Israeli troops seized the town of Marjayoun and two nearby villages in south Lebanon on Thursday, witnesses said, even though Israel says it has put off plans for a broader offensive against Hezbollah guerillas.
A Reuters journalist said Israeli troops were moving on foot through Marjayoun, a Christian town about eight kilometres miles inside Lebanon. He said the Israelis were also inside Burj al-Molouk and Qlaiah, with tanks deployed on roads nearby.
A local Marjayoun official told Al-Jazeera television there had been gunfire and shelling before the Israelis moved in.
"There is heavy gunfire that started around 3.30am and there is a lot of shelling on the outskirts of the town. A gas station was burned and a shell fell on a house," said Fouad al-Hamra, identified as head of the municipality.
"They reached here around 3.30am," he said by telephone. "We heard the sounds of tanks and now I can see a big fire on the eastern outskirts of the town."
He said he did not think there had been any clashes in the town between Hezbollah guerillas and the Israelis.
An Israeli cabinet minister confirmed that plans for an expanded ground offensive, approved on Wednesday, had been put on hold to allow more time for US-led diplomatic efforts to halt the Lebanon war, now in its fifth week.
"There is a certain diplomatic process under way," Tourism Minister Yitzhak Herzog said. "We can allow a little more time to see if there's a possibility for a diplomatic process."
But Mr Herzog, a member of Israel's security cabinet, made it clear Israel would execute its military plans if talks failed.
"If there won't be a diplomatic solution, there will be a need to remove this threat," he told Israel's Army Radio, referring to more than 3300 rockets Hezbollah guerillas have rained on northern Israel since hostilities erupted on July 12.
Hezbollah guerillas were battling Israeli forces up to 10 kilometres inside Lebanon after the Shiite Muslim group's chief vowed to turn the south into a graveyard for the invaders.
An Israeli military source said the incursion in the eastern sector aimed to stop Hezbollah from firing rockets at the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona from the Khiam border area.
Israel bombs 150 targets in Lebanon
The Israel Air Force flew 150 missions over Lebanon in the 24-hour period ending this morning, attacking rocket launchers and structures belonging to Hezbollah, an army spokeswoman said.
Israel's security cabinet decided yesterday to widen the ground offensive, with forces advancing up as far as the Litani River, in an effort to push Hezbollah back from the border area.
But Israel Army Radio, quoting unnamed political officials, said that the expanded ground offensive could be delayed for 48 hours in an attempt to give some time to diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire.
Big powers split on UN resolution
The big powers are split on a UN resolution on Lebanon. Paris and Washington are at odds over when the foreign force, possibly led by France, should move in and when Israel should withdraw.
Lebanon wants Israeli troops out quickly, but Israel says it will leave only when foreign troops supporting the Lebanese army take over. The United States agrees with Israel, warning against any security vacuum that would allow Hezbollah to regroup.
The Israeli army said 15 of its soldiers and 40 Hezbollah guerillas had been killed on Wednesday, one of the bloodiest days of fighting in the conflict that began after Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid.
Israeli television said the bodies of Iranian Revolutionary Guards had been found among guerillas killed in Lebanon. There was no independent confirmation. Hezbollah denied the report.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah earlier warned Israel against expanding its offensive in Lebanon
"You won't be able to stay in our land, and if you come in, we'll force you out. We will turn our precious southern land into a graveyard for the invading Zionists," he said.
In a televised speech, he also urged Arab residents of Haifa to leave the Israeli city to avoid Hezbollah rocket fire.
US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack reiterated that Israel had a right to defend itself but said Israel "must take the utmost care" to avoid civilian casualties.
The war has cost the lives of at least 1005 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and 116 Israelis, mostly soldiers.
Diplomats are still working on a UN resolution aimed at ending the war but no Security Council vote seems imminent.
Washington's UN envoy, John Bolton, made it clear no deal had been struck. "There are areas where we are still not in agreement," he said. "I don't want to appear to minimise that."
LET'S face it, Israel's counteroffensive in Lebanon doesn't seem to be going very well. Liberals are saying it. Conservatives are saying it. Plenty of Israelis are saying it. But here is the odd thing: nobody is paying very careful attention to the alternative. The criticism of Israel's ground campaign - however sound much of it may be - takes place against an implicit assumption that peace could be at hand if only Israel stops fighting.
That idea is worth examining. The United Nations types argue that Israel should withdraw from Lebanon and cease its air strikes, and that an international force should patrol southern Lebanon. But every country that could contribute to such a force has insisted it does not want to fight Hezbollah. The UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, has said that a "cardinal principle" of any peacekeeping force would be obtaining Lebanon's consent. And neither Hezbollah nor the Lebanese Government has evinced any willingness to remove Hezbollah's forces from southern Lebanon.
From the doves there is a persistent disconnect between the goals they desire and the means to achieve them. Here is what the former US president Jimmy Carter wrote in a recent Washington Post opinion piece: "The urgent need in Lebanon is that Israeli attacks stop, the nation's regular military forces control the southern region, Hezbollah cease as a separate fighting force, and future attacks against Israel be prevented."
The passive voice in the last clause - "attacks be prevented" - is telling. Who is going to prevent them? Israel went into Lebanon because nobody else had the desire or the inclination.
So, the doves' solution is that Israel withdraws from Lebanon and stops bombing, and that Hezbollah goes on its way. This is why they've pointed out that not many Israelis have died in rocket attacks since 2000.
But the death toll doesn't quite capture the damage wrought by Hezbollah. The purpose of its campaign is to force Israelis to live under constant threat - from missile attacks or cross-border raids that, while sporadic, can occur at any time. No nation would consider that condition acceptable. And even if Israel learns to take periodic attacks from Hezbollah with good cheer, there's no guarantee the attacks won't get worse. After all, Hezbollah is acquiring newer, more powerful rockets from Iran.
So what can Israel do? Conventional wisdom holds that any military action is counterproductive. The doves point out that the Israeli counteroffensive has boosted Hezbollah's standing in the Arab world.
Well, sure. But Hezbollah's prestige was also boosted by Israel's 2000 withdrawal from Lebanon. If aggressive Israeli actions boost Hezbollah, and conciliatory Israeli actions boost Hezbollah, then maybe Israel's actions aren't really the prime mover here. Maybe Hezbollah has worked out that it can become the champion of the Arab world by putting itself forward as Israel's chief antagonist, and it will continue to do so regardless of how Israel responds.
The doves are right that any solution that involves attacking innocent civilians is a terrible one. It is heartbreaking to see houses flattened and children killed. But when you have a nation populated in part by murderous religious fanatics who delight in killing enemy civilians and see the deaths of their own civilians as a strategic boon, any option is going to be terrible.
Israel is hoping to change the equation, to force Lebanon to take control of its border or accept an outside force that would do so. The tactic of striking Hezbollah has some chance of bringing that about. Stopping the attack and hoping for the best has no chance at all.
I know what you are saying... America gave a valid reason for the terrorists to do it... And we should take it on the chin and go on with our lives.
Um, not quite. All you see is Israel good, Palestine bad, America good, Iraq bad. If Bush or Howard told you the earth was flat, would you believe them?
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If your argument about America was right, why are half of the people of Iraq on our side? Why are they seeking our help to rebuild their country and establish a democracy?
You might want to keep up-to-date with the latest news. Yes this might have been the case initially but the situation is quite the opposite now as Boomslanger said. The people want the Americans out, they've had enough of the violence, it hasn't helped that America has been almost as bad at the rebels at killing innocent civilians and destroying infrastructure!
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Why do you believe the propaganda from the terrorists but don't believe anything the west has to say.
I believe neither sides propaganda whereas it's quite clear you believe Bush and Howard's without bothering to question anything or research for yourself.
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I believe more and more, that terrorists don't have a cause at all. After all, terrorists don't have a country or a government. They work for themselves. They are simple murderers who are pretending to have a cause.
Yes. However, Hamas certainly have a cause to liberate Palestinians, but killing innocent people is no way to fight for your cause. Obviously you have no idea of the conditions Palestinians are living under.
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There is nothing cool about America. But our teenagers love anything American. After all, their parents bring them up on Mac Donald and Kentucky Fried Chicken. Two third of what they watch on tele is American. Everyone of their favorite movie is American. So why wouldn't they love America?
I love aspects of American culture such as their music and tv shows and movies. I can separate enjoying their culture from wanting my country to be like theres.
So . . in just over 12 hours time the guns should fall silent . . . *I'm not holding MY breath* . . . . nobody has a remedy for the issues these two sides claim as the cause of the conflict. . and the fact that with such a short time before a ceasefire is due. . they are bombing each other 'back to the stoneage'.
DEMOCRACY = Voters deciding by Poll on who will be the local member that "Big Business" will push around.
US and Israel are also representing Australia ... We are allied with the US. By that simple fact, any friend of the US is our friend.
What I find very bigoted about people like you AO is right now you're supporting Israel saying "we" (the west) must stand together to defeat the evil muslim terrorists. Wind the clock back almost 70 years ago to WWII and people like you turned their back on the Jews in their time of need, people like you said "I don't want those miserly Jewish bastards in my country", "I don't want them coming in as refugees and forming ghettos and relying on our welfare system". You mention you are from France, we need not mention your country's involvement in WWII.
Terrorism will decrease when the white man stops looking at everything through racist eyes. Before it was the Jews, now it's the Muslims, who'll be next?
What I find very bigoted about people like you AO is right now you're supporting Israel saying "we" (the west) must stand together to defeat the evil muslim terrorists. Wind the clock back almost 70 years ago to WWII and people like you turned their back on the Jews in their time of need, people like you said "I don't want those miserly Jewish bastards in my country", "I don't want them coming in as refugees and forming ghettos and relying on our welfare system". You mention you are from France, we need not mention your country's involvement in WWII.
Terrorism will decrease when the white man stops looking at everything through racist eyes. Before it was the Jews, now it's the Muslims, who'll be next?
Surely... You are not going to use the racist card to protect terrorists... Are you?
The fact that terrorists happen to be Muslims has nothing to do with racism.
As far as I am concerned, it is clear cut.
Lebanon provoked Israel into a war...
And they got one.
I am not interested about the "if" and "but". I leave that talk for the UN. You cannot hit me with a rocket and ask me to be diplomatic towards those who launched it.
If during the Cold War, the soviet had launched a missile towards the US, all hell would have broken loose. Remember Cuba 1962? They made a movie about it not long ago.
Surely... You are not going to use the racist card to protect terrorists... Are you?
The fact that terrorists happen to be Muslims has nothing to do with racism.
In no way have I ever protected or supported the terrorists. All I said was the west's racist attitudes have a large part to do with the current situation.
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Lebanon provoked Israel into a war...
Did Israel not provoke the Arabs by shelling a beach and killing almost an entire Palestinian family? Which prompted the kidnapping of the Israeli soldiers.
I don't think it's as clear cut as Lebanon provoked Israel into war. Yes Hezbollah may have been firing rockets at Israel indiscriminantly for some time now but Israel has been demolishing houses and killing innocent Palestinians and children for some time now as well.
For anyone who believes Australia did not bring the threat of terrorism on itself by joining Uncle Sam's crusade for black gold, ask yourself this question. When was the last time New Zealand had a terrorist threat made against them?
I don't think it's as clear cut as Lebanon provoked Israel into war. Yes Hezbollah may have been firing rockets at Israel indiscriminantly for some time now but Israel has been demolishing houses and killing innocent Palestinians and children for some time now as well.
Maybe so. But you might care to remember than before Iraq got in the news, Israel was in the news everyday while on the receiving end of suicide bombers from Palestine.
They are so many things which makes me angry about the whole fiasco.
For instance, you would think that any civilise government would care about its citizen. Muslim governments don't seem to. They put the same price on a human life than we put on an Australian sheep.
Why would any sensible government provoke a super power into a war, while knowing fully well that they cannot win and that their people will die? We have seen it in Iraq and now in Lebanon.
So the question is... If those governments don't care about their own citizens being killed, why the heck do Israel or the US should care about them?
But that is the whole point of the game played by the terrorists. They know that the West is full of people who value life and do not like to see people dying. They provoke the west into war and then pretend to be victims. It is a children game and it works very well for them because the people from the West are mostly children.
In the last 20 years, in countries like Australia, we have learned to not be responsible for our own actions. It is never our fault. It is always the government fault. We have become children rather than responsible adults. The road toll is blamed on the government... Not on the fact that 50% of drivers do not qualify to be holder of a licence. Municipalities throughout Australia had to stop holding public venues because they could not afford their liabilities insurances. Why? Because people keep suing everyone else for their own stupidity.
It is the very people who scream from the top of the roof at Israel and the US each time they kill a few civilians... Who encourage those terrorists to strike again and again. If the whole world was to adopt a no-nonsense attitude like I do, within 12 months, there would not be any terrorists left. They are using you to further their so called "cause", and you don't see it.
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For anyone who believes Australia did not bring the threat of terrorism on itself by joining Uncle Sam's crusade for black gold, ask yourself this question. When was the last time New Zealand had a terrorist threat made against them?
You may have a point. Even so... What is there to blow up in New-Zealand?
But why did not Australia prevent John Howard to go in Iraq? And why did Australia re-elect John Howard in the last election?
New-Zealand is a nobody country. Australia is trying to establish itself amongst the super powers so that we can have a say in the running of the world and be counted. In order to do that, we have to take part in the bad in order to benefit from the good. Or we can be nobody and criticise everybody else for doing something that we don't have the guts to do ourselve.
Terrorism is not about land or people. It is about destroying the economy of the West to bring us back down to their level. Terrorists don't want our money. They want to blow it up. If they had some nuclear weapons, they would nuke the whole world, including themselves. What do they care? They are going to paradise anyway while dying for their cause.
A CEASEFIRE to end a month of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah lasted less than four hours yesterday before shooting broke out in the town of Hadata, in southern Lebanon.
They are so many things which makes me angry about the whole fiasco.
You are frustrated. That's fair enough. So am I and anyone else who cares about humanity.
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For instance, you would think that any civilise government would care about its citizen. Muslim governments don't seem to. They put the same price on a human life than we put on an Australian sheep.
Yeah many of them don't care at all. Although the Lebanese Government displayed some compassion for their people during the current outbreak of war.
And it's not just Muslim Governments either, most communist Governments are the same from China to South America. We in the developed world seem to care a little more about our people, but this get compromised in the pursuit of business interest.
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Why would any sensible government provoke a super power into a war, while knowing fully well that they cannot win and that their people will die? We have seen it in Iraq and now in Lebanon.
The Lebanese Government didn't provoke Israel into war. Perhaps indirectly by not doing anything about Hezbollah. But it was a double edged sword for them, to get rid of Hezbollah would have involved a civil war and loss of many lives and they would have faced questioning by the Arab world as getting rid of Hezbollah would look like Lebanon were not supporting the Palestinian people who Hezbollah are fighting for. The Palestinians have become to the Arab world what the Jews were during the time of Moses.
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So the question is... If those governments don't care about their own citizens being killed, why the heck do Israel or the US should care about them?
Because if we're supposed to be the good guys then we should value the lives of all innocent people, not just our own. I know it's cliche but we all belong to a human race, not a superior western race.
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But that is the whole point of the game played by the terrorists. They know that the West is full of people who value life and do not like to see people dying. They provoke the west into war and then pretend to be victims. It is a children game and it works very well for them because the people from the West are mostly children.
Yeah it sucks. Lacking modern weaponry, the terrorists have turned to inflicting terror upon us to publicise their plight and make us live in fear like they have for decades even centuries.
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If the whole world was to adopt a no-nonsense attitude like I do, within 12 months, there would not be any terrorists left.
You are talking about nuking the middle-east and other parts of the world and the end result in casualties would make the Holocaust look like a car crash. I don't think people are willing to support such grand-scale state sponsored murder.
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They are using you to further their so called "cause", and you don't see it.
All I say is to defeat these terrorists we must get buy in from the Arab Governments. Bribe them with monetary incentives, I don't care, do what you have to do to get these Governments serious about erradicating the terrorists. Just stop the exploitation and stealing like the U.S. is doing in Iraq.
We must change the minds of the people and we can only do that if we assist the Arab Governments rather than invading and bombing willy-nilly and killing innocent people and destroying infrastructure. Let the Arab Governments do the hard work with support from us (intelligence/weapons), it's their responsibility.
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But why did not Australia prevent John Howard to go in Iraq?
We couldn't. The majority of Australia opposed the invasion but we were powerless to stop johnny "the dictator" howard.
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And why did Australia re-elect John Howard in the last election?
This reflects very poorly on our combined intelligence. Apparently we cared more about interest rates and petrol prices than we did about our security and the lives of innocent Iraqis. Plus by that time johnny had already committed to Iraq and we were a terror target so people felt johnny could keep them safe by killing some Muslims.
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New-Zealand is a nobody country. Australia is trying to establish itself amongst the super powers so that we can have a say in the running of the world and be counted. In order to do that, we have to take part in the bad in order to benefit from the good. Or we can be nobody and criticise everybody else for doing something that we don't have the guts to do ourselve.
Why do you want a say in the running of the world? I don't. I wish we could go back to te Australia of old where we were insignificant in the world's eyes but we were safe and happy.
What's the good you speak of? More power and money? No thanks. You obviously want to be like America. The U.S. is only 14 hours away.
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Terrorism is not about land or people. It is about destroying the economy of the West to bring us back down to their level. Terrorists don't want our money. They want to blow it up. If they had some nuclear weapons, they would nuke the whole world, including themselves. What do they care? They are going to paradise anyway while dying for their cause.
(Islamic) Terrorism is the blend of a cause (Palestine, exploitation of the middle-east by local and foreign Governments), ignorance, poverty, oppression and religous fundamentalism. If you take away the cause what will they have left? They'll wage war against the west because of our loose morals and scantily clad women? Good luck in getting support on that!
You are talking about nuking the middle-east and other parts of the world
No... I am not talking about using nuclear weapons. What I am talking about is... Let Israel and the US go in there hard, get those freaking terrorists and get it over and done with. Our role is to stop interfering and whinging about innocent civilians being killed. Let the government do his job. Yes... Civilians will die. But the way we are going about it now, just as many people will die in the long run. Because terrorists will keep killing as long as they are there.
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Why do you want a say in the running of the world? I don't. I wish we could go back to te Australia of old where we were insignificant in the world's eyes but we were safe and happy.
Like it or not, but progress march on. To isolate ourself from the rest of the world would make us a third world country within 20 years. You do enjoy all the latest technology... Don't you? It is not free you know... If we were not part of the world, we could not afford it.
The troubles started in the 1890s when the Zionist movement was formed and made a fundamental error in their political platform.
They erroneously believed that God gave the Land to the descendents of Abraham (ie. themselves as Jews).
But God did not do that. He did not give it to a religion.
God gave the Land to the DESCENDENTS of Abraham. Regardless of their religion, gender, politics, or morals.
Today's Palestinians are the inheritors of that promise. They are Hebrews descended through Abraham-Jacob-Judah. Remember all those thousands and thousands of Jews who became Christians in the first and second centuries? They never left the Land to go into a Diaspora. They stayed and weathered countless invasions.
Never that is.....until now.
No. Believing in Zionism means believing that for 2,000 years God welched on His promise to Abraham and his kids' kids.
Jesus said that you can discern where someone is coming from by their fruit. Murder, theft, kidnapping, assassination, terrorism, bombings, plane hijackings, lies and corruption have all been tools of Zionism's first 100 years.
Logged
. . nobody has a remedy for the issues these two sides claim as the cause of the conflict. . and the fact that with such a short time before a ceasefire is due. . they are bombing each other 'back to the stoneage'. 
