Lebanese Blame Hezbollah For Civilian Deaths
Ryan R. Jones - All Headline News Correspondent Qana, Lebanon (AHN) - The deaths of nearly 60 civilians in the southern Lebanon village of Qana Sunday was the work of Hezbollah masterminds, rather than purported Israeli aggression, say anti-Syrian Lebanese elements. The French-language website Libanoscopie, which is associated with Lebanon's large Christian population, claims to have evidence that Hezbollah desired and facilitated the massacre that has resulted in broad international condemnation of Israel and a perpetuation of the current fighting. In remarks translated by Israel's Ynet, Libanoscopie's editors stated, "Knowing full well that Israel will not hesitate to bombard civilian targets, Hezbollah gunmen placed a rocket launcher on the roof in Qana and brought disabled children inside, in a bid to provoke a response by the Israeli Air Force." They said despicable plot was aimed at thwarting ceasefire negotiations backed by Beirut that would see the Lebanese army deployed in the south of the country and Hezbollah disarmed. In the aftermath of the Qana incident, Israeli surveillance showed that the building where the civilians were located only collapsed some eight hours after being targeted by the air force, raising serious questions about the culpability of Hezbollah arms in its eventual collapse. Israeli officials have also questioned why so many civilians were still inside the building eight hours after |
