In an article published in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz on July 20, 2006, Israeli military analyst Zaev Shev said that the Israeli aggression against the unarmed Lebanese people serves as an immense strategic error. Regardless of the outcome of the Israeli war, the fleeing of the inhabitants of Southern Lebanon serves as a crystal clear accusation for Israel of the excessive use of force there. Zaev also reiterated that the Israel Defense Forces announced at the very beginning of the war that it is not against the Lebanese people. Yet, the fleeing of the Lebanese confirms that this war is a collective punishment to the Lebanese people and it will also deepen hatred to Israel in the future.

A large number of the Israeli analysts talk frankly and clearly about the mistakes committed by the Israeli government in the imbalanced war on Lebanon. Despite the fact that many of them regard this war as a response to Hezbollah's attacks, Israel exceeds the limit of a response in order to implement a scheme for the destruction of Lebanon's infrastructure. Analysts also believe that Israel usually wages a war amid support by the major powers, yet as the war goes on, this support vanishes owing to Israel's committing of genocide and mass killings, a matter which calls it into account. This is plus the mounting fears in Israel over joining a ground war which would make Israel sink again into the Lebanese quagmire.

Ibrahim Nafie
Al Ahram
July 24, 2006