Sri Lankan housemaids trapped in Lebanon because their employers (who also beat them) are withholding their pay and their passports so they can't leave. (Gee, that sounds familiar . . . )

As Parents Mourn in Thai Hotel, Muslims Recruit Outside. An Israeli couple on vacation in an almost-hostile land find out that their son has been killed in action.

Iranians are very unhappy with the mullahs' support for Nasrallah. Here's hoping this is the final straw.

Jamming on Rothschild street in Tel Aviv (video).

From the Corner:

Was talking to an Israeli official a little earlier. He thinks things are tough, but headed in the right direction generally. Israel's diplomatic strategy is to say to every envoy who shows up demanding an immediate cease-fire, “We're in favor of a ceasefire too—now, what are you going to do about Hezbollah to make it happen?” The hope is that the Security Council will reaffirm 1559, and perhaps put some more teeth in it to make it clear that the re-arming of Hezbollah is a violation of it.

And, obviously, Israel wants an international force that is not going to be as useless as UNIFIL. If Israel were to agree to an immediate, condition-less cease-fire, it would lose all its leverage toward these diplomatic goals. . . . . this official says the sentiment of the Israeli government is that Israel is stronger every day and Hezbollah weaker, a fact that is thought to be reflected in the calls for a cease-fire coming from the Hezbollah side. In some ways, the international argument over this conflict closely mirrors the debate over Iraq in this country—the doves want an immediate ceasefire or a time-line toward a ceasefire; the hawks want a cease-fire only when certain conditions are met.

The London Jewish Chronicle's new editor doesn't get what being the small captive newspaper of an ethnic community is all about.

UK communal leaders have expressed serious concern at the London Jewish Chronicle editor's decision not to back Israel during her darkest hour. David Rowan was quoted in the Independent as saying: "I don't want to make it a pro - or anti - Israel paper."

. . . . Rowan, who has edited the paper for barely two months and has little experience of working in the Jewish Press, was unavailable for comment. His remarks appeared in an Independent feature about British Jewry's reaction to the fight against Hizbullah terrorists. He said: "The JC needs to be the place where the debate takes place, but doesn't instinctively support one side or another."

Geez, this isn't the Oxford Debating Society, it's a community newspaper. Even large mainstream media in the UK have points of view, you get to have one too.

. . . . .Leaders said the remarks were particularly surprising, given that the London weekly nets thousands of pounds from advertising placed by Israeli tourism firms and charities. Adrian Cohen, of Israel Travel Service, said: "It's very unfortunate that a man in such a position would make such an anti-Zionist statement."

David, this isn't the Wall Street Journal, you don't have to proudly demonstrate how high the wall is between editorial and revenue.

Of course all the Lefties will use this as grist for the mill of "You get pilloried for criticizing Israel in the Jewish community." Yeah, well, we don't issue fatwas or burn down buildings, and this guy won't even be ostracized, I'm sure at least half the Jews in the UK agree with him.