(no subject)
As many of you know, my step-Dad is Lebanese, and I have family in Beirut, Tripoli, and the Bekaa Valley. My cousin works at the Beirut airport, and my step-dad and two siblings were scheduled to leave next week for Lebanon for summer visits, but of course that isn't going to happen.
I thought I'd post this update e-mail my Mom sent me [with my additions in brackets]:
"We met with about 20 prominant people here in Kalamazoo last night and are starting a grass roots organization, Concerned Citizens of Kalamazoo. Just finished a one-page article to be in Kazoo Gazette at the end of Section A on Sunday. Will also have a rally downtown on Sunday, and have requested an immediate meeting with Stabenow [Democratic senator from Michigan]. We have been able all week to contact Mehdi's [my uncle] house, and today we cannot. Not sure what is going on in the Bekaa Valley . . .
Fouad [my stepdad] was interviewed and on News 3 on Monday nite; Rana Akl [family friend] was on News 3 last nite, she was on the last plane out of Beirut before the airport was bombed.
We are hoping that we can get the citizens of Kalamazoo involved in demanding 1. an immediate cease fire and 2. the Israelis allow humanitarian aid.
Latest figures from Lebanon, over 300 dead, thousands wounded. Israelis are dropping leaflets all over Lebanon demanding that citizens leave their homes and go to schools, hospitals, red cross facilities. These "safe houses" are then being bombed. What we are hearing directly from people in Lebanon is that NO place is safe there. Thousands of refugees from the cities sleeping on the streets. The two little hole in the wall towns near Mehdi, where we took our children to buy ice cream and candy [aka me and my siblings... we went almost daily to the town each time I've been over there], have been bombed. Everybody from Ahmad's [uncle] house in Baalbek and Tala's [uncle] house in Kfardan is staying at Mehdi's house, but that isn't safe either. Eptisam [aunt with a daughter in NYC] is here in New York, was planning to return next week, but is stuck - no way home. She's so worried, and crying all of the time. I think it's possible a bomb has landed near or at Mehdi's house because no phone service at all.
Jumana, Hala, and the kids [cousins that live in Beirut] are at Jumana's summer home in the mountains, and they can see the bombing from there. Jumana's hubby has left their house and business and is staying with some other relatives in Beirut - not sure if they have a home anymore; Jumana said yesterday, she just does not know. Elham's apartment [which I have stayed at three times for several days each time] is somewhat near Husballah, and she is not sure if it is still standing either.
People here are starting to get frantic because it is getting harder and harder to contact relatives.
North, south, east, west, all is being targeted and destroyed.
Will pass on more info if we get some . . ."
So I guess I don't need to say that I'm highly upset about what is going on in Lebanon right now.
I thought I'd post this update e-mail my Mom sent me [with my additions in brackets]:
"We met with about 20 prominant people here in Kalamazoo last night and are starting a grass roots organization, Concerned Citizens of Kalamazoo. Just finished a one-page article to be in Kazoo Gazette at the end of Section A on Sunday. Will also have a rally downtown on Sunday, and have requested an immediate meeting with Stabenow [Democratic senator from Michigan]. We have been able all week to contact Mehdi's [my uncle] house, and today we cannot. Not sure what is going on in the Bekaa Valley . . .
Fouad [my stepdad] was interviewed and on News 3 on Monday nite; Rana Akl [family friend] was on News 3 last nite, she was on the last plane out of Beirut before the airport was bombed.
We are hoping that we can get the citizens of Kalamazoo involved in demanding 1. an immediate cease fire and 2. the Israelis allow humanitarian aid.
Latest figures from Lebanon, over 300 dead, thousands wounded. Israelis are dropping leaflets all over Lebanon demanding that citizens leave their homes and go to schools, hospitals, red cross facilities. These "safe houses" are then being bombed. What we are hearing directly from people in Lebanon is that NO place is safe there. Thousands of refugees from the cities sleeping on the streets. The two little hole in the wall towns near Mehdi, where we took our children to buy ice cream and candy [aka me and my siblings... we went almost daily to the town each time I've been over there], have been bombed. Everybody from Ahmad's [uncle] house in Baalbek and Tala's [uncle] house in Kfardan is staying at Mehdi's house, but that isn't safe either. Eptisam [aunt with a daughter in NYC] is here in New York, was planning to return next week, but is stuck - no way home. She's so worried, and crying all of the time. I think it's possible a bomb has landed near or at Mehdi's house because no phone service at all.
Jumana, Hala, and the kids [cousins that live in Beirut] are at Jumana's summer home in the mountains, and they can see the bombing from there. Jumana's hubby has left their house and business and is staying with some other relatives in Beirut - not sure if they have a home anymore; Jumana said yesterday, she just does not know. Elham's apartment [which I have stayed at three times for several days each time] is somewhat near Husballah, and she is not sure if it is still standing either.
People here are starting to get frantic because it is getting harder and harder to contact relatives.
North, south, east, west, all is being targeted and destroyed.
Will pass on more info if we get some . . ."
So I guess I don't need to say that I'm highly upset about what is going on in Lebanon right now.