Is Israel Ready To Up The Ante?

This story was written by CBS News correspondent Allen Pizzey in Tel Aviv, Israel.

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There are growing indications here that Israel is at the point of escalating the conflict in Lebanon.

The security cabinet is scheduled to meet Wednesday to discuss the situation, and rumors are rampant here that pushing further and harder into Lebanon is in the cards. The rumors have been fueled by an army statement that the chief of the defense force, Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz, has appointed his deputy, Maj. Gen. Moshe Kaplinski, to "coordinate military efforts in Lebanon" — effectively sidelining the head of the northern command, Maj. Gen. Udi Adam.

The Israeli media linked the change to plans under discussion to step up the offensive — and to growing public criticism of how the army is faring against Hezbollah guerrillas.

At the same time, the chances for diplomacy have not been completely ruled out. A proposal by the Lebanese cabinet to deploy up to 15,000 troops into southern Lebanon after an Israeli withdrawal has been greeted with — if not enthusiasm — at least interest by the Israeli government.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called the decision, "an interesting step." He said his government would study it "and examine and look at all the implications to see to what degree it is practical and in what time frame."

The time frame issue is critical. Israel will not accede to any plan that falls short of putting Hezbollah out of the business of firing missiles onto Israeli cities.

Speaking to AP Television News in an interview in London, former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that unless Hezbollah was disarmed there would be "a temporary lull between rounds," not really a cease-fire.

"We really don't address the problem and its fundamentalism until we get the international community to press vigorously on Iran and Syria to stop re-supplying Hezbollah, and until Israel dismantles most of Hezbollah's fighting ability," Netanyahu said.

Israel still believes it is the only force capable of doing that, and seems willing absorb casualties to accomplish that goal. There have been no significant anti-war protests here, and no calls for the war to be cut short of what the Israelis can call a victory.

Mounting casualties were one of the reasons given for Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2000, after 18 years of occupying a large portion of the south.

Hezbollah may have gambled that the same would apply this time. If so, they got it wrong, at least so far.

But then again: When this war began Israel had no reason to think that four weeks into the fighting, its troops would still be engaged in bloody battles with Hezbollah within firing distance of the border.

[sdherald]

Bob probably also %u201Cfails to see%u201D that terrorists lobbing rockets into a countries cities is unacceptable.

Bob probably %u201Cfails to see%u201D that Iran and Syria intend the destruction of Israel and are using a terrorist group to do the dirty work for them so they can pretend to be clean.

Bob probably %u201Cfails to see%u201D that Lebanon%u2019s cities are not in ruins, just the ones occupied by Hezbollah.

Bob probably %u201Cfails to see%u201D that every time Israel has been attacked by muslim nations the world makes Israel back down leaving their enemies intact to kill innocent Israelis again.

Bob %u201Cfails to see%u201D that his analogy is all wrong. We don%u2019t have a drunk body builder in a bar looking for a fight. We have cowardly muslim thugs driving by killing the body builder%u2019s family in cold blood then hiding behind the skirt of the UN asking them to keep the body builder from beating them up.

Wake up Bob before the thugs kill your family and your left scratching your head wondering how this happened.

[bob_bob2]

resubmitted due to formatting issues:

I fail to see how increased escalation will help. Why is it always MORE violence once violence fails? Hezbollah has underground bunkers; they can sit and wait this whole thing out. Also they have these things called feet, which they can use to walk out of Lebanon. Israel is fighting a material state based war, while Hezbollah is fighting a spiritual tribal war. Both sides are attacking each other where no true damage to the other can be done.

Ironically the increased escalation and destruction of Lebanons infrastructure will only serve to help Hezbollah. How is Lebanon to gain control of these armed gunmen when their cities are in ruins?

If anything it seems that increased conflict and prolonged violence is what the Israelis want. Why else destroy the nation state of Lebanons infrastructure? Does it not aid Hezbollah? By increasing the scope of the conflict the Israels hope to leverage their military might. They get to flex their muscles all the while encouraging the Arabs to fight them man to man. Why not? Israel has more guns, bombs, and money than their opponent; how could they lose?

Its a bit like the drunk body builder at the bar shoving you in the hopes youll punch him; so he can beat the *** out of you without guilt or shame.

[bob_bob2]

I fail to see how increased escalation will help. Why is it always MORE violence once violence fails? Hezbollah has underground bunkers; they can sit and wait this whole thing out. Also they have these things called feet, which they can use to walk out of Lebanon. Israel is fighting a material state based war, while Hezbollah is fighting a spiritual tribal war. Both sides are attacking each other where no true damage to the other can be done.

Ironically the increased escalation and destruction of Lebanon%u2019s infrastructure will only serve to help Hezbollah. How is Lebanon to gain control of these armed gunmen when their cities are in ruins?

If anything it seems that increased conflict and prolonged violence is what the Israelis want. Why else destroy the nation state of Lebanon%u2019s infrastructure? Does it not aid Hezbollah? By increasing the scope of the conflict the Israel%u2019s hope to leverage their military might. They get to flex their muscles all the while encouraging the Arabs to fight them man to man. Why not? Israel has more guns, bombs, and money than their opponent; how could they lose?

It%u2019s a bit like the drunk body builder at the bar shoving you in the hopes you%u2019ll punch him; so he can beat the *** out of you without guilt or shame.

[bob_bob2]

I fail to see how increased escalation will help. Why is it always MORE violence once violence fails? Hezbollah has underground bunkers; they can sit and wait this whole thing out. Also they have these things called feet, which they can use to walk out of Lebanon. Israel is fighting a material state based war, while Hezbollah is fighting a spiritual tribal war. Both sides are attacking each other where no true damage to the other can be done.

Ironically the increased escalation and destruction of Lebanon%u2019s infrastructure will only serve to help Hezbollah. How is Lebanon to gain control of these armed gunmen when their cities are in ruins?

If anything it seems that increased conflict and prolonged violence is what the Israelis want. Why else destroy the nation state of Lebanon%u2019s infrastructure? Does it not aid Hezbollah? By increasing the scope of the conflict the Israel%u2019s hope to leverage their military might. They get to flex their muscles all the while encouraging the Arabs to fight them man to man. Why not? Israel has more guns, bombs, and money than their opponent; how could they lose?

It%u2019s a bit like the drunk body builder at the bar shoving you in the hopes you%u2019ll punch him; so he can beat the *** out of you without guilt or shame.

[bob_bob2]

I fail to see how increased escalation will help. Why is it always MORE violence once violence fails? Hezbollah has underground bunkers; they can sit and wait this whole thing out. Also they have these things called feet, which they can use to walk out of Lebanon. Israel is fighting a material state based war, while Hezbollah is fighting a spiritual tribal war. Both sides are attacking each other where no true damage to the other can be done.

Ironically the increased escalation and destruction of Lebanon%u2019s infrastructure will only serve to help Hezbollah. How is Lebanon to gain control of these armed gunmen when their cities are in ruins?

If anything it seems that increased conflict and prolonged violence is what the Israelis want. Why else destroy the nation state of Lebanon%u2019s infrastructure? Does it not aid Hezbollah? By increasing the scope of the conflict the Israel%u2019s hope to leverage their military might. They get to flex their muscles all the while encouraging the Arabs to fight them man to man. Why not? Israel has more guns, bombs, and money than their opponent; how could they lose?

It%u2019s a bit like the drunk body builder at the bar shoving you in the hopes you%u2019ll punch him; so he can beat the *** out of you without guilt or shame.

[glenn4peace]

As a peace-loving Jew, I am utterly shocked, saddened and dismayed that Israel would terrorize its neighbor to the north. Well over 700,000 innocent Lebanese have been made homeless and jobless due to the constant bombardment by Israeli forces. Over 500 Lebanese have been killed - more than a third of which are children. Hundreds more have been wounded. Roads and gas stations have been destroyed so it is virtually impossible for the Lebanese to escape. If they stay, they risk being killed by Israeli forces. It doesn't matter if they are in any way affiliated with the militant Hezbollah. Just being Lebanese is supposedly reason enough to destroy them.

I remember, a few years ago, I attended a Holocaust memorial service where I was given a yellow decal with the words "Never Forget" under a Star of David. It appears that my people have forgotten the horrors that were inflicted upon us so long ago.

I am so very sorry that my people, the chosen people, have chosen to be so cruel and brutal against the men, women and children of Lebanon and Palestine. My heart aches for their indescribable pain and unimaginable suffering.

[eyedrive1]

If Israel does not take preventative measures against Hesbollah, the danger to ALL of Isreal would likely be greater than now. Syia,and Iran will continue to arm and guide Hezbollah to bring greater destruction to Israel by far.

Survival is Israel's no 1 priority.

Would any other country accept this on their border?
Let us see how Italy, France, or the US would react to daily rockets and suicide attacks on our soil.

Larry Moskowitz
Homeland, CA