I do not understand, if you are going to defend yourself why do you carry out airstrikes and kill civilians? It is so unaccepted and immoral.
- Mohd, Malaysia
I don't understand why people are upset at Israel for defending itself. Last I checked Hezbollah attacked Israel first, yes they took only 2 soldiers but people forget they also killed other soldiers during the raid. They say Israel killed innocent civilians; I ask, name ONE military target of Hezbollah over 2,000 rockets fired into Israel.
- Jamal, USA
Cease fire...its a farce and a joke. There will never be any peace till the rights of the Palestinians and the Lebanese are addressed. The greedy West will not let up till they have annexed as their playing fields to test their latest weaponry on the people of these regions.
- Nobu, Japan
Doesn't it bother anyone that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is already publicly stating that Israel has no intention of abiding by the truce? He stated that they will continue to hunt down the leaders of Hezbollah. That doesn't sound like a truce to me.
- Chris, USA
Israel, with the help of the US, planned its invasion of Lebanon over a year ago, and used the capture of soldiers that Hezbollah planned to use for prisoner exchange as their excuse to attack. It outrages me that the Bush administration funds this violence and death with my tax dollars and borrows billions every month to continue its own immoral war in Iraq. Israel may fool itself by insisting they are the "victims" but surely do not fool anyone else.
- Bernice, USA
Bush administration supplies bombs and missiles to Israel and yet complains about Muslim countries like Syria and Iran helping Lebanon. To see all the destruction and bloodshed of women and children, only very insensitive people could stay untouched.
- Yasmin, Canada
The de-facto defeat of Israel in the four week war with Hezbollah marks a new and significant signpost in creation of the "New World Reality."
Hezbollah may not have won in the conventional sense, but in the minds of the masses of the region it has. The message from Lebanon is simple, Israel is no longer invincible, the US is no longer unbeatable. We can win!
- Stephen Morgan, Belgium
Both sides are losers for the destruction they both inflicted on each other.
- Anonymous, USA
Israel, the settler state is the real terrorist and they have duped and tricked the USA. We are the fools to believe any of their lies! The media here in the USA has twisted the story again and again... The Arab governments in my eyes have disgraced themselves; since I am not from there I can not understand why they do not stand up for the rights of their peoples. They have the power and yet they do not use it.
- Lauraz, US
The world community is so worried about offending Israel that they will not condemn them and shout out the truth..."You're committing murder against the Lebanese people"! How many more times must Lebanon rebuild their lives and home and bury thousands at a time before Israel and the rest of the world acknowledges their right to live (in peace) on the land they live on? As for those who believe Hezbollah are defending Lebanon, think again - they are nothing but hoods and criminals who have their own agenda and helping the people of Lebanon isn't among their priorities!
- Joan, Canada
It is the citizens and parents of Lebanon that permit Hezbollah to hide amongst them that are to blame for innocent deaths. It is unconscionable to hide criminals in your midst and then claim they are hitting innocent children and people. They or their neighbors are to blame. Stop it and you will be fine. Fathers and brothers need the courage to stop allowing this. It is not Israel's fault, it is your own. Take control of your own streets and you will have lasting peace.
- Joe, US
Rice and the Administration will now have to step back and re-think the situation. Hezbollah has not been destroyed and Israel did not prevail. The USA needs to be pragmatic and not go onto a wild goose chase after Islamo-Fascists: they are there but not of real consequence in this current leb/Israel situation. The USA must recognise Hamas and Hezbollah as political entities and involve them in yet another round of " land for peace " and try to hold Israel's feet to the fire in ensuing talks.
- Donald Hart, US
This is a most significant defeat for the Israelis which will really hurt their psyche. They had three war aims, the release of their soldiers, the destruction of Hezbollah and the ending of rocket attacks on northern Israel. They failed in all three aims. Hezbollah is now politically the strongest organisation in the Arab world and has not suffered too much militarily. They are undoubtedly the big winners.
- Alan McPartland, Ireland
Lebanon has lost 1,000 innocent people over 2 kidnapped soldiers. Israel and the U.S. feel that this is totally justified. Will the U.S. feel that there is justice if someone retaliates for the rape and vicious murder of a 14 year old girl by U.S. soldiers? Or will they maintain their double standard?
- Pamela, US
What exactly have the Arab and Muslim leaders done? The Arab world has the biggest and most effective weapon in the world i.e. oil. why not use it?? Arab leaders are more concerned about filling their pockets than protecting Arab/Muslim lives.
- FK, UK
All this is instigated by relatively small groups of extremists (Hezbollah, Hamas, et al. The Palestinian and Lebanese people should not allow these organizations to control them. It's time for the Palestinians and Lebanese (and all others) to stand up to the terrorists and eliminate them. Then you will have peace with Israel. Read a history book: Israel never attacks without a pretext, all Israel wants is safety for its people.
- Jim, US
I do not believe that a cease fire will bring a lasting end to the Israeli-Arab conflict. There have been various ceasefires issued in the past many times before (that were associated with Israel) and those did not result in peace, what makes this cease fire any different? It may bring peace for a short period of time, however I have acknowledged the fact that it will never last. I say that with frustration because I usually think in an optimistic manner, but in this case realism has kicked in. As long as Israel remains unable to rightfully settle its past - no, more like historical problems with Lebanon and Palestine, peace will stay forever as a dream that will never come true.
- Mahdi, Canada
Israel wants to show that might is right. To solve all the problems of terrorism one must first and foremost solve the Palestinian problem by doing justice with the Palestinians then and only then every thing will turn normal. Israel and the US and the UK do not want to solve the problem, though.
- Amjan, India
I think in my own opinion and in the opinion of many other people that this so called "ceasefire" is only a short term fixture of the war between Lebanon and Israel as Israel still occupies some of Lebanon's land and all Lebanon is trying to do is get its land back for its people. I also reckon that Hezbollah is not a terrorist organisation as America and Israel say it is, it is a resistance force that helps its people and its country to defend itself.
- Ahmz, Australia
No, there will not be peace unless there is a comprehensive regional peace between Israel and Arabs. Israel should end the killing of Palestinians and the occupation of Arab lands. Also Arabs should acknowledge Israel as a state. The killing of more Palestinians will increase hatred towards Israel and America. The world will not be a safe place unless the powerful leaders bring solution to the Middle East crises. The world does not want to know the root causes of the problem. The Lebanese crisis is not a new phenomenon created by Hezbollah and Israel.
- Hussain Faiz, Australia
With the exception of Iran, most Arab governments in the Middle East are just happy with spending the money that flows from their natural resources on frugal pleasures; these governments are not protecting the long range future of their countrymen. For them, life is a carnival to be enjoyed away ( in Europe or America). Hezbollah is giving them a wake up call. Soon many corrupted Arab regimes will be overthrown; that is the legacy of Israel's defeat in Lebanon!
- Aristides Garcia, Amsterdam, Holland
It's a game that politicians are playing with innocent civilians and make it like they are very sorry for the loss of life and property. I just wonder if they will do anything about it? How can they sleep at night? Israel will never be held accountable for their atrocities but Hezbollah is the bad guy. Yet, Nasrallah has been very correct by accepting UN resolution with great dignity and moral for the sake of the Lebanese people. Of course, Israel just has to complete playing its game like a child and talk about getting their soldiers without condition. What kind of a game is this?
- Yvonne Siblini, India
Lasting peace will only be possible when Lebanon controls its borders with its own military, under the control of the elected government. Hezbollah is a stateless militia with responsibility to no-one, and as such can only destabilise the region.
The same could be said for the IRA in Northern Ireland. Similarly, the forces of Hamas must become integrated into a Palestine government controlled military.
Nation states cannot be viable until they have control of their own military.
- Ian Murdoch, UK
The UN brokered peace will only provide a temporary halt in the hostility. The assault on Lebanon under the pretense of rectification of the militia is a charade. This ground work for an assault as such has been worked with great insight. The assassination of Rafik Hariri and the pressured withdrawal of Syrian army has been well writ. The minuscule excuse of soldiers being abducted and the border assault is truly imbecilic. Israel has carried out much blatant assault on the neighboring sovereign states along with abduction without any international outcry. This temporary respite if any may provide a breather for the destitute civilians but holds no long term bearing promise.
- Tabish Ahsan, NJ, US
The ceasefire may not bring a lasting end to the conflict, however Israel may consider accepting negotiation offers in the future instead of hostile and offensive deeds such as tearing down a country; because Israel will now consider Lebanon more powerful than what it had thought before.
- Nazila Safavi, California, US