The situation between the Lebanese and Israel has always been taut with friction. In 2006, the Israeli's responded to a Lebanese attack by absolutely crippling Lebanon and taking control of the Paris of the Mediterranean, Beirut. The hatred between the two countries is palpable. And, perhaps, deservedly so.
But this diary isn't about hate.
The Lebanese do not jump to include all Jews in such a tumultuous issue. Instead, building will be complete soon on the Maghen Abraham Synagogue.
This was a country torn asunder by Israeli bombs.
In July and August of 2006, Israel again followed through on its promise to "bomb Lebanon back into the Stone Age," and in so doing displaced 1,000,000 Lebanese civilians (nearly a quarter of the country’s population), completely destroyed the country’s infrastructure (again), its only airport, at least 64 bridges, leveled entire buildings and neighborhoods to rubble (again), including the country's largest milk factory, a food factory, two pharmaceutical plants, water treatment centers, power plants, grain silos, a Greek Orthodox Church, several mosques, and a handful of hospitals (in a country which only had a handful of hospitals to begin with).
It was an action which could have easily ended with a swift campaign against perceived subversive Lebanese Jews. Instead, they rebuilt a mosque repeatedly destroyed and dilapidated since 1976. It was not a crown of celebration or of mockery. It was simply a place for the 30-300 Jews of Beirut to celebrate their faith in downtown Beirut in peace.
One would think that Hezbollah would quickly strike against such a project that could believe celebrates a Zionist victory. Nope. A spokesperson released a statement, "We respect Judaism, just as we respect Christianity. Our only problem is with Israel."
Why can we not respect Islam just as we respect Christianity? Why can our problem not be with Islam but with it's perverted fundamentalists? Even a country beset by centuries of sectarian war can understand that their countrymen are their fellow men and women.
I wish we could say the same.
http://www.spiegel.de/...
http://www.zeropartypolitics.com/...