The Lebanon


Despite progress at the UN towards ending the fighting, vociferous protests against the conflict continued abroad.

Lebanese blast Arab rulers, praise Iran, Syria

NABATIYEH, Lebanon - There is little but contempt for Arab rulers among Lebanese Shias whose homes were destroyed in the war between Hezbollah and Israel, but support for Iran and Syria is stronger than ever.

Washington had hoped that Israel’s war with Hezbollah would deal a blow to the influence of Damascus and Teheran in the region. But following the five-week war, residents of the southern town of Nabatiyeh have lost none of their respect for Syria and Iran but are furious with other Arab rulers.

“From the first day, the Arabs watched from the sidelines,” said Mohammed Shaaban, 68, a retired businessman, as he surveyed the destruction of his three-storey villa.

“They should have taken a stronger position but they all have their private excuses.”

The mostly Sunni Muslim countries Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan—all key US allies—initially criticised Hezbollah for sparking the war with Israel in which more than 1,250 people died.

The Shiites are emerging as quite a political (Iran, Iraq) and military faction (Hezbollah) in the Middle East.

My Qatari pen friend Dana (who I stayed with when I was visting Cairo, they holiday there) is a Shia Muslim, her famliy actually can trace its origins back to Iraq.

She informed me that to her the difference between Shia and Sunni Muslims was not that great, that it was not a case of the difference between Protestants and Catholics.

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