{news} Australian Greens call for intervention in Lebanon

[Justine McCabe]

 Australian Greens call for intervention in Lebanon


> Lebanon: PM should intervene, say Greens
>
> Senator Brown, 20th July 2006

> The Greens have again called on the Australian government to help engineer
> an immediate end to hostilities in Lebanon.
>
> "The Prime Minister's failure to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and to 
> demand
> an end to Israel's bombing of civilian targets in Lebanon, does not 
> reflect
> the feedback we are getting from Australians," Greens Leader Bob Brown 
> said
> today.
>
> "Many Australians are appalled by the bombing of civilian targets by both
> Israel and Hezbollah. Two wrongs don't make a right. Hezbollah was never 
> in
> control of Beirut airport, or many other civilian targets bombed by 
> Israel.
> The continued destruction of Lebanon's civilian infrastructure is
> disproportionate and will not help bring peace to the Middle East."
>
> "The Prime Minister, who has widely condemned Hezbollah, has wrongly 
> failed
> to condemn the Israeli government for its bombing of civilian targets in
> Lebanon," Senator Brown said.
>
> http://greens.org.au/mediacentre/mediareleases/senatorbrown/200706a
>
>
> PM wrong to support Israel's tactics in Lebanon and Gaza
>
> Senator Nettle, 19th July 2006

> Greens Senator Kerry Nettle today criticised John Howard for failing to
> condemn the disproportionate use of violence by Israel in Gaza and 
> Lebanon.
>
> "The Greens are appalled by the escalation in violence in the region and 
> are
> particularly concerned that John Howard has not joined other world leaders
> to condemn the Israeli government's disproportionate use of violence along
> with criticism of Hezbollah," Senator Nettle said.
>
> "Mr Howard shouldn't be tacitly supporting Israel's strategy of bombing
> Lebanese civilians and civilian infrastructure as 'self-defence'. He 
> should
> immediately join the many world leaders who call for an immediate 
> ceasefire
> from both sides and an end to the killing.
>
> "The Lebanese (and Australian) families being bombed by Israel are not
> responsible for the actions of Hezbollah and their deaths are crimes just 
> as
> much as the deaths of Israeli citizens are.
>
> "The European Union and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan have added to 
> their
> condemnation of Hezbollah and Hamas, a condemnation of Israel for a
> disproportionate use of violence.
>
> "The Australian government should be doing more to help Australians 
> wanting
> to flee the Israeli bombing of Lebanon. They should also be trying to stop
> the bombs falling."
>
>
> Contact - Jon Edwards 0428 213 146
>
> http://greens.org.au/mediacentre/mediareleases/senatornettle/190706a