“Israel made us refugees and destroyed our homes, and this is why we came here [to the refugee center] with our families… I saw bombing and I was so afraid… They are not bombing a certain place, they are bombing everywhere. I want to tell people in America to ask Israel to stop bombing because we didn’t do anything. We’re not the ones threatening anyone. Stop bombing because it’s not the fault of the children. Why are they bombing and killing children?… They are killing lots of children and they are bombing everywhere. Hezbollah is just trying to resist, and to defend from what Israel is doing…” Read more about Lebanon's Children: Voices of the Unheard 

So, they’ve been planning these attacks all along. Why wasn’t I informed? For the last six years, I have been making plans. I have been building dreams. I got married. I bought a home. I painted. I exhibited. I made plans with people … for them to come here. I invested time, emotions, money, ideas, love … into Lebanon. For the last six years, I have been building bridges. From Beirut to New York. From Beirut to everywhere. For the last six years, I have made new friends. I have met with people. I have made contacts. I have made committments. For the last six years, I promised people things. At work, at home, with friends … Read more about While I was building dreams, they were preparing my destruction 

Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of Senator Dianne Feinstein’s office in San Francisco on Thursday, July 27. Likely few if any of the protesters expect Dianne Feinstein do anything productive even as news of more and more atrocities committed by Israel in Lebanon come to light. Last Sunday, she organized a rally in San Francisco to support Israel’s actions against the Lebanese people. On July 20, Feinstein supported a resolution in support of Israel in the House of Representatives. The rally turned into a march to the offices of the San Francisco Chronicle to protest the newspaper’s lopsided pro-Israel coverage. Read more about Photostory: Hundreds Protest U.S. Aid to Israel in Front of San Francisco Senator's Office 

From my balcony this afternoon, I watched as French, British, and American evacuees boarded chartered cruise ships in Beirut’s port about a half-mile west of my apartment. And over the last few days, while bombs and artillery pummeled the southern part of the city, I made the decision not to leave Lebanon. Explosions rock my building even as I write this, but I’m staying put. I’m not crazy, and I harbor no death wish. This is simply the rational decision of someone who has built a life in Lebanon, who believes in this place and its ability to bounce back. I choose to bet on Beirut. Read more about Why I'm not leaving Beirut 

After the IDF’s devastating losses at Bint Jabeil on Wednesday, the Washington Post Foreign Service reported this statement from former Mossad officer Yossi Alpher: “I dare say, based on what we’ve seen so far, these may be the best Arab troops we’ve seen so far.” An Nahar today reported that, Israeli Justice Minister Haim Ramon proclaimed: “Everyone who is still in south Lebanon is linked to Hizbullah, we have called on all who are there to leave.” He then suggested that “maximum firepower has to be used.” As justification, he cited the meeting in Rome, from which “we have in effect obtained the authorization to continue our operations until Hisbullah is no longer present in southern Lebanon.” Read more about Criminalizing Civilians 

Two young girls were killed early this evening in Jabalia in northeast Gaza and a three-year old girl, Sabrine, was killed in Al Shujayieh, a densely populated area in east Gaza. These latest casualties bring the total number of children who have died in Gaza since the hostilities began on 28 June 2006 to 33. Some 100 children have also been injured. “Children of all ages are afraid.” says UNICEF oPt Communication Officer Monica Awad. “They have nightmares. Parents in Gaza tell us that children won’t let go of their mothers. They are afraid to get out of the houses.” Read more about Palestinian children hit hardest in ongoing Gaza crisis 

Yesterday was not a particularly good day. I was completely devastated, and had a lot ot do. First I had to take care of Oum Mostafa, a 75-year-old Egyptian lady who cleans houses in Lebanon since I’m guessing the ’70s. My friend Leila said we’d better get her out of here, she doesn’t have to go through all this. She’s not feeling well and she’s getting poorer every day because no one wants to hire an old lady who can barely move to clean their house. I don’t think you want me to describe to you the room (is it a room? It’s something with a roof on the top of it) where she lives. Read more about Not a particularly good day 

Sorry my writing has been so sporadic. I can’t seem to get myself to write what is going around me. I don’t seem to have words, and now it is all sound bites … bombing, destruction, deaths, counts, types of explosions, what they have destroyed next, how many children, how many children, how many children. I was at a vigil yesterday to say they should stop killing children. Lots of press, no people — exhausted and fearful already. And they haven’t even started on us randomly. The southern suburbs are getting flatter and flatter by the day as the death toll rises. Hospitals are filled to capacity with shortages on everything already. Read more about How many children, how many children