Thursday, April 26, 2007

Now another tragedy, and a nation is in mourning yet again.
May God help their families and may their souls rest in peace.
Yesterday my heart dropped when I heard the news. This is the kind of incident that years later would be found described in books as the "spark that ignited...". What kind of heartless bastards would kidnap a child and a man just because they or their families belong to a certain party?

The longer the political situation in Lebanon remains suspended in this void, the more opportunity it gives these "zo3ran" on all sides to enjoy themselves. They are there, waiting to reap the benefits of war, they love chaos and thrive in it. War, after all was made for people like them, not for you or me or any decent human being who relishes stability, peace, law and order.

Jumblatt talked to Berri for the first time in two months. Maybe there is still hope that the bigwigs can get their act together. I hope they start by returning the kidnapped child and man to their families and go on from there.

The UN tribunal looks to be established whatever. It would be most dignified if established through the proper Lebanese means than under chapter 7, but I think this is looking less and less likely to happen. The interesting thing is that Hizballah keeps saying that there could be major repercussion and even maybe civil war if it goes under chapter 7. Why would there be a civil war if us on the one side are pleased, and them on the other side "will never lift a finger or direct a weapon against a Lebanese", is Syed Hassan planning to break his word?

Ban ki Moon is looking into putting the Shebaa farms under UN jurisdiction. In the unlikely event that this is going to happen I wonder who is going to be more displeased the Israelis or Hizballah?

Sunday, April 15, 2007

A trip back home....

For all us Lebanese expats, a "trip back home" is usually an exciting event. That first sighting of Beirut from the airplane, the family waiting at the airport , all that heart-warming stuff. Only this time it was different. You could feel the tension in the air from the minute you stepped off the plane. The logos and counter-logos line the billboards all along the roads, the tense looks on people's faces when they talk to each other pretending that everything is alright, the shopkeeper in the Nabatieh asking me what I was doing there if I am from Beirut....

I didn't feel good this trip. Oh,we managed to do the usual, ate too much sushi, saw a movie (were supposed to see "300" but got there too late and ended up dragging my poor husband to see "Music and Lyrics" which was surprisingly funny), even managed to take a trip to the beautiful Barouk Cedar Reserve, but still, there was a bad taste in your mouth wherever you went. Some sort of dissatisfaction at the ridiculous Status Quo in this country. The same question in my head all the time: when is all this going to be over so we can get on with normal life again?

I'm sick and tired of it all, and for the first time in my life, I was happy when I flew back out.