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Lebanese Christians " A Plague On Both Your Houses "
Lebanon ^ | 8 -- 18 -- 06

Posted on 08/18/2006 12:38:53 PM PDT by okiedog

South Lebanon Christians bitter over Israeli attack

QLAIAH, Lebanon: Ever since a truce between Israel and Hizbollah took hold this week, Boulos Abu Hamad and his family have been cleaning up the damage they say was left by Israeli troops who occupied their home for a night.

Their properties have only been moderately affected compared to the devastation of nearby Shi’ite Muslim towns, but residents of some Christian areas in southern Lebanon are just as angry with the Israelis.

“We are Maronite Christians. We are neither with Israel nor with Hizbollah nor with any other party so why did they do this to us?” said Abu Hamad’s wife, breaking into tears.

“Their troops came and ruined the bedroom furniture. We threw out the clothes I bought for my sister’s wedding because they ruined them and sacked the drawers and cupboards. They left nothing intact. Even their dogs left mess in the house.”

Many Lebanese Christians, Sunni Muslims and Druze have criticised Hizbollah for touching off the war by capturing two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid on July 12.

But they are also furious with Israel’s devastating response, which killed at least 1,100 people in Lebanon. One hundred and fifty-seven Israelis were killed in the conflict.

When Israeli troops invaded Lebanon last week and occupied the Christian villages of Marjayoun and Qlaiah — once home to the defunct pro-Israeli South Lebanon Army militia — they went from house to house, locals say, hammering down doors, breaking glass and trashing the contents for no reason they could fathom.

Soldiers took up positions in the neighbouring villages, entering and leaving residential areas after imposing a curfew.

Barely a shot was fired from Qlaiah, which was occupied by Israel until 2000, at Israeli infantry that advanced from the border to Christian towns around Aug. 10. Villagers say Hizbollah did not fight from among them.

No one thought the area would come under attack, and in comparison to nearby Hizbollah strongholds where houses and shops have been completely flattened, it has not.

A few buildings in the picturesque cobbled square of Marjayoun had been hit, apparently after some shots were fired at advancing Israeli troops.

Israeli soldiers also entered Marjayoun barracks and the town hall, their tanks crumpling or flattening the cars parked outside it and leaving imprints on the tarmac.

A peek through the padlocked gate into a clinic in Qlaiah reveals white doctors’ coats hanging up and a table of medical tools nearby, surrounded by broken glass and metal.

Glass litters a nearby optician’s and dental clinic, where neighbours say medical equipment has been damaged.

“May God not bring them fortune,” said one resident surveying the damage. “It is disgusting,” agreed another.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2006israelwar; caughtinthemiddle; lebanesechristians; lebanon
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1 posted on 08/18/2006 12:38:55 PM PDT by okiedog
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To: okiedog

"Those who lie down with dogs, get up with fleas."


2 posted on 08/18/2006 12:43:02 PM PDT by Popocatapetl
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To: okiedog

Sounds like some pretty trivial stuff these folks are whining about to me.


3 posted on 08/18/2006 12:46:46 PM PDT by rogue yam
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To: rogue yam

I doubt you would think getting your own home blown up was "trivial".


4 posted on 08/18/2006 12:49:01 PM PDT by ozzymandus
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To: Popocatapetl

"When elephants fight, the grass gets trampled." old African proverb..............


5 posted on 08/18/2006 12:49:33 PM PDT by Red Badger (Is Castro dead yet?........)
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To: ozzymandus

Who said the home got blown up? Did you read the article?


6 posted on 08/18/2006 12:50:55 PM PDT by Blogger (http://www.propheteuon.com)
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To: okiedog
We are neither with Israel nor with Hizbollah

Wrong. You ARE with Hezbollah. You need to solve that problem first.

7 posted on 08/18/2006 12:51:23 PM PDT by Lekker 1 (("Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau" - I. Fisher, Yale Econ Prof, 1929))
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To: okiedog
But they are also furious with Israel’s devastating response, which killed at least 1,100 people in Lebanon. One hundred and fifty-seven Israelis were killed in the conflict.

***********

It was disproportionate!

8 posted on 08/18/2006 12:52:07 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: okiedog

Oh, so you were going to remain "neutral" while Muslims fired rockets from the house next door at another country. As long as your clan kept their head down, and didn't interfere with an armed terrorist group using your 'hood as a staging ground, you figured it would be cool?


9 posted on 08/18/2006 12:53:37 PM PDT by giobruno
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To: ozzymandus
"I doubt you would think getting your own home blown up was "trivial".



From the Article:

"No one thought the area would come under attack, and in comparison to nearby Hizbollah strongholds where houses and shops have been completely flattened, it has not."
10 posted on 08/18/2006 12:55:00 PM PDT by Prokopton
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To: okiedog

Interesting from Wikipedia

Famous Maronites
Kalil Gibran, philosopher

Carlos Ghosn, CEO Nissan

Elie Saab, fashion designer

Danny Thomas, actor, philanthropist

Marlo Thomas, actress, philanthropist

Ralph Nader, politician, lobbyist

Paul Anka, singer

Toni shalhoub, actor

Kathy Njeimy, actress

Salma Hayek, actress,

Abraham Spencer, politician

Philip Habib, diplomat

Amin al-Rayhani, poet

Mario Kassar, filmmaker

Elie Samaha, filmmaker

Joe Lahoud, baseball player

Dr. Ray Irani, businessman

James Zoghby, activist

George Maloof Jr., entrepreneur

Paul Jabara, composer

Callie Khourie, screenwriter

Octavia E. Nasr, CNN Editor

Anthony Shadid, Pulitzer Prize reporter

Michael Sallah, Pulitzer Prize reporter

and many, many more....


11 posted on 08/18/2006 12:55:11 PM PDT by Blogger (http://www.propheteuon.com)
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To: okiedog

Smart "Lebanese Christians" knew that they lost their country over 20 years ago. I know many who got out and are glad they did.

For those that couldn't leave, I'm truly sorry. Ask you moose-lim neighbors why 155mm arty and 500lb Rockeyes are raining down on your heads.


12 posted on 08/18/2006 12:55:36 PM PDT by SJSAMPLE
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To: Prokopton

I stand corrected.


13 posted on 08/18/2006 12:55:55 PM PDT by ozzymandus
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To: Prokopton

The Hezbullies were intentionally staying in Christian villages, weren't they? Where is the outrage with them?


14 posted on 08/18/2006 12:56:22 PM PDT by Blogger (http://www.propheteuon.com)
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To: okiedog
“We are Maronite Christians"

Maybe you better ally yourselves with Israel

15 posted on 08/18/2006 12:58:29 PM PDT by Minutemen ("It's a Religion of Peace")
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To: rogue yam

Be careful who you elect into the government next time.


16 posted on 08/18/2006 12:58:37 PM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks (BTUs are my Beat.)
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To: Blogger

Kalil Gibran??


17 posted on 08/18/2006 12:59:38 PM PDT by bnelson44 (Proud parent of a tanker! (Charlie Mike, son))
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To: okiedog

One of the problems is that, 20 years ago, when Israel abruptly abandoned Lebanon, it unceremoniously dumped the Christian militias that were fighting for it. There is a lot of resentment about this and I think much of the Christians' inability to trust Israel comes from the fact that they feel they were betrayed once before for the short-term political goals of Israel. This was not a good strategy for Israel. But Israel's retreats are never a good strategy for it, even though at the time they may be politcally expedient.


18 posted on 08/18/2006 1:01:09 PM PDT by livius
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To: ozzymandus

I think it mentioned Hezbollah homes being blown up, not their homes.


19 posted on 08/18/2006 1:02:01 PM PDT by SF Republican
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To: okiedog
“We are Maronite Christians. We are neither with Israel nor with Hizbollah nor with any other party so why did they do this to us?” said Abu Hamad’s wife, breaking into tears.

Because you failed to do the job yourself when you should have.

20 posted on 08/18/2006 1:02:49 PM PDT by thoughtomator (Islam delenda est)
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