Israel’s News Blog Magazine: Daily Stories Video and Photos

The aftermath of the Israeli attack on a suspected Hezbollah missile site in the Lebanese town of Qfar Qana, has put the entire conflict into a state of (near) suspended animation. The condemnations, and political consultations involving U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, has resulted in her statement this morning that an immediate ceasefire is being requested to both sides to refrain from continuing the military operations, including launching of Ketusha and other rockets toward Israel by the Hezbollah. Ms. Rice, by being asked by the Lebanese President not to visit Beirut, suffered a diplomatic embarrassment that was felt all the way to the Oval Office of the White House.

The quickly hammered out cease fire proposal, which calls for a multinational force to be stationed on the Israeli-Lebanese border, and formal talks between the two countries on a final boundary or ‘blue line’ between the two countries, resulted from the tremendous outcry resulted from the Qana attack in which nearly 60 people were killed, many of them small children. One issue left hanging (at least it wasn’t formerly mentioned) was the issue involving the two kidnapped Israeli soldiers, which was the main catalyst that started this whole conflagration in the first place. That also includes, by the way, IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit who was captured by Hamas Terrorists in Gaza over a month ago.

During the duration of this three week conflict, we the staff of OneJerusalem.com have tried to post articles that express different points of view, both positive and negative, and afterwards invited readers to express their comments and opinions, as is usually done with such matters. Many online newspapers, with special ‘talk-back’ sections, have similar forums as well, and these usually result in all kinds of comments being issued, many on the negative side.

Our web-blog does not currently have any set ‘rules’ involving the content of these comments; and readers can post virtually anything they so desire, even comments of a most unfriendly nature. For the attention, and hopefully benefit, of readers living outside of both Israel, the PA Authority areas, and, of course, Lebanon, we would like to point out to you as follows: There are no winners in such military operations, as war does create ‘winners’, only destruction and human suffering. The attack on the people who had taken refuge in this (Qfar Qana) building was horrible enough, and the entire circumstances of this tragedy are now under investigation. This event, however, was not the only sad event suffered, as other events were very tragic as well – and not just in Lebanon. Israel, though suffering less of a ‘body count’ in lives lost, has been inflicted very costly damage as well; physical as well as economic. And perhaps it is a good time to pull the brake lever in this “runaway train ride” that has been occurring.

What is sad, above all else, is the discovery that the world is still filled with much hatred and bigotry, that seemed to come out into the open following the posting of the article: Turning Point. Readers who live far way from what has been going on in this part of the world, for so many years, must be made to understand that only by living here and being constantly exposed to dangers of terrorism and war, is it possible see things differently than you do. Israelis and Lebanese living in bomb shelters for three weeks, afraid to come out even to buy food, or languishing in places like Cyprus with not much more than the clothes on their backs understand these issues a lot more than those living far away. With a chance now to send the ‘dogs of war’ back to their kennels, a healing process will hopefully begin. We would like to some day see Israelis and Lebanese coming to do business or holiday in each other’s country; and perhaps this may someday be a pleasant reality. At the moment, a lot of animosity and distrust will have to be eliminated, and Lebanon will need to take control of its own destiny and not be ‘controlled’ by forces like Hezbollah. All we can hope for, dear readers, it that you try to understand that there are two sides to every conflict, especially this tragic one.