Thursday, August 31, 2006

BENIS BUMB

Benis Bump

"Mardin Amin, an Iraqi arrested at O'Hare airport now faces serious felony charges of disorderly conduct. He could get three years in prison. A female security guard claims Amin uttered the word "bomb" when she was examining a small black squeezable object she'd taken from his bag.

For his part, Amin, on his way to Turkey with his mother and his children, claims he was whispering to his mother that it was a "pump" ­ in fact a penis pump."

| |

CNN's Kyra Phillips Forgets to Turn Off Mic


Transcript from: http://newsbusters.org/node...

The audio of Phillips' conversation could be heard overriding President Bush's remarks approximately ten minutes into the President's speech. While the President could be heard during the exchange, Phillips' gaffe was very distracting:

Kyra Phillips: "--assholes--Yeah, I'm very lucky in that regard with my husband. My husband is handsome and he is genuinely a loving, you know, no ego--[unintelligible] you know what I'm saying. Just a really passionate, compassionate great, great human being. And they exist. They do exist. They're hard to find. Yup. But they are out there."

[unidentified woman]: 'We'll see. He's going to come, you know, he's set for an extended visit--[unintelligible]"

Phillips: "I mean, that's, that's how you figure it all out, those extended visits. [laughter]"

[unidentified woman]: "Yeah, but my mom, I think she really likes him."

Phillips: "Mom's got a good vibe? Good."

[unidentified woman]: "Yeah, my brother's the one that--[unintelligible]"

Phillips: "Brother--of course, brothers have to be, you know, protective. Except for mine. I've got to be protective of him."

[unidentified woman--unintelligible]

Phillips: "Yeah. He's married, three kids, but his wife is just a control freak."

[unidentified woman #2]: "Kyra."

Phillips: "Yeah, baby?"

[unidentified woman #2]: "Your mic is on. Turn it off. It's been on the air."

Seconds later, Daryn Kagan stumbled through this awkward transition:

Daryn Kagan: "Alright, we've been listening in to President Bush as he speaks in, uh, New Orleans today. This is the one year anniversary of Katrina making land shore there. President Bush saying if another natural disaster hits, our country--we must, uh, react better than that. Let's listen in once again to President Bush."


Does the UN have balls to keep on doin' this?

every couple of days we get this outrage from the UN at the israelis ..hmmm , is that only media coverage so we can feel happy as lebs? that the Un is here with full force trying to keep peace in the region? hmmm...let us wait and see then, Israel needs to be punished... everybody who kills anyone needs to be punished... but the International community has never stood with a lot of cases like environment , africa isuues ,Aids, afghanistan , poverty in da world... so many things the international community has failed to do... palestine... palestine...

Now the cluster bombs are the most inhuman things israel always does...
why r they allowed?
these bombs kill children specifically...CHILDREN!!!!

are we children of a lesser GOD?

U.N.: Israeli cluster bombs an 'outrage'

UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- A U.N. official has called it an "outrage" that Israel dropped cluster bombs in southern Lebanon.

"It is an outrage that we have 100,000 unexploded bombs" in southern Lebanon that will take a year or two to clear, said Jan Egeland, the U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.

"Every day people are killed and maimed," he added. "Civilians will die disproportionately" and more children than Hezbollah fighters will be killed, he charged.
Responding to previous accusations, the Israel Defense Forces said "all the weapons and ammunitions used by the IDF are legal under international law and their use conforms with international standards." read more>>>

SPORTING CLUB

Israel is very nasty a friend sent me pics of my favourite beach back home like now i will be lying in the sun , eating the most delicious lebanese mezze having a shisha and an alamza... longing to be back... Israel is very very inhuman and nasty ...





Lebanon 'desperate for new funds'

Aid agencies say Lebanon's rural poor are among the worst-hitMillions of dollars are urgently needed to help Lebanon back to its feet after its bombardment by Israel, aid agencies have told international donors.
Governments and international organisations are gathering in Sweden hoping to raise $500m (£260m). read article

Shisha Chabeb Wo Sabaya


Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Monday, August 28, 2006

Statement by Ken Loach

I support the call by Palestinian film-makers, artists and others to boycott state sponsored Israeli cultural institutions and urge others to join their campaign.

Palestinians are driven to call for this boycott after forty years of the occupation of their land, destruction of their homes and the kidnapping and murder of their civilians.

They have no immediate hope that this oppression will end.

As British citizens we have to acknowledge our own responsibility. We must condemn the British and US governments for supporting and arming Israel. We must also oppose the terrorist activities of the British and US governments in pursuing their illegal wars and occupations.

However, it is impossible to ignore the appeals of Palestinian comrades. Consequently, I would decline any invitation to the Haifa Film Festival or other such occasions.

Best Wishes,

Ken Loach

Beirut looks as though it has been through earthquake


Journalist Ron Ben-Yishai visits bombed out sections of Beirut, southern Lebanon: 'Sight of destroyed area shocks you.' He tells about residents wandering through remnants of their houses shock-stricken, about Hizbullah operatives handing out money, and support of organization... To read his article

Sunday, August 27, 2006

libnan il akhdar


the Israeli side of the border is marked with thick and lush greens. the Lebanese side is marked with dry and arid yellows. during the 22 year Israeli occupation of South Lebanon, all Lebanese water resources were diverted to Israel [BBC]. this resulted in a stark difference between two lands separated by a 10 meter dirt road. Israel to date threatens Lebanon with military action whenever Lebanese farmers attempt to irrigate Lebanese lands with Lebanese waters [BBC].


Saturday, August 26, 2006

Hezbollah launches boy band to stardom

YAMOUN, West Bank (AP) -- They were struggling in a boy band, working the West Bank wedding circuit and dreaming of stardom.

Now the five singers who make up the Northern Band have come a little closer to their goal, with help from an unwitting ally -- Hezbollah guerrilla chief Hassan Nasrallah.
more>>>

EU to commit biggest force in its history to keep the peace

French-led operation with 7,000 ground troops to begin deploying in days as UN anticipates full-strength mission

Ewen MacAskill and David Gow in Brussels
Saturday August 26, 2006

Friday, August 25, 2006

from Beirut Nightlife

from : Beirut Nightlife

Beirut the city that never sleeps, fighting through the years to be a town for those who want peace, love and fun. 2006 was a promising year for the B-City, where its locals were expecting one of the hottest time ever and its regular visitors where going to experience one of the hottest cities full of joy and entertainment.

Starting from New Year’s Eve while most of the region leading artists were performing in most of the city venues, as well international artists, djs and bands. A big number of Djs came to Beirut starting with Anthony Pappa, Above & Beyond, John Digweed, Mario Ochoa, Steve Lawler, Deep Dish, Hernan Cattaneo, Carl Cox, Marco V, Tall Paul, Nick Warren, Judge Jules, George Acosta, Jess, Paul Van Dyk, As well legendary artists such as Ricky Martin, 50 Cent, G-Unit, Francis Cabrel, Barbara Hendricks and many others….

While Fairuz were to start its new piece “Sah El Nom” At Baalback Internation Festival the ghost of war haunted and reigned over this lovely peacefull city. Many artists canceled such as Sean Paul, Deep Purple, Liza Minelli, and so on local artists events such as Magida Al Roumi, CARACALLA DANCE THEATRE…

All these, to mention a few of many examples of what we are suffering today, tourists left the country, many locals left as well, citizens were displaced from their houses, children being massacered, mothers weeping, fathers eyes full of tears, and a country dying only to await I’s rebirth like the phoenix.

We as Lebanese people full of hope as usual, have suffered before and we are suffering today, but We came to this world and earned the right to live a happy life, we are not here for war or destruction we are here to build and satisfy, so for those trying to destroy this country and for those who are trying to have this country a war - zone we tell them NO!!! this place is made to be heaven on EARTH.

With Love and peace, as well our best condolences for the families of all who passed away in this war.

Life seeps back into Beirut streets after war

By Gideon Long

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Slowly but surely, life is seeping back into the streets of Beirut following the war between Israel and Hizbollah.

Shops are reopening, people are starting to fill the cafes and the city's vibrant nightlife is recovering its pulse. A few sun worshippers have ventured back on to the beaches. more>>>

instead of chasing "the child who's throwing stones"


Retired general: IDF needs rehab

In speech delivered at 'Thoughts after the War' conference former head of military intelligence criticizes army, political echelon..more>>>

Report: US probing Israel use of cluster bombs

The newspaper said the inquiry was launched after the State Department received reports that three types American anti-personnel cluster bombs were used in Lebanon and were responsible for civilian injuries.

Thursday, August 24, 2006

And Olmert does not want your help tooo

Report: Israel rejected Blair bid to revive peace talks

British newspaper Observer reports that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert rejected a bid by his counterpart Tony Blair to renew peace talks with Palestinians. more>>>

But Hizbolla does not want you

In London Times interview, senior group members calls British prime minister a 'killer', says he should stay away from Lebanon because of his support for Israel during war. Blair now debating whether to risk hostile reception or bypass country during his Middle East visit . MORE

Blair to Beirut next month?

..."Mr Blair is also facing difficulties on the international front. He is planning to embark on a mission to the Middle East next month in an attempt to help secure a permanent end to the violence in Lebanon and to attempt to resuscitate the stalled peace process involving Israel and the Palestinians.more>>>

Off the Battlefield, Hezbollah Provides Aid

A huge international aid effort is beginning to take shape to assist people displaced by the war in southern Lebanon. But one of the largest aid operations is already underway. It comes from the same group currently fighting Israel, Hezbollah.

To watch the report

Negotiations Preceded Attack On Convoy of Fleeing Lebanese


KEFRAYA, Lebanon -- Darkness had descended on the Bekaa Valley when the long convoy of cars snaked up a gentle slope toward Kefraya. In better times, the little town was celebrated for its wine. But to the Lebanese fleeing the war that night, it was a way station on the road to safety.
Or so they thought.>>>

Promoting peace is for wimps - real governments sell weapons

It's described by a senior official at the Ministry of Defence as "a dead duck ... expensive and obsolete". The editor of World Defence Systems calls it "10 years out of date". A former defence minister remarked that it is "essentially flawed and out of date". So how on earth did BAE Systems manage to sell 72 Eurofighters to Saudi Arabia on Friday?

One answer is that it had some eminent salesmen. On July 2 2005, Tony Blair secretly landed in Riyadh to persuade the Saudi princes that this flying scrapheap was the must-have accessory for every fashionable young despot. Three weeks later the defence secretary John Reid turned up to deploy his subtle charms. Somehow the deal survived, and last week his successor, Des Browne, signed the agreement. All of which raises a second question. Why are government ministers, even Blair himself, prepared to reduce themselves to hawkers on behalf of arms merchants?

more>>>

Is Lebanon the 'Trigger' for U.S. War With Iran?

Sometime around mid-spring of this year, that calculation changed. Experts I consulted at this time, still working in this administration and others already gone, began speaking of a summer or fall strike. And then, as though on cue, things began to move more quickly.

very interesting, read more>>>

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

In Defence Of War Photographers

In Defense of War Photographers
While some criticism is warranted, the current controversy over manipulated or staged pictures from Lebanon has been fueled by speculative, unfounded, or politically-driven charges that have tainted all of the brave photographers who cover conflict in the Middle East.

By Greg Mitchell

read more>>>

the lebanese will to live continues to amaze me

everyday i am more proud of my lebanese origin
everyday i believe there is hope
everyday i am negative i see the light at the end of the tunnel

i love my nation's will to live

i love you people

all of you ...all ... of ...YOU



Lebanese enjoy a day at the beach in the southern port city of Tyre as life slowly returns to normal in Lebanon, August 21. Lebanon has proposed tax relief and other measures to help its tourism industry recover from a "disaster" that cost it an estimated one billion dollars in losses from a month of Israeli bombings.(AFP/File/Awad Awad)

"In an age of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act."

"In an age of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act."
George Orwell


Response from PAJU (Palestinian and Jewish Unity)
to Alan Baker,Israeli Ambassador to Canada


Israel's Ambassador to Canada has libellously attacked Gilles Duceppe, the leader of the Bloc Québécois. He denounced him for participating in the August 6 demonstration in Montreal that demanded an immediate cease-fire in Lebanon and in Palestine. The Ambassador's attack is as incomprehensible as it is inexcusable. It constitutes an attack on Quebec's civil society which was present in large numbers at this demonstration.

It should be recalled that according to surveys, the vast majority of Quebecers were in favour of an immediate cease-fire, just like those five thousand Israelis who demonstrated in the streets of Tel-Aviv to demand the immediate end to attacks on Lebanon. Those Israelis expressed the same desire for peace as those present at the demonstration in Montreal.

The presence of Gilles Duceppe, André Boisclair, Denis Coderre, Amir Khadir as well as other political and public figures, trade unions and grass roots organisations is perfectly normal. Other demonstrations took place in many countries to demand an immediate cease-fire. The political and trade-union representatives simultaneously denounced both the Israeli attack on Lebanon and the deaths of Lebanese, Palestinian and Israeli civilians.

It should be added that many Jewish groups throughout the world denounced the Israeli offensive: The Belgian Union of Progressive Jews whose spokesman castigated Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, the Union of French Jews for Peace, Jews in South Africa, in Canada and the United States, as well as thousands of Jews in Israel.

It is clear that the August 6 demonstration was not sectarian in character. In fact, orthodox Jews took part in the demonstration along with Jews representing the Jewish Alliance Against the Occupation and PAJU (Palestinian and Jewish Unity) which was one of the organizers of the demonstration. A rabbi and an imam delivered speeches in front of the immense crowd gathered in front of Complexe Guy Favreau. This ethnic diversity and support of the inalienable rights of the Lebanese and Palestinian people is what marked the August 6 demonstration. It reflects the pluralism which reigns in Quebec. It is also proof of the pacifism and the love of justice that define Quebecers.

To say, as the Israeli Ambassador does, that Gilles Duceppe caused "an irreparable wrong to Israel" because of his speech at the demonstration, reveals his intellectual dishonesty, as Denis Coderre has noted. For this imagined "wrong" vanishes completely in comparison with the wrongs caused by the State of Israel to the Palestinian and Lebanese people. In addition, it seems to us that such an unjustified declaration by the Ambassador of Israel in Canada targeting the leader of an independence party constitutes clear interference in the internal politics of Canada. Such an attempt to interfere in Canadian internal politics is deplorable.
We are accustomed to the verbiage of the government of Israel and its supporters, such as Barbara Kay of the National Post and other CanWest newspapers. Their usual response to all those who criticize the policies of Israel is to denounce them as anti-Semites in order to reduce them to silence. It is time for Israel to stop always playing the victim. Israel is, in reality, the 5 th greatest military power in the world and possesses nuclear weapons. Some victim!
Last August 6, Quebec's civil society reaffirmed its support for international law and for the principle of human rights.

Our message to the government of Israel through its ambassador to Canada is as follows: you have imposed collective punishment on the Lebanese and Palestinian people and you continue to occupy Lebanese and Palestinian territory as well as the land of neighbouring countries. Do not insult Quebecers. Quebec's civil society has no lessons to learn from you or from the State of Israel. On the contrary, it seems to us that a public apology by the Ambassador of Israel in Canada must be made to Monsieur Gilles Duceppe and to other political and public figures, as well as to all Quebecers.

Signed this August 17, 2006
_______________________ _________________________
Rezeq Faraj Bruce Katz
Copresident Copresident
Palestinian et Jewish Unity (PAJU)

6 Village Boisé 389 Hermitage
St. Jean Sur Richelieu, QC Pointe-Claire, QC
J2W 1N1 H9R 4Y5
450-348-0528 514-428-1642

British anger at terror celebration

The plaque outside the King David Hotel in Jerusalem,
which has incensed the British Ambassador
The commemoration of Israeli bombings that killing 92 people has caused offence
AS ISRAEL wages war against Hezbollah “terrorists” in Lebanon, Britain has protested about the celebration by right-wing Israelis of a Jewish “act of terrorism” against British rule 60 years ago this week. read whole aticle>>>

deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure




"The civilian population in Lebanon and in northern Israel have been the biggest losers in this senseless cycle of violence that is now exactly one month old...Civilians were supposed to be spared and in this conflict they are not."


Jan Egeland, UN Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, 10 August 2006

NOW YOU CAN HELP FROM LONDON

Dear all,
An UK SMS campaign for helping Lebanon has just kicked off!
Please support it by contributing (text "LEB" to 84010) and forwarding to friends/acquaintances/colleagues/media in the UK (not only Lebanese!)

The material costs of the war to date exceed $10bn, in addition to shattering human losses.

Lebanon needs your help now more than ever

Fighting has ceased, but a massive effort is necessary to support people in need, rebuild homes and infrastructure, and clean the alarmingly polluted seashore.

By texting the word 'LEB' to 84010 from any UK mobile phone, you contribute at least 80p* towards supporting organisations such as the Lebanese Red Cross, the UNICEF, and other NGOs making the difference on the ground.

A summary of contributions and allocation of funds to NGOs will be posted monthly on www.WorldWideLeb.com

We are committed to making this campaign a fully transparent and interactive effort.

For suggestions or more information, please contact info@worldwideleb.com

We strongly believe this campaign can make a difference. Please help us spread the word!

Forward to friends/colleagues/other interested parties (not only Lebanese!)

Feel free to send to any media/communications links you might have.

Long Live Lebanon!

* Sending a message to this service will cost £1.50 plus your normal text charge. At least 80p of the message cost will go directly to the NGOs

Assessment of Lebanon Oil Spill

Press Release

International Expert Concludes Rapid Assessment of Lebanon Oil Spill
ٍExtensive injury, requires serious response and in depth damage assessment

Beirut, 23 August 2006

As a result of a rapid assessment mission over the past 10 days, an environmental scientist from Alaska has concluded that the Lebanon Oil Spill has caused extensive injury to the near shore environment of Lebanon. Rick Steiner, a professor at the University of Alaska Marine Advisory Program and Member of the Commission on Environmental Economic and Social Policy of IUCN, who has been in Lebanon to conduct a rapid assessment of the spill, was also advising the Lebanese Ministry of Environment (MoE), on behalf of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and Green Line.
“It appears that the marine and coastal ecosystem is more contaminated than first thought” said Steiner, who has advised on several oil spills throughout the world, including the Exxon Valdez (Alaska), Braer (Scotland), the Niger Delta, and Tasman Spirit (Pakistan).
Contrary to early computer models regarding how the spill might spread, it is now apparent that much of the oil actually sunk to the near shore seabed, much beached, some is still floating offshore of Lebanon, and some drifted north towards the Syrian and Turkish waters.
The environmental damage from this spill will be assessed by a methodical Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) programme, directed by the MoE and the National Center for Marine Sciences of the National Council for Scientific Research. Steiner drafted the Phase I NRDA Plan, which has been approved by the Minister of Environment. As well, Professor Steiner was asked to draft the Spill Cleanup Plan which was approved by the Minister of Environment yesterday. The Cleanup plan calls for a rapid response phase (remainder of August) focusing on shoreline cleanup on several sandy beach segments (Jbeil, Ramlet el Baida, Jiyeh, and Palm Island Nature Reserve). The mid-term / long-term plan (remainder of 2006 / 2007) calls for expanded beach cleanup including rock washing, an offshore response to remove any recoverable concentrations of oil on the sea surface, and a sea bed assessment and response effort. ‘This may be the first attempt in history to mount a significant recovery effort on sea bed oil, but it seems not only possible, it seems very necessary.’ Steiner has recommended a full underwater survey of the Lebanese coast with towed Remote Observing Vehicles (ROVs) to assess the extent of sea bed oiling.
“The priorities at this point are to minimize further environmental damage as much as possible by recovering as much oil as possible; assess the environmental injury; and then to formulate a restoration programme that will provide long-lasting environmental benefit to the marine and coastal environment of Lebanon and the eastern Mediterranean Sea”, said Steiner.
From its side, Green Line asked about the reason behind not having a functional ‘Emergency Response Committee’, a trained operational task force to deal with similar disasters recommended by the Barcelona Convention. Local expertise and equipment in the country have not been used, and we need to know why,” said Green Line.
Last week Green Line and other NGOs attempted to cleanup several beaches, but have been hindered by the authorities for unjustified reasons. However, the Minister of Environment has taken a positive step yesterday by accepting to coordinate with civil society on the cleanup process.
Green Line emphasized on the urgency of the cleanup operations especially after a delay of about one month. Huge quantities of spilled oil formed layers within the sand and thick crusts on rocky beaches. Despite significant international efforts, little direct input in terms of funds and cleanup operations came out.
While NGOs are a driving force and a supporter in such actions, a full scale cleanup operation for such a disaster will require the cooperation of the government and international community. The cabinet must give this disaster higher priority and provide the required support to the Ministry of Environment and other responsible line ministries.
At this point Green Line will continue to monitor the situation and contribute to the cleanup within the available resources.

For more information:
Wael Hmaidan, Coordinator of oil spill working group, mobile: +961-3-506313

despite everything




Despite the situation children make do with whatever they can find.
Here they play table football using a piece of rubble as a ball.

ALL IN 4 LEBANON

Click image to enlarge

Why America Needs Hezbollah

08/18/06 "Information Clearing House" -- -- Hours after a ceasefire halted a five-week war between Israel and Iranian-backed Islamic militias in Lebanon, reported the New York Times, "hundreds of Hezbollah members spread over dozens of villages across southern Lebanon began cleaning, organizing and surveying damage. Men on bulldozers were busy cutting lanes through giant piles of rubble. Roads blocked with the remnants of buildings are now, just a day after a ceasefire began, fully passable." Who cares if Hezbollah is a State Department-designated terrorist organization? Unlike our worthless government, it gets things done! more>>>

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Word of the day

Banksy

Iran, Syria, Russia and now: britain???

Hezbollah night-vision gear was from Britain
(08-20) 04:00 PDT Kiryat Shemona, Israel -- Israeli intelligence officials have complained to Britain and the United States that sensitive night-vision equipment recovered from Hezbollah fighters during the war in Lebanon had been exported by Britain to Iran. British officials said the equipment had been intended for use in a U.N. anti-narcotics campaign.more...

wedding in the ruins


Hadia Ties the Knot in Front of the Ruins of her Destroyed Home
She wore a white lace dress, a wide-brimmed hat and a radiant smile. Hadia Mneimseh was married in front of the ruins of her destroyed home.
A primary school teacher, Mneimseh, 31, had planned to wed on July 13 in the apartment where she was born.

Everything was ready: the announcements had been sent, the food ordered, the hall rented.

But war decided otherwise.

On the day before her wedding, after the abduction by Hizbullah of two Israeli soldiers, Israel began bombarding Lebanon, including Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hizbullah stronghold.

The Mneimseh family apartment, an 11-storey building adjacent to the headquarters of Hizbullah's welfare arm, was hit.

Worse still, the building where the couple had rented an apartment to start their new life together is cracked and could collapse at any moment.

Each fled to the homes of relatives to escape the bombardment but more than that would have been necessary to crush Mneimseh's spirit.

She insisted on a wedding in front of her childhood home. Her husband Hussein Daher, 37, a worker at a cooperative, agreed.

The party took place Saturday at her sister-in-law's home in the mountains, far from the ruins.

While war-battered Lebanon faces a struggle to rebuild after the 34-day war, Mneimseh declared herself "very happy."(AFP)


Beirut, 20 Aug 06, 11:53

genius man

thanks for putting a smile on my face
can i have your autograph?


Lebanese Sheep Threaten Ceasefire after Israeli Cow 'Invasion' During War!

Lebanese Sheep Threaten Ceasefire after Israeli Cow 'Invasion' During War!
Shepherds straying into disputed areas in southern Lebanon threaten to upset a truce between Israel and Hizbullah fighters, United Nations peacekeepers warned Friday.
Two Lebanese shepherds and 100 sheep on Thursday crossed the Blue Line into Israel -- the border drawn by the U.N. between the Jewish state and Lebanon after the Israeli army withdrew from the south of the country in May 2000, the U.N. said in a statement.

"Such incidents can endanger (a) very fragile and tense situation," it said.

The ceasefire began Monday following Israel's devastating month-long offensive against Hizbullah in the south.

Last week the Israeli Yediot Aharonot daily reported that dozens of hungry cows whose pasture land in northern Israel were reduced to ashes by Hizbullah rockets found a hole in the border fence and moved to Lebanon for healthier grazing.

The cows used a breach made in the border by Israeli units that battled Hizbullah for a month.

After Monday's ceasefire, there were no reports that cows were still crossing Israeli territory into southern Lebanon.(AFP-Naharnet)

EYE WITNESS LEBANON

Video of Israeli destruction in south Lebanon and talk on how it was obtained


Lebanese journalist Omar Nachabe's eyewitness video of the destruction of villages in south Lebanon including Bint Jbeil. He was one of a number of journalists who entered Bint Jbeil to discover civilians still living amongst the rubble of their destroyed town.

This is evidence of Israel's scorched earth policy. Omar wants the video distributed in the hope that it will help change the British government's disgusting foreign policy.

The first clip shows Omar speaking at the Stop the War meeting about his tour. The second is the footage from Lebanon

The horror of Israel's attack on Lebanon
Lebanese journalist
Omar Nachabe, who was an eyewitness to Israel's attacks in southern Lebanon, describes below the barbarity of Israel's attack on Lebanon. See a video of his speech at a packed meeting in London on 18 August ».

Child The 32 day bombing of Lebanon targeted civilians, hospitals, clearly-signed ambulances and aid convoys, schools and universities. Shops, warehouses, gas stations, bridges, roads, harbours, the main Beirut airport, phone and tele-communications, postal service networks, residential areas, were all attacked. Large parts of southern Beirut have been destroyed—homes, schools, universities and even cemeteries and archeological sites.

Churches and mosques were destroyed, the sea and rivers polluted and underground water tables severely corrupted. The livelihood of farmers and fishermen, has been ruined.
Bomb
This war involved a sort of ‘cleansing’, the scale of the bombing indicating a wish to remove entire towns and villages, the culture and memory of a whole people under siege.

The media was attacked with journalists assaulted and wounded. The UN itself was attacked and their observers killed. The Israelis say they comply with UN resolutions whilst killing UN personnel. Given this history what will be the situation for the UN forces there to enforce Resolution 1701?

Despite all this people are returning to their homes and Hezbullah are providing temporary shelters and funding for rebuilding homes and infrastructure.

GirlI met doctors with suspicions as to the weapons used by the Israelis. There have been three categories of wounds. Firstly bodies in small pieces. The original death figure for Qana was 54 (eventually scaled down to 29). This was not an attempt at propaganda but there were 54 body pieces brought to the hospital, which indicates possible use of bombs which cut people to pieces. Secondly, there were bodies burnt in such a way that the bodies were left abnormally shrunk. Some skulls were left the size of an orange. Thirdly some bodies had unusual rigor mortis with a stiffness indicating possible use of a nerve gas.

We have to be careful what we say about all this and how we articulate our thoughts but we are expressing the doubts of the medical staff we met and talked with in hospitals such as that in Tyre.

It has been claimed that Hizbullah launched rockets from inside or close to civilian centres but photos and video evidence show this is not the case.

Israelis have one of the most advanced military forces in the world with the Condor 2 laser-guided target system. So targets are not ‘mistakes’. Yet one third to half of those killed were women and children. One third of these deaths were kids under the age of 15. Why no UN resolutions condemning this?

DestructionWhat can we expect from UN intervention? We must remember that in 1982 the UN were in southern Lebanon and moved aside as soon as the Israelis attacked. When Israel killed UN people then, there was silence at the UN, just as the UN has been almost silent this time, when Israel has yet again killed UN staff.

Today the Israelis are still violating Lebanon airspace and blockading the ports. This is humiliating for the Lebanese people and is why Hezbullah draws on increasing support - not just from Muslims and the Shia community but from Christians and those with no religious faith, since they are viewed as the resistance.








"We were forgotten"

"The world must hear our story"

The BBC's Fergal Keane visited the Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil where scores of houses have been destroyed.

08/01/06 BBC News Report

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Israel to Moscow: Hezbollah used Russian-made missiles against IDF

so what?
hein?

do we go to america and complain ..???

do u really know what america has been selling the neighbours?

and UK? (ya3ni kind of the biggest countries) , bass reallly i am talking seriously
the bombs they dropped in lebanon...

man the israelis have dropped 9000 missiles that did not explode yet ... u know what that means?

it means another 1000 lebanese might be following the already dead ...

this is crime war...cleansing...genocide... and i do not want any comment on blog mentioning holocaust ok???? this is our holocaust , can we talk about it?

want to read more?

Concern Grows Over Failure To Definitively Defeat Militia

What does 'definitively' mean in this context
like wipe lebanon off the map?
it cannot be wiped off, so please let us not take the route of violence forever
olmert weirdo , please man , what's wrong? have a headache? do u need panadol?
the best is fast panadol , the green one.... i am sure u have it in israel ...

but maybe actually their army won't fight
anyways they do not
their fighter jets do , how sad ...
how sad they lose
and our people die...

it is not win lose thingy i am talking about , do not start ...
i mean no one is winning or losing.. maybe no one knows what is happening now ...

******************************************************************************
"Hezbollah didn't surprise us. We were surprised by the Israel Defense Forces," said Rahamin, 30, a paratrooper who was wounded fighting in Lebanon in 1997 and who volunteered to go with his unit again. The next time they call, he said, "we will not show up." more>>>

Animal Love



i wish they can love us as much as they do to animals ...

min al hobbi ma Qatal (too much love kills u : lebanese saying)

they took a cat hostage ...okokok bomb the shit out of them ....
(joking israel joking)


*****************************************************************
By Amir Kidon

An unusual sight was seen a few days ago, with the exit of Paratrooper Brigade forces from Lebanon: one of the brigade reserve soldiers was carrying, along with all his heavy equipment and weapon, a white kitten. "On the way back to Israeli territory we passed through the village of Kauzer," said the soldier, "and all of a sudden I saw a kitten coming out of one of the houses. After a few seconds I realized it is wounded and that its hearing has been hurt. I picked it up and carried it for six kilometers, until we reached Israeli territory. I decided it deserves a better future. After all, it is not its fault that war broke out." The first thing the cat and its new owner did after having crossed the border into Israeli territory was to share IDF military canned meat. The cat was named Kauzer by its new owner.

ya3ni what is happening?

it is 4:34 in beirut
it is 2:34 in london

watching tv... yes..well i was enjoying tv until heard that apparently israel just raided on the bekaa...

cessation?

violation?

even it turns out to be like hizbolla saying it was just 'wahmieh' (phantomic stylic thingy)

lbc is saying that actually according to reuters israel has hit a target in bekaa

mmmmm...
if i do not update this ... i will be still sleeping...since i will stay up until i see but maybe won't have effort to write ...


Israeli aircraft attack eastern Lebanon
Sat Aug 19, 2006 2:32 AM BST137
Email This Article | Print This Article | RSS
[-] Text [+]

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Israeli aircraft fired several rockets at a target in a Hizbollah stronghold in eastern Lebanon early on Saturday morning, a Lebanese security source said.

It was not immediately clear what the Israeli aircraft were firing at in the village of Bodai.

It was the first Israeli aerial attack since a U.N. truce ended 34 days of fighting between Israeli forces and Hizbollah guerrillas in southern Lebanon.

At least 1,183 people in Lebanon and 157 Israelis were killed in the war that erupted after Hizbollah captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid on July 12.

© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved. | Learn more about Reuters

u can see i am tired by now...
bye

***********************************************************************************
Ok it is 04:39 am london
06:39 am beirut time

until now there is unclarity about whether israelis flew, bombed in bekaa... or what?

anyways , excuse me if they did not bomb , but cannot be surprised if they do bomb though ...hmmm let us wait and seee

mental psycho situation...it is tooooo dodgy

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Michael Georges Jbaily

Dear all friends: this is a letter sent to the International Red Cross Director General and to all people of conscience, on behalf of the Lebanese Red Cross- Zahle Branch (Code: 301)

This letter includes the final information about the Red Cross volunteer's last moments before being killed.

Michael Georges Jbaily was a great friend of mine and of many many others.

He is the kind of typical Martyr: he died to save others, not to kill others and was fully aware of the great sacrifice he was offering for this matter.

It would be a great recognition for his heroism, so ignored nowadays, if you make your best to publish his story. (Please communicate it to as many News Papers or if you can't, please forward it to as many people as you can)

Dear ICRC Director General

I hope this finds you in good health.

First of all, let me please send you the warm greetings of a deeply injured Lebanon, but still able to afford the love so badly needed by our ill world.

The reconstruction started right after the cease fire. Actually it started long before: every time a bridge was bombed and the electricity damaged, the responsible people rushed to the scene to create a new temporary road and to fix the cables.

Many well-to-do Lebanese people have taken the responsibility to reconstruct almost half the country's bridges.

Dear Mr. Director General. My heart is burdened with great pain. It has been quiet sometime since I enjoyed a real peace of heart and ability to do effective assistance on the ground. My heart is screaming to a person as knowledgeable as you are, to help me find an answer to a burning question:

You may have received my recent e-mail about the Red Cross volunteer who was killed in the last round of bombing beside Zahle.

Even if Lebanon was going through war, where all possibilities can take place, I ask you and beg you to pay attention to the circumstances of his death, for it will definitely and deeply affect the work of the Lebanese Red Cross from now on.

Michael was not killed by mistake, by a flying object, after a rocket was dropped on a building, a road or a bridge. Michael was not killed while running adventurously between bombs to seek heroism.

Michael was accompanying a convoy of 1000 refugee's cars coming from the South of Lebanon (The Christian town of Marjeyoon) after their town was occupied by the Israeli army. He wouldn't take this risk without having absolute confirmation of security from the UNIFEL who negotiated with the Israeli army. Michael comes from a family from extremely limited resources, and who suffered deeply during the Syrian bombing over Zahle in 1981 by the death of family members. Michael has now 2 very young boys (Nicolas: 4 years old, Charbel: 3 months old) of his own and dreamt of a great future for both of them. The last thing he said, 1 second before the deflagration throw him away: "Oh God, don't let anything take me away from my family".

When the convoy reached the Bekaa (Kefraya village), 15 Kilometers away from Zahle, the Israeli planes started bombing the convoy. The Red Cross cars were at the Beginning, the Middle and the End of the big convoy. Michael's car was in the front.

All the volunteers and civilians rushed to the neighboring buildings and took shelter there until there was complete silence again. 7 rockets had been dropped directly at civilian cars and caused the death of 7 and the injury of 36.

The Red Cross volunteers started rescuing the civilians, in the middle of a great shock because they were secured and given a word: that the convoy will not be harmed.

Michael insisted to rescue the last person who was obviously in great pain due a deep leg injury.

Michael's friends then started yelling towards him to "leave the patient and run to the building, because the planes are back". But Michael simply and insistently refused to leave a person in pain, in greater danger to run for his own life. He continued his way, put the man inside the ambulance and ran towards his friends who were still yelling.

The plane who aimed at Michael (who was wearing a Red Cross overall with a Red Helmet on the Head and was exactly between 4 Red Cross Vans with the blue sirens on) is an MK plane equipped with 6 cameras and could see the insects as clearly as a clean mirror.

The MK flew near Michael and dropped a rocket at him, The Rocket was enough to throw him a few meters away and to cause him immediate death after a sharp object injured his head.

This is clearly an intentional crime against a Red Cross volunteer who shook the watcher by his courage. This is clearly a crime committed against the Red Cross organization, the Red Cross volunteers, the Red Cross spirit, the Red Cross will. This is a clear violation of the Geneva conventions. This is a disrespect of the Red Cross principles!!!

We demand, in the name a family in great pain, a Red Cross team of volunteers in great shock (where many of our friends and family members are volunteers), that the clarification and the distribution that this story deserves is done!

What does the international Red Cross do in such a dangerous matter?

We are not asking for a material make over. Even if this can be important for his children's future, what's badly needed now is recognition and justice.

I leave this to your precious attention and wise judgment. As I deeply trust your human sense, I eagerly wait for any sign or clarification from your side.

Yours, sincerely

Wadiaa Khoury

First response of the Ex. ICRC Director General:

Mr. Cornelio Sommaruga

Thank you Dear Madame El-Khoury! I indeed was shocked by your messages and would like to express my warm compassion and solidarity. Something will really have to be done by the ICRC. As you know I am no more in the Organization and cannot speak for them. I already sent your first message to the ICRC Director General and will do the same with your present message.

Let us pray for Michael and the family he left. I am sure that the Lebanese Red Cross will be able to overcome also this horrible war crime, violating the basic principles of the Geneva Conventions.

Please receive my friendly regards.

Cornelio Sommaruga

P.S: If you can publish Michael's story in a News Paper, please inform me on wadiaakhoury@hotmail.com so that I send you his photos.

It would be a great compensation for his family to see that people around the world understand the reality of such crimes done in the name of "Fighting the Hizbollah" while the vast majority of the 1200 victims have absolutely nothing to do with the Hizbollah and are hurt by both Israel and Hizbollah.

And try to send the potential articles scanned as soon as possible, so that we add them to a booklet about Michael's life spent in consecutive sacrifices. The booklet will be distributed during Michael's 40 days memorial in the third Sunday of September.

Wadiaa Khoury

POSITIVE DAY ?



OK

-army is the south
-MEA just landed with free tickets to passengers from Amman at 1pm beirut time
-British Airways will be landing in Beirut 4.45pm
-Jumblat is trying to communicate
-the lebs seem ok together somehow ....
-so what ? we should be happy now?


as for Israel :
-they used the sirens by mistake on northern cities today and people freaked out ...
Shou? now they r using their psychological war on their own people?
at least for today ???


but levni is nagging again ...

UN ? RESOLUTION? 1701?

someone explains to me
the cease fire is held
ok?
the leb army is going in in the next few hours
why is israel still blockading us air , ground sea style?
leish?
this is occupation:

**********************
French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy on Wednesday called for Israel to lift its air, naval and land blockade of Lebanon, saying it was unnecessary with the UN cease-fire plan holding.more...

My First Political Manifesto

I am involved in this forum online
and i wrote this now thought to share it with u
it is toooooo long...

************************
Chris(#170) and everyone

Lebanon has been under total blockade and fear from Israel since I was born.

It does not need to be physical…It is a psychological fear.
We always knew that they are next door and if we mess up in anyways they will come and get us again… Mess up? Get us? Why?

I tell you why …it is a big complex story that I won’t go through now because everytime I try to put the whole Lebanese timeline on a paper I get lost because of the state of terror next door.
I do not want to hear or read anything stating: you brought it to yourselves blablablabla…nonsense ….

In short I want to say, I have and will always live in the shadow of this state next door, and frankly I do not like it at all, why? Because they brought death and instability to the whole region.

We have Israel,Syria,Iran,Palestine and Iraq next door, and to say it bluntly they are not like the quietest people on earth. The Arab world has been going through defeats for years , one after the other until half or most of them turned to the US to find refuge by having them installed with their bases on Arab land…

why all that? oil ? boring; right? It is water , oil , people….
It is everything…This region should be totally stabilized for Zionist relaxation, the guys have to feel safe. How can we make them feel safe if every 10 years they visit us like no one did …A strong visit, not a cup of coffee , I am talking 180 bridges, 55,000 RESIDENTIAL homes and more than a 1000 killed 3680 injured , not mentioning our people in shock ….we have 4,000,000 people in shock plus 18,000,0000 lebanese around the world in shock.

Ok we are fed up of this fear, we are fed up of feeling terrorized , we do not like it…it seems all of you on the debate have never tried air raids, never even got a text message from the state of Israel while sitting home having a nice cup of tea with your family.

The neighbours are annoying… Now you will say she is too emotional let us talk fact, now it is out that actually the Israelis have done a commando attack in Aita El Shaab (Lebanon) and this is where they were attacked, killed, and 2 were kidnapped . So if this is true it is dangerous u can check link on : http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/hezbollah_soldiers2.html
From AFP when the operation happened

And : As the AFP reported, "According to the Lebanese police force, the two Israeli soldiers were captured in Lebanese territory, in the area of Aitaa al-Chaab, near to the border with Israel, where an Israeli unit had penetrated in middle of morning." And the French news site www.VoltaireNet.org reiterated the same account on June 18, "In a deliberated way, [Israel] sent a commando in the Lebanese back-country to Aitaa al-Chaab. It was attacked by Hezbollah, taking two prisoners." On the link:
http://www.antiwar.com/frank/?articleid=9401

So if this is true ; and no one will make u think it is true or even have it published in media worldwide it changes the rules of the game right ?

The Israelis whether they were on Lebanese land or like a mile away it was violation. The South of Lebanon have been bombed forever , people there are the hizbollah people… where did Hizbolla sprang from? They are considered resistance and not terrosrists in our cheap modern Bush way in classifying groups nowadays to serve their own interest.

Hizbollah are people from this area who have been occupied for more than 30 years since 67 and all the arab world has gone into the spiral of violence against Israel , we get to hate them , hate America etc… because of what?

Because our women in the south were raped, families were killed and homes were destroyed forever since I remember ( if u want data and statistics, testimonies I can send u, or just google some facts).

We are a nation, Lebanon, which had to suffer only because we are next door and nothing else. Our civil war was blamed on Palestinian factions , Israel , Lebanese started to kill each other because each group got paid some cash from some place so they can divide Lebanon.

And yes! it was divided , we had Israel occupying us for years and years and years until 2000 . YEAR 2000, they left , so what? They kept on flying over Lebanon anytime they wanted. I used to visit Beirut once a year , and every year since 2000 (without mentioning times since 1967) Israel flew over my country constantly. On top of that, we have so many Lebanese prisoners in Israelie jails forever (hizbollah members, shepherds, fishermen, ordinary people with no trial) and the maps of the landmines they planted before they leave and the shebaa farms…that’s it … is that much?

Lebanon was not free yet, it was occupied. Shebaa farms whatever it is Syrian or Lebanese , it is Arab and not jewish . It has been occupied since 1967, they kept it as a token to come back to Lebanon when they can.

When was the best time? They needed to provoke hizbolla and get in.
The hizbollah and the israelies are very very old enemies, as I mentioned before, and hizbollah was born out of resistance and is resistance nothing else. They do not want an Islamic state in Lebanon, they r not implementing the sharia law in Lebanon and they respect lebanon’s diversity of 18 religions. But most of them happen to be shiias living in the occupied areas, poor areas, under occupation and the past… They were the past people did not want to think of them much.

Anyway to make this as short as I can , (I told u it is too complex) , the Lebanese army will go in to south of Lebanon tomorrow morning , let us keep our fingers crossed that all will go smooth, hizbollah is playing it right by being the social care system for their people (since they were left out for so many years) , and they will talk with the rest of the Lebanese factions , they will EVENTUALLY disarm , they will …

They are Lebanese after all ( the Lebanese pride is very known, the love to one’s land passionately).

The Hizbolla is getting help to rebuild from all their different associations and international contacts, or even they may have got help from Syria and Iran already but , excuse me!

Did u see Iran nuke anyone lately?(the guy is a lunatic but until now he is using diplomacy no?) Did Iran use any force? Other than shouting left and right? Did u see Syria react to the deaths of 33 people on their land in this conflict? Don’t you think they are being quite patient? They are being provoked too now… This is dangerous and we need to take care now.

They are just noise, and who is really fighting for lebanon’s pride? It is the Lebanese with hizbolla whether they agree among each others or not.

But to tell you something, they will be unified , the Lebanese built and they will build again. And by the way any of the great “construction” Lebanon did lately, it is all there untouched. Unfortunately it is only the poor who get the smack …
I do not know if I dragged too much , but it will take me a book to make u realize what is hizbollah in Lebanon and how much it does not relate to anything in the world at the moment , and do not worry Israeli blood won’t be on the streets on Haifa or anywhere in Israel if they do not provoke us … That is not a threat it is a message for peace .

We , all the Lebanese , with hizbolla would have signed with Israel a peace treaty and get on with it… but now? I doubt anyone will, except the ones put into the system to do so…. I hope Lebanon won’t be drawn into another civil war because this time the Lebanese are united even if they do not agree with hizbolla which will abide by the rules, but they will all unite for one love , Lebanon….

Not even Syria or Iran can get hizbolla to do something against their country or even be the start of a civil war problem…

Do not worry about Lebanon all of you , soon , in december, you are all welcome to spend Christmas with us in the streets of Beirut
And God Bless You all…. and God Bless Haiti

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Seymour Hersh



Video Description

Today on CNN, Seymour Hersh of the New Yorker, the one who mainstreamed the Abu Gahrib story, has confirmed with insiders that Bush and the Israeli Government planned months in advance that any incident, no matter how small, would ignite a broad and punishing response by Israel in a preemptive move to start a war with Iran. Bush's Neocon advanced plan actually included Israel destroying Hezbollah's missles as pre-cursor to an attack on Iran. The war with Iran is on the assembly line. Only a mass (I mean millions of people marching) protest will stop this insane neo-dictator in the Whitehouse. Hersh even says that Bush doesn't even regard Congress or the people when deciding foreign policy. I think this little vid is an ominous insight. Make this TUBE go viral far and wide.

Kidnapped in Israel or Captured in Lebanon?

As the AFP reported, "According to the Lebanese police force, the two Israeli soldiers were captured in Lebanese territory, in the area of Aitaa al-Chaab, near to the border with Israel, where an Israeli unit had penetrated in middle of morning." And the French news site www.VoltaireNet.org reiterated the same account on June 18, "In a deliberated way, [Israel] sent a commando in the Lebanese back-country to Aitaa al-Chaab. It was attacked by Hezbollah, taking two prisoners." more>>>

The Shape of Modern Combat: 'Net Warfare'

Ten years ago, scholar John Arquilla coined the phrase "net warfare" to describe an unconventional way of fighting. He says the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the current conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, show how independent units of fighters can use networks to take on larger, better-equipped armies...more>>>

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

REBUILD ! YES!

we are going to rebuild with or without anyone's help
somehow ...

Global donors to tackle Lebanon reconstruction


Mark Oliver
Tuesday August 15, 2006
Guardian Unlimited


The huge task of rebuilding Lebanon's shattered infrastructure will be discussed by 60 countries attending a donors' conference in Sweden at the end of this month.

Britain, the US, France, Germany, Norway, Japan and representatives from Arab nations are among those invited to the conference on August 31 in Stockholm, it emerged today.

more>>>

poor little animals...

those bears in Haifa are stressed out because of being locked up for 28 days
they never heard of a nation's blockade that lasted 33 days and decades before??


A female bear resting at the entrance
to a bomb shelter at the Haifa Zoo on Tuesday. (AP)

Haifa zoo animals stressed and ill after 34 days of guerilla rocket fire
(By The Associated Press)

After 34 days in indoor shelters, many of the animals at the Haifa Zoo got a breath of outdoor air - if not a taste of freedom - for the first time on Tuesday. more>>>

Israel's verdict: we lost the war

By Donald Macintyre in Metulla, Israel
Published: 15 August 2006

Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, was obliged to admit "shortcomings" in the 34-day-old conflict in Lebanon yesterday as he launched what may prove a protracted fight for his own political survival.more>>>


Rebuilding Lebanon: A National Responsibility; A Patriotic Stand

The Israeli war on Lebanon shows, in a sense, the despotic and racist nature of the Zionist regime. This challenge to Arab dignity is met by absolute impotence on the part of the Arab regimes. What is to be done in such terrible circumstances? more>>>

even them are holding leb flags

taking a trophy back to Israel in the morning

Red Cross Issues Lebanon Warning

"It cannot be underlined enough - the civilian population has to be respected,"

I AM READY TO GO HOME!

come on cool it guys so i can go home
cartoon by Amjad Rasmi, Asharq Al Awsat cartoonist

Monday, August 14, 2006

I said go home , but take your bombs with you

Typical Old Israeli Game , everytime they leave us , they leave unexploded gifts ...
i have a friend who was the victim of Israeli arms during the 82 war
thank God he and his brother survived, with a lot of scars

but they stood strong and got out of their accident...

others won't in Lebanon tomorrow :(

(already some number , i am not sure of , people who died
after the ceasfire by finding unexploded bombs in their homes)

they left their homes to be protected
and ended up dying in their homes
when they thought they made it...alive!!!with a house standing...

how ugly war can be ...
very ugly
yuk...
*****************************************
Thousands of unexploded bombs threaten returnees in Lebanon
14 Aug 2006 10:34:00 GMT

WITH 4000 explosive items now being dropped daily in Lebanon, MAG (Mines Advisory Group) - the British-based conflict recovery organisation - estimates around ten per cent will fail to explode and many items will remain dangerous as internally displaced people return to their homes. The non-governmental organisation is calling for widespread international support to conduct their recovery programmes as part of its worldwide public appeal for Lebanon. more>>>

Who Is Traumatised? Use Theatre!

Confessions of a traumatized society
By Tamar Rotem

"I'm afraid of taking a shower, afraid of leaving the house, of the rockets reaching me. We live opposite a valley. At night the cries of the jackals sound like alarms. I don't dare go out to the balcony to hang the washing. I'm afraid of falling asleep. The thought that an alarm will sound soon makes me nervous. I'm scared I won't make it in time to the shelter. That I'll get caught in the blanket. That I won't find my spectacles." more>>>

**************************************

But on The Other Side Of The Border:

**************************************
Lebanese refugee children vent war anxiety on stage
04 Aug 2006 14:06:53 GMT
Source: Reuters

By Lin Noueihed BEIRUT, Aug 4 (Reuters) - "They think we are small and we don't understand but we understand better than anyone," said the little girl from the stage of Beirut's Medina Theatre. more>>>

Please Go Home...

PLEASE KEEP ON GOING FORWARD! DO NOT TURN AROUND>>>JUST LEAVE!!

by the way there is ceasefire but the blockades are still on..ok?

our airport can be functioning by wednesday but r they going to keep it quiet?
Is Israel going to lift the blockade?

Now Chirac i heard wants hizbolla to go north of the litani and disarm before
the UN forces and lebanese army go in...

why are they rpovoking ..it is all fragile ya Allah!!!

OK Mr. President...

Bush: 'Hezbollah suffered a defeat'
President calls Lebanon a front in 'global war on terrorism'

Monday, August 14, 2006; Posted: 4:49 p.m. EDT (20:49 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush declared Lebanon a front in the "global war on terrorism" Monday, equating the Israeli battle against Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas to the U.S.-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. more...

Can We Rebuild Now?

can we rebuild now?

can we rebuild now?

can we rebuild now?

can we sit and talk ?

can we first rebuild?

can we rebuild now?

can we rebuild now?

can we rebuild now?

can we sit and talk ?

can we first rebuild?

ARTWORK POLITICS

Well i just wanted to share this politics of artwork in lebanon

last year when we had our so -called "gucci" revolution
some yound leb advertising guru did the following logo
for the march 14 independence after the killing
of ex-prime minister hariri...this logo moved to push people flying
lebanese flags everywhere etc...

but those were the anti syrians , or lebanese of 14 march , pro hariri , but there were pro lebanon people in it ...actually all of them ...
*****************************************************************
then hizbolla and because of their syrian connection , felt left out..
But they demonstrated in downtown beirut tooo , to support the lebanon in them,
even if pro syrian eblems were out...

but still they were showing the lebanese that they r lebs like them too

but they held lebanese and hizbollah's logo ...below...


but this year and today Hizbollah are handing these flyers out ....

So Hizbolla has embraced the full acceptance that they fought this war for lebanon...
it is true that this war might; have actually , finally united the lebanese even if some
of us are anti this or that , but this democracy
as long as we communicate
we will get over this powerfully
we need to all be lebanese now ...and only lebanese
and let us clean our dirt together without using any cleaning products imports

love and peace !

THE ISRAEL LOBBY

Very interesting article from 2 American academics :

The Israel Lobby
John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v28/n06/mear01_.html
as it is quite long, a little selection :



[...] saying that Israel and the US are united by a shared terrorist threat has the causal relationship backwards: the US has a terrorism problem in good part because it is so closely allied with Israel, not the other way around. Support for Israel is not the only source of anti-American terrorism, but it is an important one, and it makes winning the war on terror more difficult. There is no question that many al-Qaida leaders, including Osama bin Laden, are motivated by Israel's presence in Jerusalem and the plight of the Palestinians. Unconditional support for Israel makes it easier for extremists to rally popular support and to attract recruits.



[...] David Ben-Gurion told Nahum Goldmann, the president of the World Jewish Congress:

If I were an Arab leader I would never make terms with Israel. That is natural: we have taken their country . . . We come from Israel, but two thousand years ago, and what is that to them? There has been anti-semitism, the Nazis, Hitler, Auschwitz, but was that their fault? They only see one thing: we have come here and stolen their country. Why should they accept that?



[...] AIPAC's [The American Israel Public Affairs Committee] influence on Capitol Hill goes even further. According to Douglas Bloomfield, a former AIPAC staff member, 'it is common for members of Congress and their staffs to turn to AIPAC first when they need information, before calling the Library of Congress, the Congressional Research Service, committee staff or administration experts.' More important, he notes that AIPAC is 'often called on to draft speeches, work on legislation, advise on tactics, perform research, collect co-sponsors and marshal votes'.



[...] Israel's advocates, when pressed to go beyond mere assertion, claim that there is a 'new anti-semitism', which they equate with criticism of Israel. In other words, criticise Israeli policy and you are by definition an anti-semite. When the synod of the Church of England recently voted to divest from Caterpillar Inc on the grounds that it manufactures the bulldozers used by the Israelis to demolish Palestinian homes, the Chief Rabbi complained that this would 'have the most adverse repercussions on . . . Jewish-Christian relations in Britain'



[...] Sharon continued to develop his plan to impose a unilateral settlement on the Palestinians, based on 'disengagement' from Gaza coupled with continued expansion on the West Bank. By refusing to negotiate with Abbas and making it impossible for him to deliver tangible benefits to the Palestinian people, Sharon's strategy contributed directly to Hamas's electoral victory. With Hamas in power, however, Israel has another excuse not to negotiate.



[...] The Lobby's influence causes trouble on several fronts. It increases the terrorist danger that all states face – including America's European allies. It has made it impossible to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a situation that gives extremists a powerful recruiting tool, increases the pool of potential terrorists and sympathisers, and contributes to Islamic radicalism in Europe and Asia.



[...] Thanks to the Lobby, the United States has become the de facto enabler of Israeli expansion in the Occupied Territories, making it complicit in the crimes perpetrated against the Palestinians. This situation undercuts Washington's efforts to promote democracy abroad and makes it look hypocritical when it presses other states to respect human rights. US efforts to limit nuclear proliferation appear equally hypocritical given its willingness to accept Israel's nuclear arsenal, which only encourages Iran and others to seek a similar capability.



[...] Finally, the Lobby's influence has been bad for Israel. Its ability to persuade Washington to support an expansionist agenda has discouraged Israel from seizing opportunities – including a peace treaty with Syria and a prompt and full implementation of the Oslo Accords – that would have saved Israeli lives and shrunk the ranks of Palestinian extremists. Denying the Palestinians their legitimate political rights certainly has not made Israel more secure, and the long campaign to kill or marginalise a generation of Palestinian leaders has empowered extremist groups like Hamas, and reduced the number of Palestinian leaders who would be willing to accept a fair settlement and able to make it work. Israel itself would probably be better off if the Lobby were less powerful and US policy more even-handed.

U CAN SMILE

mixed feelings



Mixed feelings i have
I am not feeling easy though...
The next few days will show the extent of this fragile ceasefire

The lines of refugees' cars going back home... they are going back to check their homes

I am happy seeing happy faces after this long painful bloody month

one month and 2 days took lebanon back years

But when you see them fxing bridges to cross home... it is touching

very touching to them happy ...even if it won't last...

i hope it will last...

will it last?...

Why do you love Beirut?

Affiché le: 13/08/2006 12:45:00

A member of A Small World community (ASW), answered the question to "Why do you love Beirut?"

"I love Beirut for its opposites. I love Beirut because I see a girl in a mini skirt and her sister in a tchador. I love Beirut because it is neither West nor East it is both. I love Beirut because one can party till 6 in the morning and not realize that it is tuesday morning. I love Beirut because Beirutis live as if they are going to die tomorrow and party as if they are going to live forever.
I love Beirut because I can be swimming in the morning and 30 minutes later I'm on the slopes skiing or doing apres ski. I love Beirut because I have never seen the sun this strong anywhere in the world.
I love Beirut because I can see 6,000 years of history. I love Beirut because Christians and Muslims are living an understanding and do not need to have Christian Muslim understanding classes. I love Beirut because every Beiruti has a political opinion and will share it with you even if you could care less about his and you want to share yours with him. I love Beirut for all the conspiracy theories and how many people actually believe them.
I love Beirut because any night I can find a friend to go out with. I love Beirut because I do not need to call my friends to go and see them at their houses I just stop by. I love Beirut because as soon as I arirve at one of my friends houses his mom takes me to the kitchen and becomes the spokesperson of the refrigerator. I love Beirut because one can smell gardenia , and jasmine. I love Beirut because strawberries taste like strawberries and fruits taste like fruits. I love Beirut because the food is so good that one gains so many pounds even if she tries to lose .
I love Beirut because although the Lebanese women at times look alike as some did their surgeries at the same plastic surgeon they are the most elegant women I have ever seen. I love Beirut because when I go out at night I don't know at which women to look at as each one is gorgeous in her wn way. I love Beirut because everyone knows me by name.
I love Beirut because I don't have to explain myself. I love Beirut because of the traffic jams and the people you meet because of them.

I love Beirut because of the noise pollution from cars honking.
I love Beirut for the spirituality of the people whether Muslim or Christian. I love Beirut because I'm the first to call my Muslim friends on Ramadan and they are the first to call me on Easter. I love Beirut because on May 1st I see Muslims visiting Harissa ( Virgin Mary ) just like I see Christians. I love Beirut because we can differentiate between a Jew and an Israeli. I love Beirut because on the 22nd of every month I see Muslims going to Mar Charbel and believing that a miracle will happen.
I love Beirut because women look like as if they are out of a Vogue magazine. I love Beirut because you eat to live and live to eat. I love Beirut because one leaves one cafe to go to another and one does this all day.
I love Beirut because all the Lebanese living outside want to come back and the Lebanese who are in Lebanon envy the ones who are living abroad not realizing what it means to live away from Beirut.
I love Beirut because my sister , her husband are there and my niece and nephew who are 5 are waiting to see their uncle. I love Beirut because my niece asks me to bring her a pink skirt and tells me : "I love You".
I love Beirut because a girl or a guy can easily tell you I just had a couple of Lexo or Xanax as if they just had a chewing gum. I love Beirut because for every Lebanese we have a singer. I love Beirut because the Lebanese star singers sing in nightclubs. I love Beirut because women go into the swimming pool with full make up. I love Beirut because guys go in with their cigars.
I love Beirut because it has been destroyed 7 times in History andhas risen. I love Beirut because since 1975 the Beirutis have withstood the PLO , Syrians , and the Israelis. I love Beirut because the Beirutis will not accept anyone to occupy them and rule over them. I love Beirut because we feel that it is better to die on our feet than to live on our knees.
I love Beirut because each street is a two way street even if it is a one way officially. I love Beirut because one can park anywhere and not get a ticket. I love Beirut because one can go as fast as his speedometer.
I love Beirut because MEA lands there. I love Beirut because on MEA we can clap in unison when we are about to land. I love Beirut not because it is my city , but because it is the city of every Lebanese. I love Beirut because it welcomes every exile freethinker , independent mind of the Arab world.
I love Beirut because we have hundreds of newspapers and our press is finally Free. I love Beirut because most Arabs dreams of coming to Beirut and wishes his capital was more like Beirut.
I love Beirut because when I explain Beirut to my Western friends, my friends see the passion of Beirut in my eyes. I love Beirut because there is so much misconception about Beirut in the media and in the minds of people who have never visited. I love Beirut because when I tell my friends that I'm going to Beirut they tell me can you take me with you.
I love Beirut because we argue over who is going to pay the bill at a restaurant as everyone wants to pay it. I love Beirut because although many whine about not making enough money everyone is living. I love Beirut because if I do the cross before I start driving the person next to me does not ask me if I fear that I'm going to get into a car accident but instead does his cross as well.
I love Beirut because we accept our differences as we disagree with each other. I love Beirut because it serves as a beacon of freedom to the rest of the Arab world. I love Beirut because to praphrase what Gibran said about Lebanon " Had Beirut not been my city I would have chosen it to be." I love Beirut because there is no city like it.
I love Beirut because even if Beirut is being destroyed you are still beautiful and will remain beautiful no matter how disfigured you are.
I love Beirut because you are always on my mind.
I love Beirut for no reason. I love Beirut for all the reasons of the world. "