Redefining "Pogrom"
Blame Hezbollah all you want. Olmert's extra "two weeks" needed to "finish the job" will continue to backfire as Hezbollah continues to gain more popular support. Blame Hezbollah for hiding in buildings, although the video shown and passed around through blind israeli support forums is of a different building than the one that was bombed. Propoganda, just like the already notorious presentation Powell gave to the UN not so many years ago. But hey, the IDF says that they saw Hezbollah members run into the building right before the bombing, so all of a sudden it is OK to bomb it. It is OK that 60 civilians were killed. In fact, we should feel with the IDF, because they were faced with a moral dilemna.
Repeated "accidental tragedies" exist only in fiction. Either the IDF consists of idiots, or the continued bombing of residential buildings is organized murder. This is not Israeli "self-defense", since Hezbollah has yet to be at the receiving end of missiles. In fact, the IDF's actions are similar to all those state-sponsored pogroms - each one of which was a humanitarian crime - in the early 20th century. Except this time a different group is getting slaughtered. This time there are different "reasons" for the slaughters.
Keep rationalizing the Massacre of Qana II and others all you want with already chewed up excuses. I have heard them all. These excuses are nothing but justification for murder. The IDF, and those who blindly support its actions, have taken part in the pogrom of Lebanon.
----------
Words Fail Me
So let these voices speak out.
Link:
CNN Video----------
We will never forget.----------
She had dreams too ...
(a victim of the Massacre of Qana II)
List of innocent lives lost in Qana increases
Several months ago, 10 years after The Massacre of Qana I, I had posted the list of names of those brutally killed. The list of that massacre can be viewed
here.
That was supposed to be the last list coming from Qana. And now, an extra 60 names will be added. An extra 60 murders will be documented. And for what?
----------
The Massacre of Qana II has already been declared a mistake. Mistake? No one is fooled with that terminogy, but yourselves. This was a terrorist action. This was brutal.
This was even more unwanted proof of a disgusting flair for killing.
Let's just tell it as it is, once and for all.
The Israeli government is a terrorist organization. And it must be treated as such, until proven otherwise.
----------
The Israeli government and a large portion of Israelis have severe psychosis. An inferiority complex, coupled with a thirst for blood, and bloated with morally depraved sense of righteousness, is responsible for what has happened in the past two weeks.
----------
We will never forget.
May the victims of criminals all over the world rest in peace.
The Qana "mistake"
I don't want to read what the Israeli military and government have to say about this. I don't want to read the excuses used to rationalize the deaths of over 50 people (34 of which were children).
For now, have a moment of silence. For the dead. For all the innocent lives losts.
Since I have no words, let the following be their eulogy.
---------------------
Cry Rivers
By Farah Afshari
Cry rivers
Cry rivers
Cry rivers
Break the hand
that tries to wipe away your tears
and silence your soul
As your tears is
the only right you are left with
The only possession
that the war
and the warmongers
could not
and
can not take away
Cry rivers
Cry rivers
For your tears throw a curse
on the war
and the warmongers
Cry rivers
Cry rivers
As this is the beginning of the end
of your childhood dreams,
your mother's touch
and the kind words
you once knew
Cry rivers
Cry rivers
As with every drop of tear
your heart explodes into pieces
and fall on the burning ground of
the world
you have just began to know...
Cry rivers
Cry rivers
And let your soul get to know the pain
that came to stay
Forever and ever and ever...
Cry rivers
Cry rivers
As this is the only way
you can talk of the pain
you can not understand
and
you can not bear...
Cry rivers
Cry rivers
Let the shock
of what human can do
melt away
if only for seconds
Cry rivers
Cry rivers
Let the stars of tears
brighten your night
and close your eyes
on what went on
on what goes on...
Cry rivers
Cry rivers
And close your ears
on the sound of explosion
that calls:
The childhood ends here
Say goodbye
Say goodbye
"Our soldiers who are killed in Bint Jbail are also civilians."
"There is something fundamentally wrong with a war where there are more dead children than armed men."
- Jan Egeland
But what does he know. According to the leader of the free world, this war is a "moment of opportunity." In addition, it was just a mistake that all those non-militants were killed. Sorta like how writing 1+2 = 4 is a mistake. It understandably happens.
Enough of that. The following conversation is classic.
With all these briefings, how does it happen that 400 civilians have been killed in Lebanon?
Colonel A.: "There are 400 fatalities."
You don't accept the definition that they are civilians?
Colonel A.: "Our soldiers who are killed in Bint Jbail are also civilians."
...
"Is the value of human rights in Lebanon less than that of citizens elsewhere? Are we children of a lesser God? Is an Israeli teardrop worth more than a drop of Lebanese blood?"
Fouad Siniora
Consequences of War VI
(Courtesy of AFP)
(Courtesy of Reuters)
Weakening Hezbollah?
Maybe. Not that I'd care. But one thing I do care about is another result of all this "help" Israel is giving Lebanon:
Al-Qaeda deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahiri says they will respond to attacks on Muslims in Lebanon and Gaza, in a tape aired by al-Jazeera.
(BBC Breaking News Email Alert)
More information
here.
Al-Waleed Bin Talal's Family Offers a House
i have been asked to spread word that al-waleed bin
talal's family have converted a house in ba'abda into
a shelter & medical aid station. they are also
bringing supplies into the country and help people to
get out.
the place is in ba'abda, just above the ministry of
defence, and called "al-yarze palace" (also known as
"riyadh palace"). it's fairly easy to find.
(thanks to
raf* for informing me of this)
"I'm grieving like all of us ... for all of us"
An email I received from a friend several days ago. Permission to post given.---
First of, let me apologize for the late reply. I read your email a few days ago, but the electricity cut as I was replying. I was exhuasted, and some things can only be written once.
As you know, my brother came to visit us and to say hi to our family's new addition, Nada's 3-week old daughter. He's still here with us, and thankfully his company back in England has been very understanding. We're trying to convince him to leave, but he doesn't want to. Although he gives the usual reasons, I think he wants to make us feel that dad is still alive. He used to sweep us up in his arms during the war, and would try to make us laugh, at least try to make us smile, in between the shellings. Maybe Nabil feels its his responsibility to do the same.
By the way, the new addition to our family is called Hala. I have this urge to cover her ears. What do you think will happen to her? Will she be affected by all this? If she could speak, what would she say? When she was born, all I wished for was that she would not go through what I had gone through. It's just not fair. I don't want her to become me.
I'm exhuasted. I know I'm here physically, but I feel disconnected. I'm grieving like all of us ... for all of us. I'm trying to cope, but most of the day I gaze out the window. I don't want to descibe the things I see to you. It pains me just to glance at them. Although I've been through this over and over again, it doesn't mean I can ever get accustomed to it. Who would have thought that I would never run out of tears?
It's time for lunch, and Nada is calling me, so I need to get going. Can you do me a favor though? When you write, don't mention this war. Don't mention the dead. Discuss anything you think may make me smile. I haven't smiled in the past two weeks.
----
Slogans from Tel Aviv
No to the War
We will not kill or die for the US
Amir Peretz-They Wait for You in the Hague
No to the Destructions in Gaza and Lebanon
Children in Beirut and Haifa Deserve to Live
Listen up, soldier – it's your duty to refuse
-----
Of course, that's not to say there wasn't a counter demonstration (and a mini-skirmish with passerbys), with the following slogans:
Traitors, we are fed up with you
A good Arab is a dead Arab
If only a rocket fell on you
Good ol' U2
Something I had quoted way back in the day ... still pertinent today. Just change "Irish Americans" into whatever you want ...
I'm had enough of Irish Americans, who haven't been to their country in 20 to 30 years, come up to me, and talk about the resistance . . . the revolution back home . . . and the glory of the revolution and the glory of dying for the revolution.
Fuck the revolution. They don't talk about the glory of killing for the revolution.
What's the glory, in taking a man from his bed and gunning him down in front of his wife and his children. Where's the glory in that.
Where's the glory in bombing a rememberance day parade of old age pensioners, their medals taken out and polished up for the day. Where's the glory in that. To leave them dying, or crippled for life, or dead, under the rubble of the revolution, that the majority of the people in my country don't want.
On Civilian Casualties
“The true hypocrite is the one who ceases to perceive his deception, the one who lies with sincerity.”
- Andre Gide
“The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that's the essence of inhumanity”
- George Bernard Shaw
I just want to comment about the raging arguments concerning "how civilian is a civilian?". Alan Dershowitz has recently vocalized the opinion of many, that there is a spectrum of civilians, and some are more guilty than others.
Such arguments are not new, and are not unique to this conflict. According to these premises, it can also be argued that the mother whose son is in the IDF is also not an innocent civilian, since she feeds him, among other things, and has created a "soldier." The worker who slaves all day in a metal company - metals which are later used to create tanks and guns - is also guilty. The taxpayer is guilty as well, since a portion he pays goes to support the IDF.
By these arguments, everyone is an acceptable target - except of course, children, even though some have even tried to justify those.
My point isn't to condone one side or the other in this post, but to ask for the most basic requirement in dialogue: consistency. Be consistent. You're outraged at Hezbollah attacking civilians? You should also be outraged at the IDF attacking civilians. You're furious with Hezbollah attacking cities? You should also be furious with the IDF attacking villages, towns, and cities. You feel hatred at Hezbollah for dropping ~ 2000 bombs? Feel hatred at the IDF for dropping tens of thousands of bombs. You go beserk at pictures of two year olds holding guns? Also go beserk at pictures of children and adults signing Israeli missiles. (and vice versa)
Otherwise, all that exists - besides the killing of hundreds and the displacement of ~ 1,000,000 - is hypocrisy. As well as your own inhumanity.
Vigil in New York
Click
HERE for more.
Zeinab discusses details of the Massacre of Marwahin
"I called my father but got no reply ... "
Saida
Translated from Assafir, July 24, 2006
Soon, in the future, this war waged by Israel on the South and on Lebanon will stop. It shall be seen who has survived in the villages that have seen massacres and horror stories and terrible human tragedies. Israel killed in cold blood 23 people in one go, although it had warned and ordered them to leave. When they left their home, they were faced with bombs fired from the sea and from above. Those remaining alive fled to the secondary girls school in Saida (Sidon), and were cared for by the Hariri Foundation.
Ibrahim Abdallah discusses how village residents received warnings to leave the village and how they went to the United Nations post, which refused them. "The situation was extremely difficult. We were in a convoy of children, sheiks, and women, and the bombing fell around us. We returned to the village and did not know where to go. Our screaming children forced us to find a place. "
Zeinab, an 18 year old who lost all her family - mother, father, brothers and sisters, and others in the massacre - escaped death, although she sustained injuries in her abdomen and her hand. She tells of her story, and how she saved around 115 people in her home town. She cried as she discusses how as they were leaving, bombs fell around them. Their pickup failed, and her father went down to fix it. She began to run, but the warship was aiming at where they were, and as she went back to tell her parents that, she saw that they were immersed in their own blood. Her father did not answer her ... he had been killed.
She found her brother's sons, Hussein, Hassan, Mohammad, Ali, and Mahmoud, and her sister and sister-in-law, and her uncle's wife and children. All their corpses were either torn to pieces or were burnt. She heard others scream. "What can I do, 28 people were killed in this massacre; 23 of those came from two families."
Zeinab adds "Israeli planes raided our convoy again to kill those that weren't killed with the previous bombing. The planes dropped bombs with nails and other fragments which injured my stomach and hand. I began to bleed, but still tried to escape regardless of my injuries. I found by brother's daughter Lara - not older than 4 years old - next to her mother, who was completely burnt. This child was not just crying, but also screaming. I also found my uncle's child - around 8 years old - who was still clinging onto life, and I held them both and pulled both of them with me for more than 150 meters. I thought we would also be killed, since the bombs sounded as if they were approaching us. I then saw a convoy of cars coming towards us. I stopped in the middle of the road and told them to return, since Israel killed all of my family."
Another villager then intervened to say "Zeinab was able to save 115 people from the village who were all part of the same convoy. She told us to return and to not complete the journey. Lara always asks about her mother and siblings, and cries. Another survivor - more than 70 years old - cries and screams and asks for her husband, who was lost in Marwahin ... she doesn't know what happened to him, and wishes that she did. She also lost 9 people from her family in this massacre."
------
Comment: For another "incident", read the story published by the Guardian.
(Click here)
Why the Israeli Government is no better than Hezbollah.
a.k.a Why Olmert is no better than Nasrallah
"We had no choice BUT war."
- Warmonger Israeli rhetoric
"Hezbollah is defending Lebanon."
- Warmonger Lebanese rhetoric
Hezbollah's pointless attack - which are already famed due to their continuous repitition in the media - led to Israeli support to an all-out war, using the attack as an excuse.
But history does not begin there.
Violations have been plenty, whether they were initiated by Hezbollah, or by the Israeli government. Not too long ago, a shepherd was killed by the IDF, and a fisherman was kidnapped (his blood was found on his boat) by the IDF. Only the ignorant would try to explain that as an Israeli retaliation.
The war, since its conception, was a choice.
"But what could we have done? We can't just sit and accept Hezbollah terrorizing our country."
Yawn.
This is the exact same excuse Hezbollah, and many other Lebanese have used. Just replace one of the proper nouns in the above quote, with another proper noun.
"But that's not the same. Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. The IDF is a state organization."
Actions supercede names. The IDF is terrorizing Lebanon, and that isn't an opinion. Hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians, with lost homes, destroyed lives, and crushed memories is not a lie. However, not surprisingly, it seems that Israelis seem to believe that the IDF is only attacking Hezbollah. I'm sure that explains why another two red cross ambulances were destroyed today ...
The Israeli government, as does Hezbollah, thrives on war. It uses the excuses of "terrorism" to instill fear into its civilians, as does Hezbollah. Your leaders - in this case Olmert - say the same things Nasrallah says, albeit in a different language. And its civilians, so pumped up with fear-induced adrenalin, sincerely believe that this type of war is the only option.
So let's tell it as it is. The Israeli government = Hezbollah. Olmert = Nasrallah. And to all the warmongers out there, your actions and statements are inexcusable. Stop glorifying this war. Stop glorifying murder. Stop glorifying the destruction of a country, and the lives of the people in it.
Avenues of donation:
www.lightforlebanon.com
www.relieflebanon.org
www.saveleb.org
If Hezbollah stopped its ...
... raids, would Israel also stop?
Update: Although I am aware of the Israeli's government's "conditions" for ceasing their "precise raids", the question above is directed to Israeli citizens. So let it read as: would Israeli citizens want Israel to also stop?
Avenues for Donations:
Light for Lebanon: www.lightforlebanon.com
ReliefLebanon: www.relieflebanon.org
Save Lebanon: www.saveleb.org
The Banality of Justification
"If you prick us, do we not bleed?
If you tickle us, do we not laugh?
If you poison us, do we not die?
And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?"
- Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare
"You should thank us for trying to remove Hezbollah."
- An Israeli acquantance
A large proportion of people whom I have been in touch with have attempted to justify Israel's response to Hezbollah capturing those two soldiers. We can each argue that there is a history to this conflict, and argue ourselves to death concerning who FIRST committed injustice, but that is not my concern for now.
There have been quite a few variations of this attempt to justify; averaging all those responses results in "Israel had to defend itself from Hezbollah, which had been terrorizing Israel for some time."
That is then followed by "yes, I feel sorry for Lebanon and its misery, but this is for the best, and people will understand that Hezbollah directly brings harm to them."
In other words, there is an indirect advocacy of collective punishment.
On September 12, 2001 - one day after the notorious 9/11 - there were people who attempted to justify the attacks. "The US had for decades oppressed and attacked certain regions of the world, and such a reaction is expected." Such people tried to rationalize that killing of almost 5000 people, and it was disgusting to listen to.
However, according to the current Israeli opinion (and I understand that not all Israelis agree with their governmental stance), if consistency was a fundamental human trait, then 9/11 would also have been justifiable.
But it isn't. And rightly so.
Such justification of the various massacres that have occured are also harrowingly reminiscent of the excuses certain groups of people develop for rapists. "Oh, but the girl was dressed provocatively. She smiled, winked, and even blew him a kiss. And that mini-skirt! You can't really blame him for doing what he did."
A rape victim may eventually get over the rape (highly questionable though), but she will always be scarred. Likewise, Lebanon may eventually get over this rape, but it will always remain scarred.
So can Israel's actions really be justified?
However, let's ignore all that for a moment. Let's assume that Israel was fully justified in doing what its doing. The problem is that with all the recent "incidents", something like Hezbollah - even if it isn't Hezbollah as we know it - will always exist. Indeed, Israel may eventually completely destroy Hezbollah, although I doubt that will happen - and I'm sure you doubt that as well, otherwise Hamas would have already been destroyed some time back.
More importantly, Israel is also destroying any chance for peace. The only accomplishment Israel can be "proud" of in all this is the eventual creation of a fertile ground for more extremism.
Anyway, Lebanon is grateful to all those who donate to help relief organizations:
Light for Lebanon:
www.lightforlebanon.comRelief Lebanon:
www.relieflebanon.comSave Lebanon:
www.saveleb.org
donations
the following websites can be used to make
Online donations:
-
www.lightforlebanon.org: this website provides access to the society of saint-vincent de paul and to islamic relief.
-
www.relieflebanon.org: this website provides access to the ICRC, Unicef, and MercyCorps
-
www.saveleb.org: this website provides access to the lebanese red cross, and also provides means for donating to other organizations.
most of the donations available on this website can be done online; i.e. all it needs is two or three simple clicks of your mouse button and a credit card, which are all doable NOW. Lebanon needs all of you.
Which weapons does Israel use in its aggression against Lebanon?
(Translation)
Assafir, July 22, 2006With what does Israel kill Lebanese? This is a question asked by doctors in Southern Lebanon since they began receiving corpses of victims killed on the roads by Israeli aircraft. Dismembered parts, bloated bodies emanating a rotten smell, and covered with the color of burns even though these bodies were not burnt. This rapid death appears to have been caused by a sudden failure of the nervous system along with blood coagulation, which prevented bleeding. Some have suggested that Israel has used various types of poisonous gases or toxic chemicals in the missiles that were used to kill civilians. However, these suggestions are not necessarily confirmable through an autopsy.
Groups of doctors have sent parts of the corpses of the victims of the Rmeileh massacre for testing in case it leads to anything concrete. While waiting for these results, “Assafir” newspaper asked doctors and hospitals from all regions in Lebanon about the cases they have received, and their thoughts.
Quite a few doctors who have examined these corpses commented in shock on the cases the hospitals have received, even though none of them could fully confirm the nature of the injuries, either because of the siege and the lack of laboratory materials, or because these cases were never seen before.
Even if there are a number of doctors not convinced that Israel definitely used chemical weapons in its war on Lebanon, sources in the Lebanese army do discuss the existence of shells filled with materials that are banned internationally. Dr. Hassan Wazni, director of the hospital in Nabatiyeh, commented on the possibility that Israel has used what is called a vacuum bomb, which sucks the air out of human bodies and stops their breathing, and which results in heart failure.
Basic Definitions for the Ignorant
Terror: violent or destructive acts (as bombing) committed by groups in order to intimidate a population or government into granting their demands.
Terrorism: the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion.
Murder: the crime of unlawfully killing a person especially with malice aforethought.
Use these three words to fill in the blanks.
The IDF, through its actions of _______ing civilians, engages in state-sponsored ___________ and inflicts _________ on Lebanese civilians.
*Definitions from Merriam Webster.
Destroying Sur (Tyre)
Pictures from Assafir.
My cousins left their house is Sur three or four days ago. The first two days of the Israeli bombardment they couldn't leave, but they finally found a way out. A two hour drive (depending on how fast you go) took much longer.
Their house was bombed yesterday. Part of the school their father had started several decades ago, whose work they are continuing, has been bombed.
They weren't Hezbollah by they way. They didn't even support them.
Vigil Announcements
1 - NEW YORK
There will be a candlelight vigil Saturday night from 8 to 9pm on the south side of Union Square Park in support of a ceasefire in Lebanon. If need be, this will be a weekly event, so please look for a follow-up email.
We have been devastated by the destruction and violence that has become many people's daily reality. As concerned citizens, we feel it is time that our political representatives hear our voices loud and clear calling for an end to the bloodshed.
On Saturday, please bring candles. Feel free to bring American, Lebanese, Israeli, Palestinian or any other flag. We request that no other signs, banners, or posters be displayed at the vigil.
2 - PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA
One week after the Israeli Invasion of Lebanon, the siege that Israel has placed Lebanon under is still ongoing. Over 300 civilians have been killed, more than a 1000 wounded and maimed, and over half a million displaced, as the world watches in silence.
This Saturday, July 22, 2006, at 7 pm, several student organizations are organizing a candle-lit vigil at Lytton Plaza, Palo Alto. They are calling for all those against the horrendous targeting of Lebanese civilians to join them.
During this vigil, these groups will raise awareness about the realities of this newest conflict. This vigil is also part of a fundraiser, which will collect donations in order to aid relief organizations currently operating in Lebanon.
A Camp for the Displaced
As I mentioned before, my mother's school (near Downtown Beirut) has been turned into a camp for the displaced. There are around a thousand there, and almost half of them are children. The following are things that were told to me by my mother, N.C.
It's been hard to get enough food for them. So many of the schools around us have as many people as well, as does Sanayeh garden. It's a good thing we don't need blankets yet, but if there is ever a need, then we don't have nearly enough. Two days ago a 4 year old was brought here. He reminded me of you; he had those mini-dimples. His mother was killed in one of the raids, and his father said they haven't eaten in some time. There is this other child, Fadi, who was here since the beginning, and hasn't spoken since he arrived; his parents say his village was destroyed. Yesterday, he finally said something - water - which we still have enough of, but who knows when that will finish.
The first few days, everyone was silent. Everyone was waiting for things to end. Almost all who first came had already lost somebody - a brother, mother, father, sister, teta (grandmother) - and no one shared their pain. But as more came, there were more things to do, and some of the parents volunteered their help. They took care of the children, helped with the food. The older children began to devise ways to entertain the younger ones, to help them ignore the brutal past few days, and to help them realize their own strengths. There were a few young children who took up the responsibility of helping the grandparents, bringing them food, and even talking to them and asking them questions. There are a set of brothers who have been going around telling jokes, and almost everyone who hears them laughs. I don't know if we laugh because they are really funny, or if they just allow us to forget, but I don't care. I would rather laugh, and not cry.
A child was born there two days ago. Some of us decided to cook a small cake, so I got ingredients from home. The parents were newly wed; they actually got married almost a year ago, and their anniversary will be in two weeks. Everyone here has now adopted this child as their own. They are slowly becoming a large family.
That is something Israel can never destroy.
ATTN: ICRC AND UNICEF ACCOUNT FOR RED CROSS DONATIONS
After several days of work, a few individuals scattered across the USA have been able to establish an account at the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. Donations to this account goes mainly to the Lebanese Red Cross and to the Unicef Relief Fund. More information on this is found
here.
Donations can be given online, or through checks and bank transfers. For information on all of this, please visit
here (scroll to the bottom). For online donations, visit the main homepage, and look at the options at the top. (For main homepage, go to
www.relieflebanon.org.)
These donations are US tax deductible. Furthermore, please check if the company you work in matches the amounts you donate. By doing so, Lebanon will be able to receive much more help.
Thank you ahead of time. Please forward this to everyone you know. Lebanon needs you.
(If you have any questions, you can use the contact page on the website, or send me an email, and I will make sure the necessary people are contacted.)
Translation: Bombing Trucks
In light of the incomplete english media on the realities of the Israeli Invasion of Lebanon, I will try to translate certain arabic articles into english.
Protecting themselves from raids: Bombing trucks!Zeinab Yaghi, from Assafir, 07/19/06Food and vegetables were transformed into military targets for Israeli fighter jets. Raids have martyred the trucks that were transporting these goods, under the excuse of “preventing the passage of weapons to Hezbollah”, even though these trucks were only carrying either food or construction materials.
According to the truck owner’s association, these trucks that were bombed were transporting either necessary goods for those trapped, or building materials, and “if they did carry other than that, they would have exploded because of the carried weapons, which unveils a new lie that Israel has peddled to the world in order to impose further sanctions on the displaced or those remaining at home.” Union leader Shafic Asis says that the union is in a state of emergency after these losses, and with the killing of several of its members.
Because of the need to transport cargo, the union held an emergency meeting, and requested that truck drivers stop transporting items in fridges since they is closed, and to not cover the trucks, so that Israeli jets can see what is inside, as well as telling residents and internal security forces to remove trucks parked near houses.
Asis also said that truck owners have refrained from transporting goods since it now poses a threat to their lives, especially on the main roads between Beirut and the governorates. Negotiations with truck owners for the transportation of goods has lead to an increase of price from 100 $ to 300 – 500 $ per truck.
With these raids that have affected the transportation sector (which includes 165,000 trucks), there is concern towards smaller transport vehicles, such as television news vans that are used for live broadcasting.
Asis released a list of the trucks that were bombed, and the goods they carried:
4 trucks bombed in Bekaa, carrying plastic materials, barrels of oil, and industrial materials sent from Kuwait.
15 trucks bombed in Choueifat, which were empty.
15 trucks bombed in Beirut Port, which were empty, and which usually carry building materials to Jbeil.
A Fridge Truck in Chtura, exporting vegetables.
The trucks bombed on Camil Chamoun Blvd were impounded by internal security forces for minor law violations.
A raid on a farm in the Bekaa also lead to the death of its owner, Dib Barakat.
1982 - 2006
Israeli invasion in 1982 to "rid Lebanon of the PLO" -> Creation of Hezbollah
Israeli invasion in 2006 to "rid Lebanon of Hezbollah" -> Creation of ??
The Israeli government and a large proportion of Israelis still haven't learnt that "fighting for peace is like fucking for virginity".
Will they anytime soon?
Lebanon IS
And Always Will
BE.
*Martyr's Statue, Beirut, Lebanon
Pictures of the Living
And they need your help.
Medical supplies - ambulances sent from the UAE to Lebanon through Syria - were bombed. Supplies, such as blood, are scarce. Equipment is in shortage.
Abbas was wounded in a missile attack, and is now in a hospital in Saida.
These three brothers, Nabil, Ramzi, and Ali, were wounded in that same attack.
There are half a million displaced civilians, and over 500 wounded. Refugees need food, water, blankets, medicine. Wounded need blood, medical equipment. Families are sharing schools, parks, and streets. The school my mother works (worked) in has over a thousand refugees.
They all need help.
I have received many emails from people around the world asking for what they can do to ease the pain of Lebanon. At the top of my blog there are accounts that deposits can be made in. Links for the Lebanese Red Cross are available there. Other aid groups can be found
here. For those in Lebanon, blood can be donated through the centers seen
here.
The FPM relief center in Kaslik (Cafe Columbia Bldg) has also asked for Blood (0 negative), Food (Milk, Bread), Blankets and Mattresses, and Diapers (Ask for Dany Daou).
Consequences of War V
I've put these back in links. They are beyond my threshold of tolerance.
July 17, 2006. These two pictures are from Rmeileh. In this town, twelve people were killed when their minibus was hit as they were trying to escape.
Picture 1Picture 2This picture is from Beirut. This is what chemical weapons do.
Picture 3
We love you Lebanon.
Picture of a smiling Israeli child. Writing a message. On something that is shot over Israel's northern border.
*Courtesy of
BeirutSpring and
UrShalim.
**Message reads: To Nasrallah, with love. From Israel ...
Olmert has "made his bones"
The Dahaf poll, published in the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot, found that 81 percent of Israelis want the offensive to continue. Another 78 percent are satisfied with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's performance.
And 72 percent said they backed Defense Minister Amir Peretz, formerly a populist union leader whose appointment to head the military a few months ago raised concerns he lacked the military experience for the job.
Monday's poll of 513 Israelis was the first since Israel began its campaign against the Lebanese guerilla group on Wednesday. The poll has an error margin of 4.2 percentage points.
Not only were they once happy, they were also once alive.
Sunday Lebanon July 16, 2006:
The El-Akhras family. She (Amira) was killed and he (Ali) was wounded.
Saja is/was 8 years old. She was killed on Sunday.
Ahmad was 4 years old. He was killed on Sunday.
Zeinab was 6 years old. She was killed on Sunday.
Maysoun is a relative in Montreal. She spoke at a press conference about her dead relatives.
Salam, a 4-month old child, was also killed.
May they rest in peace.
Just Stop ...
Lebanese Students in New York/New Jersey
MSNBC is looking for Lebanese Students in the New York / New Jersey region for interviews on Tuesday. They need a phone interview today. If anyone is willing to do this, contact me at lettersapart@gmail.com, and I will forward you the information.
Disarm Hezbollah
And at the same time:
1 - Reduce by orders of magnitude the military strength of Israel.
2 - Provide maps for the 400,000+
mines Israel has left in Lebanon, which kill and maime 10 - 20 Lebanese civilians per year.
3 - Cease all airspace violations that Israel has committed since before I was born.
4 - Provide reparations for all the destruction that has happened.
5 - ...
On another note, I'd like to thank all those who sent hate-mail concerning my last post. I wonder if the current Israeli blog commentators represent public opinion in Israel. On the other hand, I've also received emails from Israelis who want to discuss rationally - which in my opinion is much better than the knee-jerk idiotic rants and spasms I've been seeing in various places.
Hezbollah vs. Israel
The number of Lebanese civilians killed by Israel is MUCH greater than the number of Israeli civilians killed by Hezbollah. And I'm not just refering to this latest Seige of Beirut.
Who exactly is the regional security threat again?
Consequences of War IV
Lebanon, July 16, 2006:
In Sur/Tyre:
Haret Hreik:
Sur: This is what Israel means when it says it does not target civilians.
Beirut:
Sur:
Doing Something that Means Nothing ...
... except creating awareness.
Lebanon is falling under real fire. The rest of the world is falling under the lies of the media. What has CNN reported of the 100+ civilian deaths, except as having that fact as a passing remark? What have others said?
Expats, if they can't do anything else, can do something to change this. CREATE AWARENESS. WRITE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES IF YOU ARE A US CITIZEN, and others if you live in other countries.
You can also do something that a friend of mine organized in Northern California: a solidarity rally. This is not an event that will change the outcome, but if anything, the world will now have an alternate view.
Even though I am currently not in California, I was able to help by contacting Bay Area news networks: Those that attended were San Jose Mercury News, AP, NBC.
The newspapers that carried this news included:
AP, Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle, San Diego Union Tribune, etc.
For those Lebanese in other areas: Southern California, Washington DC, North Carolina, etc. do something similar. Most important is the news coverage. Prepare a press release (I can forward you the simple one I had).
Consequences of War III
No more hiding in links. The pictures are going to be laid bare. This is not something I can be decent about anymore.
The world has to see what is happening in Lebanon. This is not a Hezbollah militant. This is not a terrorist.
This could have been you. This could have been my family.
Now I Remember ...
It's ok for the IDF/IAF to do what they do simply because they wear uniforms. That on its own gives them a moral edge ... a higher moral ground.
Allo?
Dial my mother.
She picks up. "Allo?"
"Hi, Mom?"
Phone goes dead.
It has been like this for the past 5 hours.
Just imagine how it is like for those who can't even complete the call.
Consequences of War II
Lebanon, July 14, 2006: Dahyeh
Lebanon, July 14, 2006: A refrigerator truck makeshift morgue.
Lebanon, July 14, 2006: In Sour. This is her destroyed house.
Lebanon, July 14, 2006: A school in Beirut, where families have taken shelter.
Lebanon, July 14, 2006: Victim in Saida.
Warning: Disturbing Image. Click
here to view.
Is She a Terrorist? (Warning: Disturbing Images)
All day, after writing my letter to Olmert, I scoured all the media sources I could think of. The International news outlets, and the Israeli ones, were lacking in their coverage on what is happening in Lebanon. I posted pictures of murdered civilians, because I wanted all the Israeli visitors this site has suddenly received to at least be aware of what their army is doing. On Assafir, I found two extremely disturbing images, and I hesitated to post them. You can view them by clicking on these links: Picture 1, Picture 2
For all the war-mongers out there - the Lebanese and the Israeli ones - who have glorified this latest battle, I ask you: What the fuck has she done?
Silence
Lebanon: July 13, 2006. This child's entire family was killed.
Lebanon: July 13, 2006. A four month old child.
It will not End here Olmert
Dear Ehud,
Are you reading through some of Sharon's notes? I wonder if back home you are saluted for your bravery and courage. If you are looked at as the protector of Israel. If they even know what you are doing in Lebanon. I hope you die a gruesome death, in the same way those children were burnt today.
Turn around. Withdraw your planes. Sail your ships away. Go back to Israel.
What type of retaliation is this? We want exactly what Israeli's seem to claim: security and peace, yet you make it such that peace and security seem impossible to have with Israel as a neighbor. Is this procedure part of becoming a man - a rite of passage - back home for you? Killing Lebanese? Burning children alive? If so, then Sharon must be a great man. Peres must be great as well. As is Netanyahu.
Ehud, are you even human? If "we prick you, will you bleed?" Do you see pictures of the people you have slaughtered? How do you feel when you hear the number of dead? Maybe you should have asked Sharon whether he regrets his own actions back in the day, before that is, he got what he deserved.
Ehud, you are worse than Hassan. The blood on your hands has colored Israel red. We suffer. We die. Today, you have thrown people into the fiery pit of dreamless sleep. Where is the honor in that? Tell me, where?
Sincerely Yours,
A Human
I Am From The South
Dear Hassan,
The family house (in the South) was destroyed in the 80's because of Israeli attacks, the graveyard bombed, weeds growing until around a decade ago, when it was tidied up. Till this day, many of the tombstones are chipped, other are shattered, graves unmarked.
Today, my cousins, who work in South Lebanon, cannot leave. I have you to thank for that. Their car was turned back yesterday afternoon, and walking the 100 km is not an option. Maybe I would have done it; it would have been a peaceful week long hike, but I am much younger then their age of 45. Schools have shut down today; my mother woke up to the news that the airport was bombed. Bridges have been destroyed. The Israeli Navy has created a blockade. Thank you Hassan.
I wonder, what I will wake up to tomorrow? Do you know? Tell me if you do.
Hassan, the South is not yours to destroy. Lebanon is not yours to gamble with. If you had any dignity and honor, you would stop. You would cease and desist. You would not "tell with such high zest to children ardent for some desperate glory, the old lie: Dulce est Decorum est, Pro patria mori." You would stop, and release all the indirect hostages your actions have created. My cousins would be allowed to drive up on weekends, as they always have. My mother could go to her work in school. Families could reunite again at the airport. Yet, I know you will continue, simply because you are you.
Regards,
A Citizen from the South
A Letter to Nasrallah
Dear Hassan,
I have no words to describe my thoughts and feelings when I first heard today's news. I had spoken to my family yesterday, and they were fine. Their reaction today was different; they were worried and scared. Because of you. And of you.
Anger is the least of my concerns at this moment; even if I were angry, it would not be at the Israeli Army. This is the quintessential tale of war and peace, and how the facade of development can be splintered with a person such as yourself.
Hassan, I wanted you to prove me wrong. I wanted you to take the right - the right, and not just the wise - decision. It has been clear for some time now that you will incite the Israeli Army into attacking Lebanon once again, but I wanted to be wrong. You have failed. You have failed 3.5 million people. You have failed yourself. You have failed your son.
The truth is that you have always been responsible. You share in the responsibility for Qana. You share in the responsibility for the Israeli attacks on the power station near my house 6 years ago, which set the country back decades. The blood of innocents has tainted your hands, regardless of what you say. "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clear from" your hand? No. You will "rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red."
Hassan, do you not question yourself? Do you never doubt your actions? Do you not wonder how many people you have robbed of old age?
Death is not yours to hand to others.
You have killed, maimed, and destroyed lives. Yet you continue in your self-declared righteous path. People have been killed because of you. People have killed because of you. You offer no solution but death, and the option you bring to the table is the most outdated and cliched one. There is no honor in murder, no dignity in crime, yet you insist on slicing through our lives.
Hassan, a time will come when you will pass away. What legacy will you leave behind? How do you want history to judge you? Who, or what, do you want to be remembered as?
The Israeli army may have pulled the trigger, but today's deaths are on your hands. Today's response is your responsibility. Today, it is my right to think of you as a traitor. A traitor to Lebanon.
Sincerely Yours,
Also a Citizen.
Trézéguet is the new Baggio
and as for Zidane: this is not how epics end.
Surprised ...
... that Starbucks finally spelt my name correctly.
Two Games Left
Technically, there are three games, but who watches the game that determines "third place?" Miroslav Klose was like a fish out of water trying to score goals with his foot instead of his head, and I'm almost 100% sure Francesco Totti has taken acting classes in the art of diving. People in Berlin cried, in Rome cheered, and in Beirut those who did not support Germany celebrated by clogging the streets for the rest of the night. Classy. Out of everyone I know, my sister was probably the smartest in choosing which team she'll support: "I'm with the team that wins."
Moving on. I've been watching the games here on Univision and on ESPN; mostly on Univision because Mexican commentators are just fun to listen to. I heard yesterday that ART on Dish Network has some interesting commercials from the FBI and the US Army: "Join us, we need translators, etc. Join now, and you'll get $10,000 and a greencard." I wonder, are these ads just played on ART America, or all over the Middle East?
Saad Hariri is now busy suing Sleiman Franjieh for speaking like a thug, the army has not arrested anyone in the mini-clash that took place between supporters of esteemed demi-gods, and Nasrallah ... man, I don't even know where to start with Nasrallah. Meanwhile, the plan for reforms is all but shelved; last I heard, the point of politics is to discuss these reforms and adapt them as needed (simplistically speaking), but I suppose our gangsters-turned-war-criminals-turned-politicians know better.
Anyway, enough of that. Enjoy July 4th for those in the US, enjoy tomorrow's match, and see you in a couple of days.
Make Sfeir President
1 - He participates in politics more often than the current president.
2 - He appears in the news on a daily basis. In fact, he is quoted more than most politicians are.
3 - People believe he makes a great ambassador for Lebanon.
4 - He is of the right sect in our wonderfully constructive "confessional" system.
5 - etc.
I take it all back! and other tales ...
> Back in the day, I compared the national dialogue session to the
Godfather meeting (in Part I). I take it back. At least those thugs cared about their own "families".
> It's one thing being asked "Inta ma3 meen" when I'm in Lebanon but its quite another thing being asked that on the other side of the world by a Lebanese I've only just met - and no, they weren't asking about which football team I supported.
> Driving an SUV automatically implies that you have NO right to complain about the rising gasoline prices.
> Brazil lost? hahaha. So who is 98.76% of the Middle East going to support now?
