Israel is continuing its bombardment of Lebanon and preparing for a possible ground invasion of the country, with the Netanyahu government rejecting a proposed 21-day ceasefire put forward by the United States, France, Canada, Australia, Japan, Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. About 500,000 people in Lebanon have been displaced, and the Health Ministry reports at least 72 people were killed and nearly 400 wounded in Israeli attacks on Wednesday, bringing the death toll to over 620 in recent days. “There is a lot of suffering. There is a lot of hardship right now,” says Beirut-based journalist Lara Bitar, who details how Israel has repeatedly attacked and invaded Lebanese territory going back decades. “The source of this pain can be pinpointed to the presence of the Israeli settler state in our region that continues to wreak havoc in Palestine, in Lebanon and across most of the world.”

Israel is continuing its bombardment of Lebanon and preparing for a possible ground invasion of the country, with the Netanyahu government rejecting a proposed 21-day ceasefire put forward by the United States, France, Canada, Australia, Japan, Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

About 500,000 people in Lebanon have been displaced, and the Health Ministry reports at least 72 people were killed and nearly 400 wounded in Israeli attacks on Wednesday, bringing the death toll to over 620 in recent days.

“There is a lot of suffering. There is a lot of hardship right now,” says Beirut-based journalist Lara Bitar, who details how Israel has repeatedly attacked and invaded Lebanese territory going back decades.

“The source of this pain can be pinpointed to the presence of the Israeli settler state in our region that continues to wreak havoc in Palestine, in Lebanon and across most of the world.”

  • bestboyfriendintheworldEnglish
    1011·
    6 hours ago

    Hezbollah has tried to deescalate by flagrantly violating UN resolution 1701 for decades.

    • Keeponstalin@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      164·
      3 hours ago

      As opposed to Israel also violating the UN Resolution by continuing it’s illegal occupation of Lebanese and Syrian territory? Hezbollah disbanding it’s armed wing doesn’t make sense when Israel continues it’s settler Colonialism and targeting of civilians. There is no guarantee Israel would stop, in fact they’ve given every reason that they would continue their atrocities.

      • FurballEnglish
        6·
        4 hours ago

        What Lebanese territory does Israel occupy?

        • Keeponstalin@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
          61·
          3 hours ago

          My bad, I confused it with the continued occupation of the Golan Heights, which is Syrian territory. The Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon ended in 2000. However, there has still been disputes about what constitutes the border, such as Shebaa Farms. Since 2006 its been much more about Israeli incursions into Lebanon. Hezbollah is also very vocal about considering all occupations by Israel, such as Palestine and the Golan Heights, as illegitimate, so that’s also a factor.

          Until recently, the border had been relatively quiet. Occasional rockets or drones crossed from Lebanon into Israel without leading to serious escalation, while Israel violated Lebanese airspace more than 22,000 times from 2007 to 2022.

          While the withdrawal was certified by the United Nations, Lebanon disputed it, arguing that the Shebaa Farms was part of its territory, and not part of the Syrian Golan Heights, which Israel continues to occupy.

          So there are two separate issues here that lead to the current dispute: the first is that Israel occupies the Golan Heights and treats it as its own territory in violation of international law, and the second is that there was already a pre-existing disagreement between Syria and Lebanon over the border, prior to the Israeli occupation.