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How? …How did the fire works that greeted our
arrival, turned into bombs and explosions?
How?…How did the joy of the reunion of a family
long separated, turned into sadness and fear from never being together
again?
How? ...How did my children’s giggles and
laughter, turned into screams of terror and tears?
Well everything was fine, even great. Finally we
were all together, finally a family with dad around. Finally some
stress has been taken off our shoulders and replaced with fun and
enjoyment. Finally in the country we have long loved together, touring
up and down the mountains, down town, parks and beaches. Everything
seemed too good to be true…But…for how long?
My first nightl: Wed 12th July 2006:
I and my kids were alone in a big home as my
husband Ibrahim has left to Egypt two days ago.
It was time to go down to get my kids from the
summer school in MovinPeck which they have joined a week ago, I found
my housekeeper, Majida, running in the house, yelling ‘They are
blowing Lebanon, I hope they don’t blow the electricity stations’.
Turning T.V on we knew that Hizb Allah has succeeded in capturing two
Israeli soldiers to be exchanged with other Lebanese prisoners
captured by the Israeli army. Yet Israel has refused the exchange deal
and has started to bomb Lebanon from the South. Being in Central
Beirut, in the middle of Lebanon, and being here several times while
they have been fighting with each other several times in the south, I
took this lightly and left to get my kids.
Late at night, the incidents seemed to get more and
more complicated between HizbAllah and Israel.
When I settled into bed after Dawn prayer, I was
shaken up by a strong explosion close by. I jumped out of bed, rushed
to the balcony, trying to figure out what happened.
I switched on the TV waiting to be informed about
the location of the bomb. They have shot the airport runway. Since,
the airport was near to my home. I could see the fumes rising from the
airport right from my glass windows.
Thursday 13th July 2006 :
The explosions continued, I could feel and hear
shaking. They were exploding all bridges and link ways, electricity
stations, routes to the airport.
My husband phoned me and said that he will try to
come through Syria through land routes.
The news announced that all the routes to Syria
have been exploded, and that Lebanon is surrounded from the sea, land
and air. Lebanon has been Completely ISOLATED. There were even Israeli
ships in the Lebanese water.
I told my husband to forget coming to us.
WE ARE ISOLATED
It is only you Allah. People are dying
here, kids are suffering just from the sound of explosions.
At night the bombing continued, targeting mainly
the southern district of Beirut. I could see fumes rising from the
airport on one side, and fumes rising from the southern district of
Beirut, where it is said to be the main location for Hizb Allah.
Friday 14th July 2006:
Majida came again the next morning, this time she
was panicking…she was asking me to leave as soon as possible,
she said it is too difficult for me to be alone with kids.
I realized that there will be no peace coming soon.
I decided to be ready to leave in the right moment….I started to
pack my suitcase. But I was alone with my kids, and that any way we
would take would be through land: Through shooting and bombing.
My husband phoned again, saying that it is the
right decision to stay, advised me to calm down and try to get enough
food. I never knew how tomorrow would be.
I stayed in darkness, we had no candles or matches.
However, sooner than I found Sherif, my neighbor, ringing the
bell with a pack of candles, such candles that had saved our lives
later on.
The shootings came again, well heard and seen from
my windows. The southern district, airport buildings , South Lebanon,
infrastructure, water and power stations all were completely
destroyed.
They had shot down Al Manar, Hizb Allah T.V.
station, but they continued again broadcasting.
Another night was falling, the shooting carrying
on. The kids were shaking by now. We all were sticking together, the
violent successive explosions has caused us to cuddle together.
I left them to follow the news, but a few other
explosions REALLY shook the house as if they were right inside ours.
The kids jumped out of the bed, but this time really
screaming…saying "please Stop it ".
They were hysterical….and that was my turning
point...I realized an action must be taken…....The kids will be
permanently damaged if not physically, then psychologically if this
continues.
I opened the T.V. found out that this shooting
targeted Hassan Nassalla’s house, which seems to be so close to us.
I calmed the kids down, telling them they would
stop sooner or later. They would not be leave to continue these
massacres. I told them we have nothing to worry about, if we
die, we will go straight to heaven.
By 10 pm, I found Sherif, my neighbor, phoning me;
he told me that they will leave tomorrow by ten o’clock by land,
through the route of Tarablous.
So that was it then.
Only God knows if this is the correct decision or
not.
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**
An Egyptian family went to spend their summer in Beirut. Just
after the father returned to work in Egypt, the war started and
all communications were cut. Stranded in their summer home, the
mother and children spent sleepless nights in Lebanon. |
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