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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Qatar airline to fly into Beirut despite Israeli blockade
2006-09-04
Daring the Israelis to trigger a pan-Arab attack? Or
Qatar Airways says it will resume direct flights to Beirut on Monday despite a blockade by Israel. The airline said it had received approval from Lebanon and the flight would be a daily service.

Israel has maintained an air and sea embargo on Lebanon since a 14 August ceasefire ended its 34-day conflict with Hezbollah fighters. It has allowed two airlines to fly to Beirut on condition they go through Amman, Jordan, for security.

Monday's Qatar Airways flight is also to carry humanitarian aid. A Qatar Airways spokeswoman said Flight 422 would arrive in Beirut at 1530 local time (1230GMT) on Monday after a three-hour journey from Doha.

Israel bombed runways at Beirut international airport at the beginning of the conflict with Hezbollah.

Since the UN-brokered truce, which calls for the lifting of the blockade, Lebanon's Middle East Airlines and Royal Jordanian have been able to fly to Beirut via Amman. Lebanese Defence Minister Elias Murr said on Saturday he had been assured by the UN that the blockade "would be lifted in the coming days".

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani became the only head of state to visit Lebanon since the conflict when he travelled to Beirut on 21 August.

The UN is installing 15,000 peacekeepers in southern Lebanon as part of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. More than 1,100 Lebanese and about 160 Israelis died in the conflict, sparked by the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah.
They keep leaving out the 6 soldiers who were murdered during that attack. Asses.
Posted by:lotp

#3  Oh, I like how you think LotR.
Posted by: lotp   2006-09-04 18:29  

#2  If Israel doesn't have the balls to shoot the thing down then they should crater the runway for real just before it comes in. Let them divert to Syria.
Posted by: Laurence of the Rats   2006-09-04 17:44  

#1  It's obviously bait, the plane will be loaded to the gills with Children Fluffy Bunnies and baby Chicks.While they thumb their nose at the IDF and Double-Dog Dare them to shoot it down.
The pilots will be told to completely ignore IDF signals and Fighters,

It's to gain Face, and Count Coup.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2006-09-04 16:20  

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