Israel ready for massive invasion

From Freerepublic.com

· Plan to push far inside Lebanon with thousands of troops

· Deadlock within UN and EU

Rory McCarthy in Metula, Ewen MacAskill and Clancy Chassay in BeirutWednesday August 2, 2006

Israeli forces yesterday geared up for an expected major ground invasion of southern Lebanon, with troops in fierce clashes and artillery pounding targets across the area. The military called in air strikes despite a previous commitment to a "partial" halt in air bombardments.

Israeli commanders said six brigades - several thousand soldiers - were now deployed inside Lebanon. At least 15,000 reserve troops, called up late last week, would be ready for combat from today, army sources said. Full airstrikes would resume from 1am today, Haim Ramon, the justice minister, said, adding that Hizbullah was at "breaking point".

The escalation came as diplomats in Brussels and at the UN security council in New York again failed to make progress. Divided European Union ministers became bogged down in semantic arguments over the meaning of "ceasefire" and settled for a watered-down compromise calling for a cessation of hostilities.

Germany and four other countries joined Britain in opposing tougher language urged by France, calling for an immediate ceasefire and condemning the Israeli bombardment as "a severe breach of international humanitarian law".

Tony Blair called in a speech in Los Angeles yesterday for a fundamental reappraisal of British and US foreign policy, admitting excessive emphasis on military power and a failure to address the Palestinian issue had left the west losing the battle for hearts and minds in the Middle East.

The prime minister also sent a warning to Syria and Iran: "We need to make clear to Syria and Iran that there is a choice: Come in to the international...

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