Israel’s ethnic cleansing on a second front? Beirut Spring’s opinion
Beirut Spring 10 Aug 2006
If you are Shiaa, wherever you are, we are going to bomb you, say the Israelis.
If that’s not ethnic cleansing, I don’t know what the expression means.
I was reading a newspaper article (Arabic) this morning that made me smile. The writer’s friend was telling him about Israel’s “diabolic plan” for Lebanon. The plan would be to turn the Lebanese against each other by targeting the Shiaas only. Since the Israelis are finding it so difficult to take Hezbollah out, the argument goes, they would “outsource” the job to the rest of the Lebanese.
It was a fun idea, a creative conspiracy, I thought.
But before my smile was over, I got breaking news on my phone (I’m subscribed to LibanCall and Naharnet. LibanCall is better). The text read: Israel jets throwing warning leaflets into Shiaa villages in Koura (here in the North).
My first thought was: We have Shiaas in Koura?? (A predominantly Christian place).
My second thought was: the writer’s friend doesn’t seem so stupid after all.
Why on earth would you bomb Shiaas for their sheer religious affiliation? The minority Northern Shiaas have never thrown a stone at Israel! What gives?
The Israelis have a real problem here. Our politicians might fight, there might be tensions between Shiaa refugees and locals, but Shiaas are not a different Lebanese species. My brother is married to a Shiaa, we are much more intermingled than the Isreali superficial intelligence-reading minds must think!
Ethnic cleansing is the only way I can think of this. Shame on the Jews who are doing this. Of all peoples, they should know better. Disgraceful!
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