Lebonan
Lebanon marks 1996 Qana massacre
A group of Lebanese people and officials have gathered in southern village of Qana to mark the 15th anniversary of Qana massacre by Israeli military forces.
The massacre took place on April 18, 1996 when Israeli troops shelled the United Nation’s UNIFIL compound in Qana village south of Lebanon and killed 106 civilians, many of them women and children that had taken refuge from a fierce battle between the regime’s military forces and Hezbollah Resistance Movement, a Press TV correspondent reported on Monday. Families of the martyrs as well as Lebanese civilians and officials attended the event in Qana to commemorate the martyrs of the attack.
“I lost all my family. All I have is my daughter who was injured severely and lost an eye,†a participant said. The Israeli regime continues to claim that the deadly shelling was a ‘technical error’. However, a United Nations investigation has confirmed that it was very unlikely that Israel shelled the compound by error. Amnesty International reported that the move was a breach of international law, because UN positions are not legitimate targets and that the shelling indicated a blatant disregard for civilian lives. Hezbollah’s Member of Parliament “Nawaf Al-Moussawi” reiterated during the event that resisting Israeli crimes remians Lebanon’s only means of defense. “The people received a clear message when Goldstone backed down on several findings against Israel so they must depend on themselves and their movements because it is their only choice,†Al-Moussawi said. Moreover, Member of Parliament and Head of the Nasserite Organization “Oussama Saad” explained how history has proved that the Israeli regime can only communicate through violence. The participation of people from all religions, sects and parties was evident in the commemorative event, indicating that the Qana massacre anniversary has turned into a humane cause that unites the entire nations.“When we speak of Qana we speak of all Lebanon and a symbol of the Lebanese identity as well as the Arab one. Qana will always be our bleeding wound that hurts and yet makes us strong,†said Vera Yammine, a member of El Marada Movement’s Political Bureau. Even though the UN has formally announced that the massacre was no accident and Israel tried to cover up its illegal actions, no one has yet been brought to justice for the deadly crime.
