Table of Contents
*Useful contacts and numbers including
o Israeli government officials, Israel Defense Forces spokespeople
o
Contact numbers for cities and communities hit by Hezbollah's missiles
+
Residents (English, Spanish, French, Russian, German, and Bulgarian speakers)
+
American students at Haifa University Summer Program who have been moved to Jerusalem
+
Hospital spokespeople
+
Municipal officials
o
Hotels in Haifa and other cities in the north of Israel
* Hezbollah's Arsenal (Map)
*
Resolution 425 (1978)
*
Resolution 1559 (2004)
*
Address by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, The Knesset, July 17, 2006
*
Statement by Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Dan Gillerman Before the Security Council, July 21, 2006
*
Distance of Hezbollah Rocket Targets from Lebanese Border
*
Economic Damage to Israel
*
Israeli Government Reaching Out to Arabs in Northern Israel
*
Shebaa Farms: Background Information and Hezbollah's Attacks Against the Area
*
Middle East Shuttle Diplomacy by U.S. Secretaries of State
* International Peace-Keeping Forces: A Brief History
*
Area of northern Israel subject to Hezbollah rocket attacks (map)
*
Cities and communities affected by Hezbollah rockets (map)
*
Background Information on Cities Affected by Rocket Attacks
o
Afula
o
Akko (Acre)
o
Haifa
o
Karmiel
o
Kibbutz Hulata
o
Kibbutz Kfar Szold
o
Kiryat Shmona
o
Ma'alot-Tarshiha
o
Metula
o
Moshav Avivim
o
Moshav Meron
o
Mughar
o
Nahariya
o
Nazareth
o
Peki'in
o
Rosh Pina
o
Tiberias
o
Tzfat
o
Upper Nazareth (Nazareth Illit)
o
Yesod Hama'ala
USEFUL CONTACTS AND NUMBERS
The Israel Project
Office: 02- 623 6427
Calev Ben-David: 054-807 9093
Jennifer Packer: 054-698 8573
The Government Press Office
Director: Daniel Seaman Tel. 02-500 7502 Cell. 050-620 5240
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Tel: 02-530 3111
Acting Spokesman: Mark Regev Tel. 02-530 3343
Prime Minister's Office
Foreign Press Coordinator: David Baker Tel. 02- 677 3649 Cell. 050-620 5061
Israel Defense Forces
IDF Spokeswoman: Captain Noa Meir Tel. 03- 608 0236
Senior IDF Spokesman: Col. Olivier Rafowicz Tel. 054-798 4785 (speaks English, Hebrew, French, Spanish)
IDF Spokesman: Lt. Eli Ovitz Tel. 054-630 0375
Israeli Police
Spokesman: Inspector Micky Rosenfeld Cell. 050-627 5870
Magen David Adom
Spokesperson: Yeruham Mendola Tel. 03-537 9341 Cell. 052-256 9955
Cab Companies
Jerusalem- Moniot Rehavia Tel. 02- 625 4444, 4445, 4446
Tel Aviv and Jerusalem- Yossi Cell. 054- 532 6060
The Joint Distribution Committee
Involved in large-scale programs to help children and elderly cope with Hezbollah attacks.
Spokesman Michal Cohen Tel: 052-240 4325
Ministry of Education
The Ministry is currently working with over 7000 psychologists, helping families cope with current crisis.
Assistant spokesman: Shauli Pe'er Tel: 050-628 3044
CONTACT NUMBERS FOR CITIES AND COMMUNITIES HIT BY HEZBOLLAH'S MISSILES
Haifa
Municipality
Tel: 04-835 6865
Spokesperson: Tzachi Tarno
Tel: 04-835 6754 Cell. 057-754 8500
Police Chief Commander: Nir Mariash
Tel: 04-835 4444
Rambam Hospital Spokesperson: David Ratner
Tel: 04- 854 2718
English speaking resident: Yossi Zur (lost his teenage son in a suicide attack in 2003)
Tel: 054-424 8912
General Manager of Haifa Tourist Board: Moshe Tzur-Zurich
Tel: 054-445 8111 Tel: 04-853 5606
English speaking resident: Yossi Mendellevich (lost his 13 years old son in suicide attack in 2003) Tel: 04-834 1672
German and English speaking resident: Ron Kehrmann (lost his teen-age daughter in a suicide attack in 2003)
Tel: 054-491 1822
English speaking resident: Alex Gan
Tel: 052-878 9999
Russian speaker, Haifa City Council member: Yulia Straim
Cell: 050-729 8897
Spanish speaking resident, originally from Buenos Aires: Mario Wainstein
Tel: 054-462 1179
English and Bulgarian speaking resident: Nina Gozes
Cell: 052-335 1284
French and Bulgarian speaking resident: Mathy Cohen
Cell: 054-648 0250
Russian and Bulgarian speaking resident: Izzi Cohen
Cell: 054-648 0240
English speaking residents from the United States: Carol and Paul Goldgeiger
Tel. 04-833 8020
English speaking resident: Yossi Gluzman
Tel: 04-837 7792 Cell: 050-728 3356 Email: gluzman@netvision.net.il
American students at Haifa University Summer Program who have been moved to Jerusalem
Benjamin Israel (University of Virginia)
Tel: 052- 534 7464
Andrew Kaminski (Dartmouth College)
Tel: 052-604 1719
David Riemen-Schmeider
Tel: 052- 653 8032
Linda Schwaber (Cornell University)
Tel. 054 598 3432
Upper Galilee
Ya'ara Kadosh, Community Director for Upper Galilee Regional Council
Tel: 050-522 6312
Karmiel
Municipality:
Tel: 04-908 5502/3/4/5
Spokesperson: Leviah Shalev Fischer (English speaker)
Tel: 04- 908 5561
Russian speaker: Rina Greenberg
Tel: 04- 908 5511
Spanish, French and English speaker: Hanna Koval (General Director of municipality)
Cell: 054 662 6806 Tel: 04-908 5531
Afula
HaEmek Hospital Spokesperson: Merav Moyal
Tel: 04-649 4023 Cell. 057-722 6069
Kiryat Shmona
Municipality:
Tel: 04-694 2610
Tel: 04-690 8406
Spokesperson: Doron Shenfar
Tel: 050-867 5052
International Relations Officer: Susan Shosh Peretz (speaks English, German and Greek)
Tel: 052-666 3686
French speaking resident: Meir Marciano
Tel: 050-869 7660
Naharyia
Municipality:
Tel: 04-987 9811
Spokesperson: Gadi Ness
Tel: 052-226 9500
English speaking resident and spokesperson for the Western Galilee Naharia Hospital: Judy Jochnowitz
Tel: 04-957 0137 Cell: 050-788 7446
English speaking resident: Galia Mori
Tel: 052-282 8195
Spanish speaking resident: Alicia Hecht, President of the Association of Immigrants from Latin America, Spain and Portugal in Israel:
Tel: 04- 900 00 613 Cell: 050 857 9066
English speaking resident: Richard Mann
Tel: 04- 982 8193
Russian speaking resident: Semyon Goretsky
Tel: 04- 951 3637
French speaking residents: Benoid and Chantale Dourieze
Cell: 052- 520-1335 or Cell: 052- 482-9676
Rosh Pina
English speaking resident Kenny Elias
Tel: 04- 693 7088
French speaking resident: Jacky Buchvut
Tel: 04- 693 6617
English speaking resident and tour guide: Richard Woolf
Cell: 050- 589 4647
Tzfat
English speaking resident, originally from Miami: Edith Geiger
Tel: 04-692 1592
Kfar Verdim
English speaking resident: Elaine Levitt
Cell: 052- 851 2313
Peki'in
Tourist Center: Tel:04- 997 8650
Khawalid
Ishmael Khaladi (Israeli Bedouin soon-to-be Israeli deputy-consul in San Francisco)
Tel: 050-620 3289
HOTELS IN HAIFA AND OTHER CITIES IN THE NORTH OF ISRAEL
Haifa:
The Nof Hotel
101 Hanassi Ave.
Tel: 04-835 4311, Fax: 04-838 8810
Price bed and breakfast: $88 for single and $104 for double room
Press conferences and briefings will be at the Nof Hotel Haifa
Dan Panorama Haifa Hotel
107 Hanassi Avenue
Tel: 04-835 2222
Price bed and breakfast: $120 for single and $150 for double room
Reservation: Tel: 03-520 2552, Fax: 03-548 0111
Nahariya:
Carlton Hotel Nahariya
23 Gaaton Ave
Phone: 04- 900 5555, Fax: 04-982 3771
Price bed and breakfast: $84 for single and $120 for double room
Sol Marina Nahariya
Tel. 04-995 0555
Price: 350 NIS single and 500NIS (+taxes)
Park Plaza Hotel
Price: $132 for single and $150 for double room
Reservation: Tel: 1 700 506 016
Akko/ Acre:
Palm Beach Hotel
Tel. 04- 987 7788
Price bed and breakfast: $100 for single and $120 for double room
Photo Courtesy of The New York Times
Map courtesy of Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Resolution 425 (1978) and Resolution 1559 (2004)
Resolution 425 (1978) of 19 March 1978 [1]
The Security Council,
Taking note of the letters from the Permanent Representative of Lebanon [2] and from the Permanent Representative of Israel, [3]
Having heard the statements of the Permanent Representatives of Lebanon and Israel, [4]
Gravely concerned at the deterioration of the situation in the Middle East and its consequences to the maintenance of international peace,
Convinced that the present situation impedes the achievement of a just peace in the Middle East,
- Calls for strict respect for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized boundaries;
- Calls upon Israel immediately to cease its military action against Lebanese territorial integrity and withdraw forthwith its forces from all Lebanese territory;
- Decides, in the light of the request of the Government of Lebanon, to establish immediately under its authority a United Nations interim force for Southern Lebanon for the purpose of confirming the withdrawal of Israeli forces, restoring international peace and security and assisting the Government of Lebanon in ensuring the return of its effective authority in the area, the force to be composed of personnel drawn from Member States;
- Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council within twenty-four hours on the implementation of the present resolution.
Adopted at the 2074th meeting by 12 votes to none, with 2 abstentions (Czechoslovakia,
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). [5]
Resolution 1559 (2004) [6]
Adopted by the Security Council at its 5028th meeting, on 2 September 2004
The Security Council,
Recalling all its previous resolutions on Lebanon, in particular resolutions 425 (1978) and 426 (1978) of 19 March 1978, resolution 520 (1982) of 17 September 1982, and resolution 1553 (2004) of 29 July 2004 as well as the statements of its President on the situation in Lebanon, in particular the statement of 18 June 2000 (S/PRST/2000/21),
Reiterating its strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized borders,
Noting the determination of Lebanon to ensure the withdrawal of all non-Lebanese forces from Lebanon,
Gravely concerned at the continued presence of armed militias in Lebanon, which prevent the Lebanese Government from exercising its full sovereignty over all Lebanese territory,
Reaffirming the importance of the extension of the control of the Government of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory,
Mindful of the upcoming Lebanese presidential elections and underlining the importance of free and fair elections according to Lebanese constitutional rules devised without foreign interference of influence,
- Reaffirms its call for the strict respect of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity, and political independence of Lebanon under the sole and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon throughout Lebanon;
- Calls upon all remaining foreign forces to withdraw from Lebanon;
- Calls for the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias;
- Supports the extension of the control of the Government of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory;
- Declares its support for a free and fair electoral process in Lebanon's upcoming presidential election conducted according to Lebanese constitutional rules devised without foreign interference or influence;
- Calls upon all parties concerned to cooperate fully and urgently with the Security Council for the full implementation of this and all relevant resolutions concerning the restoration of the territorial integrity, full sovereignty, and political independence of Lebanon;
- Requests that the Secretary-General report to the Security Council within thirty days on the implementation by the parties of this resolution and decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
Address by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert [7]
The Knesset, July 17, 2006
Translation
Madam Speaker, Ladies and gentlemen, Members of Knesset, at the outset, I offer condolences, on my behalf and on behalf of the government, the Knesset and the entire nation, to the families of the victims - both civilian and the IDF. I also send best wishes for recovery to the wounded, and a huge embrace for the families of those kidnapped and the boys themselves.
Over the past few weeks, our enemies have challenged the sovereignty of the State of Israel and the safety of its residents - first in the southern sector, then on the northern border, and deeper into the home front.
Israel did not seek these confrontations. On the contrary. We have done a lot to prevent them. We returned to the borders of the State of Israel, recognized by the entire international community. There were those who misconstrued our desire for peace - for us and our neighbors - as a sign of frailty. Our enemies misinterpreted our willingness to exercise restraint as a sign of weakness.
They were wrong!
Madam Speaker, Members of Knesset, the State of Israel has no territorial conflict, neither on our southern border nor on our northern one.
In these two areas, we are sitting on the recognized international border - both vis-à-vis the Palestinian Authority in the Gaza Strip, and in Lebanon.
We have no intention of interfering in their internal affairs. On the contrary, stability and tranquility in Lebanon, free of the rule of foreign powers, and in the Palestinian Authority, are in Israel's interest.
We yearn for the day when peace will prevail between us, for the mutual benefit of our peoples from both sides of our common border.
The campaign we are engaged in these days is against the terror organizations operating from Lebanon and Gaza. These organizations are nothing but 'sub-contractors' operating under the inspiration, permission, instigation and financing of the terror-sponsoring and peace-rejecting regimes, on the Axis of Evil which stretches from Tehran to Damascus.
Lebanon has suffered heavily in the past, when it allowed foreign powers to gamble on its fate.
Iran and Syria still continue to meddle, from afar, in the affairs of Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority, through Hizballah and the Hamas.
Even if last Wednesday's criminal attack against an IDF patrol was carried out without the consent of the Lebanese government and without the assistance of its military, this does not absolve it of full responsibility for the attack which emanated from its sovereign territory. Just as the fact that the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority opposes terrorism against Israel does not relieve him and the Palestinian Authority of their responsibility for the attack carried out from their territory against our soldiers in Kerem Shalom. They are both fully responsible for the safety of our soldiers who were taken hostage.
Radical, terrorist and violent elements are sabotaging the life of the entire region and placing its stability at risk. The region in which we live is threatened by these murderous terror groups.
It is a regional - as well as global - interest to take control and terminate their activity.
We can all see how the majority of the international community supports our battle against the terror organizations and our efforts to remove this threat of the Middle East.
We intend to do this. We will continue to operate in full force until we achieve this. On the Palestinian front, we will conduct a tireless battle until terror ceases, Gilad Shalit is returned home safely and the shooting of Qassam missiles stops.
And in Lebanon, we will insist on compliance with the terms stipulated long ago by the international community, as unequivocally expressed only yesterday in the resolution of the 8 leading countries of the world:
- The return of the hostages, Ehud (Udi) Goldwasser and Eldad Regev;
- A complete cease fire;
- Deployment of the Lebanese army in all of Southern Lebanon;
- Expulsion of Hizballah from the area, and fulfillment of United Nations Resolution 1559.
We will not suspend our actions.
On both fronts we are exercising self-defense in the most basic and essential sense. In both cases, it is a matter whose importance and significance go far beyond the size of the military units involved.
We are at a national moment of truth. Will we consent to living under the threat of this Axis of Evil or will we mobilize our inner strength and show determination and equanimity?
Our answer is clear to every Israeli, and it echoes today throughout the entire region.
We will search every compound, target every terrorist who assists in attacking the citizens of Israel, and destroy every terrorist infrastructure, everywhere. We will persist until Hizballah and Hamas comply with those basic and decent things required of them by every civilized person. Israel will not agree to live in the shadow of missiles or rockets against its residents.
Citizens of Israel, There are moments in the life of a nation, when it is compelled to look directly into the face of reality and say: no more!
And I say to everyone: no more!
Israel will not be held hostage - not by terror gangs or by a terrorist authority or by any sovereign state.
In the life of a nation there are moments of transcendence, of purification, when political and sectarian disputes which separate us are replaced by a sense of mutual responsibility. I highly value and appreciate the way the Opposition has been conducting itself in the Knesset these days. The human competition and personal rivalries are dissolved and instead our feeling of mutual responsibility arises, our sense of partnership, and primarily, our eternal love for our people and our land.
This is such a moment!
All of us - Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze and Circassians - now stand as one person, as one nation, subject together to the same hatred and malice, and fighting against it in consensus and partnership. When missiles are launched at our residents and cities, our answer will be war with all the strength, determination, valor, sacrifice and dedication which characterize this nation.
There is nothing we want more than peace and good neighborly relations - in the east, north and south. We seek peace, we pursue peace and we yearn for peace. At the same time, there is nothing we reject more than an attempt to harm us and make us give up our right to live here, in our land, in security and peace.
On behalf of the people of Israel, on behalf of all the residents of the country, I came here today, Madam Speaker, to announce to the world: we seek neither war nor direct confrontation, but we will not be deterred from them when the need arises. Only a nation that can defend its freedom truly deserves it. We are entitled to our freedom, and when necessary, we know how to fight for it and defend it.
My fellow Members of Knesset, the strength of the State of Israel relies on the strength and capability of the IDF. This strength is the main guarantee to preserving and defending our lives on this land. The best economic and human resources of Israeli society were invested in building this strength.
I want to extend from here my heartfelt gratitude - and that of the Government and the people of Israel - to the IDF soldiers and commanders, the security services, the Israel Police, the rescue forces, the firefighters and the other security forces.
I wish to read from the "Prayer for the Welfare of Soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces." Millions of Jews - in Israel and the world - pray for the safety and success of those who defend our nation, from the Lebanese border to the desert, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Arava, on the land, in the air and on the sea.
"May the Almighty cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down before them. May the Holy One, blessed be He, preserve and rescue our fighters from every trouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and may He send blessing and success in their every endeavor. May He lead our enemies under our soldiers' sway and may He grant them salvation and crown them with victory."
The strength of a nation is measured not only by its military capabilities. The strength of a nation is measured by its welfare and morality, its strong and solid economy, its modern and developing market, its export of technologies and products for the most advanced world markets and its ground-breaking academic research. In all these, each and every one of us has good reason to be proud.
But above all, the strength of a nation is measured in times of trial, when the home front becomes the front, when the citizens of the country show admirable fortitude, patience and stamina and allow it to operate against its enemies.
I had the privilege of witnessing these inner strengths in the years when I was Mayor of Jerusalem. For years, our capital was subject to the most murderous terror attacks. The resilience, patience and restraint of the residents of Jerusalem and the entire citizens of Israel are exemplary.
I recall a conversation with Rudy Giuliani, who was Mayor of New York during the terror attacks of September 2001. I called to offer encouragement to him and the residents of New York following the collapse of the Twin Towers, and he replied: "Ehud, if the New Yorkers can withstand it like the Jerusalemites do, then we will defeat terrorism."
Madam Speaker, Ladies and gentlemen Members of Knesset, Citizens of Israel, even in these days, hundreds of thousands of Israelis stand at the front line of fire, like soldiers in the battlefield, fighting for our life and honor.
It is clear to us that the circumstances imposed upon the residents compel us to address their special needs, in all aspects. The government will lend immediate assistance, everywhere.
The government of Israel, under my leadership, derives strength from the stamina of the Israeli public. We are a brave and determined nation. I am proud today - perhaps more than ever before - to be an Israeli citizen.
Thanks to you, our enemies come up against a united nation, which fights together, shoulder to shoulder. We do not surrender and we do not panic. We believe in the justice of our cause, because there is no battle more just or moral than ours - a battle for the right to a peaceful and normal life, like any other human being, any other nation and any other state.
We fight for the right of children like Omer Pisachov, may his memory be blessed, a 7 year old from Nahariya, who wanted to visit his grandmother Yehudit Itzkovich, may her memory be blessed, and enjoy the Sabbath dinner she prepared;
We fight for the right of citizens like Shmuel Ben-Shimon, may his memory be blessed, a 41 year old from Yokne'am who left every morning for work in the railway garage in Haifa to support his wife Natalie and their small children;
We fight for the right of citizens like Monica Lerer, may her memory be blessed, a 50 year old from Nahariya, to drink coffee on the terrace in the country to which she immigrated from Argentina;
We fight for the right of girls like Ella Abukasis, may her memory be blessed, a 13 year old from Sderot, to play the flute and read books, as Ella enjoyed doing.
We fight for everything that everyone in the enlightened world takes for granted and never imagined that they would have to fight for - the right to a normal life.
It is a difficult battle! It may become even more difficult. It is a painful test, and we may have to bear more suffering. Such a battle is never easy. It is strewn with pain and suffering, sacrifice, and casualties.
But, we have no intention of giving up our desire to live a normal life. We will not apologize for this desire, and we do not need anyone's approval to defend ourselves.
Citizens of Israel, this is a difficult time of trial for all of us. The State of Israel has withstood much more complex trials - and triumphed.
We have always known how to mobilize our inner strength, equanimity, wisdom and patience, in order to overcome our enemies.
Finally, I wish to speak on a more personal note to the families of Shalit, Goldwasser and Regev, the families of the soldiers who are held hostage by the Hamas and Hizballah.
You, and mainly your children - our children - are always on my mind.
Last Wednesday, only five days ago, at 10:00 am, Aviva and Noam Shalit sat in my office. They, and I, want Gilad home more than anything. While we were discussing the situation, I - and Aviva and Noam - received the painful news that Ehud (Udi) Goldwasser and Eldad Regev had been kidnapped.
On their departure, Noam and Aviva left a picture of Gilad, taken close to the date of his kidnapping.
Unfortunately, pictures of three boys now stand in my room. Many times during the day I look in their faces, into their eyes, and embrace them in my heart. I do not forget them for one minute. They were there on our behalf and for our sake. We will do everything and make every effort to bring them home. We will do this, but not in a pattern that will encourage more kidnappings.
There is almost no one who can understand the place you are in. Even when we do not talk directly, I feel and hear what you want to say to me, and I embrace you with love, understanding and agreement.
The place I am in compels me, ultimately, to make fateful decisions, for life, and sometimes even for death.
I have no strength other than that which you have bestowed upon me.
I have no courage other than that which G-d, my faith in the justice of our cause and my sense of supreme responsibility, have instilled in me and have prepared me for these fateful moments.
Madam Speaker, I see before me the kidnapped boys, those standing in the front line and in the line of fire, those brave and determined ones who are fighting today and who could - G-d forbid - be the target of tomorrow's kidnapping.
We will defend all of them, on behalf of all of them we will fight, and with all of them before our eyes - the civilians in the line of fire, the kidnapped fighters and their families - we will continue, without hesitating, without capitulating and without fretting, until our goals are achieved.
I wish to conclude by reading an extract from Prophet Jeremiah:
"Thus said Hashem: a voice is heard on high, wailing, bitter weeping, Rachel weeps for her children; she refuses to be consoled for her children, for they are gone. Thus said Hashem: restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears; for there is reward for your accomplishment - the word of Hashem - and they will return from the enemy's land. There is hope for your future - the word of Hashem; And your children will return to their land."
We will triumph!
"Hizbullah-Terrorism has been sending its long tentacles through every level of Lebanese society, integrating itself into the very fiber of a nation"
Statement by H.E. Ambassador Dan Gillerman [8]
Permanent Representative of Israel
Before the Security Council
During the open debate on "The Situation in the Middle East Including the Palestinian Question"
(21 July 2006)
Mr. President,
I would like to thank you for your continued able stewardship of this Council during these difficult days.
I would like to welcome his Excellency the Secretary-General and thank him for gracing this meeting with his important presence.
And I would also like to thank his Mr. Jan Egeland for his very precise and important report, and to thank Mr. Vijay Nambiar for his report on the very important mission which was dispatched by the Secretary-General to our region.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank his colleagues Mr. Terje Roed-Larsen and Mr. Alvaro de Soto for the important work they did.
Mr. President,
We just heard the Palestinian Observer describe a situation which seems very surrealistic. There was a whole array of descriptions of what Israel does as if this all came out of nowhere - as if this all emanated out of the clear blue skies. No mention of the kidnapping of the Israel soldier, Corporal Gilad Shalit. No mention of the firing of hundreds of Kassam rockets by the deadly Hamas-led government of his people. No mention of the fact that Israel had totally withdrawn from Gaza nearly a year ago. There is a certain absurdity to the constant use of the words "occupying power" when referring to an area which has not been occupied for a year, and which has been totally free to run its own affairs and to prove that it is, indeed, capable of running its own affairs, taking care of its people, their standard of living and quality of life. But instead, they brutally and cynically chose terror.
The same was apparent, also, in the Palestinian Observer's reference to his sisters and brothers in Lebanon and the Israeli aggression which, again, came out of nowhere. No kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers, no shelling of Israeli cities by hundreds of missiles and rockets. I think that this Council deserves more.
Mr. President,
We met here just one week ago. What a difference a week makes. Think of what we have all learned in one week. The world has learned of the enormous arsenal of missiles that Hizbullah has been amassing in Lebanon. The world has learned how deeply Hizbullah has penetrated Lebanese society. The world has learned again how ruthless and indiscriminate Hizbullah is. The same international community and this very Council has learned how right they were in repeatedly demanding the disarming of this terrorist monster
We have been aware, for years, of this deadly, cancerous growth, insidiously invading this beautiful, potentially prosperous country, and we have warned about the danger repeatedly. This Council took the threat seriously, as witnessed by its Resolution 1559.
And now, sadly, the peoples of Israel and Lebanon are reaping the miseries of war, sown long ago, but nurtured by those who chose to turn a blind eye to what was so clearly happening.
Mr. President,
Terrorism has occupied, ravaged, raped and pillaged Lebanon. Terror is the true occupying power of Lebanon. For years, Hizbullah has been amassing thousands of rockets, aimed at Israel, preparing for this attack. Its forces may be concentrated in the south, but its tangled web holds the entire nation of Lebanon hostage to its violent agenda.
The government of Lebanon, for its own political reasons, has chosen conflict with Israel instead of battling the cancer that occupies the body and soul of its very country. This cancer must be excised. It cannot be partially removed or allowed to fester. It must be removed without any trace, or, as cancers do and will, it will return and spread, striking and killing again.
Since last week, when the State of Israel was suddenly attacked without any provocation, citizens all across northern Israel have been suffering the consequences of Lebanon's failure. Rockets terrorize, maim and kill people in cities such as Haifa, Nahariya, Tiberias and Safed. Towns across the Galilee have been hit by a ceaseless barrage of missiles. And only two days ago, two young children playing in St. Paul's Street in the Holy City of Nazareth, the home town of Jesus, were mercilessly struck down by a Hizbullah rocket.
As we speak, another wave of dozens of rockets is raining down on cities and towns across Northern Israel. At the first siren, thousands run for the safety of bomb shelters and reinforced safe-rooms, which, by law, must be in all homes. The rockets they flee are sent from across a border, from other homes, where other families reside. Their "special rooms", however, have been modified to serve as rocket launching pads. This is the horrible equation that we face.
Mr. President,
We have witnessed civilian casualties, and we grieve for each one of them. Also, we have heard how difficult it is to distinguish between Hizbullah and civilians. We have heard this from none other than the Lebanese Ambassador, who said on American television just this week:
"It is impossible to differentiate between Hizbullah and civilians in Lebanon. Hizbullah is everywhere in Lebanon, and has become part of Lebanese society."
This is also how cancer works, attacking healthy cells, invading and spreading through the whole body until healthy and malignant become inseparable. And this is exactly the point that Israel has been making for years. Terrorism has been sending its long tentacles through every level of Lebanese society, integrating itself into the very fiber of a nation. They live and operate among civilians, occupying their towns and villages, using them as human shields, and they have infiltrated the government itself.
We are told of a so-called "political branch" of Hizbullah. Do not be misled by this ruse - an attempt to paint a kinder face on cold-blooded terrorists who are intent on cold-blooded murder. The Hizbullah Member of Parliament and the terrorist in the hills launching rockets at Israeli civilians both have the same strategy and goal. These labels cannot be allowed to give legitimacy to a gang of thugs.
Mr. President,
In spite of the very difficult situation on the ground, Israel is acutely aware of the humanitarian situation, and I wish to inform the Council that I have just received official confirmation from Israel that, further to the corridor allowing evacuation from Lebanon, a two-way - in and out - "humanitarian corridor, to meet the needs of those affected on the Lebanese side", has been established. As the Israeli side of this mechanism is now being formulated, I would like to assure this Council of the continued cooperation of the Government of Israel on this important issue.
Mr. President,
We have been hearing calls for a cessation of hostilities, but before we can contemplate a cessation of hostilities, we must insist on the cessation of terror. A temporary and artificial cease-fire, or whatever term one may use, will only result in an illusionary lull, which would allow this disease to spread and kill again.
The international community must finally address the terrorism that occupies Lebanon. The current crisis is not only a danger to Israel and Lebanon, but to the entire region. And we should have no illusions: the terrorism at the root of this crisis is a danger everywhere - we know where it starts, but we do not know where it will take its violence. Too many nations have been taught this harsh lesson.
The international community must also vigorously address the sponsors of terrorism, Syria and Iran, the members of that exclusive club, that Axis of Terror. These governments support, harbor, train and finance the terrorists and their murderous acts. As we speak, they continue to aggressively undermine all efforts toward a lasting peace in the region, supplying deadly arms to Hizbullah in the north and Hamas in Gaza.
No words, Mr. President, can better describe the true feelings of the Lebanese people than those of Lebanese leaders themselves. As I did last week, I would like to share with you a few more of their thoughts.
Walid Jumbalat, the Lebanese Druze leader, said:
"The abduction of the two Israeli soldiers was secretly planned in Damascus two days before the meeting of the G-8 in order to divert attention from Iran. The Iranian envoy, Larijani, himself, transmitted the code to implement the abduction plan in order to set off an international turmoil, which would divert the world's attention from the Iranian nuclear crisis."
And Saad Hariri, the son of the slain prime minister of Lebanon, whose murder is now being internationally investigated, said of Syria's role:
"The Syrian president's security apparatus in Damascus has incited Nasrallah in order to set Lebanon on fire... Lebanon became the battleground of other countries - countries that call us brothers, but who have no interest whatsoever in our fate."
Mr. President,
Israel welcomes the declaration of the G-8 leaders, whose statement of 16 July provides a basis for progress towards a sustainable peace, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
As a first step towards this goal, Israel demands the immediate release of its kidnapped boys, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, as well as Gilad Shalit, who is still being held by Hamas. And Israel, as it has done in this chamber before, demands the full disarming of Hizbullah, and insists that Lebanon employ its sovereignty over all its territory, in full compliance with Resolution 1559. This very Council has demanded this, and now, finally, it must be implemented.
It must be implemented for the safety of Israel, for the stability of the region and the well-being of the world. And today more than ever it must be implemented to assure Lebanon's future. Lebanon had a glorious past and a potential for a bright future before it mortgaged it to terrorists and tyrants. It must today remember this past in order to regain its future, for, as Winston Churchill has said, "A nation that forgets its past has no future."
Mr. President,
Once terror has been excised from our midst, Israel stands ready to embark with the people of Lebanon on a process of rebuilding, renewal, development and cooperation, so that projects will replace rockets, goods will replace arms, factories will replace bunkers and playgrounds will replace battlegrounds; so that Israeli and Lebanese children will play with seashells rather than be hit by shells of rockets; so we can rekindle the glory of our past and secure the future of the generations to come!
Thank you Mr. President.
Distance of Hezbollah Rocket Targets from Lebanese Border: * [9]
Afula:
29.4 miles (47.4 kilometers)
Akko (Acre):
11.5 miles (18.5 kilometers)
Haifa:
18.6 miles (30 kilometers)
Hatzor Haglilit:
8.49 miles (13.7 kilometers)
Karmiel:
10.1 miles (16.3 kilometers)
Kfar Szold:
4.10 miles (6.6 kilometers)
Kibbutz Hulata:
5.80 miles (9.3 kilometers)
Kiryat Shmona:
1.7 miles (2.7 kilometers)
Ma'alot-Tarshiha:
6.12 miles (9.9 kilometers)
Metula:
0.61 miles (1 kilometer)
Moshav Avivim:
1.6 miles (2.6 kilometers)
Moshav Meron:
5.1 miles (8.3 kilometers)
Nahariya:
3.8 miles (6.1 kilometers)
Nazareth:
25.2 miles (40.5 kilometers)
(Upper Nazareth) Nazareth Illit:
23.5 miles (37.8 kilometers)
Peki'in:
5.5 miles (8.8 kilometers)
Rosh Pina:
8.6 miles (13.8 kilometers)
Tiberias:
20.1 miles (32.2 kilometers)
Tzfat (Safed):
7.6 miles (12.3 kilometers)
Yesod Hama'ala
6.5 miles (10.4 kilometers)
*All distances calculated using Google Earth: http://earth.google.com/
Who Will Pay the Price of War? [10]
Yediot Ahronot, July 21, 2006
By Sever Plotzker
Some claim that the damage to the Israeli economy [since Hezbollah began attacking Israel July 12] is estimated at approximately $111.8 million daily (NIS 500 million). According to this calculation, to date Israel has lost $1.1 billion (NIS 5 billion). The Bank of Israel and the Ministry of Finance, however, claim that Israel has so far lost half a percentage of production -- approximately $670.8 million (NIS 3 billion).
It is estimated that Israel is spending $22.4 million (NIS 100 million) per day on the war effort. Compensation to be given to northern Israel's population is estimated at approximately $335.4 million (NIS 1.5 billion).
Tourism: The Israeli Association of Hotels estimates that due to the conflict with Lebanon, hotels in Israel's north are losing approximately $27.5 million (NIS 123 million) per month and 25,000 hotels are empty. Christian pilgrims are canceling their trips to the Galilee and Nazareth, although Tel Aviv, Eilat and Netanya still have many foreign visitors.
Industry: Approximately one-third of the 1,800 factories in northern Israel (among them Yishkar, Mama Of, Zoglobek and Delta Textile) are not operating at full capacity. About 1,200 of these factories function periodically, as the situation permits. Tens of millions of dollars have been lost due to the inability of these factories to operate. It has yet to be determined who will pay those employees compelled to leave work due to the situation.
Agriculture: Fruit is rotting on the trees in the Galilee and eggs are not being collected. Foreign workers are leaving Israel in fear of the situation. Unlike the impact on Israeli industry, the negative impact on Israeli agriculture is seen to be severe and most likely irreversible.
Services: Banking services in the north are limited. Bank Ha'Poalim sent out a mobile bank, allowing people to undertake important transactions.
Construction and Property: Construction in Israel's north has come to a complete standstill. The direct impact of this work stoppage is limited because construction can often be slow in Israel.
Entertainment: Many of the residents in Israel's north have left their homes to find shelter and security with friends and family in the center of the country. Those who are still in the north do not leave their homes to seek entertainment; most restaurants and clubs are closed.
Transportation: The Port of Haifa is intermittently closed and boats are directed to the port in Ashdod. Because transportation and insurance have become more expensive, it is expected that exports will gradually slow down.
Energy: The entire energy field is expected to slow down and to suffer losses as products become increasingly expensive.
The Ministry of Education, in Cooperation with the
Friendship Foundation and "Joint Israel," Gives Out
Activity Kits to Arab Children in Northern Israel
July 30, 2006 -- Last week, Israel's Education Ministry began distributing kits containing a variety of games and toys for Arab children in northern cities affected by the current crisis.
On July 25, Israel's Minister of Education Yuli Tamir said, "It is mandatory to act with equality when assisting children who are currently finding themselves under ongoing security threats. I hope that the large variety of kits handed out by our office thanks to "Keren ha'Yedidut" (the Friendship Foundation) and "Joint Israel" will allow children to spend quality time and provide them with a 'time out' from the difficult situation in the north."
Since the breakout of Israel's defensive war against Hezbollah, the Society and Youth Authority has provided a variety of social activities in bomb shelters and other protected areas. The activities are being offered to all peoples of the region including Jews, Arabs and Druze.
The activities take place in protected areas found within the different communities, in vacation spots around the country and in youth hostels in Israel's center and south. Last week, the Friendship Foundation and "Joint Israel" provided about 50 kits, one per existing protected area, within villages and towns including Nazareth, Mughar and Gush Halav, Kfar Kana, Kfar Manda, Raina, Nazareth, Fassuta and Gush Halav.
Another 170 additional kits were to be distributed to Shfar'am, Mashad, Tamra, Raina, Ein Mahal, Dir Hana, Sharab, Bustan al Marj, Sachnin, Yafie, Aksaal, Gilboa, Kfar Yassif, Kabul, Iblin, Mazra, Jdide Makar, Rama, Ilabon, Nachaf and Mughar.
Representatives from other villages have requested kits as well. So far, the Education Ministry has arranged to distribute about 220 kits in Arab villages thanks to "Joint Israel."
Next week, 100 teenage boys from Nazareth and 100 teenage boys from Mailiyya are scheduled to attend a special government-sponsored vacation camp.
The supervisors of the Society and Youth Authority in the Ministry of Education are currently in touch with the heads of municipalities and are doing their utmost to provide help.
Contact: Ministry of Education Assistant Spokesman Shauli Pe'er, Tel: 02-560-2710
Shebaa Farms
Shebaa Farms is an area in Israel comprised of 25 square km (10 sq miles), with 14 farms situated south of Shebaa, a Lebanese village on the western slopes of Mount Hermon. [11] It lies in the Golan Heights, along the Israel-Syria-Lebanon perimeter.
The current Israel-Lebanon border is internationally recognized and is based on the 1924 Franco-British Boundary.
History
Between 1920 and 1924, the Franco-British Boundary was drawn between Le Gran Liban (Lebanon), Syria and Mandatory Palestine (present-day Israel and Jordan.) British and French negotiators transferred the Golan "panhandle" in 1924 from Lebanon to Mandatory Palestine. [12] Soon after, the French mandate in Syria terminated and the "panhandle" was reassigned to Syrian borders. Subsequent to the 1948 War for Independence, the border between Israel and Syria was known as the 1949 Armistice Demarcation Line (ADL).
Israel gained control of the Golan Heights and Mount Hermon from Syria following the 1967 war, when Israel launched a pre-emptive attack after learning that several Arab countries had amassed troops along Israel's borders in preparation for an assault against Israel. Six years later, Syria unsuccessfully attempted to regain the Golan during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, when Israel was again attacked by several neighboring Arab countries. The war resulted in the 1974 cease-fire agreement between the Israel and Syria, in which most of the Golan remained in Israel's possession. Since then, the U.N. Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has been stationed within a demilitarized zone that lies between Israel and Syria. To date, this border has been maintained without incident.
Palestinians Use Lebanon to Attack Israel
By the mid-1970s, Palestinian refugee camps along Lebanon's southern border were dually utilized as encampments for Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) militias that would launch attacks from Israel from these positions. As a result, on May 14, 1978, Israel entered southern Lebanon in order to halt Palestinian terror that was directed from Beirut. A buffer zone was constructed along the Israel-Lebanon border in 1978 by the U.N. Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in order to shield northern Israeli villages from PLO attacks.
Israel remained in southern Lebanon until its withdrawal in May 2000, due to the number of causalities inflicted upon Israel Defense Forces and northern Israeli towns by Hezbollah, a terrorist group backed by Syria and Iran and uses southern Lebanon as its base. Even though UNIFIL forces remain until today, Hezbollah continues to mount attacks and organize terrorism against Israel. Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2000 was in compliance with U.N. Resolution 425, which called for Israel's retreat to the 1949 Armistice Demarcation Line. U.N. Resolution 425 did not in any way refer to Shebaa Farms. [13] The U.N. established the 'Blue Line' in order to mark Israel's full retreat.
Syria and Lebanon Dispute Ownership of Shebaa Farms
Syria, which initially claimed that Israel had complied with Resolution 425, later contended that Israel did not fully withdraw because it remained in possession of Shebaa Farms. According to the borders drawn by the 1949 ADL, Syria has ownership of the farms. However, Lebanon claims that in 1951 Syria gave this area as a gift to Lebanon; Lebanon therefore contends that it is part of Lebanese territory. [14] Hezbollah refused to accept the U.N. statute and has said that it will continue to attack Israeli targets in the northern region until Shebaa Farms is returned to Lebanon.
Hezbollah's Attacks against Shebaa Farms
Nov. 16, 2000: Hezbollah detonates an explosive device against an Israeli convoy in the Mount Dov sector (Shebaa Farms), injuring two Israeli soldiers. [15]
Nov. 26, 2000: An explosive charge in the Mount Dov area kills one soldier and wounds two others. [16]
Feb. 16, 2001: One Israeli soldier killed and another injured by a bomb planted by Hezbollah in the Shebaa Farms area on the Israeli side of the Blue Line. [17]
April 14, 2001: An anti-tank missile strikes an Israeli tank in the Mount Dov area killing an Israeli soldier. [18]
July 1, 2001: Hezbollah fires 42 mortar rounds at Israeli positions in the Shebaa Farms area. [19]
April 26, 2002: Attack by Hezbollah in the Mount Dov sector injures six Israeli soldiers. [20]
Aug. 2002: Hezbollah fires anti-tank missiles and mortars at the Shebaa Farms area, killing one Israeli soldier and wounding two others. [21]
Middle East Shuttle Diplomacy by U.S. Secretaries of State
Definition:
"Shuttle Diplomacy" is a tactic most often used when two primary parties do not formally recognize each other but want to be involved in negotiations in order to disengage opposing armies as well as to promote a lasting truce. [22] A third party serves as an intermediary or mediator between the two parties, "shuttling" back and forth, between the two feuding parties.
Origin:
The term became widespread following Henry Kissinger's term as the 56th U.S. Secretary of State (1973-1977). Kissinger was famous for primarily using shuttle diplomacy to mediate conflicts in the Middle East throughout the1970s, specifically those between Israel and Arab States following the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
Secretary Henry Kissinger
Secretary of State Henry Kissinger used shuttle diplomacy to bring about a ceasefire after the 1973 Yom Kippur (Arab-Israeli) War, in order to minimize the Soviet Union's intermediary involvement in the negotiation process. Kissinger was instrumental in brokering an end to hostilities between Israel, Egypt and Syria, and then increased his effort to help mediate the long-standing Arab-Israeli conflict between 1973 and 1975. [23]
Chronological episodes of Kissinger's shuttle diplomacy efforts following the 1973 war include:
*
Dec. 21, 1973: After the Yom Kippur War, with no significant deals achieved at the UN's Geneva Convention, Henry Kissinger is sent by the United States to start shuttle diplomacy to try to achieve a ceasefire between Israel, Egypt and Syria.
*
Jan. 11, 1974: Henry Kissinger initiates the first round of shuttle diplomacy.
*
Jan. 18, 1974: First Disengagement Agreement between Egypt and Israel is signed, which includes Israeli withdrawal from the Suez Canal's west bank to a line 15-20 kilometers (9-12 miles) east of the canal, and Egyptian agreement to clear and reopen the Suez Canal and allow passage of nonmilitary cargoes for Israel.
* Aug. 21, 1975: Henry Kissinger initiates a second round of shuttle diplomacy.
* Sept. 1, 1975: Second Disengagement Agreement between Egypt and Israel is signed, which includes an agreement by the Israelis to withdraw from the Mitla and Gidi passes and return the Abu Rudeis oil fields. Egypt agrees to allow Israel to ship nonmilitary goods through the Suez Canal. Both sides agree not to use force to resolve conflict and to reach a final peace settlement by means of negotiations set forth by UN Resolution 338. [24]
After flying back and forth between Middle Eastern capitals, Kissinger created the "American Plan." The central feature of the plan was to protect the negotiated ceasefire from additional long-term problems, in addition to minimizing Russia's involvement in the process. Kissinger accomplished his goals by using modern communication technologies and air transportation, which permitted Kissinger to travel easily. [25]
Secretary James Baker
*
Following the Gulf War in early 1991, Secretary of State James Baker embarked on an intensive course of shuttle diplomacy in the Middle East. With the United States firmly established as the world's sole superpower, Baker saw a new era of opportunity for a region exhausted by war. [26]
*
In March 1991, Baker traveled to the Middle East on the first of what would later become a series of eight peace missions. [27]
*
The Madrid Conference, lasting from October 30 to November 1, 1991, was a direct result of Baker's shuttle diplomacy earlier in the year. The conference set up two separate tracks of negotiations: a bilateral track, between Israel and each of its immediate neighbors (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and the Palestinians), and a multilateral track to resolve issues pertaining to the region as a whole. [28]
*
Bilateral talks began two days after the conference on November 3, 1991, while multilateral negotiations opened in January of the following year.
*
The bilateral talks between Israel and Jordan led directly to the historic 1994 peace agreement between the two nations, [29] as well as the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Secretary Warren Christopher
*
During Bill Clinton's first term, Secretary of State Warren Christopher continued engaging heavily with the Middle East.
*
Convinced that Syria would be willing to make peace with Israel, Christopher visited Damascus on 26 different occasions - [30] but the late President Hafez Assad proved unwilling to budge. [31]
*
Christopher traveled to Israel on more than 20 diplomatic missions, unprecedented for a U.S. Secretary of State. [32]
*
Christopher's hands-on approach to the Middle East contributed to resolving the last major conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. [33] On April 9, 1996, Hezbollah launched 14 Katyusha rockets from southern Lebanon and into Israel, wounding four and forcing Israel to retaliate in order to stop Hezbollah's barrage of rockets. [34]
*
As the conflict continued and Hezbollah kept firing rockets, Christopher shuttled back and forth between Israel and Syria for a week in order to achieve a written cease-fire on April 27, 1996. [35]
Secretary Condoleezza Rice
*
In late July 2006, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice commenced a diplomatic initiative aimed at solving the current hostilities on the Lebanese border between the Iranian-sponsored terrorist organization Hezbollah and Israel. The conflict began July 12 when Hezbollah attacked Israel, kidnapping two Israeli soldiers driving on Israel's side of the border and killing four other soldiers who were with them. Hezbollah carried out the assault while firing a barrage of rocket and mortar shells on Israel Defense Forces positions and Israeli villages.
*
On July 24, Rice traveled first to Beirut and had a two-hour meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. Following that meeting, she spoke with Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri and later spent another 45 minutes meeting with a group of anti-Syrian politicians, where she promised to provide them financial assistance. [36] Later that afternoon Rice landed in Israel where she met with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in the evening. [37]
*
On June 25, Rice held a two-hour meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Afterwards she met with Defense Minister Amir Peretz. [38] In the early afternoon, Rice traveled to Ramallah and met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. [39]
*
On July 26, Rice traveled to Rome and met with representatives from the European Union, Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia for an international conference to generate a consensus from participants for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon. [40] Participants departed from Rome without a settlement for the Israel-Lebanon border conflict.
*
On July 27, Rice traveled to Malaysia where she met with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers to sign an agreement to implement the ASEAN-US Enhanced Partnership. She stayed until July 28 to participate in the ASEAN Regional Forum. [41]
*
Secretary Rice returned to Israel on July 29 and had dinner with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Rice is advocating a United Nations Security Council Resolution establishing an international peacekeeping force of 15,000 to 20,000 to patrol the Israel-Lebanon border, as well as the Lebanon-Syria border to prevent the rearmament of Hezbollah. [42]
*
On Sunday, June 30, 2006, Rice met with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Amir Peretz.
International Peace-Keeping Forces: A Brief History
Area of Northern Israel Subject to Hezbollah Rocket Attacks (map)
Cities and Communities Affected by Hezbollah Rockets (map)
Background Information on Cities Affected by Rocket Attacks
Footnotes
[1] Source: "Resolution 425 (1978)," United Nations Security Council Resolutions - 1978 Web Site, 2006, accessed July 18, 2006
[2] Ibid., documents S/12600 and S/12606.
[3] Ibid., document S/12607.
[4] Ibid., Thirty-third Year, 2071st meeting.
[5] One Member (China) did not participate in the voting.
[6] "Resolution 1559 (2004)," United Nations Security Council Resolutions - 2004 Web Site, 2006, accessed July 18, 2006,
[7] "Address to the Knesset by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert,"
The Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Web Site, July 17, 2006, accessed July 18, 2006
[8] "Statement by H.E. Ambassador Dan Gillerman
Permanent Representative of Israel before the Security Council," Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations, July 21, 2006
[9] All distances calculated using Google Earth: http://earth.google.com/
[10] Plotzker, Sever, "Who Will Pay the Price of War?" Yediot Ahronot, July 21, 2006
[11] "Brief history," Shebaa Farms Foundation, accessed July 30, 2006
[12] Avi Jorisch, "Hizballah's vision of the Lebanon-Israel border," PeaceWatch No.368, March 4, 2002
[13] CNN and wire reports, "Syria accepts U.N. ruling on Shebaa Farms, envoy says," CNN.com, May 31, 2000
[14] Gambill, Gary C., "Syria and the Shebaa Farms dispute," Middle East Intelligence Bulletin, Vol.3, No.5, May 2001
[15] "Hezbollah operations from the Israeli-Lebanese border since the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon," Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, March 7, 2003
[16] Ibid.
[17] "Interim Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon," United Nations press release, April 30, 2001
[18] "Hezbollah operations from the Israeli-Lebanese border since the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon," Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, March 7, 2003
[19] "Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon," United Nations press release, July 20, 2001
[20] "Hezbollah operations from the Israeli-Lebanese border since the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon," Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, March 7, 2003
[21] Gordon, Michael, "Threats and responses: Military risks; Militants are said to amass missiles in south Lebanon," The New York Times, Sept. 27, 2002
[22] "Kissinger, Henry A.," Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 1997
[23] "People & Events: Henry A. Kissinger," Public Broadcast Service, 1999
[24] "Timeline," The Jewish Agency For Israel, 1992-2006,
