My next guest knows all about Lebanese affairs. He recently wrote. I quote that there is a lot of talk that Israel wants a full-blown war in Lebanon. What we are seeing today has long been expected. As Israel redeploys its troops to the north, we are in a situation of an escalation. To influence the outcome of the negotiations, so that a full-blown war is not provoked, Marker Young is a former columnist and opinion editor for the Daily Star newspaper in Lebanon. Now senior coordinator of the Carnegie Endowment Middle East Center in Beirut. Joining us now, it’s good to have you here. I can explain your reasoning. This is ultimately expected by Israel at this time. You do not expect a full-blown war, which would mean a flood of cash and land capture by the Israelis, whatever estimate you have, on what basis are you making that estimate?
Because their rabies do not feel they need to get involved in an escalating war. They have increased considerably in the last two weeks, their actions against Hezbollah start with pager explosions and walkie-talkie explosions. End with murder. They should have brought together, he also read me and many of the commanders of the street, a force knows what they have done, they have responded to Hezbollah’s efforts to try to raze the earth to what the Israelis did last week. That is to try to raze the population to the ground in many parts of northern Israel. The population did the same today, the Israelis are back if you want to play this game we will displace a large part of the population of southern Lebanon. It’s a very good game, the Israelis are targeting civilian areas. In other words, the hate that it was and the automated calls to Lebanese telecommunications company customers are in Israel today. Urging people in the south and the Bekaa Valley to evacuate their homes the psychological impact here must be very very hard.
I mean you being in Lebanon yourself and not necessarily in Beirut as I understand it, you can describe the effect that this is having on the Lebanese population. You know this war is psychological warfare for both sides. Using some of these automated calls for example warning ministries that they are going to be bombed. The ministries are located right in the center of Beirut, they are trying to create panic among the Lebanese population. We are seeing the same thing in the back as Price knows. That is essentially what they are doing in other parts of the South. That is they are attacking everywhere. I very much doubt that it is just to target him, there is a lot of footage that shows that his rabies is killing civilians. Close to retiring to quarters, they are essentially creating a humanitarian problem. Saying to Hezbollah you have to nip this problem in the bud.
The Lebanese Ministry of Health has just announced two hundred and seventy-four people have been killed and there were quite a few hundred and eighty in Israeli attacks on Lebanon. So far the numbers are rising, sadly these are deadly attacks. The Israelis and one argument is that they are attacking Hezbollah and buildings. Are storing weapons among civilians. They would suggest that and some of the videos of their attacks that are being seen. show secondary explosions, I’m hinting that missiles are stored under residential buildings. What do you think about that? Very targeted warnings from the Israelis and their argument as to why they are currently attacking Lebanon. I mean they have one. I’ve seen that footage they have indeed hick what looks at storage facilities.