Adjusting+the+Heroic+Commando+Raid+Story,+Roger+Assaf,+Counterpunch

Counterpunch, August 4, 2006
=//Letter from Lebanon//= =Adjusting the Heroic Commando Raid Story=


 * By ROGER ASSAF, //Beirut.//**

Good Morning my dear friends ...

Everyday, I find it more and more difficult to say things like "good morning" or to answer used-to-be simple questions like "how are you?". Last night and this morning, the darling Israeli air force did not take a break, bombing massively: Nabatyeh, Beirut's southern suburbs, Baalbeck and outskirts, Ouzai ...

And in the delightful early hours of sunlight (between 7am and 8am approx.), when some people are already on the highways, they presented us with a new and spicy twist, by taking out 4 major bridges on the highway between Beirut and Batroun (North Lebanon): Ghazir bridge in Jounieh, Madfoun bridge in Batroun (Yes, the one that gives us access to our -now oil-slicked- little seashore haven), Casino bridge in Jounieh/Maameltein, and Fedar bridge in Jbeil.

We are way past the argument of whether this or that is an actual Hizbollah target or not. Israel is showing once again that this is a war on a nation and its worthless insect inhabitants. The stench of racism, spite, and outrage has long ago surpassed the infamous oil slick. Practically, the country is now severed into little blocks, south and north as well now, making access between families, friends, supplies, and aid restricted, dangerous and at times impossible. The world allowed it to do so in Palestine, why would it stop it in Lebanon?

All this is planting hate and anger into more and more hearts. Destruction isn't constructive. Violence will not bring peace. There are many examples throughout history. It's very simple.Come on people, you can't be that stupid.

Or ... is this unrest, this constant nurturing of hatred and conflict seeds what you really want? Today I want to share with you a few facts about the heroic Israeli commando operation in Baalbeck from 2 nights ago. I wonder how many people in Israel and the world are exposed to this information.

About the Israeli commando operation on Baalbeck where 5 members of the Hezbollah were captured:

1. The parachutists landed on a hospital: Dar el Hekmat.

2. The glorious battle of the elite soldiers provoked 17 dead among which eight children.

3. The five people who were captured are ordinary civilians living in a house near by. Two of them, a father and his son, are called Nasrallah and have no relation whatsoever with the Hezbollah leader. Nasrallah is a common name not only in Lebanon, but in the Middle East. Such as Youssri Nasrallah, famous Egyptian filmmaker and Christian (please forgive this distinction, Youssri my friend, it's for the good cause) well known in the French film world). It's very possible that they would have been Hezbollah sympathizers, as are more than one million people in Lebanon, but they are not on the staff of Hezbollah.

4. Inside the car that rushed out of the hospital area and that was chased and filmed by the Israelis were a man and his wife, eight-months pregnant. The first rocket hit the back of the car. The two passengers leave the car screaming for help. The helicopter makes a U-turn and shoots again. The man manages to escape, the woman doesn't. A little bit later, the neighbors rush to the car and find her dead, with an exploded belly and the fetus projected outside.

News announcers of TVs, it's with great sorrow that I announce to you the death of Nesrine Salloum, eight months pregnant, a victim of the heroic mission of a worthy Israeli commando on terrorist grounds.

For her, I claim one minute of silence (the least to gain over your lies). Your special corresponents earn in one day half of the monthly salary of a university teacher in Beirut. Do your job properly, otherwise SHUT UP!


 * From: http://www.counterpunch.org/assaf08042006.html**

643 words