Qana Massacre Revisited By Farouk Mawlawi

Qana Massacre Revisited

By Farouk Mawlawi

Al-Jazeerah, July 31, 2006

Hardly did the newscast inform us that two Boeing 747 planes loaded with laser-guided GPU 28 smart bombs made a refueling stop in Scotland on their way from Texas to Israel, than a news flash brought us the shocking news of a new carnage at Qana. Yes, the same Qana where in 1996 Israel shelled a UNIFIL post, where hundreds of civilians took refuge from recurring Israeli attacks, killing over 100 and wounding scores more.

The early Sunday morning attack leveled a 3-story building that housed several local families, including a large number of children. The toll at this writing stands at 54 dead, 22 of whom are children, all buried under the rubble. As usual, the immediate Israeli response claimed that Hizbullah used the site to launch rockets at Israel. But television cameras readily transmitted pictures from the site showing the lifting of bodies of women and children from under the rubble. There were no signs of rockets or launchers or anything to substantiate the mendacious Israeli claim.

The revelation of this latest Israeli carnage came at a time when U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was scheduled to come to Beirut on the second leg of her current Middle East trip after talks with Israeli leaders. But, in a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, Ms. Rice was informed that Lebanon had nothing to discuss before an immediate, unconditional cease-fire takes place. Indeed the whole world has been calling for a cease-fire since the outbreak of war. But U.S. backing of Israel has frustrated all peaceful efforts whether at the G-8 Summit in Strasbourg, the Rome Conference or at the UN Security Council. Instead of living up to its obligations under the UN Charter, the Bush Administration has chosen to supply Israel with the latest and most destructive of weapons and ammunition. According to conservative UN figures over 600 Lebanese civilians were killed, 3220 wounded and 800,000 were displaced. Yet, Washington does not believe that conditions are suitable for a cease-fire.

Farouk Mawlawi Beirut - Lebanon.

Earth, a planet hungry for peace

Apartheid Wall


The Israeli Land-Grab Apartheid Wall built inside the Palestinian territories, here separating Abu Dis from occupied East Jerusalem. (IPC, 7/4/04).

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, like a Python. (Alquds,10/25/03).

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