My name is Fadia Elsoueissi.. I was a resident of Tulsa Oklahoma for the past twelve years. After being away from my family for many years. I and my three Kids (Safa-11), (Walid-9) and (Salam-5) went to Beirut to attend one of my family meetings that we used to do from time to time as a kind of instilling family ties, and to meet my brothers and sisters who were coming from different countries in the world.

My parent's house is in the Bekaa' valley in Zahle' a suburb thirty five minutes away from Beirut. I and my kids were the first who reached my parent's home, so stayed there for a while till all the family reached Beirut safely. Then we were all there setting together , so happy to be together again.

On Thursday morning, the twelvith of July 2006, we heard that Israeli F16s were bombing Beirut's international airport. Also there was an attack on some towns in the southern of Lebanon.

At the end of this day, the information of this attack became more clear, as we heard the news that what happened was the beginning of a long war launched against Lebanon as a reaction of capturing two Israeli soldiers. At that moment I got that my vacation would be ruined.

Few days later Israeli planes started to bomb all cities and suburbs of Lebanon.

They bombed all things you could imagine . Lebanon infrastructure became nothing but ashes and rubbles. All were completely destroyed. No food, medicine, homes, nor shelters…

As Palestinian woman, I had witnessed two wars before but this war was much more intensive and fierce. They were aiming at destroying the whole country …

My kids were terrified and felt so vulnerable; they would scream every time they heard a sound of a plane.

My Husband (Houssam) who stayed in USA was so worried about us, he kept calling me on to check and see how we were doing . Then he called the department of state asking them to do anything could help us evacuate us from Lebanon .But he had no such good luck.

By that time my father (Moustapha) realized that would not end soon. He then consulted with Houssam and decided to go to Syria since the American embassy could not help us .

We traveled in the early morning hours through so rough destroyed roads, we even paid those who guide us to Syria much of money to get us to Syria.

We stayed at my sisters's house in Alyarmook refugee camp for Palestinians for few days till we were able to buy plane tickets hoping we could be back to safety again.

The sad part is the way we left Lebanon and the situation we left both of my parents in. Just think they had all their kids and grandkids there and suddenly they are asking them to leave for their own safety. How hard would that be?

Watching the media in USA and knowing what is really going on in Lebanon, make one catch how unfair the war and the media are. Lebanon fighting Israel is exactly like David and Goliath. There is a big different to watch war through your T.V and to be on the ground in the middle of this war. Really it is unfair!

This few days I spent in this war left a big effect on me and on my kids me and my kids, it is hard to get over , Salam, my five years old son, still panics and cries when it thunders or when any plane passes by.

But, Our kids now have understood how are the others' feelings , they understand what is the meaning of being "oppressed"

We hope to be in Lebanon again.. we hope to find it under different circumstances. Staying in America, We also hope the USA foreign policy will change to a more fair policy so that America will make friends in that region instead of making enemies.