Voices of the dead

An email from the Canadian peacekeeper, Major Paeta Hess-von Kruedener, who is missing and presumed dead in south eastern Lebanon, was published yesterday afternoon by CTV in A Canadian soldier’s report from South Lebanon. Its worth reading as it speaks to the situation at hand and the brave professionalism of the missing Major and his fallen comrades. At the conclusion of his email Major Hess-von Kruedener states:

This is all the information of a non-tactical nature that I can provide you. I cannot give you any info on Hezbollah position, proximity or the amount of or types of sorties the IAF is currently flying. Suffice to say that the activity levels and operational tempo of both parties is currently very high and continuous, with short breaks or pauses. Please understand the nature of my job here is to be impartial and to report violations from both sides without bias. As an Unarmed Military Observer, this is my raison d’etre.

What I can tell you is this: we have on a daily basis had numerous occasions where our position has come under direct or indirect fire from both artillery and aerial bombing. The closest artillery has landed within 2 meters of our position and the closest 1000 lb aerial bomb has landed 100 meters from our patrol base. This has not been deliberate targeting, but has rather been due to tactical necessity.

This suggests that Israeli forces were shelling the area to rid it of entrenched Hizbullah positions who were using the UN outpost as a shield, or to prevent them from taking up positions near the UN outpost.

The reality of the situation doesn’t absolve the IDF from blame, as reports indicate UN forces including a commanding general had made repeated contact with the IDF to have them back off, as their artillery, missiles and bombs reached closer and closer to the outpost. The unfolding picture looks less like intentional targeting of the UN outpost and more like an unrestrained zeal to attack Hizbullah, no matter who or what stands in the way. That picture is at least consistent with other events on the ground in this lopsided war.