Day 7

Today Beirut was relatively spared. In fact traffic was regaining some of its annoying density; nonetheless it was not a usual one. The attacks are now apparently focused on a new kind of targets. After the destruction of all the bridges, and the main roads in the country, from its south to its north, air raids are now targeting trucks and transporters. The excuse is that these are transporting weapons from Syria to the Hezbollah. The on-the-ground coverage of local media and some of the Arab channels (BBC and CNN and other international channels did not send reporters therefore are suggesting that Israel is indeed fighting the Hezbollah and getting any results on this level, which is, if one sees the ground, totally untrue) has showed through audiovisual proof that none of the trucks that were destroyed since yesterday are carrying any weaponry. In fact a small list would be very clarifying: some were empty and resulted simply to the killing of their drivers, some were carrying supplies (wheat, cement, and food), some were simply parked near the drivers’ homes but the main emblematic incident was the targeting and the complete destruction of a truck carrying medical help sent by the Arab Emirates to the Red Cross (having of course a big Red Cross flag on top of the truck, but this was not of any help). Of course the Emirates did not even mention the incident, nor did anyone else.

Anyway, this systematic targeting of trucks and transporters (which clearly shows a will to starve the besieged people of Lebanon) was not the real tragedy. The death toll in the last 24 hours has exceeded 50 dead civilians, most died in their homes. Others, who made a rather good argument for atheists, were killed after seeking shelter in a Roman Orthodox church in the Village of Rachia. The church was the target of an air raid. It could be the wrath of god, his sense of dark humor, or simply a war crime.

On another level some signs of an imminent economic crisis have appeared. People who want to leave the country through Syria cannot find any dollars nor euros, only Lebanese pounds are still available, a currency that is not very helpful for those who want to leave the country. Some are buying dollars for more than they are worth, others simply change their plans. Otherwise transportation from Beirut to Syria is now worth 400 $ (once one could go to Syria for no more than 4 $).

On the level of humor and daily jokes related to the current situation one is related to a common cheer usually associated with Shiites which goes (it rhymes in Arabic) : ‘God, Nasrallah, and the whole of the Suburbs’ (Allah, Nasrallah, wed Dahyeh Kella). This kind of cheers has an equivalent for every community or party in Lebanon, always starting with God at least as far as I can remember. The new one is ‘God, Nasrallah and what is left of the Suburbs’.

There are around 4 million Lebanese; until now around 500 000 have left their homes. Around 100 000 (most of them tourists) have crossed to Syria. Most of the foreigners from European or American nationalities have been or are being evacuated in ships, helicopters or protected buses.

The Israeli attack is still with undetermined end, the possibilities vary from days to weeks, and the most pessimistic are talking about months. However, one thing that helps those who are more optimistic is that there is nothing left to bomb; the country has proved to be so small that it can be completely destroyed in one week. If the operation is to continue the Israeli army will probably have trouble finding targets to bomb. This will be a problem they will have to solve, we, on the other hand, hope that the lack of options doesn’t mean that random bombing will be the solution.