Qana, Lebanon - An echo in history - April 18, 1996

[burythehatchet]

Qana, Thursday April 18, 1996
http://leb.net/qana/webdoc0.htm

In the bloodiest attack by far on this eighth day of Israeli aggression, over 105 civilians were massacred after Israeli artillery pounded a UNIFIL warehouse packed with refugees. The hundreds of men, women and children were seeking shelter from Israeli bombardment with the U.N. in the village of Qana. U.N. spokesman Timur Goksel said the U.N. station, manned by Fijian troops, came under fierce attack this afternoon. The U.N. is airlifting by helicopter the dead and injured to hospitals in nearby Tyre and further up the coast to Sidon. Details remain sketchy because U.N. officials at the main administrative offices at Naqora are reporting communication problems with their Fijian battalion and the road in the area is closed because of heavy Israeli shelling. Once again, over 100 Lebanese civilians are dead tonight as a result of Israeli missile attacks on a refugee center at a United Nations' peace keeping base in the village of Qana, southeast of Tyre.

Foreign Minister Ehud Barak has said Israel would continue the bombardment despite the massacre.





Christians join Muslims at mass funeral

April 30, 1996
Web posted at: 12:30 p.m. EDT (1630 GMT)

TYRE, Lebanon (CNN) -- Church bells echoed across Lebanon Tuesday and verses from the Koran, Islam's holy book, resonated as mourners gathered at a mass funeral for more than 90 civilians killed in an Israeli artillery attack.

Shouts of the Islamic cry Allahu Akbur, God is Great, rose from the crowd. Many beat their chests with clenched fists, an expression of grief; others waved flags and banners.

Muslims and Christians united at the government-organized funeral for victims of the April 18 bombardment on a United Nations base near the southern port city of Tyre. The refugees had fled to the base in Qana in the belief they would be safe from Israel's air, sea and artillery attacks.

Turbaned Muslim clergymen and black-robed Christian bishops led the funeral procession.

"The Jews have committed a holocaust in Lebanon," Sheik Mohammed Shamseddine, Lebanon's top Shiite Muslim cleric, said. "Oh, Lord, forgive them their trespasses as we wed those martyrs to your mercy."
family members

The coffins were transported in a convoy of Red Cross ambulances to a Roman-built arena on the outskirts of Tyre for the service led by Shamseddine. Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri stood at his side.

The killing of the Shiite Muslim villagers sparked outrage among Lebanon's Christian population, often viewed as Israeli sympathizers. It also led to a U.S.-brokered cease-fire between the parties involved, and Lebanon has declared April 18 a national day of mourning to be observed every year.

The exact death toll ranges from 91 to more than 100. Fewer than half the bodies could be identified; most were little more than charred pieces of flesh, the Red Cross said.
body in coffin


http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9604/30/lebanon.funerals/index.html

[Finder]

1. Same criticism against the US also...only it was Clinton at the time. n/t

[Critters2]

2. They were talking about this on CNN

My dog has better PR people than the Israeli gov't. Idiots.