Scoop Photo Essay: Returning to Beirut’s southern suburbs seven months on
Photos and column by Yasmine Ryan
Hizbullah’s claims that the 34 day war waged on Lebanon in 2006 was pre-planned appear to have been validated by the
Israeli Prime Minister. The Israeli Government has, until now, stuck firmly to the line that the war was not anticipated
before the kidnapping of two of its soldiers by Hizbullah. However Israeli daily Haaretz revealed last Thursday that PM Ehud Olmert has admitted otherwise to Israel’s Winograd Commission.
The summer war killed close to 1,200 Lebanonese, mainly civilians, and 157 Israelis, mostly military. Scoop returns to one of the areas hardest hit by Israeli bombs last July-August.
Haret Hreik is a mainly Shia residential area, which also happened to be home to Hizbullah’s headquarters until they
were destroyed last year, along with many apartment buildings.
There are no pictures of Rafrik Hariri in these streets. The main street is filled with posters of Hizbullah members
killed in the bombing, and of course, Hibullah’s leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah. And yes, there is a shop devoted to
Hizbullah and Amal paraphernalia.
The following pictures were taking in a guided tour by a Hizbullah member who gave me a pseudo name, ‘Mudjahad’. I was
told what I could and could not photograph.
Scoop Image:
There still a lot of work to be done.
Click for big version
Scoop Image:
This used to be the site of Al-Manar, Hizbullah’s television station. It was one of the first IAF targets in July 2006.
Click for big version
Scoop Image:
Al-Nour radio, run by Hizbullah, used to be here.
Click for big version
Scoop Image:
This appears to be a former office building.
Click for big version
Scoop Image:
Bulldozers and builders are busy at work, under the guidance of Hizbullah’s ‘Jihad Construction’.
Click for big version
Scoop Image:
Slowly but surely buildings are being repaired.
Click for big version
Scoop Image:
Next to the tents were Hizbullah coordinated the aid effort, a sign reads ”Smart bombs for stupid people”.
Click for big version
Scoop Image:
More Hizbullah propaganda.
Click for big version
Scoop Image:
Political cartoons inside the same tent.
Click for big version
*******
Yasmine Ryan is a graduate of the University of Auckland, in Political Studies and French language. She is currently
interning with a Lebanese newspaper in Beirut, as part of her Masters degree in International Journalism at the Institut
d’Etudes Politiques, Aix-en-Provence.
ENDS