Tag: lebanon

E&P: lack of war critique “a disgrace”

Editor & Publisher, the leading trade magazine on the US newspaper industry:

(July 18, 2006) — While it’s not surprising that nearly every editorial page in the U.S. has offered support for Israel’s right to retaliate against Hamas and Hezbollah, it’s a disgrace that few have expressed outrage, or at least condemnation, over the extent of death and destruction in and around Beirut — and the attacks on the country’s infrastructure, which harms most citizens of that country.

Hundreds of civilians have been killed in Lebanon, dozens of bridges and part of Beirut’s airport destroyed, power stations and ports short-circuited. Latest reports put the number of refugees at half a million, with thousands of Americans waiting for evacuation.

Amazingly, criticism of the extent of Israel’s bombing — and its policy of collective punishment — has actually decreased as the carnage has mounted.

I’m surprised he’s seen any editorial against the bombing. I know I haven’t.

Helen Thomas, pro-Hizbullah?

From the White House press briefing with veteran correspondent Helen Thomas (a descendant of Lebanese immigrants to the US):

Helen.

Q The United States is not that helpless. It could have stopped the bombardment of Lebanon. We have that much control with the Israelis.

MR. SNOW: I don’t think so, Helen.

Q We have gone for collective punishment against all of Lebanon and Palestine.

MR. SNOW: What’s interesting, Helen —

Q And this is what’s happening, and that’s the perception of the United States.

MR. SNOW: Well, thank you for the Hezbollah view, but I would encourage you —

So not only does White House spokesman Tony Snow (a former fake journalist for Fox News) describe one of the greatest journalists in America (she’s met every president since Truman, has tons of awards, etc.) as a Hezbullah supporter, but he also thinks the US is powerless to stop Israel. Interesting.

Via ThinkProgress.

As-Safir pictures by region

The pictures I previously put up were sent by email from As-Safir journalist Hanady Salman. As-Safir now has a section of its site with pictures by region. Hanady writes:

The attached pictures are hideously gruesome, but you have to look at them . Help me find out what kind of weapons cause this kind of dismemberment and mutation.
What kind of weapons cause this kind of damage? Do you know? Could you find out?

Memory for forgetfulness

In 1982 the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish wrote a long stream-of-consciousness poem about that Israeli attack:

Three o’clock. Daybreak riding on fire. A nightmare coming from the sea. Roosters made of metal. Smoke. Metal preparing a feast for metal the master, and a dawn that flares up in all the senses before it breaks. A roaring that chases me out of bed and throws me into this narrow hallway. I want nothing, and I hope for nothing. I can’t direct my limbs in this pandemonium. No time for caution, and no time for time. If I only knew—if I knew how to organize the crush of this death that keeps pouring forth. If only I knew how to liberate the screams held back in a body that no longer feels like mine from the sheer effort spent to save itself in this uninterrupted chaos of shells. “Enough!” “Enough!” I whisper, to find out if I can still do anything that will guide me to myself and point to the abyss opening in six directions. I can’t surrender to this fate, and I can’t resist it. Steel that howls, only to have other steel bark back. The fever of metal is the song of this dawn.

The whole poem, Memory for Forgetfulness, is here.

Thanks to E.H. for reminding me.

Siniora appeals to dips

Josh Landis has Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora’s address to the Diplomatic Corps in Beirut. An excerpt:

Is the value of human life in Lebanon less than that of the citizens of other countries?

Can the international community stand by while such callous retribution by the State of Israel is inflicted on us?

Will you allow innocent civilians, churches, mosques, orphanages, medical supplies escorted by the Red Cross, people seeking shelter or fleeing their homes and villages to be the casualties of this ugly war?

Is this what the international community calls self defense? Is this the price we pay for aspiring to build our democratic institutions? Is this the message to send to the country of diversity, freedom and tolerance?

Solidarity forum in NY on Saturday

Anti-war activists are planning a solidarity event with Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq, in New York this Saturday. Here’s the press release:

Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq
Stop US/Israel War on the Middle East
Emergency Forum

In the last 2 weeks, Israel has unleashed a barbaric campaign of destruction against the Palestinian and Lebanese people.
Using the pretext of recent kidnapping of 3 soldiers by Hamas and Hezollah, Israel has been bombing power plants, bridges, airports and roads in Gaza and Lebanon thus leaving millions of Arab civilians without electricity, water and food. Israel’s crimes against humanity are taking place with the support of the US government. Continue reading Solidarity forum in NY on Saturday

Help Lebanon directly

Passing on email requests from Lebanon for aid and money:

Espaces D is a Beirut art gallery. Its owners are collecting money to help refugees:

Account Number: 001-004-361-236446-01-3
SGBL Sin El Fil
SWIFT: SGLILBBX

You can also donate clothes, food, sheets, mattresses etc…
The head office is in Sassine Square
For more info: 03 35 27 27

For the NGO Al Hoda:

URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT
Al Huda Society for Social Care is a civic non profit organization based and active in Beirut. The Society was established in 1987 during the Lebanese civil war. It has been active in providing social care for underprivileged families in Beirut, responding to the needs of each era. Its activities included launching a sponsorship program for children, who were orphaned during the 1975-1990 war; providing a day care services center for children; organizing summer camps for children of the occupied zone in South Lebanon (before 2000); providing assistance and relief for internally displaced families during the Israeli attack on Lebanon in April 2006; and establishing Nasma Learning and Resource Centre for students in public schools in the Ras Beirut area.

In light of the Israeli attack on Lebanon at this time, thousands of families have fled the most afflicted areas to become refugees in other parts of their country, including Beirut . Al-Huda Society has redirected its resources to cater to the needs of as many families as possible. Currently it is responsible for the welfare of around 200 displaced families in the Ras Beirut area. It is distributing daily rations to each family with the cost of each ration being 15 USD. The Society aspires to increase the number of families in its care, as the number of families fleeing the Israeli bombardment is continuously increasing. The essential condition for achieving this goal is increasing resources, namely financial.

In this respect all assistance is a need.

Please send your donations to:
Account Name: Al Houda Society
Account No. 02 43020 047465
Bank: Bankmed
Branch: Makdessi Branch
Via: Bank of New York , New York
A/C No. 8900057343
UID: CH035040
SWIFT: MEDLLBBX

Click on the thumbnail below for more lists of organizations and accounts:

Soumoud

Latest developments

From a Reuters feed, no comment:

July 20 (Reuters) – Following are developments in the Middle East.

* Hizbollah fight fierce battles with Israeli troops on Lebanese border, as thousands more foreigners flee 9-day-old war in Lebanon

* The fighting has killed at least 311 people in Lebanon and 29 in Israel

* Israeli forces take casualties in heavy fighting with Hizbollah guerrillas just inside Lebanon. Al Jazeera TV says four Israelis are killed. Israeli media report eight soldiers wounded. Hizbollah says one of its fighters is killed.

* Israeli army says 30 rockets fired by Hizbollah land in northern Israel, cause no casualties

Continue reading Latest developments