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In followup to my commentary “Israel Hesitating on Hezbollah,” I would point to a good analysis entitled Israel-Hezbollah Fighting Yet to Reach its Zenith.  The commentary begins:

The fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah, which is backed by Syria and Iran, has still not reached its zenith. The Israel Defense Forces’ operational plans against the Shi’ite organizations have not yet been carried out. The next two days are the most critical and a lot depends on whether Tehran decides to take a chance and authorize Hezbollah to launch long-range missiles with more powerful warheads. This is a capability Hezbollah still retains, despite the heavy blows it has suffered in the IDF air strikes. 

It appears that our initial assessment was correct, that this is a staged and progressive response, but also an incomplete one.  I still doubt that Hezbollah will be utterly destroyed.  Further, the U.S. may put pressure to accept U.N. peacekeepers (Putin has said he would consider them), and Israel may cave to international pressure.

This would be profoundly stolid and dense.  The U.N. has proven for decades that they are impotent to the point of being laughingstocks, and Hezbollah has proven for decades that they will not stop until Israel is destroyed.

What is Israel waiting on?

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Michele Malkin is blogging on Israel-Hezbollah.  She has a link to a recent article “Israel Hammers at Lebanese Infrastructure,” which discusses the recent incursion of infantry into southern Lebanon but the rapid withdrawal of the same.  This is about the most schizophrenic thing I have ever seen.

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Ehud Olmert appears defiant.  It is hard to know what their intentions are.  Also, minor typographical and editorial corrections to original post.  Not enough coffee before posting …

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Matt Drudge is reporting:

Israeli police detain Al Jazeera Jerusalem bureau chief for second time in two days
Mon Jul 17 2006 08:15:48 ETIsraeli police on Monday detained the Jerusalem bureau chief of the Arab satellite station Al-Jazeera for the second time in two days, the journalist told Israel Radio as he was being taken into custody for questioning.

It is a sign of the times.  Why are they concerned about Al-Jazeera informing Hezbollah about the efficiency of their target aquisition and hitting (even if accidentally by showing footage)?  Because they appear to be treating this as a low-intensity conflict.  I can be persuaded otherwise, but it seems that Israel is concerned about tape footage assisting Hezbollah when they should already have been inside southern Lebanon dismantling Hezbollah.  Israel appears on the surface to be weak in this fight when police are hounding so-called “journalists” rather than tanks destroying Hezbollah installations.

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Hezbollah rejects cease-fire talky-talk.