· July, 2008

Stories about Lebanon from July, 2008

Lebanon: Israel Lies about Killing Children

  31 July 2008

“Quntar says the child was killed in a crossfire by the sea. I don't believe him and I don't defend him, but neither do I believe the version of the Israeli army; it has always killed children and lied,” writes Lebanese journalist Jihad Al Khazen, on his personal blog Khazen...

Lebanon: Syria and Israel

  31 July 2008

“How much groveling (toward Israel) can advocates and propagandists for the Syrian regime do in one week? The answer is: plenty. And please: tell the Syrian regime not to speak on behalf of all Arabs when they promise peace and normalization with Israel. And remember that Sadat had promised them...

Lebanon: On Hizbullah and Hamas

  31 July 2008

“Hizbullah is effective in fighting Israel and ineffective in fighting its domestic rivals. Hamas is ineffective in fighting Israel but effective in fighting its domestic rivals,” notes The Angry Arab News Service.

Syria: Forgotten Prisoners and Real Heros

  30 July 2008

An Egyptian prisoner is still being held in an Israeli jail, according to reports being posted by bloggers, in the aftermath of the Prisoner swap between Israel and Hezbollah. Razan Ghazzawi reflects on what the Syrian bloggers had to say about this and the exchange of prisoners in general.

Arabeyes: Any Legal Foundations for Al Bashir's Indictment?

  30 July 2008

Since July 14, when the possibility of Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al Bashir's indictment by the International Criminal Court was raised, bloggers around the world have reacted to the matter. Today, we visit blogs from the Middle East and North Africa to learn how they feel.

Lebanon: Clashes in the North

  27 July 2008

Blacksmiths of Lebanon posted a video (about 2 minutes) showing live clips of the clashes currently taking place in North Lebanon as shown on a local TV station.

Lebanon: Reviving Lebanon’s Jewish Community

  27 July 2008

“Lebanese Expatriates are helping to fund and renovate the ancient Magen Abraham synagogue in the heart of the Lebanese capital, one of the largest in the Arab world. Renovation is expected by the end of this year or by 2009,” reports The Lebanese Inner Circle.

Lebanon: Defying Political Unstability

  27 July 2008

“The will to live is stronger than death, happiness is stronger than sadness, and peace is stronger than war,” writes The Lebanese Inner Circle, who is reporting on the musical festivals taking place in Lebanon this summer.

Lebanon: “Lebanon Cluster Bomb”, the Film

  27 July 2008

“The film is a primer on the cluster munition problem in Lebanon, but much more so an intimate portrait of those struggling to rebuild their lives after the devastating 2006 war. The under-represented of South Lebanon are given voice here, as they work shoulder to shoulder to return the land...

Lebanon: “Wild Recycling”

  26 July 2008

“This little truck passes through my street every morning… It stops at every bin, and 2 young men (almost kids) open all the garbage bags and empty them of their content. They then sort the plastic bottles and the aluminum cans … ” writes Rami Zurayk on how some solid...

Lebanon: Mental Laziness and Stereotyping

  26 July 2008

“That common American/Israeli refrain that Arabs have a cult of death, whereas Israelis/the West love life is older than, e.g., suicide bombings. It is, I think, a thought well-embeded in imperialist thinking, along with the idea that Arabs are irrational,” writes Burghol on going to war to restore honor.

Lebanon: Forest Fires and Land Mines

  26 July 2008

“Wild fires near Aley are causing civil-war-era mines to explode and are proving hard for the firefighters to contain,” reports Mustapha with photos of the fires.

Lebanon: Women's Rights

  26 July 2008

“I remember a friend of mine… who was quite worried during the latest armed confrontations… because her estranged husband won’t give her permission to take the children out of the country, and she cannot take her children out of Lebanon without his written and explicit permission. one story among many,”...

Lebanon: Flashmobbers

  26 July 2008

Lebanese Flashmobbers hit the streets of Beirut on Saturday (July 19) and slept on the sidewalks of Ain el Mreisseh for five minutes and that was captured in photos by Liliane.

Iranian bloggers react to Israel-Hezbollah deal

  22 July 2008

While the Iranian government rejoiced at the release of Lebanese prisoners from Israel, bloggers were quick to ask about the fate of Iranians captured in Lebanon, writes Hamid Tehrani, who sums up the reactions of Iranian bloggers on the Lebanon-Israel prisoner swap in this post.

Brazil: Tears and Cheers for Middle East Prisoner Swap

  19 July 2008

Brazilian of Arab descent or bloggers interested in all things Middle Eastern talk about the Israel-Lebanon Prisoner Exchange. Considering that Brazil is the country that arguably holds the largest Arab population outside the Middle East, there are very passionate points of views both for and against the deal, and as much tears as cheers.

Israel: Why did Israel Approve the Hezbollah Deal?

  19 July 2008

A day after the controversial deal with Hezbollah, many Israelis are still puzzled and disappointed. Puzzled over why their government accepted the terms of this deal, knowing that the kidnapped soldiers were not alive. How did the government and security entities approve handing back live prisoners with blood on their hands for dead bodies?

Palestine: The Word of the Israeli Against that of an Arab

  19 July 2008

A few days after the release of Lebanese Samir Kuntar from three decades in an Israeli prison, Palestinians bloggers are reminded that when it is the word of an Israeli against that of an Arab, the Israeli's will always be the one to be considered.

Tunisia: Where are the State Funerals?

  19 July 2008

Eight Tunisians were among the 197 bodies handed over by Israel to Lebanon, in the latest prisoner swap between the two countries. Tunisian bloggers are calling for the return of their remains to their country - and honouring the dead in a state funeral.