If you were in their shoes..

IMAGINE, if you can... A neighbouring country-let's say France, allows religious hardliners to begin bombing Dover.
The neighbouring country's hardliners are supplied with arms and support by another 2 countries-let's say Germany and Austria.
What would you do? What would you like your own government to do?
That is what has happened in Israel.
Of course we must take into account the history of Israel and Lebanon. Israel has occupied Lebanon in the past.
That was at a time when Lebanon was controlled by Syria, that was at a time when every Arab Leader publicly promised to wipe Israel off the map.
Israel, did leave Lebanon, after assurances by the Lebanese that they would not allow Hezbollah to fire rockets into Israel's Northern hills any longer. Whilst they kept that promise, Lebanon prospered-tragically no longer.
Equally tragic is the situation in Gaza, but the fault does seem to lie more with Israel. I lived and worked in Israel in the early 1990's. I worked on a 'Moshav'- a much harder version of a Kibbutz. I worked alongside Palestinians, who crossed over the border from Gaza everyday to labour on Israeli farms. I loved both peoples. That was a relatively peaceful time.I felt safe walking around the West Bank and throughout Jerusalem.
Do you remember Clinton?Rabin?And of course Arafat? These were the men who truly did want peace, it was possible then.
What went wrong? Monica Lewinsky, the assassination of Rabin, Sept 11,the death of Arafat.
People blame the occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq.
Israel had problems before 2001.Israel had problems when I was there in the 1990's. Israel had problems in the 1980's-it invaded Lebanon in 1982! Israel had problems in the 70's, 60's and 50's. And would you liked to have been Jewish in the 1940's?No, I didn't think so. My Father was a British soldier. We lived in a place called Bergen Belsen. Belsen was a concentration camp in WWII. Part of my school was used by allied troops to try and help survivors(30 years before I went there).
Israel's southern neighbours Egypt and Jordan long ago recognized Israel's right to exist.The other Arab states must do the same.
The fate of the Palestinian people and their right to independence was recognized by European and American governments long ago.
Most Israelis also believe this,they just worry about the logistics-which must be solved.The Israeli Government must place this above all else.
People here in the UK are quick to blame Blair for not reigning in Israel, some even call it another of his wars. The self-importance of the British is astounding.
That takes me back to the original question-What would you do? Would you obey the orders coming from a small country on another continent, as your own people have to hide from bombs?
Hezbollah have the largest amount of blood on their hands, but Israel is not blameless either,and who else is responsible?
The children of Lebanon, the people of Lebanon should not be dying, they should be enjoying the fruits of their labour over the last 10 years.Re-making Lebanon and Beirut into a beautiful thriving,cosmopolitan port on the Mediterranean.Allah Akbah, Shalom, God be with you-where-ever you are.