Christian villages in southern Lebanon spared

[tmma 467]

Syria's Christians rally behind Hizbollah

04/08/2006 16:17

By Khaled Yacoub Oweis

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Seventy-seven-year-old Mona Muzaber lights a candle for Hizbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah at the Orthodox Church of the Cross in the centre of Damascus.

"I love him. I never felt Nasrallah was a religious zealot. He is a patriot who doesn’t seek personal gain," she said. "I light a candle daily for him to remain under God’s protection."

Israel’s offensive against Lebanon has brought Christians in neighbouring Syria closer to Nasrallah, a Shi’ite Muslim, reviving Arab nationalist feelings and blurring sectarian divisions.

Bishops and priests say Syria’s Christians, a devout community of around three million out of a population of 18 million, identify strongly with Nasrallah’s battle with Israel, which has occupied Syria’s Golan Heights since 1967.

"Pray for the resistance, pray for Hassan Nasrallah. He is defending justice," Father Elias Zahlawi told the congregation at special mass held at the Lady of Damascus, a Catholic church.

Across Damascus Christians, like Muslims, sit glued to Nasrallah’s al-Manar television, receptive to his portrayal of the war as one in defence of all Arabs, as well as Muslims.

At the biblical-era Straight Street, Khaldoun Uzrai hung the yellow flags of Hizbollah all over his liquor and grocery shop.

"We are Arabs at the end of the day. Nasrallah is one of our own. He is realising our dreams," Uzrai said.

At least 720 people have been killed in Lebanon and 750,000 have been displaced by the conflict ignited by a cross-border raid in which Hizbollah seized two Israeli soldiers. Seventy-two Israelis have been killed, many by Hizbollah rockets.

NOT ENOUGH ROCKETS

Iyad Elias, a doctor working at a hospital in the mixed Jaramana district, wishes Hizbollah could unleash more rockets on the Jewish state.

"Nasrallah transcends religion and ethnicity. Unfortunately he does not have the firepower Israel has," he said.

Jaramana has been a main receiving centre for thousands of Lebanese refugees, mostly Shi’ite from the south. They have been housed in schools, mosques, monasteries and private homes.

Thabet Salem, a leading political commentator, said Nasrallah brought out nationalist feelings which have been dormant for years as Israel dealt the Arabs a series of defeats.

"Nasrallah extols the Muslim nation, but he is also seen as a symbol of a national liberation movement. No wonder Christians feel such affinity to him," Salem said.

A leading Christian businessman called Nasrallah "the uncrowned Arab king".

"Unlike most Arab rulers, Nasrallah is not an agent. After all he sacrificed his son," the businessman said, referring to Hadi Nasrallah, who was killed at 18 fighting occupying Israeli forces in south Lebanon.

Source

Israel is doing what no Arab leader has been able to for all these years... uniting the Arab people... unfortunately the Arabs are going to be untied against Israel

Interesting article, VP-but what does it have to do with the title of this thread? This thread is titled "Christian villages in S Lebanon Spared" , your response source article is titled " Syria's Christians rally behind Hizbollah"

Maybe I am missing something?

Edited August 4, 2006 by tmma

[Veiled Princess 1]

Israel is doing what no Arab leader has been able to for all these years... uniting the Arab people... unfortunately the Arabs are going to be untied against Israel

you're probably right.

I can't type!!! you know what I meant.... united.

"Bad spellers of the world, untie!!!"

I actually just saw ,in an email, a billboard "Dyslexics untie!"

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Israel is doing what no Arab leader has been able to for all these years... uniting the Arab people... unfortunately the Arabs are going to be untied against Israel

you're probably right.

I can't type!!! you know what I meant.... united.

Don't worry, charlesandnessa understood you perfectly.

However, you seem to have missed that Israel united the Arabs before (1948, 1967 and 1973)--in that regard, it is as before!

[Risto 0]

against [/i] Israel

Just males or females too

[Risto 0]

Christian villages across Lebanon's mainly Shiite Muslim south have been spared the death and destruction wrought by Israeli warplanes since fighting broke out July 12

[...]

As a rule, Christians in southern Lebanon have little sympathy for Hezbollah, a Shiite group whose capture of two Israeli soldiers last month provoked the fighting. The region's Druse and Sunni Muslims are split into pro- and anti-Hezbollah factions, while support for the guerrillas is nearly universal among Shiites.

[...]

This time around, many of Lebanon's Christians and Druse are reluctant to take sides, with memories of Israel hurriedly abandoning them in 2000 still fresh, and the duration of any new Israeli occupation uncertain.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060804/ap_on_...vided_loyalties

What ... christians don't support hezbullah and Israel doesn't bomb them? this is confusing!