Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Convictions and Prayers

The Lebanese government, despite the objection of the two Hizbullah-affiliated ministers and the abstention of an Amal-affiliated minister, has declared in its latest statement that the government did not know of, is not responsible for, and does not endorse what happened on the Lebanese internationl southern borders. The statement also asserted that the Lebanese government is willing and ready to work with the UN and third-party states to resolve the critical situation. Apart from that of course, the statement included a strong condemnation of the Israeli attacks on Lebanon's infrastructure and civilians.

Prime Minister Seniora defended the government's statement. "Yes, we did not know of the attacks nor we endorse such escalation." He said that not endorsing a Hizbullah attack on Israel (including the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers) does not mean that we do not consider Israel an occupying force, occupying the Shebaa Farms. He called on the Lebanese to be calm and united in the face of escalations.

On the other hand, Sayyid Nasrallah warned (or shall we say threatened) the Lebanese of acting in a way that would create a cover for Israeli aggression. But who are you to tell the Lebanese what to do? No one in Lebanon has the power to tell you what to do.

And then the Syrian Foreign Minister Shara'a declared as he stood next to an Iranian official in Damascus that the reason for the escalations in Lebanon and Palestine is due to the "Occupation". My question: What about the Golan Heights? Has that region been already liberated?

Last but not least, Aoun, Hizbullah's strategic ally, has told PM Seniora in a phone conversation that he supports any decision the government settles on. I wonder where all the insults that were being hurled on the government for the past month went. If Aoun is a "sovereignist", then how does he explain Hizbullah's solo move? And wouldn't his endorsement of the government right now be a contradiction to what he has been saying all along, including calls to overthrow the Cabinet?

I am offended and worried. Yet, right now the only convictions keeping me going are that the government has acted in a manner that represented many Lebanese and that the Lebanese people believe in their country and in the good life just enough not to allow Lebanon become a ghost town .

I'm praying.

Update: It is clear from tomorrow's newspapers (already out in the Levant) that the military escalations will continue for a couple of days.


"Nobody knows how many rebellions, besides political rebellions, ferment in the masses of life which people earth."

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry your country and your people have been put in this awful position.

I'm afraid in the end that all the countries with uncontrollable "militias" or whatever you want to call them, like Hezbollah, with external politicians and powers pulling the strings, are going to have to go through hell to take their countries back away from them.

I'm in the US, I don't know what it looks like to you, but to me it sure doesn't look like Hezbollah is on your side. It doesn't look like they care at all about Lebanon or the Lebanese people.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I'm so amazed to find out that there are Hizbullah affiliated ministers in Lebanon's government. I never knew that.

I remember being in the north of Israel last December. From where we were we could see a Hizbullah outpost. I figured they were operating as some rouge force; I didn't know that they held any legitimate government positions.

Thank you for writing such an informative blog. I hope you and your family stay safe.

Anonymous said...

Also in this great time of crisis, thank you for your cheap jab at Aoun.

You can disagree with him as much as you want on internal politics but instead of applauding the fact that in times of crises he forgets the internal tit for tat politics and sides with the government , like he did today and during the 3abd ma'mour incident with syria and the syrian arrets papers against jumblat. You go finding the lamest excuses to badmouth his act.

I don't agree with lots of his actions but at least everytime there is a national issue that concerns another country he leaves his internal problems with the people involved and sides with the gvnment. What better behavious do ou want from anyone in the opposition?

Oh I forgot, you're in the "you're either with us or against us" philosophy. He cannot be with you when you are right in times of crisis, and against you when you mess up interally, nooooo that's too complicated a behaviour.

Sometimes I wonder if the naivety of your statements is on purpose just to stir some debate.

Oh and Amy nothing is as easy as it seems from afar, the ministers in question are not only hizbellah affiliated but hizballah members, they have one of the biggest parlimentary blocks in Lebanon and enjoy wide wise popular support (I guess about 25% - 30% of the total population)