Getting Braced for War
English version of article published for Newsweek (Russia)
No onlink available - Hardcopy in Russian only
July 14, 2006
Beirut - “We are getting nervous”, says James, a Lebanese man in his 30s, manager of a computer store in East Beirut. “They are not only hitting terrorist targets. The strategic attacks are getting closer to the civilian area”, James continues. “No I couldn’t sleep last night”.
Maurice, the general manager of a restaurant further up the road explained: “I stayed up smoking and drinking while monitoring the news. It is just that we cannot make sense of life here in Lebanon. And what upsets me the most is the thought of children being terrified by the assaults”.
Having already endured a difficult night with strikes becoming full assaults in southern Beirut by 4 am this morning, the Lebanese are increasingly concerned.
As the news accumulates throughout the day, the further naval blockades and repeated shelling of the airport and Hezbollah stronghold in the suburbs of southern Beirut, there is little hope for the Israelis relenting the attack.
Zeina standing outside a super market in East Beirut is furious: “I don’t think it is okay that one single party should be making decisions alone, and put national security at risk.”
“I am against Hezbollah”, Zeina continues, “but I am also against Israel’s reaction. There are millions of civilians in Lebanon... And once again, as usual, all our infrastructure is being taken out first. It is as if it is in Israel’s interest to harm all the Lebanese. No really I am furious! It is just what is happening in the country is simply wrong.”
At 3:55 am this morning, neighborhoods of southern Beirut awoke to the thundering sound of Israeli fighter jets flying overhead. One bomb, then another, followed by retaliatory tracer fire and anti-aircraft shelling were the sounds of which the Lebanese awoke to.
Finally around 515am, as the sunrise lightens the sky, calm seems to have returned, birds beginning to chirp in the trees. Moustaqbal TV crews are spotted climbing into trucks headed toward Dahie. The calm however is only temporary as Israeli offensive resumes in the morning.
These were heading to the southern neighborhoods to get the first daylight pictures of the damage caused by the attacks.
A little south of Dahie, the Hezbollah stronghold, the flyover bridge over Sfeir Street, was gutted by a shell, leaving a hole 25 feet in diameter.
All the windows of the surrounding buildings were blown out, shards of glass covering the streets. The metal security doors on shops bent and rip out of their frames. The usually bustling cross street was deserted, not a person in sight.
A gas station worker, Ali, working up the street said that seeing the damage in the neighborhood left him with a strange feeling this morning, even if he had lived through the civil war.
A supporter of Hezbollah, Ali explained when asked what he thought about the Israeli tactics that all of the unfolding events were because of the Israelis. When asked whether it seems okay for all the people of Lebanon to suffer for the actions of the Hezbollah, he became agitated saying that: “Everyone who is not with Hezbollah is with Israel”.
James back at the computer store when hearing Ali’s remarks repearted to him: “Sure we are with Israel” he sneared cynically. “We just want this to be finished. We don’t like the Hezbollah and them as a militia to be disarmed. We cannot live with militias, we need one government just like other countries”.
In the meantime, the Lebanese are stoking up at the supermarkets. Bracing themselves for a longer assault then expected, they are buying up provisions.
Simon, the store manager of a supermarket chain explains that already this morning: “Before the opening of the shop, there were 40 people cued up waiting to get in”.
People are starting to stock up on: “milk, oil, water, sugar, coffee, meat, canned food... the usual”, continues Simon.
One woman who wanted to remain unnamed explained: “Hopefully this will end quickly, but I have a bad feeling. We are walking straight into the past”.
As the country is becoming further isolated from the outside world, with no possibility of exiting except for maybe the northern frontier with Syria, people are beginning to hunker down. With no exit for the time being, and rumors of the phone lines going down, and internet access becoming more sporatic, it is a matter of waiting.
“It is so difficult for families” cried out Zeina. “My children are away in Europe but I have friends who children are in Lebanon, and their parents abroad... And there is also all those people who work and live here who don’t have the chance to leave. How do you think they must be feeling!”
There is a sense of hopelessness for the time being, as Lebanese forces appears to be overpowered by the Israeli might, and warfare being waged by the Hezbollah which for the time being seem hard to reign in.
All in all, the atmosphere is tense. A source from the American diplomatic core stated that people should brace themselves for the next 72 hours, which will prove to be difficult.
No onlink available - Hardcopy in Russian only
July 14, 2006
Beirut - “We are getting nervous”, says James, a Lebanese man in his 30s, manager of a computer store in East Beirut. “They are not only hitting terrorist targets. The strategic attacks are getting closer to the civilian area”, James continues. “No I couldn’t sleep last night”.
Maurice, the general manager of a restaurant further up the road explained: “I stayed up smoking and drinking while monitoring the news. It is just that we cannot make sense of life here in Lebanon. And what upsets me the most is the thought of children being terrified by the assaults”.
Having already endured a difficult night with strikes becoming full assaults in southern Beirut by 4 am this morning, the Lebanese are increasingly concerned.
As the news accumulates throughout the day, the further naval blockades and repeated shelling of the airport and Hezbollah stronghold in the suburbs of southern Beirut, there is little hope for the Israelis relenting the attack.
Zeina standing outside a super market in East Beirut is furious: “I don’t think it is okay that one single party should be making decisions alone, and put national security at risk.”
“I am against Hezbollah”, Zeina continues, “but I am also against Israel’s reaction. There are millions of civilians in Lebanon... And once again, as usual, all our infrastructure is being taken out first. It is as if it is in Israel’s interest to harm all the Lebanese. No really I am furious! It is just what is happening in the country is simply wrong.”
At 3:55 am this morning, neighborhoods of southern Beirut awoke to the thundering sound of Israeli fighter jets flying overhead. One bomb, then another, followed by retaliatory tracer fire and anti-aircraft shelling were the sounds of which the Lebanese awoke to.
Finally around 515am, as the sunrise lightens the sky, calm seems to have returned, birds beginning to chirp in the trees. Moustaqbal TV crews are spotted climbing into trucks headed toward Dahie. The calm however is only temporary as Israeli offensive resumes in the morning.
These were heading to the southern neighborhoods to get the first daylight pictures of the damage caused by the attacks.
A little south of Dahie, the Hezbollah stronghold, the flyover bridge over Sfeir Street, was gutted by a shell, leaving a hole 25 feet in diameter.
All the windows of the surrounding buildings were blown out, shards of glass covering the streets. The metal security doors on shops bent and rip out of their frames. The usually bustling cross street was deserted, not a person in sight.
A gas station worker, Ali, working up the street said that seeing the damage in the neighborhood left him with a strange feeling this morning, even if he had lived through the civil war.
A supporter of Hezbollah, Ali explained when asked what he thought about the Israeli tactics that all of the unfolding events were because of the Israelis. When asked whether it seems okay for all the people of Lebanon to suffer for the actions of the Hezbollah, he became agitated saying that: “Everyone who is not with Hezbollah is with Israel”.
James back at the computer store when hearing Ali’s remarks repearted to him: “Sure we are with Israel” he sneared cynically. “We just want this to be finished. We don’t like the Hezbollah and them as a militia to be disarmed. We cannot live with militias, we need one government just like other countries”.
In the meantime, the Lebanese are stoking up at the supermarkets. Bracing themselves for a longer assault then expected, they are buying up provisions.
Simon, the store manager of a supermarket chain explains that already this morning: “Before the opening of the shop, there were 40 people cued up waiting to get in”.
People are starting to stock up on: “milk, oil, water, sugar, coffee, meat, canned food... the usual”, continues Simon.
One woman who wanted to remain unnamed explained: “Hopefully this will end quickly, but I have a bad feeling. We are walking straight into the past”.
As the country is becoming further isolated from the outside world, with no possibility of exiting except for maybe the northern frontier with Syria, people are beginning to hunker down. With no exit for the time being, and rumors of the phone lines going down, and internet access becoming more sporatic, it is a matter of waiting.
“It is so difficult for families” cried out Zeina. “My children are away in Europe but I have friends who children are in Lebanon, and their parents abroad... And there is also all those people who work and live here who don’t have the chance to leave. How do you think they must be feeling!”
There is a sense of hopelessness for the time being, as Lebanese forces appears to be overpowered by the Israeli might, and warfare being waged by the Hezbollah which for the time being seem hard to reign in.
All in all, the atmosphere is tense. A source from the American diplomatic core stated that people should brace themselves for the next 72 hours, which will prove to be difficult.
posted by Irina Prentice at 7:45 AM
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