Hezbollah uses Christian villages as shields in missile attacks

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Washington D.C., Aug 3, 2006 / 12:00 am (CNA).- Recent reports indicate that Hezbollah is using Christian villages to shield its attacks against Israel.

According to Christian Solidarity International, Hezbollah is hiding among civilian populations, mostly in southern Lebanese towns, such as Ain Ebel, Rmeish, Alma Alshaab.

Launching attacks behind human shields is in violation of the Geneva Convention's provision for the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts, which prohibits the use of civilians as military shields.

This is not a new strategy for Hezbollah. Col. Charbel Barka, a former South Lebanese Army commander, says Hezbollah is repeating what it did in attacks against Israel in 1996.

A Christian from the village of Ain Ebel, who requested to remain nameless for fear of a reprisal from Hezbollah, reported that he found Hezbollah fighters setting up a launcher on his rooftop. Hezbollah fighters ignored his pleas to stop and fired the missiles. He immediately gathered his family and fled his home, which was bombed 15 minutes later by an Israeli air strike.

Hezbollah has also attempted to stop Christians from fleeing their villages. According to Christian Solidarity International, on July 28, Hezbollah fighters fired upon several Christians fleeing Rmeish with their families, wounding two.

Sami El-Khoury, president of the World Maronite Union, adds that media reports about Christian support for Hezbollah are inaccurate.

"Contrary to Western press reports, indicating high percentages of Christian support for Hezbollah, 90 percent of Christians, 80 percent of Sunni and 40 percent of Shiites in Lebanon oppose Hezbollah," El-Khoury told Christian Solidarity International.

Christian Solidarity International has called for the United Nations to establish a politically independent commission to investigate Hezbollah's contravention of international law. The group has also urged the UN Security Council to deploy immediately an international force in Lebanon to facilitate a ceasefire, to stop the flow of arms from Syria to Hezbollah, and to assist the Lebanese government in fulfilling its obligation to disarm Hezbollah.

Hezbollah has been the ruling power in the south since Israel withdrew from Lebanon six years ago. Christian villages suffer from extensive neglect of infrastructure under Hezbollah rule. Once the majority, the Christian population in Lebanon has declined to under 40 percent due to pressures by Islamic militias supported by Iran and Syria.

Comments: 9

Subscriber comments:

Published by: U R Anass
Knoxville, TN, USA 08/12/2006 01:26 PM EST

Grasp both ears and tug firmly until you see daylight again.

Published by: Philip Saenz
Mathis, TX 78368 USA 08/05/2006 03:30 AM EST

Let's face it. It is a great confusion. Only God knows the answer. Let us pray. I personally pray three or four hours daily. Please increase your prayers. It works. I've seen beautiful results. Thank you. May God Bless You. Signed, Philip

Published by: Ralph Spencer
NY/NY 08/04/2006 10:55 AM EST

Perhaps the Pope will make a plea for them to stop this practice.

Published by: Fabrizio Azzola
Italy 08/04/2006 04:04 AM EST

But of course Israel is the criminal needing to be stopped... Sadly, no evidence whatsoever will overturn the anti-semite and pro-terrorist spin of the media.

Published by: George Angel
Canada 08/03/2006 09:00 PM EST

Unfortunately the Hezbollah have caught Israel in a catch 22 situation. If Israel does nothing Hezbollah will continue to fire rockets from inside Lebanon shockingly using Christians as human shields actually launching the rockets from their homes. When Israel retaliates as they always do the inevitable results are that many innocent people are needlessly killed and then used as propaganda throughout the world media to turn public opinion in the world against Israel. The ultimate aim of Hezbollah is to draw the entire Arab world against Israel by creating public opinion against the Israeli's especially in the Arab world. Right now that strategy seems to be working to a "T". If the real issue according to these terrorist groups is for the Palestinian people to have their own homeland, it is incumbent upon Israel and the Arab world who keeps claiming that this is the real issue to finally sit down and negotiate some sort of solution towards resolving this long simmering issue of Palestinian autonomy. Obviously continuing this war will not do any good and if anything could propel the entire situation to escalate to the point where many other nations in the Arab world will become involved. Let us all pray for peace in the Holy Land and throughout this very troubled part of the world so that all no matter what their faith can one day live side by side in peace and harmony. Catholics and the entire world need to pray as we have never prayed before for Middle East peace.

Published by: Thomas Zabiega
Chicago, IL 08/03/2006 07:31 PM EST

I have trouble believing this story. The South Lebanese Army was a bunch of collaborators who were paid off by the Israeli government to fight Hezbollah, so it is difficult to believe they would be telling the truth. The truth is the Israeli don't distinguish between Muslim and Christian Arabs. In Palestine, they jail many Christian Palestinians without any cause and don't mind killing them whenever they want to. I know, I have personally been in Palestine and have seen the racism of Israeli against all Palestinians.

Published by: Alessio Bartolacelli
Modena, Italy 08/03/2006 06:00 PM EST

That evil is not Muslims, but only Hezbollah; that evil is not Lebanon, but only Nasrallah. May God bless Israel, sure, but not when Israel is killing innocent people assuming he's fighting against terrorism. It's just not true. He's destoying two Lands and nobody in Christian world is speaking more about the conditions of the people in Gaza Strip, among those there are a lot of Christians. Or are they shields too?

Published by: Timothy White
Richmond, VA 08/03/2006 02:37 PM EST

This is no big surprise. The problem is that Hezboullah has a very effective Information Warfare Operation going on and spreading disinformation and propaganda all over. their propaganda does appear to be believed by most of the media especially that in Europe (I know that's a shock). They will continue to do so until they are defeated. It does not help that the media (in general with some exceptions) looks the other way when Hezboullah (and other terrorist organizations) conduct themselves like this but wave their hankerchief every time a supposed innocent (it's hard to tell who is Hezboullah and who is a innocent civilian) dying in the rubble of an Israeli airstrike. On the other hand it does sound like Hezboullah may be attempting to use this operation to ethnically cleanse Southern Lebanon of all Christians by firing rockets from their homes knowing that the Israelis will destroy their house. The time has come (again for those in Lebanon sad to say) for Lebanese Christians and Sunnis to arm themselves and get rid of Hezboullah themselves once and for all. When that is done maybe they will then be able to live peacefully with themselves and their neighbors. The Islamo Fascists must be defeated or Christianity will be a thing of the past. They are out to destroy all who do not follow their form of Islam.

Published by: Michael R Mateyk
Toronto, ON 08/03/2006 12:08 PM EST

Well what a surprise. Hezbollah not following the rules of the Geneva convention..and picking on Christians. People...we are in a war for our very way of life. There is no talking with these maniacs. They must be fought and defeated on every turn. May God continue to bless Israel and may they contiue to defeat these evil Muslims.

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