Euromesco Website - Middle East Crisis

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Middle East Crisis

In the light of the current crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean, the escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah and the continuation of Israel’s military offensive in Lebanon, we at EuroMeSCo, given our brief to contribute towards the construction of confidence and partnership between all partners in the EMP, have decided to open our website to you to contribute your ideas and analyses of the current situation in the Middle East.
We believe that a number of relevant questions and issues, all of which are related to domestic, regional and international factors, need to be addressed and may serve as a starting point for your contribution. Of course, you are free to approach the issue from another angle and raise or emphasize different aspects.

It is argued by some analysts that the Israeli military campaign in Lebanon has to be seen as an act of self-defence whereas others regard it as a breach of international law.

As Hezbollah is a minority partner in the current Lebanese government, some analysts argue that Lebanon has to be held responsible for the launching of Katushya rockets onto Israeli soil as well as for the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah.

Some analysts argue that the capturing of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah was orchestrated by external actors while others claim that it served as a pretext for Israel to attack Lebanon and Hezbollah strongholds.

In the last days, it has been repeatedly argued by some analysts that regional powers, such as Syria and Iran, use the current crisis as a trap of sorts to pull Israel into a wider military conflict in the region whereas others maintain that the current crisis is a pretext for Israel to pull Syria and Iran into a regional military conflict.

Are there any actors that may “benefit” from the current crisis and a further escalation and if so, which actors were these?

Is the capture of two Israeli soldiers as well as the firing of Katushya rockets by Hezbollah linked to recent developments in Gaza?

Is the reaction of the international community to the crisis so far adequate or inadequate?

Is the G-8 proposal to deploy a UN peace force in Lebanon feasible?

Should the European Union assume a role in the current crisis and if so, to what extent should it be involved? In this vein, can the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership – or Barcelona Process – contribute to a solution of the crisis?

Please send us your comments and views

Further information:
Resolutions of the Security Council of the United Nations
Resolution 1501 of the Security Council of the United Nations
Resolution 1701 of the Security Council of the United Nations

THE NEW REPUBLIC ONLINE
The Ethics of Battle

LE MONDE DIPLOMATIQUE
Proche-Orient, la déchirure
International Committee of the Red Cross

DAILY STAR (Lebanon)
Hezbollah ready for long war against Israel
Saudi Arabia: International force could follow cease-fire
European diplomacy fails to produce concrete results
UN chief outlines plan to end fighting
Iran remains defiant on nuclear issue despite prospect of UN sanctions
Hezbollah chief vows to fire rockets into heart of Israel: Beyond Haifa phase has begun
NGO says Israel may be using cluster bombs in Gaza
Olmert insists Jewish state is ready for long fight
Amnesty report on war hits Hizbullah, hits Israel harder
Syria warns against UN troops on its border
Cairo mocks Damascus over comments by Assad

HAARETZ (Israel)
Terms of surrender
Army set to call up thousands of reservists; IAF planes pound Lebanon's main road link to Syria
Ten Palestinians killed in Israel Air Force strikes in Gaza
Olmert: Hezbollah's resistance in Bint Jbail not surprising
The war so far / No goals attained
Joschka Fischer: A proxy war
Three IDF soldiers wounded by anti-tank fire in south Lebanon village
97 fatalities in Gaza, but all eyes are on Lebanon
Poll: 18% of Israeli Arabs backed Hezbollah in war
EU: New UN force expected to deploy first troops within a week
PA officials say Shalit's fate is in the hands of Syria

The Jerusalem Post (Israel)
Shlomo Avineri: Lebanon's problem is not just Shaba farms
Responding to Hizbullah: The truth about proportionality
Annan arrives in Beirut for Mideast tour
Livni: Hizbullah violating UN resolution

LE MONDE (France)
L'arsenal du Hezbollah lui permet d'étendre la "guerre des roquettes"
La résistance du Hezbollah provoque un débat en Israël
La France soumet ses propositions sur le Liban au Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU
Washington, en s'alignant sur Israël, a perdu son influence dans la région
L'offensive d'Israël ravage le Liban
Louise Arbour appelle à protéger les civils et évoque le principe de "proportionnalité"
La résolution 1559
Condoleezza Rice juge "urgent" un cessez-le-feu au Liban, où les violences continuent
Quatre observateurs de l'ONU tués par une bombe israélienne
Amnesty International dénonce les "crimes de guerre" commis par l'armée israélienne au Liban
Finul : la chef de la diplomatie israélienne presse les Européens de s'engager

EL-WATAN (Algeria)
Fouad Siniora : « Israël pratique le terrorisme dans ses formes les plus dures »
L’armée libanaise visée, l’ONU en panne
Les bombardements se poursuivent au huitième jour
Catastrophe humanitaire sans précédent
L’armée libanaise visée, l’ONU en panne
Le Proche-orient au bord de l’embrasement
La guerre des mots s’envenime entre l’Egypte et la Syrie

LE MATIN (Morocco)
Liban : Israël intensifie ses raids contre les militaires
S.M. le Roi reçoit Saâd Rafiq Hariri, leader du courant parlementaire l'Avenir au Parlement libanais
Guerre des mots entre Le Caire et Damas

BBC News (UK)
Analysis: Israel's strategy
Israel claims Iran link to crisis
Analysis: Hezbollah's big gamble
Day-by-day: Lebanon crisis - week two
Who are Hezbollah?
Israel accused over 'war crimes'
Syria warns over UN peacekeepers
EU's Lebanon Action Gathers Pace

THE NEW-YORK TIMES (US)
Iraqi Prime Minister Denounces Israel’s Actions
Israel to Occupy Area of Lebanon as Security Zone
Israel Finding a Difficult Foe in Hezbollah
Gaza Captors of 2 Newsmen Pressure U.S
Human Rights Group Accuses Israel of War Crimes

Der Spiegel (Germany)
Zeruya Shalev: "Ein riesiges moralisches Dilemma"
Die Angst vor dem Tag nach dem Krieg
Wo das Entsetzen zur Zahl gerinnt

Al Ahram Weekly (Egypt)
Crushed hopes
A vision stillborn