Some Perspective

Printed here: The Irish Times

[Update: Letter to the Irish Times]


Dear Madam,

It was reported yesterday, and daily over the last month, in the Irish Times that Hizbullah has struck Israel with thousands of rockets in the last month. A barrage of deadly weapons striking fear no doubt into the civilian population. Reportedly, the number of rockets fired now exceeds 3,000.

While this is obviously a shocking statistic, I have yet to hear in over a month of intense coverage how many bombs Israel has dropped on Lebanon. According to some reports Israel dropped, last Saturday alone, 4,000 bombs within seven hours. Destroying the border village of Aytarun with 2,000 bombs.

The total death toll from the Israeli invasion is approaching 1,000, with many more injured. One third of those deaths are from children under 12. Can we have a little perspective?

Yours sincerely,


The Irish Times reports:

"According to the army's plan, Israeli forces will push to the Litani river, and beyond at some points, with the aim of forcing the Katyusha rockets out of the range of towns and cities in northern Israel which have been struck by over 3,000 rockets in the last month. Officials estimated it would take a week for troops to reach the Litani, with the army then spending a few weeks trying to clear the area of Hizbullah fighters and of rockets.

But how many bombs have Israel dropped:

"On Saturday, an Israeli offense consisting of more than 250 air attacks dropped 4,000 bombs within seven hours.

The border village of Aytarun was hit by 2,000 bombs and almost completely destroyed.

The total death toll from the attacks is approaching 1,000. One third of those deaths are from children under 12."