Israel's 34-day bombardment of Lebanon in the summer of 2006 demands international attention not only for its tragic results - the death of over 1,000 Lebanese civilians and the devastation of Lebanon's infrastructure and environment - but for its implications for all of the Middle East. What explains Hizballah's capture of two Israeli soldiers and the scale of Israel's retaliation? Why did the US reject an early cease-fire, instead encouraging Israel as Lebanese casualties mounted? Why did President Bush and Secretary of State Rice claim the Lebanese and the Arab world would welcome the "birth pangs" of a "new Middle East" designed by the US and Israel? And where will it all lead? Will Lebanon become a modern, non-sectarian state or will the confessional order be further entrenched? These and other vital questions are addressed in this collection of essays, by internationally respected scholars and experts who examine the ethical, legal, and strategic issues of the Israeli invasion, and analyze the regional and global consequences. Ultimately, the war on Lebanon is intricately connected to the wider issues of the Middle East-from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Israeli assault on Gaza to the US efforts to "bring democracy" to the region. This book is an indispensable resource on both recent events and what the future may bring.
Finally, 6 months later I have more or less completed this book. I took my time as some essays were a bit heavy and hurt to digest, and I am not very familiar with political jargon. Due to the latter, there were one or two essays I couldn't finish as I barely understood anything! I liked the way the chapters were organized, I thought it flowed very well. I especially enjoyed reading the Israeli side of the war. My favourite pieces were by Noam Chomsky, Stephen Zunes, Rasha Salti, Virginia Tilley, Sara Roy, Yitzhak Laor, and Rami Khouri. Reading this 14 years after the war, a lot has changed in the Middle East. Most notably the Syrian conflict, which is both heartbreaking and interesting to see aspects of Syria involved in Lebanese politics. I've been left with the notion that most of our problems can really be boiled down to 1948. Sigh.