A new massacre, and some new ways of looking at it. posted by Richard Seymour

So, Israel has committed another massacre, this time pounding 33 farmers into the dust and wounding twenty more as they engaged in provocative fruit-picking activity. The new ways of looking at it? First of all, let's not forget that Hezbollah is firing some unguided missiles into Israel. The BBC doesn't. It's front page explains: "An Israeli air raid near the Lebanese-Syrian border kills at least 28, as Hezbollah fires 40 rockets into Israel." Meanwhile, lots of news outlets have a brand new angle: "Israel Severs Lebanon Road Link to Syria" says ABC News. Ditto says the Houston Chronicle. So, how come we never heard or saw the headline: "Hamas severs bus" with the reminder "as Israel continues to brutally occupy Palestine"? Israel expands Lebanon bombing, remarks CBS rather vaguely. The New York Times prefers to be very slightly more specific: Israel expands strikes north of Beirut. Threat to attack Tel Aviv says The Australian, appearing to miss the point entirely.

The fact that this killing was part of an attempt to destroy the aid routes and transport infrastructure is of course indicative that the war continues to be a war against the population - but to notice this would be, well, tasteless.

Anyway, the good news for all of us protesting tomorrow is that Tony Blair is not taking his holidays quite yet. The Evening Standard front page depicted a smiling Blair striding confidently to his task with the headline: "Holidays can wait". What a man, and what an appropriate tissue for him to appear on. I hope he will have to hear "We are all Hezbollah" and similar slogans. I especially hope that they broadcast this. I hope that every admirer of imperialism, as well as every phoney pacifist and empty devotee of the fictitious 'peace process', has to hear this and is driven into paroxysms of rage. There will be no peace in the Middle East until Israel and the imperialist system for which it is a proxy are defeated.