Lebanon Headlines
Massive Israeli air raids on Lebanon killed 33, mostly if not all civilians, on Monday.
The Lebanese government said it would send 15,000 Lebanese troops south to secure the border with Israel if Israeli troops withdrew. Prime Minister Fouad Siniora broke down and wept while addressing Arab foreign ministers in Beirut. He defiantly responded to Israeli threats to completely destroy the Lebanese infrastructure, saying that “Lebanon will not kneel.”
Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal warned the Israelis that their future in the Middle East was becoming less secure by the moment:
‘ Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said Israeli “aggression and attacks on Lebanon must stop,” adding in comments to Turkey’s Milliyet daily that Riyadh’s patience was wearing thin. “We have been patient for a long time, but our patience is running out … If Israel wants to live in this region it has to learn to stay in peace with the people of the region … They are destroying the whole country because two soldiers were captured. It is a tragedy.” ‘
I think that was a threat from among the wealthiest oil states in the world.
A big, vitriolic demonstration in Kuwait City on Monday against Israel and the United States over the war on Lebanon. This Arab Times report is tame compared to what I saw on Arab satellite television. Despite Bush senior’s having delivered them from Saddam’s occupation, I don’t think they like his son very much.
There was also an anti-Israel demonstration in Irbil, Iraqi Kurdistan.
The Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee on what you can do.