Lebanese Respond To Threats Of War With Israel

With Nasrallah's threat of open war against Israel, many Lebanese feel they cannot afford another 'victory':

Dozens of residents interviewed in a number of villages across the region said that while they by no means support Israel, they are also not willing to pay a heavy price again in the event of another conflict.

"We have barely recovered from the 2006 war and if there is another conflict today, who is going to help us?" questioned Mohammed Srour, 49, from the border village of Aita-ash Shaab.

"This is all a game between the major powers and we are helpless in the face of all this," he added, raising his hands to the sky.

Then there are those Lebanese who take the opposite view--some actively, others resignedly:

In the town of Marjayoun, Mohammed Yassin has yet to finish rebuilding his home destroyed in 2006 but that is not important. "We're all behind Nasrallah because nothing but force will stop Israel," said the 38-year-old electrician.

Some, like Suleyman Muhieddin, whose Tyre home was also destroyed by Israeli bombardments, are taking the new threats of war with a grain of salt.

"After listening to Nasrallah's speech in which he threatened open war, I put down all my tools," he said. "I figured that in the event of a new war, they could just compensate me in one go for both conflicts."

Nasrallah is not going to significantly improve his position in Lebanon with another war.

Technorati Tag: Lebanon.