The tragedy of Lebanon
As an Israeli, I cannot visit Lebanon although it is supposed to be a beautiful country and it is only an hour's drive from my current home. Before 1948 Palestinian Jews and Arabs would travel to Beirut to enjoy its nightlife and to the Lebanese mountains to go skiing. There used to be a railway line from Haifa to Beirut. The railway tunnel from Israel to Lebanon has been cemented up since 1948.
Lebanon is the home to many ethnic groups - Sunni and Shia moslems, Druze, Christians of various denominations - it also has a tiny but aged Jewish community http://www.danielpepper.com/blog/?p=16 . Some of my relatives were born and lived in Lebanon.
Lebanon had a sort of power-sharing arrangement between the various groups which collapsed during the Lebanese Civil War that lasted (on and off) from 1975-1990. PLO (Palestine Liberation Organisation) terrorists attacked Israel repeatedly and Israel invaded southern Lebanon in 1978 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Litani and again in 1982 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_Lebanon_War when the PLO was forced to flee Lebanon. In 1985 Israel retreated to a security zone in the south of Lebanon and retreated unilaterally to the international border in May 2000. The optimists in Israel (me included) thought that finally we would have peace (or at least quiet) on the Israeli-Lebanese border.
During the good years Lebanon was the playground of the Arab Middle East. During the bad years of 1975-1990 there was terrible destruction. Since 1990 Lebanon started to rebuild and rehabilitate and now once again there is death and destruction http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Israel-Lebanon_conflict . My heart weeps for all the innocents who have suffered so much.
posted by David Lisbona | 5:21 PM
7 Comments:
David - just a heads up. You've misspelled "Diary" as "Dairy" (in other words, the title for a few of your posts is "War Place Where Milk is Bottled"
David, thank you for your insight into this conflict, I am glad to have found your blog, please stay safe.
All I know is that the Middle East was a peaceful part of the world before the country of Israel came into existence.
Why doesn't Israel become a good neighbor and make peace? Why must Israel want to dominate their neighbors?
David-I came across your blog in my researching of Arkady Gaydamak. While he sounds like a controversial man I am thrilled with his willingness to help his fellow jews.
I 's too bad that anonymous can't understand that Israel is only defending itself, as any country has the right to do. Israel has never wanted war, and they have given so many people so many chances to demonstrate that they too want peace. It is Isael's neighbors, and frankly nearly every other country in the middle east who has tried on multiple occasions to topple Israel. I pray that Israel is sucesfull in doing what the rest of the world wants them to do, but is too much a coward to admit it. Civilized nations realize that Hezbollah (and Hamas for thet matter) threaten the security of the world, and want them stopped.
Am Yisrael Chai...Shabbat Shalom
-Lisa
as a londoner who lived thru the IRA bombings in London i really do not understand Israeli aggression on Lebanon....imagine the U.K perpetrating massacres on innocent irish civilians during the IRA terrorism....unthinkable....just as Israeli extermination of Lebanons populace is. Shame on you!
Yes, it's unbelievable how many citizens had and will have to to die and how many damage to civile properties is caused by Israëls "reaction" on the kidnapping of a few soldiers (which I also condemn).
This isn't self defence anymore this is blind anger ! they could do bether with their self defence...
Dear David,
Thanks for putting this blog out.
Our heart is with you and with all suffering people everywhere. It is time for all moderate people to join together and support Peace = Shalom = Salam = Mir .... we are one humanity. When there is fear and a threat of war we sometimes do not act rationally. May you and Irit continue your Life and duties to help others and may we all experience inner peace.
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