form of the lives of four Israeli soldiers.  Nevertheless, Israeli authorities appeared to be planning intensified attacks, as evidenced by the dropping of  leaflets in Beirut  warning residents of a new military operation against Hezbollah. As well, Defense Minister Amir Peretz was reported to have informed top military commanders that they should prepare to advance northward of the border with Lebanon toward the River Litani. 

On the other side of the conflict, Hezbollah's rocket attacks on August 3, 2006 resulted in the deaths of at least eight civilians in northern Israel.  As well, Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, warned that further attacks by Israel would result in the bombing of Tel Aviv. 

Meanwhile, diplomats at the United Nations were attempting to craft a resolution that would bring an end to the fighting.  Such a result was to be welcomed by humanitarian agencies, which warned that their relief operations were being hampered by the destruction of infrastructure as well as fuel shortages.

August 4, 2006

On August 4, 2006, an Israeli strike left 26 people dead and at least 20 people injured.  Most of the victims were Syrian Kurdish farm workers in the village of Qaa, located in the Bekaa Valley along Lebanon's north-eastern border with Syria.  Israeli strikes also hit bridges in Christian areas in northern Beirut, as well as bridges along Lebanon's coastal highway.  Five people were reported to have been killed when the coastal bridges were decimated.  As well, an Israeli air raid on Taibeh in the southern part of Lebanon resulted in the deaths of seven people and injuries to 10 others.  Meanwhile, Israeli fighters continued to engage Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon, in an attempt to push Hezbollah's forces northward from the border toward the Litani River.

On the other side of the conflict, Hezbollah fired 190 rockets into Israel, leaving three civilians dead.  The attacks evoked fears about Hezbollah's capacities since some rockets landed as many as 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the border.  Indeed, the town of Hadera, just 30 miles (45 kilometers) north of Tel Aviv, was among the areas hit.   In addition to concerns about the increased range of the rockets being fired by Hezbollah, there was anxiety about the amplified volume of rockets.  In recent days, the number of rocket attacks by Hezbollah had increased substantially to close to 200 per day -- double the number of attacks that had become the norm in the first few weeks of the conflict.  In anticipation of a possible missile attack against Tek Aviv, Israeli authorities urged the city's residents to ensure that they were able to access bomb shelters.

On the diplomatic front, United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice suggested that a United Nations resolution regarding the conflict could be pass within days.  At issue was the phraseology of a possible ceasefire resolution. However, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert signaled that with or without a resolution, Israel's offensive would continue  until an international force was actually deployed in southern Lebanon.

August 5, 2006

Clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon continued on August 5, 2006.  Several casualties were reported as a result of a raid by Israeli troops on an apartment in Tyre, which was said to house Hezbollah fighters.  The Israeli military claimed that Hezbollah militants made up the casualty list; the Israeli military also acknowledged that eight of its own soldiers had been wounded in the raid. Israel additionally warned people in Sidon to avoid areas where rockets might be launched, presumably auguring strikes against such targets.

On the other side of the border, Israel continued to be pounded by a barrage of rocket attacks from Hezbollah.  Again, the number of rocket attacks far exceeded the previous volume and numbered in excess of 170 on August 5, 2006, leaving three women dead.  Haifa was among the places hit by the rocket attacks on this day, and five people were reported to have been injured as a result.

On the diplomatic front, differences regarding the wording of a possible ceasefire agreement were being worked out as the United States and France came to agreement on the matter.  The draft of the proposed United Nations Security Council Resolution apparently called for a "full cessation of hostilities," demanded that Hezbollah immediately cease all attacks, and declared that Israel immediately halt its offensive military operations.   The wording was deliberately crafted to allow Israel some room to defend itself in the face of attack. It was hoped that the resolution, which still had to be passed in the 15-member Security Council of the United Nations, would bring a quick end to the violence.  United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair and United States President George W. Bush lauded the diplomatic progress being made.

In other developments, humanitarian aid agencies warned that the destruction to infrastructure in Lebanon, and particularly to bridges, was making it very difficult to transport supplies to people in need of help.  Meanwhile, the situation in the Middle East was spurring people from across the world to take to the streets to protest the violence and to call for a ceasefire.  Such demonstrations were taking place from Baghdad to London.

August 6, 2006

August 6, 2006 was the bloodiest day experienced on the Israeli side of the conflict. At least 15 people were killed in northern Israel as a result of relentless rocket attacks by Hezbollah. The port city of Haifa was especially hard hit on this day, with three deaths, dozens of injuries and the collapse of a building.  Israelis were also dying on Lebanese soil as evidenced by the deaths of 12 soldiers during an attack on the town of Kfar Giladi.  It was the highest number of Israeli deaths in a single incident since the start of the conflict.

In Lebanon, Israeli strikes killed approximately 14 people.  In the coastal town of Naquora, three people were killed in strikes while five civilians died as a result of an air raid in the village of Ansar. The Israeli military reported that its forces had launched strikes on a site in Qana where it said rocket launchers were being housed. The military also said that it had destroyed rocket launchers to the north of Tyre.  Fresh strikes were carried out on the southern suburbs of Beirut, the area of Tyre, as well as the eastern Bekaa Valley.  Clashes between Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon were also ongoing.
 
In the diplomatic sphere, Lebanon formally issued a request of the United Nations Security Council. In that request, Lebanon asked that a provision be added calling on Israel to withdraw from Lebanese terrain. Syria also weighed into the diplomatic process by characterizing the current draft of the proposed resolution as a "recipe for the continuation of the war." For its part, the Israeli government was generally happy with the draft resolution.   A spokesperson for the Israeli government noted that Israeli forces were prepared to withdraw from Lebanon once the resolution was passed, and so long as Israel had satisfactorily incapacitated Hezbollah's strongholds.


August 7, 2006

Israeli air raids on Lebanon on August 7, 2006, resulted in the deaths of almost 50 people.  Among those killed were up to 30 people in southern Beirut who died in air strikes.  Lebanon's Prime Minister Fuad Siniora corrected a claim that an earlier Israeli air strike had left 40 civilians dead.  Instead, five people were reported to have been killed in the earlier strike.  Clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon were ongoing with three Israeli soldiers and five Hezbollah militants killed at Bint Jbeil.  On the other side of the conflict, Hezbollah fired more than 100 rockets into northern Israel, resulting in civilian casualties.

The issue of civilian casualties was the topic of a report issued by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, in which the targeting of civilians was strongly criticized.  Annan said that military operations by both sides, in which civilians suffered the consquences of indiscriminate attacks, constituted a violation of international law. The bombing at Qana was specifically noted in this regard.  

On the diplomatic front, United States President George W. Bush conveyed strong support for the United Nations draft resolution, stating that he wanted to see the document passed in the Security Council as soon as possible.  That said, the draft resolution remained in doubt,  as Arab ministers echoed Lebanese demands for changes to the proposed resolution. 

August 8, 2006

On August 8, 2006, Israeli fighter jets struck at Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.  In the village of Ghaziyeh, at least six people were killed and two dozen injured.  Another strike left 13 villagers dead as they attended a funeral for those previously killed in air raids. One person died when Israeli strikes hit Lebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp at Ein el-Hilweh. Clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon were ongoing, with at least three Israeli soldiers dying in addition.  There was not word about casualties among Hezbollah factions. On the other side of the border, Hezbollah continued its barrage of rocket attacks against southern Israel.   With rocket attacks increasing, Israel said that it would temporarily relocate remaining residents from the city of Kiryat Shmona to a safer area.  Compared to the rest of northern Israel, Kiryat Shmona had suffered  the most attacks by Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, Israel was stepping up its operations to move toward the Litani River. Israel had earlier dropped leaflets in Tyre, the largest Lebanese city south of the Litani River, warning of military strikes to come.  But with many roadways in the area bombed and destroyed, those still in the villages around Tyre were expected to have difficulties trying to get out. Israel also warned that as its forces advanced toward the river, any moving vehicles spotted in the area south of the Litani would be destroyed.  Given the clear risk outlined by Israel, the United Nations decided to stop its aid convoy from traveling in that zone. 

In the realm of diplomacy, the United Nations Security Council debated the draft resolution aimed at ending the violence and bloodshed.  At the same time, a delegation from the Arab League traveled to the headquarters of the international body to officially express backing for Lebanon's demands.  Lebanon had argued that the draft resolution should be altered so that it expressly called for Israel's immediate withdrawal from Lebanese terrain.  As well, there were differences over the phrasing in some parts of the draft, which called on Israel to end its "offensive" military operations, while madating that Hezbollah end "all" its attacks.  It was not clear how these demands for changes to the document would be received by the Security Council, especially since many key members appeared supportive of the current version of the draft.  Moreover, France and the United States, who made great headway in agreeing to the current terms of the draft, were not apt to make any changes. On the other side of the equation, however, Russia said that it could not vote for a resolution that did not have the backing of Lebanon.  A vote on the resolution was not expected until later in the week.


August 9, 2006

On August 9, 2006, heavy fighting in Lebanese villages close to the Lebanese-Israeli border resulted in the deaths of 15 Israeli soldiers and 40 Hezbollah fighters.  Israeli soldiers later commenced an operation against Hezbollah in Khiam. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes continued to bombard targets in Lebanon.  As a result of air strikes in the Bekaa Valley, a building believed to have housed a Hezbollah fighter collapsed, killing six people.  Beirut continued to be hit by Israeli strikes, resulting in deaths of several people.  On the other side of the border, Israel was still dealing with Hezbollah's rocket attacks.

On the same day, the Israeli cabinet approved sending troops further north toward the Litani River.  However, the cabinet also agreed to delay the advancement of the troops in the hopes that a diplomatic resolution could be found.  The plan to deploy Israeli troops northward was not new; it had been discussed for several days in advance of the official approval by cabinet.

In the realm of diplomacy, France and the United States worked on redrafting the original text of the proposed United Nations resolution.  The redrafting exercise occurred after the two countries disagreed on the proper course of action.  Given Lebanon's opposition to the original text on the basis that it did not expressly call for Israel's withdrawal from its own terrain, France said that it would work toward adjustments in the text.  By contrast, however, the United States was reluctant to make any changes.  The situation set the stage for a possible impasse, and by extension, the continuation of hostilities.  Consequently,  French President Jacques Chirac argued that it would be "immoral" to relinquish diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire.

August 10, 2006

On August 10, 2006, Israel  dropped another wave of warning leaflets over south Beirut auguring further air strikes to come, and urging residents to flee.  Clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters were reported in Marjayoun.  At the same time,  Hezbollah rocket attacks were pounding targets in Israel, leaving two people dead in the Arab village of Deir al-Assad. Meanwhile, Jan Egeland, the head of the United Nations' humanitarian agency, decried both Israel and Hezbollah for creating a humanitarian crisis in Lebanon by preventing the transportation of much-needed aid and relief supplies.  On the diplomatic front, further efforts were being extended to forge a dipomatic resolution that would bring an end to the violence and bloodshed, while setting the terms for sustainable peace in the region.


August 11, 2006

As diplomatic efforts were going on in New York on August 11, 2006, to try to resolve the conflict in the Middle East, violence was unabated.  Israeli troops were moving toward the Litani River, with the objective of pushing back Hezbollah fighters and thusly establishing a de facto security zone.  In Beirut, Israeli strikes were ongoing. Elsewhere in Lebanon, an attack by an Israeli drone left about four people dead in the town of Marjayoun, located in the south of the country.  Hundreds of Lebanese soldiers and police stranded at barracks  in that very town of Marjayoun were being evacuated by United Nations troops. To the north,  Israeli air strikes at a  bridge near the Lebanon-Syria border left approximately 12 civilians dead.  One Israeli  soldier died in fighting in western Lebanon, while close to 20 were reported to have been injured in southern Lebanon. On the other side of the border, several casualties were reported in northern Israel as a result of a barrage of missile attacks by Hezbollah.

On the diplomatic agenda, media reports on August 11, 2006 suggested that the United Nations Security Council was set to debate and vote on a new draft resolution calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. The text of the draft, which had been changed to reflect concerns articulated by Lebanon about a withdrawal of Israeli troops, called for a "full cessation of hostilities," and made provisions for Israeli troops to pull back from Lebanese terrain as local and United Nations forces were deployed along the border.  The draft also authorized an expansion of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known by the acroym UNIFIL, along with increased enforcement powers. Left out of the text was a reference to Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter, which would facilitate the use of force if certain conditions were not met.

Illustrating Israel's dual-pronged approach toward a mix of military tactics along with a diplomatic strategy, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was reported to have said that he accepted the new ceasefire plan.  This revelation came after Olmert had already directed Israeli troops to expand its offensive operations in Lebanon, presumably because of the bleak prospect of an acceptable resolution  being passed by the United Nations Security Council earlier in the day.  Now, with a shift in the proverbial winds, Olmert was expected to call on his cabinet to sanction the resolution within the next few days.  It was expected that Israeli's military operations would continue until that time.

Meanwhile, an affirmative vote within the United Nations Security Council was expected shortly.  While not perfectly in line with the desires of either Israel or Lebanon, the new draft appeared to be acceptable to both parties as well. In a passionate speech at the convening of the Security Council session, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan decried the international body's failure to act in a more timely manner, saying that it had "badly shaken" the international community's confidence in the United Nations.  Still, later on August 11, 2006, the United Nations Security Council unanimously approved Resolution 1701.

A policy adviser in the government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora cautiously welcomed the passage of the new resolution. United States Secretary of State, Condoleezzza Rice, declared that agreement would "open a path to lasting peace between Lebanon and Israel."  Her French counterpart, Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy, characterized  called the passage of the resolution as "a historic turning point." United Kingdom  Prime Minister Tony Blair lauded the resolution and called for an  immediate end to hostilities.  He also said that he intended to travel to the Middle East to personally revitalize the stalled peace process between Israelis and Palestinians.  But on the other side of the equation, Qatar, which at the time held a seat on the Security Council as a non-permanent member, criticized the resolution for containing provisions that favored Israel.

August 12, 2006

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan announced on August 12, 2006 that that the ceasefire called for in Security Council Resolution 1701 would go into effect at 05:00GMT on August 14, 2006.

Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, said that his group intended to abide by the United Nations ceasefire, however, he warned that fighting would prevail while Israeli troops were still inside Lebanon. Such a position promised that there would be no immediate end to the hostilities.  This was because Israel had said that it would take some time to draw down its troops while  UNIFIL forces were deployed -- a process that could well take close to a month. For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert issued praise for Resolution 1701, characterizing it as both positive and acceptable.  He also said that he would seek approval from his cabinet on August 13, 2006 to abide by the ceasefire agreement.

Meanwhile, Israel's ground assault in Lebanon continued, with particular effort expended by forces moving north to the Litani River.  In southern and northern Lebanon, air strikes by Israeli fighter jets carried on with some deaths reported in the southern city of Tyre.

August 13, 2006

On August 13, 2006, the Israeli cabinet endorsed United Nations Security Resolution 1701, but warned that its troops would not exit Lebanon until UNIFIL forces were deployed.  That position, in conjunction with the stance articulated earlier by Hezbollah that it would abide by the ceasefire only when Israeli troops were out of Lebanon, suggested that fighting was destined to continue until the deployment of the newly-madated United Nations forces (UNIFIL).  Indeed, United Nations Deputy Secretary General Mark Malloch Brown said that it could take up to a month to install UNIFIL in southern Lebanon. For its part, Lebanon's cabinet postponed an important meeting to discuss the disarmament of Hezbollah -- a key directive set forth in Security Resolution 1701.

Meanwhile,  the conflict raged on in Israel and Lebanon. Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, including the cities of Tyre and Beirut, left close to 20 people dead.  Aid personnel and rescue workers said that Israeli air strikes had resulted in the collapse of several buildings in southern Beirut.  There were also reports of strikes in eastern Lebanon.  In fighting between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters, five Israeli soldiers were reported to have been killed.  Among those who died was Uri Grossman, the son of renowned Israeli writer and peace activist, David Grossman.  The younger Grossman died as a result of an anti-tank missile only days after the older Grossman joined a call by Israeli intelligentsia for an end to the violence.  On the other side of the conflict, Hezbollah fired a relentless barrage of rockets into Israel, this time numbering around 250 in total.

August 14, 2006

On the first day of the ceasefire, relative calm reigned both in northern Israel and across Lebanon, with only sporadic fighting reported in disparate areas.  The easing of hostilities ensued despite earlier assertions by Hezbollah that it would continue its fighting until Israel left Lebanon, and regardless of the fact that Israel said it would remain in Lebanon until UNIFIL forces were installed.   Israel also issued a statement noting that it intended to pursue Hezbollah leaders.

Displaced Lebanese attempted to traverse bombed-out roads to return to their homes despite the fact that travel restrictions were still in place.  On the other side of the border, few people in northern Israel left their bomb shelters, evidently not quite willing to trust yet that the ceasefire would hold. 

Later in the day, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert expressed satisfaction in his country's elimination of Hezbollah's dominance in southern Lebanon, and Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah gave a televised address in which he claimed "historic victory."

In the backdrop of these competing claims of victory, President George W. Bush of the United States and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad blamed one another for spurring the conflict.

August 15, 2006

The second day of the tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was marked by occasional spurts of fighting.  In one case, five Hezbollah gunmen were reported to have been shot by Israeli soldiers.  In another case, Hezbollah militants fired several mortars in the direction of Israel, however, none landed across the border.  Amidst these intermittent bursts of violence, efforts were underway to try to find bodies of the dead. 

Meanwhile,  the United Nations said that it was hoping to establish 3,500 troops in southern Lebanon within two weeks and up to 15,000 within a month.  Most of the soldiers were expected to come from France.  In the backdrop of this announcement, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad hailed Hezbollah's victory and said that it augured a new Middle East.  At the same time, he assailed the United States' perspective of the region.

August 16, 2006

The third day of the fragile ceasefire ensued much like the previous day -- with the truce holding in spite of sporadic violence.   Israel warned that southern Lebanon was vulnerable to the resumption of violence until United Nations troops were deployed and the Lebanese military was operating in the border region.

Negotiations were ongoing to formulate a United Nations peacekeeping force as called for in United Nations Security Resolution 1701 to enforce the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. France was contributing the lion's share of troops, also the force would also include the Lebanese army.  France said that it might be prepared to command the peacekeeping mission but only if certain conditions were in effect.  Other than France, other countries said that they might be joining the effort, but no formal pledge of troops was made. 

Meanwhile, the United Nations said that approximately 250,000 Lebanese people had returned to their homes with half a million Lebanese en route.    

August 17, 2006

August 17, 2006 was marked by the crossing of the Litani River by Lebanese military, which then took up positions in the area of the strategically-located waterway as Israeli troops withdrew.  The Israeli military also said that it had transferred control of up to half of its positions in southern Lebanon to the current (not-yet fortified) United Nations peacekeeping mission there.  In order to stave off the chance of bloodshed should a wave of attacks resume, Israel dropped new leaflets urging people not to travel in and around southern Lebanon.  Despite this warning, displaced Lebanese people worked their way home.

August 18, 2006

In the Lebanese capital of Beirut on August 18, 2006, Hezbollah representatives handed out disbursements of $12,000 to residents whose homes and businesses had been decimated in the conflict between its group and Israel.  By this day, up to 400,000 Lebanese had returned home to southern Lebanon.  In the town of Qana where a number of people were killed in an Israeli air strike that garnered international condemnation, relatives of the dead hosted a mass funeral.

Meanwhile, the United Nations called on European countries to come forward and contribute troops to the peacekeeping force in Lebanon, which had been provided for in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.  Thus far, only France had expressed the possibility of contributing troops, however, Italy added its bid to the list of countries willing to participate in the peacekeeping mission.  Italy also said that it was prepared to take the leadership role in the operation.   The call from the United Nations came on the heels of a complaint by Israel that it would be "inconceivable" that peacekeepers be accepted from countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, which deny the right of Israel to exist.

August 19, 2006

On August 19, 2006, Israel carried out an air raid in the Bekaa Valley deep within Lebanese territory.  One Israeli and three Hezbollah fighters were reported to have been killed.  The Lebanese government described the air raid as a blatant violation of the existing ceasefire, however, the Israeli government said it was responding to an attempt by Hezbollah to rearm itself.  It thus claimed that Hezbollah and not Israel was in violation of the ceasefire agreement.  The scenario unfolded only hours after United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan characterized the situation in the conflict zone as "fragile."

Meanwhile, the first of the new deployments of United Nations  peacekeepers arrived on the ground; these included 50 engineers from France. 

August 20, 2006

A day after Israel said that it had carried out an air raid in the Bekaa Valley to prevent Hezbollah from rearming itself, Lebanon's Defense Minister Elias Murr warned that anyone firing rockets into Israel from the south would be regarded as a traitor.  His warning came along with an expression of confidence regarding Hezbollah's commitment to the existing ceasefire set forth un United Nations Security Resolution 1701.  In the backdrop of these developments. United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan rejected Israel's explanation for the air raid, noting that it was indeed a violation of the ceasefire agreement. 

Meanwhile, France called on the European Union to convene a meeting to discuss involvement in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon.  At issue were Israel's concerns about the composition of the force, as well as overall concerns about deployment.  Emphasizing what had already been noted, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that peacekeepers from countries that did not have diplomatic relations  with Israel were not acceptable. 


August 21, 2006

Attention turned on August 21, 2006 to reconstruction of the conflict-ravaged region when United States President George W. Bush said that there would be an aid package earmarked for Lebanon's reconstruction worth approximately $230 million in United States currency (USD).  Bush also called for the deployment of a United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping force in Lebanon as quickly as possible. 

On that particular issue,  Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi was reported to have told U.N.  Secretary General Kofi Annan that Italy was willing to lead the peacekeeping mission. As regards Israel's opposition to the participation of certain countries as peacekeepers -- notably from countries that did not recognize the state of Israel -- U.N. Deputy General Mark Malloch Brown noted that Israel did not have the power to foreclose participation by any specific country, regardless of whether or not there were diplomatic ties.

At home in Israel, hundreds of Israeli army reservists signed an open letter calling for a massive investigation into the handling of the war against Hezbollah. At issue was the lack of decisive leadership by the military and politicians, exemplified by ever-shifting objectives of the war.   

Across the border in southern Lebanon, the discovery of British-made night-vision equipment in Hezbollah bunkers was believed to be British,  led to the launching of an investigation by the British authorities.  At issue in this case was the question of how that equipment came to be in Hezbollah's possession.

Meanwhile, sporadic hostilities ensued, exemplified by the killing of two Hezbollah fighters by Israel.  The Israeli military explained that the Hezbollah fighters were among a group of men who approached their troops in a "threatening manner" in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah did not concur with this version of events.  For its part, Hezbollah's deputy leader Sheikh Naeem Kassem rejected requirements for the militant group's disarmament saying on al-Jazeera Arabic television that the resistance would continue. Nevertheless, Terje Roed-Larsen, a senior U.N. envoy, expressed optimism regarding the prevailing ceasefire.

August 22, 2006

On the heels of the news that Italy was willing to both contribute troops  and act lead the peacekeeping mission in the conflict zone,  Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema tempered the announcement by noting that his country's involvement was contingent upon a commitment to respect for the prevailing ceasefire.  The Italian Foreign Minister also called on the European Union to convene an urgent meeting of foreign ministers to discuss the contribution of European forces to Middle East peacekeeping efforts.

On the issue of the peacekeeping mission, senior United Nations envoy Terje Roed-Larsen warned that Lebanon would likely experience a security vacuum while organization was being established. In other developments, the human rights group, Amnesty International, accuse Israel of committing war crimes by deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure in Lebanon.  It was a claim vociferously denied by Israel.  Amnesty International also demanded a United Nations investigation into war tactics of both Israel and Hezbollah aimed at determining of any humanitarian laws had been breached. 

August 23, 2006

A meeting between European Union ambassadors and military official convened in Belgium at which the issue of Europe's contribution to a United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping force on the Israeli-Lebanese border was discussed. 

Meanwhile, a day after a senior U.N. envoy warned of a security vacuum in Lebanon as the  proposed peacekeeping mission was being established, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni called for quick action on the matter.  She particularly noted that time was running short for the application of the U.N. ceasefire resolution along the Lebanese-Irsaeli border. 

In a related development, Israel also suggested that U.N. peacekeeping troops also patrol the Lebanese-Syrian border in order to prevent the movement of arms by Hezbollah.  But Syrian President Bashar al-Assad soundly rejected Israel's suggestion, stating that such a measure would be viewed as a "hostile act."  Syria later said that it would close its border with Lebanon if such a move was implemented. 

In a separate development, one Israeli soldier was killed and three others were injured when their military tank hit a landmine in southern Lebanon.

August 24, 2006

Finland, which held the presidency of the European Union in late August 2006, said that United Nations (U.N.) troops should be deployed to the conflict zone within a week.  The announcement by Finland came at a time of increasing urgency regarding the establishment of peacekeeping forces along the Lebanese-Israeli border.  Also on the subject of the peacekeeping mission, France pledged an additional 1,600 troops to the effort and registered its willingness to continue to lead the force. 

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Lebanese were returning home.  In southern Lebanon, returning residents faced the problems of a lack of proper sanitation and no potable water.  To this end, the U.N.  launched a 60-day plan to deal with the humanitarian situation in Lebanon.

August 27, 2006

On August 27, 2005, Hezbollah's leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, expressed his regret regarding the war between his group and Israel on Lebanese terrain.  In an interview on Lebanese television, Nasrallah acknowledged that he had ordered the capture of the two Israeli soldiers -- the incident that resulted in Israel's military response and effectively sparked the war.  He said that had he known the extent of the repercussions of his actions -- a conflict lasting approximately one month and resulting in the deaths of more than 1,000 people -- he would have acted differently. In the interview, Nasrallah also said that he did not expect fighting to resume, effectively suggesting that his group was likely to hold to the ongoing truce. 

August 30, 2006

The issue of Israel's blockade of Lebanon came to the fore at the close of August 2006.  Despite the presence of an ongoing truce, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert rejected calls for an end to his country's seven-week blockade of Lebanon.  Following discussions with United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan, Olmert said the blockade would be lifted when all the ceasefire requirements were implemented. Olmert particularly specified one of the central conditions for an end to Israel's blockade of Israel as being the release of two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah.  He said that unless the two Israeli soldiers were freed, the U.N. Security Council Resolution could not "be considered as fully implemented."   Annan echoed Olmert's call for this condition to be met and appealed for the "unambiguous and unconditional release" of the soldiers.

It was unclear if such a measure would actually materialize.  Indeed, Lebanese Energy Minister Mohammed Fneish who was also a member of the political wing of Hezbollah said that the unconditional release of the Israeli soldiers was "not possible."  He said that the Israeli soldiers would only be freed within the constraints of a prisoner exchange with Israel.

The close of August 2006 was also marked by the denunciation of Israel's use of cluster bombs during its conflict with Hezbollah on Lebanese terrain. The U.N said that the cluster bombs had caused death and injuries, and the U.N. Mine Action Coordination Center said that up to 100,000 unexploded cluster “bomblets” had been found at hundreds of sites in Lebanon. The U.N.'s humanitarian head, Jan Egeland, characterized the use of cluster bombs in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah as "immoral."  He argued that the majority of the cluster bomb strikes had taken place in the last days of the conflict, when a resolution appeared likely.  He thusly said that the strikes made at that sensitive time were "shocking."

For its part, Israel said that its use of such munitions was compliant with international law.  That said, there were some media reports that the bombs had been purchased from the United States on the basis of conditional use, the requirements of which may not have been met.  The United States said that it was investigating whether or not Israel had used the cluster bombs on non-military targets, which was prohibited under the terms of the sale agreement.  Even so, a conditional use agreement between Israel and the United States would not constitute an actual violation of international law.

In other developments, the European Commission pledged 42 million euros toward the reconstruction of Lebanon.  At home in Lebanon, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said that his government would allot $33,000 in compensation to tens of thousands of families whose homes were destroyed in the conflict.

August 31, 2006

A donor conference in Sweden on August 31, 2006 focused on raising funds to be used toward Lebanon's post-war reconstruction.  The Swedish Foreign Minister Jan Eliasson said that $940 million in new funds had been pledged -- bringing the total reconstruction funds to $1.2 billion.  The event was an apparent success given the fact that the conference's organizers had aimed to collect $500 million.


September 4, 2006

By the start of September 2006, United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan said that Israel and Hezbollah had accepted his offer to mediate the dispute over two captured Israeli soldiers.  Despite this announcement by the U.N. head, Israel publicly reiterated its stance that the soldiers had to be released unconditionally and noted that this was a condition of the U.N. Security Council resolution, which  brought an end to the war between Israel and Hezbollah.  Within this context, Israel said that Annan would assist in the release of its soldiers, rather than mediate an agreement.  Many analysts surmised that despite its public pronouncements, Israel may have privately acknowledged that a deal would have  to be brokered in order to garner the release of the two soldiers.


September 6, 2006

On September 6, 2006, Israel said that it intended to lift its air, land and sea blockade of  Lebanon.  The announcement came days after Israel firmly stated that it would not lift its blockade until all conditions of the prevailing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 were met.  Israel said that it was holding its position in order to prevent Hezbollah for accessing weaponry.  Israel said that it did not intend to to lift the embargo until international forces were fully deployed in the conflict zone and could ensure that the transport of weaponry did not take place.  News that French, Greek and Italian troops would patrol the conflict zone, followed later by German forces, appeared to have assuaged Israel in some measure. 

As well, the shift in stance may have been attributed partially to mounting international pressure, in conjunction with efforts to release the two Israeli soldiers, whose capture sparked the war between Israel and Lebanon.  For its part, Israel has publicly said that it will not negotiate with terrorists -- a reference to Hezbollah.  That said, some sources suggest that  efforts are underway to try to secure the release of the soldiers -- a process that may well involve engagement by Israel at some point, as well as the possibility of deal-making.


Later in September, 2006

Later in September 2006, with the truce in full force, the human rights group, Amnesty International, accused Hezbollah of war crimes. It had previously made a similar charge against Israel.  Amnesty said that Hezbollah's conduct of aggression from civilian terrain was classified as a war crime.  Also in September 2006, Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, led a victory rally in southern Beirut to proclaim the success of his group's efforts, and also to assert that Hezbollah was still in possession of a number of rockets.  Nasrallah was also championing the idea of a new government in Lebanon with greater Hezbollah representation, presumably with greater ties to Syria  and Iran.  the natural corollary of such a government would entail the resignation of Fuad Siniora's moderate government. On the other side of the border, Israelis were carrying out periodic demonstrations against the Israel government, and particularly Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.  Many Israelis called for the Israeli prime minister's resignation and protested his leadership during the war with Hezbollah.  In this way, the aftermath of the war yielded clear political ramifications, not the least of which was the precariousness of the positions of the leaders of both Israel and Lebanon.


October 2006

By the start of October 2006, the United Nations said that Israel had fulfilled a core conditions of the ceasefire agreement by withdrawing the vast majority of its troops from Lebanon.  Only in a border village of Ghajar were there some Israeli troops left.  Monitoring and enforcing the ceasefire were both Lebanese troops and international peacekeepers. On the other side of the equation, however, Hezbollah was yet to comply with the requirement that it disarm.  Instead, the group refused to comply, saying  that it intended to keep its fighters equipped to resume operations.


Written by Denise Youngblood Coleman,  Editor in Chief, CountryWatch Inc.

Sources:  CountryWatch News Wire; also BBC, CNN, The Independent, New York Times.