The Israeli peace group Gush Shalom placed the following paid statement in Haaretz and the International Herald Tribune on July 7:

The march of folly
The offensive on land, from the sea and from the air does not put an end to the launching of Qassam rockets. It is leading to their increase.

From Israel's largest daily, Yediot Aharanot, July 5:

Look who's been kidnapped!
Hundreds of Palestinian 'suspects' have been kidnapped from their homes and will never stand trial
by Arik Diamant

Israeli tanks and troops have entered southern Gaza after warplanes attacked three bridges and knocked out electricity to the coastal strip—in response to the capture of a young Israeli soldier by Palestinian militants. (AP, June 28) But mainstream reports are missing some vital context. A letter printed in the Toronto Globe and Mail, June 27:

From Israel's largest newspaper, Yediot Aharanot:

Refuseniks call on soldiers to refuse striking Gaza
June 23
by Yossi Yehoshua

While Human Rights Watch has revealed yet more evidence showing the Israeli army's culpability in shelling an innocent family of Palestinian bathers in Gaza, Israel still officially denies its responsibility. An Israeli parliamentarian is calling for an outside investigation.

Hamas called off a 16-month-old truce with Israel June 9 after attacks by Israeli forces in Gaza killed 10 Palestinians, including three children playing on a beach. "The Israeli massacres represent a direct opening battle," Hamas said in a statement. Prime Minister Esmail Haniya, also a Hamas leader, called the deaths a "war crime" and urged Jordan and Egypt to intervene.

More uneasy deja vu from Lebanon. The sons of the Syria-backed President Emile Lahoud and the bitterly anti-Syria Druze leader Walid Jumblatt get into a shoot-out in Beirut—just as their fathers opposed each other in the civil war. From Lebanon's Daily Star, June 5:

BEIRUT: Following in their father's footsteps, Ralph Lahoud and Najib Jumblatt clashed on Saturday in a shooting incident that damaged Jumblatt's car. Newspapers reported on Sunday that shots were fired by President Emile Lahoud's younger son's bodyguards at the car of Druze leader Walid Jumblatt's stepson in the bustling street of Ain Mreisseh.

Received by email:

The Congress of South African Trade Unions issues statement supporting CUPE resolution

The President, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario, June 6, 2006

Brother Sid Ryan,

On behalf over 1,2 million South African workers organized under the banner of COSATU I greet you in the name of worker internationalism. It is this solidarity, since the formation of the very first union and across space and time, often in the face of harsh repression, that provided vital moral succour and allowed workers to strengthen their resolve against oppression and exploitation.